CoE- Process Intensification

Executive Summary

The Centre for Process Intensification for Process Industries in the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, aims to be a world leader in the field of conceptual process design, Process Integration and Process Engineering. The methodologies will allow environmentally friendly process design with the most efficient use of raw materials and energy with affordable cost. The Centre shall be dedicated to the development of design methodologies in the field of process intensification and process integration.

The programme shall have broad objective to take account greater efficiency in the use of raw materials in general and of increasing pressures to design process which are environmentally friendly. Our objective is to develop as deep an understanding as possible of the physical principles that underlie process integration

The Centre shall aim to change process design practice, by developing and disseminating new process design and integration methods for clean and efficient use of raw materials and energy at lower cost.

The process intensification and integration will be based on interactions between elements of the chemical and physical processes that take into account during the process design the material and energy flows. The resulting integrated processes exploit synergies between the system components, leading to processes with superior performances, in terms of their raw materials consumption, energy demand, process economics, environmental impact and sustainability.

Process design and integration in the context of utility systems (steam, cooling water and power), reactions, separations, reactive separations, petroleum refining, gas processing and biochemical processes will be addressed. The new designs and processes will be developed by employing appropriate process analysis, modelling and optimisation techniques and applying these models and methods.

CoE for Process Intensification for Process Industries.

The term process intensification (PI) refers to technologies that replace large, expensive, energy-intensive equipment or processes with ones that are smaller, less costly and more efficient. It deals with process miniaturization, reduction in capital cost, enhanced safety and energy efficiency and often improved product quality. It also encompasses improvement in process chemistry/steps, multifunctional reactors, membrane reactors use of more intensified methods of processing such as the use of ultrasonic, microwave and magnetic fields.

Institute of Chemical Technology has a very strong interaction with chemical industry since its inception in 1933. The research and consultation services carried out in Institute have always focused on process intensification aspects.

The Center of Excellence of Process Intensification in Process Industries will help industries to modify their processes as well as reduction the energy consumption and environmental impact. The center will work on real life problems, train research students as well as improve the undergraduate education by incorporating process intensification as integral part of the UG and PG courses.

The centre will carry out interdisciplinary research which includes Chemical Engineering, polymer Science and Engineering, Textiles, Food Engineering and Technology, Basic chemistry, Oils and Oleochemicals, Dyestuff Technology Departments. The Centre will strive to improve the existing chemical processes in terms of number of steps, equipments, time, space and energy minimization.

Impact of Process Intensification Technologies

Process intensification leads to decrease in the space required for the equipment and often the number of equipments and steps are also reduced. Energy consumption of the intensified process will be lower per unit product and the processing time will reduce. All these translate to lower cost of production and higher productivity per person. The actual implementation of the results of Process Intensification will be at the industrial partners’ sites.

An excellent balance of fundamental science and innovation to bring the scientific principles to application level will be a key to excellence. The science will provide basic tools to avoid trial-and-error approach, conserve the resources and improve the success rate. To attract the best talents we will have to provide the best of the facilities, stimulating environment and most importantly more conducive atmosphere for researchers.

ICT has thus embarked on establishment of new Centres and newer infrastructure for housing the cutting edge technology research. This will generate significant interests amongst the users of the outcome of the Center’s activities.

CoE is expected to also have a substantial impact in following areas:

· Economic: New technologies will be developed which will be implemented in the formal sector. This will improve the economy and the job opportunities for skilled as well as unskilled persons..

· Systemic: ICT plans to diffuse its commitment, research culture, and experience to other educational institutions and learn in turn from other well endowed Institutes. Such a domino effect is expected to increase ICT’s contribution to the country’s efforts to grow at double digit rate.

· Environmental: New processes will be relatively more eco-friendly. Further, the activity of process intensification will reduce the environmental load of ongoing manufacturing operations as well as improve energy efficiency

· Educational: The strong research and innovation push will empower the younger generation to understand further developments for the benefit of the country’s economy. These researchers will also learn the collaborative mode of development and aspects of intellectual property.

· Academic: A large number of quality publications and patents will result from this effort. The main beneficiaries of this activity are students, the formal and non-formal sectors of the industry, other educational institutions and of course ICT.

3.4 Aims and Objectives

The major Thematic Research Projects under CoE in Process Intensification shall be

• Design and Optimisation of Chemical Reactors
• Combined Reaction & Separation Systems
• Molecular Modelling of Separation Processes
• Batch Processing and Scheduling to batch-to-continuous conversions
• Intensification of processes by cavitations
• Microwave assisted extraction and reactions

Specific objectives of the Centre of Excellence.

(A) To excel in research areas where the existing faculty members have developed expertise and explore new frontier areas of research

i. Process intensification for improved processes, reactions and new reactor designs

ii. Developing synthetic protocols for organic molecules which have importance in pharmaceutical, dyestuff and oleochemical industries

iii. Developing processes based on reusable catalysts, environmentally benign solvents, surface active agents and energy efficient reaction steps

iv. Synthesize of nano-materials and nano-composites that have relevance in wide range of applications in Chemical Process Industries and Allied Industries.

(B) To bring out innovations in research to address the issues required for technology development in Indian context and to strengthen the base of research activities with high quality publications, patents and technology development

(C) To develop quality human resources in terms of number of Masters and PhD students

(D) To upgrade laboratories with modern, facilities and ambience to facilitate cutting edge research.

.(E) To develop necessary research atmosphere conducive for intra- and inter Institutional collaboration with other educational, research and industrial establishments to improve skills of the Faculty members and research students

(F) To focus on research which is of utmost relevance to the state and country, new processes for existing ones which are of utmost relevance to the country today.

(G) To attract funding from government and industry and encourage collaborative research.

Publications under COE-PI

Patents under COE-PI

Workshops under COE-PI

Annual Report For COE-PI

Photos

Please click on below Link

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxmZXj1fhdT6alF5TVA4czQyYU0?usp=sharing