Papers presented at this conference, as outlined in the Contents below, are available in a bound volume of proceedings from Mrs Marian Rolfe at BHR Group.

Introduction
Continuing the focus towards the industrial applications of Process Intensification, this fourth conference in the series built upon earlier developments and was designed to provide a forum for the presentation of successful innovative applications of the technology.

Intensified processes are not designed for the sake of being small, but are being introduced to give companies a competitive advantage through higher yields and better products of consistent quality. The technology has moved from the laboratory and the research centre into the production process, sometimes through necessity and sometimes through the adoption of innovative ideas.

In a growing number of areas, the limitations of traditional batch processing are being overcome by moving to continuous processes through the application of intensification techniques. To achieve success with intensification, however, engineers and chemists must be able to control the chemistry of the much faster processing that the technology brings. They must also integrate and manage the physical effects of the intensified design within the rest of the production unit. There is a range of issues to be considered. Getting the right equipment, controlling the chemical process, integrating the plant, managing the human resources and management issues which come with fundamental change and, if necessary, redesigning the surrounding operations to intensify reaction and separation processes are all challenges presently being addressed. With the support of enabling technologies, controls, fouling, catalysis, separation and crystallisation are some of the operations that can be managed under an intensive regime.

Contents

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Commercial operation of a rotating packed bed (RPB) and other applications of RPB Technology
D Trent, D Tirowidjojo, The Dow Chemical Comapny USA.

Green Chemistry and process intensification - acheivements and challenges
M Lancaster, University of York, UK

IMPROVED PROCESSES

Process intensification within DSM, general methodology and concrete examples
R A Bakker, DSM Fine Chemicals, Austria; A I Stankiewicz, DSM Research BV, The Netherlands; J A J Schyns, DSM Energy Co-ordination, The Netherlands

Methods for process intensification projects
H van den Berg, Novem Taskforce Process Intensification, The Netherlands, and University of Twente, The Netherlands, and University of Ghent, Belgium

Implementation of process intensification and simplification in process design: A challenge
J L A Koolen, Retiree of Dow Benelux, The Netherlands; H van den Berg, University of Twente, Netherlands, and University of Ghent, Belgium

Flexible plant and reactors for On-Site Process Intensification
M Wood, A Al-Khayat, A Green, B Johnson, BHRSolutions, UK

Process intensification shown by the example of 1-butene distillation
A Meili, Switzerland

Effect of inner packing support on liquid controlled mass transfer process in rotating packed beds.
F Guo, Y Zhao, J Cui, K Guo, J Chen, C Zheng, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, P R China.

BATCH TO CONTINUOUS

Converting batch processes into continuous processes; development of the Helix reactor
Z Xu, TNO Environment, Energy and Process Innovation, The Netherlands

Development of a novel continuous flow reactor for fast, competing reactions with gas evolution
B Gigas, P M Kubera, Lightnin, USA

Process intensification in Practice
M Linthwaite, S W Colley, Kvaerner Process Technology Limited, UK

NOVEL APPLICATIONS AND NEW IDEAS

Process intensification: continuous production of barium sulphate using a spinning cone precipitator
R J J Jachuck, P Hetherington, M J Scalley, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

A multiphase microreactor for organic nitration
J R Burns, C Ramshaw, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Catalytic plate reactors for endo- and exothermic reactions
M Babovic, A Gough, P Leveson, C Ramshaw, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

BEST PRACTICE

Process intensification and safety in the nuclear industry
A Trimble, Health & Safety Executive, UK

Consideration of the use of heat transfer enhancements in the processing of hazardous materials
I Gibbard, M Gough, Cal Gavin Limited, UK

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE

Process intensification for green chemistry:
M Vicevic, R J J Jachuck, K Scott, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Combined chemical reactor/heat exchangers: validation and application in industrial processes
A Green, B Johnson, BHRSolutions, UK; S Westall, Dow Corning, UK; M Bunegar, Hickson & Welch, UK; K Symonds, Chart heat Exchangers, UK

INTENSIFIED EQUIPMENT

Combined heat and mass transfer equipments in the process industry: recent developments and applications
B Thochon, F Michel, B Thonon, P Mercier, GRETH, CEA - Grenoble, France

Intensification of polymerisation process for production of polyaniline
I Turunen, H. Haario, S Puhakka, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland; K Ruutu, Panipol Ltd, Finland; T Kärnä, Fortum Oil and Gas Ltd, Finland; J Koskinen, Neste Engineering Ltd, Finland