The Fundamentals of Process Intensification

Book excerpt: This advanced textbook covering the fundamentals and industry applications of process intensification (PI) discusses both the theoretical and conceptual basis of the discipline. Since interdisciplinarity is a key feature of PI, the material contained in the book reaches far beyond the classical area of chemical engineering. Developments in other relevant disciplines, such as chemistry, catalysis, energy technology, applied physics, electronics and materials science, are extensively described and discussed, while maintaining a chemical engineering perspective. Divided into three major parts, the first introduces the PI principles in detail and illustrates them using practical examples. The second part is entirely devoted to fundamental approaches of PI in four domains: spatial, thermodynamic, functional and temporal. The third and final part explores the methodology for applying fundamental PI approaches in practice. As well as detailing technologies, the book focuses on safety, energy and environmental issues, giving guidance on how to incorporate PI in plant design and operation -- safely, efficiently and effectively.