Chemical Engineering World December 2019

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Contents CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WORLD RNI Registration No. 11403/66 Chairman Publisher & Printer Chief Executive Officer

Maulik Jasubhai Shah Hemant K. Shetty Hemant K. Shetty

EditorIAL Editor

Mittravinda Ranjan (mittra_ranjan@jasubhai.com)

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Editorial Advisory Board Contributing Editors Design Team

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Sudhir Shenoy, Country President and CEO,Dow Chemical India Pvt Ltd Circular Economy: Now Becoming a Necessity

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Neelanjan Banerjee ,Vice Chairman and Managing Director, LANXESS India Pvt Ltd 44

Samir S Somaiya, Chairman and Managing Director, Godavari Biorefineries Ltd Sustainable De-carbonization through Bio-mobility

Amit Bhalerao (amit_bhalerao@jasubhai.com) Prashant Koshti (prashant_koshti@jasubhai.com)

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Features

Integration of Circular Economy into Business Strategy

Building a Circular Biorefinery

Place of Publication: Jasubhai Media Pvt Ltd

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Vol. 54 | ISSUE No. 12 | december 2019 | Mumbai | ` 150

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Pramod Chaudhari, Founder and Executive Chairman, Praj Industries Limited Adapting to Circular Economy: a Path to Sustainability for Chemical Industry

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Haritosh Mishra, General Manager, Research and Development , Grauer & Weil (I) Ltd New Development in Flexible Plastic Packaging

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Prateeksha Kaul, Research Analyst, Visionary Science Practice , Frost & Sullivan Innovation and Cooperation Bring Sustainable Water Supply to Rural Kenya

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Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd (Grundfos India) Digitally Enabled Process Safety Management for Chemical Plants

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Manoviram Rath & Rajesh Thilak , L&T Technology Services Limited Digital Transformation: a Sustainability Enabler

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Dr Paige Marie Morse, Chemical Industry Marketing Director, Aspen Technology

PRODUCTS 73

events 84 PROJECT UPDATE

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book shelf 89 INTERVIEW

As the World Grows More Connected, Data Security Becomes the Necessity against Digital threats Sanjay Joshi, Country Manager – India , Aker Solutions

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Ad Index 94

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Chemical Engineering World




CEW News G l o b a l I n n ova t i o n Aw a rd fo r S u s t a i n a b l e Water Solutions Chennai, India: Frost & Sullivan has presented Grundfos with this year’s award for best practices in Emerging Market Innovation in sustainable water solutions. Grundfos’s work was to deliver pioneering and sustainable water solutions to a world where millions still lack access to safe water.

75 to 80 percent. These requirements are served through two of major Nord production plans, one in Hinjewadi MIDC Phase II started in Nov 2007 and the second facility in Hinjewadi MIDC phase I which was established in the year Oct 2017. Considering the consistently growing Indian market and Nord India consolidating its presence further, the Management has taken a decision to further increase its production capacity especially for the Large gearboxes & IGU. (Industrial Gearbox Units)

The global research company praises Grundfos for addressing water challenges in emerging markets by introducing solar-powered water pumps that are straightforward to install while also – as another initiative - innovating new business models that make pumps available in a more affordable way. Grundfos works with local partners to deliver on its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 and 13. After the initial installation process, Grundfos recruits and trains local technicians on the operation and maintenance of the pump systems, thereby creating local expertise. “It makes all our efforts worthwhile when our innovations improve the lives of people around the world, especially those who did not have access before; this is the very essence of our purpose,” said Ulrik Gernow, Group Executive Vice President, CMO, Grundfos. He also added, “We could never have accomplished the same results without our partners in these projects nor the relentlessly ambitious colleagues bringing these solutions forward throughout the world. This award is dedicated to them.” According to Frost & Sullivan, Grundfos gives customers across the globe better access to sustainable water pump systems supported by innovative, reliable technology and expert service, including solarpowered water pumps and the Lifelink product line. Among a range of concrete solutions, Frost & Sullivan highlights Grundfos’ Lifelink solutions, where AQtap – the cloud-connected water dispensers known as water ATMs – can be topped up through mobile phones as well as Aqpure, the water treatment unit that secures safe drinking water. “We see Grundfos as a company that has committed itself to delivering cost-effective solutions that strengthen the reliability and sustainability of safe water supply in emerging economies. The company has shown commitment to customized solutions and to gain a thorough understanding of emerging market requirements, which have helped Grundfos expand its presence in emerging markets,” said Fredrick Royan, Global Vice President for Research in Sustainability & Circular Economy, Frost & Sullivan.

Nord Drivesystems Expanded Facility in Pune to Cater to the Growing Demand of Large Gearboxes and Industrial Gearbox Units Pune, India: Nord Drivesystems has recently installed a manufacturing facility in India with a capacity of 42000 geared motors per annum plus a 22000 Electrical Motor Assembly with an utilization factor between 8 • December 2019

Nord Drivesystems announced the expansion of its current facility at Hinjewadi, Pune on 21st November 2019. The inauguration was done at the hands of Shri Vikram Kumar (IAS) Metropolitan Commissioner, PMRDA. Also present at the occasion were Ms. Jutta Humbert, Managing Partner, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS Group, Mr. P L Muthusekkar, MD, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, Pvt. Ltd amongst other dignitaries.

The newly acquired plant expansion is just adjacent to our existing Nord Drivesystems plant with a connecting road in between. It is spread on an area measuring 7211sq.mtrs whilst the building area is 3213sq.mtrs. This will be Nord India’s third facility in row. Nord India plans to use this new available space for the production of the large gearbox assemblies whose demand is continuously increasing in the domestic market. It will also accommodate a bigger warehouse to support the proposed large gearbox production, making way for more production space in the existing building for medium size geared motors. Last year Nord India Motor production facility had also got approved by BIS, Quality governing body under Govt. of India for ISI marked Motor production which recently has being enhanced further to include all Motor ranges up to 55KW ratings. Further with time, Nord India plans to include new Gearbox variants into its production portfolio like Industrial Gearbox Units (IGU) production along with specialized paint shop facility. With full commissioning of this new facility, Nord India would be covering almost 90% of the offered Nord catalogue products locally from Pune for the domestic market as well as SAARC countries. Growing at about 20 percent CAGR for last 8 years and making in India & making in Maharashtra for last 14 years.

Chemical Engineering World



CEW News Frost & Sullivan’s Findings: New Plastic Technologies and Development of Alternative Bioplastic Solutions Augment the Market Growth London, UK: Growth opportunities in the global flexible plastic packaging market look promising over the next four years. Shifting consumer preferences and an evolving retail landscape have increased the demand for flexible packaging with features such as improved shelf life, convenience, and ease of use. A growing need for innovative flexible plastic packaging options that meet recyclability, regulatory, and sustainability standards are further factors augmenting lucrative market expansion possibilities. Frost & Sullivan forecasts the global flexible plastics packaging market to generate revenues of $172.29 million from 2018 to 2023 with a steady CAGR of 3.2% during this period. “Due to current regulatory, consumer, and environmental pressures, manufacturers are steering their strategies towards circularity and leveraged new plastic technologies to develop recyclable and sustainable solutions that include specific properties such as oxygen, moisture, light, puncture, and chemical resistance, and easy-tear propagation,” said Prateeksha Kaul, Senior Research Analyst, Chemicals, Materials & Nutrition. “Further key focus areas for manufacturers include the development of alternative bioplastics solutions such as Polybutylene succinate and Biopolyproplyene. However, competitive factors like price and the disposal of bioplastics will need to be examined to ensure successful usage.” From a regional perspective, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to the increasing number of dualincome households. While North America faces challenging competition from emerging markets and is set to experience average growth, European regulations regarding recyclability and sustainability of plastics used in packaging are expected to impact this region. “The persistent growth of the middle-class population in Asia-Pacific is set to be the prime driver for flexible plastic demand owing to the low cost of production,” noted Kaul. “Furthermore, an uptick in consumers using eCommerce platforms will drive greater use of flexible plastic packaging associated with shipping products.” From a competitor’s position, the supply base is fragmented with multinational companies playing a dominant role in most regions; the top five participants typically cater to less than 30 percent of the market. To gain a competitive advantage, Kaul recommends players emulate innovative companies such as Amcor, Berry, Huhtamaki, and Mondi; and introduce product innovation aimed at sustainability, enhanced consumer convenience, and ensuring higher recyclability. Additional growth opportunities participants should aim to secure include: • Expanding operations into emerging regions such as Asia-Pacific, where demand for flexible plastic packaging is expected to surge given the growing need for these products across end-applications. • Introducing products that promote less use of natural resources, produce less waste, improve shelf-life, and are cost-effective. • Increase production capabilities to cater to the growing demand for packaged foods such as ready-to-eat meals, frozen meals, snack foods, and cake mixes. “Despite significant market expansion prospects, durability and the longevity of plastics imply that it takes a lot of effort to degrade, and flexible plastic like bags, films, and wrappers end up in landfills or oceans,” noted Kaul. “Furthermore, plastic litter can also impact human health as it moves up the food chain. This, in turn, has exerted pressure on companies and manufacturers to find viable solutions, either by improving the recycling rate or focusing on producing alternatives to plastics.” Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Global Flexible Plastic Packaging Market, Forecast to 2023, explores the industrial, technology, regulatory, and growth 10 • December 2019

factors and trends that have shaped the global flexible plastic packaging market landscape, the challenges that lie ahead, and the opportunities that can be tapped. The research provides a detailed analysis of the growth opportunities for key players in this space. End industries analysed in this research include food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, personal care & cosmetics, and more. Raw material segmentation includes polyethylene, polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, and others. Analysis of the Global Flexible Plastic Packaging Market, Forecast to 2023 is part of Frost & Sullivan’s Chemicals, Materials & Nutritionresearch and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organisations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

For the First-Time-Ever, UFlex Demonstrated Rotoflex Stanmas 20: A Rotogravure Printing Press Designed to Print on Aluminium Foil Noida, India: Uflex Limited, India’s largest flexible packaging materials and solutions company and one of the leading Polymer Sciences companies in the world, conducted an Open House for the LIVE demonstration of its new engineering innovation – a special purpose 4-colour Rotogravure Printing Machine named ‘Rotoflex Stanmas 20’ designed especially to print on aluminium foil – at its manufacturing plant in Noida. The open house witnessed interested customers from Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Armenia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and also a leading flexible packaging convertor from Bangladesh Kalyar Replica, to whom the machine will be supplied for pharma packaging. Rotoflex Stanmas 20 further strengthens the portfolio of Rotogravure printing machine that UFlex already offers with eight variants in it. A single machine that can be used for printing multiple substrates, the latest variant of the press can print on aluminium foil as well as other substrates spread over Polymer family and Paper. The ideal printing speed on the machine is 150 meters/minute for aluminium foil, while other substrates can run upto 200 meters/minute. The press that prints with solvent-based inks, also comes affixed with the unique feature of an Electrical Heating System unlike the usually seen heating system of hot air generator or thermal oil, thereby helps in quick start up of operation. UFlex has developed the machine with technical inputs from MRG Grafomac of Italy and in-house design team. The machine can be made available to suit the varying budget. During the Open House, Mr. Sanjay Malik Sabharwal, Executive Vice President, Engineering Business, UFlex said, “RotoflexStanmas20 is a highly sophisticated machine by UFlex making us the pioneer in manufacturing of this special purpose gravure machine for aluminium foil printing, which is otherwise a difficult task. This machine addresses the issue of aluminium foil brittleness, by special adjustments to ensure that the press is better equipped to handle the foil so as to ensure no breakage while moving from one station to another.” Keeping in mind the need to reduce use of nylon in blister packaging for obvious reasons, this machine will cater to the high growth pharmaceutical market, especially blister packaging and also open new avenues in lidding for UFlex. With best- in-class technology at our disposal and some of the sharpest brains at our side, we are confident of taking this printing packaging machine to the global platform”, continued Mr. Sabharwal. Suitable for narrow web application, Rotoflex Stanmas 20 is a mechanical line shaft that specialises in printing on aluminium foil of varying thickness. While the trial printing for the Open House was conducted on 8 microns of aluminium, the machine has the capability to print aluminium foil of wide range of thickness, depending on the requirement. Likewise the colour configuration of Rotoflex Stanmas 20 can stretch to 8 colours. Chemical Engineering World



CEW News Equatorial Guinea to Convert Punta Europa Methanol Plant to Modular Refinery Malabo, Equatorial Guinea: A feasibility study has revealed the potential to convert Equatorial Guinea’s methanol plant at Punta Europa. The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons is dissatisfied by declining gas production and expects new investment to upgrade Punta Europa facilities. The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons (MMH) is ordering the dismantling of the methanol plant owned by the Atlantic Methanol Production Company LLC (AMPCO) at the Punta Europa Gas Complex on Bioko Island, calling instead for a modular refinery. This move notably echoes the Ministry’s discontent over Marathon Oil’s work program and budget when it comes to exploration and production on their current acreage in the country, which do not reflect the expected level of investment and commitment for key assets such as the Alba offshore field and the methanol plant, which the American company operates. “The Punta Europa complex is the crown jewel in Equatorial Guinea’s gas processing infrastructure and is central to our long-term plans for gas monetization. However, due to a lack of investment in the Alba field and the methanol plant, a modular refinery would be a more productive project for that space,” said H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons. The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea has commissioned a feasibility study to convert the methanol plant at Punta Europa. The methanol plant is a component of the larger Punta Europa gas processing facility owned by Marathon Oil and its partners. Marathon Oil Company holds 45 percent shares in the methanol plant. As part of the country’s new Gas Mega Hub project — which aims to provide additional gas supply to processing facilities both onshore and offshore — new investment in the Punta Europa complex is needed. The plant is currently supplied by Marathon Oil’s Alba field, which has seen declining production. The first phase of the gas mega hub project is to implement a new gas supply agreement signed between the MMH and Noble Energy, operator of the Aseng and Alen fields in Block I/O. Gas will be supplied to the Punta Europa gas complex, which includes the Malabo power station, AMPCO methanol plant and the Equatorial Guinea LNG plant. The agreement, combined with new subsea pipelines linking the Aseng, Alen and Alba fields, will replace some of the gas production lost as the Alba field declines. Even as the Alba field declines, however, Noble Energy, Kosmos Energy and Trident Energy have made major discoveries after an aggressive 2019 work program. Noble Energy made a discovery in the offshore Block I in August 2019, when the Aseng 6P well was drilled to a total depth of 4,417 meters. Kosmos Energy and Trident Energy struck oil in November, making a discovery when the S-5 well was drilled at a total depth of 4,400 meters and encountered 39 meters of net oil play in the Santonian reservoir, in the offshore Rio Muni Basin. The discovery was the first well drilled in Kosmos’ infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) in offshore Equatorial Guinea. The drilling of the S-5 well was accelerated following exciting 3D seismic acquired in 2018. “New investment is what is needed to continue to drive Equatorial Guinea forward. We are very pleased to be working with companies like Noble Energy, Kosmos Energy and Trident Energy, which remain committed to strong work programs and new opportunities for growth,” the Minister said. 12 • December 2019

An expected direct investment of a minimum of $1.4 billion — a firm $1.2 billion and a contingent forecast of $273 million predicted for 2020 — is associated with the drilling of two wells and the continuous development of six existing wells in Equatorial Guinea in 2020.

