march 2020 Issue 945

The Chemical Engineer

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE INSTITUTION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

autism in the workplace: a personal perspective

PLUS CORONAVIRUS VACCINE DEVELOPMENT / BP TARGETS NET ZERO / CUTTING ENERGY CONSUMPTION

cover945 AD DG.indd 1 20/02/2020 15:01

 Hazards30
In association with the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center

18– 20 May 2020, Manchester, UK

Hazards 30 is IChemE’s annual process safety conference, the leading event of its kind in Europe.
It will explore every major aspect of process safety and help you to learn from the experience of others.
Join us to stay up to date with process safety good practice, discover new techniques and approaches,
and explore lessons learned from past incidents and near-misses.
You’ll also have an opportunity to network with 300+ other process safety professionals. Hazards is an
international, industry-focused event and attracts practitioners from all over the world.

What’s going on?

■ 100+ oral presentations and posters from industry ■ panel discussion
practitioners, researchers and regulators ■ trade exhibition of process safety products and services
■ inspirational plenary speakers ■ social and networking opportunities

Session themes
■ Human Factors ■ Natural Hazards ■ Process Safety Management
■ Dust Hazards ■ DSEAR/ATEX ■ Safety Culture
■ Lessons Forgotten ■ Hydrogen Hazards ■ Fire and Gas Detection
■ LOPA ■ Risk Management ■ Inherent Safety
■ Modelling and Experimental ■ Emergency Planning ■ Regulation
Flammability ■ Environmental Protection ■ Asset Integrity
■ Safety Leadership ■ Chemical Hazards

Plenary speakers

Steve Rae Jo Nettleton Maureen Wood Margaret Donnan

Step Change Environment Major Accident IChemE Safety Centre
in Safety Agency Hazards Bureau Advisory Board

Find out more and register at www.icheme.org/hazards30

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 The Chemical Engineer
Contents, Issue 945
march 2020

20 25

38 FLOW CONTROL
34 52 Grant Wellwood introduces a new
practical series on controlling the
flow of bulk solids

42 energy
Vanda Jones looks at how you can
cut your compressed air energy
consumption

46 Filtration
Barry Perlmutter advises on
transitioning from batch to
continuous

50 volunteer spotlight
News Features Amanda Talhat on volunteering
as chair of IChemE’s Food & Drink
3 Editor’s comment 20 VIEWPOINT Special Interest Group
Adam Duckett on providing an An engineer with autism on how she
52 careers in chemeng
environment for engineers to speak has succeeded in the workplace and
Maryam Farhanah tells Yasmin Ali
up and thrive what employers can do to be more
about her career in water consulting
supportive
4 News: in numbers 25 water treatment 54 icheme
Ainslie Just provides an update on
6 News: in brief Miguel Johansson Finguerut on
IChemE’s Programme SMART
developing community water
8 News: in depth projects in Mexico
The push to develop a coronavirus 30 CLIMATE CRISIS Regulars
vaccine; BP commits to go net zero Amanda Doyle looks ahead to the
by 2050; Queensland must improve
57 Book review
coming COP26 climate meeting and
safety to avoid mining deaths; explains why it is so important 58 news: icheme
Uncertainty over UK chemicals
34 WOMEN in ENGINEERING
regulations
Amanda Jasi speaks with photogra-
60 events and courses
14 News: round-up pher Geraldine Curtis about her new 63 Careers
exhibition showcasing women in
18 News: R&D engineering 64 Residue

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 1

contents AD DG1.indd 1 20/02/2020 14:55

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Particle Engineering
at Leeds
Short courses for professional development
Spray Drying and Atomisation of Formulations
Tuesday 31 March – Thursday 2 April 2020
Fluid Bed Processing and Formulation
Monday 11 – Wednesday 13 May 2020
Powder Characterisation
Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 May 2020
Microencapsulation
Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 June 2020
Industrial Powder Mixing
Tuesday 10 – Wednesday 11 November 2020
To view the full course programmes
or to register please visit:
www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/short-courses
or contact the CPD team on:
Email: T: 0113 343 2494/8104
E: cpd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk
@LeedsUniCPD
@LeedsUniCPD
CPD, Conference and Events Unit,
University of Leeds
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 2
20/02/2020 4:30 PM
 The Chemical Engineer
Editor’s comment
Coming Forward, Speaking Up
adam duckett
Y
OU will notice that our lead feature this month is not the
sort of topic we typically run on the cover. The author is
an IChemE member who approached us to ask whether
we could provide a platform to discuss autism in engineering.
“Who knows,” we were told, “you may prompt readers to
talk about Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and allow a shy,
socially awkward, non-communicative engineer like me shine
and be the most creative they can.”
The article offers both alarming insights on how people
with autism are prone to being bullied in the workplace, yet
encouragingly demonstrates how with structured support,
understanding and acceptance, employers can provide an
environment for engineers with autism to thrive.
I’m pleased that a member felt empowered
to come forward and discuss a personal
issue that she felt it was important to raise
with the wider community
I’m pleased that a member felt empowered to come forward and
discuss a personal issue that she felt was important to raise with
the wider community.
This is a member magazine and we typically focus on topical
and technical issues affecting the industries in which readers
work, including biotech and the spread of coronavirus (p8); BP’s
welcome targets to become net zero (p10); measures to avoid
fatalities in mining (p12); and the reduction of energy use in
compressed air systems (p42). But it’s important that where we
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 3
catalyst945 DG.indd 3
can, we take the time to discuss the issues that impact readers
on an individual level and how they practise the profession.
In that regard, after reading about autism in the workplace,
be sure to read the update about IChemE’s Programme SMART
and its efforts to provide more transparent and accessible routes
into membership (p54); our profile of Amanda Talhat and her
advice on successful volunteering (p50); and about your peers
who have been recognised for their services to education, volun-
teering and raising the profile of chemical engineering among
policymakers and engineering more widely (p58).
Again, I’d like to thank our anonymous contributor. We must
reflect on her experiences and her advice, and as colleagues and
employers ask ourselves what more we should be doing.
I welcome reader feedback and comment. To share your views, please
email: letters@icheme.org
Statements and opinions expressed in The Chemical Engineer
are the responsibility of the editor. Unless described as such,
they do not represent the views or policies of the Institution of
Chemical Engineers.
20/02/2020 14:53
 News
IN NUMBERS

Survey finds STEM events encourage students

Global renewable
investments continue
to increase
Bloomberg New Energy
Finance (BNEF) has said that
global renewables investment
for 2019 has increased to
US$282.2bn, compared
to US$280.2bn in 2018.
Investment in offshore wind
capacity was US$29.9bn, an
increase of 19% compared to
2018, however solar investments
were US$131bn, down
3%. Biomass and waste-to-
energy increased by 9% to
US$9.7bn, while biofuels were
down 43% to US$500m.
to consider engineering careers
Engineering UK’s annual Engineering Brand Monitor surveyed more than
2,500 young people, 1,000 STEM secondary school teachers,
and 1,800 members of the public to determine their knowledge,
perceptions, and understanding of STEM and engineering.
It found that students who attend a STEM careers activity are three
times more likely to consider a career in engineering, showing that outreach
events do work. 82% of 11–19 year olds who knew a lot about
what engineers do would consider a career, compared to 40%
who had minimal knowledge of engineering.
Gender differences are still apparent. 30% of boys compared to
18% of girls said they knew a lot about engineering and 62% of boys
would consider an engineering career compared to 37% of girls.
The survey also found that 80% of STEM teachers and 68% of parents
believed an engineering career would be desirable for their students or
children, however only 30% and 27% respectively reported
knowing a lot about what engineers do.
Jobs young people aged 11–19 in 2019 would most like to do when
they finish full-time education, by whether they attended a STEM
careers activity in the past 12 months – UK
25

China was the largest investor in 20

% positive responses

renewables, at US$83.4bn, 15

8% on 2018.
but this was down 10
The US invested US$55.5bn,
5
up 28% on 2018. The UK
18% 7% 11% 5% 9% 10% 6% 6% 6% 6% 4% 5% 4% 5%
invested US$5.3bn, down 0
Engineer Scientist Computer Teacher Doctor Lawyer Want to set
40% and its lowest investment games developer up my own
business/
enterprise
since 2007. Australia was also
Attended STEM careers activity in past 12 months Hasn’t attended STEM careers activity in past 12 months
down 40%, with an investment
of US$5.6bn. Source: EngineeringUK Engineering Brand Monitor 2019

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 4

numbers945 DG.indd 4 20/02/2020 16:22

 news in numbers

Australian bushfires contribute to

US refineries exceed permitted
air pollution levels
Under US Environmental Protection Agency
regulations, if benzene – a known carcinogen – exceeds
concentrations of an average of 9 µg/m3 for a one
year period at refinery fencelines, the facilities are
required to take action. The EPA air-monitoring reports
are available for 114 refineries, and the Environmental
Integrity Project found that ten refineries were above
these levels, six of which are in Texas.
The worst offender was the Philadelphia Energy
Solutions (PES) refinery at an average level of
49 µg/m3 for 2018–2019. This includes a spike in
July 2019 of 190 µg/m3. More than 5,100 people
live within 1.6 km of the facility, two-thirds
of whom live in poverty. Separately, an explosion
occurred at PES on 21 June which led to the
refinery being shut down.
The second worst was HollyFrontier Navajo refinery, in
New Mexico, with an average of 36 µg/m3. A spike
in June and July 2018 was measured to be
1,000 µg/m3. An elementary school is located
300 m from the refinery’s fenceline and 3,318
people live within 1.6 km.
increase in global CO 2 concentration
The Met Office Hadley Centre has forecasted the largest
annual rise in global atmospheric CO2 concentration since
measurements began at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, in 1958. The
average for the year is expected to be 414.2 ppm, a
2.74 ppm rise from the 2019 average. The Australian
bushfires contribute between 0.02 and 0.05 ppm to
this rise. The Met Office has also calculated that if the world
reaches 2oC of warming above pre-industrial levels, there
will be an additional 20 to 30 days of “very high” fire risk
in south-western and eastern Australia and the area with
“extreme” fire risks would increase by 20m ha.
The response of natural carbon sinks is also expected to
be weaker than normal for the second year in a row as
warmer temperatures limit the ability of plants to regrow
and therefore absorb CO2.
Drop in European coal power
According to a report by climate think-tank Sandbag, coal
power generation in Europe fell by 24% in 2019, leading
to a 12% fall in European power sector CO2 emissions.
Half of the coal was replaced by renewables, and half by
natural gas. Wind and solar power provided 18% of EU
electricity, compared to 15% for coal – the first time that
renewables have surpassed coal. Five years ago, the
EU generated twice as much energy from coal as it did
from renewables.
eu wind and solar generation overtook coal in 2019
1,000

Oil demand slows due COAL

SOLAR

to coronavirus 800
WIND

The International Energy Agency

Generation (TWh)

600

has said that growth in oil demand is

expected to be at its lowest since 400

2011 as the outbreak of the coronavirus has impacted

Chinese oil demand. The IEA had previously forecasted 200

an increase in demand of 1.19m bbl/d for 2020,

but this has now been revised to 825,000 bbl/d. 0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
In 2019, China accounted for more than
75% of global oil demand growth. Source: Sandbag.org.uk

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 5

numbers945 DG.indd 5 20/02/2020 16:22

 NEWS IN BRIEF

Shell International
BASF partners with
JenaBatteries
BASF and German startup JenaBatteries are
cooperating to produce battery technology
suitable for stationary storage of energy
from renewable sources and for stabilising
conventional transmission grids.
JenaBatteries has developed novel
redox flow battery (RFB) technology. RFBs
are electrochemical cells in which energy
is provided by two liquid electrolytes con-
tained within a system and separated by
a membrane. JenaBatteries’ technology
employs organic materials, making it
safer and more sustainable than metal-
containing RFBs. The company has the
first commercially-available technology of
Atkins wins Shell technical safety this kind.
As part of the collaboration, BASF will
contract supply one of the electrolytes used in
JenaBatteries’ system. The battery material
ATKINS has been awarded a five-year contract to provide technical safety and is based on an amine chemical intermedi-
human factors services to Shell. ate that BASF can produce on an industrial
Atkins says the work will be done by its teams in Australia, UK, and the US scale.
for Shell’s global assets and projects. This will include providing technical safety JenaBatteries plans to market the first
reviews such as HAZOP and HAZID; safety studies including quantitative risk RFB this year.
assessments; and specialist work around major hazards, consequence modelling,
and facility siting. Atkins will also deliver technical safety training programmes to
Shell personnel and provide human factors engineering services. Carbon capture
Craig Muir, President of Resources at Atkins’ parent company SNC-Lavalin, said
it will deploy in-house developed digital tools that reduce costs and improve effi-
company receives
ciency across Shell’s onshore and offshore assets, and deliver safety solutions to US$16m investment
ensure optimal safety standards.
CARBON capture technology company
Carbon Clean Solutions (CCSL) has
announced the completion of a US$16m
Nouryon and Semiotic maintenance required on rotating equip- equity investment from three global

Labs to improve plant ment, such as pumps, compressors, and

reliability
NOURYON has signed a framework agree-
ment with Semiotic Labs to implement
technology at its plants that will predict
when maintenance is required on pumps
and other equipment.
Semiotic Labs was one of the winners
of Nouryon’s 2018 Imagine Chemistry
competition, which aims to encourage
collaborative innovation. Its self-learning
technology uses electrical waveforms
to accurately predict 90% of upcoming
conveyors, up to five months in advance.
This allows time to repair or replace
equipment during planned maintenance,
avoiding unexpected interruption to
production when equipment fails. The
technology will improve reliability of
supply and process safety.
It is already in use at Nouryon’s chlo-
rine plant in Ibbenbüren, Germany, and
will be rolled out to seven other Euro-
pean sites. The waveform analysis will
also be further developed to look at ways
to reduce CO2 emissions, with large-scale
implementations planned for early 2020.
investors: WAVE Equity Partners, Chevron
Technology Ventures, and Marubeni.
The investment will go towards deploy-
ing “containerised” technologies to
achieve a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture cost
of US$30/t by 2021. Additionally, CCSL will
use the investment to deliver an existing
pipeline of global projects aiming to lower
industrial emissions.
The company has already demon-
strated its technology at a 10 MW plant in
Tuticorin, India, and now plans to further
expand its customer base.
Praveen Sahay, Founder and Managing
Director at WAVE, said: “CCSL can reduce

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 6

NIB945 DG.indd 6 20/02/2020 15:44


the cost of carbon capture from industrial
emissions by more than half. This is the
hardest 25% of GHG emissions to control,
and this affordable solution turns an eco-
nomic liability into an asset.”
IChemE Fellow to
champion industrial
decarbonisation
UK Research and Innovation has appointed
Mercedes Maroto-Valer, IChemE Fellow
and Professor at Heriot-Watt University, as
champion to develop plans for a new centre
that will address industrial decarbonisa-
tion challenges to help achieve UK net zero
ambitions.
The Industrial Decarbonisation Research
and Innovation Centre is to foster collabo-
ration between research and industry that
will develop interdisciplinary research and
innovation to address complex social and
environmental challenges. It will be sup-
ported with £20m (US$25.96m) from the
Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF),
which invests in research and businesses to
address important industrial and societal
challenges.
Maroto-Valer will work with stake-
holders, including academic, industry, and
policymakers, to develop a proposal for the
centre. She has been allocated £100,000
through the ISCF Industrial Decarbonisa-
tion challenge – which aims to accelerate
cost-effective decarbonisation of industry by
developing and deploying low-carbon tech-
nologies – to develop a bid for assessment.
UPM Biofuels
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 7
NIB945 DG.indd 7
NEWS IN BRIEF
Correction
On p20 of the December 2019/
January 2020 issue (942/3), in
“Upcycling plastic bottles for
the chemical industry”, we
incorrectly referred to PET as
“polyethylene”. This should have
read “polyethylene terephthalate”.
INEOS to produce
plastics from
wood-derived oil
INEOS has signed an agreement to use
naphtha derived from wood pulp process-
ing to manufacture bio-based plastics at its
site in Cologne, Germany.
UPM Biofuels will supply naphtha from
its biorefinery in Lappeenranta, Finland,
made from crude tall oil produced from
wood pulp processing operations at its
neighbouring pulp and paper mill.
INEOS says it will process the naphtha
into polyolefins, which in turn will be used
to produce a range of bio-based plastics
for use in packaging, pipes and the medical
sector. Each step of the process from crude
tall oil conversion to polymer production
has been certified by the Roundtable on
Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB). Ineos noted
the feedstock does not compete with food
production.
The volume of feedstock and value of
the supply deal has not been disclosed.
feedstock: UPM’s biorefinery in
Lappeenranta will supply naphtha
Online only
Students look ahead
The latest IChemE Blog post recounts
this year’s Frank Morton Careers
Fair, hosted by the University of Bir-
mingham, UK, where students were
looking to the future; consider-
ing Chartered status and bio-sector
career opportunities. The careers fair
precedes the annual Frank Morton
Sports Day.
https://bit.ly/2HFv6cy
Bioeconomy careers
IChemE’s new resource, Chemical
engineering careers in the bioeconomy:
A selection of career profiles, demon-
strates the impact chemical
engineers have across the breadth
of the bioeconomy, and the range
of opportunity a career in chemical
engineering offers.
https://bit.ly/2uZjTkc
Digital twin power
Andrew Young, VP Projects &
Engineering at Akselos, explains
how structural digital twins can
transform the maintenance and
inspection of pressure vessels.
https://bit.ly/2v10YFQ
On climate change
On BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific,
Myles Allen – a physicist who helped
pave the way for net zero, and a cur-
rent Coordinating Lead Author on
the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli-
mate Change (IPCC) Special Report on
1.5 degrees – discusses the IPCC and
its work, and climate change, its
modelling, and what stakeholders
should do to help stop it.
https://bbc.in/2HLng0R
20/02/2020 15:44

