Scale Up
At the LRF, we develop methods for the reliable scale-up of reactive, multiphase processes from the laboratory to the production scale. Based on laboratory data and physical principles, we develop models that can reliably predict how these processes will behave at the production scale. To demonstrate the models’ suitability, we conduct validation tests on pilot plants up to a 10-m³ scale. The goal is to optimize the processes in terms of, for example, energy efficiency and product yield, thereby reducing the risk and costs associated with scale-up for industrial applications.
Scale Up Projects
Phosphate recovery by means of adsorption
As part of this research project, experimental and model-based foundations for the scale-up of a fixed-bed process for phosphate recovery are being developed. The goal is to identify suitable adsorbents and process conditions and to evaluate the transferability of column experiments to technically relevant column systems. By combining long-term experiments, regeneration studies, and simulations, the project aims to develop robust design concepts for continuous operation in wastewater treatment plants.
Jet Loop Reactors
A particular advantage of the project is the availability of an industrial-scale jet-loop reactor with a height of 10 meters. In the future, this system will allow for the targeted investigation of scale-up effects and the verification of the transferability of findings from smaller scales. The study will examine the extent to which hydrodynamic parameters—such as recirculation velocity, pressure drop, gas distribution, mixing behavior, residence time distribution, and operational stability—remain constant or change as the reactor size increases.
Method development for robust scale-up concepts with a focus on hydrogenation reactions
As part of this research project, sustainable and resource-efficient scale-up methods are being developed based on selected hydrogenation reactions. The goal of the project is to provide methodologies and technologies for evidence-based and model-supported chemical process development.