Romaco Group Appointed Markus Kimpel as its New Group CFO Karlsruhe, Germany: Romaco Holding GmbH has recently announced the appointment of Markus Kimpel as the new Group CFO as well as Managing Director of Romaco Pharmatechnik GmbH, the manufacturing facility in Karlsruhe (Germany). He will be taking over both positions from Carsten Strenger, who is leaving the company at his own request at the end of 2019. Mr. Kimpel will in future lead the international Romaco Group’s management team together with Romaco CEO Jörg Pieper. He will simultaneously work alongside Markus Regner as joint Managing Director of Romaco Pharmatechnik GmbH. Mr. Kimpel will have responsibility for Finance, Controlling, IT and Human Resources both as CFO and in his role as Managing Director of Romaco Pharmatechnik. In the course of a career spanning nearly 25 years, Markus Kimpel has accumulated extensive management experience in the construction and automotive supplies industries as well as in the engineering sector. A native of Frankfurt, he holds a degree in Business Administration & Mechanical Engineering and has served in various management positions including Managing Director, CFO, Director Finance and Interim Plant Manager. Most recently, he was Managing Director & CFO at the Aalen-based Alfing Special Machine Group as well as Group CFO at aluplast in Karlsruhe. “We particularly value Markus Kimpel’s experience as a manager and as a proven financial specialist”, emphasised Jörg Pieper, CEO Romaco Group. “With him on board the management team, we are optimally prepared for whatever commercial or processing challenges lie ahead of us. He will be a great asset for our company and a worthy successor to Carsten Strenger. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Strenger on behalf of everyone at Romaco for being such a great colleague to work with and wish him all the best for his professional future.” “I enjoy taking on new challenges”, Mr. Kimpel explained. “Wrapping up the Romaco Group’s integration into Truking, the Chinese parent company, will call for a mix of commercial expertise and diplomatic skills. I am personally very much looking forward to this new, exciting assignment together with my team because I firmly believe this German-Sino constellation offers development and growth opportunities for all players.” The Romaco Group was sold by Deutsche Beteiligungs AG to the Truking holding in May 2017. A three-year plan was drawn up for Romaco’s integration into the operative Truking Technology Ltd. Romaco Holding GmbH and its subsidiaries will be transferred to the listed company Truking Technology Ltd. in 2020. Truking Technology Ltd., the Chinese pharmaceutical engineering group, has been listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange (SZSE) since 2014. Chemical Engineering World


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CEW News Stephanie Coßmann Has Been Appointed to LANXESS Board of Management Cologne, Germany: Change in the Board of Management at Lanxess: Stephanie Coßmann (46), currently head of the Human Resources group function, has been appointed by the Supervisory Board to become member of the Board of Management and Labor Director. Coßmann, who holds a Doctorate in Law, will take up her new position on January 1, 2020. She succeeds Rainier van Roessel (62), who will resign from the Board and retire at the end of the year. Paying tribute to van Roessel’s achievements, Chairman of the Supervisory Board Matthias Wolfgruber said: “13 years as Labor Director of LANXESS - that speaks for itself! Rainier van Roessel has skillfully helped shape the company over this long period. He has always been focused on objectivity, efficiency and collegial cooperation - both in his dealings with employees and in dialogue with negotiating partners and trade unions. Cooperation with the Supervisory Board was also characterized by fairness, mutual understanding and trust. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. van Roessel and wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement.” Rainier van Roessel joined Bayer in 1988 after completing his business studies and doctorate. In 2004, when LANXESS was established, he became head of the Rubber Chemicals business unit. In addition to this role, he was appointed Managing Director of LANXESS N.V. in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2006. Since 2007, van Roessel has been a member of the Board of Management and Labor Director of Lanxess AG. Stephanie Coßmann studied law in Paris, France, and Muenster, Germany. After working as a lawyer for several years, she joined Lanxess in 2004. Here she was responsible for setting up the processes and structures required in a listed company in various areas and held various management positions in the Legal and Internal Audit group functions. From 2014, she headed the General Law department in the Legal and Compliance group function. Since July 1, 2017, she has been head of the Human Resources group function, which she and her team have completely realigned. Matthias Zachert: “In recent years, I have come to know Stephanie Coßmann as an absolutely reliable, experienced and competent colleague. I am looking forward to an even closer cooperation with her and extend a warm welcome to her to the Board of Management.” Katja Conner (51), currently Senior Director HR EMEA at U.S. chemicals company Celanese, will succeed Stephanie Coßmann as head of Human Resources. Katja Conner studied law in Heidelberg after completing her training as a foreign language correspondent. Her professional career took her through several positions in the personnel department at Hoechst AG and later the Celanese Group. Jochen Schroer (63), who has been head of the Legal and Compliance group function for many years, will also retire on December 31, 2019. His successor will be Markus Lehner (48), currently head of Compliance & Corporate Audit at Lanxess. After having studied law, Jochen Schroer worked in academic research, followed by an assignment in the Central Staff of the Management Board

16 • December 2019

of former WestLB. He joined the legal department of Bayer AG in 1988. In 1994, he became head of the legal department of the affiliate Haarmann & Reimer GmbH. In 2002, Schroer came back to Leverkusen, where he took over as head of the legal department of the newly founded Bayer Chemicals AG. In this position, he was closely involved in the founding of Lanxess, conducting contract negotiations regarding the spin-off from Bayer AG. Since 2005, he has headed the legal department of Lanxess, and since 2014 also Compliance & Corporate Audit, Corporate Security as well as Country & Agency Management. After studying law, Markus Lehner worked in the legal department of Bayer AG before joining Lanxess in 2004. Here he was responsible for the legal support of several business and corporate divisions. In 2009, he took over the management of international M&A projects in the Mergers and Acquisitions group function. Since 2014, Lehner has been head of Compliance, Policies, Data Protection and Corporate Audit in the Legal and Compliance group function. Zachert: “Jochen Schroer is an outstanding and versatile lawyer who has played a key role in our success since LANXESS was founded. He was an important advisor to me and the entire company in many situations. I am very grateful to him.” “I would like to thank Markus Lehner for his work to date. On behalf of the entire Board of Management I wish him every success and all the best in his new role. I warmly welcome Katja Conner on board of Lanxess,” said Zachert.

Archroma Completed the Acquisition of BASF’s Stilbene-based OBA Business for Paper and Powder Detergent Applications Reinach, Switzerland: Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, has recently announced that Archroma India Private Limited has completed the acquisition from BASF India Limited (BIL) of its stilbene - based OBA (optical brightening agents) business for paper and powder detergent applications. The transaction includes BASF’s stilbene-based OBA technology, portfolio and manufacturing unit at Ankleshwar, India, where approximately 100 people are employed. Archroma is a member of the SK Capital Partners group. In July 2015 the company acquired the global textile chemicals business of BASF, and, between 2014 and 2018, M. Dohmen, an international group specializing in the production of textile dyes and chemicals for the automotive, carpet and apparel sectors. With this new acquisition, Archroma is further consolidating its position as a global chemical leader by expanding both its supply capacity and application markets, in particular in India and Asia. The company also plans to develop its support to the global detergents market, thanks to its experience with manufacturers and brands in the textile industry. With this, detergent manufacturers will be able to build on Archroma’s unique textile expertise to innovate with creative solutions and offerings.

Chemical Engineering World


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CEW News Lanxess Acquired Brazilian Biocide Manufacturer Cologne, Germany; São Paulo, Brazil: Specialty chemicals company Lanxess has been strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of active biocidal ingredients and formulations and has acquired Itibanyl Produtos Especiais Ltda. (IPEL). The family-run company with headquarters in Jarinu, São Paulo, is one of Brazil’s leading biocide manufacturers and generated sales in the lower double-digit million euro range in 2018. Both companies signed an agreement to this effect on Thursday November 28, 2019. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is still subject to the approval of the responsible antitrust authorities and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020. “The acquisition fits perfectly with our strategic focus on profitable specialty chemicals”, said Rainier van Roessel, member of the Lanxess Board of Management. With the acquisition of IPEL in Brazil, the Lanxess Material Protection Products business unit is reinforcing its global presence and is now in a position to serve its South American customers from a local production facility. The business unit was previously represented with production facilities in Europe, the USA and Asia. “With IPEL’s business, we are expanding our global production network and strengthening our position in South America”, said Oliver Kretschik, Head of the Biocides business line in the Material Protection Products business unit. “IPEL also has a strong customer network that will soon be able to benefit from our combined product portfolio and regulatory expertise.” In addition to around 100 employees and the production facility, Lanxess is also taking over the Brazilian company’s laboratory facilities. With the acquisition, the specialty chemical company will also gain access to strategic intermediate products. IPEL generates the majority of its sales with biocides and specialty chemicals for the paint and coating industry. Biocides protect materials from infestation, destruction and decay caused by microorganisms. They extend the service life and guarantee the functionality of the end products. The product portfolio also includes preservatives and fungicides for process control in water treatment as well as active ingredients for disinfection and cleaning agents. The Lanxess Material Protection Products business unit employs around 540 employees and has production sites in Krefeld-Uerdingen and Dormagen (Germany), Sudbury (Great Britain), Pittsburgh and Memphis (USA), Jhagadia (India), Changzhou (China) and Singapore. Products from this business unit are used in a huge variety of applications worldwide. With its broad range of active antimicrobial ingredients and preservatives, the business unit provides customer-specific solutions for various branches of industry such as the paints and coatings, disinfection and wood protection industries as well as the building sector and beverage industry. Material Protection Products also provides a comprehensive technical service and regulatory support as well as project-specific research and development. 22 • December 2019

Lanxess Signed “Sustainable” Revolving Credit Facility of EUR 1 Billion Cologne, Germany: Lanxess has taken an innovative approach to group financing and has linked its main revolving credit facility to the fulfillment of ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) criteria. The specialty chemicals company has now agreed a new syndicated credit facility with 12 banks, whose interest conditions depend, among other things, on the successful reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1) and the increase in the proportion of women on the top three management levels. With a volume of EUR 1 billion, it replaces the syndicated loan of EUR 1.25 billion expiring in May 2023. The sustainable revolving credit facility has an initial term of five years as well as two options for one-year extensions. “We are convinced that sustainable criteria are also becoming increasingly important for the capital markets. We have therefore developed this innovative financing concept together with our banking partners. With the 'sustainable' revolving credit facility, we are also underlining our commitment to achieving our ambitious climate targets,” said Michael Pontzen, Lanxess’ Chief Financial Officer. In November, Lanxess announced that it will go climate neutral and eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions of currently around 3.2 million metric tons of CO2 by 2040. The revolving credit facility is intended to secure the company’s liquidity in the long term and thus to provide financial backup for growth. “We have used the good capital market environment and our solid investment grade rating to secure Lanxess’ long-term financing on attractive terms,” said Pontzen. The transaction was coordinated by Deutsche Bank and UniCredit.

Thyssenkrupp Successfully Commissioned Caustic Soda Expansion Project for the Andhra Sugars Limited Mumbai, India: Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (India) has successfully commissioned a Caustic Soda Expansion project for The Andhra Sugars Limited at their Saggonda Chemical Complex in Andhra Pradesh. The project involved expanding the capacity of the Caustic Soda plant from 436 tpd to 500 tpd. The expansion project deploys the latest Generation VI Membrane Cell technology from thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers GmbH. The scope of services included Basic Engineering, Detailed Engineering, Project Management Services including Technical Procurement, Proprietary Supplies, Supervision during Civil, Structural / Erection work and Supervision Services during Start-up, Commissioning and Performance Test Run. In a reiteration of the faith in the thyssenkrupp technology, The Andhra Sugars Limited recently placed another order on thyssenkrupp for upgrading the other Membrane Cell elements in the Caustic Soda plant. thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (India)’ association with the Caustic Soda major began in 2001, and was followed by a number of expansion orders, including conversion of the customer’s Membrane Cell facility from DeNora to thyssenkrupp (Uhde) Membrane Cell technology Chemical Engineering World



CEW News Haldor Topsoe and Sasol United to Offer Single-Point Licenses to Customers for Proven Gas-To-Liquid Solutions Copenhagen, Denmark: Topsoe and Sasol has recently announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement to jointly license their GTL technologies. For many years, the two companies have worked together on numerous GTL projects and technologies, and Topsoe’s SynCOR™ technologies and Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch technologies have been licensed into several world-scale GTL ventures. Under the collaboration agreement, the companies will continue to offer these core technologies and will now also provide Topsoe’s hydroprocessing and hydrogen technologies. This gives potential customers access to a singlepoint licensing offering that covers the entire value chain from gas feed to liquid fuels. As single-point licensors, Sasol and Topsoe will offer customers all necessary technology licenses for a complete GTL solution and in addition provide basic engineering, catalysts, and hardware. TechnipFMC has been pre-approved to provide licensor engineering support and carry out front-end engineering design, detailed design, procurement, and construction. TechnipFMC was the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the Oryx GTL facility in Qatar and has performed a number of front-end engineering designs for GTL facilities, including the Uzbekistan GTL. “It is a pleasure to announce this collaboration. Together, Sasol and Topsoe now offer customers complete and proven end-to-end GTL solutions. This is unique and extremely valuable for customers seeking bankable GTL solutions for monetizing abundant natural gas reserves. With this collaboration, we now offer customers a full range of solutions based on many of Topsoe’s core technologies, and we are excited to expand our companies’ global leadership for proven gas monetization solutions,” says Amy Hebert, Deputy CEO of Topsoe. Marius Brand, Acting EVP Technology of Sasol, adds: “Sasol and Haldor Topsoe’s technology relationship spans more than 20 years, through which we have successfully commercialized several advanced technologies. We are delighted to enter into this collaboration arrangement, and with the support of TechnipFMC we’re able to offer the best GTL technology to the market. Although Sasol announced in 2017 it would not pursue future equity participation in greenfield Coal to Liquids or GTL opportunities, we recognize that our Fischer-Tropsch technology has a role to play in monetizing in-country natural gas resources otherwise not accessible. In addition, the technology could play a significant role, in conjunction with renewable energy resources, in the conversion of greenhouse gases to sustainable liquid fuels. The combination of the Sasol and Topsoe technologies offers a proven and robust solution for these applications.”

