Reaction Engineering

The reactor plays a pivotal role in any chemical process. Not only can a good reactor design improve productivity and reactor safety, but it can also influence the reactor effluent stream in such a way that the cost of the overall process can be reduced considerably.

CWB Tech has extensive technological skills and industrial experience in handling a wide range of reaction engineering problems. Our areas of expertise include catalytic and non-catalytic single and multiphase reaction systems, polymerization systems, fermentations and other bio-processes, as well as reactive separation systems such as reactive distillation, reactive crystallization and reactive extractions.

Our Services

CWB Tech can offer unique reaction engineering solutions at every step of your process development—from analysis of raw chemistry data produced in the lab, bench, or pilot plant unit, to screening reactor alternatives and synthesizing the best reactor type, to the design, analysis and optimization of the chosen reactor—all the way to the development and scale-up leading to the commercial reactor.

A brief glimpse into the services we offer at each stage is given below:

Experimental Work

• Interact with your chemists and researchers to identify the most valuable data, and, advise on the manner of data generation.
• Develop a basic reaction chemistry model, suitable for process design purposes and consistent with data and observations.

Synthesis

• Generate reactor alternatives by applying systematic synthesis methods.
• Examine novel reactor alternatives which may enhance selectivity, productivity or achieve multiple objectives such as reaction and separation.
• Select the best reactor type, reactor and process topology, and operating policies.

Analysis

• Short-cut analysis of the reaction chemistry to quickly identify the constraints.
• Detailed analysis of the reactor alternatives by rigorous modeling and simulation.
• Sensitivity analysis to identify the variables dominating process performance.
• Optimization of operating conditions and operating policy to achieve highest productivity and safety.

Scaleup

• Develop criteria for similitude in performance on small scale and large scale.
• Develop rational scale-up strategies.
• Anticipate possible problems on scale-up, and suggest ways to overcome them.

Integrated Framework

We have formulated a framework that integrates experiments, synthesis, analysis, and scale-up into a coherent whole.

At every step we consider the key issues and phenomena. Then we tackle them by using properly selected tools from our technology repository. Our hierarchy of custom models ranges from simple pseudo-homogeneous models to ones incorporating multiple phases with complex interactions.

Whether your needs are spread over the entire development spectrum, or limited to only one or two components, CWB Tech can address your specific problems with the right tools and the right amount of detail required. We can also effectively address situations where there is a lack of clear understanding regarding the reaction chemistry and process operation, or there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding process data.

Our unique results-oriented approach based on extensive experience and engineering fundamentals will lead you to a clear understanding of your process and a higher level of performance.

Please contact us for further information regarding our services in the reaction engineering area.

Reference Publications

• V. Kelkar and L. O’Young, "Integrated Approach for Synthesis of Reaction Systems", Proceedings of 10th Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE Congress), Kitakyushu, Japan (2004)
• D. J. Singh, K. D. Samant, and K. M. Ng, "Design of Homogeneous Biphasic Catalytic Processes," AIChE J., 48, 1991-2005 (2002).
• V. V. Kelkar and K. M. Ng, "Development of Fluidized Catalytic Reactors: Screening and Scale-up," AIChE J., 48, 1498-1518 (2002).
• K. D. Samant, D. J. Singh, and K M. Ng, "Design of Liquid-Liquid Phase Transfer Catalytic Processes," AIChE J., 47, 1832-1848 (2001).
• D. J. Singh, V. V. Kelkar, K.D. Samant, L. O'Young, and K. M. Ng, "Integrated Software Tools for Reaction System Synthesis," ESCAPE-11 Supplementary Proceedings Volume (Edited by S. B. Jørgensen, and R. Gani), CAPEC, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, p. 133-138 (2001).
• V. V. Kelkar and K. M. Ng, "Screening Multiphase Reactors for Nonisothermal Multiple Reactions," AIChE J., 46, 389-406 (2000).

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