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Run your analysis now →https://www.patsnap.com/resources/blog/rd-blog/process-intensification-patent-landscape-patent-landscape/ · Patsnap · data cut-off 2026-08-31 · downloaded from the live page
Patent Landscape · Process IntensificationProcess Intensification Patents: Who Is Filing and Where the Claim Space Is Still Open
- Filings peaked in 2021 at 310 records and have since fallen 55% to 139 by 2024, the last year the data treats as complete.
- No single filer dominates the top 5 assignees hold just 16.0% of all 3,388 records, and the top 10 only 24.6% — a long tail does most of the filing.
- Catalysis and separation carry the field B01J and B01D together touch over half of all records, while mixing (B01F) and water treatment (C02F) sit well behind at under 7% each.
3,388
Published Records
16%
Top-5 Share of All Records
-55%
Filing Growth 2021→2024
US
Leading Jurisdiction
Filing growth compares 2021 (310 records) with 2024 (139) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 3,388 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
Published byPatsnap Research··7 min readSourced from Patsnap Eureka
Overview
What the process intensification patent record actually shows
Process intensification covers equipment and process redesign aimed at doing more chemistry, separation, or mixing in a smaller footprint and shorter residence time. The 3,388 records in scope span filings from 2015 through the current data cut-off, drawn from a search string built around compact process equipment, residence time, particle size and fluid mixing terms. Publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so the most recent one or two years in any trend understate real filing activity rather than reflecting a genuine slowdown.
The technology composition is uneven by design: process intensification is less a single technology than a set of design principles applied across catalysis, separation, hydrocarbon processing, water treatment and biological systems. That is visible in the IPC spread, where chemical and physical process classes carry the largest share and narrower application classes like mixing and water treatment trail well behind.
Filing activity and technology composition, 2015–2026
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee ranking and totals. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
The Data
Filing trend and technology composition
Two views of the same 3,388-record dataset: how filing activity has moved year over year, and which IPC subclasses carry the technical weight of the field.
Filings rose to a 2021 peak, then pulled back
Annual filings climbed from 154 in 2017 to a peak of 310 in 2021, then declined to 139 by 2024 — a 55% fall over that three-year span. 2025 and 2026 figures are still incomplete due to publication lag and should not be read as a continuing decline.
Catalysis and separation dominate the classification spread
B01J (chemical and physical processes, catalysis) appears in 29.1% of records and B01D (separation processes) in 21.4%, well ahead of C01B, C07C and C10G. Because records often carry multiple IPC codes, these shares sum to more than 100% and should be read against the 3,388-record total, not against each other as a closed pie.
Shares are the percentage of the 3,388 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.
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The most-cited records anchor swing adsorption and biomass conversion
Representative Filing
Residence Time Plate — a concrete example of intensified flow-path design
ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
The filing describes a stacked-plate residence time device: parallel elongated flow chambers separated by walls, each wall carrying through-holes positioned on alternating sides of a central line so flow direction reverses between chambers. It is a compact, modular way to extend residence time within a small equipment footprint without adding external plumbing.Filed 2015-01-15 by Alfa Laval Corporate AB.
Highest-cited records in the dataset
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US20070161095A1 | Biomass Fuel Synthesis Methods for Increased Energy Efficiency | 270 |
| 2 | US20080282892A1 | Low mesopore adsorbent contactors for use in swing adsorption processes | 247 |
| 3 | US6051050A | Modular pressure swing adsorption with energy recovery | 227 |
| 4 | US20170341942A1 | Methods and systems for large scale carbon dioxide utilization from lake KIVU via a co2 industrial utilizatio… | 208 |
| 5 | US20080282885A1 | Removal of CO2, N2, or H2S from gas mixtures by swing adsorption with low mesoporosity adsorbent contactors | 198 |
| 6 | US20080282884A1 | Removal of heavy hydrocarbons from gas mixtures containing heavy hydrocarbons and methane | 193 |
| 7 | US20180187984A1 | Monolithic Bicontinuous Labyrinth Structures and Methods For Their Manufacture | 170 |
| 8 | US20080282886A1 | Process for removing a target gas from a mixture of gases by swing adsorption | 170 |
| 9 | US6666909B1 | Microsystem capillary separations | 170 |
| 10 | US20080282887A1 | Removal of CO2, N2, and H2S from gas mixtures containing same | 169 |
Citation counts favour older filings in any searched corpus — read them as a signal of influence within the field, not as a ranking of current technical importance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Citation counts and representative records. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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What the numbers mean for filing strategy
Three patterns stand out once family counts, concentration figures and the IPC spread are read together.
Concentration
16.0%
top 5 share of 3,388 records
Leadership is real but thin
The leading assignee holds 167 records and the top 5 combined account for 16.0% of all records in scope. That leaves the large majority of filings distributed across a long tail of single- and few-filing entrants, so no one player's claim map defines the field.
Top 10 combined reach 24.6% of records.
Momentum
-55%
2021 → 2024 filing change
The 2021 peak has not held
Filings fell from 310 in 2021 to 139 in 2024, a documented 55% decline over three complete filing years. Recent-year assignee momentum data shows several previously active filers, including large oil and engineering firms, at zero filings in the latest tracked year.
2025–2026 figures are still filling in due to publication lag.
