Crystallization & Solids Processing

With recent advances in chemistry and biochemistry, the chemical process industry faces the new challenges of producing high molecular weight chemicals, which are normally recovered as solids via crystallization. It is well known that solids processes are often plagued by all kinds of problems. On the other hand, increasing market pressure calls for higher productivity and constant improvements in existing processes.

CWB Tech Can Help

CWB Tech can help you with various crystallization and solids processing problems you may be facing, such as:

• Poor overall yield in the crystallization process,
• Expensive downstream purification due to high impurity content in the solids,
• Crystallization of undesirable polymorphic form,
• Difficult crystal separation in the filter,
• Excessive use of washing liquid to meet product specification,
• Unsuccessful separation of chiral compounds,
• Low yield or poor product quality in a reactive crystallization process.

We Offer Fundamental Yet Practical Solutions

We offer fundamental yet practical solutions to your problems, including:

• Explanation of what you observe in the lab or plant based on solid-liquid equilibrium (SLE) behavior of the system.
• Identification of bottlenecks and potential improvements for your existing crystallization and/or solids handling process.
• Feasible process alternatives to your existing process, which may be more advantageous from the economic and/or operational point of view.
• Conceptual design of next generation crystallization-based separation processes based on first principles.

Benefits of Working with CWB Tech

You can expect the following benefits when you choose to work with CWB Tech on your projects:

• We look at the underlying physical phenomena behind the problem to systematically identify and address the key issues. These include SLE phase behavior, reaction and crystallization kinetics, impurity incorporation mechanisms, and heat and mass transfer.
• We begin with conceptual design and shortcut calculations, which allow quick identification of important areas on which experimental effort should be focused.
• Our workflow integrates synthesis, modeling, and experimental efforts, leading to minimum number of experiments and shorter development time.

Contact us about your crystallization and solids processing problems. We will help you to solve them with minimum time, effort, and money.

