Secrets of Batch Process Scale-Up

Ensuring Effective Translation of Laboratory Processes to Pilot Plant Scale

27 May 2026 - 29 May 2026
The Westin Harbour Castle | Toronto, Canada

Event overview

Course tutors: Francis X. McConville

This popular course, designed for those with limited or no pilot plant or scale-up experience, provides a comprehensive overview of the most common problems experienced during the scale-up of laboratory batch processes, and ways to avoid or mitigate them. The difference between laboratory scale techniques and how the major unit operations are carried out in the pilot plant is a key focus of the course. Thus, along the way attendees will examine the many issues associated with raw material handling, conducting synthetic reactions, reaction workup, product crystallization, isolation and drying at the pilot plant or commercial scale.

The course also explores some important engineering concepts such as batch mixing, heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid flow and the influence of these factors on the success of large scale chemical operations. With an awareness of these phenomena, the laboratory researcher will have a better understanding of the types of experiments that should be conducted and the types of data that should be collected to ensure a more successful scale-up. Numerous examples and case histories are presented to reinforce the course material, and class exercises provide an opportunity to put some of the lessons into practice. Heavy emphasis is placed on process safety.

Course outline

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Process Design for Scale-Up
Process development strategies
Importance of engineering in PDsScale-Up – An Overview
Role of the Pilot Plant
Overview of scale-up issues
Technology transfer issuesBatch Reactors
Typical plant operations and equipment
Characteristics of batch operationsRaw Materials
Raw material and route selection
Large-scale charging methods and issuesTemperature Control
Large scale temperature control
Heat transfer in batch reactors
Controlling exothermic reactions

Following Reaction Progress
Reaction endpoint determination
Sampling methods / issues
On-line analytical techniques

Agitation and Mixing
Large scale mixing equipment
Mixing limited reaction
Mixing scale-up / scale-downQuench & Work-Up
Liquid-liquid extractions
Phase continuity issues and emulsions

Distillation & Stripping
Differential distillation
Azeotropes and solvent exchange
Crystallization and Precipitation
Basic principles / yield estimation
Controlling supersaturation
Scale-up issues
Product Isolation and Drying
Large-scale solid-liquid separations
Filtration and drying equipment
Filtration and drying modelling
Process Hazards and Safety Assessment
Common hazards in large-scale processing
Process hazard assessments and evaluations

 

Benefits of attending

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On completion of this course you will be able to:

  • Assess the safety and scalability of new processes
  • Identify process operations that may be problematic on scale-up
  • Design processes that will minimize or avoid common scale-up issues
  • Better understand heat transfer and mixing requirements for scale-up
  • Develop more robust crystallization, isolation and drying processes

Who should attend

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This course has been designed for chemists, engineers, technicians and managers in the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries with limited pilot plant experience who wish to learn more about the potential pitfalls of process scale-up and ways to avoid them. Attendees will come away from the course more knowledgeable about common scale up problems and better equipped to prepare for and deal with them. The course complements the more chemistry-focused Scientific Update course “Chemical Development and Scale-Up in the Fine Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries”.

What's Included

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The course fee includes:

  • comprehensive course manual
  • coffee/tea refreshments breaks throughout each day
  • buffet lunch each day
  • course dinner on the first evening
  • course certificate

As part of the registration fee for this course, each participant will receive a copy of The Pilot Plant Real Book – A Unique Handbook for the Chemical Process Industry, written by the course tutot – Mr. McConville.

Other Information

General Information

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Each course includes:

  • Refreshments & lunch daily
  • Dinner on the first evening*
  • The comprehensive Course Manual
  • Course Certificate
  • Pilot Plant book, by Fran McConville

Please refer to the course brochure for detailed timings.
*Not every course includes dinner please refer to the course brochures for detailed information on what’s included.

Course Certificate

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At the end of each course participants receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Accommodation

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Depending on venues we either reserve a limited number of bedrooms at a special rate for you or we will provide a list of recommended hotels close by to the course venue. More information on rates and booking forms will be provided upon booking. All rooms will need to booked directly with the hotel.

Discounts

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  • 1st delegate: Standard rate

  • 2nd delegate: 5% discount

  • 3–6 delegates: 10% discount

  • More than 6 delegates: Contact our Events Team for a customised group rate or to discuss an In-House course: [email protected]

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Secrets of Batch Process Scale-Up

27 May 2026 - 29 May 2026
The Westin Harbour Castle | Toronto, Canada