R&D
Coronavirus: the push to produce
a vaccine
As authorities seek to contain the outbreak, efforts are underway to
develop and manufacture treatments
WITH more than 75,000 cases of novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) infection having
killed more than 2,000 people in 26 coun-
tries, a race is underway to both contain it
and develop a vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO)
said on 18 February that it could take around
16 weeks to identify a candidate vaccine
for the disease, which attacks the respira-
tory system. From here, any vaccine would
be subject to the inherent lags necessary
to test that it is safe for human use, gain
regulatory approval for widespread use,
and begin large-scale manufacture.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus said “it could take 12-18
months” before a vaccine is available.
WHO is working with major donors to
invest in vaccine development, including
private foundations and the Coalition for
Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI).
CEPI was set up in 2017 following the tragic
spread of Ebola in west Africa, to help
finance and coordinate the development of
new vaccines for epidemic outbreaks.
CEPI has established a portfolio of
COVID-19 vaccine candidates through four
R&D programmes it is funding in part-
nership with Inovio, the University of
Queensland, Moderna, and CureVac. These
include promising nucleic acid technol-
ogies that deliver genes into the body to
retool human cells to produce an immune
response.
Larger pharmaceutical companies have
offered help with more established tech-
nologies, including GSK, which has agreed
to make its adjuvant platform available to
CEPI. Adjuvants are used in vaccines to
boost immune response.
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 8
NIDcorona DG.indd 8
NEWS in depth
Meanwhile Johnson & Johnson, through
its Janssen pharmaceutical company, is
helping to screen anti-viral therapies that
would relieve the effects of infection in the
short -term. It is also offering its AdVac
and PER.C6 technologies so that a vaccine
can be produced to provide immunity.
These technologies use bioreactors of
suspended human cells to produce viral
vectors that would contain the antigens of
COVID-19. When these are injected into the
body, they safely mimic the virus, priming
the immune system so it’s ready to fight
the real COVID-19 virus if the person later
becomes infected.
Johnson & Johnson says its technolo-
gies provide the ability to rapidly upscale
production, noting the same techniques
are used in the manufacture of Janssen’s
Ebola vaccine and candidates for Zika
and HIV.
The company’s Chief Scientific Officer
Paul Stoffels said its cost-sharing partner-
ship with the US government on COVID-19
underscores the importance of public-pri-
vate partnerships for tackling epidemics.
“We are also in discussions with other
partners, that if we have a vaccine candi-
date with potential, we aim to make it
accessible to China and other parts of
the world.”
Vaccine manufacture
For insight on what large-scale vaccine
production looks like, we spoke to the
executive team developing the UK’s
Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation
Centre, near Oxford.
“I’ll use the example of viral vectors
as a way of producing vaccines quickly,”
said CEO Matthew Duchars.
“Once the virus has been identified,
sequenced, and the surface antigen that
needs expressing has been selected, it
takes just days to incorporate them into
the viral vector”.
“Viral vectored vaccines are produced
from viruses that have been made safe
and then repurposed to express the
antigen of interest. These viruses are
then manufactured in cell cultures. This
is where cells are grown in bioreactors
(often a fermentation vessel) to a cell
density and volume that is sufficient to
make the number of required doses.”
A typical process would be around
1,000 L and takes two to four weeks to
grow enough cells, Duchars explains.
The rate of growth of the cells is often the
bottleneck for this type of batch process.
Once sufficient cells have been made, a
viral seed is then introduced to infect the
cells, which allows each cell to become
a ‘mini-factory’ to produce virus. These
cells are later broken open – or lysed as
it’s known.
“Lysing the cultures can be done
through a physical mechanism like
homogenisation or you can use chemical
methods like detergent, that causes the
cells to burst… that basically leaves the
virus behind. Then you have to purify the
virus away from the cell debris.”
“This can consist of physical methods
like filtration, to remove cell walls,
through to chromatographic techniques
including the likes of ion exchange
chromatography resins that bind and
then use salt gradients to elute the
20/02/2020 15:58
 University of Queensland
efforts: University of Queensland scientists are busy in the lab,
as part of an international collaboration to develop a vaccine
protein or virus of interest.”
Duchars says it’s reasonable to expect
a 1,000 L process to produce 1m doses.
Though he does warn that the yield can
vary and timings can be hampered by
how efficiently the purification tech-
niques separate out the desired virus
from other impurities such as proteins
produced by the lysed cells.
“These processes can be pretty inten-
sive…but the caveat is it does come down
to yield. Not all processes have great
yields. Sometimes the yield is ten-fold
or even one-hundred-fold less than
that, whereas in some cases it could be
ten-fold more.”
Duchars says production could go
from standing start to producing a large
number of doses in around 6-10 weeks,
however, this does not include the time
taken to meet the expectations of regu-
lators by analysing the product, and
ensuring it is pure, safe and efficacious.
“Those types of methods are quite
intricate to develop. They are often
technically challenging and can take a
lot longer to develop, than developing
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 9
NIDcorona DG.indd 9
NEWS in depth
the vaccine itself. That is one of the
challenges to being able to respond
rapidly to these outbreaks.”
He adds that the supply chain can be
another key factor in speed of response.
For example, an outbreak could result in
closed borders, which in turn can prevent
feedstocks, equipment and syringes
reaching manufacturers.
“Advanced planning and preparedness
is critically important to ensure a manu-
facturer is in a position to respond to an
outbreak. That is part of what VMIC is
there to do.”
The centre is currently in the final
stages of detailed design and once oper-
ational in 2022 will help companies
develop novel manufacturing processes
and provide emergency capability and
production capacity during infectious
outbreaks.
Process improvement
VMIC COO Chris Lucas is a chemical
engineer with experience developing
new manufacturing plants. Asked what
short-term developments he expects
will help improve future responses
to outbreaks he pointed to semi-
continuous and continuous manufac-
turing processes being developed by the
likes of Pall and Univercells.
On what individual process
engineers could do, Lucas noted that
the high margins on pharmaceuticals,
along with regulations that effectively
prevent manufacturers from changing
process design have stalled the sorts of
operational improvements that process
engineers typically carry out in other
sectors.
“By the time process engineers
have got involved the process is fixed.
So when you say ‘Let’s not do batch
tangential flow filtration’ or ‘Let’s not
do a batch chromatography – let’s make
it continuous because that’s what the kit
is designed for’ it’s always too late.”
He admits he has been frustrated
by opportunities not being taken to
improve operations, though notes that
regulators are showing more flexibil-
ity with operating companies. And in
turn, operating companies are taking on
board systems thinking approaches that
help drive operational improvements.
“Things are developing. As the world
gets more focussed on environmental
forces it’s going to drive those changes.”
“I think the big influence process
engineers can make in vaccines produc-
tion is from within the equipment
suppliers because they are developing
the equipment and thinking how it’s
joined up.”
Whereas manufacturers in the past
would have to go to one company for
filtration and another for reactors
and so on, suppliers are now offering
integrated solutions.
“Process engineers can help with
that integration of equipment supply.
We will then have cheaper capital cost of
facilities, cheaper operational costs, and
less supplier interfaces.”
“Process engineering in this field
is still relatively young compared to
standard small molecules and oil and
gas. It’s a very interesting and challeng-
ing area for process engineers.” AD
20/02/2020 15:58

industry
BP commits to net zero by 2050
Ten-point plan addresses emissions from operations and customer use
NEW BP Chief Executive Bernard Looney
has pledged that BP will reduce its emis-
sions to net zero by 2050 or sooner, and
has announced a new structure for the
company.
Looney unveiled a ten-point plan
during a speech on 12 February. Five of
these aim to get BP to net zero by 2050
or sooner, and five relate to getting the
world to net zero.
BP plans to install technology for
detecting and measuring methane
emissions on all major operations by
2023, as well as reduce methane inten-
sity by 50%. It aims to reach net zero
on oil and gas operations as well as
from customers’ use of its products.
This equates to 55m t/y of CO2e from
operations, and 360m t/y CO2e from its
oil and gas products.
“This is what we mean by making
BP net zero,” said Looney. “It directly
addresses all the carbon we get out of
the ground as well as all the greenhouse
gases we emit from our operations.
These will be absolute reductions, which
is what the world needs.”
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 10
NIDBP DG.indd 10
NEWS in depth
Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com
This is the first time that BP has To get the world to net zero, BP aims to
addressed ‘scope 3’ emissions – those advocate for net zero policies, includ-
produced by customers using BP’s fuels. ing carbon pricing. It will launch
Previously, BP had rejected a proposal by a team to help other countries and
activist shareholder group Follow This companies decarbonise, and aims to
to set emissions reductions targets for become a leader for transparency of
its scope 3 emissions. reporting. It will set new expectations
BP will also invest more in non-oil for its relationships with trade organi-
and gas businesses “over time”. “We sations, and is prepared to leave where
expect to invest more in low-carbon alignment cannot be reached on BP’s
businesses – and less in oil and gas – climate change views.
over time,” said Looney. “The goal is BP is a member of the American
to invest wisely, into businesses where Petroleum Institute, which actively
we can add value, develop at scale, and campaigns against climate action.
deliver competitive returns.” According to an analysis by The Guardian,
“the political world could change
dramatically” if BP used its influence
This is the first time that with such organisations to push for
BP has addressed ‘scope 3’ net zero goals. Jason Bordoff, Founding
emissions – those produced Director of the Center on Global Energy
by customers using BP’s fuels Policy at Columbia University, also said
on Twitter that this is “significant”.
According to The Financial Times, BP
spent around US$500m–750m last year
on renewable investments, compared Structural changes
to more than US$14bn on oil and gas BP’s structure has been mostly the same
businesses. for more than a century and was split
20/02/2020 15:54

into three organisations: upstream,
downstream, and other businesses.
It will now be divided into: produc-
tion and operations; customers and
products; gas and low-carbon energy;
and innovation and engineering. There
will also be three integrators to identify
and maximise opportunities: sustain-
ability and strategy; regions, cities and
solutions, and trading and shipping.
“We need to reinvent BP,” said
Looney. “Our historic structure has
served us well but, in order to keep
up with rapidly-evolving customer
demands and society’s expectations,
we need to become more integrated and
more focussed. So we are undertaking a
major reorganisation, introducing a new
structure, a new leadership team and
new ways of working for all of us.”
Looney also said in his speech
that he expects BP to still be
producing oil and gas in 2050,
but production will be reduced
BP has also said that it is committed
to “performing while transforming”
and that there will be no change to the
company’s fundamental commitments.
Looney also said in his speech that he
expects BP to still be producing oil
and gas in 2050, but production will be
reduced.
According to The Financial Times, BP’s
goal is more ambitious than rivals Shell
and Total, and is only matched by Repsol,
a much smaller company. Bordoff also
noted that BP’s pledge cannot be met
with offsetting alone, such as CCS and
tree-planting, so that BP will become a
different type of energy company.
Looney anticipated criticism for the
lack of a timetable or concrete goals
and said more details would be given
at an investor meeting in September: “I
appreciate you want more than a vision
– you want to see milestones, near-term
targets, some ways to measure progress.
We do not have those for you today. But
we will have more to say in September,
and in the months and years to come.
I will say this now though – we don’t
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 11
NIDBP DG.indd 11
NEWS in depth
expect progress to be a straight line. But
make no mistake, the direction is set.
We are heading for net zero. There is no
turning back.”
Reaction
BP’s announcement has been mostly
welcomed by investor groups, which
have been lobbying for increased climate
action.
Stephanie Pfeifer, member of the
global Climate Action 100+ Steering
Committee and CEO, Institutional Inves-
tors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC),
said: “This is a very welcome announce-
ment from BP’s new CEO. Building
on the positive engagement with BP
through Climate Action 100+, inves-
tors will continue to look for progress
from the company in addressing climate
change. This includes how it will invest
more in non-oil and gas businesses, and
ensuring its lobbying activity supports
delivery of the Paris Agreement.”
Steve Waygood, Chief Responsi-
ble Investment Officer, Aviva Investors,
said: “We welcome the ambition, which
comes at the start of a pivotal decade
if the world is to change the course of
global emissions. The onus will now be
on BP to reshape its portfolio in light of
a shrinking carbon budget.”
The announcement received mixed
reactions from environmental groups.
Bruce Baizel, Energy Program
Director at Earthworks, said: “Taken
at face value, BP’s promise to reach net
zero climate pollution by 2050 is very
welcome.
“But as the 10-year anniversary of the
BP Gulf spill approaches, as mainstream
investors turn sour on the long-term
future of the oil and gas industry, the
company that previously claimed it was
‘Beyond Petroleum’ needs more than
just words. It has powerful incentives to
make strong claims in order to maintain
its social licence to operate and to avoid
billions of dollars in stranded assets
that cannot be extracted. BP’s past
performance gives us little reason to
trust current promises.
“We will look to see BP reduce
BP/Graham Trott
looney: ‘need to reinvent bp’
emissions, and then produce. This
means a commitment to independent
verification of their overall climate
pollution reduction, before expansion
into new extraction occurs. We look
forward to BP proving that, this time,
its climate promise is real.”
“BP’s net zero pledge looks
like an attempt to grab some
positive headlines by a new CEO”
Rachel Kennerley, Climate Campaigner
at Friends of the Earth, said: “This is
clearly an inadequate, as well as cynical,
response to climate breakdown from
one of the world’s biggest polluters. The
world is burning, and they want to carry
on supplying the fuel. Governments
must call time on dirty gas, coal and
oil, and on those companies wanting to
keep the fossil-fuel addiction alive and
kicking.”
Murray Worthy, Oil and Gas Campaign
Team Leader at Global Witness, said:
“There is nothing ambitious about a
plan that is simply not credible. BP’s
net zero pledge looks like an attempt to
grab some positive headlines by a new
CEO, but with little of substance to show
how it will achieve these grand claims.
Saying that they will invest more in low
carbon tech and less in oil and gas ‘over
time’ is not a credible plan for reaching
net zero – the science is clear that this
shift has to happen immediately.” APD
20/02/2020 15:54

risk & safety
Queensland mining industry needs
to improve safety to avoid deaths
Expert review reveals many fatalities were preventable
AN expert report says that 12 deaths
are likely to occur over any five-year
period within the Queensland, Australia
mining industry if it does not improve
safety. It makes several recommenda-
tions to help industry do so.
The report reveals the findings
of an expert review commissioned
by Queensland Minister for Natural
Resources, Mines, and Energy, Anthony
Lynham. The review examined fatal
incidents in Queensland mines and
quarries from January 2000 to July 2019,
to identify changes needed to improve
health and safety in Queensland’s mines
and quarries.
Based on past behaviour,
the report projects that 12
deaths will occur over any
five-year period if the industry
continues to take a similar
approach to safety as it had
during the review period
Over the 19.5-year review period 47
mining industry fatalities occurred, in
a cycle characterised by periods of a
significant number of deaths, followed
by a period of few-to-no deaths.
According to the report, this suggests
periods of increasing and decreasing
vigilance. Based on past behaviour, the
report projects that 12 deaths will occur
over any five-year period if the industry
continues to take a similar approach
to safety as it had during the review
period.
While superficial examination of the
incidents would suggest that many were
caused by “freak accidents”, the review
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 12
NID3and4 DG.indd 12
NEWS in depth
discovered that most fatalities were not.
It adds that many were preventable, and
rarely had a singular cause. In some
cases, prior fatalities had occurred in a
similar manner.
According to the report, the incidents
typically occurred due to a “combina-
tion of banal, everyday, straightforward
factors, such as a failure or absence
of controls, a lack of training, and/or
absent or inadequate supervision”.
Furthermore, some incidents
involved known faults, where individ-
uals were aware of them but took no
action. Several fatalities occurred after
near misses, or even after other fatal-
ities which had occurred in a similar
manner.
Almost all of the incidents were due
to systematic, organisational, or super-
vision, or training failures, with or
without human error. 17 of the incidents
involved no human error at all on the
part of the deceased.
The report makes a total of 11
recommendations to industry and
the regulator help improve the safety
of Queensland’s mining industry. Its
recommendations to industry include
that it should:
• Recognise it has a fatality cycle.
• Recognise that a combination of
causes typically leads to a fatal
incident. Companies should aim
to capture these combinations in
internal incident investigations
and not simplify to a singular
cause, potentially masking
underlying system failures.
• Focus on ensuring workers are
appropriately trained for the
specific tasks they undertake.
• Focus on ensuring that workers
are appropriately supervised for
the tasks they undertake.
• Focus on ensuing that controls to
manage hazards are effective and
enforced.
• Adopt the principles of High
Reliability Organisational theory,
which at its fundamental level
focuses on identifying precursor
incidents to larger failures to
prevent failure.
To the regulator the report recommends
actions that will help it to proactively
assist industry in moving towards
behaving like a high reliability organ-
isation; encourage open reporting; and,
enable more reliable measurement of
safety.
According to The Australian,
Queensland Resources Council CEO, Ian
Macfarlane, said the report is a “very
sobering assessment” which industry
takes seriously. Reportedly, Macfarlane
has committed to reviewing the recom-
mendations urgently.
The Australian further reports that
according to Lynham, Queensland’s
Commissioner for Mine Safety and
Health, Kate du Preez, and two commit-
tees, will examine and implement the
recommendations.
Lynham said that Sean Brady,
Forensic Structural Engineer at engi-
neering failure investigation company
Brady Heywood, will report to him in
six months with an assessment of how
industry and the regulator have adopted
his recommendations. Brady led the
review and wrote the report. Aj
20/02/2020 15:49

policy
Uncertainty remains over UK
chemicals regulations after Brexit
UK aligned to EU REACH up until 31 December
UNCERTAINTY remains over the future of
chemicals regulations in the UK as the UK
will only remain aligned with EU REACH
during the transition period up until 31
December 2020.
The main piece of EU legislation
governing chemical registration is REACH
(Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation
and Restriction of Chemicals), which is
implemented by the European Chemicals
Agency (ECHA). The UK Government has
devised a Statutory Instrument to imple-
ment a UK REACH in the event of a no-deal
Brexit. The system has received criticism,
being called “vague and insufficient”
by the House of Lords. The proposed UK
REACH has a number of issues, including a
potential lack of transparency, and compa-
nies not having access to data that they
would need in order to register chemicals.
Currently, the UK is still operating
under EU REACH during the transition
period up to 31 December, according to
the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
However, the UK now has no say on the
regulations. The transition period allows
11 months for the UK and the EU to reach
trade deals and if no agreements are made
by the end of this period the UK will leave
without a deal.
The UK Government under Prime
Minister Theresa May said in March 2018
that it would attempt to seek associ-
ate membership of ECHA, however Prime
Minister Boris Johnson has not made the
same commitments. The UK could only
remain in EU REACH in return for market
access.
UK Chancellor Sajid Javid said in an
interview with The Financial Times before
quitting the post in February that the
UK would not have regulatory alignment
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 13
NID3and4 DG.indd 13
NEWS in depth
with the EU after the end of the transition
period. He said: “we will not be a rule-
taker”. He later softened his tone to say
that the UK would not move away from
EU regulations “for the sake of diver-
gence”. However, Javid’s comments have
been echoed by Foreign Secretary Dominic
Raab, who said that the UK will “not be
aligning with EU rules”, according to the
BBC. Johnson also said in a speech on 3
February that there will be “no need” for
the UK to follow EU trade rules.
Peter Newport, CEO of the Chemical
Business Association (CBA), said: “The
Chancellor’s remarks do not take account
of the situation facing highly-regulated
areas of the economy, such as chemicals,
that are dependent on international trade
as well as underpinning the needs of UK
companies. Simply stating that the UK
‘will not be a rule-taker after Brexit’ risks
denying UK business access to essential initiated at the end of the transition period.
chemical products.” HSE’s Director, EU Exit – Chemicals, Dave
“Recognising the central importance of Bench, said negotiations would need to
regulatory alignment and market access, be rapid and he hoped that there would
many UK companies in the chemical supply be more clarity mid-year. Bench also told
chain have already taken action to protect Chemical Watch that the Northern Ireland
their customers’ interests. CBA’s survey protocol could present some challenges, as
evidence shows that a significant number Northern Ireland will continue to imple-
have created subsidiaries in EU member ment EU REACH after the transition period
states – with premises and employees – ends even if the rest of the UK doesn’t.
representing a permanent loss to the UK According to Independent Commodity
exchequer and to UK employment.” Intelligence Services (ICIS), there are plans
“The regulatory divergence suggested for the UK to develop a new chemicals
by the Chancellor pursues so far uniden- strategy within the next couple of years.
tified benefits but risks additional border Holly Yates, deputy director for chemicals,
checks and delays and costs.” pesticides and hazardous waste at the UK’s
Currently around 60% of UK chemical Department for Environment, Food and
exports go to the EU, and 70% of chemical Rural Affairs (Defra), said that the new
imports are from the EU. strategy will focus on environmental and
According to Chemical Watch, a trade human health, regulation, and the circular
deal will determine if UK REACH will be economy. APD
20/02/2020 15:49
 NEWS round-up

risk & safety

Vale to invest in tech
to reduce dam use and
increase safety
BRAZILIAN mining giant Vale is to invest
in technology to reduce tailings dam use
and increase operational safety.
Tailings dams are used to store tailings,
the waste from ore processing, a slurry
policy of fine uneconomic rock and chemical
effluent. The announcement came almost
two weeks after the one-year anniversary
A$2bn agreement to support the fatal collapse of a Vale tailings dam, in
Brazil, which killed at least 259 people. 11
Australia’s energy transition people are still missing.
Investments will include up to
THE governments of Australia and New South Wales (NSW) have reached a A$2bn US$100m for a plant that will employ
(US$1.34bn) energy agreement that will support the transition to a lower emissions Fines Dry Magnetic Separation (FDMS), a
economy. unique technology developed by iron ore
Australia’s Government will give the NSW Government A$960m in loans and grants technology company New Steel, which
to fund emissions reductions initiatives. NSW will directly contribute A$1.01bn. Vale acquired in 2018. The system enables
According to The Guardian, Australian PM Scott Morrison said the money could be improved recovery of iron-ore fines and
spent on “clean technology” including hydrogen research, energy efficiency measures, superfines from iron mining waste. The
and coal innovation to reduce emissions from extraction, preparation, and use. FDMS patent is recognised in 59 countries.
In a pivotal part of the deal, the NSW Government has committed to injecting an The project is to begin by 2022.
additional 70 PJ/y of gas into the electricity grid. According to the Australian Finan- According to Ivan Montenegro,
cial Review (AFR), Morrison said that “there is no credible plan to lower emissions President of New Steel, a pilot plant is
and keep electricity prices down that does not involve the greater use of gas as an to begin operating at the Ferrous Metals
important transition fuel”. Technology Center in Nova Lima, Minas
“Sweating our existing coal-fired power generation assets will only take us so far.” Gerais, Brazil, in Q2. This pilot plant
The announcement was made in the wake of widespread bushfires that have follows a previous, successful one. The
devastated vast tracts of NSW and Victoria. Human-caused climate change has resulted almost US$3m plant will concentrate
in more dangerous weather conditions for bushfires, the country’s national science 30 t/h of dry ore.
agency CSIRO has noted. Vale is also to invest US$3.1bn over the
The additional gas could be supplied by Santos’ Narrabri gas project. The project is next five years on facilities to achieve its
still awaiting approval, but AFR reports that approval is likely. Supply options are also 70% dry production goal. Dry, or natural
available in NSW at Port Kembla and Newcastle. Under the deal, NSW will also remove moisture processing doesn’t use any water
barriers to coal supply to the Mount Piper power station, which is facing an acute from the environment for ore processing
shortage, reports The Guardian. The station is due to operate until 2042. and doesn’t generate tailings, removing
According to AFR, the Australian Government has said it has no intention of funding the need for tailings dams. The com-
new coal-fired power projects, however prior to the election it committed to a feasibil- pany estimates that with New Steel it will
ity study for a “clean” coal power station in Collinsville, Queensland, Australia. achieve its goal by 2024.
Additionally, NSW and Australia are to jointly underwrite interconnectors to Currently, 60% of Vale’s iron ore
strengthen grid reliability reports The Guardian. The deal also includes underwriting for is produced using natural moisture
new non-coal power generation projects in NSW. processing. The company plans to invest
Furthermore, the deal secures funding for a pilot renewable energy zone in the US$1.8bn in filtering and dry stacking
central west of NSW to enable large-scale renewable energy generators to “pump as in the coming years. Filtered tailings, or
much energy as possible into the grid”, reports AFR. “dry stack” tailings are tailings that are
The Australian Government anticipates bilateral agreements to reduce emissions dewatered to a high degree to produce a
with other states. solid material, which can be stored as an
unsaturated tailings deposit.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 14

