Although microwaves are known to be useful in chemical reactions, the difficulty involved in scaling up is cited as one reason why this technology has not been industrially applied in chemical processes both domestically and abroad.
Our company has been working on this problem since its inception, and in the spring of 2009 succeeded in developing a flow-type microwave reactor (Model #1) for 2t/day production. We also launched a 2t/day, large-scale, flow-type microwave reactor (Model #2) for chemical production in 2011.
Subsequently, in March 2014, we launched M3K, the world’s first large-scale microwave chemical plant, in Suminoe, Osaka.
We perform electric field simulation of the reaction system inside the microwave reactor using the dielectric loss coefficient of the reaction system obtained.
Obtaining information on the electromagnetic field, which is invisible to the eye, enables us to optimize reactor design.
Target | Reactor type | Frequency / GHz |
Temp. / ℃ |
Thermometer | Pressure | Lab | Bench | Pilot | Factory | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liquid System A |
Class I | General Chemical | Horizontal flow | 2.45 | ~ 125 | thermocouple / optical fiber / IR | normal | ||||
Liquid System B |
Class II | Polymer/Performance material | Horizontal flow | 0.915 / 2.45 | ~ 250 | thermocouple / optical fiber / IR | ~ 5 kPa | ||||
Solid (powder/slurry) System |
Class III | Nano^particle/Carbon | Horizontal flow/Batch | 0.915 / 2.45 / 5.8 | ~ 1000 | thermocouple / IR / | ~ 5 kPa | ||||
Liquid System B |
Class IV | Bulk Chemical/Fuel | Vertical flow | 0.915 / 2.45 / 5.8 | ~ 600 | thermocouple / optical fiber / IR | - |
2009
Fuel, 2t/day production
Microwave reactor development
Scene at the Shimaya Business Incubator (Osaka)
Spring, 2011
Chemicals, 2t/day production
Microwave pilot plant launch
Scene at the Kobe Manufacturing Factory
Spring, 2014
World’s first large-scale
microwave chemical plant
Chemicals, 10t/day production
M3K start-up
M3K, the world’s first large-scale microwave chemical plant,
completed in Suminoe, Osaka.