Data is Making Chemistry Smarter Leverkusen, Germany: One of the most important challenges the chemical industry has been facing is to develop new materials and products faster and more sustainably – to reintegrate them into the raw materials cycle. How can digital tools help to improve research and production right through to customer contact? How can data sciences and artificial intelligence contribute to a more sustainable, resource-saving chemistry? And how can the management of business and supply chains be optimized through greater use of data in conjunction with machine learning? Leading experts from established companies, start-ups and universities discussed these questions at the first conference for data science in chemistry, “Chemalytix”, in Leverkusen. Covestro, a manufacturer of high-performance materials, launched the event together with Bayer and Evonik. The first international data science hackathon, which Covestro organized in advance at three universities worldwide, was won by a student team from 24 • December 2019

RWTH Aachen University, Germany, with a model for an improved production process based on machine learning. The students were honored at the conference and received the global winner’s award in Leverkusen. “We have not yet exploited the full potential of these new technologies. We must continue to develop the interaction between humans and artificial intelligence for our industry and ensure that data and intellectual property remain secure. If we are to remain successful in the long term, we must tackle this challenge now,” said Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro and responsible for innovation. “Only by working together can we find the answers. That's why cooperating with leading partners in industry as well as with customers is so important.” “Data sciences have the potential to significantly change our entire value chain, from research and development to production and logistics to sales and marketing,” said Kemal Malik, Member of the Board of Management for Innovation at Bayer. “We are already seeing the enormous potential of data science in the life sciences, for example in digital agriculture and precision medicine. At the same time, digital technologies will play a key role in helping us achieve our global sustainability goals. Partnerships with universities, startups and other large companies are essential in this dynamic environment.” Henrik Hahn, Chief Digital Officer of Evonik, said: “I consider Data Science to be an application-oriented science in the truest sense of the word and thus far more than a business intelligence Ferrari. While BI enables better decisions to be made on the basis of the known, data science knowledge starts with the unknown. And this can also bring decisive competitive advantages in chemistry. At Evonik, we have therefore set up central contact points for data science. To put it in a nutshell, we are looking at how we can jointly develop a powerful magnet internally. We want to use it to find the famous needle in the haystack sooner. Gathering the right data with the right tool – that's what it's all about”.

BASF to Double their Production Capacity for Polymer Dispersions in Dahej, India Dahej, India: BASF India has recently planned to double their capacity for polymer dispersions with a new production line at its site in Dahej, Gujarat. Through the investment, BASF aimed to provide a reliable supply of highquality dispersion solutions to customers in the fast-growing Indian and South Asian markets. “We see a growing need for our latest generation of innovations, including lowVOC and low-odor dispersions for industries, such as architectural coatings, construction, paper and adhesives. This capacity increase aims to address customers’ needs and support their development in the region,” said Jeff Knight, Senior Vice President, Dispersions and Resins Asia Pacific, BASF. “This new investment will double the production capacity by early 2021. It will be a driving force to support our customers’ growth in the rapidly growing economies in South Asia,” said Narayan Krishnamohan, Managing Director, BASF India Limited and Head, BASF South Asia. BASF began production of polymer dispersions in Dahej, Gujarat in October 2014, and currently operates one line at the plant. As the largest single investment to date for BASF in India, the site is an integrated hub for polyurethanes manufacturing and houses production facilities for Polymer Dispersions as well as Care Chemicals. BASF also produces dispersions in Mangalore, a strategic production site in the southern part of India. Apart from South Asia, BASF will also double the production capacity in its Pasir Gudang site in Malaysia to support the rising demand for acrylics dispersions in ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand. The new line will be operational in Q2 2020. Chemical Engineering World



CEW News Internet of Things (IoT) for Fill-Level Monitoring and Mobile Container Positioning

they operate. DuPont continues to develop deep customer insights in Oil & Gas, Utilities and Manufacturing industries to provide tailored solutions by bringing the science behind protection for today’s global workforce.

Mannheim, Germany: Pepperl+Fuchs has recently presented an IoT sensor with integrated ultrasonic measurement for determining fill levels. The data is recorded at regular intervals and uploaded to the internet along with the current geolocation. The autonomous wireless sensor is battery-operated and can therefore be used in mobile containers.

“Every year, industrial workers across the globe face severe injuries related to heat, flame, and electric arc flash incidents” said David Domnisch, global leader for DuPont Personal Protection. “With the new direction laid out in our DuPont Personal Protection business and our ability to globally service companies, we are laser-focused on providing the latest safety solutions and innovations to our customers based on the inherent dangers faced in their specific industry. Whether Oil & Gas, Utilities or Manufacturing, DuPont is dedicated to keeping the world’s workforce safe with products they can trust.”

With the Wilsen.sonic.level, Pepperl+Fuchs has developed a sensor concept that is suitable for use in a variety of different wireless networks. For example, there is a product version with a GSM(2G) interface for public mobile networks. Another version of the product has a LoRaWAN interface for using privately operated low power wireless networks. All of these radio interfaces are used to transmit sensor data to the internet. Depending on the wireless standard selected, an appropriate remote location is available on the internet for the incoming sensor data. For example, LoRaWAN devices can send their telemetry data to the network and application server of any LoRa network operator. When using the public GSM mobile wireless standard, the Wilsen.service middleware acts as a secure remote location for receiving and forwarding the telemetry data from the sensor. The system concept of the Wilsen.service not only handles the decoding and the targeted forwarding of the sensor data, but also offers secure and convenient device management. This is particularly advantageous if a large number of IoT sensors will be used in later practical operation and if logging into the wireless network and assigning the right users needs to be as automated as possible. Furthermore, Wilsen device management enables automated application parameterization of IoT sensors and a structured roll-out for software updates to ensure that even large numbers of IoT sensors in the field are kept up to date. The WILSEN concept provides a modular IoT system to which individual components such as sensor modules, network nodes, middleware, and data processing can be added. “Automation is the world. A Perfect application solution is the goal. A willingness to take entrepreneurial risks, a pioneering spirit, and a firm belief in their own inventive powers” – these were the assets that Walter Pepperl and Ludwig Fuchs started out with when they opened their Mannheim radio repair shop in 1945. Their invention of the proximity switch a few years later proved their strength. It was also the starting point in a successful history defined by close customer relationships as well as innovative automation technologies and procedures. Then as of now, their focus is directed squarely on the individual requirements of each customer. Whether as a pioneer in electrical explosion protection, or as a leading innovator of highly efficient sensors – the close communication with their customers is what allowed them to become the leader in automation technology. Their main objective is combining state-of-the-art technologies and comprehensive services to optimize their customers’ processes and applications.

DuPont Personal Protection Launched Nomex® Global Portfolio of Fabric Solutions New Delhi, India DuPont Personal Protection has recently announced the launch of its Nomex® global portfolio of fabric solutions architected for the Oil & Gas, Utilities, and Manufacturing industries in the Asia Pacific market to provide workers with flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) protection they need, along with the comfort and durability they seek. The launch follows the recent introduction of the new DuPont Personal Protection Portfolio, which is focused on bringing streamlined solutions to safety managers. The Nomex® global portfolio addresses industrial personal protective equipment (PPE) needs, by providing fabrics with global standards certification, simplifying the process of PPE global specification and purchasing. DuPont Personal Protection makes it easier for safety managers to specify garments that have been certified in the regions around the world where 28 • December 2019

Today, more than one million workers trust and wear Nomex® annually and this new portfolio of fabric solutions addressing multiple hazards will meet or exceed international standards such as NFPA 2112, EN-ISO, ISO 11612, China GB, and NFPA 70E, for thermal exposures, electric arc and others. To ensure DuPont™ Nomex® products deliver the utmost protection, Nomex® fabric solutions are tested using the company’s ThermoMan® and ArcMan® evaluation systems. DuPont™ ThermoMan® is a life-sized mannequin system that is covered with 122 heat sensors and dressed in test garments and burned at over 1,800°C to ensure optimal product performance under simulated conditions. DuPont™ ArcMan® allows DuPont to measure how much protection fabrics and garments offer against electrical arcs that can generate temperatures of up to 20,000°C. The Nomex® global portfolio of fabric solutions is an extension to the DuPont Personal Protection Portfolio which consists of Kevlar® aramid fiber for cut and mechanical protection, Tychem® garments for liquid and gas chemical hazards, and Tyvek® garments for dry particulate hazards. Tychem® and Tyvek® garments are also available through DuPont’s distributor network across the APEC market.

Covestro and BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites Cooperated in the Distribution Of Maezio™ UD Tapes Mumbai, India: Covestro has entered into a distribution agreement with BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites, a supplier of raw materials and semifinished products for thermoplastic components. The agreement grants BÜFA distribution rights for Maezio™ thermoplastic UD (unidirectional) tapes from Covestro. This first distribution partnership in Europe for the thermoplastic composite business of Covestro is a response to the growing demand for materials that are designed for lightweight construction yet as robust as metal. Best possible solutions for customers : “We’re super excited to introduce BÜFA as part of our distribution network around the globe,” said Lisa Ketelsen, Head of the Thermoplastic Composites Business of Covestro. “In the future we want to nurture our mutual exchanges on market trends and customer needs in order to find the best possible solutions for our customers.” “We’re thrilled to add Maezio™ into our product portfolio,” said Dirk Punke, Managing Director of BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites. “The tapes can be made particularly thin, but have a high stability and are especially light at the same time, which enables the production of complex and three-dimensional components in a wide range of industries.” Maezio™ UD tapes are based on a thermoplastic matrix such as polycarbonate, which is strengthened with strands of continuous, oriented carbon or glass fibers. The UD tapes can be laminated together at different angles to form sheets that can be tuned to specific performance targets. Based in Oldenburg, Germany, BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites GmbH & Co. KG is a spin-off of the BÜFA Group and was founded in 2018. It specializes in the sale of raw materials and semi-finished products for the manufacture of components from long and continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features

Integration of Circular Economy into Business Strategy Keeping in mind that the environmental hazards happening due to take-make-dispose based linear approach in almost every sphere of life, Chemical Industry is also not away to experience the fatal impact being caused by this. The issue has become so ruinous that almost all the prominent business houses have been making a provision for implementing Circular Economy as a part of their business strategy. The author, in this article, narrates the integration of Circular Economy into Business strategy with a special emphasis on the adoption of 6R’s – Recycle, Reuse, Reduce, Refuse, Rethink and Repair to present an effective solution for sustainable evolution that will leapfrog India into the largest yet most responsible consumer market in the decades to follow.

B

asic economics indicates that the Earth can no longer carry our linear production path of take-make-dispose forward. The dire consequences of our increasing production and consumption trends are becoming indisputably evident. From a surge in forest fires, decreasing populations of fish, marine mammals, birds and reptiles in the oceans, unseasonal rains and rise in instances of flash-floods, -- all point to the fact that we have surpassed the era of Climate Change, and what we face now is a state of Climate Emergency. As a solution, circular economy proposes a radically different way of thinking about economic activity. It supports a holistic reduce, reuse, and recycle approach which safeguards

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CEW Features economic prosperity in the long-term. The ‘Circularity Gap’ challenges our current ways, confronts us with uncomfortable questions, persuades us to collaborate and develop new and innovative solutions. One of the biggest examples of this is the ongoing plastic waste conundrum. From Regulation to Reality The Government of India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 directed the country towards phasing out of nonrecyclable plastic material. While there is great momentum from state governments and local administrators to make this regulation a reality, all stakeholders in the plastics value chain viz brand owners, retailers, consumers, and aggregators must play an active role and arrest the leakage of plastics into environment and land-fill. Truly “Recyclable flexible pack” is the need of the hour Recycling of resources has been a wellestablished practice in India. Paper, glass and metals are collected and recycled because of the economic value they create towards the end of the cycle. As a result of these practices, plastics recycling rates in India are higher, as compared to many other countries. However, most of the recycling efforts are centered around rigid packaging (HDPE bottles, cans, PET bottles) and other more durable plastics. There have been several discussions happening about how much climatewarming greenhouse gas is produced in plastic product. While plastic has a big carbon footprint, the same is true for many of the plastic alternatives. And that’s what makes a problem being replaced without a clear solution. Research data by INCPEN, UK reveals that food waste has at least 10 times more environmental

impact than that of packaging waste, thus contributing significantly to global warming. When food waste ends up in landfill, it rots and produces methane one of the most damaging greenhouse gases driving up climate change. In the short-term perspective, methane is many times worse than carbon dioxide. It is estimated by the UN that nearly 40 percent of the food produced in India is wasted or lost. And this costs India one lakh crore rupees every year. Hence, it is crucial that technology is adopted at every stage of the supply chain to overcome this problem. Innovation in packaging can significantly reduce wastage, helping food remain fresh for over a month, enabling agriculture producers to safely send all products ranging from grains to vegetables across geographies, efficiently. Flexible packaging has been growing at a rapid rate around the world because of the value it creates for the product packed inside and more importantly has a much lower environmental footprint as compared to its alternatives or counterparts. Most current designs have evolved over the last 3 to 4 decades without paying much attention to end of life solutions. Aesthetic value of packaging on the shelf often overlooks eco-friendliness. However, as we all know, flexible packaging has very low post consumption value, ends up in landfills, and leaks into the environment. As initiatives implore action towards management of single use plastic material, with no economic value in segregation and collection, multi-material flexible packaging is rapidly becoming the next insurmountable challenge for the food packaging industry.

Flexible packaging has been growing at a rapid rate around the world because of the value it creates for the product packed inside and more importantly has a much lower environmental footprint as compared to its alternatives or counterparts. 32 • December 2019

Single material, multi-layer packaging which is Recycleready™ Various studies have shown that over 75 percent of flexible packaging can be redesigned to pave the way for collection, segregation, and recycling. Recent advancement in materials and packaging hardware permits us to achieve complete recyclability without sacrificing functionality, and productivity of packaging. These solutions come at almost an incremental cost to brand owners. What would make the whole plastic waste management and recycling effort much more meaningful and economical is adoption of “mono-material” to design a sustainable solution – an allPolyethylene (PE) laminate. This enables us to make packaging films using one polymer resin that meets packaging quality or performance requirements and generates completely recyclable material upon post end consumer use. A single feedstock stream can thus be claimed as “recyclable” and “environment friendly” in the true sense. As the industry looks towards effective management of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), designing food, home care and personal care packaging with mono-materials, as compared to multi-material, is a much-needed economic and ecological evolution. Over the last two years, some consumergoods companies have taken a lead to adopt mono-material recyclable packaging to retail their well-established brands. This will set the course for other industries to follow. Enhancing the Value of Barrier Film Recycle Streams with Compatibilizer Technology Every year, millions of metric tons of barrier film scrap are generated globally, with most being sent to landfills or sold for very little value. This primarily happens because, without a compatibilizer, pelletized barrier film scrap containing polar polymers – such Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features

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This innovative recycle compatibilizer technology is based on a reactive, ultra-low viscosity polymer. Reactive groups “coat” the polar components, encapsulating them into micro-domains to enable excellent dispersion. When blended at specified ratios with pelletized barrier film recycle streams, the RETAIN™ polymers allow converters to recycle barrier film trim back into film production without sacrificing optical or mechanical properties.

