Process intensification in multifunctional reactors: A review of multi-functionality by catalytic structures, internals, operating modes, and unit integrations

• Published in: Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification
• Main Author: Baharudin L.; Indera L A.A.; Watson M.J.; Yip A.C.K.
• Format: Review
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V. 2021
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85111004764&doi=10.1016%2fj.cep.2021.108561&partnerID=40&md5=07d404d1406cef6c73c5fc64588fdfeb

This review presents the state of the art of process intensification in multifunctional reactor designs based on selected literature published in the 21st century thus far. A multifunctional reactor operates to meet the objective of multiple operations. For example, hybridization of reaction and separation processes and improving reaction efficiency via integration of the reactor with equipment/methods/operating modes that promote effective transport (heat, mass, or momentum) processes of the reacting system. This review focuses on the current state-of-the-art lab- and pilot-scale physical and simulated designs of multifunctional reactors containing catalytic structures such as monoliths or internals such as spirals, packing, static mixers, stirrers, inner tubes, baffles, or multistage-arranged internals in a single vessel/tube/pipeline/compact unit. This review also includes multifunctional reactor designs that couple two or more main reactions in a single unit. Finally, the scale-up and commercialization potentials of multifunctional reactors are discussed. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.