Abstract: A system and method for chemical process design and process scale-up. In all embodiments, the system includes a mechanism for development of process topology for at least one chemical reaction, with the at least one chemical reaction comprising a recipe. In one embodiment, the system further includes a language handler for entry of the recipe. The language handler accepts textual information in free form for representation of the recipe. Such free form textual entry reflects the actual, or natural, language, used by chemists to describe laboratory processes, and is therefore very efficient and easy to use. In another embodiment, the at least one chemical reaction comprises a recipe for synthesizing at least one chemical product. The system also includes a mechanism whereby the development of the process topology includes the identification of one or more types of equipment necessary to manufacture the at least one chemical product using the recipe.