Flow chemistry solutions
Most fine and specialty chemicals are still produced using batch processes — a model that often limits safety, scalability and performance, especially for complex or hazardous reactions.
Flow chemistry
Most fine and specialty chemicals are still produced using batch processes — a model that often limits safety, scalability and performance, especially for complex or hazardous reactions.
Flow chemistry offers a more controlled and efficient alternative, enabling continuous processes with improved safety, higher selectivity and faster scale-up.
It is particularly suited to demanding reactions such as continuous hydrogenation and oxidation, where precise control of temperature, pressure and reaction conditions is critical.
Advantages
KHIMOD’s technology is designed to support these reactions under demanding industrial conditions.
Used across industries such as pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals and advanced materials, it is particularly relevant where process constraints become a limiting factor.
KHIMOD develops advanced reactor technologies to bring the full benefits of flow chemistry to these high-value industrial applications.
The KHIMOD strategy for scaling up these continuous processes is a pure numbering-up approach, where the geometry of the channels remains unchanged from small to large equipment. This has been made possible by developing a patented manifold that can achieve a balanced flow rate for liquids and gases in each channel, even in large equipment containing close to 800 channels.
KHIMOD’s solutions for flow chemistry
Approved and validated technologies
Key benefits
Faster
- Shorter time-to-market enabled by a seamless process scale-up
- Ability to generate samples representative of the full-scale production
Safer
- Precise control of the temperature even for extreme exothermic or endothermic reactions
- Ability to safely handle liquids or gas even at very high pressure or temperature
- Process intensification requires much smaller reaction volume than in batch process
Greener
- Opportunity to drastically reduce the use of solvents
- Much more energy efficient than batch reactors
Better
- Precise control of the mixing & temperature, delivering higher yield and selectivity
- Option to use fixed bed catalysts
More cost effective
- Lower CAPEX than in batch process due to smaller reactors, utilities and safety systems
- Cost advantage even higher when high corrosion resistant metals are required
- OPEX reduction with a faster reaction by working safely at high pressure and temperature
- Ability to adjust the production CAPEX gradually, in line with demand
Competitive Advantages
Large scope of alloys
- Making KHIMOD HERs compatible with highly corrosive reagents
- The standard version is made of 316L. Other alloys are available upon request.
Outstanding heat exchange capacity
- Very dense network of thermic regulation channels
- Heat exchange capacity from 600 to 1 600 kW/m3/K
Extreme resistance to pressure & temperature
- Standard model: up to 100 bars and 550°C
- Customized model: up to 300 bars and 800°C
High flexibility of design
- Reactive channel adjustable according to the required residence time
- Opportunity to heat or cool the reagents before the reaction
Opportunity to use fixed bed catalysts
- Wide range of catalyst beads available at our partners
- Option to use catalytic static mixers
Why flow chemistry
Versatile reactors
Configuration
can be easily modified by changing the end caps
Opportunity
to heat or cool the reagents before the reaction
Easy cleaning
making it suitable for a multi-purpose workshop
Reactive channel length
adjusted to the required residence time
KHIMOD Reactors
Product line
A range of reactors addressing the need of the chemical industry for process intensification.
Identical design, from lab to full industrial scale, enabling a seamless scale-up. Channel diameter and length: 6 mm and 30 cm. From 12 to 784 reactive channels.
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Application
Lab scale
Capacity*
0.3 to 4 kg/h
Inner Volume
0.008 to 0.1 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 3.6 m
Number of Channels
12
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Pilot & Industrial scale
Capacity*
18 kg/h
Inner Volume
0.5 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 18 m
Number of Channels
64
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
44 kg/h
Inner Volume
1,2 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 43 m
Number of Channels
144
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
78 kg/h
Inner Volume
2.2 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 75 m
Number of Channels
250
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
240 kg/h
Inner Volume
7 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 235 m
Number of Channels
784
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
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Application
Lab scale
Capacity*
0.3 to 4 kg/h
Inner Volume
0.008 to 0.1 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 3.6 m
Number of Channels
12
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Pilot & Industrial scale
Capacity*
18 kg/h
Inner Volume
0.5 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 18 m
Number of Channels
64
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
44 kg/h
Inner Volume
1,2 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 43 m
Number of Channels
144
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
78 kg/h
Inner Volume
2.2 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 75 m
Number of Channels
250
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
240 kg/h
Inner Volume
7 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 235 m
Number of Channels
784
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Application
Industrial scale
Capacity*
240 kg/h
Inner Volume
7 l
Channel Length
0.3 to 235 m
Number of Channels
784
* Capacity based on a 20s residence time, a 20% weight concentration and OEE at 90%
Our partners
They chose our flow chemistry solutions
Ajinomoto Omnichem and KHIMOD are pleased to announce that KHIMOD’s advanced Heat Exchanger-Reactor systems are now integrated into Ajinomoto Omnichem’s continuous flow technology platform.
These reactors are designed for high conversion efficiency, minimal catalyst usage, and compact, modular design; making scale-up straightforward.
Seamlessly embedded within Ajinomoto Omnichem’s industrial CDMO environment, these scalable solutions enable efficient process development and reliable scale-up from lab to production for pharmaceutical APIs, green fine chemicals, and specialty ingredients.
Combined with Ajinomoto Omnichem’s proven expertise in scaling flow chemistry, multi-step continuous operations, and hazardous transformations, this technology integration helps accelerate time-to-market while ensuring safety, robustness, and performance.
Ajinomoto Omnichem
“We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration between MEPI and KHIMOD to conduct continuous hydrogenation on challenging reactions. Combining the unique KHIMOD heat exchanger reactors technology and the strong competency of MEPI in flow chemistry. Our goal is to support the flow chemistry community and address the needs for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry to have an easy access to new technologies for continuous hydrogenation.”
KHIMOD
“We have been using the K1 reactor for more than 2 years now, offering process optimization and scalability to serve our clients worldwide. The interactive and efficient support of KHIMOD allowed us to run successfully batch to flow transpositions of various hydrogenations enhancing safety, quality, and competitiveness, towards innovative and even greener chemical productions.”
MEPI
Publications
KHIMOD insights
Case study
Continuous hydrogenation
KHIMOD’s heat exchanger-reactors deliver outstanding performances on flow hydrogenation with fixed bed catalysts as illustrated in the following examples:
- Fatty acid hydrogenation
- Highly exothermic hydrogenation
- Selective hydrogenation
Is flow chemistry an option for you?
We have answers
Is the chemical reaction very exothermic or endothermic with a risk on safety or product quality ?
Flow chemistry enables to manage safely very exothermic reactions thanks to an outstanding thermal exchange
Do you face an issue with yield, selectivity or purification in batch process ?
Flow chemistry can be a solution when impurities or low yield are coming from a weak control of the temperature or reaction time.
Will the chemical reaction generate precipitates ?
Challenging but KHIMOD can be the solution, with our patented technology coupling our reactor and ultrasounds.
Do you need to use some gas such as H₂, O₂, NH₃, HF, phosgene or phosphine ?
Handling gases, specially at high pressure, is challenging in batch but can be performed safely in flow.
Does your reaction involve hazardous intermediates ?
Flow chemistry enables to handle very hazardous intermediates safely by reducing the reactive volume.
Is the reaction too slow and speed can be boosted at higher temperature or pressure ?
By using flow chemistry and process intensification approach, reaction time can be dramatically reduced.
Is the reaction very slow, even at high temperature or pressure ?
Flow chemistry is not an option.