Batch Process or Continuous Process?

Miri Kesner
1
In general terms, we can relate to a production process in the chemical industry (as we
can to any other production process) as the processing of inputs to outputs in a
defined series of actions.
The inputs include reactants, auxiliary materials, energy etc.
The outputs include products, by-products, energy, etc.
The series of actions is actually the conditions of reaction and activation of the
chemical reaction
Production processes in the chemical industry can be carried out in several ways: batch,
continuous or semi-continuous (in which certain parts are done continuously and some in
batch form).
!he batch process is a single- or multi-stage process in which a certain uantity of inputs
(raw materials, au!iliary materials, energy, etc.) are fed into the chemical reaction unit (of
the entire reaction) under conditions suitable for obtaining the desired reaction
(temperature, pressure, reuired time, etc.). In the batch process, in the reactor and at
any given period of time, various actions ta"e place in the wa"e of which a concentration
of reactants and products varies so long as the reaction progresses. #t the conclusion of
the process the mi!ture is removed from the reactor and it then undergoes the appropriate
separation and processing stages (either physical or chemical) at the reuired level of
cleanliness. This is generally dictated by the customers for whom the specific product is
manufactured.
In the batch process, so long as the batch has not undergone the entire series of actions,
there is no possibility of preparing a further batch. The batch process can be underta"en
in one reactor in which all the actions are carried out one after the other, or in a series of
reactors in each of which a different stage of the process is carried out. The uality of the
end product can also be controlled by the addition of appropriate separation stages
between the various other stages as reuired. $eactants that do not react and which are
separated from the reaction mi!ture can be returned for a further reaction (usually after
%
I am grateful to &r. 'igal #ntonir and (r. )aim *trage of +,romium -ompounds. for
their constructive remar"s and help in the writing of this article.
they have undergone treatment or cleaning for by-product contamination), thus fully
e!ploiting the process.
# good e!ample of an +installation. wor"ing in batches is the washing machine, into which
a certain uantity of dirty washing is put. The reuired inputs are water, electrical energy,
washing powder, etc. # +batch. of laundry goes through various stages that are
programmed as reuired: soa"ing, washing, various rinses, and e!traction. #ll the actions
ta"e place in one receptacle and at the conclusion of the process we obtain wet laundry
that is clean and ready for drying. /rom the washing machine the wet laundry is
transferred to the drier, in which a +batch. process of separation0purification of the +end
product. from water is also carried out, until dry laundry is obtained.
This process can be illustrated with a flow chart showing the series of actions:
,atch of dirty laundry *oa"ing 1ashing $inse 2!traction
1ashing machine
,atch of
clean, wet laundry
(rying
(rier
,atch of
clean, dry
laundry
There are washing machines in which the drying process is also carried out and then the
entire process ta"es place in a single receptacle.
!he continuous process is one in which inputs are fed into the system at a constant rate
and at preset ratios (raw materials, au!iliary materials, energy, etc.), and at the same time
a constant e!traction of outputs is done (products, by-products, energy, etc.). This
process is characteri3ed by a constant process ta"ing place in each section of the facility
and during the time of its action a constant process ta"es place. Thus, the concentration
of reactants and products at every location in the system is in a durable state and control
of the process is done by maintaining these concentrations.
The batch and continuous processes can be compared to the production of the cocoa
drin", "nown as +chocolate mil". and various other trade names, using two methods.
1hen the drin" is produced in +batch. form, measured amounts of cocoa, sugar and mil"
are added to the reactor. The materials are mi!ed and heated, and after a suitable delay,
chocolate mil", whose color and taste are constant in accordance with the program, is
obtained. 4nly after the conclusion of the process is the drin" put into storage tan"s and
then the process can be restarted and a further batch of chocolate mil" prepared. If no
faults occur and the instructions are strictly observed, the second batch will be identical to
the first.
1hen chocolate mil" is produced using the continuous method, cocoa, sugar and mil" are
in5ected into the reactor at the desired and constant ratios through the entry points. These
concentrations will, in the end, determine the uality of the product obtained. #t the same
time, the finished product is e!tracted at a constant rate through the e!it points. The
process is planned so that while the ingredients are flowing through the reactor, they are
heated and mi!ed. ,ecause of the different way in which the process is carried out,
chocolate mil" that is not completely homogeneous will be obtained, and this is liable to
contain a certain amount of undissolved sugar and cocoa that came out with the chocolate
mil". In addition, there is a great probability that the color and taste of the drin" will be
sub5ect to certain variations between the place at which they entered the dissolving and
mi!ing unit, and the e!it point of the chocolate mil" at the conclusion of the process.
These variations can, of course, be minimi3ed to an agreed point (according to the pre-
arranged permitted amount of cocoa and sugar that did not react), by setting the ratios of
feeding, mi!ing rate, flow conditions, e!traction, etc. In order to obtain chocolate mil"
identical to that obtained in the batch process, a further action on the product of the
continuous process must be carried out, li"e, for e!ample, filtration of the product and
separation of the cocoa and sugar that did not dissolve in the mil". Their reintroduction to
the process will not be carried out directly into the reactor (mi!ing and dissolving), but they
will be combined with the flow of raw material entering the process. Their return will
improve the process6s efficiency without harming product uality.
2ach of the production methods (batch0continuous) has its own characteristics. In the
batch process, the shift from one stage to the ne!t is carried out in series and so the
overall time of the process is, in fact, the sum of the times reuired for the various stages,
and it is relatively e!tensive.
