During the development phase of a new technology it is inevitable to define different scales from laboratory through pilot to industrial level. The information transfer between these levels is crucial, because similar yields and conversions should be achieved in an industrial scale device, which were obtained in a laboratory scale reactor. To maintain the same performance the construction and operation parameters are often changes during the scale up procedures. The scale up of a mechanically stirred reactor is especially challenging since similar conditions are difficult to recreate at higher scales. Traditionally dimensionless numbers can be used to calculate the proper operating parameters and sizes for the new reactor, ensuring the proper conditions. However, a validated CFD simulator can be an excellent tool to perform scale up studies with less resource needed. This work is aimed at the scale up procedure to support building a pilot plant scale leaching reactor, used for the dissolution of metals form waste electric and electronic equipment. Particularly the process deals with the dissolution of copper which has the second highest economical potential after precious metals. The laboratory scale leaching reactor and its validated CFD model were developed and discussed in detail in a previous study. The scale up studies is based on the validated model of the laboratory scale reactor. Different construction and operation parameters were tested using CFD simulations. Based on the flow rates from the CFD simulations we calculated the component balances and conversion using a compartment model. Similar hydrodynamic conditions can lead to the same conversions, and product yields, but at a higher scale. For the modelling studies COMSOL Multiphysics will be used as CFD software and MATLAB for conversion and utility calculations.
