Mission, aims and work programm of WP PI

Process Intensification presents one of the most significant developments in chemical and process engineering of the past decennia. It attracts more and more attention of the chemical engineering community. Several international conferences, smaller symposia/workshops every year, books and a number of dedicated issues of professional journals are a clear proof of it. Process Intensification with its ambition and ability to make chemical processing plants substantially smaller, simpler, more controllable, more selective and more energy-efficient, addresses the fundamental sustainability issues in process industry and presents the core element of Green Chemical Engineering. In many research centers throughout Europe and the world numerous PI-oriented research programs are carried out. Process Intensification is taught at various courses and gradually enters the regular university curricula. In the UK and in the Netherlands national PI-networks have been operated for a number of years. Similar network is being formed in Germany (DECHEMA). Process Intensification plays an important role in the CEFIC's Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry. Process Intensification has now established its organizational position within the European Federation of Chemical Engineering.
 

Aims of the WP PI

The Working Party on Process Intensification aims at:

• Anchoring of PI-technologies in the European industry;
• Inclusion of Process Intensification in regular Chemical Engineering Curricula in universities (EFCE Recommendations);
• Education, dissemination and exchange of knowledge on Process Intensification, particularly in those countries where no or little activities in this field take place so far;
• Stimulating collaborative R&D projects, especially between those less-advanced countries and the countries leading in the field of PI;
• Supporting the production of textbooks and other publications in the field of PI;
• Collaboration with other European organizations, such as CEFIC's Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry (e.g. in preparation of the EU Framework Programs), IPTS (e.g. in identification of Best Available Techniques).
• Collaboration with similar initiatives in non-European organizations (e.g. AIChE, SCE Japan, CIES China, etc.) 

 

Collaboration with other WP's of the EFCE

The Working Party on Process Intensification will closely cooperate with other Working Parties of the EFCE. Of particular importance will be the cooperation with

• WP on Chemical Reaction Engineering and WP on Multiphase Fluid Dynamics (to have research and educational co-operation in the field of intensified technologies in multiphase processes);
• Section on Environmental Protection and Sustainability and Section on Membrane Engineering (PI as a part of Green Chemical Engineering),
• WP on Loss Prevention and Safety Promotion (PI as a part of Inherently Safer Process & Plant Design);
• WP CAPE (e.g. to incorporate PI-equipment and operations into the process modeling and integration methodologies);
• WP on Education (to perform educational activities in Process Intensification). 

 

Program activities of the WP PI

Next to its statutory meetings and according to the "Guidelines for the Working Parties" of the EFCE, the program activities of the Working Party on Process Intensification in the coming 3 years will include:

1. Organization of the next International Conference on Process Intensification, every second year;
2. Awarding the biennial EFCE Excellence Award for an outstanding PhD thesis in the field of Process Intensification;
3. Arranging poster competition for young researchers during the ECCE conferences together with WP on Chemical Reaction Engineering and WP on Multiphase Fluid Dynamics;
4. Developing an international M.Sc.-level university course and postgraduate training in the field of Process Intensification;
5. Conducting a critical assessment and preparation of the report on currents status of Process Intensification in industry and in academia across Europe, in order to identify the possibilities and the needs in individual countries;
6. Developing and organizing an industry-oriented short introductory course in PI, including a hands-on, practical workshop. The course/workshop will be held 2 times a year in various European countries. Locations of the course will be determined on basis of the needs identified in the status report (previous bullet);
7. Developing and organizing interactive workshops on PI between academia and industry in countries that have a less-developed PI community, e.g. in Nordic countries;
8. Disseminating actively new technologies that are emerging in industry.
   

