Intensified Commercial Scale Production of Dispersants

Executive Summary

This project will demonstrate conversion of a large-volume chemical commodities process from batch to continuous processing. It is focused to create an order of magnitude reduction in equipment size (and associated capital cost) by transitioning the traditionally batch production of dispersants, specifically succinimide dispersants, into a continuous process. Succinimide dispersants are a relatively large volume family of products that vary by molecular weight, and structure. Application and adoption of intensified, continuous processing principles offers the prospect of revolutionizing their manufacture. The project will look to establish a firm kinetic understanding of the proposed chemistry and to develop reactor modeling tools so that reaction and mass transfer requirements can be balanced while minimizing system volume, ultimately leading to construction and demonstration of an industrial pilot plant. Successful demonstration of a batch to continuous process at previously unrealized scales could open the door for a broader shift to continuous processing in the fine/ specialty chemical industries.

Technical Challenge

  • Lack of reliable kinetics data for the design and operation of this process
  • Demonstrating approaches for heat and mass transfer that allow maximum benefit to be derived from continuous processing approaches

 

Potential Impact

The project will enable the first full-scale realization of an intensified, continuous process in the lubricants and dispersants market, and one of the first demonstrations of transition from batch to continuous processing in the US outside the pharmaceutical industry. As such, it could have a transformative impact on this industry. Successful demonstration is expected to quickly translate to other large-volume additives and to manufacture of similar specialty chemicals, such as various performance coatings and personal/home care products. By demonstrating value to a market and by validating both the technology and development process, the project will provide a model for others in the industry to emulate.

Resources

The University of Pittsburgh has extensive expertise in kinetics and reactor design, and process modeling and phase behavior. Lubrizol Corporation is a global leader in this process chemistry and has additional capability to deploy the intensified process into full scale manufacturing, creating a unique opportunity window to demonstrate process intensification in a fully operational industrial pilot plant.