Abstract
Many processes to produce fine chemicals and precursors of pharmaceuticals are still operated in batchwise mode. However, recently, more producers have taken a change to continuous operation mode into consideration, performing studies and trials on such a change, while some have even already exchanged their production mode from batchwise to continuous operation. In this paper, the stepwise development from an initial idea to industrial implementation via laboratory testing and confirmation is revealed through the example of an organic fine chemical from the perspective of a crystallization plant manufacturer. We begin with the definition of the objectives of the project and a brief explanation of the advantages of continuous operation and the associated product properties. The results of the laboratory tests, confirming the assumptions made upfront, are reported and discussed. Finally, the implementation of an industrial plant using a draft tube baffled (DTB) crystallizer and the final product properties are shown. Product properties such as crystal size distribution, crystal shape, related storage stability and flowability have successfully been improved.
Highlights
The worldwide demand for pharmaceuticals, food and feed additives and their precursors is growing due to a growing global population and demographic changes
The main disadvantages of batchwise operations are the innate system batch-to-batch variability and a lower process efficiency compared to continuous crystallization processes [2,3]
The main purpose of the discontinuous multi-stage crystallization trials was to observe the effect of increasing the concentration factor, α, on the most important parameters listed below, which were used to design the industrial process and equipment:
Summary
The worldwide demand for pharmaceuticals, food and feed additives and their precursors is growing due to a growing global population and demographic changes. Crystallization is a major unit operation with regards to the separation and especially the purification of products of the pharmaceuticals, food and fine chemicals industry. Nowadays, many of these chemicals are produced in a batchwise operation mode [1]. The main disadvantages of batchwise operations are the innate system batch-to-batch variability and a lower process efficiency compared to continuous crystallization processes [2,3]. Schaber et al [4] found savings of 9–40% of the production costs using continuous crystallization processes. In relation to expiring patents, competitiveness requires optimized process design with regards to operational costs and investments and/or beneficial product properties like crystal size, crystal size distribution, crystal shape and product storage stability and free-flowing ability
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