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 NEWS round-up
policy
South African engineers call for more renewables
THE South African Government has been urged to restart its
renewable-energy procurement programme by the trade
association Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA).
According to Engineering News, Sugen Pillay, newly-elected
President of CESA, told a media briefing that the CESA was
particularly keen for the programme to be initiated. “In addition
to its value as a short-term intervention towards addressing our
electricity crisis, it will also inject, albeit small, much-needed
project opportunities for consulting engineers and contractors.”
South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which is the
policy on “least-cost” electricity development up to 2030, was
finally updated in October 2019 following the initial IRP release in
2010. The IRP includes the provision for new renewables, although
new capacity is restricted to 1,000 MW/y for photovoltaic solar
risk & safety
Three killed in Texas oil well blowout
AN oil well blowout in Texas, US, has killed three people.
The well in Burleson County is operated by Chesapeake
Energy. The blowout occurred around 15:30 local time on 29
January and killed one contractor. A second contractor died of
his injuries on 30 January, and the third fatality was announced
on 3 February. The contractors were from CC Forbes and Eagle
Pressure Control. One other person was injured.
The contractors, along with employees of Chesapeake
Energy, were performing maintenance operations when the
blowout occurred. They were working on upgrading a wellhead
at the surface when natural gas unexpectedly entered the well
and ignited, according to the Houston Chronicle. The cause of
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 15
Newsroundup945 DG.indd 15
power, and 1,600 MW/y for wind power.
The latest bidding round for new renewable power, which is
known as the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer
Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), was originally supposed to
be announced in November 2018. For the procurement under the
IRP to be initiated, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede
Mantashe needs to publish a document in line with the Electricity
Regulation Act, according to Engineering News.
The CEO of South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA),
Ntombifuthi Ntuli, and the Chair of the South African Photovoltaic
Industry Association (SAPVIA), Wido Schnabel, also urged Mantashe
to publish the document for the much-needed new capacity. South
Africa has suffered regular rolling blackouts over the last decade, as
energy supply cannot keep up with demand.
ignition is not known. Eleven people were working at the well
at the time.
No evacuations were ordered and the fire was extinguished
by the afternoon of 30 January.
Gordon Pennoyer, Director of Communications and Inves-
tor Relations at Chesapeake Energy, told local news channel
KBTX: “We are deeply saddened to learn that a third contrac-
tor has died as a result of injuries sustained in last week’s well
control incident in Burleson County, Texas. Our thoughts and
our prayers remain with those impacted. The cause of the
incident is currently under investigation.”
The Chemical Safety Board is investigating the incident.
20/02/2020 15:42

industry
Shell signs
MoU for first
commercial-scale
polycarbonate unit
SHELL has signed a memorandum
of understanding (MoU)
China’s CNOOC Oil & Petro-
chemicals to explore
first commercial-scale
bonate (PC) production unit. The
unit would be located at the Shell
Petrochemical Company and CNOOC
joint-venture chemicals complex in
Huizhou, China.
PC is a transparent
impact-resistant engineering poly-
mer used to make products such as
vehicle headlights, LED spotlights,
and ultraviolet-blocking
and spectacles.
Shell’s patented
carbonate (DPC) process technology
– developed over recent years to
achieve advantages in cost, safety,
efficiency, and CO2 footprint – will
provide the platform for entry into
the new product. DPC is a key inter-
mediate in polycarbonate production.
The DPC technology will now
be combined with melt-phase PC
technology licensed from EPC Engi-
neering and Technology in Germany
for PC production.
Shell’s PC units will also produce
alkyl carbonates, used in lithium
batteries which support the energy
transition.
In the interim, Shell has begun
constructing a PC development unit
at its chemicals plant on Jurong
Island, Singapore.
According to Thomas Casparie,
Executive Vice President of Shell
Chemicals, the company has an
advantaged route to production, and
is looking at investing in a number of
commercial-scale units to serve the
growing number of PC customers.
Newsroundup945 DG.indd 16
NEWS round-up
1000 Words / Shutterstock.com
with
fast track: The new Global Talent route for top
scientists came into effect on 20 February
Shell’s
polycar- policy
UK announces new fast-track visa for
world-leading researchers
and
THE UK Government has announced the details of a new fast-track visa scheme to
attract overseas researchers, that comes into force as we go to press.
The new Global Talent route for top scientists came into effect on 20 February and replaces
windows the existing Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route. The visas will be endorsed by UK Research and
Innovation (UKRI).
diphenyl The scheme will accept applicants in senior positions such as professor, as well as those in
fellowships, researchers whose name or job title appears on a successful grant from a recog-
nised funder, and for individuals who submit a successful application to The British Academy,
the Royal Academy of Engineering, or The Royal Society. The UKRI is also looking to reduce
bureaucracy by simplifying funding processes.
A minimum salary is not required for an applicant to be eligible, and successful applicants
can bring their families under certain conditions. The visa is also not tied to a specific role or
organisation. Recipients of the visa can apply for settled status after three years and will not be
penalised for time spent outside of the UK for research purposes.
The new Global Talent visa also removes the cap of 2,000 visas per year of the Tier 1 visa.
However according to a Nature article from 2018, the Tier 1 visa was underused with only half
of visas taken up in 2017. A Nature article from 29 January about what Brexit will mean for
science cautioned that the new visa system will need to avoid being overwhelmed by the tens
of thousands of EU researchers who arrive in the UK every year.
Business and Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “Leaving the EU gives us new freedom
to strengthen research and build the foundations for the new industries of tomorrow.”
The recent Nature article also highlighted how the UK’s exit from the EU has created
uncertainty about the participation in Horizon Europe funding after the transition period ends
on 31 December.
Jarka Glassey, IChemE’s Vice President – Learned Society, said the proposals are encourag-
ing but it remains to be seen how they will address wider concerns.
“There are obviously other aspects of funding processes and support for research that are
not directly addressed by this initiative, for example the ability of the UK researchers to work
with groups of experts in EU/worldwide institutions in joint projects, as cross-fertilisation of
ideas is also important for the growth of the UK research capacity.”
In an article published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Policy & Evidence Manager
Tanya Sheridan said: “We would like to see changes to arrangements for skilled workers,
so that industry, particularly SMEs, can attract the specialist scientists they need from an
international talent pool.”
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 16
20/02/2020 15:42
 NEWS round-up

education

New chemical engineering department at Brunel

University London
BRUNEL University London’s new Department of Chemical

Neil Graveney, Brunel University London, Media Services.

Engineering has been officially opened.
IChemE Fellow Stefaan Simons, Vice-Provost and Dean
of the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences,
developed the initial plans for the new department. It
welcomed the first cohort of students in September 2019 and
was officially opened on 29 January by Julia Buckingham,
Vice Chancellor and President of Brunel University London.
The department is situated in the Quad North Build-
ing and will occupy a whole floor. The research facilities
from the Wolfson Centre for Materials Processing and the
Advanced Bioprocessing Centre have now been incorporated
into the Department of Chemical Engineering, in addition to
substantial ties with Brunel’s existing heat transfer and
L–r: Stefaan Simons, IChemE President Steven
advance power system teams.
Richardson, Julia Buckingham, and Sheng Dai
“We have material characterisation facilities, chemical
processing facilities, and bioprocessing and bioseparation optional for undergraduate programmes. The department
facilities,” explained Sheng Dai, Professor and Head of the will also launch the Advanced Chemical Engineering MSc and
Department of Chemical Engineering. “In addition, we also Materials Engineering MSc in 2022. All courses are designed
have a dedicated computing lab and have ensured all the in close collaboration with IChemE.
chemical engineering-relevant software has been installed.” In their first year, students are taught core engineer-
There are four research areas within the department: ing subjects to give them a broad knowledge of engineering
bioprocess and biopharmaceutical engineering, digital in general. There is also a focus on industrial engagement,
process engineering, emerging energy technologies, and problem-solving and social/ethical responsibility through
materials for sustainable future. the programmes.
Brunel offers a three-year Bachelor’s degree or four-year According to Dai, the department aims to cultivate
integrated Master’s in Chemical Engineering, a one-year future chemical engineering leaders and it will achieve this
Master’s in Bioprocess Engineering, along with MPhil and through three paths. The first is modernising the curricu-
PhD research degrees. A one-year industrial placement is lum to include industrial engagement, professional practice,
digitalisation and sustainable development for chemical
engineering production. The second is the delivery approach
by focussing on research-led learning and practical team-
based learning, and the third is ensuring that the students
can effectively apply their knowledge to appropriate indus-
Neil Graveney, Brunel University London, Media Services

trial applications.
Dai said: “In the UK currently there are 33 chemical
engineering departments, however we intend to make this
department a showcase and benchmark for the 21st century.”
“We focus on bridging the gap between chemical engi-
neering, sustainable development, low carbon emission
economics, and digitalisation.”
There are currently eight academic staff, with plans to
grow this to 20–25 within the next five years. The depart-
ment also aims to build a pilot-scale chemical engineering
tour: new department’s labs
processing R&D facility in the next couple of years.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 17

Newsroundup945 DG.indd 17 20/02/2020 15:42

 NEWS Research & Development

ccs
Partnership assesses
viability of
commercial-scale
CCS facility in US
A JOINT study will assess the viability
of a commercial-scale carbon capture
facility at LafargeHolcim’s cement plant
in Colorado, US. The study will be
environment performed by carbon capture company
Svante, cement company LafargeHol-
cim, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV),
MOF captures and converts NO2 into and Total.
The joint study will evaluate the via-
useful product bility, design, and cost of using Svante’s
technology to capture up to 725,000 t/y
A METAL-organic framework (MOF) developed at the University of Manchester, UK of CO2 from the cement plant. The cap-
is capable of selective and reversible capture of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). It could tured CO2 would be stored underground
allow the capture of NO2 from exhaust streams for conversion into nitric acid, a by OLCV, a subsidiary of Occidental.
multi-billion-dollar industry with uses including agricultural fertiliser for crops, Svante’s technology uses solid
rocket propellant, and nylon. adsorbents, and its technology can
According to Sihai Yang, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry at capture CO2 at less than 50% of the cap-
Manchester, “this is the first MOF to both capture and convert a toxic, gaseous air ital cost compared to first-generation
pollutant into a useful industrial commodity”. liquid solvent approaches. Svante also
MOFs are three-dimensional, often porous structures which can be used to capture uses a single low-cost piece of adsorp-
gases. NO2 is a toxic air pollutant primarily produced by diesel and biofuel use and the tion equipment as opposed to the
MOF developed at Manchester, MFM-520, could aid air pollution control and reduce the multiple unit operations required by
negative impact of NO2 on the environment. liquid solvents.
MFM-520 exhibits high NO2 uptake at very low partial pressure. It has adsorption The solid adsorbent has a very high
capacity of 1.3 and 4.2 mmol/g at 0.001 and 0.01 bar, respectively, at 298K. Accord- surface area that has rapid cycling times
ing to Xue Han, Postdoctoral Researcher at Manchester, this indicates great potential for between CO2 adsorption and desorp-
practical use. Yang said that interestingly “the highest rate of NO2 uptake by this MOF tion. It can capture CO2 from flue gas,
occurs at around 45oC, which is about the temperature of automobile exhausts”. concentrate it, then release it for stor-
Additionally, the material can capture NO2 during flow and in the presence of mois- age in 60 seconds, compared to hours
ture and other gaseous pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. MFM-520 for conventional technologies. The high
has high selectivity towards NO2, and despite the reactive nature of NO2, the researchers storage capacity of the solid adsorbent
found that MFM-520 could be regenerated over multiple capture-release cycles. also means that a smaller inventory is
Once captured, the adsorbed NO2 can be released under conventional pressure swing needed compared to liquid solvent.
adsorption, regenerating MFM-520 without loss of adsorption capacity or changes in its “Svante’s capital cost advantage,
structure for more than 125 cycles. The researchers also discovered that the captured NO2 combined with progressive tax credit
could be converted into nitric acid by submerging saturated MFM-520 and stirring it in policies such as the 45Q tax credit in the
air. After the process, the recovered MF could be regenerated under heating and reused US, can make carbon capture profitable
without losing NO2 capture capacity or HNO3 production for more than ten cycles. The across a range of large-scale indus-
researchers have not yet investigated the regeneration limits of the material. trial applications like cement,” said
Martin Schröder, VP of Manchester and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Claude Letourneau, president and CEO
Physical Sciences, said: “The global market for nitric acid in 2016 was US$2.5bn, so there of Svante.
is a lot of potential for manufacturers of this MOF technology to recoup their costs and LafargeHolcim CEO Jan Jenisch
profit from the resulting nitric acid production. Especially since the only additives required said: “Collaborating with Svante, OLCV
are water and air.” and Total, we expect to realise a
Nature Chemistry: http://doi.org/dj9c successful US carbon-capture project in
the near future.”

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 18

R&D945 DG.indd 18 20/02/2020 16:15

 NEWS Research & Development

CCS
R&D
Drax and Econic partner
Evonik and LIKAT achieve to produce plastic using
waste CO2
carbonylation breakthrough
DRAX has announced a partner-
SPECIALTY chemicals company Evonik and Germany’s Leibniz Institute for ship with cleantech company Econic
Catalysis (LIKAT), have successfully achieved the first direct carbonylation of Technologies, to explore the potential of using
1,3-butadiene. The carbonylation breakthrough paves the way for more cost- carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from Drax’s
effective and environmentally friendly synthesis of industrially important biomass power generation to displace oil in
adipic acid derivatives. plastics production.
Millions of tons of adipates are produced annually, and they serve as the start- Econic’s patented catalyst technology
ing materials in the manufacture of a range of products, including plasticisers, allows waste CO2 to be used as a feedstock.
perfumes, lubricants, solvents, various pharmaceutical ingredients, and nylon. Cur- It will assess the suitability of CO2 captured
rently, they can only be produced using complex, multi-stage energy-intensive from Drax’s 1 t/d bioenergy with carbon cap-
synthesis, which requires many chemicals and produces nitrogen oxides. ture and storage (BECCS) pilot for producing
A team co-led by Evonik and LIKAT has successfully double-carbonylated the polymers used in polyurethane plastics.
organic compound 1,3-butadiene to produce adipates, salts of adipic acid. Carbon- The project with Econic was announced
ylation involves the introduction of carbonyl (CO) groups into organic compounds. amongst other carbon capture usage and
It is one of the most important reaction types in the chemical industry. storage (CCUS) projects during a visit of
The successful carbonylation was enabled by the development of a novel Drax’s North Yorkshire power plant by the
palladium catalyst, based on a specific phosphine ligand. When the ligand binds to UK’s Minister of State for Business, Energy
palladium, it results in a highly selective, efficient, and long-lived catalyst. It can and Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng.
achieve 95% yields of adipic acid derivatives under industrially-feasible conditions. A new pilot plant installed by Deep
The catalyst was able to produce adipate diester from 1,3-butadiene, car- Branch Biotechnology (DBB) at Drax was also
bon monoxide, and butanol with 97% selectivity and 100% atom economy under announced. The plant will explore the feasi-
industrially viable and scalable conditions. It could enable the production of other bility of using Drax’s CO2 emissions to make
di- and tri-esters from 1,2- and 1,3-dienes. proteins for sustainable animal feed prod-
Evonik has said that large-scale evaluation of the economic and technological ucts. The partnership with DBB was first
aspects of this development will begin immediately. announced last year.
Science: http://doi.org/dmhs

R&D
CPI partners with RSC to tackle chemical science challenges
THE UK’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has partnered with the Royal Society of Chemistry’s (RSC’s) Synergy programme. This
aims to promote cross-industry collaboration to enable participating companies to tackle complex chemical science challenges that
can hinder development.
It can be difficult for companies facing chemistry-related problems early in the innovation process to source the expertise needed
to identify commercially-viable solutions. The Synergy programme brings together companies facing similar technical problems and
identifies opportunities for collaboration.
CPI has chemistry experts from diverse industry sectors working throughout its national centres to solve the issues the RSC is
highlighting. Jo Reynolds, Director of Science and Communications at RSC, said: “Collaboration is absolutely key to advancing the
chemical sciences, and to solving some of the most pressing problems facing industry.”
The topics covered by the programme are based on participant input. So far it has focussed on reducing waste in the liquid
formulations industry and preventing corrosion by using non-metallic materials. A key output of the programme so far is a report on
polymers in liquid formulations, such as those used in shampoos, detergents, inks, and adhesives. It highlights how companies can
collaborate to solve the key challenges in this area and reduce product and process development costs.
The programme is currently seeking new topics to explore.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 19

R&D945 DG.indd 19 20/02/2020 16:15

 viewpoint autism

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 20

autism4pp DG.indd 20 20/02/2020 14:37

 viewpoint autism
A Visible Career on the Spectrum
An engineer with autism explains how she has succeeded in the
workplace, and what employers can do to be more supportive
A
UTISM Spectrum Condition (ASC) is what it says
on the tin – it is a spectrum and a condition. People
with ASC are characterised by communication and
social impairment issues, sensory issues and repetitive
behaviours. This condition presents itself very differently in
women than men due to certain physiological differences.1 It is
debilitating in some people, but at the other end, some go on to
manage it exceptionally well and have jobs and relationships.
Thankfully, I am one of the latter.
If you are reading this, it is likely you are working in engi-
neering or science. Research has showed that individuals
working in STEM careers have more autistic traits.2 Also,
children of autistic engineers, scientists and accountants tend
to be over represented in STEM careers.3 And while autistic
people are stereotyped heavily in the media, the reality is
that no two people experience this condition the same. Most
of us go unnoticed, falling through the cracks of society and
its machinery, designed largely for a ‘typical’ population. The
truth is, most of us with autism barely get by and every day is a
new minefield to navigate. As Temple Grandin, a fellow autistic
person and prominent spokesperson on the condition put it:
“I am an anthropologist from Mars.”
Autism at work
My experience of the workplace and its unspoken rules may be
relatable to a small percentage of readers. It has been a learning
curve and is something in which I don’t claim to be well versed
to this day, and probably will never be.
I am an engineer at heart and would not be one if I weren’t
autistic. Daddy-daughter fun times for me were day trips to
the hydroelectric power plant or the local rail depot to look
at electric locomotives, or taking the washing machine apart.
From a young age, I have loved the buzz of a problem and tend
to break it down easily and creatively to arrive at the root of it.
I organise my work with the greatest efficiency. I am a reliable
and consistent performer in the right environment. I can be
trusted to execute certain critical tasks. I see patterns every-
where and refuse to forget what I learn and experience. And
despite my abysmal change management capabilities, I am
effortless in gliding through work and its uncertainties.
On the other hand, I am a stickler for routine and a schedule
to the point of frustration, and interested in very few things.
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 21
autism4pp DG.indd 21
I do not like vague instructions to a task; building personal
rapports with bosses, peers and customers; organised fun;
making small talk; or being political or diplomatic. I struggle
with sensory issues, and mild synaesthesia can leave me absent
and distracted at the drop of a hat.
Lack of social tact means that I don’t cast a favourable
impression at work. Mindless banter affects me far more nega-
tively, as I don’t understand it. My hesitation on acting on vague
instructions portrays me as disinterested, lazy and arrogant.
My lack of participation in social events gives the impression I
am haughty, aloof and anti-social. When I first started working,
almost 14 years ago, I was also reprimanded several times on
my timekeeping.
while autistic people are stereotyped heavily
in the media, the reality is that no two people
experience this condition the same. Most of us go
unnoticed, falling through the cracks of society
All this miscommunication makes me wide open to bullying and
nine times out of ten, I don’t realise it. About 48% of autistic
people are bullied at work.4 The bullying pattern is the same
all of the time and starts with an offhand comment about my
work or my general ‘weirdness’ from a manager or a colleague.
I can recall one example when a lead on a project went the extra
mile to keep tabs on my movements by tracking timestamps of
documents I had worked on. Every single day for two-to-three
months, they indiscreetly shouted about my ‘transgressions’
in an open plan office for everyone to hear, which was carte
blanche for other engineers to also have a power trip at my
expense. I had to seek professional help just to wake up in
the morning and face the team. I also had to overcome feeling
extremely suicidal. I was eventually signed off for stress and
was left unpaid for three months.
The one time I think I genuinely came close to being
physically assaulted was when a colleague began shouting
and lunging at me with a large powder scoop, completely
unprovoked, in the middle of an experiment. I dropped whatever
I was doing at that point and fled to where they couldn’t get
to me. When I managed to summon some courage, I picked
up my things and absconded. This left me numb, in shock and
unable to work for weeks. This happened in a well-known, large
20/02/2020 14:37
 viewpoint autism

manufacturing site in the UK, which would definitely have an harnessing qualities: It all starts with
anti-bullying policy in place. positive, open and non-judgemental dialogue
I still struggle to interpret the meanings of these interac-
tions and nothing ever materialised out of me speaking about
them. As a coping mechanism, I tend to overcompensate by
double- and triple-checking my work and then never finding
the confidence to turn it in, thus affecting my productivity. This
would happen a few times and then, I’d be written off. That
would break me and I would find ways to leave the position
quickly without even stopping to look at my options. The two
incidents I mentioned left me paranoid about my finances and
I tucked away a lot of what I made as savings just in case I
needed to get out of work in a flash, when I should have been
saving up for a house, or travelling, like my peers did.
A YouGov survey conducted by the National Autistic Society
quickly reveals some alarming statistics. Only 16% of autistic
people are in full-time paid work. 50% of autistic people
surveyed said that support, understanding or acceptance
would be the single biggest thing that would help them to be
employed. This data has been steady from 2007, and it can be
said that there is not much improvement despite pledges from
government to lower the disability employment gap.5

How can employers help?