Integration of circular economy is a powerful tool, especially for material science and chemical companies in the fight against climate change. However, for this concept to become a reality, it will be imperative to collaborate with NGOs & civil societies and to develop solutions to mitigate plastic pollution and advance the movement of circular economy.

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The development of a distinctive functional polymer like RETAIN™ has been able to address these problems. The sustainability benefits and exceptional economics of recycling barrier scrap into high-quality films may now be realized.

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as EVOH or Polyamide (PA) – will not finely disperse into the polyolefin matrix for recycle or reuse. There have been numerous attempts to find an adequate compatibilizer, but all have resulted in poor processability and insufficient optical properties – two critical performance requirements for many converters.

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Bringing it all together In the 1950s the world made about 2m tonnes of plastic a year. Now that figure is 330m tonnes a year – and it is set to triple again by 2050. It is not enough to return a few plastic bottles or curb one category alone. A science based holistic approach is a key to assess this impact at every phase of its life cycle and to determine effective & feasible solutions.

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Consumer and the Circular Economy Collaboration among all stakeholders in the value-chain is required to create consumer awareness, design a collection system using technology (e.g. Appbased weekly collection initiatives in urban households) and create a sustainable ecosystem. This will increase employment, recycling, and create an end-use industry with improved hygiene levels. Several successful examples exist in India and the rest of the world, and leveraging them can help achieve the end goal of plastic waste-free environment.

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CEW Features

Circular Economy: Now Becoming a Necessity The various sustainability & environmental issues, along with the other associated factorials put the World directly into the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle trend with a notable shift from traditional take-make-dispose approach. Here, in this article, the author emphasizes on certain contributing dynamics of Circular Economy viz. the benefits, the underlying principle, role of digitalization that plays here, contribution of technology and creativity to it, etc in context of Chemical Industry which have made the article an insightful read.

F

or any organization, Circular Economy is more than just recycling. It means a strategic decision making, which goes hand-in-hand with new business models.

There are several benefits of Circular Economy. In many a cases, the recycled material costs less than mining and processing primary raw materials, which means – industry can retain ownership of scarce resources if it develops its own material cycles. Considering the industry is now coming under the substantial external pressure to act in a climatefriendly way, the most important aspect of Circular Economy is: such circular management will help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, many companies are also self-motivated to bring about a positive change in the traditional processes.

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CEW Features The Underlying Principle: Such models are based on the service offerings instead of products, such as the sale of flight hours by a jet engine manufacturer, or chemical leasing where the manufacturer sells the use of the chemicals and gets the spent chemicals back. Not only is that, such models also do own the responsibility of execution / maintenance of environmentally sound processing or disposal. In the business-to-business sector of the industry, the material-flow is relatively clear and the material properties can be guaranteed more effectively, in which the end-consumers dispose of a whole variety of packaging materials with lots of residue. In addition, there are longstanding supplier relationships in the industry, and many of them are based on mutual trust that foster the exchange between the players. However, these players have to contend with the problem of missing information on availability and quality certification regarding reuse and processing. In the plastics sector, it must be noted that recycling can have side-effects such as the generation or concentration of pollutants. Furthermore, the processes used should be environmentally and economically sound. Chemical recycling – through which hitherto non-recyclable plastics become the starting material for new plastics – is an interesting option, but still a long way off. Role that Digitalization Plays: From industry perspective, digitalization contributes very pertinently to the creation and promotion of recycling systems. It helps to solve the big information deficit

problems by providing data for quality, quantity, material flow, product lifecycle, specific batch verification processes, etc. Sensors and artificial intelligence can help to attain cleaner material flow. New business models can be realized through online marketplaces. Neelanjan Banerjee, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, LANXESS India says, “It is important for the Industry as well as the Government to adopt a systemic standpoint. The current challenges and the opportunities presented by the circular economy, preservation of resources, climate protection, and digitalization are all interrelated. Assessing their interaction is just as important as identifying partial solutions, as their true value can only be examined against the bigger picture. We must establish sustainability on the strategic agenda in companies and in politics, and should not be afraid to act boldly”. Openness to Technology & Creativity Circular economy demands new solutions from many players. Openness to technology and creativity are required from all decision-makers. For example, in chemical recycling, material is broken down into its chemical building blocks. Methods such as pyrolysis (thermal decomposition), hydrogenation (addition of hydrogen to other chemical elements), or de-polymerization (breakdown of macromolecules into their constituent parts) are suitable for plastics. These building blocks have the same quality of original building blocks. Chemical recycling can process the waste that is too complex or too contaminated for mechanical recycling. Environmental

In the business-to-business sector of the industry, the material-flow is relatively clear and the material properties can be guaranteed more effectively, in which the endconsumers dispose of a whole variety of packaging materials with lots of residue. 40 • December 2019

efficiency of the methods must be checked on a case-by-case basis. Mechanical recycling generally refers to mechanical or physical steps such as sorting, washing, melting, and filtering. After this, the material returns to the material cycle: Plastic bottles can be turned back into bottles. Or beads are turned into noise barriers. This downcycling is not always desirable. Chemical recycling can help to prevent it. At the same time, the concept of REUSE needs to be understood well. It is not only bottles that are reusable. Even the other Industrial products such as machines can be leased or bought second-hand as well. The use of biotechnology to create a viable Bio-Economy is important. CO 2 can be used as a raw material in a host of biotechnological pathways. Microorganisms are used to absorb CO 2 into biomass or convert it into reusable materials. As with the chemical use of CO 2, the sustainability of these processes must be examined. In particular, photosynthesis of plants can be used to absorb CO 2 into biomass such as algae. CO 2 can also be used as a raw material for plastics, fuels, and construction materials among others. Whether as a combustion product or a process gas, CO 2 is a carbon source that industry must use more effectively in order to reduce its dependence on oil. Carbon is the number one element for organic chemistry in particular. Furthermore, in conjunction with the measurement of energy efficiency, usage of CO 2 helps to reduce emissions. In general, renewable energies are the key elements for sustainable development. They are another essential component of the circular economy. In other words, it is often hard for circular processes driven by fossil fuels to fulfill all their sustainability potential. Conversely, it also makes little

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CEW Features sense to channel renewable energies into utterly damaging products or processes. LANXESS is focused on making its product lifecycles as eco-friendly as possible. Material Recycling is on Upward Trail: LANXESS takes its environmental responsibility very seriously. The group is working to make its use of energy and raw materials more efficient than ever before; and uses all the available technologies to keep on reducing the emissions and the waste. With its products, LANXESS has been supporting the societal transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon based one. It focuses on the entire product lifecycle with this regard. The circular economy starts with product design and includes environmentally efficient utilization, for instance in electric mobility. Recyclability is one of several environmental aspects here. LANXESS has already developed their products with

a substantial rate of recycled materials in its range. As Good as New LANXESS has been researching its options that make product recycling easier and more attractive. The aim is to keep on reducing the number of primary raw materials in the product cycle. One example of innovation is product types under the Tepex brand, which are made from recycled fibers in a matrix of recycled thermoplastic material. Thermoplastics are plastics that can be deformed by heat. This process can be repeated any number of times. Tests on initial material samples have demonstrated that these types of recycled material are on a par in terms of mechanical and flame-retardant properties with their equivalents made from new materials. LANXESS BondLaminates opened two new production lines for Tepex in Brilon in September. This way, the company is taking the

strong demand for resilient components for lightweight cars and consumer electronics into account. Cooperation is the Key for LANXESS The transition to Circular Economy cannot be driven by one company alone. That is why LANXESS enters into strategic alliances and devises new solutions with partners, especially in the field of chemical recycling.

Author: Neelanjan Banerjee Vice Chairman and Managing Director LANXESS India Pvt Ltd

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CEW Features

Building a Circular Biorefinery Circular Economy is the talk of the time. Almost all the organizations these days have been practicing to achieve it. Here the author articulates the practices being followed by Godavari Biorefineries.

P

reviously the World used to utilize resources in a linear fashion. We have been hearing more about the circularity as we discuss the ban on single-use plastic bags. But if we think deeper, much of our current consumption is driven by ‘single-use’, which is nothing but the linear approach. This is the

basis of the oil economy – extraction of petroleum from the earth, its conversion to fuels and products that we consume, and then disposal of the same. We need to ‘kick’ this oil habit. There is a fundamental shift in such thinking. In the petroleum economy, what you have today is less than what you had yesterday. We measure resources in terms of years of resources left. There will be a ‘sunset’ to these resources. In the circular economy, the use of renewable 44 • December 2019

resources is important; and if done right, what you have today, can be as much as what you had the previous day. This is the fundamental paradigm shift. Godavari Biorefineries has always believed in a circular and cascading bio-refinery from renewable resources.

Godavari uses sugarcane as a primary feedstock from which to make sugar, biofuels (ethanol), ethanol based chemicals, renewable power, compost, bio-composites, and other products. Every process stream is seen as a resource. The company commenced ethanol production in the 1960s, when molasses used to be considered as a waste. Today, our capacity of ethanol production is over 80 million litres per year. Over 20 years ago, Godavari pioneered

Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features

the use of sugarcane bagasse as a means of producing surplus electricity to the grid. We were a recipient of a USAID grant, to demonstrate that this was possible as a means of greenhouse gas mitigation. The company also earned carbon credits and sold them in Europe, under their thenprevailing carbon credit program. The company makes a large quantity of chemicals from ethanol for use in solvents, coatings, skincare, fragrances, mining frothers, pharmaceutical intermediates, and more. Our value chain also shows this circular approach as depicted below:

46 • December 2019

An ethanol fermentation facility produces vinasse as a waste stream. We recover biogas from vinasse and compost the same along with press mud from the sugar mill and sell the same to our farmers. Part of the vinasse is also incinerated to recover steam to use that in the boiler, and the ash from the boiler is used to make bricks for sale. Finally, we are also looking at circularity as we work with the farmer. Godavari works with over 20,000 farmers. A recent visit to a farmer’s field showed that the farmer was initially using a

combination of renewable resources at his farm (Panchagavya and Jeevamrut). Panchagavya are excretory elements of a cow (urine, dung, etc), and he also used garlic, chillies, jaggery as farm inputs to get very high yields. We duplicated his results to verify if that works, and are now going to spread the knowledge that farming can also be done in this circular fashion, without any decrease in yield. In fact, the soil remains healthier for the following year beause of this.

Author: Shri Samir S Somaiya Chairman & Managing Director Godavari Biorefineries Ltd

Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features

Sustainable De-carbonization through Bio-mobility With the ever-rising energy demand and climate concern, Bio-mobility is all set to redefine the energy portfolio by using biofuels. The author, in this article, narrates various nuances of Biofuel and how can it foster Bio-mobility.

I

ndia has been seeing rapid industrialization as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The migration of people from villages to cities for employment and education opportunities, coupled with rapid industrialization and urbanization, have put a strain on the country’s ever-growing energy needs. All this has contributed in making India the world’s third largest primary energy consumer. The country’s energy mix today is dominated by conventional sources, mainly derived from fossil fuels. India is dependent on external resources, importing 80 percent of crude oil, while incurring high foreign expenditure.

48 • December 2019

Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features The planet is being damaged irrevocably due to the pursuit of ever-rising energy demands driven by growth. This has led to concerns over the evils of climate change and global warming. India must strike the right ecological balance if it must grow sustainably. Currently, India’s CO2 emissions stand at around 2.29 billion tons. As a signatory at the UN Climate Change Conference, India will use bioenergy to bring down its carbon emission by 3035 percent, thus fulfilling its COP21 Paris Summit commitments. One of the biggest energy guzzlers is the transportation sector which accounts for 20 percent (and rising) of fossil fuel consumption. The sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the health hazards arising from it. ‘Bio-mobility’ is the use of energy produced from bio sources for transportation, etc. Praj’s advanced technologies are used to produce biofuels, a part of the bio-mobility industry. Our efforts in this space help conserve the environment, ensure energy security, and contribute to socio-economic development. To meet these objectives, Praj offers advanced technology solutions for the production of liquid and renewable gaseous biofuels. Under liquid biofuels, Praj’s 1G technology is used to produce ethanol from sugary and starchy raw material, while its 2G technology utilizes ligno cellulosic feedstock to produce ethanol. Both can be blended in gasoline, and since they have a renewable bio source, are more environment-friendly and carbon neutral than conventional fossil fuels. Praj has the technology to produce biodiesel from the used cooking oil and non-edible oil seeds. Biodiesel can be blended up to 30 percent -- as per current norms -- with diesel made from fossil fuel. Praj has added Compressed Biogas (CBG) technology solutions to its bio-energy basket in line with the National Biofuels Policy 52 • December 2019

2018 and Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) policy. CBG uses biomass and different agrowaste as feedstock. Bioenergy therefore plays a significant role in reducing GHG emissions, facilitating India’s pursuit towards energy self-reliance and optimizing India’s overall energy portfolio. What is biofuel? Biofuel is derived from agro-residue that can be readily replenished. Biofuel is a source of renewable energy, unlike fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas. In the transportation sector, biofuel is one of the largest sources of renewable energy in use today. Derived from agricultural resources, biomass can be in liquid or in gaseous form. 1. Liquid: Bioethanol, Biodiesel, Biojet fuel 2. Gaseous: Compressed Biogas (CBG) Ethanol is the most widely used form of biofuel in liquid form where it is blended with gasoline. Among gaseous form of biofuels, compressed biogas is the most preferred.

