Publishers Page – Advances in Chemical Reactors: Taking Chemistry to New Frontiers
Chemical reactor technology is advancing through improved design, catalytic processes, microreactors, advanced materials and digitalisation. These innovations enhance reaction efficiency, product quality, safety and process control while reducing energy consumption, waste and environmental impact. Selecting the right reactor is essential for achieving sustainable, reliable and economical chemical manufacturing.
Mills And Screws Are The New Reactors
Tabrez Shaikh, Mukesh Purohit, Sriram Rajendra and Dr. Amol A. Kulkarni, CSIR-NCL
Mechanochemistry is transforming chemical manufacturing by using mechanical force instead of conventional solvent-based reactions. Ball milling and continuous screw reactors enable faster reactions, higher yields, reduced waste and improved safety. Research at CSIR-NCL demonstrates their potential for scalable, energy-efficient and economical industrial production across pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
Mixed Feed Steam Cracker – Key Process Considerations for Integrated Refinery-Petrochemical Complexes
Dr B V Venugopal, Independent Consultant
Mixed Feed Steam Crackers are central to integrated refinery–petrochemical complexes, enabling diverse feedstocks to produce olefins, aromatics and valuable derivatives. Optimising furnace design, feed vaporisation, residence time, energy efficiency and decoking cycles is crucial, while electrification, hydrogen firing and digital twins support emissions reduction and operational profitability.
Integrating Reactions with Drying for Enhanced Productivity in Chemical Manufacturing
Prof Arun S Mujumdar, Prof S M Hosseinalipour, Amirhossein Barzigar
Reactive drying integrates chemical reactions and moisture or solvent removal within a single processing system, improving conversion, productivity and energy efficiency. By combining reaction kinetics with heat and mass transfer, this approach can reduce equipment requirements, simplify downstream processing and support sustainable manufacturing through advanced reactor design, digitalisation and AI-driven optimisation.
Use of Ion Exchange Resins as Catalysts
Hemant Joglekar, Independent Consultant
Ion exchange resins offer a safer, reusable alternative to conventional acid and alkali catalysts in several chemical reactions. Their catalytic efficiency depends on resin structure, functional group concentration, reactant size, solvent, and operating mode. They improve product quality, yield, process flexibility and waste management, subject to temperature and reaction limitations.
Structured Process Troubleshooting: Bridging Engineering Calculations and Digital Decision Support
Vikram Narayan Mohite, Independent Consultant
A spreadsheet-based troubleshooting framework combines plant data, engineering calculations, deviation detection, diagnostic rules and recommendations to improve decision-making in chemical plants. A heat-exchanger case demonstrates how thermal and hydraulic deviations can identify likely fouling. The approach promotes transparent, repeatable troubleshooting and supports future integration with digital plant systems.
