About this Research Topic
The current global demand for sustainable and efficient processes is one of the key factors driving industrial technology competitiveness. A rapid transition from lab scale research & development to industrial scale processes is essential. In this scenario, process intensification using microfluidic devices has received great attention due to the inherent advantages from the characteristic size scale. The high area/volume ratio enhances heat and mass transfer as well as typically delivering high selectivity and yield for the chemical process. In addition, superior control of process variables such as the consumption of reagents offers higher safety levels in processing explosive and/or toxic substances. Finally, the development of high efficiency modular plants with variable production rates provides a flexibility that suits many applications. These characteristics have resulted in great interest for the development of microfluidics-based technologies, including reactors for the synthesis of biofuels and other feedstock chemicals, chemical energy storage, synthesis of smart nanomaterials for carbon capture and storage, among others.
There is a continuing need for the development and optimization of microdevices for different processes, including high performance microreactors with larger operating flow rates, efficient numbering-up, separation and purification of final products, and synthesis of efficient materials for energy capture and storage, especially in the chemical form. This Research Topic aims to collect the state-of-the-art in the area of process intensification with a sustainable and environmental bias. A special focus is on the production of biofuels and chemicals for the capture of greenhouse gases, providing details of technological developments from the point of view of engineers and scientists in the field. Emphasis should be placed on transport phenomena, kinetics of the chemical/ biochemical reactions, thermodynamics, process control, modeling and simulation, as well as their industrial applicability.
The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the state-of-art of sustainable processes using microfluidic-based technologies. Submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-reviews and Perspective papers are welcome, on areas that include, but are not limited to:
• Microreactors for chemical and biofuel synthesis
• Microfluidic devices for mixing, mass and heat transfer in sustainable processes
• Microfluidic devices for separation and purification of final products
• New technologies for capturing greenhouse gases related to microfluidics
• Modeling and simulation of microfluidic processes
• Future perspectives of microfluidics in green chemistry and sustainable process engineering.
There is a continuing need for the development and optimization of microdevices for different processes, including high performance microreactors with larger operating flow rates, efficient numbering-up, separation and purification of final products, and synthesis of efficient materials for energy capture and storage, especially in the chemical form. This Research Topic aims to collect the state-of-the-art in the area of process intensification with a sustainable and environmental bias. A special focus is on the production of biofuels and chemicals for the capture of greenhouse gases, providing details of technological developments from the point of view of engineers and scientists in the field. Emphasis should be placed on transport phenomena, kinetics of the chemical/ biochemical reactions, thermodynamics, process control, modeling and simulation, as well as their industrial applicability.
The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the state-of-art of sustainable processes using microfluidic-based technologies. Submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-reviews and Perspective papers are welcome, on areas that include, but are not limited to:
• Microreactors for chemical and biofuel synthesis
• Microfluidic devices for mixing, mass and heat transfer in sustainable processes
• Microfluidic devices for separation and purification of final products
• New technologies for capturing greenhouse gases related to microfluidics
• Modeling and simulation of microfluidic processes
• Future perspectives of microfluidics in green chemistry and sustainable process engineering.
Keywords: Process intensification, reactor engineering, microdevices, chemical processes, biofuels
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
