"MPP: From test tube to factory"

AkzoNobel employs around 60,000 people in more than 80 countries. We are the world leader in coatings and a major international chemicals producer. We are constantly investing in new products and technologies. This requires a strong team of technologists for our R&D and engineering departments. 

The case presented today deals with the design of a new chemical factory for the production of Micro Porous Polymer grains (MPP). These grains act as non-toxic and biodegradable carriers for the extraction, absorption and separation of carbohydrates from water. The tiny plastic balls are capable of reducing the level of organic impurities in water by a factor of at least a million.

The Management of MPP-systems requests the design of a factory for the production of these grains. Based upon results obtained on a lab-scale and a design manual, you are invited to develop a new concept for this factory. This should involve the 4 following steps: a schematic representation of the factory, a calculation of the volume of the reactor, an investment proposal and the design of the lay-out of the new factory.