Volker Hessel

This handbook covers the fundamentals on the design of micro process devices and their microfluidics, including their use for production or as laboratory tools, their fabrication technology and their characterisation, as well as their integration and functionalisation. Focusing on production cost improvements, safety, energy and reducing the environmental impact throughout each step of the process, the book discusses how this technology can aid in finding solutions for global challenges, such as energy generation and storage, synthesizing new materials with new properties and improved products, plus such economic aspects as the market, new products and supply chain management.

Micro process engineering is approaching both academia and industry. With the provision of micro devices and systems by commercial suppliers, one main barrier for using these units has been eliminated. This work focuses on processes rather than on devices: what is 'before' and 'behind' micro device fabrication - and gives a comprehensive and detailed overview on - A multi-faceted, hierarchic analysis of chemical micro process technology - Modelling and simulation of micro reactors - Liquid- and liquid/liquid-phase reactions - Gas/liquid reactions - Gas-phase reactions (heterogeneous catalysis) - Plants and applications like mixing, emulsion formation, heat exchange, organic and inorganic synthesis, multiphase and gas phase processes, periodic concentration and temperature cycling, catalyst screening, fine-chemical production, cosmetic, food, and others.

Micro process engineering is approaching both academia and industry. With the provision of micro devices, systems and whole plants by commercial suppliers, one main barrier for using these units has been eliminated. This book focuses on processes and their plants rather than on devices: what is 'before', 'behind' and 'around' micro device fabrication - and gives a comprehensive and detailed overview on the micro-reactor plants and three topic-class applications which are mixing, fuel processing, and catalyst screening. Thus, the book reflects the current level of development from 'micro-reactor design' to 'micro-reactor process design'.

Tiny devices with huge potential! New concepts of chemical synthesis have led to an increasing demand for miniaturization and more complex systems. Microreaction technology is a hot topic as it opens completely new possibilities for chemical engineering, combinatorial chemistry, and biotechnology. Small, inexpensive, independent, and versatile devices ensure many reactions achieve maximum selectivity, minimum waste, minimum investment, a better control of the process, safe manufacture and production on demand - to create a more efficient process. This book outlines the fabrication techniques of microfluidic components, unit operations of micro-chemical engineering and current world-wide activities. Requirements with respect to needs of the chemical industry have been included. Chemists, chemical engineers, biotechnologists, process engineers, microsystem technologists in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry and academia, as well as manufacturers of analytical instruments, will find this book a state-of- the-art review of this extremely interesting and rapidly developing field.