scale up of microwave processing · demonstrated the scale up of microwave processes to production...
TRANSCRIPT
Scale Up of Microwave Processing
Microwave Commercialisation Club Workshop – May 2019
Yvonne Wharton
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
1966 Electricity Council Research Center (ECRC) established as a publicly-
funded research institute
1990 ECRC privatised along with the UK energy generation industry,
becomes EA Technology
2000 Management buyout of EA Technology’s Energy Division, which
becomes C-Tech Innovation
C-Tech History
Ideation
Invention and problem solving
Process concepts
Horizon scanning
Academic interactions
Research
Process development
Food processing
Surface engineering
High temperature processing
Analytical services IP protection
Concept Design
P&ID development
Option scoping studies
Economic studies
HAZOP and safety studies
Prototype build
Electrical, mechanical and software development
Plant demonstration facilities
Onsite operation and support
Full scale implementation
Installation at scale
Knowledge transfer
Training
What We Do
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Approach
➡ Concept chemistry, physics, metallurgy
➡ Pilot mechanical & electrical
➡ Trials design & build
➡ Production commissioning
2018 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
System Build and Installation Systematic approach to minimise risk
We develop and commercialise processes and build equipment for, amongst others the food, nuclear, fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries
Project delivery may include:
• FEED studies
• PFD, P&ID, HAZOP
• System Integration
• Software and control integration
• Mechanical and electrical design
• Pilot plant operation
• Up to multi tonne scale in house
• Trained and efficient operators
• Full scale installation
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Our Technologies
Electro-Heating
• Microwave Flow Reactors
• Ohmic Heating
• Plasma Processing
• Induction Heating
• Radiofrequency Defrosting and Heating
Electrochemical
• Electrochemical Synthesis
• Electrodialysis
• Metal Removal and Recovery
• Vanadium Electrolyte Production
Equipment
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Why Microwave Flow Chemistry
Faster Faster reaction times Cleaner Rapid heating and absence of wall effects results in less side reactions Greener Cleaner reactions means less purification/solvents/ SMs. Energy saving MW flow vs batch Safer Less inventory of hazardous materials
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Microwave Cavity
Microwave
source
Travelling wave
applicator
Quartz process tube
Pressure and microwave
containment
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Pilot Scale Reactor
• Process for the production of an API from a suspension in ethanol
• Pilot scale reactor to process 1kg/hr (17mL/min) • Increased heating rate coupled with pressure
results in higher yields • >98% conversion vs 55% for conventionally
heated process
Specification • 450W @ 2450MHz • Maximum operating temperature 160°C • 20 bar • ATEX rated • Hold at 160°C for 45 min • 2 x 10L receiver vessels
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Production Scale Reactor
• Plant scale reactor for production of an API from a suspension in ethanol
• Production rate 12 kg/hr product • 99.6% conversion at full operational rate Specification • 6kW @ 2450MHz • Maximum operating temperature 195 °C • 28 bar • ATEX rated • 2 x 120L receiver vessels
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Microwave Plasma for Gas Phase Chemistry
• High pressure and very high flow rates
• 5 bar, 600 l/min
• Electrodeless plasma system with very high
reliability - no contamination of the product due
to ablation of the electrode materials
• Process was developed using 2450MHz 6kW unit
• Continuous, reliable operation
• Our microwave plasma has a much lower
operating temperature when compared with a
conventional plasma torch, and additionally has
a much longer gas residence time allowing
greater reactivity of the plasma gas to be
achieved.
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Microwave Plasma for Nitrogen Fixation NO production is of great industrial interest and is the basis for the chemical technology of fertilizers and explosives. Many studies have been carried out on plasma-chemical synthesis of nitrogen oxides from air and nitrogen - oxygen mixtures for different plasma systems. N-Synth Project - 10 month Innovate UK project to investigate potential for local production of NO (HNO3) using C-Tech MW-plasma unit for N-fixation utilising low-cost renewable energy Results from this work are very interesting and have been proven to be significantly better than the Birkland-Eyde process for N2 fixation The key step is the activation of the very stable NΞN bond ΔH~10eV/mol). Simplest representation of gas phase reaction: 1/2 N2 + 1/2O2 -> NO (ΔH~ 1eV/mol) 2NO (g) + O2 (g) → 2NO2 (g) (ΔH = −1.2eV/mol) The highly endothermic activation of N2 is therefore the dominant thermodynamic barrier
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Scale Up of Microwave Plasma
• Scaled up to 12 times using 60kW @ 896 MHz • Comparable results achieved compared to pilot
system
• Currently designing downstream processing systems to for supply to commercial client.
• Designed for localised production of NOx from air and renewable energy, and reduction of ammonia emissions
Conclusions
2019 C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
Demonstrated the scale up of microwave processes to production scale with high yields and high efficiencies
C-Tech Innovation Ltd Capenhurst Technology Park
Chester, CH1 6EH
0151 347 2900 [email protected]
www.ctechinnovation.com