WORKSHOP 4

Complete the following tables:

Class Characteristics Examples

• Obtained directly from natural resources
• Well defined molecules and mixtures of molecules
Basic • They are not sold directly to the consumer
• Sold on specifications – What they are
• Obtained from basic chemicals
• Their purity depends on the grade
Industrial • They are not sold directly to the consumer
• Sold on specifications – What they are
• Obtained from basic and intermediate chemicals
• Usually corresponds to formulations
Configured • They are sold directly to the consumer usually
outside the chemical industry
• Sold on performance – What they can do

Adapted from: Seider WD, Seader JD, Lewin DR, Widagdo, Product and Process Design Principles, Third edition, Jhon Wiley & Sons, USA, 2009.

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Class Characteristics Examples

• Pure chemicals or mixtures
• Microstructure is not fundamental
Homogeneous • Costumers are inside the chemical industry
• Sold under specifications – What they are

• Mixtures
• Formulations
• Microstructure, result of the relationship between
formulation and production process is very
Structured
important
• Usually corresponds to final products with
costumer outside chemical industry
• Sold on performance – What they can do

Adapted from: Hill M, Chemical Product Engineering – the third paradigm, Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2009, 33: 947-953.
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Class Characteristics Examples
• Single pure chemicals
• Produced in dedicated plants
Commodities • High volume/low price
• Many applications
• Sold on specifications – What they are
• Single pure chemicals
• Produced in multipurpose plants
• Low volume (less than 1000 mtpy)/high price (higher than
Fine U$10 /kg)
• Few applications
• Sold on specifications – What they are
• Mixtures
• Formulated
Specialties • Production capacity, price and applications undifferentiate
• Sold on performance using brand names – What they can do
• Customers outside chemical industry

Adapted from: Pollak P, Fine Chemicals: The Industry and the business, Second edition, Jhon Wiley & Sons, USA, 2011.

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Class Scale Key factor Base Risk Example
Unit
Meters,
operations,
Commodities micrometers, Cost Raw materials
reaction
nanometers
engineering
Unit
operations, Intelectual
Equipment Meters Convenience
reaction property
engineering

Molecules Nanometers Discovery Chemistry Discovery

Formulation
and
Microestructures Micrometers Function Scientific basis
production
process

Adapted from: Cusler EL, Moggridge GD, Chemical Product Design, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2011.
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