Introduction to workshop:
Most processes are scale dependent. As a consequence, scaling up from laboratory experiments to a full scale production plant is usually challenging and time-consuming, and can in the worst case fail completely. When transferring results from lab scale to pilot and full-scale, the process/system will behave differently. Forecasting such scaling problems is usually complex, and therefore scaling up is nowadays usually done rather empirically.
This workshop focusses on highlighting the challenges involved in upscaling from lab-scale to pilot scale to production scale and the tools to reduce the risks along the upscaling process.
Output from workshop:
This workshop focussed on highlighting the challenges involved in upscaling from lab-scale to pilot scale to production scale and the tools to reduce the risks along the upscaling process.
The diversity of the upscaling challenges was presented by Morten Birkved. Afterwards each participant presented themselves by answering to the following question: “What are the challenges and solutions in relation to upscaling”, in order to have an overview of experience/competences in the topic. This as well as how to forecast challenges and speed up the process was further discussed in groups.
Most work is to date carried out empirically among the participants. The major conclusions to improve upscaling were
- Know how sharing (as one cannot transfer knowledge without sharing)
- Think before starting
- Having some consultancy available
- Learn more about others experience
- Learn more about what is possible in terms of prediction
A course on upscaling (not only focus on water) could be missing. This would include 1) presentation of the upscaling issues based on industry examples and 2) tools available. This could be initiated by a small seminar based on a talk on tools available for prediction.