Molecular Systems Engineering of High-Value Structured and Formulated Products
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Chemical Engineering
Abstract
The focus of research in Molecular Systems Engineering is the development of methods and tools for the design of better products and processes in applications where molecular interactions play a central role. To date we have developed a successful activity focussed mostly on large-scale gas-liquid processes. A strategic objective of this proposal is to make a leap to the more challenging high-value manufacturing arena, where formulated and structured products are prevalent. The combination of fundamental physical understanding, mathematical models, and numerical methods is the cornerstone of our approach. It allows us to reduce our dependence on rules-of-thumb which have traditionally been used to make models tractable but which have a limited validity. The success of this approach is strongly dependent upon the ability to exploit the synergies between molecular modelling and process engineering, as we have demonstrated in the design of novel processes for carbon dioxide capture from natural gas. Our team of investigators and RAs will be ideally positioned to overcome the challenges posed by high-value products and processes thanks to its current expertise, the investment we have made in breaking down the barriers to interdisciplinary work, and the new skills, continuity and flexibility afforded by a platform grant.
An overriding objective of the platform grant is to fast-track the careers of the individual researchers involved. Supporting the careers of researchers has always been central to our approach to research. This grant will give us a unique ability to push this further by providing us with the resources and critical mass to put in place a more structured development programme.
An overriding objective of the platform grant is to fast-track the careers of the individual researchers involved. Supporting the careers of researchers has always been central to our approach to research. This grant will give us a unique ability to push this further by providing us with the resources and critical mass to put in place a more structured development programme.
Planned Impact
The economic and societal impact of the proposed research will be realised through improvements in product and process design in the high-value chemical manufacturing sector, which includes pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, consumer products, paints & coatings, refrigerants. These industries play an important role in the UK economy, and develop products which have a clear impact on healthcare and well-being. One aim of this platform grant is to develop techniques rooted in fundamentals that are relevant to practical applications and can be adopted by industry. The strong emphasis on the development of highly-skilled postdoctoral researchers will also be an important catalyst for technology transfer.
Four leading companies from the high-value chemical manufacturing sector (BMS, GSK, Syngenta, Procter & Gamble) have stated the importance of the challenges we aim to address, and the appropriateness of the methods we will pursue. They will benefit from the research through direct involvement with the work. We will also make sure we reach other industrial beneficiaries thanks to our engagement with the Chemistry Innovation KTN, the EPSRC Directed Assembly Grand Challenge Network, the Industrial Consortium of the Centre for Process Systems Engineering (CPSE) and professional societies.
The team of investigators has a very strong track record of transferring technology transfer through spin-out companies, software licensing, short courses and workshops, training of high-calibre researchers, consulting, and industrially-sponsored research. Notable achievements include (i) the creation of PSE Ltd, a high-technology company delivering software and consulting services to a large number of Fortune 500 companies and winner of the prestigious MacRobert Award of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2007), and (ii) the licensing of SAFT technology. The impact plan we have developed is based on a range of routes to maximise the likelihood of success and to reach as wide a community as possible: training of researchers, publication in leading journals, conference presentations, participating in CPSE industrial consortium meetings, provision of a website, development of advanced courses for undergraduate and MSc students, two workshops, and identification of new partners.
Four leading companies from the high-value chemical manufacturing sector (BMS, GSK, Syngenta, Procter & Gamble) have stated the importance of the challenges we aim to address, and the appropriateness of the methods we will pursue. They will benefit from the research through direct involvement with the work. We will also make sure we reach other industrial beneficiaries thanks to our engagement with the Chemistry Innovation KTN, the EPSRC Directed Assembly Grand Challenge Network, the Industrial Consortium of the Centre for Process Systems Engineering (CPSE) and professional societies.
