The ENPRO‑VoPa project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under grant code 03ET1652A‑F, ran from 1 May 2019 to 31 December 2022. Its aim was to develop a modular, small‑scale, quasi‑continuous, highly automated pilot plant that integrates crystallisation, solid‑liquid separation, washing and drying into a single unit. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) led the overall concept design, while the Technical University of Dortmund (TUDO) took responsibility for the solution crystallisation work package. Other partners were BHS‑Sonthofen GmbH, Clariant Produkte GmbH, HiTec Zang GmbH and SONOTEC GmbH, each contributing specific expertise in process engineering, materials handling and industrial implementation. The project was coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hermann Nirschl, who oversaw the integration of the seven work packages and the eight milestones that guided the development from laboratory scale to a fully operational pilot plant.
Technically, the project produced a continuous pilot plant that combines the three unit operations—crystallisation, solid‑liquid separation and drying—into a single block flow scheme. The design emphasises modularity, allowing individual sections to be swapped or upgraded without disrupting the overall process. The pilot plant was equipped with advanced measurement technology, including real‑time particle size monitoring and moisture sensors, which enabled closed‑loop control of product quality attributes. A modelling approach was developed to predict and automatically adjust process parameters, ensuring consistent particle size distribution and purity. Benchmark experiments validated the laboratory findings and demonstrated that the integrated system could maintain stable operation under varying feed conditions. The demonstration in an industrial environment confirmed the scalability of the concept and highlighted its potential for significant energy and resource savings, although the report does not provide explicit quantitative figures for these savings.
The project also addressed process automation and data acquisition. Custom software was written to interface with the measurement devices and to implement the control logic derived from the process models. This software facilitated real‑time decision making and reduced the need for manual intervention, thereby increasing reliability and throughput. The integration of washing steps within the solid‑liquid separation unit further improved product purity and reduced downstream handling.
In addition to the technical deliverables, the project produced a range of scientific outputs. Several peer‑reviewed publications and conference presentations disseminated the findings, and a number of student theses were completed under the supervision of the participating institutions. The final report, submitted on 10 February 2023, documents the full development cycle, from concept to demonstration, and outlines the potential for commercial deployment of the integrated crystallisation platform.
Overall, ENPRO‑VoPa achieved its goal of creating a modular, continuous pilot plant that integrates key crystallisation unit operations. The collaboration among seven partners combined academic research with industrial expertise, resulting in a demonstrable platform that offers improved flexibility, automation, and resource efficiency for the production of crystalline substances in the chemical, agro‑chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.