Safety Advantages of On-Site Microprocesses

Usually large-scale capacities are preferred in process industry because of the economics of scale. However, small capacities bring along several other advantages, which are emphasized especially in on-site production. By producing on-site, the transportation of dangerous chemicals can be avoided. Moreover, smaller on-site production processes also mean a step towards inherently safer technology. Microreactors represent a technology that efficiently utilizes safety advantages resulting from small scale. These safety advantages of microreactors in on-site production are studied in this contribution. Production of peracetic acid is used as a test case. This unstable and explosive chemical is used, e.g. in treatment of municipal wastewater and pulp bleaching. This study is based on comparison of a conventional batch process with the capacity of 170 kg/h and an on-site continuous microprocess producing 10 kg/h peracetic acid. Preliminary design of these processes was carried out. Four different methods were u...