Reference Publications

• S. W. Lin, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Synthesis of Crystallization Processes for Systems Involving Solid Solutions," Comp. Chem. Eng., 32, 956-970 (2008).
• C. Lin, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Producing Nanoparticles Using Precipitation with Compressed Antisolvent," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 3580-3589 (2007).
• B. Harjo, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Development of Amino Acid Crystallization Processes: L-Glutamic Acid," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 2814-2822 (2007).
• C. Wibowo and K. D. Samant, "Crystal Clear," The Chemical Engineer, 788, 37-39 (2007).
• S. W. Lin, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Integrative Approach for Polymorphic Crystallization Process Synthesis," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 518-529 (2007).
• B. Harjo, C. Wibowo, E. J. N. Zhang, K. Q. Luo, and K. M. Ng, "Development of Process Alternatives for Separation and Purification of Isoflavones," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 181-189 (2007).
• S. M. Lai, M. Y. Yuen, L. K. S. Siu, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Experimental Determination of Solid-Liquid-Liquid Equilibrium Phase Diagrams," AIChE J., 53, 1608-1619 (2007).
• K. Y. Fung, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Experimental Study of the Effect of Buffer on Chromatography and Crystallization Hybrid Process," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 45, 8393 -8399 (2006).
• K. D. Samant and L. O’Young, "Understanding Crystallization and Crystallizers," Chem. Eng. Progress, 102(10), 28-37 (2006).
• C. Wibowo, K. D. Samant, and L. O’Young, "Integrated Approach to Crystallization Process Design for Fine Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals," 16th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering and 9th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering, W. Marquardt and C. Pantelides, eds, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp.749-754 (2006).
• K. Y. Fung, K. M. Ng, S. Nakajima, and C. Wibowo, "A Systematic Iterative Procedure for Determining Granulator Operating Parameters," AIChE J., 52, 3189–3202 (2006).
• C. Wibowo, V. Kelkar, K. D. Samant, J. Schroer and K. M. Ng, "Development of Reactive Crystallization Processes", in Integrated Chemical Processes: Synthesis, Operation, Analysis, and Control (Edited by Kai Sundmacher, Achim Kienle, Andreas Seidel-Morgenstern), John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp 339-357 (2005).
• C. Wibowo, "Put Crystallization on A Solid Footing," Chem. Processing, 68(11), 32-36 (2005).
• C. Wibowo and L. O’Young, "A Hybrid Route to Chirally Pure Products," Chem. Eng. Progress, 101(11), 22-27 (2005).
• L. O’Young, "Ask the Experts: Crystallization", Chem. Eng. Prog., 101, 18 (2005).
• B. Harjo, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Synthesis of Supercritical Crystallization Processes," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 44, 8248-8259 (2005).
• K. Y. Fung, K. M. Ng, and C. Wibowo, "Synthesis of Chromatography-Crystallization Hybrid Separation Processes," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 44, 910-921 (2005).
• J. Schroer, C. Wibowo, K. Samant, & L. O’Young, “Using Phase Diagrams in Process Development of Complex and Polymorphic Systems,” SWE conference: Current Tools and Trends in Polymorphism & Crystallization, San Diego, July 25-26 (2005).
• K. D. Samant and L. O’Young, "SLEEK: A Software Tool for Crystallization Process Development," Proceedings of 10th Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE Congress), Kitakyushu, Japan, Paper 3E-06 (2004).
• E. Koresawa, M. Nakamura, C. Wibowo, and L. O’Young, "Increasing Productivity of Ammonium Sulfate Crystallization Plant via Particle Size Distribution Modeling," Proceedings of 10th APCChE Congress, Paper 4E-03 (2004).
• B. Harjo, C. Wibowo, and K. M. Ng, "Development of Natural Product Manufacturing Processes: Phytochemicals," Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 82, 1010–1028 (2004).
• L. O’Young and C. Wibowo, "Solid-Liquid Equilibrium Technology for Crystallization Process Development," Polymorphism and Crystallization Forum 2004: Science, Technology and Intellectual Property organized by Center for Pharmaceutical Training, Princeton, New Jersey (2004).
• K. D. Samant, L. O'Young, M. Kwok, and K. M. Ng, "Workflow and Regression Methods for Determining Solid-Liquid Phase Diagrams," FOCAPD 2004 Proceedings, Princeton, New Jersey, USA (2004)
• C. Wibowo, K.D. Samant, J.W. Schroer, and L. O’Young, "A Novel Software Tool for Crystallization Process Development," European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering-14, Lisbon, Portugal, A. Barbosa-Povoa and H. Matos, eds, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp.1153-1158 (2004)
• C. Wibowo, L. O’Young, and K. M. Ng, "Streamlining Crystallization Process Design," Chem. Eng. Prog., 100, 30-42 (2004).
• J. W. Schroer, and K. M. Ng, "Process Paths of Kinetically Controlled Crystallization: Enantiomers and Polymorphs," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 42, 2230-2244 (2003).
• C. Wibowo and K. M. Ng, "Product-Centered Processing: Manufacture of Chemical-Based Consumer Products," AIChE J., 48, 1212-1230 (2002).
• J. W. Schroer and K. M. Ng, "Simplify Multicomponent Crystallization," Chemical Engineering, 108(13), 46 (2001).
• C. Wibowo, W.-C. Chang, and K. M. Ng, "Design of Integrated Crystallization Systems," AIChE J., 47, 2474-2492 (2001).
• J. W. Schroer, C. Wibowo, K. M. Ng, and L. O'Young, "Development of Software Tools for Crystallization System Synthesis," Proceedings of ESCAPE-11, Kolding, Denmark, S. B. Jørgensen and R. Gani, eds., Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp.523-528 (2001).
• J. W. Schroer, C. Wibowo, and K. M. Ng, "Synthesis of Chiral Crystallization Processes," AIChE J., 47, 369-388 (2001).
• V. V. Kelkar, K. D. Samant, and K. M. Ng, "Design of Reactive Crystallization Processes," in Reactive Separation Processes (Edited by S. Kulprathipanja), Taylor and Francis, New York, pp.209 (2001).
• C. Wibowo and K. M. Ng, "Unified Approach for Synthesizing Crystallization-based Separation Processes," AIChE J., 46, 1400-1421 (2000).

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