Intensification principle of a new three-phase catalytic slurry reactor. Part II: Eco-efficiency and techno-economic performances

In two papers, the concept and the performances of a new continuous intensified reactor named RAPTOR® (French acronym for Reactor with Polyvalent Rectilinear Stirred Reactor with Optimised Transfer) are presented.Based on flow, heat and mass transfer characterisations and real hydrogenation experiments, Paper I presented a simple analytical model based on characteristic times that enables to explain the intensified performances compared with a semi-batch stirred reactor and to generalise the operability, rapidity and the flexibility of this minireactor. In Paper II (this article), the model is used to evaluate in a comparative study the eco-efficiency and the techno-economical advantages of a continuous process involving a RAPTOR® versus a classical batch process equipped with a stirred reactor. Economical, environmental aspects are considered as well as productivity, safety and process control.

► Different eco-efficiency criteria of a mini intensified gas liquid reactor and a conventional stirred tank are compared.
► Intensified reactor is safer but not inherently safer.
► One-to-three intensified minireactors correspond to 6 m3 and 30 m3 batch capacities respectively.
► Overall costs for intensified processing can be reduced by 35–70% compared to the reference batch process.