    

WP PI Mission Statement 2011

 

Members

 

AUSTRIA

Dr. Dirk Kirschneck
Delegate, industry

Microinnova Engineering GmbH
Reininghausstrasse 13 a
8020 Graz, Austria
Contact

---

Prof. Bettina Muster-Slawitsch
Delegate, academia

AEE Institute for Sustainable Technologies (INTEC)
Gleisdorf, Austria

---

BELGIUM

Prof. dr.ir. Tom van Gerven
Delegate, academia

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Department of Chemical Engineering
Celestijnenlaan 200F - box 2424, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Contact

---

Mr. Alexis Torreele, MSc.
Delegate, industry

Worley
Process Engineering Department
Noorderlaan 127 A, 2030 Antwerpen, Belgium
Contact 

---

CZECH REPUBLIC

---

DENMARK

Prof. John Woodley
Delegate, academia

Technical University of Denmark
Department of Chemical Engineering
Soltofts Plads, Building 229, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Contact

---

FINLAND

Prof. Tuomas Koiranen
Delegate, academia

School of Engineering Science
Lappeenranta University of Technology
PO Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland
Contact

---

FRANCE

Dr. Dominique Horbez
Delegate, industry

SOLVAY Research & Innovation
52, rue de la Haie Coq, 93308 Aubervilliers, France
Contact

---

Prof. Michel Cabassud
Delegate, academia

Laboratoire de Génie Chimique
UMR 5503 CNRS/INPT/UPS
BP 1301, 5, rue Paulin Talabot,
31106 Toulouse Cedex 1, France
Contact

---

GERMANY

Prof. Hannsjörg Freund
Delegate, academia

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik
Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
Contact

---

GREECE

Prof. Georgios Stefanidis
Delegate, academia; WP Chair

National Technical University of Athens
Chemical Engineering Department
9 Iroon Polytechneiou
15780 Athen, Greece
Contact

---

ITALY

Dr. Bora Aydin
Delegate, industry

Walter Tosto SpA
Via Erasmo Piaggio, 62
66100 Chieti Scalo, Italy
Contact

---

Prof. Renzo Di Felice
Delegate, academia

University of Genova
Dipartimento di Ingegneria
Civile, Chimica ed Ambientale
Scuola Politecnica
via Opera Pia, 15, 16145 Genova, Italy

---

NETHERLANDS

Prof. Jan Harmsen
Delegate, industry

Harmsen Consultancy B.V.
Cyladen 5
2904 VG Capelle a/d IJ., The Netherlands
Contact

---

Prof. John van der Schaaf
Delegate, academia

Eindhoven University of
Technology
Chemical Reactor Engineering
Postbus 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, Netherlands

---

Prof. Andrzej Stankiewicz
Guest member, academia

 

---

RUSSIA

Prof. Rufat Abiev
Guest member, academia

Saint Petersburg University, Russia

---

SERBIA

Prof. Nikola Nikacevic
Guest member, academia

University of Belgrade
Department of Chemical Engineering
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy
Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Contact

---

SLOVAKIA

Assoc. Prof. Mario Mihal
Delegate, academia

Slovak University of Technology
Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Radlinskeho, 9
81237 Bratislava, Slovakia
Contact 

---

SLOVENIA

Prof. Igor Plazl
Delegate, academia

Universitiy of Ljubljana
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering
Askerceva 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Contact

---

SPAIN

Associate Prof. Miguel Ladero Galán
Delegate, academia

Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Chemical Sciences College
Department of Chemical Engineering
Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Contact

---

SWEDEN

Adj. Prof. Oleg Pajalic
Delegate, industry

Perstorp AB
28480 Perstorp, Sweden
Contact

---

Prof. Tord Svedberg
Delegate, academia

President & CEO
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
P.O. Box 210 60, 100 31 Stockholm, Sweden
Contact

---

SWITZERLAND

Dr.-Ing. Peter Riedlberger
Delegate, academia

Zurich University of Applied Sciences
Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology
Campus Reidbach, 8820 Wädenswil Switzerland
Contact

---

TURKEY

Dr. Özge Yüksel Orhan
Guest, academia

Hacettepe University
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Beytepe Campus, 06800 Ankara
Contact

---

UNITED KINGDOM

Prof. Adam Harvey
Delegate, academia

Process Intensification Group
School of Engineering
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
Contact

---

Prof. Xiong-Wei Ni
Delegate, industy

School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Heriot Watt University
Ricarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, United Kingdom
Contact

---

Former members

Prof. Dr. Jiri Klemeš  († 17.01.2023)
Obituary: https://www.fme.vutbr.cz/en/fakulta/aktuality/71427

Events

 
Process Intensification Conferences

2023

8th European Process Intensification Conference - EPIC 2023

Warsaw, Poland, 31 May - 2 June 2023  (EFCE Event No. 795)

EPIC2023 is organised by Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering in cooperation with the EFCE Working Party on Process Intensification.