Biofuel as environmental, economic, and social enablers • As an environmental enabler Climate change is affecting monsoon patterns, and consequently, the agriculture economy. Uninhibited industrialization is having a detrimental impact on ecological balance. Increasing traffic and associated rise in pollution levels, and the burning of agricultural waste, (as evident in the recent brown clouding in northern India) are adversely affecting air quality and is a health hazard. Biofuels are carbon neutral and therefore combat these issues. Moreover, biofuels are renewable, cleaner in nature, are available as a captive feedstock in farms,

and emit lesser toxic greenhouse gases. • As an economic enabler Being captive in nature, biofuels facilitate energy security. They also help reduce the country’s high import bill and foreign exchange payout for crude oil. To that extent, they also help mitigate the spikes in pricing of crude oil in volatile situations caused by a mismatch in demand and supply. • As a social enabler The exodus from rural areas in the pursuit of education and employment is putting additional stress on already stretched urban infrastructure. India has to strive for inclusive growth especially in the rural sector for it to realise its ambition of reaching a five trillion dollar economy mark in five years. This is where biofuels can play a vital role in stepping up the rural economy. Bioenergy offers an alternative revenue stream to farmers by way of using agro residue to generate fuel ethanol. This can de-risk them from uncertainties in weather and crop pricing. Since ethanol plants are in rural areas and close to availability of feedstock, they provide employment opportunities to the farming community. Additionally, they also present entrepreneurship opportunities to rural youth in creating a robust eco system by way of feedstock supply chain.

Various technologies for producing biofuel: Biofuels can be derived from sugar and starch-based feedstock; and various technologies are available based on them. a. 1G Technologies First generation biofuels, also known as conventional biofuels, are made from sugary feedstock (sugarcane juice, syrup, B heavy molasses, C molasses), starchy feedstock (grains like sweet sorghum, corn, etc.) or vegetable oil. First generation biofuels are produced through Chemical Engineering World


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CEW Features well-established technologies and processes like fermentation, distillation, and trans-esterification. With decades of experience and expertise in setting up end-to-end ethanol plants, Praj has established itself as a market leader on the back of cost and energy efficient technology solutions. b. 2G Technologies For India to fulfil its 10 percent ethanol blending mandate (EBM), it must look beyond 1G technology solutions due to limitations in feedstock availability, etc. Praj has developed and deployed 2G technology for lingo-cellulosic feedstock like wheat straw, paddy straw, rice straw, and various other agricultural residue. Praj’s 2 nd Generation bio-ethanol technology converts agro-waste into fuel grade ethanol. This alternate solution helps farmers earn from stubble that is otherwise burnt, become an additional source of revenue besides farming and create employment opportunities through collection of agro-waste and managing supply chain of feed-stocks. Praj’s 2G integrated smart bio refineries based on ‘enfinity’ technology process multiple feedstock / biomass like corn and sugarcane residue, rice or wheat straw, and various lingo-cellulosic biomass. They produce fuel grade ethanol, bio chemicals, bio CNG, liquid CO2, bio fertilizers, and power that are exported to the grid. c. Compressed Biogas Agro-waste can be used as a raw material or feedstock to produce not just for biofuel such as ethanol, but also for compressed bio-gas (CBG) which can complement compressed natural gas (CNG). Praj has indigenously developed cutting edge technology solutions that help convert agrowaste into CBG which – unlike fossil fuels – are carbon neutral and therefore do not contribute to GHG emissions.

54 • December 2019

Concept of a biorefinery Just like a petrochemical refinery transforms and refines crude oil into more useful products such as petroleum naptha, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, etc, a Biorefinery converts biomass to biofuels, biochemicals, and other beneficial products. Praj has developed several advanced technologies to convert agrowaste into valuable products in the form of biofuels and bio chemicals. Praj has set up India’s first integrated biorefinery demonstration plant based on its proprietary platform technology - “enfinity’’ for manufacturing ethanol from a variety of agro-waste. Praj’s 1 MLPA capacity 2G bio-refinery demonstration plant is in operation for over three years. It is capable of processing a variety of agro-residue like rice and wheat straw, cotton stalk, bagasse, cane trash, corn cobs & stover, etc. Renewable chemicals Multi feedstock help produce a variety of fuels. Advanced refineries can generate not only biofuels but also renewable chemicals from 1G and 2G sources.

There is a need to create awareness and educate farmers about supplying agroresidue for advanced biofuel projects. The Government may consider making available suitable bio-mass aggregation machinery and announcing a minimum support price (MSP) for agro-residue which will address the feedstock concern. Conclusion Bio-mobility is all set to redefine the transportation energy portfolio where biofuels are poised to play a bigger role. Being an economic, social, and environmental enabler, biofuels have the potential to make definitive contribution in ushering sustainable decarbonization through a circular bio-economy. As a market leader in the bio-industrial space, Praj, with its innovative technology solutions, is at the forefront of reducing GHG emissions, facilitating India’s pursuit towards energy self-reliance and optimizing the country’s overall energy portfolio.

Renewable chemicals are another segment that has huge potential in the coming future. At Praj Matrix R&D centre, the scientists are developing different renewables and oleo-chemicals such as Furfural, Xylitol, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, etc. These renewable chemicals find applications in growing industrial segments such as health and wellness, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.

Challenges in achieving potential of biofuels

the

Setting up a robust ecosystem for the smooth functioning of supply chain management of biofuel feedstock is still work in progress. Securing funding at various stages of the project lifecycle is proving to be a challenge, and various statutory clearances and permissions are taking longer than expected.

Author Details Pramod Chaudhari Founder and Executive Chairman Praj Industries Limited Chemical Engineering World



CEW Features

Adapting to Circular Economy: a Path to Sustainability for Chemical Industry In this article, the author narrates how Chemical Industry adapts with Circular Economy, the various challenges & constraints, and also the way ahead.

W

ith predictions that the global population will reach 9 billion by 2030, it is evident that we have been and will be using more resources than the planet can offer. This also points to another fact that today’s emerging economies may not be able to implement the traditional growth models as it could strain the existing pool of natural resources. Any consumption beyond what the earth can currently offer to replenish, threatens to push the world into an ecological debt mode where it starts relying on resources allocated for the future generations. It is imperative that our future strongly depends on reusing what we have in a sustainable way. In this landscape, the word ‘circular economy’ is not simply a catchphrase that has started picking up off late. What is Circular Economy? A circular economy is a way of replacing today’s linear take-make-dispose approach in context of resources. The traditional approach requires materials to be made into products, the products are then used, and finally the materials are thrown out. A circular economy, in contrast, aims to continuously keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value. In the circular economy, the materials are constantly cycled back through the value chain for re-use, resulting in less energy and resource consumption. In recent years, with environmental pressure mounting on government, business and society have to preserve resources and adopt a more sustainable approach to their production and consumption habits. And circular economy has become an emerging concept. In essence, what a circular economy 56 • December 2019

actually does is: it creates a closed loop for materials that aims to prevent waste and to minimize resource consumption.

products, technologies, resources, and systems that will empower a circular and sustainable economy.

Circular Economy in Chemical Industry: Chemical industry is one of the key industries that requires to engage highly with circular economy in today’s context. Chemical exposure causes as many as 8.3 percent of all deaths and 5.7 percent of the disease in aggregate worldwide. There are other perturbing statistics as well related to the chemical industry and plastics in particular. According to a report by World Economic Forum (WEF) published in 2016, it has been estimated that 95 percent of plastic packaging material with USD 80 – USD 120 billion economic value, is getting lost annually because of a short first use. About 72 percent of plastic packaging is not in a position of recovery. 40 percent ends up in the landfill and 32 percent leaks out of the collection system. Plastic waste causes a damage equivalent to USD 13 billion each year to marine ecosystems, as per the estimation of United Nations.

Similarly, the surface finishing industry too uses chemicals and coatings that are essential to protect and enhance the life of metal and plastic. These chemicals are environmentally hazardous to a great extent. Reusing and recycling these materials will reduce the amount of chemicals discharged in the environment. It will, in turn, reduce the mining process resulting in a lesser environmental impact. Also, the huge amount of water that is utilized in the chemical engineering process also needs to be recycled. All these processes will lead to circular economy.

This brings the spotlight on the fact that there is a more pressing need now than ever before to resort to circular economy for chemical and allied industries. The chemical industry has got huge innovation potential. Moreover, chemicals create the foundation for markets such as energy, food, and materials; and are essential to the national economy development. So, in order to bring in any major change, the chemical industry plays a significant role. As this industry provides the building blocks for more than 96 percent of all manufactured goods, it holds a critical position in reimagining the

In countries like India, especially where issues like air pollution pose a major threat to the environment, it is even more important for collective efforts to happen in the chemical and allied industries to work towards sustainability. Circular economy presents a window of opportunity not only just to address the existing resource constraints, but also to drive transformative benefits for businesses and consumers, alike. It also focuses on the fact that the business that many key players are carrying on with, is not sustainable and there is a critical need to identify innovative models to ensure sustainable growth without straining the natural resources pool. Circular economy offers several different business models in this direction. At its core, circular economy holds a shift towards complete elimination of waste. Waste, of course, does not hold the

Any consumption beyond what the earth can currently offer to replenish, threatens to push the world into an ecological debt mode where it starts relying on resources allocated for the future generations. Chemical Engineering World


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CEW Features meaning of the traditional sense of junk, but any kind of underutilized assets and resources. Challenges and Constraints: It may not be easy to adopt a circular economy and it cannot be an overnight move. However, companies today have one of the biggest weapons to try out new things that will save the planet, which is ‘innovation’. Since 1990, the production of the global chemical industry grew by 71 percent while the sector cut its CO 2 emissions in half – an impressive feat underlining its position as one of the world’s most innovative industries and also in context of Circular Economy. The major sustainability challenges of today provide plenty of opportunities for all the companies to stand apart from the pack and to create immediate impact. Already, organizations in many industries have been implementing circular business practices. However, not all the chemical companies are able to or willing to start the transformation from a linear model to a circular economy since it is not an easy process. Yet, it’s a fact that a move towards circular economy not only focuses on responsible use of natural resources, but also enables the repurposing, reuse, recycling, and recovery of the value locked in materials that are most often viewed as waste. Circular economy initiatives should try a holistic view of the economy that considers both environmental and societal impacts of a product or material across its lifecycle. The chemical industry has the power to play a vital role in reimagining the products, technologies, resources, and systems that will empower a circular as well as sustainable economy. In order to develop innovative services and products, it is possible to rely on today’s modern digital platforms. Chemical manufacturers can join forces with suppliers, customers, and other relevant groups to develop products that stick to the circular economy principles. The

products, which would be manufactured, are to be – durable, recyclable, and less susceptible to repair. A digital platform can aid manufacturers to monitor and to measure the real time impact of changes in regulatory requirements on their services and products. This would help them to meet the requisite regulatory standards in niche markets and to easily adapt those products. Digital tools offer an optimal scope for business and manufacturing processes to catalyze an enterprise for the circular economy. Machine learning tools help manufacturers to predict product qualities as well as to minimize the energy-andresource consumption. In the chemical industry especially, manufacturers are able to track and trace the manufacturing materials throughout the whole business lifecycle with the use of technology and digital tools. Other areas where companies can obtain competitive advantage through the circular economy in the chemical industry are chemical management, circular procurement, circular products, and end-product recycling. These can help the industry to grow further and to save carbon dioxide emissions. Global Vision Perspective: However, despite all its benefits, achieving this global vision of a circular economy for the chemical industry is not fraught without challenges. It is bound to take time, collaboration and resolve. Companies, which do not prioritize innovative design systems that promote life-cycle thinking and advanced operational efficiency or even bringing in materials for reuse and resource conservation, will have to make special efforts to develop a life-cycle approach with due consideration of solutions to close the loop at the end-of-life of an article and the energy requirements for such solutions.

challenges to the circular economy. The institutional challenges need more attention in an environment where the circular economy still has to take wings. The role of the government or government agencies is important at this step. The government has to plan for and oversee the creation of infrastructure and should invest in the technology creation. There are several decisions to be taken on this front like number of recycling centres and their location, the use of recycled material, etc. If these decisions are not taken with due attention, then recycling centers get disorganized and become unprofitable for the organised sector. A strong example of how the chemical industry is thriving in a circular manner is the one in the Arabian Gulf where the chemical industry is one of the fastest growing sectors. The foundation of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf was built upon the principle of circularity. By converting associated gas, which was otherwise being flared into highvalue chemicals and petrochemicals, the industry enables tremendous value creation from what was being treated as waste. Conclusion: Chemical industry’s journey to sustainability is still in its nascent stage. There is scope to see plenty of further improvement and innovation in the coming years. However, as the world’s population grows and the strain on the planet’s resources grows, developing a circular economy will become increasingly vital. To ensure this, companies need to invest in the necessary people having right skills and resources and also to invest in the access to the latest digital and collaborative tools and technologies. With all this in place and a broad-level of backing, the chemical industry can fast-track the sustainable solutions development that meets the societal needs in the coming century.

Moreover, there are also institutional, technical, managerial, and social

Author

It is imperative that our future strongly depends on sustainable reuse of what we have. In this landscape, the word CIRCULAR ECONOMY is not simply a catchphrase that has started picking up off late.

Haritosh Mishra General Manager, Research and Development Grauer & Weil (India) Ltd

58 • December 2019

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CEW Features

New Development in Flexible Plastic Packaging Most forms of traditional plastics have now become synonymous to environment hazards. With this context, flexible plastic has been emerging as an eco-friendlier substitute. In this article, the author narrates the changing trend of plastic usage across the industry and the innovative initiatives that various key players have been bringing in towards sustainability maintenance.

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lastics have been a part of the packaging industry for a long time. Their features—lightweight, low cost, durability, ease of handling, and intrinsic properties viz. chemical and moisture resistance—make them the go-to packaging material in most cases. Rising consumption, large-scale eCommerce driven production, warehousing, and transportation have increased the demand for packaging that eases the process of storing and transporting. Thus, flexible plastic has emerged as a preference for such industries. The global flexible plastic packaging market was valued at USD 146.90 billion in 2018 and is expected to generate revenue of USD 172.29 million by 2023. Amongst regions, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate (3.6 percent from 2018 to 2023) owing to the increasing number of dualincome households. North America is expected to witness a gradual shift from rigid to flexible plastic owing to its lightweight, low cost, durability, and easy-to-handle features. EU has set 2030 targets for recycling

rates (55 percent of plastic), which is expected to impact the market in the region. In the Asia-Pacific region, factors including expanding eCommerce industry, rapid urbanization, and increasing women workforce population are expected to contribute to greater demand for durable / protective packaging in the region. Market

Trends—Recyclability

&

Sustainability IMPACT Flexible plastic has emerged as a better alternative packaging material. In comparison to rigid plastics, flexible plastics use 88 percent less fossil fuel and reduce solid waste by 66 percent, thus proving to be a more sustainable option. However,

the

end-of-life

stage

of

the plastic, i.e., recycling, remains a challenge. As a result, it ends up in landfills and adds to environmental concerns.

