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Industrial Scale-up Case Study

Integrated Pilot Plant Success

Complete pilot-to-production scaling solution for specialty chemicals, achieving seamless 10x scale-up with improved efficiency and quality.

Project Duration: 12 months
Industrial Chemicals
10x Scale-up Success
Industrial integrated pilot plant facility

Integrated Pilot Plant System

The Scale-up Challenge

From Lab to Production
Industrial chemicals company faced critical scale-up challenges for new product line

Technical Challenges:

  • Complex multi-step synthesis

    5-stage process with critical intermediates

  • Heat transfer scaling issues

    Surface-to-volume ratio challenges

  • Process automation requirements

    24/7 operation with minimal staffing

Business Constraints:

  • Tight market launch timeline - 8 months to production
  • Capital investment constraints for large-scale equipment
  • Regulatory compliance requirements from day one
  • Limited experienced operators for complex processes

Scale-up Journey

1
Scale-up Challenge
January 2023
Industrial chemicals company needed seamless transition from 10kg lab batches to 1000kg production
Complex multi-step synthesis process
Critical temperature and pressure control requirements
Need for automated operation and data collection
Regulatory compliance for industrial scale
2
Pilot Plant Design
February-March 2023
ChemSymphony designed comprehensive pilot-to-production scaling solution
Process modeling and scale-up calculations
Complete P&ID development and review
Advanced automation architecture design
Safety system and HAZOP analysis
3
Fabrication & Integration
April-June 2023
Complete pilot plant fabricated with full automation and safety systems
Modular skid-mounted construction
Advanced PLC and SCADA integration
Comprehensive safety interlocking
Environmental monitoring systems
4
Commissioning & Validation
July 2023
Systematic commissioning with performance validation and operator training
Cold commissioning and leak testing
Hot commissioning with process fluids
Performance qualification studies
Comprehensive operator certification
5
Successful Scale-up
August 2023-Present
Seamless scale-up to commercial production with optimized performance
100kg/batch pilot operation achieved
Direct scale-up to 1000kg production
30% reduction in production time
Consistent quality meeting specifications

Scale-up Success Metrics

Batch Size
Pilot Scale:100 kg
Production:1000 kg
10x scale-up achieved
Yield Consistency
Pilot Scale:94.2% ±1.1%
Production:93.8% ±0.8%
Maintained quality
Processing Time
Pilot Scale:8.5 hours
Production:6.2 hours
27% reduction
Energy Efficiency
Pilot Scale:125 kWh/kg
Production:89 kWh/kg
29% improvement
Operator Requirements
Pilot Scale:2 operators/shift
Production:2 operators/shift
No increase needed
Quality Parameters
Pilot Scale:98.7% purity
Production:98.9% purity
Improved quality

Integrated System Components

Reactor Section
Three-stage reactor train with precise temperature control
  • 1000L glass-lined reactors
  • ±0.5°C temperature control
  • Automated charging system
  • Real-time monitoring
Separation & Purification
Integrated distillation and crystallization systems
  • Packed distillation column
  • Automated crystallizer
  • Nutsche filter-dryer
  • Solvent recovery system
Automation & Control
Advanced process control with comprehensive data management
  • Allen-Bradley PLC system
  • SCADA with historian
  • Recipe management
  • Batch reporting
Safety & Environmental
Comprehensive safety and environmental protection systems
  • Emergency shutdown systems
  • Scrubber for emission control
  • Leak detection systems
  • Fire & gas monitoring

Critical Process Optimizations

Challenge:

Heat Transfer Limitations

Pilot Solution:

Enhanced jacket design with optimized flow patterns

Production Impact:

30% faster heating/cooling rates, reduced cycle time

Challenge:

Mixing Efficiency

Pilot Solution:

Computational fluid dynamics optimized impeller design

Production Impact:

Uniform mixing achieved, improved product consistency

Challenge:

Automation Complexity

Pilot Solution:

Modular control system with standardized interfaces

Production Impact:

Seamless operator training, reduced learning curve

Challenge:

Quality Control

Pilot Solution:

Integrated online analytics and automated sampling

Production Impact:

Real-time quality monitoring, immediate process adjustments

Production Results

Production Achievements

Quality Excellence

98.9% product purity consistently achieved, exceeding market specifications

Efficiency Gains

27% reduction in processing time with 29% lower energy consumption

Operational Excellence

24/7 automated operation with same staffing levels as pilot

Business Impact

Financial Benefits:

  • $2.3M annual cost savings from efficiency improvements
  • 6-month earlier market entry generating $5M additional revenue
  • ROI achieved within 18 months of commercial production

Strategic Advantages:

  • Established market leadership position
  • Proven scalability for future products
  • Enhanced process capability and confidence
"ChemSymphony delivered exactly what they promised - a seamless scale-up that exceeded our performance targets. The integrated approach saved us months of development time and positioned us as market leader in our new product category."
VS

Mr. Vikram Singh

Project Director, Industrial Chemicals

Scale Your Process Successfully

From lab to production, we provide complete pilot-to-production scaling solutions. Let's discuss your scale-up challenges and develop the perfect solution.