Technology

Advantages

The application of micro chemical engineering offers advantages with regard to several factors. A yield improvement of 10-25 per cent and savings of energy costs of 5-15 per cent due to process intensification as well as reduced laboratory and investment costs for continuous processes exert influence on the profitability of the product. Additional the launch of a product is shorten because of the faster development compared to conventional technologies. This leads to an improved market position of new products as a base for long term growth.

Micro chemical engineering accomplishes a multiplicity of experiments by an automated process in a little time, for instance in the application of catalyst screening. It has been shown, that 3 screening experiments can be carried out in a mini-batch reactor per day. If a microreactor is applied to the catalyst screening experiments around 40 tests per day can be done. As an additional positive effect lower amounts of catalyst material are needed.

Micro chemical engineering also offers the possibility to benefit from the use of new process windows. Compared to a batch reactor, where reactions may lead to 90% conversion within 1-2 days, full conversion within 20 minutes was reached in a microstructured device, for instance.