According

to

the

United

Nations’ Environment Programme, more than 300 million tons of plastic is being produced every year, but only 9 percent of the cumulative waste has been recycled to date.

Recycling flexible plastic has always remained a challenge owing to a couple of factors. The multi-polymer products and chemicals added to polymers are the ones that complicate the entire recycling process as it becomes difficult to separate the layers. The lack of proper infrastructure and funding in certain regions such as APAC and Latin America also impacts the recycling process. In addition, declining oil prices have made it cheaper to make virgin plastic, thus making investors reluctant to commit to the recycled plastic usage. Increasing regulations have pressurized the manufacturers to move towards circular economy and to develop recyclable and sustainable solutions. In the United States, in 2018 there are around 52 approved bills compared to 30 in 2015, with a primary focus on banning single-use plastics, replacing plastics, and increasing recycling targets. The US government is aiming to approve 90 plus similar pending bills over the next 3 years. Increasing pressure from the public, regulators, and the industry has encouraged companies to develop more

According to the United Nations’ Environment Programme, more than 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year, but only 9 percent of the cumulative waste has been recycled to date. European Union has set 55 percent of plastic recycling rate as its 2030 target.

60 • December 2019

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CEW Features sustainable packaging solutions. Consequently, top retailers and FMCG manufacturers (such as PepsiCo, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, etc) and packaging manufacturers have introduced sustainability declarations and commitments. Some of these include: • Reduction in the weight of packaging material, ranging from 20 percent to 33 percent • Increased recyclability and reusability of packaging material – aiming at 100 percent • Increased use of recycled plastic in packaging material, ranging from 9 percent to 100 percent Product Innovation to Promote Circular Economy Flexible plastic packaging is primarily used in food & beverage applications and most of the market participants are increasing their focus on developing recyclable polymers for the segment. In addition, participants have focused on reducing the weight of material used, increasing the recycled content used, and manufacturing recyclable flexible plastic packaging solutions. Below are the market participants who have been successful in developing recycle-friendly and sustainable flexible packaging solutions. Mondi In February 2018, Mondi developed BarrierPack Recyclable, a fully recyclable plastic laminate for pre-made pouches. Besides being sustainable, the product is highly functional, consumer convenient, and suitable for a wide range of

applications such as dry food, pet care, and personal care. Huhtamaki In 2019, Huhtamaki launched the Blueloop packaging platform aimed at making flexible plastic packaging circular. The Blueloop product range consists of recyclable solutions with mono-material structures such as PE, PP, and paper. Amcor In 2018, Amcor developed a polyolefinbased film as an alternative to PET. The new film delivers excellent performance for barrier and heat processing without compromising on the packaging function and product shelf-life; and is suitable for existing polyolefin recycling streams. Amcor is also working to eliminate aluminium and polyester-based pouches with a recyclable PP based design for pet food. The company also expects to convert all flexible pouch production to this new 100 percent recycling-ready process by as early as 2021. Parkside In October 2018, Parkside Flexibles Ltd launched a fully recyclable single polymer laminate (recoflex-PE) to support the concept of circular economy. Although the recoflex-PE is made from 100 percent PE, the laminate has excellent barrier, mechanical strength, and sealing properties and thus is well suited for nuts and snacks, most cheeses, coffee, protein powders, and nutrition packaging. Polyplex Corporation Ltd & TPL (Transparent Paper Ltd): In 2019, Polyplex and TPL launched BOPP films containing 70 percent postconsumer recycled content. The films

were developed by using post-consumer PET bottles which are depolymerized to monomers. These monomers are further polymerized to PET resins which then can be easily extruded to BIOPET films. BBC Cellpack Packaging In April 2019, the company introduced CELLPouch, flexible stand-up pouches with 100 percent recyclability. CELLPouch pouches are made of special films and are noted for their barrier properties and a child-resistant closure system, which makes them ideal for packaging hot content, baby food, and fruit purée. Bioplastics: Alternative to Conventional Plastics With increasing awareness among consumers about the long-term effects of plastics, the demand for innovative sustainable alternatives has surged considerably. Major brand owners are switching to bio-based plastics including BioPET, Bio-PP, polylactide (PLA), and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). With rising demand, production capacities are increasing, and this will lead to reasonable prices. As a result, the shift towards bioplastics is expected to increase. For instance, PepsiCo switched to bio-based flexible packaging developed by Danimer Scientific, manufacturer of biodegradable plastic materials. Biodegradable plastics such as Bio PP and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH/PVA) are potential candidates as watersoluble packaging materials are used in applications such as water bottles. Other examples such as Polybutylene succinate (PBS) make for an ideal candidate to

Flexible plastic has emerged as a better alternative packaging material. In comparison to rigid plastics, flexible plastics use 88 percent less fossil fuel and reduce solid waste by 66 percent, thus proving to be a more sustainable option.

62 • December 2019

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CEW Features make safe packaging materials for food. Bio PET can be used to replace a wide range of traditional PE and PET materials across food and FMCG packaging. Bioplastic is revolutionizing the packaging industry with lower energy consumption and carbon dioxide generation; however, certain challenges such as high cost and specialization required for recycling are expected to impact the growth. Influence of Digitization Manufacturers of packaging materials and brand owners of food and cosmetic products are accepting digitization as a critical strategy in increasing the value of their products. Integrating digital technology into packaging (smart packaging) solutions as compared to traditional packaging offers more benefits to consumers and producers. It creates a broad range of growth opportunities and assists in : • Value-chain tracking or supply-chain traceability to ensure safe delivery and authenticity of products to the consumers. • Reduces the chance of counterfeit drugs. According to the World Health Organization, around 1 million lose their lives globally due to fake medicines. To counter this issue, smart packaging in the form of holograms or micro-text is adopted by manufacturers. • Implementation of IIoT in transportation & logistics for hasslefree supply chain. • Increasing customer engagement by providing complete product information through multiple technologies including QR codes, RFID, and NFC. Shelf-life sensing, temperature indicators, and RFID are technological methods used

64 • December 2019

on packaging. Further, nano-packaging that offers modified atmosphere packaging systems is also gaining importance. Major market participants who develop digitized solutions for the packaging converters include PragmatIC, Amcor MaXQ, EVRYTHNG, Smartglyph, Thinfilm, Water.IO, and Timestrip. Digitized Innovations low-cost • PragmatIC launched radio-frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuits for item identification and tracking, hierarchical inventory management, and supply chain assurance. This RFID circuit can be used for applications including food and beverages, personal and home care, pharmaceutical, and healthcare.

app also includes a virtual reward system where the customer gets a reward point every time they use the app for recycling. The Road Ahead With an increased emphasis on circular economy, packaging companies have been keen on engaging with participants across the value chain to ensure that the flexible plastic packaging options available in the market to have a high degree of recyclability and sustainability. Companies are aiming at increasing recycled content in packaging. However, on the digitization front, the industry is still in the naive stages but the application of smart packaging is expected to increase in the near future owing to increased consumer awareness about product safety.

• Amcor is in partnership with Kezzler launched MaXQ, NFC technologybased digital packaging system that is designed to increase consumer engagement for products including functional beverages, protein shakes, nutritional drinks, soda cans, and soft beverages. With a single scan, the technology helps the consumer to get complete product information, or even have a live conversation with the brand and verify shelf-life. • NFC OpenSense tags (thin flexible labels) by Thinfilm allow the user to detect the product’s sealed and opened states using an NFC-enabled smartphone. • In 2018, EVRYTHNG launched an application called Reciclaya at Carrefour supermarkets in Spain. This application allows the consumer to know about the recycling process of a product by scanning the barcode. The app lets the consumer keep track of the products bought, know about the recycling scheme, and also get information on sorting the waste. The

Author Prateeksha Kaul Research Analyst, Visionary Science Practice, Frost & Sullivan Contact Information: Srihari Daivanayagam Email: srihari.daivanayagam@frost.com

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CEW Features

Innovation and Cooperation Bring Sustainable Water Supply to Rural Kenya This case study exemplifies how a water scarce situation in rural Kenya, which used to cause several health hazards and other hassles to its residents, has been improved with a sustainability based innovative approach pioneered by Grundfos.

W

hat a difference does reliable and easy access to clean water make! Before August 2016, thousands of people had no easy access to drinking water in the rural areas of Kenya viz Nakuru and Makueni counties outside Nairobi. “For me, I used to wake up at 5 am heading out to the river to fetch water, which used to take approximately one hour”, said Mary Kemto, a local woman. “The journey back with heavy, jerrycans filled with river water used to take two hours“. The only chore one was ending up doing was the water fetching. The children used to get affected at many times. Many a times, they were infected by typhoid. Washing the clothes was a challenge due to the nature of the water. The quality of tea was really as terrible as of water”.

Villagers in Kalawa fill jerrycans with fresh water from Grundfos AQtap water ATMs. Several parties – NGOs, county and local governments, a telecom company and Grundfos – worked together to bring 60 AQtaps to two large, rural counties of Makueni and Nakuru 3-4 hours’ drive from Nairobi.

and even made some parents to withdraw their children from school.”

According to Enock Oruko, Associate Director WASH, World Vision Kenya, Local high school principal Jacky -- in the villages, vendors used to sell Muthama said, “There was no safe source water at water kiosks. However, these of water. The only source of water was the used to remain open only for the limited Chamakuzi Dam, which used to be at the hours during the day. A study showed outside of school compound and wasn’t that only about three in five households secured. This became a huge challenge, used to pay for their water use. With the traditional vendorbased collection method, the revenue collection rate was only about 35-40 per cent. Non-revenue water (that is the water either lost from leakages, stolen, or unable to be accounted for) totted up in also around 40 per cent for all over The SmartCard payment system helps the accountability of the water service. No Kenya. cash is used, and users can also top up the credit on their water cards with their mobile phones. 66 • December 2019

The solution World Vision, the largest nongovernmental provider of clean water in the developing world, teamed up with Grundfos to supply sustainable water collection points managed locally by the communities. The Stone Family Foundation offered a grant to make the project possible. These organizations formed a public-private-partnership (PPP) with the county governments, local communities, and telecom company Safaricom to realise the project. Grundfos provided 60 AQtap “water ATMs” for 11 local water committees, or more than 20,000 people. These automated water vending machines started supplying water securely via a smart card based payment system. Users are needed to load up “Water Cards” with credit, for buying the water via the ATM’s touch screen. Users are required to make small and affordable payments for their water,

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Features CEW ensuring that the water solution is sustainable. No cash transaction is required to be made. Money remains available to the local water committee for ongoing maintenance and repairing. Customers pay the price intended and can even use their mobile phones to load credits onto their Water Cards. In addition to this, water usage and payments are being tracked by the system, providing both transparent data and a quick way to identify potential need for repairs, according to Dr. Greg Allgood, Vice President of Water, World Vision. Local resident Ruth Suvai, who is also the Chair of the Kalawa Water Project, says, “Before we started using the AQtaps, a customer had to wait for the kiosk attendant to come and open the kiosk. With the change of AQtap, a customer can draw water at any point of time. The system is more efficient now. We are also not required to handle cash. The money goes directly to the bank”. The outcome Today, not only is the water becomes locally available and affordable in these respective areas of Nakuru and Makueni counties, it is within the affordability reach of most of the people. Non-revenue water has been greatly reduced by about 40 percent, according to World Vision Kenya. Water revenue is increased up till 62 per cent, which counts nearly two-thirds of the earlier data. With the efficient revenue collection, there comes the improved

water sustainability through this project, as the running costs and expansion plans can now be met by the water committees, as mentioned by the World Vision Kenya. Thanks to AQtaps, the community residents are now being benefitted in many ways. Local resident Mary Kemto said, “Life has become easier. The food we eat now is clean. The water we drink is clean. We use clean water to do our laundry. These days I have been able to do other chores than the mere fetching of water. The long queue for water also does not exist anymore”. School-aged students have also now been able to spend more time studying in school, rather than wasting their time in fetching water or staying sick at home by being infected with water-related diseases. Deborah Oyaro of World Vision Kenya said, “We have worked with communities and seen that this technology is good. It can really work for scaling up”. World Vision Kenya’s Enock Oruko said that scaling up throughout Kenya is possible because the AQtaps provide a market-based approach making the entire solution more efficient with the help of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). He added, “now we are able to monitor how much revenue is collected, and how much water is sold. It’s

Villagers can now get water at any time of day or night at the water ATMs. Previously they had to wait for an attendant to open a water kiosk for limited hours during the day.

a step forward with transparent systems and a breakthrough in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Health) governance. It’s a major step forward”. Enoch Oruko noted that Grundfos did more than just providing the technology. The company provided training to World Vision’s WASH team and community members on the AQtap units and water management system. “This was very impressive – a major component of our collaboration,” he mentioned. “It gave us the opportunity to work as an NGO in collaboration with the private partners. Grundfos is one of the greatest partners we’ve had in terms of innovation”. “World Vision and Grundfos have been able to expand this effort in Kenya with a grant from the Stone Family Foundation,” pronounced Dr. Greg Allgood, “Our goal is to expand this effort throughout Africa until everyone everywhere has the access to clean water that lasts”.

Contributor:

Residents say, “Life has become easier” with the AQtap water ATMs. Now they have more time to be in school or do other work than spend hours fetching water.

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Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd (Grundfos India) Tel: +91-44-4596 6800 Web: www.grundfos.in December 2019 • 67


CEW Features

Digitally Enabled Process Safety Management for Chemical Plants The author, in this article, addresses how to digitally enable the whole Process Safety Management and Risk-based Inspection Process throughout the life-cycle of the plant to help in learned decision making using all the past data.

T

he importance of a safe process design cannot be emphasized enough in process plants across the world. Thanks to decades of learning from chemical plant disasters, the design of process plants has become safer and more reliable to operate and maintain. Relevant international standards have been frequently updated to incorporate such learning and to reflect the need of the hour. Every new process plant design incorporates such guidelines through the Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) process, the Hazards and Operability Study (HAZOPs), and the associated risk mitigation design plans as a part of an elaborate Functional Safety Risk Management plan. Thus, a safe plant gets designed, erected, and commissioned. However, after years of regular operation of the plant, it becomes a colossal task to retrieve all maintenance and inspection reports, design documents, and the decisions that were made based on multiple intermediate studies during the intervening period. The common practice is that the learning during the period applicable to all critical systems and chemical processes are lost in most instances. Every new plant-based modification or any critical equipment inspection plan needs to undergo the process without incorporating any of the previous learning or incorporate some of the available learning.

