The choice of the technological change estimated by calculating the ROI time is conditioned by the operating gains brought

about by the reactor intensification (productivity and separation energy). The separator being already available, its investment cost is not involved in the calculation of profitability. Setting up a new unit: we must choose the technology corresponding to the economic optimum of investment and operating costs. Let us assume that the desired overall efficiency is 96%. On the one hand, if a low efficiency reactor (conversion rate X = 70%) is chosen, it is necessary to invest in a separator with high effectiveness ( = 90%), whose energy consumption can be quite substantial. On the other hand, by choosing an intensified reactor with a high conversion rate (X = 93%), a separator with a lesser effectiveness ( = 50%) is sufficient, which is much less expensive in terms of investment and operating costs, to achieve the overall efficiency of 96%. In this case, it is necessary to take the separation into account; an element the element that depends largely on the proportion of the cost of energy in the final cost of the manufactured product. This example shows the complexity of the choice of the layout of intensified technologies in the processes according to the industrial sector considered. This explains the difficulty to draw up general application rules.