This article will follow the process filtration approach developed for each technology stage gate starting from batch filtration in the lab to continuous filtration for the full-scale commercial operation. The article begins with a discussion of each stage-gate and how to avoid the “cookie-cutter” approach to these types of projects. Process engineers must not “jump to conclusions”, a reference from Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson who prove time and again is that there is no benefit to jumping to conclusions. Therefore, laboratory / bench top filtration testing is covered for problem analysis, technology selection and pilot and demonstration scale-up. The paper continues with the filtration testing and then scale-up to the commercial size. Finally, the paper concludes with a general review of the problem-solving skills of Holmes and Watson and how these skills can be utilized by process engineers as a framework for “idea-generation” when analyzing a new process scale-up.

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