Phenomena-based Process Synthesis and Design to achieve Process Intensification

Abstract

In order to improve processes incorporating process intensification and to allow them to go beyond pre-defined unit operations, the process has to be viewed at a lower level of aggregation, namely the phenomena scale. In this contribution, an approach for aggregating processes through phenomena building blocks in a systematic methodology is presented. First, all potential phenomena are identified, and then synthesized to phenomena-based flowsheets which are then screened against pre-defined constraints before the most promising options are identified, optimized and verified at the unit operation level. This phenomena-based synthesis/design methodology is tested through a case study.