From personal experience, a candidate in the autistic spectrum
is greatly hindered in the interviews and applications process.
Only 11% of autistic survey respondents were offered reason-
able adjustments in consideration of their communication and
sensory difficulties and a meagre 3% were offered an alternate
interview process.4 The whole process for individuals with ASC
could be free from mass applicant filters, for example, psycho-
metric tests, which puts them at a disadvantage.6,7 They would
benefit greatly from being given competency questions before
their interview to prepare and rehearse. They may also benefit
from seeing the team to break the ice after interviews so that
they can judge how they can fit in. Experiencing the environ-
ment first hand, ie, a soft launch, would be the holy grail.8,9
After all this time of being misunderstood,
I have witnessed first-hand how some
openness, acceptance, patience and support
could allow me to be genuinely happy at work.
As a result, my productivity and creativity
are now at their highest
That said, people with autism may not even know they have the
condition before they enter the world of work. I got an official
diagnosis aged 30, two years after being self-diagnosed.
Thankfully, when I disclosed this to my current employer, it
was met positively and with enthusiasm. Since the disclosure, I
can recall numerous instances where my difficulties have been
taken into account and dealt with sensitively. For example, last
year when the department had to restructure, its impact on
me personally was handled with care and I was given constant
assurance that my work would not be impacted. Ahead of
a simple office move, my manager had a dialogue about an
appropriate desk location along with an extra quiet space up in
the laboratories. I am empowered to talk about my quirks with
colleagues and it has not affected our collaboration. My ASC
was never mentioned or held against me when I started a full-
time university study programme funded by the organisation.
Meetings with me are, thankfully, structured and succinct, and
do not have to involve small talk. My manager will allow me to
rehearse and prepare with them for meetings that may involve
some diplomacy.
After all this time of being misunderstood, I have witnessed
first-hand how some openness, acceptance, patience and
support could allow me to be genuinely happy at work. As a
result, my productivity and creativity are now at their highest.
My stunted career has finally started to experience a growth
spurt, and I have some confidence to think about what oppor-
tunities I could pursue, as I am sure I will be coached to meet
those competencies.
In this article, I have offered my personal take on how
my employer has closely collaborated with me to manage

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 22

autism4pp DG.indd 22 20/02/2020 14:37

 viewpoint autism
my condition in the workplace. After I disclosed my diag-
nosis, we started out by making use of resources on the web
to decipher certain technical terms related to the condition
followed by plain, frank conversations. We all worked hard to
create an environment that is open, safe and runs both ways.
For example, if I balk at an assigned task, I am gently reminded
that there are some things in the workplace that need doing,
and that I may not find some of them interesting. If an instruc-
tion is vague, my manager understands that I will ask them
about it repeatedly until I am clear because I am strategising
an approach. I tend to seek an outlet for my bursts of creativity
and my colleagues, within reason, will hear me out imme-
diately, or let me know explicitly to come back at a certain
time. They are also aware that I hyperfocus and will be single
minded about what I want. The company also has a specially
trained occupational health practitioner to consult on an ad hoc
basis to make sure mine (and others’) needs are being met.
empathy, sensitivity, openness and
awareness go a long way in harnessing
the qualities of someone who is autistic.
It all starts with positive, open and
non-judgemental dialogue
Most employers can do something similar without a signifi-
cant resource burden. Right from the interview stage, they can
ensure they are catering for candidates’ needs. Rather than
dismissing people with ASC and branding them difficult, or
being short with them, some patience and empathy could be
instilled in the workplace towards their condition. Boundaries
could be gently set and previously unspoken rules could be
made clear in words, statements and conversations. Managers
could have brief one-to-ones frequently to ask for and provide
feedback. Plans, agendas, weekly targets and diaries may be
used to effectively manage workflows. Employees may have
behavioural goals built into their annual performance each
year and be given an opportunity to meet them in a controlled
environment. If resources are available, there are plenty of
services providing awareness training and managing the
introduction of autistic employees in workplaces.
As a conclusion, empathy, sensitivity, openness and
awareness go a long way in harnessing the qualities of someone
who is autistic. It all starts with positive, open and non-
judgemental dialogue. Most of us want to be given the right
opportunity to disclose our condition. Most of us are willing
to work with employers on how best to manage our behav-
iours. Like the ‘typical’ population, we would also like to be
seen as contributors, and not as liabilities. Most of us do not
expect special treatment and will go above and beyond, given
the right environment.
Now, I am not compelled to retain emergency
savings. I have made enough progress with my commu-
nication skills to be able to positively influence and
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 23
autism4pp DG.indd 23
negotiate with my colleagues and bosses on how I can
contribute. I can now dare to dream where I would be in
five-to-ten years – and it is not aimless job hopping. And
the best thing – I now go out for dinner and drinks with my
colleagues.
The author has chosen to be anonymous in this piece so that her
experiences are the main takeaway from this article. She is a female
chemical engineer in her 30s and has been in the pharmaceutical
and biotechnology industry for all of her career. She has had roles in
process engineering design, product development, manufacturing
support and process safety. Currently, she works in a biotechnology-
based manufacturing unit, handling pilot plant operations and
designing small-scale process models for manufacturing processes.
References
1. Lai et al, “Quantifying and Exploring Camouflaging in Men
and Women with Autism”, Autism, 2017, vol 21(6), 690–702.
2. Ruzich et al, “Sex and STEM Occupation Predict Autism-
Spectrum Quotient (AQ ) Scores in Half a Million People”, PLoS
One, 2015, 10(10):e0141229.
3. Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S, “The Link Between Autism
and Skills such as Engineering, Maths, Physics and Computing:
a Reply to Jarrold and Routh”, Autism, 2001, 5(2):223-7.
4. Autism employment gap report, https://bit.ly/3aXRvPy
5. Employment campaign, www.autism.org.uk/get-involved
/campaign/employment
6. In The Government Legal Services v Brookes,
https://bit.ly/3b0vos7
7. “Autistic job seeker with ‘hidden disability’ awarded £18,400
compensation”, https://bit.ly/2u2sUIV
8. “Daniel: An autistic employment trial kickstarted my career”,
https://bit.ly/2RGnxIv
9. Hillier et al, 2007, “Outcomes of a Social and Vocational Skills
Support Group for Adolescents and Young Adults on the Autism
Spectrum”, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,
vol 22(2), 22. 107-115.
Resources
– For more resources including information for employers
and managers, please consult the National Autistic Society
(NAS) webpage, focussing on recruitment and employee
retention, www.autism.org.uk/professionals/employers
– For an insight into the legacy and history of autism, I –
recommend you read Silberman, Steve (2015), Neurotribes,
The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People
Who Think Differently, Allen & Unwin.
– For resources focussed on women and girls, please see
Sarah Hendrickx (2015), Women and Girls with Autism
Spectrum Disorder: Understanding Life Experiences from Early
Childhood to Old Age, Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
20/02/2020 14:37
 13th & 14th May 2020 EventCity, TraffordCity, Manchester

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The Chemical Engineer

tce.945.24.indd 2 V2 203x267mm 0919.indd 1 10/10/20194:29
20/02/2020 10:29
PM
 feature water treatment
Pure and Simple
Miguel Johansson Finguerut describes his work on
community water projects in central Mexico
T
HE breathtakingly beautiful town of San Miguel de
Allende, where NGO Caminos de Agua has its office,
boggles many visitors’ minds with its colonial
architecture and rich history. Above ground, it is a perfectly
charming touristic hotspot with a growing number of luxury
hotels, bars and restaurants, but below the surface there is a
slow unseen disaster taking place.
The town lies near two aquifers (subterranean water
systems) called Alto Rio Laja and Laguna Seca, and these are
slowly being pumped dry. The subterranean water systems
surrounding the city have been continually mismanaged
for decades. Rapid industrial development, mining and
especially a strong growth in agriculture for export in the
region has led to an over-extraction of subterranean water
sources. Water from these aquifers is being extracted at an
unsustainable rate, meaning that the sum of water removed
from the subsurface exceeds the sum of water which can be
naturally replenished throughout the year. Both Caminos de
Agua and the Guanajuato state government have measured
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 25
mexicowater DG.indd 25
workshop: demonstrating techniques for a community which
recently constructed rainwater harvesting systems
concerning water-level depletion rates as high as 3–4 m/y in
regional wells. Figure 1 illustrates some key pieces of informa-
tion about the regional water crisis. The people most severely
affected by the lack of water are rural or marginalised commu-
nities throughout the watershed. It is costly to drill deep wells,
meaning that thousands are running out of water from one year
to the next. Along with an ever-increasing number of commu-
nity wells drying up, many of the remaining water sources are
contaminated or unsafe for long-term consumption. For many
affected communities, the costs of accessing safe water for
drinking and cooking has become prohibitive and currently,
99% of Guanajuato State’s population relies on well water for
their daily cooking, cleaning and drinking use.
Over-extraction has also led to a worrying increase in
contamination in remaining water sources. Since Caminos de
Agua began collecting data in 2012, alarming levels of fluoride
and arsenic have been consistently measured in more than one
third of regional wells. Unfortunately, this trend is deteriorat-
ing, and higher arsenic and fluoride concentrations are being
20/02/2020 15:33
 feature water treatment

measured every year in wells which are many families’ only

source of water for drinking and cooking. Arsenic is toxic and
harmful to human health in several ways. The World Health
Organization’s (WHO’s) key facts on arsenic state that “long-
term exposure to arsenic can cause cancer and skin lesions.
It has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and
diabetes. In utero and early childhood exposure has been linked
to negative impacts on cognitive development and increased
deaths in young adults.” Fluoride is known to reduce the
occurrence of dental cavities at an adequate dose, but at the
high concentrations measured in Guanajuato State, it is espe-
cially harmful in utero and to growing children, causing brittle
teeth, bones and cognitive development problems. Arsenic and
fluoride are both naturally-occurring elements in the geologi-
cal formations throughout the state of Guanajuato. This issue is
not unique to this region. Over-exploitation is causing similar
contamination problems to become increasingly frequent
throughout the American continent as well as in parts of Asia
and Africa. Unfortunately, through the depletion of subterra-
nean water stores we are seeing increasing concentrations of
Caminos de Agua
Caminos de Agua is an organisation that works with local
communities and grassroots organisations in the State of
Guanajuato to develop democratic and appropriate solutions
so that communities can gain affordable and sustain-
able access to safe drinking water. Primarily, Caminos
de Agua aims to tackle this problem at a local level by
supporting communities in their region through education
programmes, technology development, resource donations
and project planning support. Caminos has found that much
of its expertise and technology development is transferrable
to water challenges around Mexico and around the world. So
that anyone can benefit from Caminos’ work, it publishes
its work and findings in an open-source format. Caminos de
Agua’s solutions and products have achieved international
recognition, winning the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers’ “IShow” hardware showcase in 2019 as well as
being a runner up in the Mexican edition of the James Dyson
Award in 2018.

Engineers Without Borders UK

Engineers Without Borders UK, is a UK-based organi-
figure 1: Illustration showing the dramatic increase in well
sation, working to provide people living around the world
numbers and how over extraction increases the concentration of
equal access to the benefits of engineering. They also
contaminants like arsenic and fluoride in water
work to influence the engineering profession and future
generations of engineers to be more globally aware and
1950s 1970s TODAY inclusive in their work. For many years Engineers Without
50 WELLS 800 WELLS 3,000+ WELLS
Borders UK has coordinated international placements and
collaborations with UK engineers working on infrastructure
and technology projects abroad.

5m

these contaminants in Guanajuato’s water, and more and more

young people around the state are already suffering from the
100 m devastating health consequences of drinking and cooking with
contaminated water.

300–550 m
For many affected communities, the costs
of accessing safe water for drinking and
FLUORIDE & ARSENIC CONTAMINATION
cooking has become prohibitive and currently,
99% of Guanajuato State’s population
relies on well water for their daily use
SAN MIGUEL
DE ALLENDE

With so many children and young adults in the region already

GUANAJUATO
living with the health consequences of excessive arsenic and
fluoride exposure, communities are well aware of the need for
supplies
water to 85%
of the water
depleting The area of the
aquifer Caminos
safe, affordable and self-manageable water sources.
Home-scale rainwater harvesting was the first solution
680,000+ is used for 3–4m de Agua focuses
which Caminos de Agua began to deploy in 2012 in order to
residents agriculture per year its work on
(pale green) provide safe drinking water. Rainwater is naturally free of any
solutes or contaminants like arsenic or fluoride. Rainwater

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 26

mexicowater DG.indd 26 20/02/2020 15:33

 feature water treatment
harvesting systems can be built, owned and managed by families,
communities or schools. Paired with a simple disinfection stage
like Caminos de Agua’s Aguadapt ceramic filter, it is a healthy
alternative to well water and can even serve as a primary water
source.
Working in the technology development team at Caminos
de Agua, I learned about the importance of structured commu-
nity involvement and training when deploying technologies. By
getting communities invested in the planning and management of
rainwater harvesting projects, Caminos has seen higher success
rates. It is also critical to tailor solutions so that they meet users’
needs and are appropriate in the environment where they will be
deployed. The aim is not only to provide water sustainably, but to
help communities gain valuable skills and organisational capa-
bilities which can be shared and can create long-term resiliency.
As an organisation, Caminos de Agua found that it could not
build rainwater harvesting systems fast enough. There weren’t
enough funds and working hours available at the organisation to
meet the need. Caminos started to look at other options like solar
distillation, building surface reservoirs, and filtering water from
existing contaminated wells. Widely-used arsenic and fluoride
removal methods like reverse osmosis or coagulation were prob-
lematic for a number of reasons. Reverse osmosis systems have a
high energy requirement and discard up to 80% of water. On the
other hand, coagulation processes require sensitive treatment
steps which need accurate monitoring, specialised operators or
expensive specialised equipment, whilst showing limited effi-
ciency for the local water quality. For this reason, Caminos de
Agua started developing alternative solutions which were more
appropriate for their specific context. My focus at the organisa-
tion was leading the development of low-cost, decentralised and
low-maintenance treatment systems which work effectively in
the local context. Caminos started working on this project several
years ago, identifying, developing and optimising adsorbents as
well as investigating operation modes and theoretical models.
The Challenge
My task was to take the technology which had been proven
on a lab-scale and apply it in low-cost pilot community-scale
treatment plants. First off, I took over the work on design-
ing low-cost packed-bed columns, which can be loaded with a
selective granular adsorption media. Adsorption processes had
the benefit of requiring relatively little operator input and moni-
toring. Some of the greatest challenges were designing vessels
which had fewer blockages, bottlenecks, and a reduced need for
maintenance whilst also costing less than US$20. Once we had
built a prototype packed-bed column which behaved reliably in
the lab, the project was at the point where we wanted to build
our first full-scale treatment trains for removing arsenic.
Together with the team, we built the first low-cost,
community-scale treatment system pilot for the removal of
arsenic from well water. The system is used at a small farm
to irrigate arsenic-sensitive crops and it is designed to treat
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 27
mexicowater DG.indd 27
Lead-Lag
“Lead-lag” operation of adsorption systems involves installing
two columns in series. It is an operation mode where you can
increase the utilisation of adsorption media by cycling columns
until the adsorption media is exhausted. Once the first column
is saturated with a contaminant like arsenic, you remove it and
move the second column into the first position. With the second
column installed in the first “lead” position, a column contain-
ing fresh media is installed in the second position. The first
column adsorbs the bulk of contaminant, whilst the second
column maintains the concentration below a desired concen-
tration. For fluoride adsorption, the retrieved media can be
regenerated, precipitating fluoride as a salt. Scaling up this
process is currently being undertaken at Caminos de Agua
thanks to support from IChemE’s Water SIG. The spent arsenic
media is certified for regular landfill disposal. Caminos de Agua
is currently undertaking testing and verification of this and
spent arsenic adsorbent will then be disposed of adequately.
-15
0
BV BV
-15
0
MOVED BT TO REACHED
CHAR
INTO LEAD
POSITION
REPLACED
BT
MOVED INTO
CHAR REPLACED
TO REACHED LEAD POSITION
-15 BV
0 BV -1
50
2,000-3,000 L/d of well water to below WHO’s guideline for
arsenic in drinking water (10 µg/L).
It is made up of modular contactor columns so it can be
added to existing wells and storage systems in the field to
save costs. There is also scope to select lower outlet concen-
trations like 1 µg/L of arsenic without increasing operating
costs dramatically by using lead-lag setups with more than
two columns. Currently, pilot 1 is operating with two arsenic
removal columns in series and it costs around US$0.35 to
treat 1 m3 of water using this system. The capital investment
costs were below US$300 compared to US$700-1,000 for a
rainwater harvesting system which supplies around 55 L/d.
Pilot 1 is driven by gravity, eliminating the need for electricity,
and does not require the dosification of any treatment chemi-
cals like coagulants.
20/02/2020 15:33
 feature water treatment
Adsorption
Caminos de Agua chose to focus on adsorption technology for
the removal of fluoride and arsenic from drinking water because
the technology requires low operator interaction, no electric-
ity, no dosification of reagents and has a predictable lifetime.
Adsorption is the process of atoms, ions or molecules adhering
or binding to the surface of an adsorbent material. Adsorption
should not be confused with absorption which is when atoms,
molecules or ions enter the volume of another bulk liquid or
solid entirely. Caminos de Agua has developed a cow-bone
based granulated biochar for fluoride adsorption. The so-called
“bone-char” can be locally produced, regenerated and recycled.
The production process has also been optimised, making it the
most effective adsorbent for removing fluoride when consid-
ering the water chemistry of the region in which Caminos de
Agua operates. Arsenic on the other hand, is adsorbed onto a
commercially produced granular ferric hydroxide.
The system has been operating since February 2019 and the
water is being used to irrigate a small farm and supply a home
with water for cleaning and washing. Figure 2 shows pilot 1
installed at the farm.
After learning several lessons from the first treatment system
it was time to move onto the design of a second pilot treat-
ment system (pilot 2) which would produce water to drinking
quality standards. The treatment train was to include fines
removal, initial disinfection, arsenic removal, fluoride removal,
flavour correction with activated carbon, and a residual disin-
fection stage. Thanks to support of various members of the
IChemE water SIG in 2018 and 2019 Caminos was able to accel-
erate progress of the second pilot. Several Water SIG network
members generously supported investigation and develop-
ment by sharing their specialist knowledge and experience.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who provided techni-
cal advice, water project delivery tools and troubleshooting
guidance on various topics. After a thorough period of design,
Figure 2: Discussing the operation of
pilot 1 with the system manager
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 28
mexicowater DG.indd 28
Figure 3: A snapshot of Pilot 2 under construction. After a rigorous
initial testing phase, this will be the first system which will provide
arsenic- and fluoride-free water to a rural community in the San
Miguel de Allende Municipality
equipment testing, project planning, and an exploration of
relevant Mexican standards and legal codes, I am happy to say
that the first full community treatment system has been built.
The initial testing of the system is now being undertaken by
my successors at Caminos de Agua, two of which have received
financial support from the Water SIG in order to carry on with
this and other projects at Caminos de Agua. This project will be
the first demonstration that small-scale and affordable water
provision systems using adsorption are possible in rural and
urban communities and the project has brought Caminos de
Agua a step closer to providing treated and safe water to more
families in the region. For a small organisation like Caminos
de Agua it is always challenging to find funding support and
professional expertise to complete or advise their projects. The
kind support of many donors, volunteers, engineering students,
engineering professionals, professors, and engineering insti-
tutions has been instrumental in the progression of Caminos
de Agua’s mission to create better, safer and more appropri-
ate water provision solutions. Though you may not think it, a
small monetary donation or the donation your time and exper-
tise as an industry expert advisor can make an enormous
impact on what Caminos de Agua can achieve. I want to thank
everyone who supported and followed my project in Mexico.
This experience has taught me a lot about engineering and the
importance of applying your learned skills and abilities to help
create a safer and healthier world for everyone. It has been an
experience which I will always cherish.
Miguel Johansson Finguerut AMIChemE is a member of the Water SIG.
He spent 14 months as an Engineers Without Borders UK Technical
Fellow at Caminos de Agua working on the development of water
treatment systems
20/02/2020 15:33
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able to network and showcase the latest technological advances
through poster and oral presentations. This year’s conference will be
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MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 29

