The European Chemical Factory of the Future Is Taking Shape at the Invite Research Center in Germany

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TURCK GmbH

EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft mbH

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Invite GmbH

Bayer AG

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Universität Dortmund

Bayer AG

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Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Are the Main Priorities

Research at the Invite center is focused on energy conservation and sustainability based on modular, versatile and efficient production units. Within the framework of the F3 Factory research project, 25 partners are developing and testing the new production concept to determine whether it can take its place along side of batch and continuous processing in Europe. BTS is providing coordination support for the project.

The basic idea is as follows. Standard modular equipment is installed in containers which in turn can be connected together to form complete production lines (see process.de report). The role of Invite is to demonstrate technical feasibility. The first example of this “factory of the future”, a container for synthesizing a new Bayer active ingredient used in cancer treatment, has already been assembled at the center. Two of the five process steps that are needed to produce the substance are carried out in the container. Trials are expected to get underway in Q1 2012. Over the coming months, a second container will be constructed in parallel to house the other three process steps. When that container is ready, the line will be complete. The two containers have been designed for an annual output of 2 - 15 metric tons. Volumes during the test phase will be similar to actual production volumes later on.

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