(55a) Towards Standardisation of Process Intensification in Solids-Handling Processes – the Ibd Platform

Process Intensification (PI) is broadly defined as any chemical (or process) engineering development that leads to substantially smaller, cleaner, safer and more energy efficient technologies and is achieved by significant enhancement of transport rates. To date, the majority of achievements in process intensification have been in liquid and/or gaseous phase applications.

Intensification of processes in which solids are an intrinsic component is significantly more difficult, with fouling an inherent problem which is contradictory to one of the key PI aims of equipment: miniaturisation. However, there are various examples of successful PI technologies across the broad spectrum of solids handling, including but not limited to the Taylor-Couette reactor, the twin-screw granulator and the toroidal fluidised bed.

Intensified by Design (IbD) is a large, multi-partner project funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 programme (SPIRE-08-2015, Grant No. 680565) which brings together a team of experts in PI, fouling, process analytics, process modelling and process control from across Europe. The main project output is the IbD Platform, a holistic, computer-based methodology for undertaking process intensification in solids handling processes. Features of the IbD Platform include:

• A comprehensive database of existing PI technologies and a knowledge-based selection methodology for initial shortlisting of options.
• A number of “built-in-modules” giving comprehensive design procedures for technologies from the PI database.
• A PI-based TRIZ methodology to guide new process innovations.
• Strategies for fouling prevention and remediation.
• Strategies and tools for advanced monitoring and control.

The IbD Platform and methodologies are validated against 6 industrial case studies from a range of sectors: mineral processing, ceramics processing, pharmaceuticals and metallic nano-particle production.