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 feature climate crisis
co-hosts: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) and Italian
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the COP26 launch event
Climate Crisis Explainer
Amanda Doyle discusses COP26 and why it is important
I
n November, the 26th UN Conference of Parties (COP)
climate summit will take place in Glasgow, UK. Known as
COP26, it will mark five years since the Paris Agreement,
and it will be crucial that real progress is made at the summit
in order to take immediate action on the climate emergency.
THE summit will take place from 9–20 November, with
around 30,000 delegates expected to attend. This includes heads
of state, climate experts, business leaders, and campaigners.
COP26 is co-hosted with Italy and a pre-COP meeting,
which will include a youth event, will be held in Milan from
28 September to 2 October.
The aim of the COP summits is to coordinate global action to
deal with the climate emergency, with governments attempting
to negotiate policies that will achieve this. The first COP was
held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995. Perhaps one of the most
important COPs to date was COP21 in France in 2015 which saw
the birth of the Paris Agreement; a crucial framework for global
action. However, there are still aspects of the Paris Agreement
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 30
Cop26 v2 DG.indd 30
Chris J Ratcliffe/PA Wire/PA Images
that need to be finalised, and the world is currently not on track
to meet its climate goals.
Chemical engineers have a vital role to
play in addressing the climate emergency.
There are many examples where chemical
engineers can make a difference
Chemical engineers have a vital role to play in addressing
the climate emergency. There are many examples where
chemical engineers can make a difference, such as developing
new processes for cement and steel production, along with
developing jet fuel from waste, small modular reactors, and new
processes for hydrogen production. They can also contribute
through carbon capture and storage, tackling methane
emissions, developing ways to efficiently recycle batteries,
and producing ‘green’ chemicals, bioplastics, and biofuels.
20/02/2020 15:20
 feature climate crisis
Engineers can also play a part in influencing policy decisions.
Ahead of COP26, IChemE has said that it fully recognises the
climate emergency.
An urgent need for global action
The average global temperature is now 1.1oC higher compared to
pre-industrial times, and there has been a 0.2oC increase in the
2015–2019 period compared to the previous five-year period,
according to the World Meteorological Organisation. This has
already led to a notable increase and worsening of extreme
weather events such as flooding and bushfires, and poses a
significant threat to low-lying nations, particularly island
states, due to rising sea levels.
The aim of the Paris Agreement is to keep the average global
temperature rise to well below 2oC, and work to limit this to 1.5oC.
The need to limit the temperature rise to 1.5oC was reinforced
by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
report in 2018 which warned that in order to meet this target,
human-caused CO2 emissions will need to fall by around 45%
from 2010 levels by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050.
Despite this, 2019 was the second warmest year on record
since 1850 and the Global Carbon Project (GCP) reported in
December that emissions from fossil fuels and industry were
projected to rise 0.6% compared to 2018. The GCP also said in
an Environmental Research Letters paper that 2020 emissions
are projected to rise further and that there are no signs that
emissions have peaked yet.
The volume of CO2 emissions that can enter the atmosphere
and still limit warming to 1.5oC, known as the carbon budget,
is forecasted (by DNV-GL’s latest Energy Transition Outlook)
to be exhausted in 2028. At the same time, a report by the
UN Environment Programme and a coalition of research
organisations calculated that by 2030 the world is on track to
produce twice as much fossil fuel as can be burned. The current
planned production of oil, gas, and coal by 2030 will lead to
NASA Earth Observatory
bushfires: devastation on
kangaroo Island in South Australia
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 31
Cop26 v2 DG.indd 31
a chaotic start
COP26 was officially launched on 4 February. However,
political in-fighting has hindered planning of the summit.
Claire O’Neill, former UK Minister of State for Energy
and Clean Growth, had been appointed as COP26 President
last year, but was fired by Dominic Cummings, advisor to
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on 31 January. According to
Business Green, Whitehall sources said that there had been
personality clashes and that a more senior figure should be
in the role.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister published by The
Financial Times, O’Neill said that the plans for COP26 were
“miles off track”, and criticised Johnson’s lack of leader-
ship on the matter. She said that Johnson had promised to
chair a Cabinet sub-committee, but that they had not met
once. She said that there were “internal Whitehall battles
over who is responsible and accountable for COP actions”
and that budgets are “ballooning”. “We must move on from
Whitehall knot-tying, infighting and obfuscation, petty
political squabbles and black ops briefings to real sustained
engagement, maximum global ambition, open-hearted
international cooperation, joined-up action and alliance
building,” said O’Neill.
According to The Guardian, O’Neill also told BBC Radio
4’s Today programme that Johnson admitted to her that he
doesn’t really understand climate change.
In a Cabinet reshuffle on 13 February, Alok Sharma
was appointed as the new President for COP26, as well
as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy.
Aside from being without a president for two weeks, the
Scottish and UK Governments have been arguing about the
venue. The Financial Times reported that the UK Government
was in talks with a London venue over possibly holding the
conference there; however a Number 10 spokesperson said
that this was just part of a contingency plan and that they
are committed to holding COP26 in Glasgow.
According to the BBC, Johnson said at an event in
September that he didn’t want Scottish First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon “anywhere near” the summit. O’Neill’s
letter said that these feelings hadn’t changed, even though
she urged him to put aside any differences. Sturgeon has
written to Johnson calling for co-operation on the matter
and said at an event in London that “there are plenty of
issues Boris Johnson and I can have squabbles about. This
really should not be one of them.”
There has been a lot of criticism over the chaotic start
for the organisation of COP26. According to The Guardian,
Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, said: “The UK’s handling of COP 26 has not become
coherent enough for the UN even to be able to support
them.”
20/02/2020 15:20
 cop24.gov.pl feature climate crisis
cop24: closing ceremony celebrated the
creation of the Paris Agreement rulebook
39bn t of CO2 emissions, which is 120% more than what is
possible under a 1.5oC scenario.
Clearly, stronger commitments and real action are needed.
Unresolved issues from previous COPs
At COP24 in Poland in 2018, 196 countries agreed on a rulebook
for enacting the Paris Agreement. However, the negotiations
were fraught with complications; for example the US, Saudi
Arabia, Russia and Kuwait held up negotiations as they didn’t
want to welcome the IPCC report. Eventually a compromise
was reached where the “timely completion” of the report was
welcomed, and countries were “invited” to use it.
The rulebook also didn’t include the finalisation of
Article 6, which would set out rules for a global carbon
market and exchanging “carbon credits”. This discussion was
postponed until COP25.
COP25 was originally supposed to take place in Chile, but
this was not possible due to violent anti-government protests.
Just a month before the climate talks were due to begin in
December 2019, Spain agreed to host the summit, while Chile
retained the presidency.
The summit was the longest in COP history, with the
negotiations running over by two days. The talks almost
collapsed, with weak compromises being made only at the
last minute. One meeting was even held up due to participants
disagreeing over what the negotiations should be called. Most
of the difficult topics were pushed back to talks in Bonn in June
2020 as well as COP26.
According to Carbon Brief, countries could not agree on
common reporting tables and common tabular formats.
A common timeframe for the submission of Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) – each country’s Paris
Agreement pledge – could also not be agreed upon.
A key focus of COP25 was supposed to be finalising
Article 6. Some of the many issues surrounding Article 6 include
the importance of avoiding double counting (which is when the
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 32
Cop26 v2 DG.indd 32
carbon credits are included by both the host country and the
purchasing country), and ensuring a net reduction in emissions
rather than just offsetting them elsewhere. While an agreement
was almost reached, this has now been postponed and talks
will begin again from scratch at the next meeting. Carbon Brief
has a detailed explanation (https://bit.ly/2SXCWU7) of the
importance of Article 6 and the complications surrounding it.
“The real danger is when politicians and CEOs
are making it look like real action when in fact
almost nothing is being done apart from clever
accounting and creative PR” – Greta Thunberg
Climate activist Greta Thunberg said at the summit: “I still
believe that the biggest danger is not inaction. The real danger
is when politicians and CEOs are making it look like real action
when in fact almost nothing is being done apart from clever
accounting and creative PR.”
Poorer countries feel the impact of the climate crisis more,
despite having contributed less to it in terms of emissions, and
this is acknowledged in the Paris Agreement through an option
to report “loss and damage”. However, there was a failure at
both COP24 and COP25 to add sufficient financial provisions to
support the most vulnerable countries.
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) said in a closing
statement at COP25: “We are appalled and dismayed at the
failure to come to a decision on critical issues, the scale of
inaction, ineffective processes and some parties’ yeoman
commitment to obstruction and regressive anti-science
positions. Climate action is not a wish. It is a matter of survival
and it must be funded.”
UN Secretary General, António Guterres, said on Twitter: “I
am disappointed with the results of COP25. The international
community lost an important opportunity to show increased
ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the
climate crisis. But we must not give up, and I will not give up.”
There were also some positive outcomes at COP25, as
businesses and NGOs often announce net zero and green
commitments at the COPs. According to Business Green, more
than 177 companies committed to aligning their business
strategies with emissions targets, and 500 more pledged to
achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
What needs to happen at COP26
COP26 must find a resolution to Article 6, along with other
items such as suitable loss and damage financing that were
unresolved at previous summits.
The Paris Agreement is designed to be a “ratchet” system,
where each NDC represents progression and raises ambition
over time. There are no specific requirements as to how the
NDCs should be structured, so they vary greatly between
nations. Each country’s NDC was originally submitted for COP21
20/02/2020 15:21
 feature climate crisis

and now needs to be updated. Current NDCs are insufficient to
meet the 1.5oC target and under current pledges the world is on
track to warm by 3oC, with the most optimistic policy scenario
being 2.8oC, according to Climate Action Tracker (CAT).
Countries are expected, but not required, to improve on their
Paris pledges in 2020 prior to COP26. Due to the lack of a common
timeframe for NDCs, nations that set an NDC with a timeframe
up to 2025 will be asked to submit a new NDC, whereas countries
with 2030 targets will be asked only to communicate or update
their pledges, according to Climate Home News.
“The political conversation will continue but
this won’t save the planet. Chemical engineers
can turn words into actions.”
“We are not seeing the kind of action you’d expect from
governments facing a climate emergency,” said Niklas Höhne,
founding partner of CAT partner organisation NewClimate
Institute. “Since last year’s update, our temperature estimate
has not improved from climate action, and many governments
are still failing to meet their often insufficient targets.”
CAT has a tool (https://bit.ly/2SFCY3T) to check for updates
on whether countries have submitted their new or updated
NDCs. It is expected that these will continue to be updated
ahead of the summit.
Reducing global emissions will also become more difficult
when the US, the second-largest emitter, leaves the Paris
Agreement on 4 November, just days before COP26 and one day
after the US presidential election. A new US President would be
able to rejoin the Agreement, which is a process that only takes
30 days.
At the COP26 launch on 4 February, Sir David Attenborough
said that the Paris Agreement was a huge step forward but
now we need to do something about it. “It is now up to us to
put before the nations of the world what has to be done. We
don’t need to emphasise to them or to you that the longer we
leave it – of not doing things but going on talking about the
problems – the worse it’s going to get. And in the end, unless
we do something, it becomes insoluble. Now is the moment.
Now, Glasgow becomes extremely important.”
It is crucial that steps are made in the right direction at
COP26. Writing in February 2016, not long after the Paris
Agreement was adopted, IChemE Energy Centre chair Stefaan
Simons said: “The political conversation will continue but this
won’t save the planet. Chemical engineers can turn words into
actions.” The same is still true today but that action is needed
more urgently than ever before. The clock is ticking.

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Cop26 v2 DG.indd 33 20/02/2020 15:21

 All photos: Gera ldine
Curtis

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 34

womenengineering DG.indd 34 20/02/2020 16:43

 feature women in engineering

In Pictures: Women in
Engineering
Photographer Geraldine Curtis talks to Amanda Jasi about her
hopes for more women to consider careers in engineering

T
HE University of Derby, UK is currently hosting a
photography exhibit entitled Women Engineers –
Portraits of the Changing Face of Engineering. Located at
Derby’s Markeaton Street Campus, the exhibition will be open
and free to visit until 23 March.
Freelance Photographer Geraldine Curtis spent
years not only photographing the women whose images are
showcased, but also learning more about them, their back-
grounds and careers, and about the engineering field and its
diversity. Chemical engineers are amongst those featured in the
exhibition, including members of IChemE.
It’s so important because there aren’t enough
women engineers, and women engineers bring an
awful lot of skills that male counterparts don’t
have in the way they approach problems
I caught up with Curtis at a private viewing of her exhibition
– held on 6 February – to discuss her work and impressions of
women in engineering.
what they did, they said they had travelled the world, they’d
done incredible things, they changed jobs quite frequently,
and they had been quite mobile in their jobs. For me, that’s
quite an interesting aspect of things. And, I was looking for a
project to do that might encourage people to do something.”
two
Why did you think this was an important project to do?
“It’s so important because there aren’t enough women engi-
neers, and women engineers bring an awful lot of skills
that male counterparts don’t have in the way they approach
problems. Engineering is generally about problem solving,
and men tend to solve a problem one way, and women will see
it from a different angle.
“It’s also about whether it’s fair that there aren’t enough. I
was asking the question myself: why aren’t there more women
engineers? And, it’s just because people don’t know. It’s just
a lack of knowledge. There’s nobody out there saying ‘your
child could be an engineer. They could travel the world and do
really interesting things.’ There’s nobody really telling them
that, so this is my head above the parapet saying ‘Look; look
at these women.’”

What made you choose to focus on engineering as a project
theme?
“It was just a chance conversation with a group of women
engineers. The engineers that I talked to said that less than
13% of all engineers are women, but when they talked about
Did your opinion of engineering, or women in engineering,
change during the course of your project?
“I think when I started, I had a completely blank slate; I didn’t
know anything about women engineers, and I didn’t know
what obstacles they face.

Pictured, clockwise from centre: Yasmin Ali MIChemE, Energy Innovation Project Manager at the Department for Business, Energy, and
Industrial Strategy. She also spends time promoting engineering to the public, and writes The Chemical Engineer’s “Careers in Chemical
Engineering” series; Ranna Eardley-Patel AMIChemE is a Bioprocess Engineering Consultant who has been working with different groups
in the Netherlands, Czechia and India to develop an improved process and scaleup for polio vaccines; Jo Douglas-Harris is a Product and
Application Scientist at Venator Materials, specialising in the development of titanium dioxide pigments for coatings. She is also a Vice
President of the Women’s Engineering Society; Eli Keshavarz-Moore FIChemE is Professor of Bioprocess Science & Enterprise at University
College London. The central theme of her research has been to investigate the interaction between cell engineering, fermentation, and down-
stream processing; Helen Ramsey FIChemE and chemical engineer, pictured in her office at Abbott Diabetes Care in Oxfordshire, UK, where she
works as the Operations Engineering Manager.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 35

womenengineering DG.indd 35 20/02/2020 16:43

 feature women in engineering

“I was so lucky to get a response from older engineers and

younger engineers; the response from the older ones included
quite a few tales of all the obstacles they’ve faced and the
prejudices they’ve had to overcome; whereas the younger ones
say that, generally, working in a male environment they are
only further encouraged, and their opinion is always valued,
and they have absolutely no trouble.

There is huge progress...And, that’s why more

women should be engineers, because they will
find hardly any barriers nowadays. It’s more
or less an even playing field

“There is huge progress, and that’s just wonderful. And, that’s

why more women should be engineers, because they will find
hardly any barriers nowadays. It’s more or less an even playing
field.”

Why do you think visibility of women in engineering is

important?
“I think that the numbers speak for themselves. If there are
only 13% of engineers who are women, why is that? We need to
shout about women in engineering much more.”

What outcome do you hope your project achieves?

“I hope that more women and girls will consider engineering
as a career.”

role model
Yasmin Ali, an IChemE member and Energy Innovation
Project Manager at the Department for Business, Energy, and
Industrial Strategy, was one of the subjects involved in the
project. I asked her about the importance of promoting women
in engineering and enabling visibility.
What’s your opinion on the exhibition?
“I think it changes the image of engineering. I speak to a lot of
kids and members of the public, and I ask them ‘what do you
think an engineer does?’ and the most common answer I get is
‘fix a car’. Geraldine’s photos just show you the diversity, and
that it’s not just about fixing cars.
“And, I quite like that she’s bringing science and art
together, bringing photography and engineering together.
Breaking down the barriers between those two communities.”
Why did you choose to get involved in the project?
“To promote engineering and to show young women who
are thinking about doing engineering that it’s a viable career
option for them, and it’s so that they can see some role models
in whose footsteps they could follow.”
Why is the visibility of women in engineering important?
“I think it’s hard to imagine yourself doing something if you
changing faces: Curtis hopes that her work
will encourage more women into engineering
can’t see somebody that’s like you. I find that as well. There
are senior women engineers who I look up to, and I think
without them I wouldn’t be able to see myself doing the things
I want to do or aspire to those things.
“I think I’d like to see this work exhibited in other places so
it can have a bigger impact. It would be great if other univer-
sities or public spaces, did something similar to what Derby
is doing.”
Further to her exhibition, Curtis said she is putting together
a book which will include more information about the lives and
career paths of the women she photographed. This will appear
in a timeline format – a good method for allowing children to
take in information, she says. The book will also include many
more photos of the women engineers which weren’t included
in the exhibition.
Women Engineers – Portraits of the Changing Face of Engineering
is open and free to visit at the University of Derby’s Markeaton Street
Campus until 23 March

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 36

womenengineering DG.indd 36 20/02/2020 16:43

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 feature flow control

Solid States
You may not be able to control the world, but you can control
the ow of your bulk solids, says rant ellwood

C
HEMICAL engineering is a very broad church, yet no
matter how or where our expertise is deployed, we
are always interested in predictability, stability and
meeting our (technical and/or business) performance targets
within normal variation, in other words achieving cont�ol.
If your business is transforming materials, there is one
element that always needs to be controlled, and that is flowrate.
However, attaining control in value chain featuring bulk solids
can be a real challenge, as bulk solids are complex and do not
flow like liquids. They comprise a myriad of individual particles
that once aggregated take on collective characteristics that
are usually not manifested in, nor easily predicted from the
individual particles themselves.
In such operations, both product quality and revenue are
directly proportional to flow, and physical plant changes
post-installation to correct design mistakes are complicated,
expensive, disruptive, and nearly always a compromise. So if
you can only get one thing right in your process design, make
sure it is the ability to control the flow of your bulk solid
stream(s).

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 38

bulkflow GW DG.indd 38 20/02/2020 14:49

 feature flow control
If your role is development orientated and bulk solids are
involved (even peripherally), how do you design for flow? If your
focus is improving the performance of an existing value chain,
how do you go about improving control of your flows? What are
your options? What do you need to be aware of?
If your business is transforming materials,
there is one element that always needs to
be controlled, and that is flowrate. However,
attaining control in value chain featuring
bulk solids can be a real challenge
While these should be mandatory questions, we are usually too
focussed elsewhere and we just want the bulk solid flow issue
to go away so we can do what we are trained for – to maximise
the value add to our materials at peak efficiency.
The best way to explore the topic of control in relation to
bulk solids is through a worked example, and in this first article
we set up a typical scenario (based on real data) and flag some
of the challenges involved. In subsequent instalments, we will
work through them in the manner of a consulting assignment
to provide practical and material advice that can be applied
immediately or drawn upon in the future.
Welcome to your nightmare!
Imagine for a moment, you are the lead process engineer
within a crack multidisciplinary owner’s team assembled to
deliver a world-class energy-from-waste (EfW) power station.
The project has just been authorised (FEL-3 final investment
decision) for detailed design and delivery, and excitement
is high. As usual, time is of the essence and some of the long
lead-time items have already been ordered on the strength of
the study phase piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID).
This mega-project comes to you ‘over the wall’ in the form of
a compelling feasibility study (FS) and associated costing, the
product of years of work by a now disbanded study team. The
main focus of the study phase was the EfW conversion, which
is unique in terms of the range of fuels it can accept. It is novel
and was perceived as the high-risk item, and it seems the team
has done a great job on de-risking it by drawing on experts in
the field.
An unavoidable consequence of the EfW transformation step
is the generation of acid gases that need to be removed prior to
exhaust. The plant is to be located close to an urban centre and
approval was contingent on meeting strict emission targets. To
address this stipulation, the study team’s go-forward design
includes a dry sorbent injection (DSI) sub-system. While you
don’t know the details yet, you know that its efficacy and ability
to keep the plant within its environmental limits will depend on
the controlled flow of sorbent, which in this case is lime.
Aware of the challenges of getting bulk solids and espe-
cially powders to flow (see issue ), you quickly find the
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 39
bulkflow GW DG.indd 39
P&ID within the FS in the hope that this sub-system has been
designed for flow so that you can relax and focus on detail-
ing the core transformational steps for which you have been
trained.
The function of the DSI sub-system is to interface with the
bulk supply (dry bulk tanker) of lime and buffer the large batch
deliveries with the continuous requirements of the operation.
Overdosing the hydrated lime into the exhaust gas stream is
expensive and can also damage and impair the performance
of the sophisticated gas-cleaning equipment downstream. In
addition, overdosing the hydrator (slaker) unit upstream of the
injection point can cause it to boil over, with OHS and system
availability impacts.
Conversely, underdosing leads to emission excursions that
incur penalties and threaten the entire operation’s social licence
to operate. So, while this is only a lowly peripheral sub-system,
overall project success actually depends heavily on its ability to
meter lime in a controlled manner at a rate close to the effec-
tive stoichiometric demands of the acid gas evolved at any point
in time. hile this depiction is for acid as control, meterin of dry
rea ents and or controllin their presentation to a transformation
step unit operation , is a common function so insert your own story
details here
The P&ID of this critical sub-system (see i ure ) shows
plenty of detail suggesting completeness, but the redundant
metering lines and Note 3 for the detailing engineer (you) to add
“rodding points” to the bin make you uneasy (planning for flow
failure already?). The cautionary words of your first engineer-
ing mentor “everything looks awesome on a P&ID and there’s
never a failure on paper” spring to mind, and now the delivery
baton is in your hands.
A little uneasy, you then turn to the FS’ basis of design (BoD)
looking for comfort, but all you can see in relation to the flow
properties of the reagent is a four-point sieve analysis and an
unqualified bulk density value, which are both referenced to
a generic online source. No sorbent-specific flow properties,
let alone sorbent properties matched to the proposed sliding
surfaces. No lime flow rates in the mass balance, let alone an
operating window - just a single operating point.
The final confirmation of danger comes when you franti-
cally get to the risk register in the FS’ appendix. It is focussed
almost exclusively on financial inputs and the EfW transforma-
tion step, and is totally silent on the issue of the performance
of the DSI sub-system. Looks like you have unearthed a poten-
tially fatal problem that needs immediate attention, but who is
responsible for correcting it, and what can they do?
Whose problem am I?
The DSI sub-system seems simple enough and apart from
hydration there are no chemical or physical transformations
involved, so why should it attract the attention of the chemical
engineer? Surely design responsibility resides with others; the
mechanical engineers on the multidisciplinary team, or perhaps
20/02/2020 14:49
 feature flow control

figure 1: Lime receival, hydrating and dosing sub-system in support of DSI acid gas control (an actual design)

