NANOMATERIALS
product scenarios , such as ammonia , chlorine and various high-volume chemicals . Its essence lies in the unbroken flow of raw materials through meticulously designed processes that consistently produce a finished product .
From an engineering standpoint , this is a marvel of design and efficiency . Economically , it demands high initial investment but promises reduced marginal costs over an extended timeframe . Establishing a continuous process requires an environment where the process can run undisturbed for prolonged periods , for multiple reasons .
Economies of scale are often driven not by improvements in raw material costs but decreased labour and energy usage . The method demands high capital expenditure for the design , engineering , installation , shakedown and accreditation of specialised equipment . The return on this investment is maximised only when the plant operates at a high capacity
Once a continuous process reaches its steady state , it can run optimally with minimal disturbances . However , reaching this state requires time and often consumes a lot of raw material . Thus , short operating times undercut the benefits of continuous processes . In a massive tonnage setting where the plant operates continuously , these start-up inefficiencies are diminished over the long run
Continuous processes can sometimes exhibit better energyefficiency due to consistent operating conditions , especially where there would otherwise be high temperature ramp-up and ramp-down in a comparable batch process . This factor becomes significant in industries where plants run 24 / 7 , leading to substantial energy savings
Lastly there is process control and consistency . A continuous plant offers consistent product quality due to the homogeneity of the process conditions . In single-product scenarios , this becomes crucial , as there is no room for variation in product specifications
Continuous manufacturing , despite its merits , has its challenges , especially when viewed through the lens of diverse product lines . Engineering a continuous plant is a precise endeavour tailored to a specific product . Altering this for another product can be capital- and time-intensive . Economically , this diminishes returns and challenges the feasibility of diversifying products in such set-ups
In addition , every hour a continuous process is not running is a significant economic loss . Engineering solutions can minimise downtimes , but the economic implications of operational disruptions are far more pronounced in continuous than batch processes
Why batch dominates
The transition from base chemicals to fine and speciality chemicals presents unique challenges and requirements . Base chemicals , often produced in massive quantities , are the building blocks , while fine and speciality chemicals are tailored for specific applications and hence demand a nuanced approach to production . Nanomaterials , a smaller subset of speciality chemicals , fall into this category .
Speciality chemicals amount to nearly 300,000 compounds , each with its unique properties , applications and production needs . 4 According to EU data , 86 % of chemical compounds are produced in volumes
Cerion ’ s EVP of manufacturing retrieves a nanomaterial sample from a large reactor in its industrial-scale facility
50 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981