Intensified reactor and separator systems based on external energy fields.

The central idea of the research program is the effective integration of external energy fields (microwaves and plasma) with chemical process equipment to develop a new class of unconventional reaction and separation systems based on alternative energy forms that enable local control of (selective) molecular interactions and/or macroscopic control of key process parameters, such as spatiotemporal heat transfer rates and temperature profiles, which cannot be attained under conventional heating conditions. The research program is not only directed towards process performance optimization and sustainability, but also towards enablement of highly controlled and precisely defined process environments to advance scientific understanding of interactions between external fields and complex chemical systems, which are often impeded by the semi−empirical process and equipment designs available.