COMPRESSED
AIR DUST COLLECTOR
LIT
XS

LIME STORAGE IN PANEL

-- ALARM HS
ACKNOWLEDGE

POWER AVAILABLE FLASH

LAHH
6150
VISUAL LIME STORAGE
SILO
SILO LEVEL LI LAH
LSLL
AUDIBLE

FILTER FAILURE
XAH M
LIME SILO ACTIVATOR

LIME SILO SLIDE GATEVALVE

DUST COLLECTOR HS
ON/OFF FLEXIBLE
CONNECTION

M
LIME TANKER
CONNECTION TO SILO

LSHH

LSH INTERMEDIATE
LIME HOPPER

415 V 240 V LSL

INTERMEDIATE INTERMEDIATE
LIME HOPPER M M LIME HOPPER
ACTIVATOR 1 ACTIVATOR 3
NOTES: LIME SCREW CONVEYOR 1 LIME SCREW CONVEYOR 3

1. WHERE POSSIBLE HOSES WITH KAMLOCK M M

CONNECTIONS SHOULD BE USED IN PLACE OF PVC
PIPING TW MV MV WT

2. ALL PVC PIPE SHALL HAVE LONG RADIUS BENDS WEIGH WEIGH
LIME FEEDER 1 LIME FEEDER 3
3. APPROPRIATE RODDING LOCATIONS SHALL BE LIME SCREW CONVEYOR 2
DETERMINED DURING DETAILED DESIGN
M
4. KAMLOCK CONNECTION FOR BUND PUMP OUT
WEIGH
WT MV LIME FEEDER 2

TO LIME
HYDRATION TANKS

the procurement professionals (and their favoured suppliers)?
To check how this might play out in practice, ideally in
pre-mortem but possibly post-mortem, let’s fast forward to
ramp-up, and assume the plant is unable to meet its acid gas
control targets. The removal process itself involves chemical
reactions, so the focus will come to you. The fact that this is due
to a failure of the sorbent supply upstream of the DSI unit will
be lost – this will be your baby, guaranteed!
A standard engineer simply normalises
baked-in flow design errors; a great engineer
devises workaround(s) to minimise their impact; a
brilliant engineer designs for flow and
avoids the problems altogether!
In response, many engineers in this situation simply revert to
‘catalogue engineering’ and put their faith in the ability to fix
things up during commissioning. When it comes to bulk solid
flow, remedial action is usually constrained within the value
chain. Thanks to the ‘value engineering’ step (see bo out for
a view on this), there is always at least one and often many
flow bottlenecks! In most instances there simply isn’t enough
latitude for an effective solution and therefore no long-term
comfort in the hyperbolic bias.
Not being able to control the flow of dry reagents in unas-
suming sub-systems is actually the root cause of many project
failures, as the performance of the entire value chain (as the
weakest link in the chain) is usually impacted. The pressure
associated with such performance shortcomings during
ramp-up can be intense and many unhelpful questions will
emerge while you are trying to solve the problem: Could the
issue have been anticipated in advance? Could it have been
designed out prior to construction? Why didn’t you do your job
properly?
What started out as a high profile, career-crowning assign-
ment has descended into a farce as you realise the baton you are
holding is actually a poisoned chalice. But it is never too late,
and you always have options, remembering the adage:
A standard engineer simply normalises baked-in flow design

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 40

bulkflow GW DG.indd 40 20/02/2020 14:49

 feature flow control
errors; a reat engineer devises workaround(s) to minimise
their impact; a brilliant engineer designs for flow and avoids
the problems altogether.
It’s time to step up and take action and be brilliant.
A Visionary (Brilliant engineer) or Chicken Little?
Failing to meet acid gas control imperatives would be a failure of
purpose, and hence a calamity of the highest order, but could it
really happen? Is an intractable flow control outcome probable,
or a one-in-a-million? What is certain though is that no one likes
surprises after FEL 3, but you need to be sure in your own mind
before you raise the spectre of problems that don’t yet exist.
One way to approach this is to use a risk rating framework.
The chemistry involved is simple and the approach (DSI) itself is
proven, so assuming the reagent is chemically active, failure will
come via the inability to control its flow, which could present in
one of three guises:
• no flow;
• low/intermittent flow (see openin cartoon); or
• more flow.
What contributes to and therefore needs to be addressed to avert
these flow-related risks? In upcoming articles, we will address
a series of focussing questions that have been grouped into the
following themes:
• Function, scope and characterisation: What is the DSI
functional narrative and more importantly, why do you
need one? What does a best practice BoD and risk register
look like from a flow perspective? What needs to be
physically characterised and why?
• Design at the individual device and system levels:
Why do I need to think about flow from a system’s
perspective? What are the design options and how
do I choose what’s best for me? How do you manage
accountability for detailed design and then supply?
• Prevention is better than cure: How can I simply and
effectively identify and manage flow risks from just a
flowsheet? Is it possible to check the health of a project
already in study phase? How do I ensure all my flow
design decisions are informed by science?
What to do?
While this scenario is only a story, it was actually someone’s
reality. At the point of realisation, the schedule and capital cost
expectations had been set and long lead-time activities like civil
and structural works had already commenced. In this context the
ability to influence things and avert yet another process mega-pro-
ject failure were constrained. Compounding the situation further
was the fact that the project was approved on the basis that capital
costs would be critically reviewed in a value engineering exercise,
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 41
bulkflow GW DG.indd 41
Value engineering
A critical review of a detailed design, usually by fresh eyes,
with a view to delivering a process that meets all the original
specifications/success criteria but for less money. A noble
objective, but in practice it is often a thinly-veiled cost-
cutting exercise where features in the proposed design are
assumed to be nice-to-haves that must be defended. As it is
difficult to justify preventative measures when the problem
has not yet manifested, value engineering is a misnomer that
often results in a robust and well-thought-through design
degenerating into something cheaper that is incapable of its
primary purpose. As effort has been expended to identify
material risks, removing the mitigations during value
engineering to save a few upfront dollars at the expense
of a lifetime of operational pain, is one of the biggest false
economies in process design.
with expectations of cost decreases not increases! OK, so we are in
a pickle, but we are made of sterner stuff.
While this is a daunting (albeit common) situation, don’t
despair, as the science of flow exists and is readily accessible.
Thoughtfully applied it can often lower costs through simplifying
and removing plan Bs (like rodding points and redundant plant
which are expensive concessions to failure).
Although you may not be around to bask in the glory of your
brilliance (hopefully due to promotion) once the plant starts up,
the operators (like those depicted in the cartoon) will certainly
thank you.
Granted, as a chemical engineer you may not be equipped to
deal with bulk solid flow design issues yourself but being able to
recognise the risk is a skill in itself and there are special-matter
experts (SMEs) available to do the heavy lifting for you.
Bulk solid engineering is a specialised area where currency and
experience with other industries (who have solved the very issue
you are dealing with) can add real value. Because it involves engi-
neering, sometimes professional pride gets in the way. We may be
the Swiss Army Knife of engineering, but it is unrealistic for us to
be an SME in all dimensions, especially those that don’t involve
transformations. When it comes to other speciality issues like
taxation, OHS&E compliance, contract law, insurance... we adopt
another mindset and don’t think twice about getting SMEs a seat
at the table. Bulk solids science should be considered in the same
manner.
In upcoming instalments, our SMEs will explain how they would
approach this predicament and in solving the problems show us
how we can still be brilliant! Stay tuned for the first consultation:
“Bulk solids flow – Know what you are dealing with!”
rant ellwood n hem is eneral ana er with enike
ohanson Australia
20/02/2020 14:49
 feature energy

Waste Not Want Not

Vanda Jones discusses how you can cut your
compressed air energy consumption

I
N the chemical industry, just as in many other sectors,
compressed air is used extensively as a safe and versa-
tile source of power. Often referred to as the fourth utility,
we rely on its availability, sometimes 24/7, to power mission-
critical processes that keep our plants performing profitability.
However, it is not a free resource. Generating compressed
air can be very energy intensive, representing between 5-30%
of a site’s total electricity bill.
Coupled with this significant overhead, poor practices
and housekeeping can also contribute to unnecessary
wastage. According to a report entitled Compressed Air Systems
in the European Union, when looking at the most important
energy-saving techniques available to compressed air users,
the energy savings amount to 32.9%, achievable over a 15-year
period.
This article will take you through some of the key factors when
embarking on a compressed air energy reduction programme.
I’ll outline some of the areas to consider in order to cut energy
and carbon in a typical compressed air system, including high-
lighting areas where waste occurs and how to minimise it.
Compressed air energy in context
Let’s begin by putting this energy consumption into the context
of the current political and economic landscape.
The chemicals sector is the UK’s biggest single industrial
energy consumer by a significant margin. According
to the Chemical Industry Association’s UK Chemical and
Pharmaceutical Industry Facts and Figures report, plants use the
equivalent of 3.4m t/y of oil, spending around £2bn (US$2.6bn)

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 42

air DG.indd 42 20/02/2020 14:33

 feature energy

on fuel and electricity. As well as the financial cost, this also
contributes around 18m t of CO2 to the sector’s overall
emissions, with around 36% of this being electrical energy.
At the same time, carbon and climate change are hitting
UK and international headlines, with movements such as
Extinction Rebellion and campaigners including Greta
Thunberg and David Attenborough calling for governments to
act now to limit environmental damage.
compressed air energy is often overlooked,
when, as we have already learnt, the potential
for wastage is substantial and represents a
considerable overhead, not to mention carbon
footprint that could be reduced
It comes as no surprise that operators are keen to take steps now
to reduce their reliance on electrical energy. The Government’s
Clean Growth Strategy for meeting the UK’s legally-binding
carbon commitments aims to help businesses decarbonise.
Part of the strategy includes the Industrial Decarbonisation and
Energy Efficiency Roadmap Action Plan. In collaboration with the
Chemistry Growth Partnership (CGP), the action plan will seek
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become more energy
efficient while remaining competitive during the UK’s low
carbon transition.
With so much emphasis on carbon reduction, your business
is probably already taking steps to reduce your reliance on
electrical energy. Yet, compressed air energy is often
overlooked, when, as we have already learnt, the potential for
wastage is substantial and represents a considerable overhead,
not to mention carbon footprint that could be reduced.
In 2020, BCAS is celebrating 90 years as the UK’s sole trade
body for compressed air and vacuum users. Alongside our
members, we will be campaigning throughout the year to make
users aware of the simple steps they can take to reduce their
compressed air energy consumption – asking the question,
what if we could reduce this figure? Imagine the carbon savings
that the industry as a whole could achieve by taking a few
simple, low-cost steps to help cut its energy consumption from
compressed air?
Take a system approach
A compressed air system is just that. A system, and every
element of it impacts on its energy consumption. When
discussing efficiency and the potential savings that could be
realised, it is important to take a full, system approach – from

figure 1: diagram of a typical compressed air system

PRIMARY FILTER AIR RECEIVER
(MAIN)
PRE-FILTER
DRYER

COMPRESSOR AUTO DRAIN

DRYER
AFTER-FILTER
DRYER

RING MAIN DRAIN LINE

SYSTEM

BRANCH LINE
MAIN TRUNK
LINE

OIL/WATER
AIR RECEIVED SEPARATOR
(LOCAL)

USER PROCESS (LARGE INTERMITTENT

DEMAND FOR COMPRESSED AIR)

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 43

air DG.indd 43 20/02/2020 14:33

 feature energy

For example, if you install the most efficient compressor

table 1: Compressed Air Systems in the European Union. Energy,
available, but connect it to a system with a 30% leak rate, then
Emissions, Savings Potential and Policy Actions. Peter Radgen and
all the benefits are lost. You should aim to improve the overall
Edgar Blaustein (Editors)
system efficiency. Efficiency in the generation of compressed
energy savings applicability (1) potential air is one aspect but targeting avoidable waste in the system is
Gains (2) even more important.
measure contribution (3)
system installation or renewal Many actions will require elements of maintenance or
equipment/system upgrade, but the human element should not
Improvement
of drives (high be overlooked. You can make substantial efficiency improve-
25% 2% 0.5%
efficiency ments by implementing new processes and encouraging staff
motors, HEM)
to use compressed air more efficiently and safely.
Improvement
of drives Table 1 highlights some typical energy saving measures,
(adjustable 25% 15% 3.8% categorising these by their applicability and cost effectiveness
speed drives,
ASD)
and then providing an indication of their potential energy-
saving reduction. The final column indicates which measures
Upgrading of
30% 7% 2.1%
compressor could then deliver the highest potential contribution.
Use of
sophisticated 20% 12% 2.4%
control systems
Detect and fix leaks
Recovering
waste heat for
We can see that reducing air leaks can have the biggest impact
20% 20% 4.0%
use in other on overall system efficiency. Leak rates in industrial systems
functions
are typically between 20–40%, meaning the compressor
Improved
has to work harder, and therefore consume more energy, to
cooling, drying 10% 5% 0.5%
and filtering compensate for the pressure loss.
Overall A tiny leak of just 3 mm can cost more than £700 a year in
system design, wasted energy, but an out-of-hours survey can identify leaks
including 50% 9% 4.5%
multipressure easily. Simply walk the site, listening for leaks.
systems You can then confirm the location using an ultrasonic leak
Reducing detector, a leak detection spray, or even a soap solution brushed
frictional 50% 3% 1.5%
on to pipe fittings.
pressure losses
Once you have identified the leaks, you can then implement
Optimising
certain end use 5% 40% 2.0% an improvement programme. First, tag the leaks and record on
devices a site plan. Next, grade the priorities, fixing the largest leaks
system operation and maintenance first and as soon as practicable. Finally, make monitoring a
collaborative process by encouraging your staff to report leaks
Reducing air
80% 20% 16.0% as soon as they are discovered.
leaks

More Once you have repaired the leaks, you should check the
frequent filter 40% 2% 0.8% pressure drop from the compressor to each point of use, as you
replacement
may be able to reduce the generation pressure and save further
energy.
potential energy savings 32.9%
Always remember to consider air leaks as part of any wider
(1) % of CAS where this measure is applicable and cost effective system adjustments. For example, turning down your compres-
(2) % reduction in annual energy consumption
sor can have an impact on the performance of air treatment.
(3) Potential contribution = Applicability * Reduction
Make sure to take advice from your supplier or service agent to
help determine the demand placed on the compressor to supply
the system and therefore its energy consumption.
generation to air treatment to distribution and finally, the
point of use.
Switch off
Even when off-load, compressors can consume up to 70% of
Identify wastage their full load power, so switch off units where there is no
An ideal place to start is to identify some of the key areas where demand for air. We suggest that you check the time switch
valuable compressed air can be wasted by processes or people settings regularly to ensure you are optimising running hours,
downstream of the compressor. as this can also help to reduce maintenance costs.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 44

air DG.indd 44 20/02/2020 14:33

 feature energy
Where appropriate, install energy management systems to
turn compressors off when they are not being used.
Recover heat
As much as 95% of the energy consumed by a compressor is
converted to heat and, unless captured, will be wasted to the
atmosphere. Many manufacturers of compressed air systems
offer heat recovery systems, which can often be retrofitted.
This allows you to recycle this excess heat; re-directing the
hot oil to an oil-to-water heat exchanger.
This is of particular benefit in the chemical sector, where
there is a high demand for process heat. The heat can be
transferred to water to raise steam and to heat water, saving
considerably on energy costs.
Reduce the pressure
Compressed air is often generated at around 8 bar, (800 kPa)
even if the point of use only requires 6.5 bar. Speak to your
service provider or manufacturer about turning down the
pressure at the point of use and whether this could help save
you energy.
You should also be mindful of pressure drop. This should
be less than 10% of the compressor’s discharge pressure, as
measured from the compressor outlet to the point of use. Thus
at a pressure of 7 bar, the pressure drop should be less than
0.7 bar.
Review compressed air usage
Compressed air is energy intensive to run, and cheaper
options exist for certain jobs. For example, there may be more
energy-efficient alternatives for drying and ventilation.
However, for applications where there are risks of explosion
or electrical interference, compressed air remains the best
option.
Train and involve staff
We recommend simple awareness sessions to advise staff
about the costs and safe use of compressed air. For example,
not allowing benches or equipment to be cleaned down with
compressed air will save a significant amount of air being
vented into the atmosphere. It is far safer to carry out such
cleaning using a vacuum system to reduce the risk of injury.
Optimise compressed air use
If compressed air is appropriate for the job, could it be delivered
more efficiently? If your air knives feature open-ended pipes,
fitting a venturi-type nozzle can use 30% less compressed air.
By making the operation much quieter, it will improve the
working environment too.
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 45
air DG.indd 45
Air distribution network: zoning
Not all parts of the network operate to the same hours or the
same pressure, so separate the compressed air system into
zones. At the same time isolate redundant pipework. When
replacing your piping, consider all the alternatives to the usual
galvanised steel. Aluminium and plastic pipes do not corrode
and also have a much smoother internal finish causing less
pressure drop and thus saving energy.
Don’t over treat air
Treating air to remove dirt, water and oil is necessary but can
use a lot of energy. Your process is likely to only need a propor-
tion of the compressed air to be treated to a very high purity. In
these cases, excellent savings are achievable by treating all the
generated air to the minimum acceptable level and improving
the purity (quality) to the desired level at the usage point.
Service and maintain
Low-cost, regular maintenance will help retain low leak rates
and reliability of equipment. You should also consider a policy
that specifies that energy efficient options are purchased when
replacing all equipment – whether it is a basic drain valve
through to the actual compressor unit itself.
Finally, always specify the manufacturer’s genuine spare
parts and don’t be tempted to use cheaper alternatives. They
could help you realise significant savings in excess of 25%.
conclusion
There are many reasons for wanting to reduce energy
consumption from your compressed air system. The finan-
cial gains are clear to see alongside tangible environmental
benefits, which will help improve your business’s bottom-
line profitability, its green credentials and your customer
reputation.
Compressed air systems offer many straightforward energy
savings and as we have highlighted, implementing just one
or two of the steps highlighted above can help you minimise
avoidable waste significantly.
In doing so, it will also result in a safer, more reliable and
effective source of power.
Vanda Jones is Executive Director at the British Compressed Air
Society (BCAS)
Further reading
1. BCAS’s Reducing Energy Consumption from Compressed Air Usage
best practice guide, www.bcas.org.uk
2. BCAS’s The Filtration and Drying of Compressed Air best practice
guide, www.bcas.org.uk
20/02/2020 14:33
 feature filtration

Making the Change

Barry Perlmutter advises on transitioning from batch to continuous

M
OST specialty and fine chemical operations are
batch operated. In these batch operations, the
processes use filter presses, vacuum nutsche filters,
filter-dryers, plate and leaf filters and batch centrifuges.
Batch processing is easy, but significantly lacks flexibility in
scaling capacity, and typically requires larger manufacturing
footprints and less efficient use of space. As there is a push to
become more efficient, many process industries have begun
thinking about continuous processing.
As there is a push to become more efficient,
many process industries have begun thinking
about continuous processinG
For example, a continuous filter is typically one-third the size of
a batch filter. Engineers are striving to convert to a continuous
process to increase yield and optimise quality by: using fewer
reslurry/holding/buffer tanks; eliminating transfer pumps;
minimising the complications of solids handling; using less
agitation (which can impact crystal size and fines generation);
and maintaining constant flows, pressures and temperatures.
Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s impossible.
In my career, I have helped engineers move to continuous
operations for such applications in pharma and biochemical,
specialty polymers, starch and cellulose, aromatic acids and fly
ash wetting. Of course, I have also tried and failed with biopro-
cessing for reaction-filtration and specialty metals processing.
But failures are equally as important as successes. Let me give
you some examples of successes, which are a lot more fun.
Specialty Chemical Polymer Application
An existing process involved a batch crystalliser operating at
0–5oC with 13–20% solids. The filtration used a batch vacuum
operation with a 6-inch cake and a heptane wash. Following
the wash, a drying/blowing step removes the heptane down to
1.0–0.5% and then the product is fully dissolved in methanol

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 feature filtration

Figure 1: BHS Rotary Pressure Filter
batch operation with reslurry tanks – investigations included
centrifuges, horizontal plate filters, and enclosed filter presses.
This phase of the project involved testing for over one year.
Unfortunately, while a lot was learned about the process, batch
operation required many agitated tanks and pumps with a great
deal of solids and solvent handling. In addition, these technol-
ogies could not maintain the pressure for the DME during cake
discharge. The client decided to use continuous processing
instead and again, after specialised lab and pilot testing, the
RPF was selected (Figure 1).
The RPF provided the continuous pressure filtration, cake
washing, and drying/flashing with complete containment. The
RPF simplified the process without multiple pressure-rated
tanks, and increased reliability with one technology conduct-
ing multiple process steps. A secondary benefit was a consistent
back pressure and cake discharge pressure to keep the DME as a
liquid rather than a gas.

phospholipids PET FOOD ADDITIVE

for pumping to another downstream reactor. For an expan- A pharmaceutical company extracts phospholipids from egg
sion, the client decided to transition to continuous processing yolk and prepares the final product as an additive for pet food.
to eliminate solids handling and reslurry tanks, and to reduce In the existing process, the ethanol slurry was mixed in various
the energy costs by eliminating the liquid ring vacuum pump reslurry tanks for dilution washing and then transferred to
required for vacuum filtration. manually-operated vacuum filters. For an expansion, it was
decided to transition to fully-automated continuous processing
to eliminate the reslurry tanks, improve the cake washing and
The RPF simplified the process without eliminate the manual handling of solids. As vacuum filtration
multiple pressure-rated tanks, and
increased reliability with one technology
conducting multiple process steps Figure 2: Contained Continuous-
Indexing Vacuum Belt Filter
After lab and pilot testing, the rotary pressure filter (RPF,
shown in Figure 1) was selected. It is a continuous pressure filter
designed for thin cake (5 mm) filtration, washing and drying
with a slowly rotating drum (6–60 rph). The drum is divided
into segments (called cells) each with their own filter media
(2–5 µm multilayer metal) and outlet for filtrates and gas. The
cake from each cell is dissolved with spray bars and directly
pumped into the next reactor. Along with the RPF, the client
installed a continuous reactor. The RPF startup went very well
while the continuous reactor was quite a challenge (we can
discuss this at another time!). The resulting installation had
an increase in filtration rate of 16% due to maintaining the
temperature at -5oC resulting in a higher capacity and secondly,
a more efficient washing due to less cake cracking in the thin
cake (5 mm) as compared with 150 mm (6-inch) cake.

