NORSC
Presentation
What is iPRD?
 Founded in 2008 at the University of Leeds
 Established to support chemical companies of all sizes by providing
solutions for product and process development.
 Research focus driven entirely by challenges in chemical manufacturing
 Developing technologies to improve products and product manufacture:
Robustness
Process Efficiency (throughput, waste, energy)
Quality Control
Environmental & worker safety issues
Product Cost
Sustainability (raw materials, supply chain)
 Working with a diverse range of industries:
Construction
Agrochemical
Waste Recovery
Dyes & Pigments (textiles)
Personal Care
Electronics
Mineral Products
Energy & Renewables
Pharmaceutical
Security Printing
Automotive
Fine & Speciality Chemicals
Management Team
John Blacker
• Professor of Process Chemistry
• 19 year’s experience in the fine
chemicals industry (ICI)
• Technical Director at Piramal
Healthcare.
• Research interests include catalysis
• Inventor on 25 patents
Frans Muller
• Prof. of Chem. Process Engineering
• 17 year’s experience in industrial product
development (AZ, Syngenta)
• Focused on the interaction between
process and equipment
• Expert in Scale up, mixing, modelling
and computer simulation.
Steve Marsden
Kevin Roberts
• Professor of Organic Chemistry
• >30 industrial research collaborations
• Secondment in the speciality chemicals
industry examining the challenges in
technology transfer between
Universities & industry.
• Brotherton Professor of Chemical
Engineering
• World expert in the formation and
processing of crystalline solids
• Application in Process R&D (PAT)
• Industrial Fellowship at AstraZeneca
Chris Rayner
Philip Kocienski FRS
• Professor of Organic Chemistry
• >20 years experience of working with
a wide range of industries (pharma,
cosmetics & power generators!)
• Director of 3 chemistry-based SMEs
(pigmentation, carbon capture)
• Professor of Organic Chemistry
• New methodology for the synthesis
of biologically active targets
• >30 years consulting experience with
pharmaceutical and agrochemical
industries
Integration of Expertise at iPRD
 Expertise at Leeds throughout the product development process
 Industrial R&D uses integrated teams of chemists and chemical engineers
to solve problems in a holistic manner
 iPRD working model reflects the industrial approach
Concept/
candidate
Route
design
Process
design
Synthetic chemistry
Catalysis
Isolation
design
Formulation
design
Separation sci/eng
Crystallisation
Physical organic chem.
Reaction engineering
Particle Science
Product
Expertise
Chemistry
and Process
Catalysis
Process
Engineering
Crystallisation/
Particle Science
Formulation
Process Laboratory




Industry-standard development and scale-up facilities and procedures
£4.8m investment by Yorkshire Forward/EU (ERDF)
650m2 refurbished laboratory space
Unique facility in academia worldwide
− non-aqueous solvent handling capabilities




Projects executed by industrially-experienced scientists
Dedicated laboratory manager and technician
On-site mechanical and electrical workshops
Safety training for all staff and students


