A Sustainable chemical process design: Recent advances in sustainable chemical process design, process intensification and life cycle assessment.: a review

Abstract

The chemical industry has made sustainable chemical process design a top priority due to the need to reduce environmental impact, maximize resource efficiency, and coordinate with global sustainability objectives. Developments in solvent selection, catalysis, and substitute feedstocks have all contributed to lowering the environmental impact of chemical production. Process intensification (PI) has emerged as a transformative approach to enhance process efficiency and reduce resource consumption. Through the integration of innovative technologies such as microreactors, membrane processes, and multifunctional reactors, PI enables more compact, efficient, and safer chemical processes. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an essential tool for evaluating the environmental performance of chemical processes throughout their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. Recent advancements in LCA methodologies have improved the accuracy and comprehensiveness of sustainability assessments, enabling better decision-making in process design. This review synthesizes the latest research and industrial practices in these areas, providing a comprehensive understanding of how sustainable chemical process design is evolving. It underscores the importance of integrating green chemistry, process intensification,using life cycle assessment to create chemical processes that are truly sustainable, opening the door for a more profitable and ecologically responsible chemical sector.