Enhancing efficiency and scalability: The role of miniaturized experimental equipment in chemical process development

• Overview of miniaturized setups for distillation, absorption, and extraction • Structured by column type and geometric complexity for improved comparability • Focus on design-relevant data: hold-up, pressure drop, and film thickness • Identifies key gaps in transferability and scale-up correlations • Highlights the role of measuring cells in modern column design workflows The conventional design of distillation, absorption and liquid-liquid extraction processes using laboratory and pilot columns is time-consuming and costly. Miniaturized experimental setups offer a resource-efficient alternative. Despite growing interest, their role in process development remains poorly defined. This review provides a structured overview of existing setups and classifies them by unit operation, column type, and complexity. Key studies are analyzed with respect to investigated phenomena, possibility and relevance for scale-up. A low level of standardization and verification of transferability to industrial scales was found, as well as the almost exclusive use of standard test mixtures. Based on this, the review proposes validation criteria and outlines how miniaturized setups can be integrated into process design workflows. Special attention is given to miniaturized measuring cells, which enable scalable data under controlled conditions. The review concludes by outlining directions for standardization and broader industrial use.