Process intensification in multifunctional reactors: A review of multi-functionality by catalytic structures, internals, operating modes, and unit integrations

Abstract This review presents the state of the art of process intensification in multifunctional reactor designs based on selected literature published in the 21st century thus far. A multifunctional reactor operates to meet the objective of multiple operations. For example, hybridization of reaction and separation processes and improving reaction efficiency via integration of the reactor with equipment/methods/operating modes that promote effective transport (heat, mass, or momentum) processes of the reacting system. This review focuses on the current state-of-the-art lab- and pilot-scale physical and simulated designs of multifunctional reactors containing catalytic structures such as monoliths or internals such as spirals, packing, static mixers, stirrers, inner tubes, baffles, or multistage-arranged internals in a single vessel/tube/pipeline/compact unit. This review also includes multifunctional reactor designs that couple two or more main reactions in a single unit. Finally, the scale-up and commercialization potentials of multifunctional reactors are discussed.