Protein-Lipid Biochemical Application

A new process uses animal renderings to produce proteins and
lipids. The process is rather involved, using formic acid and
dimethyl ether (DME) under pressure so that the DME behaves
as a liquid rather than a gas. The initial thinking was to have a

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 47

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 feature filtration

was a validated process, though a manual operation, the engi-
neers evaluated automated vacuum belt filters.
The choice was a continuous-indexing vacuum belt filter
for vacuum filtration, cake washing and dewatering of the
cake. The technology is based upon fixed vacuum trays, a
continuously feeding slurry system and indexing or stepwise
movement of the filter media. In practical terms, the opera-
tional features of the belt filter can be viewed as a series of
Buchner funnels.
For the process operation, due to the stepwise
operation of the belt, washing and dewatering
efficiencies are maximised
For the process operation, due to the stepwise operation of
the belt, washing and dewatering efficiencies are maxim-
ised. Depending upon the process, the belt can be stopped
for 20 seconds to over 60 seconds. In this process, the stop
time is 30 seconds. With the belt stopped, the mechanism of
“plug-flow” for gases and liquids takes place. The plug-flow,
or displacement washing efficiency requires a lower wash
ratio as compared with multiple reslurry washes. Finally,
the fixed trays allow for the mother liquor and the wash
filtrates to be recovered individually and recirculated/recov-
ered/reused for a more efficient operation. The client installed
the fully-enclosed and pressure-tight unit of 2.25 m2 of filter
area for the egg yolk powder and ethanol slurry (Figure 2). The
filter is validated, as a GMP installation, for pharmaceutical
production and has increased the yield of the phospholipids
by 3–5%.
initial Batch Process for Lab/Pilot plant
to Continuous process for DEMONSTRATION/
Production Process
This is another interesting case study which illustrates how
the process can be changed based upon the scale of operation.
The researchers, during their development, used batch reactors
followed by batch filtration, cake washing and drying. The
liquid, succinic acid, is the product from a natural feedstock
while the cake is waste. In the lab/pilot scale, batch candle
filters were used (Figure 3). However, as the process devel-
opment continued, there were additional washing steps with
different liquids. During the transition stage from lab research-
ers to process and project engineers, it became apparent that
batch candle filters would not be able to handle the multiple
operations. Further testing on a larger scale resulted in a more
reliable continuous process with vacuum belt filters (Figure 4).
The lessons learned for process engineers, from this example,
is that the process scale matters, such that what works in the
lab may not work in the plant.

figure 3: Batch Candle Filter Operation LOW-PRESSURE GAS

PRESSURE FILTER
FILTRATE
VESSEL CAKE
OUTLETS

GAS INLET
TIE-RODS

REGISTERS PERFORATED
CORE

FILTRATE
OUTLETS FILTER
CANDLES SOCKS

SLURRY FEED
INLET

(Left to right): In a candle filter, the slurry enters through the bottom of a pressure vessel and flows across the filter media. The filter candles are
attached to registers that collect the filtrate. Gas is fed into the top of the pressure vessel for cake drying and discharge; During operation, filtrate
exits from the top of the candle, while the solids collect on the synthetic filter sock; During discharge, gas is fed into the top of the candle, which
expands the flexible sock. This causes the dry cake to crack and break away from the filter. The solids are collected at the bottom of the
pressure vessel.

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 feature filtration

figure 4: Commercial-Scale Production Operation

CAUSTIC

SLURRY

RO WATER
PRESS

SOLIDS
TO
CLOTH ROLLOFF
H 2O NaOH NaOH NaOH
FILL FILTRATION RINSE DRY DRY PRESS DRY
WASH RECYCLE WASH WASH WASH

CLOTH
RINSE

VENT

VAC VAC
SEP PUMP

MAKEUP
WATER SEPARATOR 1 SEPARATOR 2
(PRODUCT (WASTEWATER
– ACID) CAUSTIC)
BLOWDOWN
WASTEWATER

PRODUCT
BAG FILTER

CONTINUOUS and batch in the same process line
In a bulk pharma/specialty chemical application, each step of
the process required a different continuous or batch operation.
The engineers approached the project from a “continuum” or
“holistic” view and looked at each step individually and then
in total. The overall process is two batch reactors feeding two
filtration steps followed by a final batch dryer. The first filtra-
tion step is conducted by one continuous-indexing vacuum
belt filter (Figure 2). From the continuous belt filter, the solids
are discharged in a concentrated wet cake and fed to a fully-
contained batch filter press. The dewatered cake from the
batch filter press is then dried and packaged for final process-
ing at another API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) plant. As
in the previous example, process engineers need both a “silo”
approach for optimisation as well as a “continuum” approach
to understand how one upstream decision may impact the
downstream process.
it demands a transformation of the entire manufacturing
operation and the mindset of staff. Operators accustomed to
batch processes will need to be retrained, not only on individual
pieces of equipment but also on the new, broader manufac-
turing strategy. The choice of the “continuous” vendor is also
critical to support the transition.
Process engineers have many choices to transition to a
continuous operation. Testing, both lab-scale and pilot, is
necessary to support the decision. A continuous operation is
more challenging. It is, by design, a steady-state operation,
so there are fewer chances to make a change, which means
that automation/instrumentation and controls must also be
updated. These updates of monitoring follow directly with
the role of digitalisation of processes and plants. In the end,
whatever you decide, please be ready to face new issues during
commissioning and startup. I can tell you, first-hand, there
will be many unexpected consequences.

FINAL THOUGHTS Barry Perlmutter is President & Managing Director, BHS-Sonthofen.

Preparing to make a transition from batch to continuous Further insights are available via his blog (https://bit.ly/3bsDcD9) or
processing operations requires more than just new equipment: Handbook of Solid-Liquid Filtration (https://bit.ly/2vo22mN)

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 49

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 viewpoint volunteer spotlight
Amanda
Talhat
AMIChemE
Shining a light on the valuable work of IChemE volunteers
A
MANDA, until a few weeks ago, you were the Chair of
IChemE’s Food & Drink Special Interest Group. Tell us a
little about yourself.
I am currently based in Switzerland, and lead the Department
of Technology at Nestlé Institute of Material Sciences here at
Nestlé Research. We are a department of physicists, mathema-
ticians and chemical engineers working at the forefront of food
research to deliver cross-category solutions for the business.
Prior to Nestlé, I worked at PepsiCo R&D Leicester. I studied
natural sciences and later completed my PhD in Chemical Engi-
neering and Biotechnology at Cambridge.
Why did you choose to study natural sciences?
I was always torn between biology and chemistry, so natural
sciences was a good route into testing out the different options
before I committed. In this case, I chose chemistry. I later
switched to chemical engineering, so I can work on cocoa butter
which is the key ingredient in chocolate. My doctorate was on
the development of a real-time tool for studying the crystallisa-
tion behaviour of cocoa butter droplets, and then applying this to
understand the impact of origin and processing conditions.
It seems a natural step, studying cocoa and then working
for Nestlé
Yes, it would have been, but I was also curious to explore other
industries. So upon finishing my PhD, I joined Cambridge
Consultants to do both strategy consulting as well as technol-
ogy development leveraging my chemistry/chemical engineering
background. My projects ranged from developing innovation
framework for radical innovation to point-of-dispense technol-
ogies for FMCG applications. It’s only after having tried out these
industries that I realised my
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 50
volunteerstalhat DG.indd 50
heart is still very much in food, and so I left my role in Cambridge
Consultants to lead Physical Characterisation at PepsiCo R&D
Leicester. I was later promoted to Technical PM in the Food
Structure & Ingredient Sciences team before relocating to Swit-
zerland to lead the Colloidal Systems Group at Nestlé Research.
How long had you been volunteering as SIG Chair?
I joined the Food & Drink SIG in February 2016, briefly took on
the role of Secretary and became Chair in January 2018. After two
years as Chair, and due to my increased responsibilities at work,
I took the decision to step down and handed over the reins to
Serafim Bakalis from the University of Nottingham.
Why do you choose to volunteer?
I have always been heavily involved in running extra-
curricular clubs and activities throughout university, and that
habit stuck. It was and still is a great development opportunity,
and also an excellent way to network. But more recently, I volun-
teered because I genuinely cared about our mission and wanted
to leverage this opportunity to encourage more young profes-
sionals to consider a career in food and drinks. It also helped that
the SIG committee is full of wonderful characters who I enjoyed
connecting and working with. Although I am no longer involved
with the SIG, I still very much believe in the SIG’s mission and
would highly encourage those that are interested to volunteer.
What skills have you found are required for successful
volunteering?
Being able to strike a good balance between being
proactive and being patient.
20/02/2020 15:07
 viewpoint volunteer spotlight

Understanding that others are also volunteers and that

IChemE Also available

sometimes, irrespective of how exciting your idea is, it will
not be a priority for others unless you can excite them too.
in-company

HAZOP &
What has been the most rewarding part of your
volunteering experience?

LOPA training
Driving a cause that goes beyond my own professional career
and giving back to the chemical engineering community.

What is your proudest achievement to date in your life?

I used to have answers for these sort of questions along
IChemE is a market leader in process safety
the lines of “being the youngest to do…” or “represent-
ing the group at …”. But these days, I am proud that I still
training. All our courses are peer-reviewed
wake up every morning looking forward to working and and designed to help you and your
volunteering, that I enjoy every minute of my career. organisation improve process safety and
reduce risk.
And what is your proudest achievement to date in your
personal life?
[Laughing]: That I have maintained a good work–life
balance despite all these extracurricular activities! HAZOP Leadership and Management
UK | Ireland| Australia | South Africa
What would we find you doing when you are away
from work and not volunteering? Learn how to effectively lead, manage and
Now that I live in Switzerland, staying connected with organise a HAZOP study team.
friends is important. Then there’s sightseeing, and the www.icheme.org/hazop-leadership
thermal baths here are wonderful!
HAZOP Study for Team Leaders and
Finally, what advice would you have for others in the Team Members
community who might be considering volunteering
for IChemE?
UK | Australia | Malaysia
Be clear on what you can commit in terms of time and Maximise your effectiveness in HAZOP study
energy, and also what you expect back. Take up roles teams.
or volunteer for activities which help you achieve your www.icheme.org/hazop-team
development goals. For example, organise conferences
if you want to network, or organise webinars if you Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
want to work on communication skills. Finally, there UK | Ireland | Australia | South Africa |
are no difficult people, just different priorities. Give
Malaysia | New Zealand
others and yourself a break from time to time.
Learn the methodology and detailed application.
www.icheme.org/lopa
This the fifth article in a series that highlights the variety
of work done by IChemE member volunteers.
View our range of process safety courses
To read more, visit the series hub at
at www.icheme.org/safety-training
https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/
tags/volunteer-spotlight
For more information contact courses@icheme.org

IChe
m
E
Safet

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T945

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 feature careers in chemical engineering
Yasmin Ali interviews Maryam Farhanah, Senior Process Engineer
at Mott MacDonald, about her career in water consulting
M
y name is Yasmin Ali and I’m a chemical engineer
working in the energy sector. I was originally
attracted to study chemical engineering because of
the breadth of career opportunities it provides. To showcase
this diversity, I will be talking to a range of fellow chemical
engineers to find out what they do, how they got there, and why
they do it. For this instalment, I spoke to Maryam Farhanah,
Senior Process Engineer at Mott MacDonald.
Maryam is a Senior Process Engineer at Mott
MacDonald, working in the UK water industry, currently on
maternity leave. Maryam’s role is to help water companies to
improve their systems and maximise efficiency.
She provides process input to the client’s five-year Asset
Management Planning cycle, which identifies key plants that
need upgrading.
“There are different aspects of upgrading: growth due to
increase in the number of houses in a city or town, because of the
need to improve water quality in rivers and watercourses, or the
need for maintenance of existing assets,” Maryam explained.
“We work out what the best solution is for upgrading
that plant.”
Maryam didn’t set out to become a chemical engineer, nor
have plans to work in water.
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 52
careersfarhanah DG.indd 52
Maryam
Farhanah
Diploma in Singapore
“I did a Diploma in chemical engineering, that was my
second choice, my first choice was actually in multimedia and
journalism.” Maryam went on to explain that a Diploma is
Singapore’s equivalent of a Higher National Diploma, completed
between the ages of 17 and 20.
Towards the end of the Diploma, Maryam spent some time
at the Chemical Process Technology Centre on Jurong Island,
Singapore, a kerosene distillation training facility. This allowed
her to apply the theoretical learning in an industrial practical
setting.
“We had to troubleshoot SCADA alarms and equipment to
demonstrate working in a real-life refinery. It was all for training
purposes but I really loved it. I thought ‘yeah I could probably do
this as a career.’” From there, Maryam went on to complete her
Master’s degree in chemical engineering at Swansea University,
UK, and is now a Chartered Chemical Engineer.
Diving into the water sector
Maryam’s foray into water started with a placement during
her Diploma, with ExxonMobil’s water analytics team,
testing quality and compliance of process-related fluids
20/02/2020 14:51
 feature careers in chemical engineering

before discharge to sea. During university, she completed an

internship in water remediation with 3M. Several other water-
themed jobs followed, including research and development
work with Samatrix.
“They had three prototypes that they were hoping to take
to market. It was early stages when I was trying to develop the
patents in collaboration with Swansea University. One was for
a self-cleaning storm screen and another was for a mechanism
for unblocking pipelines.”
Maryam’s growing interest in water led to her current
consultancy role with Mott MacDonald, which she likened to
solving puzzles.
“You’re looking at issues more holistically, talking to differ-
ent stakeholders to understand what are the main reasons from
their perspectives driving the need to upgrade this plant. This
enables you to develop the right basis of design.”

Taking maternity leave

When Maryam was applying for jobs, she took account of the
need for a good work life balance, and Mott MacDonald seemed
to fit the bill. Her experience so far has been positive. She is on
maternity leave until Q 3, and is considering returning to work
on reduced hours.
In addition, Maryam expressed the importance of having
a good relationship with her manager, Mariana Gonzalez, a
fellow chemical engineer who acts as a nurturing mentor and
role model.
“I have a fantastic manager and mentor, very supportive.
You are more vulnerable to health issues when you’re pregnant,
she was very understanding of my needs.”
Work-life balance: Good working
relationships are important
engineering course, make sure it’s still relevant, and what the
industry can do to support the university. I had an amazing
time at Swansea, so I like to give back!”
I asked Maryam if people are surprised when they hear she
is a chemical engineer; the answer is yes.
“They also think I’m a graduate, which can be difficult when
you’re trying to get buy-in from stakeholders.” One of Maryam’s
pet peeves is how quickly people judge, based on appearances.
This is a situation I have also personally experienced.

Engineering community
Outside of work, Maryam is active in the engineering
community. She represented Mott MacDonald at the Young
Water Leaders conference in Singapore in 2018, and sits on the
Industrial Advisory Board for Swansea University.
“Twice a year, we discuss all things related to the chemical
Looking ahead
“In the past it was hard going to conferences and people
incorrectly assumed I was someone’s assistant who might
appear more ‘business like’. In recent years, as diversity has
improved, it has got better but there’s still some way to go.”
Maryam deals with this by correcting people, and catches them
off-guard by injecting some humour into the situation.
Looking ahead at the water sector, Maryam is concerned
about the challenges arising from the cocktail of chemicals that
ends up in our water, from agriculture to cleaning products to
the medications that pass through our bodies.
“The importance of process engineers in the water
industry is often underplayed. Anyone going into chemical
engineering will think about oil and gas or energy, but
sustainability of water will get even more important.”

Yasmin Ali CEng MIChemE is a chemical engineer working

in the energy sector. For more articles in this series, visit
water consultancy: like ‘solving puzzles’ www.thechemicalengineer.com

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 53

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 feature icheme

SMART Thinking
Ainslie Just provides an update on IChemE’s Programme SMART

P
ROGRAMME SMART (Sustainable Membership Achieved
via Robust Transactions) is a group of four member-led
projects designed to deliver sustainable membership
growth. When it was initiated in 2017, members were consulted
and webinars were held to inform the membership of its aims.
IChemE is now beginning to deliver some of the changes and
so it’s timely to provide an update on progress of the projects,
and we will continue to do this via The Chemical Engineer
throughout 2020.
Growing the membership
Sustainable membership growth is critical to:
• provide more for our members;
• benefit society;
• remain relevant to the profession;
• strengthen the global network of chemical engineers;
and
• increase the relevance of the Institution and the
profession to decision makers.
Programme SMART is structured around the three stages of a
chartered membership application, as defined by the Engineer-
ing Council’s Registration Code of Practice. By the end of 2020,
all three stages will be built into a new system that will replace
our existing ‘MARS’ (Membership Application Review System)
process.
The Qualifications Committee acts as steering committee
for Programme SMART. As Vice-President Qualifications (and a
Trustee), I chair both of these, but I’m actively supported by the
Chairs of both the Professional Formation Forum, Helen Fennell,
and of the Education and Accreditation Forum, Rob Best.

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 54

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 feature icheme

accredited chemical engineering degree to provide IChemE with

Stages for chartered membership: this figure shows the
evidence that they meet the educational requirements for both
Engineering Council Qualification stage (top row); the name of the
Incorporated (IEng) and Chartered (CEng) status.
IChemE member-led group doing the work (middle row); and what
We also welcome Fenella Nordquist as the first ICP Panel
the output will be (bottom row)
Chair. This panel of volunteers will be responsible for under-
taking the assessment of ICP applications.
Stage 2: A soft launch (invitation only) will be planned to follow
Stage 1: Initial Stage 3:
the third pilot (May 2020) before going fully live with ICP on
Education Professional Professional
Development IChemE’s website later in the year.
Base review
(IPD)

Stage 2: Initial Professional Development (IPD)

Process Currently, IPD assessment is part of the Competence and
flexible professional improvement/ Commitment (C&C) report assessment in the Professional
pathways development business like
Review stage. IPD can be gained either through an employer’s
TAG* Tag* thinking
(PI/BLT) TAG* IChemE Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS) or inde-
pendently by candidates.
We are looking to introduce an Initial Professional Devel-
opment (IPD) assessment stage in the application process to
experience and demonstration provide better evidence of compliance with the Engineering
knowledge and of competencies
development of Council requirements as well as improve feedback and support
understanding and
competencies for those who have not been through an ACTS.
committment
It will also mean that candidates will benefit from a
pre-check of their professional experience before they move to
* Member-led technical advisory group Stage 3 – this should give them confidence before they begin to
work on their Competence and Commitment Report.
The process is under development and will accommodate
both ACTS and non-ACTS candidates.
Technical advisory groups (TAGs) were established at the
beginning of the project, and are member led. They have been
specifically formed to provide the required member expertise. Stage 3: Professional review
We’ll now share an update on each of these three stages. Over the past few months, we have conducted pilots with
candidates from ACTS schemes to test a revised process for
processing Chartered Membership applications within three
Stage 1: Education Base months from submission of application to receipt of result. This
This stage includes the development of a new individual case cuts the average time by around half – in 2016, for candidates
procedure (ICP), which has been progressing well. ICP is the with accredited Master’s-level degrees, the process took on
assessment of Stage 1, the educational base for membership for average 177 days.
those who do not have accredited degrees, that fully meet the 53 candidates were involved in the process, which was
entrance requirements. In order to test the new procedure, we supported by a small team of membership volunteers, who
have undertaken two pilot projects and are now in the midst of carried out both the assessment of Competence and Commit-
a third (42 candidates have been involved in the pilot studies). ment reports and the interview.
Stakeholder feedback gathered following the pilots was
largely very positive and is being considered as we work to
ICP will be a more welcoming and flexible create a new Stage 3 process for all candidates (not only those
replacement to the current Technical Report from ACTS schemes).
route and will ultimately provide a We will continue to keep you updated on progress as the new
more transparent and accessible route for three-stage process is developed, and formal communications
those without an accredited chemical about the launch will be issued closer to the time.
engineering degree

ICP will be a more welcoming and flexible replacement to the Ainslie Just CEng FIChemE is Vice President Qualifications, Chair of
current Technical Report route and will ultimately provide the Qualifications Committee and Steering Group for Programme
a more transparent and accessible route for those without an SMART, and a Trustee of IChemE

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 55

smart DG.indd 55 20/02/2020 16:31

 On-demand training
Our on-demand training courses help you to enhance your CPD, fitting in around busy work
schedules and eliminating the need to travel.

