Understanding the kinetics of product and impurity formation along with the impacts of mass and heat transfer provide a critical foundation for the design and development of scale and equipment independent manufacturing processes. At Matheus Engineering we have found a multidisciplinary approach combining physical organic chemistry principles, traditional kinetic approaches (e.g. initial rate), modern kinetic methodologies (e.g. Reaction Progress Kinetic Analysis) and reaction engineering principles (e.g. thermodynamic characterisation of unit operations) to be the most effective solution.

How will your process perform across different scales and in different manufacturing equipment? In addition to helping you develop inherently robust manufacturing processes, Matheus Engineering have a strong track record of conducting scale and equipment independence assessment and mitigation activities for reaction, work-up and isolation unit operations to provide confidence when scaling into pilot and commercial facilities. In addition, we can also provide scale and equipment independence statements for registration dossiers.

At Matheus Engineering we have expertise in the development of mathematical models and efficient generation of the data required to predict performance of unit operations across scales and facilities. This includes, but is not limited to, reaction/reactor models (from kinetic models to complex non-isothermal reactor models) as well as most of the common unit operations such as liquid-liquid extraction, distillation, filtration and drying.

Hydrogenations are a popular reaction choice due to their atom efficiency but can be challenging to develop and scale due to complexities such as catalyst deactivation, product inhibition, mass transfer and gas supply rate constraints. At Matheus Engineering we bring a long track record of developing and scaling hydrogenation reactions to pilot and commercial scales. Our services include reaction design, development and understanding, manufacturing technology option assessment (Batch, Fixed Bed or Buss Loop reactor) and robustness assessment.

At Matheus engineering we believe in selecting the right tool for the job. Not all processes are well suited to operation in batch or semi-batch mode - some may be better suited to continuous processing due to their kinetics, safety and process characteristics. We also believe the continuous processing doesn't suit all processes. At Matheus engineering we can help you select the best technology for your reaction.

In our experience the unit operations associated with downstream processing (work-up and isolation) do not receive the same degree of development focus as reactions, resulting in processing inefficiency and risk for these unit operations. Whether it's the distillation of a "not very stable" process stream or a slow, variable liquid-liquid phase separation, Matheus Engineering can guide you in development and de-risking scale up.

At Matheus Engineering we have a strong track record of successfully developing and scaling robust crystallisation processes for regulatory step intermediates with a focus on optimising product purity, yield and overall cycle time. Our offerings include generation of solubility curves, metastable zone width measurement, crystallisation process design and robustness assessment.

Filtration, washing and drying unit operation performance at pilot and commercial scales often vary significantly from laboratory experience due to many factors. At Matheus Engineering we can assess filtration rates, cake compressibility and the impact of drying parameters through scale relevant laboratory studies and modelling, and based on these advise you on optimal filtration, wash and drying protocols for pilot and commercial scales.