Technology mix
29.1% / 21.4%
B01J / B01D share of records
Catalysis and separation carry the field
B01J and B01D between them touch a majority of records, reflecting process intensification's roots in reactor and separator redesign. Water treatment (C02F, 6.4%) and mixing (B01F, 6.1%) are present but far smaller, suggesting these application areas have not yet attracted filing density comparable to core catalysis and separation.
Shares are of the 3,388-record total; a record can carry multiple classes.
Collaboration
10
co-assignee pairs identified
Joint filing is limited and pair-specific
Only 10 co-assignee pairs appear in the dataset, and the strongest pairings are concentrated around a small number of corporate groups filing jointly with affiliated entities or named inventors rather than broad industry consortia.
Strongest pair reaches 38 shared records.
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Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to process intensification patent landscape, with the prior art for and against each one.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Co-assignee relationships and derived observations. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
Players
Who is filing, and where activity has cooled
The ranked leaders span oil majors, specialty chemical firms, modular reactor specialists and research institutes — but recent-year momentum data shows even the largest filers pulling back.
Leader
167
records
A single leader, no runaway share
The top-ranked assignee holds 167 records, well ahead of fifth place at 69, but its 167 alone is still a small fraction of the 3,388-record field. Recent momentum data for several large filers shows activity at or near zero in the latest tracked year.
Leader-to-fifth gap: 167 vs 69 records.
Mid-tier
55
records at 10th place
A steep drop-off after the top ranks
Tenth place sits at 55 records, already well below the leader. This shape — a sharp early drop followed by a long, shallow tail — is typical of a field defined by design principles applicable across many industries rather than one dominated by a small patent thicket.
Top 10 combined: 24.6% of all records.
Collaboration
38
records in strongest co-filing pair
Joint filing clusters around a few corporate groups
The strongest co-assignee pairing reaches 38 shared records, involving affiliated entities within the same corporate group. Other pairs, including one linking a modular reactor specialist with a named inventor, are far smaller, indicating collaboration is the exception rather than the norm in this field.
10 co-assignee pairs identified overall.
Recent-year filing momentum by assignee
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Rockwool A/S | 3 | +50% |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co | 0 | -100% |
| Velocys Inc | 0 | — |
| ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co | 0 | -100% |
| Druggability Technologies IP Holdco Limited | 0 | — |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | 0 | — |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | 0 | -100% |
| Biogen MA Inc | 0 | -100% |
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee-level momentum. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
What's Next
Where to take this analysis
The dataset points to specific next steps depending on whether the goal is freedom-to-operate, portfolio strategy, or identifying open claim space.
Check freedom-to-operate against the most-cited records
The highest-cited filings cluster around swing adsorption and biomass conversion — a natural starting point for any clearance search in those sub-areas.
Explore citation clustersTrack the leaders' recent-year momentum, not just their totals
Several top-ranked assignees show zero filings in the latest tracked year; a static ranking alone would miss that shift.
Review assignee momentumTest claim language in the thinner IPC branches
Mixing, water treatment and biological process classes carry far fewer records than catalysis and separation, worth checking before assuming the space is crowded.
Map the technology compositionSource: Patsnap Eureka. Forward-looking reading of the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The dataset ranks 100 companies by record count, with the leading assignee holding 167 records against 3,388 total records in scope. The top 5 assignees combined account for 16.0% of all records and the top 10 for 24.6%, which means the field is led but not dominated by any single filer. A long tail of companies with few filings each makes up most of the remainder, spanning oil majors, specialty chemical firms, modular reactor developers and research institutes.
Filings rose from 154 in 2017 to a peak of 310 in 2021, then fell to 139 by 2024, a documented 55% decline over that three-year span. This is the most reliable read available because 2024 is the last year the dataset treats as complete; 2025 and 2026 figures are still filling in due to the roughly 18-month lag between filing and publication. So the honest statement is that the field cooled from its 2021 peak through 2024, not that it is currently in freefall.
Chemical and physical process/catalysis classification (B01J) appears in 29.1% of the 3,388 records, and separation processes (B01D) in 21.4%, making these the two largest technical clusters. Hydrocarbon oil processing, non-metallic inorganic compounds and acyclic/carbocyclic compound classes each sit in the 7–11% range. Mixing (B01F) and water treatment (C02F) are present but comparatively small at around 6% each, since a record can carry more than one classification these shares add up to more than 100% of the record total.
Based on the IPC composition, mixing and stirring equipment (B01F) and water/wastewater treatment (C02F) both sit well below catalysis and separation in filing density, at roughly 6% of records each. Biological process intensification tied to microorganism and genetic engineering classifications (C12N) is present at 6.8% but is a distinct cluster from the core chemical/physical classes. These lower-density branches are worth a closer freedom-to-operate check before assuming they are crowded, though low filing count is not proof the space is open — it may simply be less pursued.
US20150017080A1, filed by Alfa Laval Corporate AB, describes a stacked-plate residence time device with parallel elongated flow chambers separated by walls carrying through-holes on alternating sides of a central line, so flow reverses direction between chambers. It is a specific mechanical approach to extending residence time in a compact footprint, not a claim over residence-time control generally. Anyone designing a multi-plate or stacked-chamber reactor with alternating-side flow reversal should review this filing's claim scope directly rather than assume the concept of residence time itself is blocked.
Answers are grounded in the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Process Intensification Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company's registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.