Sustainable process synthesis–intensification

• A systematic framework for process synthesis, design and intensification has been developed.
• Multi-scale synthesis, design and intensification are performed: unit operations, task and phenomena.
• Economic factors, sustainability metrics and life cycle factors are considered and addressed.
• The framework is applied to one industrially relevant synthesis problem.
• Innovative more sustainable process designs are found.

Chemical industry is facing global challenges such as the need to find sustainable production processes. Process intensification as part of process synthesis has the potential to find truly innovative and more sustainable solutions. In this paper, a computer-aided, multi-level, multi-scale framework for synthesis, design and intensification of processes, for identifying more sustainable alternatives is presented. Within the framework, a three stage work-flow has been implemented where, in the first “synthesis” stage an optimal processing route is synthesized through a network superstructure optimization approach and related synthesis tools. In the second, “design” stage, the processing route from the first stage is further developed and a base case design is established and analyzed. In the third, “innovation” stage, more sustainable innovative solutions are determined. The application of the framework is illustrated through a case study related to the production of di-methyl carbonate, which is an important bulk chemical due to its multiplicity of uses.