Process Intensification Strategies for Sustainable Process Development– A “Dow” Perspective

As the world’s population rises and new economies emerge, society requires novel solutions to meet its most basic needs, including energy, water, housing, food, health, and transportation. However, limited natural resources entail their efficient use while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life of current and future generations. In this respect, Process Intensification is becoming an immensely important tool to achieve overall sustainability of the chemical process industry and the reduction of our energy footprint through controlled plant size.  Numerous chemical companies including Dow, BASF, DSM, DuPont, and Ehrfeld are addressing process sustainability through concerted process intensification undertaking. This talk will focus on Dow’s efforts towards sustainable processing through process intensification. In particular, case studies involving process intensification and their impact on the overall plant material and energy balance will be discussed.