BHRSolutions has been detailing the design of OPSRI its on-site process intensified pilot plant with funding from the Energy Technolgy Support Unit (ETSU) and four leading chemical companies.

The easily transported, trailer-mounted plant has been designed to initially cater for a series of four very different chemical processes, with both single and mulitiple stage reactions. The throughputs and thermal properties of the processes vary widely and a great deal of engineering effort has been invested to create a modular, interchangeable plant concept. These reactions will be carried out either in a stand-alone manner or in parallel with existing processing units.

A major key to the flexible nature of the plant has been the reactor systems. The plant can be quickly and easily converted from exotheremic high throughput to endothermic low throughput or any combination thereof, while still maintaining the required conversion rates by utilising HEX Reactor technology FlexReactor technology developed by BHR Group. Construction is planned for the second quarter of 2002. Following commissioning at The Fluid Engineering Centre the mobile pilot plant should be available for industrial trials early in 2003.

In countering the increasing pressure from upheavals in global economy, traditional chemical manufacturers are investigating Process Intensification as a way of improving productivity, flexibility, and restoring profitability. OSPRI has been set up as a collaborative project and is open to other interested parties, chemical companies, equipment suppliers, engineering companies and fabricators.

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Ref: prp 21/02/2002

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