The team of investigators has a very strong track record of transferring technology transfer through spin-out companies, software licensing, short courses and workshops, training of high-calibre researchers, consulting, and industrially-sponsored research. Notable achievements include (i) the creation of PSE Ltd, a high-technology company delivering software and consulting services to a large number of Fortune 500 companies and winner of the prestigious MacRobert Award of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2007), and (ii) the licensing of SAFT technology. The impact plan we have developed is based on a range of routes to maximise the likelihood of success and to reach as wide a community as possible: training of researchers, publication in leading journals, conference presentations, participating in CPSE industrial consortium meetings, provision of a website, development of advanced courses for undergraduate and MSc students, two workshops, and identification of new partners.
Publications
Jover J
(2015)
Fluid-fluid coexistence in an athermal colloid-polymer mixture: thermodynamic perturbation theory and continuum molecular-dynamics simulation
in Molecular Physics
Frentrup H
(2015)
In Silico Determination of Gas Permeabilities by Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics: CO2 and He through PIM-1.
in Membranes
Jover J
(2015)
Aspects of Asphaltene Aggregation Obtained from Coarse-Grained Molecular Modeling
in Energy & Fuels
Lau GV
(2015)
Water droplet excess free energy determined by cluster mitosis using guided molecular dynamics.
in The Journal of chemical physics
Theodorakis PE
(2015)
Modelling the superspreading of surfactant-laden droplets with computer simulation.
in Soft matter
Papadokonstantakis S
(2015)
Sustainability of Products, Processes and Supply Chains - Theory and Applications
Habgood M
(2015)
Efficient Handling of Molecular Flexibility in Ab Initio Generation of Crystal Structures.
in Journal of chemical theory and computation
Cristino A
(2015)
High-temperature vapour-liquid equilibrium for ethanol-1-propanol mixtures and modeling with SAFT-VR
in Fluid Phase Equilibria
Wu L
(2015)
Publisher's Note: "Orientational ordering and phase behaviour of binary mixtures of hard spheres and hard spherocylinders" [J. Chem. Phys. 143, 044906 (2015)].
in The Journal of chemical physics
Dufal S
(2015)
The A in SAFT: developing the contribution of association to the Helmholtz free energy within a Wertheim TPT1 treatment of generic Mie fluids
in Molecular Physics
Description | Developed generic group contribution and simulation platform for the thermodynamic, structural and dynamical properties of complex fluid mixtures and molecular solids and materials. |
Exploitation Route | software and theoretical methodology and technology transfer |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | http://molecularsystemsengineering.org/ |
Description | Our cutting-edge work is of prime relevance to industry, as testified by collaborations in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, oil and gas, specialty chemicals, and personal care: ABB, AkzoNobel, AstraZeneca, BASF, BCURA, BMS, Borealis, BP, Britest, CIBA, E.ON, Eli Lilly, ICI, IFP, Ineos, P&G, Rhodia, Shell, Schlumberger, and Syngenta. Our work has had a major impact on process development at ICI/Ineos (production of replacement refrigerants), at BP Chemicals (acetyls), at BP Exploration (surfactants used in enhanced oil recovery to extend oil field lifetimes by a factor of up to 5) and at Borealis (increased gas-phase polyethylene production). We license our technologies via spin-off companies such as Process Systems Enterprise (PSE), including the gPROMS modelling software created under the leadership of CCP, which is used by over 70 companies and 250 universities worldwide and, more recently, our numerical methods for the integration of advanced gSAFT thermodynamics in process modelling. More recently we have extended the use of our methodology in the pharmaceutical industry (Pfizer, GSK, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca) for the prediction of API solubility and partitioning, and in the area of carbon capture and storage. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
Title | Modelling and prediction of the thermophysical properties of aqueous mixtures of choline geranate and geranic acid (CAGE) using SAFT-g Mie |
Description | Calculated and experimental data for all the figures in the publication |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Modelling and prediction of the thermophysical properties of aqueous mixtures of choline geranate and geranic acid (CAGE) using SAFT-g Mie |
Description | Calculated and experimental data for all the figures in the publication |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |