(268d) Three Dimensional Printing (3dP) Fixed-Bed Unit Operations: Future Manufacturing Techniques

Unit operations are single, basic steps in a chemical process. Typically, these are units are physical separations, such as distillation, or chemical transformation, such as isomerization. Recently, there has been a large focus on 3d-printing (3dP) unit operations. Despite the advances and recent growth in adoption of this technique, most research has focused on manufacturing reaction containers and microflow devices, such as the ‘lab on a chip.’ While these research avenues take advantage of the on-demand manufacturing and custom design capabilities of 3dP techniques, they fail to utilize one of the most important factors setting apart additive manufacturing from other methods: complex internal geometries. Leveraging the ability to 3d-print complex internal geometries, a variety of new unit operations can be tailored according to need. Here, we present a modifiable platform for use in multi-phase processing as a fixed-bed unit operation. By changing the manufacturing parameters, the platform can be tailored on-demand for specific use. We describe a customizeable column that can act as a fixed bed catalyst, phase dispersion device in continuous emulsification or foaming, and as a separator in filter or de-emulsification. In reacting systems, the surface area is, maximized and the internal geometry is chosen to facilitate solid-liquid/gas contact. The surface can either be decorated with catalyst or fabricated using catalyst-impregnated filament. For use in continuous phase dispersion there is a balance between capillary extrusion and wall shear, therefore the porosity is balanced with an internal geometry to promote both avenues of emulsification and foaming. In phase separation applications, careful choice of filament material, porosity, and internal geometry allow the column to be transformed from a continuous emulsification unit to a continuous de-emulsification unit. The adaptability and on-demand nature of 3dP is shown through modification of a base design to encompass continuous heterogeneous reactions, phase dispersion, and phase separation.