Integrated Reaction and Separation Operations Modelling and Experimental Validation

Efficiency as well as economy of chemical processes can be increased by integration of reaction and separation in one unit. In this case e.g. reversible reaction may reach complete conversion. Well known examples are reactive distillations. But it has to be taken into account that process integration is not advantages in any case. An important parameter for process design is the degree of integration which varies between homogeneous integration, partial integration with distributed functionalities and non-integrated sequential processes.

The book gives deep insights into the overall evaluation of integrated processes as well as development of methods for a systematic design and optimisation of integrated reaction and separation processes.. Potentials and the technical as well as economic limitations for process integration have been identified. The book covers several case studies of reactive distillation, reactive extraction, reactive gas-adsorption and chromatographic reactors which have been investigated from the modelling and experimental point of view. Based on validated models process simulation was used to optimize these processes. Following the concept of integrated process design approaches have been developed for model predictive control and process optimisation during production. Another new and very important focus of the book is systematic synthesis of integrated processes.

Based on the investigation of processes mentioned above as well as further process simulations heuristic rule and short cut method have been developed which are used to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a certain process integration and to develop a favourable process design.

The book presents the latest developments in simulation of integrated processes as well as new methods of process synthesis and process control. It shows also the details of experimental approaches for model validation, determining of model parameters and measurement techniques. The combination of sophisticated modelling, optimisation methods and experimental results has not ben published up to now. Therefore on the book addresses readers from industry as well as academic research.