chemical continuous processing references?Hi,
do we have any references, customer presentations or examples on (complex) continuous chemical processes (no batch process!). At best where they also solved things like fouling or avoiding chemical substances in waste water? I have some examples where a continuous process is run in batches, but non which is just running continuously (until the plant has to be shut down due to cleaning routines or other bigger issues.
Thanks,
Martin
Re: chemical continuous processing references?'Chemical Reactor Process' table under Quality Control folder in the sample data folder might be a good example.
Re: chemical continuous processing references?Hi Martin,
We don't have many success stories for continuous chemicals processes and this makes sense because they are not in the high product and process innovation quadrant. Continuous processes are mostly for established commodity chemical products. The focus for people working on these is usually cost reduction.
Having said this, I have seen a few examples from BASF at Discovery Summit Europe that might be relevant. For example: https://community.jmp.com/t5/Discovery-Summit-Europe-2019/DOE-for-World-Scale-Manufacturing-Processes-Can-We-Do-Better/ta-p/184245?search-action-id=65295670653&search-result-uid=184245
Also, you might already know about this demo case study (simulated data) in the Technical Reference Library: C31 Optimizing a Continuous Process (Kay) - JMP User Community
Hope this helps,
Phil
Re: chemical continuous processing references?Hi Martin,
Great job in extracting the KPI of the need to reduce waste by 0.5% per production plant. Might Unilever be a good reference:
• Double digit €Ms in material savings (including the reduction of process temperature which has a sustainability impact through lower energy consumption).
• 26% reduction in batch cycle time to increase factory capacity and avoid the need for CAPEX to build additional production capacity.
• 21% reduction in non-biodegradable polymer to reduce product cost while maintaining product performance and improving product sustainability.
Lots of proof in this story regarding waste reduction achievements.
Although Unilever is a batch process story, providing you have inputs that have been varied it is possible to investigate/model the relationships between inputs and outputs (with a lag adjustment to the inputs for a continuous process) to generate insight aligned to the KPI goal. The key determinant will be the extent to which the key inputs have been varied. If the inputs have not been varied widely enough, then do they have a lab scale version of the process they can experiment with to create the needed variation in the key inputs. I’m reminded of this quote by George Box: To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it).
The possibilities exist, they may however need to collect the appropriate data. If they can't go back to the lab to experiment, then maybe a sequential experimental approach over short factor ranges around the current operating region may be worth exploring (if the inputs have not been varied enough to give a helpful model).
Malcolm