Courses cover a variety of topics, such as process safety, management, procurement, technical
writing, communications, scale-up and more.

What’s included in an on-demand course:

■ downloads of all modules (usually an hour each)
■ most modules have an FAQ section at the end
■ digital copies of slides and supporting materials (PDF)
■ e-certificate of attendance, including hours allocation for CPD purposes (on request)

Visit www.icheme.org/shop to purchase a course and get started on your training today.
TCE945

tce.945.56.indd
Online training FP2 AD.indd 2 20/02/2020 4:28
2:59 PM
 book review
Graphene – Important
Results and Applications
GEORGE WYPYCH
ISBN: 978-1-927885-51-2;
CHEMTEC PUBLISHING; 2019; US$350
G
RAPHENE is now a teenager! Isolated in 2004, it is the
first child in what has become a large family of two-
dimensional materials – a category of layered materials
made up of just one or a few sheets of atoms. Their exceptional
properties have driven an explosive growth in research and
development activities.
Over the past five years, I have watched graphene approach
adulthood, and during this time, technical reviews and perspec-
tives have quickly become historical snapshots – such has been
the rapid pace of developments.
Looking at it from within the research community, it
continues to create fundamental excitement – twisted bilayers
are a very recent example, whereby twisting two graphene
sheets stacked on top of one another by a mere 1.1 degrees
demonstrates superconductivity – and I believe it is well
positioned for life in the real-world as it filters through into
commercial products. But perceptions can differ outside this
research bubble.
To some, graphene has made a lot of noise with arguably
little to show; the fine details and less-than-trivial challenges
of translating spectacular lab results into everyday technol-
ogies and industrial processes are not the things that media
reports tend to discuss. Taking an example from my research
area – production – the beautiful simplicity of the sticky-tape
method that 2010 Nobel Prize winners Geim and Novoselov
used to isolate graphene sheets from graphite, and which many
scientists still use today, is not amenable to industrial-scale
production.
So, how is graphene produced? What are these exceptional
material properties? Moreover, what type of applications can
it be used for? Graphene – Important Results and Applications
explores these topics, summarising recent publications since
the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded.
It begins by describing the prize and showing the exponen-
tial growth in research outputs over the last decade. The major
research themes are highlighted, including how interests have
changed with the maturity of the research field.
I found this a good starting point to explain why produc-
tion, material properties, chemical functionalisation, and
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 57
bookreview DG.indd 57
Summary
PRESENTS RECENT RESEARCH ON
GRAPHENE THAT WILL INTEREST
NEWCOMERS AND OFFERS AN
INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPICAL AREAS
INCLUDING MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS,
PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS.
current applications were chosen as the key topics. It also helps
compartmentalise numerous areas into a few manageable bites,
giving an introductory reader a way in. Additionally, the techni-
cal aspects were supported quite well with figures cited from the
literature throughout the book. In particular, I felt the regular
inclusion of microscopy and spectroscopy images was an
effective way to show how the various forms of graphene look
under different processing conditions and applications.
However, unjustifiably poor proof-reading and typesetting
did disrupt the flow for me and better attention should have
been paid before being sent to print.
The book also presents many well-known bottom-up
and top-down production techniques and a collection of 23
different applications are covered, from grand challenge areas
such as energy storage and water treatment, to a summary on
the use of graphene in sporting equipment. This mix gives a
broad perspective of graphene’s reach, although certain areas
are not as well documented as others.
For example, graphene integration with semiconductors is a
major area of active research that may revolutionise informa-
tion and communications technology, yet it receives almost the
same attention as graphene use in reinforcing tennis rackets. I
suspect this might have been a compromise to permit a large
number of examples and meet the original intention to amplify
applications. In these cases, the references after each section
provide additional routes to explore an area in more detail.
Therefore, I think this book works as a summary text for
those curious about graphene and its applications, who would
like a single source overview of current research topics. Or, as a
starting point before exploring a specific area in detail.
Review by Jason Stafford, Lecturer in the Department of Chemical
Engineering, University of Birmingham
20/02/2020 14:46
 news icheme

awards
IChemE Fellow
awarded Australia Day
honours
ICHEME Fellow Geoffrey Stevens, a chemi-
cal engineering professor at the University
of Melbourne, has been awarded Officer
(AO) in the General Division of the Order
of Australia in the Australia Day 2020
Honours list.
The honours are awarded each year on
medals Australia Day, 26 January, and recognise
Australian citizens for outstanding service.
Stevens was recognised for his distin-
IChemE medal winners announced guished service to education, to chemical
engineering and environmental remedia-
ENERGY experts and dedicated volunteers are among 26 chemical engineers tion, and as a mentor.
being recognised by IChemE for outstanding contributions to the profession in He is the Laureate Professor of the
industry and academia. Department of Chemical and Biomo-
The Trustees Medal is being awarded to Brunel University’s Professor Stefaan lecular Engineering at the University of
Simons. The inaugural Chair of the IChemE Energy Centre Board, he established Melbourne. He leads an internationally-
the Energy Centre, its Board and led the development of its work programme recognised separations group that has a
alongside members and IChemE staff. He has helped raise the profile of chemical primary focus on hydrometallurgy, but also
engineering in the energy landscape among the global engineering community includes food processing, pharmaceutical
and policymakers. processing, and wastewater processing. He
Independent consultant Rodney Allam is the first-ever recipient of the has held various positions at the university
new Clean Energy Medal. He is a distinguished member in the field of carbon since 2000, including Head of Department
capture and storage and has contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on in Chemical Engineering, and Pro Vice
Climate Change (IPCC) since 2000. He is the developer of the ‘Allam Cycle’, a low- Chancellor.
cost energy recycling process that uses captured carbon dioxide to power turbines Stevens is a Project Leader for CO2CRC,
in natural gas plants. It is set to revolutionise carbon capture technology. an Australian CCS research organisation,
Andy Brown, Progressive Energy, UK, will be presented with the Ambas- and was Secretary General of the Interna-
sador Prize for major contributions to IChemE’s Clean Energy Special Interest tional Solvent Extraction Committee from
Group (CESIG) for more than 15 years. Leading the CESIG’s work on hydrogen, he 1996–2016. He also volunteered for ten
contributed a report by numerous professional engineering institutions assessing years on the editorial board of IChemE’s
the possibility of using hydrogen to replace natural gas in the UK’s gas grid, and journal  Chemical Engineering Research and
has overseen a series of features articles on hydrogen in The Chemical Engineer. Design,  representing the topic area of
The Greene Medal will be presented to Fenella Nordquist from KBR, UK. An separation processes.
active IChemE volunteer for almost 25 years, she has been instrumental in imple- Stevens said: “I am very pleased and
menting the evolving process of accrediting chemical engineering degrees and has humbled by the honour. Although it is an
mentored generations of chemical engineering students. individual award, it has been a collective
Angela Osborne, eXmoor Pharma Concepts, UK will be presented with the effort by many wonderful people I have
Donald Medal for her pioneering work applying process engineering disciplines in worked with over the years – not just at
cell and gene therapy to develop regenerative medicines. the university, but colleagues in other
Raphaël Faure, Matthieu Flin, Pascal Del Gallo and Marc Wagner, from Air areas and around the world. I would like
Liquide, France, will be awarded the Hanson Medal for their article, Add it up! to thank them and my wife and family for
How 3D Printing of Reactors can Help Chemical Engineers with Process Intensification, the ongoing support. I see chemical engi-
published in The Chemical Engineer. neering as an enabling discipline and the
The medal winners will be awarded their prizes at events throughout the year. key to many of today’s challenges. Inspir-
The full list of recipients is available online. ing young minds in the discipline will help
us develop a more sustainable society.”

MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 58

ichemenews945 DG.indd 58 20/02/2020 15:04

 Fundamentals of Process Safety
23–27 March, Manchester, UK
22–26 June, Edinburgh, UK
12–16 October, Reading, UK

IChemE’s flagship process safety course

explores the key principles of process safety
and its management.
Essential for anyone who is involved in
the design, modification, operation and
maintenance of a major hazard or process
plant, or those who want to gain a thorough
understanding of process safety.

Full details and registration

www.icheme.org/fundamentals
This course can also be run in-house, email
courses@icheme.org to request a quotation.

IChe
m
E
Safet

ISC
TCE945

re
y

n
Ce

EDITORIAL Statements and opinions expressed in The Chemical Engineer are the responsibility of
Editor: Adam Duckett, aduckett@icheme.org, @adam_tce, +44 (0)1788 534469 the editor. Unless described as such, they do not represent the views or policies of the
Institution of Chemical Engineers. The Editor and the Institution do not accept liability
Managing Editor: Delyth Griffiths, dgriffiths@icheme.org, +44 (0)1788 534424
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Staff Reporter: Amanda Jasi, ajasi@icheme.org, @tce_ajasi permission is always illegal. USA authorisation to photocopy items for internal or
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 The Chemical Engineer events
FOR A FULL LIST VISIT WWW.ICHEME.ORG/EVENTS
UNITED KINGDOM
Diversifying Curriculum FoRUm
4 March, Bradford
Speakers from industry and academia and will
focus on the evolving themes of Biochemical
Engineering and Digitalisation/Industrie 4.0.
Presentations and discussions will consider
the knowledge and skills industry needs and
how universities can embed these in the
curriculum. There will be discussion of how
industry and academia can work together
to produce useful teaching and learning
resources for chemical engineering students.
https://bit.ly/2SZt64c
Get Chartered
5 March, Birmingham
Midlands Members Group event.
www.icheme.org/getchartered-mmg
Technical Visit to Ceres Power
17 March, Horsham
The Clean Energy Special Interest Group
invites you to join a visit to Ceres Power
in Horsham. Ceres Power is a fuel cell
technology and engineering company whose
aim is to bring cleaner and cheaper energy to
businesses, homes and vehicles. It is working
with world-leading partners to embed its
SteelCell technology in mass-market energy
products for the commercial, residential and
transportation markets.
www.icheme.org/ceres-power
South Bank Social
18 March, Barton
Informal gathering of IChemE members and
friends at new restaurant.
www.icheme.org/southbanksocial2020
The IChemE Contracts:
a brief introduction
12 March
A brief introduction to the suite of IChemE
contracts that are specifically published for
the design, construction and commissioning
of performance-based process plants in the
chemical, biochemical and related industries.
The webinar is aimed at introducing the
various types of contract available, their
application, general structure and contents.
www.icheme.org/icheme-contracts
Circular Water Series:
a journey in water reuse for Perth
17 March
This webinar series is aimed at anyone
working in the water sector who is interested
in water reuse and approaches around the
world. This session will give an overview
of the journey taken to date by Water
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 60
diary 945 DG.indd 60
Commercialising Industrial Biotechnology
18 March, Manchester
This one-day event will examine whether
sufficient scale-up capacity exists in the
UK for startup companies. This will be in
the context of the experience of a variety of
industrial biotech companies as they have
transitioned from laboratory to pilot plant and
on to manufacture.
www.icheme.org/besig-commercialising
Disastrous Dinners: Effects of Minor Changes
24 March, Edinburgh
Discussion of the Chevron refinery explosion
followed by drinks and dinner.
www.icheme.org/disastrous-dinners-emc
ChemEngDayUK 2020
7–8 April, Bradford
Research staff and students
from UK universities and industrial
collaborators will discuss developments
and innovations in their fields of work.
www.bradford.ac.uk/ei/
chemical-engineering/chemengdayuk2020
Annual General Meeting followed by
pub quiz social
21 April, Hull
Hull and Humber Members Group (HHMG)
invites you to join the Annual General Meeting
and Pub Quiz Social.
www.icheme.org/agm-pub-quiz-2020
Hazards 30
18–20 May, Manchester,
Hazards 30 is IChemE’s annual process
safety conference, the leading event of its
kind in Europe. It will explore every major
aspect of process safety, sharing good
practice, new techniques and approaches, and
lessons learned from past incidents and
ONLINE
Corporation around water supply resilience.
www.icheme.org/circular-water
Back to Basics: Ensuring Control
Theory is put into Practice
24 April
A criticism often levelled at the teaching of
process control, at undergraduate level, is
it is too theoretical and does not adequately
prepare a student for ‘real-world’ industrial
process control. The talk will look at subjects
covered in typical chemical engineering
undergraduate control modules and argue that
this perception is perhaps
now out of date.
www.icheme.org/back-to-basics
Functional safety management
of installed SIS
1 May
Functional safety management is a key
requirement of good practice standards
near-misses. Hazards is an international,
industry-focussed event, and attracts
practitioners from all over the world.
www.icheme.org/hazards30
MALAYSIA
2020 Annual General Meeting of
IChemE in Malaysia
18 April, Malaysia
All are welcome to attend (09:00–12:30,
Meeting Room 5-4-59, Building 5, Level 4,
Monash University Malaysia). Attendance must
be confirmed by emailing Niza Zainuddin
by 16 April.
nzainuddin@icheme.org
32nd Symposium of Malaysian Chemical
Engineers (SOMChE)
9–10 April, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The theme of this year`s conference is
Navigating the Frontier of Sustainability, which
covers a wide range of critically-important
sessions. The aim of this conference is to
discuss and feature the multidisciplinary
research and development advances and
efforts from both industries and universities.
www.icheme.org/somche2020
SOUTH AFRICA
Energy and Resource Efficiency
in South Africa
11 March, Cape Town
The IChemE Energy Centre is hosting
this event to discuss energy and resource
efficiency and what this means
in South Africa.
https://bit.ly/3bTcp35
(eg IEC 61511 for the process industries) for
managing safety instrumented systems (SIS)
to minimise systematic failures during the
lifecycle. Functional safety management
requirements are defined in good practice
standards. This webinar will set out the
background to the guidance and some
of the key requirements.
www.icheme.org/functional-safety
Vaccines Manufacture & Inoculations
Centre Harwell
4 May
An introduction to a brand new UK
manufacturing project that will provide
state-of-the-art vaccine development
and manufacturing. The centre will be
constructed and operated by a new, not-for-
profit company, VMIC UK, and will enhance
UK preparedness and response capabilities
for producing vaccines against emerging
infectious diseases.
www.icheme.org/vaccines-manufacture
20/02/2020 16:59
 The Chemical Engineer courses
FOR A FULL LIST VISIT WWW.ICHEME.ORG/COURSES
UNITED KINGDOM & EUROPE
What Engineers Need to Know
About Contracts
9–10 March, Rugby, uk
www.icheme.org/contracts
Pressure Relief
10–12 March, Liverpool, uk
www.abb.com/uk/consulting/training
HAZOP Leadership and Management
17–19 March, Rugby, uk
https://bit.ly/30OL6BF
Practical Aspects of ATEX/DSEAR
Compliance Success
17–20 March, Southampton, UK
www.dekra-uk.co.uk/en/atex-dsear-training
Control and Operation of Centrifugal
Gas Compressors
18–20 March, Aberdeen, uk
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
Fundamentals of Process Safety
(FOPS) Management
23–27 March, Manchester, uk
https://bit.ly/2umScBq
Expert Hazard Awareness
24–26 March, Cumbria, uk
https://bit.ly/3av9EUZ
Area Classification
24–25 March, Teesside, uk
www.abb.com/uk/consulting/training
Chemical Engineering for Scientists
24–26 March, Rugby, uk
https://bit.ly/37lq4xc
Practical Aspects of ATEX/DSEAR
Compliance Success
31 March–3 April, Dublin, Ireland
www.dekra-uk.co.uk/en/atex-dsear-training
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
1–2 April, Rugby, UK
www.icheme.org/lopa
Problem Solving and Troubleshooting
in Process Operations
20–21 April, Aberdeen, UK
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
Hazard Study Leaders
20–24 April, Teesside, uk
https://bit.ly/2SGCWZF
Practical Aspects of Process
Control & instrumentation
22–24 April, Aberdeen, uk
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 61
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Human Factors Module 1:
Managing Human Factors
22–23 April, Edinburgh, UK
www.icheme.org/human-factors
HAZOP Leadership and Management
28–30 April, Dublin, ireland
www.icheme.org/hazop-leadership
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
12–13 May, Dublin, ireland
www.icheme.org/lopa
HAZOP Leadership and Management
12–14 May, Rugby, UK
www.icheme.org/hazop-leadership
Hazard Awareness
13 May, Cumbria, UK
https://bit.ly/328z46Z
Chemical Engineering for Other Engineers
19–21 May, Rugby, UK
www.icheme.org/chemical-engineering
Process Safety Leadership & Culture
21 May, Manchester, UK
www.icheme.org/safety-leadership
Pressure Relief
9–11 June, Edinburgh, UK
https://bit.ly/2woL4oW
Process Design Practices
15–19 June, London, UK
www.proceng.co.uk
Production Process and
Emergency Systems on
Oil and Gas Installations
17–19 June, Aberdeen, UK
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
IEC 61508/61511 & SIL Determination
17–18 June, Warrington, UK
www.cvent.com/d/hhq4vg
Control and Operation of Centrifugal
Gas Compressors
22–24 June, Aberdeen, UK
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
Chemical Plant Commissioning
1–3 July, Leeds, UK
https://eps.leeds.ac.uk
Control and Operation of Centrifugal
Gas Compressors
2–4 September, Aberdeen, UK
www.esd-simulation.com/courses
AUSTRALASIA & SE ASIA
Process Safety Leadership and Culture
25 March, Auckland, NZ
www.icheme.org/safety-leadership
Fundamentals of Process Safety
30 March–3 April, Perth, Australia
www.icheme.org/process-safety-aus
HAZOP Leadership and Management
5–7 May, Perth, Australia
www.icheme.org/hazard-leadership-aus
Human Factors – Human Factors
in Design: module 4
26–27, May, Perth, Australia
www.icheme.org/human-factors-
module-four
Bulk Solids Handling for Chemical Engineers
2 June, Melbourne, Australia
www.icheme.org/bulk-solids-handling
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
15–16 June, Brisbane, Australia
www.icheme.org/lopa-aus
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
17–18 June, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.icheme.org/lopa-malaysia
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
18–19 June, Perth, Australia
www.icheme.org/lopa-aus
Process Safety Leadership and Culture
24 June, Melbourne, Australia
www.icheme.org/safety-leadership
Fundamentals of Process Safety
13–17 July, Brisbane, Australia
www.icheme.org/process-safety-aus
Hazop Study for Team Members
and Team Leaders
21–23 July, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
https://bit.ly/37FZ2js
Consequence Modelling Techniques
28–30 July, Brisbane, Australia
www.icheme.org/consequence-modelling
Human Factors Module 1:
Managing Human Factors
5–6 August, Perth, Australia
www.icheme.org/human-factors-module-one
Practical Distillation Technology
17–19 August Melbourne, Australia
www.icheme.org/distillation
Fundamentals of Process Safety
24–28 August, Hamilton, New Zealand
www.icheme.org/process-safety-nz
20/02/2020 16:59
 IChemE Global Awards 2020
Open for entries on 6 March

Recognising the Best of Chemical Engineering!

The IChemE Global Awards recognise chemical, process and biochemical engineering excellence
worldwide. With 21 categories, including 3 new awards, there are plenty of opportunities for
you, your company, your team or your project to be recognised.

Visit www.icheme.org/globalawards to download an entry form.

Entry deadline: 26 June

FREE to enter and open to all IChemE members and non-members

Winners will be announced at the IChemE Global Awards Dinner on 12 November in

Manchester, UK.

Contact awards@icheme.org for more information.

Sponsors

tce.945.62.indd
TCE Awards FD AD2 2020_chosen.indd 1 20/02/2020 4:36
4:33 PM
 The Chemical Engineer jobs
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MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 63

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 RESIDuE the STUFF LEFT OVER AT THE END

en-
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650–750 microns in anism,
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MARCH 2020 | The Chemical Engineer | page 64

residue945 DG.indd 64 20/02/2020 16:25

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