Project description

Jet loop reactors are of great interest due to their internal circulation flow, the frequently two-phase mode of operation and their high relevance for chemical and biotechnological applications. The aim of the project is to better understand the hydrodynamics and the coupled reaction processes in these reactors in order to specifically improve their design, optimization and scaling.

To this end, experimental investigations, numerical flow simulations and simplified modeling approaches will be combined. A particular advantage of the project is the availability of a large-scale jet-loop reactor with a height of 10 meters. In future, this system can be used to specifically investigate scale-up effects and test the transferability of findings from smaller scales.

Central elements of the project

• Investigation of hydrodynamics and reaction behavior in jet loop reactors
• Analysis of the internal circulation flow, two-phase operation and operational stability
• Use of a 10 m high jet loop reactor to investigate scale-up effects
• Experimental determination of pressure loss, recirculation velocities and operational stability
• Use and validation of CFD, LBM and 1D models, for example with the help of PIV measurements
• Supplementary investigation of other installations to record additional effects
• Provision of basic information for the design, optimization and scale-up of jet loop reactors

Project Description

This project, part of the VIVET innovation community, aims to establish an integrated approach for the development of energy- and resource-efficient chemical syntheses. The goal is to provide methodologies and technologies for evidence-based, model-driven chemical process development. These methodologies will be tested using two model systems – the synthesis of benzimidazoles and naphthohydroquinones – to enable environmentally friendly production routes. Comprehensive knowledge of the underlying physicochemical processes and their reliable representation through mathematical models is crucial for the efficient and sustainable operation of these syntheses. To support this, a differential recycle reactor has been developed at LRF, which enables kinetic studies under well-defined thermal, chemical, and fluid dynamic conditions.

Project Partners

The EnaChem project is carried out in close collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim (TH Mannheim). While LRF investigates the reduction pathways of the syntheses, TH Mannheim focuses on the corresponding oxidation.

The industrial partners within the VIVET innovation community are diverse and span various sectors. In addition to partners from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, such as BASF, Merck, and Roche, companies from the field of measurement and control technology – including IPS and HiTec Zang – are also part of the community. Other organizations and associations, such as the IHK Rhein-Neckar and the Smart Industries network, complete the consortium.

Key Elements of the Project

• Design and construction of a universally applicable screening apparatus for hydrogenation reactions
• Systematic screening of catalysts and solvents
• Development and calibration of a quantitative analytical method
• Execution of kinetic studies in a differential recycle reactor
• Investigation of various hydrogenation syntheses
• Development of a kinetic model
• Model-based scale-up of the reaction
• Knowledge transfer and communication with the industrial partners involved