In the continuous process, all the stages are carried out simultaneously (although possibly
in different parts of the system), and so the overall time reuired for the process is
shortened. In contrast, the reuired volume of the tan"s for a specific batch process is
greater than that reuired for a parallel continuous process.
/or e!ample, if a batch process ta"es one hour and the reuired output is one cubic meter
per hour, a reactor whose volume is one cubic meter will be reuired. If we carry out a
continuous process instead of a batch process, it will be shorter.
Thus, if the continuous process ta"es half an hour and the reuired output is still one
cubic meter per hour, a reactor whose volume is half a cubic meter will be reuired.
)ence, the volume of the reaction systems in the batch process will be greater, and in
conseuence the investment in euipment will also be greater.
In general terms, a batch installation reuires more manpower while a continuous
installation reuires greater computeri3ed and automated control. 2!perience shows us
that over time, an initial investment in control is more feasible that the high day-to-day
costs of manpower.
2ach method has its advantages and disadvantages, and so the decision on whether to
build a specific installation using either the batch or continuous method depends on a
comple! system of considerations that is governed mainly by technological and economic
considerations. The economic factors usually tilt the balance.
The initial financial investment in the establishment of continuous installations is generally
higher than that of batch installations. This is due to the automated control systems and
despite the fact that the reactors in the batch installation are bigger. #s a result of
economic and technological considerations, products reuired in large uantities and for
which there is a year-round demand, are usually manufactured in continuous installations.
4n the other hand, in the case of materials reuired in small uantities, or alternatively, for
which the annual demand varies, it is unfeasible to build a continuous system. Production
processes in chemical industry plants are often planned so that certain sections are
continuous while others use the batch method. Planning of this "ind is also derived from
technological and economic considerations.
The following table of comparisons between batch and continuous processes will be of
assistance:
Batch Process Continuous Process
Types of materials -an be used with all types of materials
(with non-flow materials, it is easier to
use the batch process).
2asier for use with flowing
materials (today, almost any
material can be produced with the
continuous process7 investment
cost is the decisive factor).
Installation si3e $elatively large installations. 8ery big
investment in land and installations.
$elatively small installations.
*ignificant savings in land and
installations.
$eactor -hanges occur in the concentrations of
materials over time.
#t all locations, conditions are
constant over time (durable
conditions).
/eeding raw materials $aw materials are fed before the start
of the reaction.
-onstant feeding of raw materials
during the entire reaction
process.
-ontrol of the set of
actions in the system
*imple control. It is easier to control
reaction conditions (p), pressure,
temperature). &anual control can also
be done.
-omple! control. #utomatic
control must be used. -ontrol of
reactor conditions is more difficult.
-ontrol must be e!ercised over
the rate of flow of the materials.
Product(s) 2!traction of materials only after all the
actions are finished with the conclusion
of the reaction.
-ontinuous e!traction of products
at all times during the reaction.
Trouble shooting # fault or dealing with a batch reuiring
+repair. does not cause problems in the
other stages. #ppropriate tests are
conducted after each stage.
The installations are
interconnected, so a fault in one
causes a stoppage in all the
others. &aterial that has been
damaged cannot be repaired
under the same wor"ing
conditions. It must be isolated
and the process restarted.
9uantities produced Preferable when production of small
uantities of a specific material are
planned.
Preferable for large scale
production.
8ariety of products in
the plant
Preferable when the plant produces a
wide variety of materials and when the
product is li"ely to be changed now and
again, while using the same reactor.
Preferable for a central and
permanent product.
Product development
stage
Preferable when the process is
relatively new and still unfamiliar. In this
case the initial investment is in a
smaller batch reactor, and thus the
economic ris" is smaller.
Preferable after the conclusion of
all the stages of grossing-up and
economic feasibility tests.
"ote#
$n both methods%
$ecycling of raw materials according to economic feasibility can be carried out.
$euired product uality can be attained in accordance with customer
reuirements and economic feasibility.
4ptimal efficiency can be attained according to reaction conditions and
economic feasibility.
!ypical students& errors%
# number of difficulties have come to light with students with regard to their grasp of
concepts lin"ed to the batch and continuous processes. 4ne of the most typical
errors is the tendency to lin" the flow chart to the continuous and not the batch
process. The error originates in the fact that the flow chart is perceived only as a
succession of installations and not as a succession of actions that may ta"e place in
a batch installation, and also in one reactor.
#nother mista"e is to lin" the possibility of recycling materials only to the continuous
process. This is also apparently related to an erroneous perception of the flow chart.
These students view the flow chart as describing only the continuous process, and
therefore recycling can only ta"e place in the continuous process.
$eactant(s) $eaction *eparation Product(s)
$ecycling
(reactants that did not react)
In addition, there are students who lin" product uality (its level of cleanliness) or the
process efficiency with the method used. The students generally lin" better uality
with the product manufactured using the batch process, and better efficiency with the
continuous process.
#pparently, the batch process, because it is non-automatic, is perceived by these
students as a process that can be easily controlled. 4n the other hand, the
continuous process has a higher efficiency because the reactants that did not react
can be recycled.
1hile teaching this sub5ect it is important to note these errors and emphasi3e the
characteristics of each of the methods and the differences between them. The table
on the previous page will be of assistance in this.