Microreactors and microreaction technology have developed with promising results. By using continuous flow chemistry in small channels, improved control and safety become possible. Reactions above the flammable point of solvents or using explosive mixtures are safely achievable, side reactions are easily suppressed, heat exchange is highly effective, chemical yield and selectivity are increased and scale up is simplified. In recent years many examples have shown the advantages microreactors can offer.
This book provides chemists and engineers with the valuable information they need to evaluate the use of microreactors, by covering the technical, operational, and economic criteria for a decision on whether a microreactor is suitable for a given application. The book will explain the systems needed to use microreactors in production and it will provide scenarios of microreactor use in different chemistries, including implementation of this technology into larger scale production processes. Crucially, a chapter is devoted to guidelines on how to calculate costs for development, investment, and production with continuous flow microreactors.
