Scale up of continuous reactors in famaceutical manufacture
Different scale up strategies can be adopted to deliver material in larger scale using continuous reactors. When scaling up production rates from small rectors one can either scale up the volume of a single reactor or increase the volume by “scaling out”. The latter means using several smaller reactors in parallel. Both approaches have some engineering challenges. In the first case the question relates to maintaining similar conditions whilst increasing the volume (and throughput) and in the other case solving the practical issues with pumping, flow distribution etc.
In this project the focus is on the first approach (but literature study should cover both) and more specifically on increasing channel length and width in a tubular reactor. The work will include:
Selection of suitable fast exothermic reactions reactions to provide a suitable challenge for the scale up.
Kinetic studies of the different reactions using flow reactor (if possible, otherwise batch experiments)
Creating an understanding of the aspects of mass, heat (including formation of hot spots) and momentum transfer that affect scale up these systems (with particular focus on the equipment used within AstraZeneca).
The knowledge gained from the work above should then be used to create a useful tool (this could be in the form of a guidance document or a computer application) for identification of scale up issues and prediction of scale up behavior. Another aspect of the work should be to develop a strategy for how the identified scale up issues should be addressed in order to make the scale up successful.
The work will be done in cooperation with the AstraZeneca supervisor and other scientists but does require a large degree of proactivity from the student. Depending on what is agreed the work can also have a higher or lower focus on mathematical modeling.
For more information please contact:
Fabrice Odille 08 - 553 225 79