Access to all University analytical facilities
Specialist services provided by professional partners:
 iPOS (Agilent Centre of Excellence): http://www-old.hud.ac.uk/ipos/
 ParticlesCIC (Particle Characterisation): http://particlescic.org/
Batch Manufacture
 Remotely-controlled 20 and 50 L reactors with:
− 5 L addition vessel
− 20 L distillate receiver
− 1 m2 condenser
− variable speed agitator motor
− pitched bladed agitator
 ATEX rated (temperature, gas apparatus)
 Operational temperature range: -20 to 160 oC
 Integrated PAT:
− Temperature sensors (Tr, Tj, condenser, BOV)
− Coolant flow meters for vessel jackets and condensers
− Rotation sensors on agitator to monitor agitation rate
− Reaction monitoring via IR, pH and conductivity probes
− FBRM (LasenTech) probe for crystallisation monitoring
Flow Manufacture
Flow Reactors
 Syrris-Afrika Microreactor
 2*800ml high pressure cascade CSTR
 Variable residence time static mixer 40-200ml/min
 Oscillating baffled reactor
 High pressure fixed-bed catalyst flow reactor
 Semi-continuous microwave
 Mercury-lamp photoreactor
Flow Work-up and isolation
 Continuous liq-liq extraction
 Lab-scale thin film evaporator
 Short-path continuous distillation
 Rotary drum filter
Process Development Technologies
Specialist equipment available to aid all aspects of process development:
•
•
•
•
•
Small-scale parallel reactors (solubility/reaction screening)
Continuous reaction and work-up assessment
High pressure reaction vessels
Calorimetry and Process Safety
Crystallisation and Isolation Development
1 0 0 μm
100m
Current Projects
• TSB
Immobilised Catalyst Project for purer, lower cost products in more intensive process
iPRD, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Reaxa, Cambridge Uni
• TSB
Mild, selective extraction of chemicals from seaweed
iPRD, Böd Ayre Products, Critical Processes, The Body Shop, Independent
Cosmetic Advice, Higgins Consultancy
• IMI/EU Green Chemistry for the 21st Century
20 academic and industry collaborators across Europe including Durham, York,
Manchester, Leeds
• TSB
Control of crystal growth for integrated primary and secondary manufacturing
iPRD, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Syngenta, Avantium
• TSB
Mild, selective extraction of chemicals from fruit
iPRD, Critical Processes, Higgins Consultancy
• EPSRC Phosgene-free synthesis of isocyanates for fine chemicals
iPRD, Pfizer
Avoiding going through the mill
 Pharmaceuticals/agrochemicals are typically isolated as large crystals of
variable size (primary manufacture)
 Processing to the appropriate size for formulation by milling, granulation,
or micronisation (secondary manufacture) is energy intensive & wasteful
 Leeds technology facilitates real-time measurement of crystal growth
 TSB High Value Manufacturing award - £1.6m project (£590k @ Leeds)
with Syngenta, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Avantium to investigate effects of
crystal growth modifiers on control of crystal size
 Aim: avoid secondary manufacture (safer, cheaper, more active products)
1 0 0 μm
1.6
1.5
run 5
1.5
140
1.53 > S nuc > 1.56
Turbidity on-set
Supersaturation [-]
1.10 < S grow < 1.14
100
1.2
1.1
140
S profiles
120
120
80
1
60
1.3
100
Supersaturation [-]
1.3
1.4
S profile
Temperature [°C], Sol. Trans. [%]
1.4
160
1.34 < S grow < 1.38
160
run 4
1.2
Turbidity on-set
1.1
80
1.18 > S nuc > 1.14
1
60
0.9
Temperature [°C], Sol. Trans. [%]
1.6
0.9
40
0.8
40
T profile
0.8
20
0.7
T profiles
.
20
0.7
0.6
300
400
500
600
700
Time [min]
800
900
0
1000
100 μm
0.6
300
.
400
500
600
700
Time [min]
800
900
0
1000
100m
Industry Offering
 Strategic process and manufacture related R&D using
Leeds and other expertise, public-private funding via
individual or collaboratively funded projects
 Contract work in process development, testing and small
scale manufacture
 Students trained in process R&D
 Professional development courses
 Industrial Club
 Consultancy and advisory service
Our Research and Consultancy Services include:
Process Design
Process
Understanding
Process
Measurement
Physical &
Chemical
Analysis
Technology
Design
Process
Optimisation
Bulk Manufacture
Data Analysis
Renewable
Feedstocks
Product
Isolation
Continuous
Processing
Materials
Safety Analysis
Catalysis
Green
Chemistry
Scale-Up Risk
Assessment
Understanding
Impurities
Waste
Stream
Reduction &
Recycling
PAT
Process
Understanding
Improving Energy
Efficiency
Understanding
Bulk Properties
Process
Modelling
Reaction
Screening
Contract & Consultancy Services
 iPRD has an excellent track record of delivering high quality contract
research and consultancy projects
 All services tailored to meet client’s commercial needs
 Contracts managed by University KT professionals (confidentiality, IP)
 Our experts have a diverse skill set but a common focus:
application of research expertise to commercial business situations
iPRD Industrial Club






iPRD hosts two meetings per year
Brainstorm cross-industry challenges
Identify potential areas for collaboration
Showcase iPRD projects and activities
Annual Research Symposium
Symposium topics:
 Green Chemistry
 Crystallisation
 Intensive Processing
 Process Optimisation
 Process Modelling (March 2012)
Current Members:
Bakhu
Pfizer
YPT
ChiralQuest
AstraZeneca
Escubed
Syngenta
Lonza
DyeCat
BromChem
GSK
Scientific Update
Dr Reddys
DeDietrich
Get Involved in Training Scientists for Process Industries




Joint Chemistry/Chemical Engineering activity
High quality students recruited from both disciplines
Unique courses to Leeds University
Student bursaries from EPSRC and Industry (£3.5k)
Title
Duration
MSc in Chemical Process Research and Development
One year
Integrated MSc and PhD (Centre for Doctoral Training) in Chemical
Process Research and Development
Four Years
Course Material:
 Industry-led lectures and workshops
 Industry-sponsored laboratory projects for student training
 Use of large scale laboratories where appropriate (25 and 50 L reactors)

MSc in Pharmaceutical Process Engineering also available
Summary:
 What is iPRD?
 Research Facilities and Infrastructure
 Working with the Chemical and Chemical-Using Industries
 Strategic Process and Manufacturing-Related R&D
 Research Collaborations
 iPRD Industrial Club
 Student Training and Professional Development
 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
 Contract Research and Consultancy Services
Acknowledgements:
Prof. John Blacker, Prof. Steve Marsden, Prof. Kevin Roberts, Prof. Xue Wang,
Prof. Jonathan Williams, ERDF, Yorkshire Forward, EPSRC, TSB