 

---

Spotlight Talks

---

Summer Schools

 

Summer School 2010

of the EFCE Working Parties on Process Intensification and on Computer Aided Process Engineering (CAPE), and EURECHA
Process Integration and Intensification, Process Optimisation and Regional Sustainability
21 June - 2 July 2010
Faculty of Information Technology, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 1, Veszprém, Hungary

Thema:  Process Integration and Intensification, Process Optimisation and Regional Sustainability

Announcement; Programme

Working Party Awards

 

Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation

 
The EFCE Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation is awarded for an outstanding example of industrial application in the field of process intensification.
 

2025

The call for nominations for the 2025 Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation is open.

Deadline: 31 January 2025

> more

---

2023

The 2023 Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation has been awarded to

“Continuous production of a functional Consumer Care ingredient”

developed by

Croda International Plc,

United Kingdom

The Award, generously sponsored by EUROPIC, was presented on 31 May 2023 at the 8th European Process Intensification Conference -EPIC 8, held in Warsaw, Poland on 31 May - 2 June 2023. Croda colleagues involved in the innovation gave a presentation on 2 June 2023.

> EFCE Press Release

---

2019

The 2019 EFCE Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation
has been awarded to the innovation

"Eliminating the need for liquid bromine by flow technology"

developed by

AGFA-GEVAERT N.V.

Mortsel, Belgium          

The Award, generously sponsored by Technip B.V., was presented on Monday, 27 May 2019 at the 2nd International Process Intensification Conference - IPIC2) which was held in Leuven, Belgium on 27-29 May 2019. The winning team was invited to give a presentation on the project on Tuesday, 28 May 2019.

 

From left to right: Tom Van Gerven (chairman WP PI), Bora Aydin (chairman of the jury and representative of TechnipFMC, the sponsor), Wim Dermaut and Bart Cappuyns (both Agfa-Gevaert NV)
 

Previous winners of the Process Intensification Awards for Industrial Innovation

---

EFCE Excellence Award in Process Intensification

The EFCE Excellence Award in Process Intensification (PI) is awarded every two years for an outstanding PhD thesis in the field.

2023

Award winner: Dr. Matteo Antognoli 

The 2023 Excellence Award in Process Intensification will be presented on 31 May 2023 at EPIC 8 which will be held in Warsaw, Poland, on 31 May to 2 June 2023.

EFCE Press release 2/2023: 
Excellence Award in Process Intensification presented to Matteo Antognoli
 

---

2021

Award winner: Dr. Evangelos Delikonstantis
The 2021 Excellence Award in Process Intensification was presented on 23 September 2021 at ECCE13 & ECAB6 held as a virtual conference on 20-23 September 2021.

EFCE Press Release 10/2021:
"Pulsed plasma ethylene process scoops EFCE process intensification award"

---

2019

Award Winner: Dr. Andy N. Antzara
The 2019 Excellence Award in Process Intensification was presented on 27 May 2019 at IPIC2.

From left to right: Tom Van Gerven (chairman WP PI), Dirk Kirschneck (Microinnova, Sponsor), Nikola Nikacevic (Chairman of the jury) and Andy N. Antzara (winner of the award).

 

Previous winners of the Excellence Award in Process Intensification

 

---

EFCE Poster Award

jointly organised by the EFCE Working Parties on Chemical Reaction Engineering, Multiphase Fluid Flow, and Process Intensification

2013

Mr. Michael Patrascu, Technion, Haifa, Israel, is the winner of the EFCE Poster Award 2013 for the best poster presented in a special poster competition on "Intensified Technologies for Multiphase Processes". The session was jointly organised by the EFCE Working Parties on Chemical Reaction Engineering, Multiphase Fluid Flow, and Process Intensification at ECCE9/ECAB2 in The Hague, the Netherlands. Michael Patrascu obtained the accolade for the poster entitled "Design Principles for an Efficient Scaled Down Autothermal Membrane Reformer for Pure Hydrogen Production".

