‘21st Century clouds above synthesis of batch chemical processes’

The chemical industry is broadly categorised into batch and continuous chemical processes. Batch chemical processes are usually encountered in the sector of the chemical industry that capitalises in low volume high value added products. The pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and some food facilities fall in this category. On the other hand continuous operations are ideal for the bulk manufacturing sector, e.g. refineries. Over the years, the global ratio of continuous to batch sector has remained at about 1:3. South Africa is no exception to this. However, the last 10 years have seen dramatic changes in the industrial landscape, with batch processes gaining more share of the chemical industry. The presentation delves into challenges that face the research community working on synthesis of batch chemical processes.