(*) IMPULSE : Integrated Multiscale Process Units with Locally Structured Elements
Make Europe as proud of its chemical industry as of its Airbus long–range carriers is the ambitious goal of IMPULSE, a major European R & D initiative in support of sustainable development. A flagship R & D initiative of Europe’s 6th Framework Programme (FP 6), with a European Commission grant of € 10,5 million, IMPULSE seeks to exploit microtechnology as the key to the creation of the innovative chemical plants of tomorrow. An original approach targeting a double objective : on the one hand, providing the safer and cleaner manufacturing processes demanded by Europe’s citizens, on the other, maintaining European leadership in a high–value–added industrial sector representing 2 million direct jobs in Europe and ensuring 25 % of total world–wide production.
Following the exponential growth of microelectronics in the computer industry of the late 1970s and the boom of micromechanics for mobile phones 15 years later, microtechnology may, in the near future and on the basis of a radical change in perspective, give birth to a new generation of chemical production plants.
This new technological revolution is at the heart of IMPULSE, an “ integrated project ” financed in part by Europe’s 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP 6). Initiated by Michael MATLOSZ, Professor of chemical engineering at the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL) and researcher at the Laboratory of the Chemical Engineering Sciences (LSGC) of the French CNRS in Nancy (France), IMPULSE combines two essential concepts : intensification – producing more with less energy, less solvent, reduced transport, lower inventories – and miniaturization – producing better with smaller volumes, higher efficiency, greater precision.
To achieve its goals, IMPULSE has chosen to equip chemical production plants with microstructured components and devices integrated directly into the process systems themselves. This decisively new orientation will allow industrial operations to be optimized on the production scale with the precision and accuracy previously available only for chemical analysis and laboratory applications. The multiscale design methodology of IMPULSE is the central element of this original R and D challenge : mobilize microstructured components to produce on a large scale high–value–added products with properties controlled down to the nanometer scale.
Production plants “on demand”
For IMPULSE, the chemical plant of tomorrow is not only likely to be smaller than today’s version, but more importantly it will be more respectful of the environment and more competitive economically. The plant may also be closer to customers due to a new version of on–demand production :
The idea of distributing a large number of small–scale production units over Europe would offer not only a reduction in environmental impact due to reduced transport, but would also provide increased reactivity to changing market conditions, at a time when the flexibility of industrial production and the ability to ajust rapidly to varying business drivers is a key factor in economic competitiveness.
Scientifically, IMPULSE will concentrate its efforts on application areas in three major high–value–added industrial sectors : pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals and consumer products. The R and D studies will investigate integration of microstructured process components for enhanced control of flow phenomena, mixing, reaction and heat and mass transfer, as well as the techno-economic impact of these innovations, including such important aspects as safety and eco–efficiency.
For pharmaceuticals, the work will include a major effort on solids handling, a process step that arises in the production of 7 out of 10 modern drugs. In specialty chemicals and consumer products, the focus will be oriented toward reaction and emulsion phenomena, with applications ranging from paints and coatings to surfactants, cleansers and detergents.
A high–quality European consortium
With a consolidated budget of € 17 million, of which a European Commission contribution of € 10,5 million, IMPULSE is positioned as one of Europe’s leading R and D initiatives in the NMP (Nanotechnologies, Materials, Production) research priority of FP 6.
The IMPULSE consortium is composed of 20 partners from 7 European countries. Alongside the INPL and the CNRS, which coordinates the project, many of Europe’s leading research centers and universities in chemical engineering, microtechnology and process innovation will be working together, in collaboration with four major industrial leaders : GlaxoSmithKline, the world’s 2nd largest pharmaceuticals producer, Degussa, the world’s largest specialty chemicals manufacturer, Procter and Gamble, the world’s leading consumer products supplier and Siemens, world–wide leader in automatic control equipment.
Further information about IMPULSE are available under http://www.impulse-project.org.
IMPULSE: Europe’s flagship R & D initiative in chemical production technologies
Launched by the European Commission in April 2002, the call for “ Expressions of Interest ” for the 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development received more than 1500 responses in the thematic priority NMP : Nanotechnologies and Nanosciences, Knowledge–based Multifunctional Materials, New Production Processes and Devices.
Following selection in two competitive calls for proposals, the European Commission has now accepted 50 projects for all of Europe in the NMP area for the new instruments of FP 6 : Networks of Excellence (NoE) and Integrated Projects (IP). As one of a limited number of projects retained in these highly competitive calls, IMPULSE benefits from the high visibility and prestige associated with the FP 6 label, and the IMPULSE consortium intends to exploit this leveraging effect to enhance dissemination of the research results and increase their industrial application throughout the chemical sector.
FP 6 : € 17,9 billion for 4 years
The Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development are the primary mechanism for defining the strategic orientations of research in Europe.
The 6th Framework Programme (FP 6), structured around 7 thematic priorities, covers the period from 2002 to 2006, with a budget of € 17,9 billion (4 % of the total EU budget).
The Programme aims at reinforcing the scientific and technological base in Europe and enhancing European competitiveness on an international level.
FP 6 employs two new instruments : Networks of Excellence (NoE) and Integrated Projects (IP). NoE are virtual European–wide research laboratories, dedicated to exchanging personnel and resources in a particular scientific discipline. IP are focused research efforts with a specific technological objective requiring a critical mass of research contributions from academic and industrial research teams from several EU member countries.
The 7 Thematic Priorities
1. Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for human health
2. Information science technologies
3. NMP: Nanotechnologies and nanosciences, knowledge–based multifunctional materials,
new production processes and devices
4. Aeronautics and space
5. Food quality and safety
6. Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems
7. Citizens and governance in a knowledge–based society
The IMPULSE consortium
|
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCERS
GlaxoSmithKline (UK): Pharmazeutika
Degussa (D): Spezialchemicals
Procter & Gamble (UK): Konsumgüter
Solvent Innovation (D): Ionische Flüssigkeiten |
SERVICE COMPANIES
Britest (UK): Industrielle Innovationen
Siemens (D): Prozessdesign / Prozesskontrolle
Dechema (D): Ergebnisverbreitung / Kommunikation
ARTTIC (F): Projektmanagement |
RESEARCH CENTERS and UNIVERSITIES
CNRS (F):
LSGC–Nancy: Chemieingenieurwesen
LGC–Toulouse: Chemieingenieurwesen
LGPC–Lyon: Katalyse
INPL–Nancy (F): Physikalische Chemie
Univ. of Manchester (UK): Innovation
RWTH–Aachen (D): Physikalische Chemie
TNO (NL): Ökoeffizienz
INERIS (F): Sicherheit
ICPF–Prague (CZ): Chemieingenieurwesen
IMM–Mainz (D): Mikroreaktionstechnik
FZK-Karlsruhe (D): Mikroreaktionstechnik
ICT-Prague (CZ): Technische Chemie
WUT–Warsaw (PL): Chemieingenieurwesen
ETSEQ–Tarragona (ES): Umweltingenieurwesen |