Presentation of the EFCE Poster Award to Michael Patrascu

From left to right: Professor Andreas Seidel-Morgenstern, Professor Andrzej Stankiewicz, Michael Patrascu, Professor Daniele Marchisio

 

2012

Dipl.-Ing. Stephan Aschauer, Bayreuth, Germany, is the winner of the EFCE Poster Award 2011 for the best poster presented at the special poster session on "Intensified Technologies for Multiphase Processes". The session was jointly organised by the EFCE Working Parties on Chemical Reaction Engineering, Multiphase Fluid Flow, and Process Intensification at ECCE8/ECAB1 in Berlin. Stephan Aschauer obtained the accolade for the poster entitled "Continuous Isobutane/2-Butene Alkylation in a droplet-reactor using Lewin acidic ionic liquids promoted with tert-butyl-halides as catalysts".

2010

The Working Parties on Multiphase Fluid Flow (MFF), Process Intensification (PI) and Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRE) ran a very successful Poster Competition at CHISA 2010 / ECCE7. PhD students and post-docs had to submit their poster for the competition. Of all posters submitted for this special poster session only 18 were allowed to participate, making the competition very selective from the beginning. The Competition Jury and the members of the working parties present in Prague visited the posters during the poster session on Sunday afternoon August 29.

In the evening a dinner of all participants and the Jury and working party chairmen took place at which the poster prize sponsored by the EFCE was presented to Miss Carla Pereira, PhD student at the University of Porto, Portugal, for her poster "Perm SMBR - a new hybrid technology: application on the ethyl lactate green solvent production". The organizers, participants and jury members considered the competition a real success and intend to repeat it next year at ECCE8 in Berlin.

The poster prize winner Miss Carla Pereira (middle) with the jury members, from left to right Prof. Ilkka Turunen (PI), Prof. Dieter Mewes (MFF) and Prof. Tapio Salmi (CRE), and the chairmen of the Working Parties, from right to left Prof. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr (MFF), Prof. Andrzej Stankiewicz (PI) and Prof. Jaap Schouten (CRE). "

Publications

 

WP PI Annual Reports

• Report 2009/2010
• Report 2007/2008
• Report 2005/2006

Presentations

• Presentation of Dr.Ir. Patrick W.A.M. Wenmakers
  (winner of the EFCE Excellence Award in Process Intensification 2011)
• Poster presentation of Ms Carla Pereira
  (winner of the Poster Award 2010 of the Working Parties on PI, MFF and CRE)
• Presentation of Dr.-Ing. Carsten Buchaly
  (winner of the EFCE Excellence Award in Process Intensification 2009) 

Papers and reports

• European Roadmap of Process Intensification
  1. Report
  2. Appendix 1 to the Report
  3. Appendix 2 to the Report
  4. Action Plan

Other publications

• WP PI Mission Statement 2011

 

Discussion Forum

 

European Process Intensification networks

European Roadmap of Process Intensification

Report on the European Roadmap for Process Intensification   (4,11 MB)
 - Appendix 1 to the Report   (3,85 MB)
 - Appendix 2 to the Report   (1,15 MB)
 

---

Process Intensification examples in industry

• Abstract: "Thermodynamic evaluation of a pharmaceutical synthesis step in a batch and continuous reactor"
  Geert Van der Vorst, ACS green chemistry and engineering, 2010

 

Previous activities

 

Minutes of the WP PI Business Meetings
 

• Business Meeting in The Hague, The Netherlands, April 2013
   
• Business Meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, on 18 June 2012
  -  Appendix 1 - List of Members
  -  Appendix 2 - Draft press release, Excellence Award in PI 2013
   
• Business Meeting in Manchester, UK, on 22 June 2011
   
• Business Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, on 30 August 2010
  -   Progress Presentation on EPIC2011
  -   Presentation on the Delft Skyline Debates
   
• Business Meeting in Venice, Italy, on 17 June 2009
   
• Business Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, on 27 August 2008
  -    Presentation of John Nichols
  -    Presentation of Andrzej Stankiewicz
    
• Business Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 18 September 2007
  -   Appendix 1 - 2006 Annual Report
  -   Appendix 2 - BRITEST Presentation