Elements of Process Safety Management: Process Safety Management is a proactive and systematic approach to identify, evaluate, mitigate, as well as to prevent potential hazards resulting in fires, explosions, chemical reactions, or chemical releases that occur because of failures in process, procedure, or equipment. This needs to be operational throughout the plant’s life-cycle. The following minimum needs are to be established for an effective Process Safety Management. • Collection of Process safety / Process critical information • Process Hazard Analysis • Mechanical Integrity Evaluation • Design and Selection of Protective Devices and Controls • Formalizing Safe Work Practices • Operating Procedures • Emergency Response Procedures • Trainings for contractors

employees

and

• Pre-Start up Safety Review • Accident / Incident Investigation • Regular Audits • Management of Change • Maintaining Records at Each Stage • Carrying out Process Safety Restudies at Regular Interval

Process Safety Information Governance: Organizational procedures still follow traditional Process Safety Governance. The method relies entirely or partially on the aforementioned elements. Data Management Systems are critical to information governance, while the enforcement and monitoring is done manually. Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS) Design and Improvement Criteria: Organizations require robust process safety management systems, and to build & operate them, they must take the RBPS approach. In order to make best use of this approach, organizations must follow the guidelines of designing and improving the various process safety activities to ensure effort appropriation. The approach depends on detailed process safety prediction on the basis of three crucial factor: • Requisite understanding of associated risk on which the process safety practices are focused. • The correlation between the demand of process safety work and available resources. • The advantages and limitations of the process safety culture within the organization. This RBPS approach has various crucial advantages. Some of them are: • Negating the gaps • Preventing inconsistencies

68 • December 2019

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Features CEW • Preventing excess work, insufficient work, and rework It is of paramount importance for the organizations to integrate their RBPS activities with the existing management systems, in order to optimize process safety. Some of these management

cost and effort. However, risk-based inspection can work effectively only on the basis of large amount of historical data. In other words, to assess the risk and accordingly to run inspections & diagnosis, the availability of all relevant records – such as process

focusing on eradicating any possibilities of injury, loss, and interruption. In the digitalized landscape of Industry 4.0, organizations can ensure optimum productivity, quality, flexibility, and scalability only by showing due respect to implementation of impermeable process safety measures and follow industry best practices. Digitalized processes demand cutting-edge technological innovations, integrated engineering, and seamless operations. Big Data has a critical role to play for company leaderships to make informed decisions. With the help of modern technologies, due efforts are being made to overcome issues plaguing prompt decision making. Some of these issues are: • Lost learning • Misplaced records

systems cater to security, personal health and safety, product quality, equipment reliability, and environmental protection. Risk Based Inspection This method of assessment and inspection relies on the possible risks. Equipment/ areas to be inspected are prioritized as per the risk involved. For instance, only a small number of equipment in a plant may run with considerable risks. This form of inspection focuses on higher level of coverage for high-risk items, while – for a low-risk item – dedicating only as much effort and resources as it demands. Risk-based inspection is in contrast with time-based inspection, which follows the doctrine of assessing all equipment and systems, irrespective of the risk each one of them carries, thus resulting in higher

safety information, failure analysis reports, inspection history, corrosion data, and incident analysis – is a pre-requisite. Furthermore, a quantitative approach towards the risk makes this inspection method more effective. Rating equipment and systems, on the basis of health status and possible failures, determines the risk categories that they fall in and are accordingly prioritized. Thorough analysis of every aspect of risk results in clearer assessment and inspection and, in turn, faster detection and addressing of the problems. Digital Enablement It is important for organizations to realize and move toward creating definitive business value by putting the process safety measures in place and

To get a safe plant designed – erected – and – commissioned, every new process plant design incorporates safety guidelines through the Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) process, the Hazards and Operability Study (HAZOPs) and associated risk mitigation design plans, as a part of an elaborate Functional Safety Risk Management plan. Chemical Engineering World

• Duplication of data • Multiple histories of records It is important that the Operation team / HSE Manager is empowered to make informed and analytical decisions by using the consolidated history of all safety records. A digitalized approach is critical to achieve that status. This digital enablement can happen by executing the following actions: • Defining and designing a robust information tracking process. For that to happen, the Document Management System has to be dynamic and interactive, while also enabling User Interface customization. • Creating an easily accessible database that stores all safety and non-safety Records. • Making best use of Optical Character Recognition technology in order to capture all the relevant information and attributes. • Using Natural Language Processing December 2019 • 69


CEW Features enablement for process safety management and risk based inspection plan can be defined as below.

to sort and to unstructured data.

categorize

the

• Analyzing records of design data, safety incident reports, and safety records with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML). Broad Framework A large number of safety related documents / records are first categorized, and all the information are then further sub-categorized based on required keywords. The intelligent database of every safety device, safety instrumented function, scenario, cause and effect matrix, risk scenarios, etc are defined through various algorithms. A suitable User Interface is thus being made by enabling the Operation Manager / Safety Manager to input required data for various safety scenarios. The algorithm would respond to such inputs and provide an array of suggestions. Benefits

The AI/ML based system analyses the historical data & records, and helps in defining the risk values (in case of risk based inspection) and process safety decisions, which would very accurately map to the existing condition of the plant. While the rigors of the engineering analysis cannot be done away with, the use of AI/ML techniques would help remove a large amount of subjectivity associated in such decision-making process. The most important benefit coming out of this governance mechanism is because of reliable and readily available safety information including historical data right from the conceptual design onwards. The management is no longer dependent on the historical knowledge of the individual operator/manager for the particular area of the plant. The amount of subjectivity while defining the risk matrix is now replaced with ML based suggestions. Framework for Digital Enablement A broad level framework for digital

Risk-based inspection is in contrast with time-based inspection, which follows the doctrine of assessing all equipment and systems, irrespective of the risk each one of them carries, thus resulting in higher cost and effort. 70 • December 2019

The first step would be to identify the gaps in the as-is scenario. A team of domain experts and digital technologists would map the available information into various buckets based on whether the data are available on paper, scanned document, hosted in portal, etc. The existing process safety management process of the plant also needs to be re-mapped as to incorporate the digital enablement. The sub-processes, for which digital framework incorporation is required, are to be redefined. Making all the historical records available is the key in effective use of digital solutions. Otherwise, it would simply result into another document management portal hosting all the information in digital form. Conclusion Digital enablement in process and plant safety area is still in evolving stage in most of the chemical plants, primarily because of the safety managers’ general reliance on traditional approach and also their wariness about the unpredictability of digital systems. However, the increasing expectation of management to make quick and clear decisions is slowly changing the mindset. In the coming years, we would see more and more occurrence of such systems as rule than as exceptions.

Author: Manoviram Rath & Rajesh Thilak L&T Technology Services Limited, Vadodara India Web: www.LTTS.com

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Features CEW

Digital Transformation: a Sustainability Enabler Sustainability is gaining prominence in today’s business context. Organizations are increasingly focusing on it considering an expansive view of the triple bottom line that measures profits, people, and planet. The author, in this article, narrates how sustainability attainment can be greatly enhanced with digital transformation.

S

ustainability is emerging as a crucial business topic these days as many companies focus on the resources toward lowering the emissions, waste, and energy usage in their production processes. This important concept can be broadly applied to company operations, especially while considering the expansive view of the triple bottom line that measures the impact of company operations on profits, people, and the planet. Digital tools have been helping in attaining sustainability goals for decades with a targeted effort in efficiency improvement, more so for energy consumption. Traditionally, it was more about cost savings; but now the industry is slowly moving toward the more specific process metrics and the extent of energy savings. Additionally, companies are also increasingly focusing on – waste-anddischarge reduction from production units, easy task execution with visualization, and efficiency capability enhancement through digital solutions. Mostly, the digital transformation and advancements tend to result in tangible benefits across a variety of areas. Processes that lead to reduced energy consumption can lead to more business profit. Processes (as for example, knowledge automation) that promote better employee onboarding or more technical guidance will not only attract and retain the talent, but will also help in

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curbing unintended manual mistakes on the factory floor.

solely financial metric for Company’s success.

The sustainability metrics often force businesses to take a strategic look across the entire length and breadth of the business to fundamentally shift their activity focus. In addition to enhancing process efficiencies, sustainability activities can also impact the business success by boosting operational flexibility and workforce engagement.

CO 2 emission, related to energy part of the processes, is the most common metric. However, other efficiency measures often include factors like on-spec or production quality. Cutting the emissions is important; however poor-quality product can also lead to the wastage of both energy and raw material. Any technology that can improve the product quality or the batch quality ultimately improves the Company’s sale to their customers, and also the process efficiency which in turn creates less waste.

Process efficiency Digital technologies enable unique measuring tools for operators to gain insight on process operations. Visibility on raw material and energy usage has been the primary focus; however emission is also an increasingly important metric. Companies can record carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other emissions for different process options, so those can be included as part of the process selection. A view toward the “greener” side of business is growing; and organizations increasingly look for more visibility on important targets, as well as they ask for CO 2 metrics on their operating and reporting dashboards. Company Executive Boards are giving due consideration to this type of process and measurement beyond a

A great example of this is the scheduling tools, which help the companies to increase their efficiency in production planning to eliminate the waste further down the road. Scheduling tools can also help the companies to decide on when to make which product and in which order, based on their customers’ demand, thus resulting energy savings and waste reduction in the production phase. Digital simulation tools can also drill down into specific emissions that are tracked, correlating with certain other emissions in various steps for a particular reaction. For example, digital transformation solutions

Traditionally, the implementation of digitalization to attain sustainability goals was more about cost savings; but now the industry is slowly but gradually moving toward the more specific process metrics, the process emissions, and the waste reduction. December 2019 • 71


CEW Features will help organizations to notate specific correlations and will help to uncover specific data about each of the processes. This is not something that can possibly be done on a manual level, as because the industrial processes are majorly too complex to track and adjust. In such situations, advanced digital tools help the workers to see the value in adjustments and also to guide them in how to do such adjustments. Business economics In volatile industrial markets, making sustainable business profit is crucial. Because, profit remains an important metric for success; and digitalization directly contributes to this success. Let’s consider a bad batch example: processes that prevent producing a bad batch help an organization to make back-end cost savings for raw materials with waste reduction. Additionally, many digital solutions enable better operational flexibility, so that the assets can more effectively respond to the market changes. Another key technology advancement that helps to keep the businesses more sustainable, from a financial perspective, is – using reliability software that predicts equipment breakdowns well in advance, or any unplanned or unforeseen event. Such advance warnings enable the companies to avoid event-breakdowns, which in turn saves the major potential profit loss that otherwise could be resulted during the production downtime and could add up to million dollars of profit-loss per day. Some outages can lead to an increase in emission and discharge too.

Predictive maintenance is not just a digital transformation tool, helping plants to attain operational efficiencies. Most importantly, it has a direct impact on an organization’s bottom line by keeping machines running at their optimum performance limit, thus avoiding maintenance and capital costs from unexpected failure. In that sense, reliability software is a value creator in the maintenance process. It knows the limits of equipment, and therefore it enables the organizations to get the most out of them from a production standpoint, knowing they are not going to cause any damage or breakdown. Talent Ensuring the safety for the factory workers along with the surrounding community is paramount, and the technology that leads to more reliable plant processes is the key factor in making it a reality. This

In addition to this, software that helps to guide the talent to make better decisions and to be more work-efficient, completely changes the nature of these industrial roles by bringing them into the modern age; and thus removing a layer of complexity that has typically been part of the workplace. Digital transformation provides the solutions to address all of these challenges, enabling better control of the manageable business aspects as well as imparting the flexibility to respond to market changes.

also bleeds a bit into the topic of talent sustainability. Making factory jobs safer and protecting the workers better through increased plant reliability make industrial careers more attractive to young talent. This will undeniably contribute to the serious talent gap we are facing in the industrial world. Apart from the technology making plant-work safer, it is also helping to improve workflows – especially through operation training & simulations - thus allowing fresh hires to get a feel for their responsibilities, plant operations, and the different challenging circumstances that may arise during those operations, in a totally simulated setting. It allows them to grow, to learn, and to make mistakes

A view toward the “greener” side of business is growing; and organizations increasingly look for more visibility on important targets. They ask for CO 2 metrics on their operating and reporting dashboards. Company Executive Boards are giving due consideration to this type of process and measurement beyond a solely financial metric for Company’s success. 72 • December 2019

in a closed environment that does not have real-world impact. Using technology to train the talents better is a huge value addition to a company. Not only is that, it also helps to make the work and onboarding processes easier as well as more attractive to fresh hires.

Author Details Dr Paige Marie Morse Chemical Industry Marketing Director Aspen Technology Emal: Paige.Morse@aspentech.com Chemical Engineering World


Products CEW Water Analysis – Drop Test

Dispensers

Lovibond ShuddhCheck kits are designed for rapid water testing mostly based on drop tests or colour cards. The Lovibond drop test range is derived from laboratory burette methods and is an established methodology used across industry. They form an integral part of the analytical program of many a speciality chemical supplier. The reagents are quick to use and give results fast, making the drop test the method of choice for many customers. A number of methods have been recently adapted to comply with changes in legislation and hazard awareness. As the Lovibond solutions have been adapted to address these changes they have also improved in accuracy with their hazard implications reduced. The procedure has also been simplified as part of the Lovibond commitment to product development.

Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt Ltd offers dispensers to transfer set for flammable liquids (petrol, kerosene and diesel fuel). Pump with nozzle holder is easy to install on the barrel through the quick coupling. Dispensing unit equipped with telescopic suction tube for direct connection into the tank allows easy and clear use of the dispenser. It has a cast iron body, anti-noise filter, flanged component pump, bypass setup with pressure relief valve, thermal protection, nonreturn valve (NRV) built and suction unit with integrated fine filter. Meter and filters can be installed or replaced without the use of sealant, making connection quick and safe. For details contact: Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt Ltd 267 Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai 600 010 Tel: 044-26448558, 26448983 Fax: 91-044-26441820 E-mail: sales@toshniwal.net

For details contact: Tintometer India Pvt Ltd Lovibond House, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Floors 7-2-C-14, Sanathnagar Indl Estate Hyderabad, Telangana 500 018 or Circle Readers’ Service Card 01

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Vertical In-line Pumps TPE3 pumps have revolutionized the role of today’s pumps. With its intelligent control modes and unparalleled energy efficiency, TPE3 pumps play an integral role in bringing hot water to your faucets and cool air to your ventilators. They are used primarily in commercial buildings such as hotels, airports, office buildings and hospitals, and have a host of heating and cooling applications. In industrial applications, these pumps can be used to control temperature and avoid overheating of heat intensive parts. These vertical, in-line pumps have excellent built-in features and augmented communication capabilities. They are fitted with a permanent magnetic motor, integrated sensors, advanced control modes and multi-pump functionalities. TPE3 pumps are easy to install, monitor and deliver max efficiency. Their improved hydraulics have provided them with the highest Minimum Efficiency Index (MEI lesser than or equal to 0.70). Besides this, the TPE3 pumps are also equipped with a TFT colour display for an improved user interface. Features built-in high energy meter to monitor heat and energy consumption of the pump; integrated temperature and pressure sensors that eliminate the need for any external sensor installation; intelligent control modes that can customize temperature, flow and pressure based on requirements to optimize performance. AUTOADAPT - helps continuously monitor and change pressure or temperature on the basis of external factors and consumption patterns; FLOWADAPT - this mode controls AUTOADAPT with a flow limiting function that monitors the flow rate and ensures that the max flow rate is not exceeded which will eliminate the need for a pump throttling valve to regulate the flow; uses a sensor to measure the differential temperature between the incoming and outgoing liquid; and uses a sensor to match flow to the actual demand, eliminating the need for a pump balancing valve to maintain a constant flow rate. It is one of the most energy efficient pumps on the market with a high MEI rating, capable of handling large volumes (from 5 to 80 m3/h Quantity and 3 to 25 m Head), varying temperature range (-25oC to +120oC) and ambient temperature (-20o C to +50oC), and ability to communicate the data from the sensors, other pumps, Grundfos GO remote management app along with BMS and CIM interfaces. For details contact: Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd 118 Rajiv Gandhi Salai Thoraipakkam, Chennai 600 097 Tel: 044-45966800, Fax: 91-044-45966969 E-mail: oneoffice.india@sales.grundfos.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 03

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CEW Products Water Meters

Roots Pumping Systems

Toshniwal provides a comprehensive residential meter portfolio to meet the world’s water utility requirements. Toshniwal Series continues to be in the water industry standards. Toshniwal’s quiet, rugged and reliable apartment and domestic water meters achieve ultra-low flow measurement and meets or exceeds all standards. The ISO Standard assures you that the company has achieved the highest possible standards for both manufacturing and customer service quality. It is a perfect measuring technic for cold and warm water. It is easy to install even on existing pipelines. One can also calculate the amount of water consumed. For details contact: Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt Ltd 267 Kilpauk Garden Road Chennai 600 010 Tel: 044-26445626, 26448983 E-mail: sales@toshniwal.net

Toshniwal is counted among the prominent manufacturers, suppliers and exporters of a wide range of roots pumping systems. The company provides solution to your vacuum application. It replaces multi-stage water/liquid ring pumps, steam jet ejectors with compact vacuum packages. Available in a spectrum of specifications, these systems are used in distillation process, food processing, drying of powder and solids, and transformer evacuation. The volume flow is from 180 to 97,000-m3/hr. Energy savings resulting from low motor rating. Booster and rotary can be started at the same time. Built-in bypass value to protect from overloads. For details contact: Toshniwal Instruments (Madras) Pvt Ltd 267 Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai 600 010 Tel: 044-26448983, 26445626 Fax: 91-044-26441820 E-mail: sales@toshniwal.net

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Intelligent Submersible Pumps Grundfos offers excellent and robust dewatering solutions with its pumps and systems. DPK and DWK are submersible dewatering, draining pumps by design. These pumps can handle a particle size up to 15-mm and can be installed in the basements to manage the situation. They are an ideal solution as reliability and modularity are key elements required in critical situations. These pumps are highly useful in flood prone areas, construction sites and can also help to manage the critical situation. These drainage or dewatering pumps are equipped with a semi-open or enclosed impeller with a robust cast iron construction to improve their durability. They are intended for submersible use in underground collection tanks in and around buildings for cost effective run-off management. They also have flexible installation options as they can be free-standing on a ring stand or be permanently installed on an auto-coupling system. The DPK.V range of pumps is designed with a state-of-the-art super vortex impeller to transfer sewage to make run-off management efficient. DPK.V pumps have a particle handling capability of 65-mm (or) 80-mm, hence they can be put into operation where there are coarse particles floating in the water. With the super vortex impeller, the design minimizes clogging. This makes DPK.V ideal to transport wastewater. The DWK pump range is primarily used for dewatering in construction sites. Their corrosion resistant components protect them from the harsh environments of a construction site. The primary differentiator between a DPK and DWK pump is in their discharge arrangement style. The discharge is placed on top and does not require any additional support to be placed. This will allow pumps to be put through the smallest manholes to displace water. It finds application at construction sites, run-off management, excavations, tunnels and drainage pits. The durability, modularity and efficiency of these pumps make them the perfect dewatering and drainage solution at commercial establishments and construction sites. For details contact: Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd 118 Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thoraipakkam Chennai 600 097 Tel: 044-45966800, Fax: 91-044-45966969 E-mail: oneoffice.india@sales.grundfos.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 06

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Products CEW Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump

Diffusers – Fine and Coarse Bubble With vast experience coupled to the countless installations in the field, allows Toshniwal to offer any type of turnkey packages to meet the customer’s needs.

Fine bubble diffusers produce a plethora of small air bubbles which rise slowly from the floor of a wastewater treatment plant or sewage treatment plant aeration tank and provide substantial and efficient mass transfer of oxygen to the water. The oxygen combined with the food source, sewage, allows the bacteria to produce enzymes which help break down the waste so that it can settle in the secondary clarifiers or be filtered by membranes.

Pump system Type HYDROSYS include liquid ring vacuum pump, cyclone type air-liquid separator and heat exchanger, and associated accessories all mounted on a fabricated frame.

Coarse bubble diffusers produce bubbles which rise rapidly from the floor of a wastewater treatment plant or sewage treatment plant tank. They are typically used in grit chambers, equilisation basins, chlorine contact tanks and aerobic digesters, and sometimes also in aeration tanks. It finds application in municipal wastewater treatment, industrial wastewater treatment, sludge stabilisation, activated slurry systems and contact aeration system.

For details contact: Toshniwal Instruments (Madras) Pvt Ltd 267 Kilpauk Garden Road, Chennai 600 010 Tel: 044-26448983, 26448558 Fax: 91-044-26441820 E-mail: sales@toshniwal.net

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For details contact: Delhi Filter Press & Diffusers 124, Pkt-4, Sector 24, Rohini, Delhi E-mail: delhifilterpress@gmail.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 08 00

Submersible Sewage & Effluent Pump MBH non-clog submersible sewage pumps offer the most reliable way of solving the pumping and disposal of sewage containing suspended solids. MBH non-clog submersible sewage pumps are of close-coupled compact design and having a pump below and a motor above, sump cleaning is possible to a max level. These are powered by squirrel cage induction dry motors suitable for operation at 400/440-V, 3-phase, 50-Hz, AC supply. They are also noisefree in operation. The bearing arrangements with double angular contact ball bearings with deep groove ball bearings give the best resistance to the radial and thrust load combination in a centrifugal pump. The life rating is over 40,000 hours. The bearings are lubricated for life with high temperature grease. The housing is totally dust and waterproof for submersible duty. The cooling is done externally and the special insulation of the winding takes care of rise in temperature during intermittent operations. Special triple protection does not permit any liquid entry into the dry motor. The moisture detector indicates any moisture penetration into the motor. Built-in temperature sensors enable tripping of the motor if the temperature rises above 150oC and restarts at 80oC, giving complete dry run protection. Max permissible liquid temperature is 50oC. The guide rail system for lowering and lifting the pump is an outstanding feature. The pump slides down on to the duckfoot bend and engages with it without bolting. It is not necessary to enter the sump to carry out inspection and maintenance work. All MBH pumps have as standard equipment double mechanical seals which seal off the motor from the pump section. The seal has seal faces made from silicon carbide for long life. The design of the oil chamber ensures efficient cooling of the seals. Depending on the liquid, impellers may be semi-open or closed, running against a wear disc or casing ring. For industrial sewage, single-, two-channels or vortex impellers can be used. A shaft with a die-cast rotor on the motor side and a shaft protection sleeve on the pump side ensures better life for the shaft. The compact seat arrangement has minimised shaft over-hang and consequently minimises shaft deflection. The motor portion is isolated from the pump by an intermediate casing with double mechanical seal in the oil chamber. For details contact: MBH Pumps (Gujarat) Pvt Ltd Plot No: 14, GIDC, Naroda Indl Estate Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382 330 Tel: 079-22823066, 22821018 E-mail: marketing@mbhpumps.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 09 00

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CEW Products Peel/Seal Strength Tester – Digital

Laboratory Heat Seal Tester

Peel/seal strength tester – digitalized available in capacity 20 kgf (other capacity available), speed 300 mm/ min and least count 2 gm with a microprocessor-based display is designed as per ASTM D-1876 standard is used for checking the peel, adhesion, bond, seal strength testing for plastic films/laminate and foil. It is highly recommended for BOPP tapes, foil and labels. Computerised Model PPSS-2000 is also available. 90 and 180o test can be done with separate optional fixtures.

Laboratory heat sealer pneumatic model comes with adjustable force, adjustable dwell time 0.0 to 999 seconds (digital display/ microprocessor-based) and 15 to 180 kg with adjustable temperature (digital display/microprocessorbased). Both jaws with separate temperature sensors and controllers can be heated separately at different temperatures also. User can even switch-Off one heater and keep the other On heat. Special imported PID logic temperature controller for highest levels of control and repeatability. Seal pattern straight lined or dotted.

For details contact: Presto Stantest Pvt Ltd I-42 DLF Indl Area Phase I Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad Haryana 121 003 Tel: 0129-4272727 E-mail: info@prestogrop.com

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Intelligent LC/MS System for Chromatographers Agilent Technologies Inc offers a new, self-aware mass detector into their comprehensive LC/MS portfolio for the Indian market. The new Agilent InfinityLab LC/MSD iQ System incorporates ‘designed-in’ smart features, software, and hardware developed specifically for chemists and chromatographers who will benefit from the intuitive design and greater level of detail generated by a mass selective detector. The InfinityLab LC/MSD iQ incorporates intelligent instrument health monitoring, which is integrated into the system. Embedded sensors gather and display data allowing a quick assessment of the system’s readiness, status, and configuration. The instrument includes features such as a system suitability check that uses a test mixture designed to permit an overall assessment of the whole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) system before the collection of data. An early maintenance feedback feature allows lab managers to plan routine maintenance on the lab’s schedule resulting in a focus on overall productivity. The InfinityLab LC/MSD iQ system is designed to sit beneath a stack of Agilent’s InfinityLab HPLC instruments, saving valuable lab space. It is designed to be serviced without dismantling the stack, ensuring that instrument maintenance and parts exchange is fast and simple. To accommodate changing space and layout requirements, lab managers will be able to utilize the new Agilent InfinityLab Flex Bench MS, to enable mobility, modular mounting of all system components, and easy access to all system areas. The Flex Bench MS also improves lab environments with an integrated solution for waste management, as well as system noise reduction. Routine operation of the InfinityLab LC/MSD iQ utilizing Agilent’s OpenLab CDS Software provides the most efficient and reliable method for data collection, analysis, and reporting, developed with a focus on ease-of-use and data integrity all in one system. The InfinityLab LC/MSD iQ eliminates the complexity of MS data acquisition with new features such as the auto-acquire mode that makes method setup even easier. For details contact: Agilent Technologies India Pvt Ltd Plot No: 8, Gr Floor ABW Elegance Tower Jasola District Centre New Delhi 110 025 Tel: 011-46237100 E-mail: customercare.india@agilent.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 12

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Products CEW High-performance Wheel Solution Adiprene Low Free (LF) MDI C525 is a polycaprolactone-based prepolymer with a level of free MDI less than 1 per cent. When cured with Vibracure 2101, the system delivers a 96 Shore A material. Lower hardness elastomers are also possible with variants of Vibracure 2101. Tests were carried out at different loads, speeds and wheel geometries and followed ISO industry standards. Adiprene LFM C525 prepolymer is easy to process, requiring on average 16-24 hours at 115-120 oC post cure time and it is stable at room temperature for ca. 36 month. This PU system is a unique LANXESS solution, whereby the LF isocyanate technology facilitates the use of this differentiated curative. The LF technology avoids the starring-effect which creates starshaped crystals within the elastomer due to curative precipitation. The LF technology also brings unsurpassed health and safety conditions to the processor. Understanding the complexity of different wheel applications, LANXESS has developed other LF MDI polycaprolactone systems based on different curative combination allowing reaching hardness from 88 to 96 Shore A. Through many years of technical experience related to PU formulations specific to wheel applications, LANXESS has developed a predictive wheel model tool that will predict with good accuracy the wheel performance within the final application. LANXESS can support its customers in evaluating Adiprene LFM C525 in different wheel designs and/or different load/speed conditions. For details contact: LANXESS India Pvt Ltd LANXESS House Plot No: A-162, A-163, A-164 Road No: 27 Wagle Estate Opp: ITI College MIDC, Thane (W), Mumbai 400 604 Tel: 022-25871000 Telefax: 91-022-25826742 E-mail: infoindia@lanxess.com

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UHT Dimension XY Caliper for Geothermal Well Operations Probe, a leading supplier of cased-hole logging and advanced monitoring technology to the global oil and gas and geothermal industries, offers its UHT Dimension XY Caliper, the first XY Caliper Tool specifically designed to operate in ultra-high temperature environments. This new development expands upon the renowned Kuster geothermal logging tool portfolio, used extensively in the global geothermal industry for its performance and reliability. Developed to operate in hostile environments up to 325 oC (617 oF), the UHT Dimension tool provides two continuous independent perpendicular measurements (X and Y) of the internal dia of the casing. The tool also produces a high-resolution temperature profile of the well via an external fast-response resistance temperature detector (RTD). Featuring Kuster high-temperature technology, it is the latest addition to Probe’s range of Kuster pressure-temperature (PT) sensors, pressuretemperature-spinner (PTS) sensors, and Protherma (UHT PLT with pressure-temperature-spinner-gamma ray-casing collar measurements). All materials used to produce the UHT Dimension tool meet with the requisite NACE MRO175 specifications for use in corrosive wellbore environment. The UHT Dimension tool is versatile. It can be run stand-alone or combined with other Kuster geothermal PT and PTS tools. Its robust mechanical design features single roller arms that conform easily to most wellbore conditions. However, if there is a need to run over slotted sleeves or sandscreens, an optional triple roller arm is available for increased run efficiency. For details contact: Probe Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A. Tel: +1 817 568 8528 x1212 E-mail: Justin.galloway@probe1.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 14

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CEW Products Manual Filter Press

Fluoropolymer Coatings/Customised Moulded Parts

A manual filter press is simple and the basic form of the filter press. In manual filter press every operation is done manually. Manual filter press are available from 300 to 915 mm plate sizes. These machines are an effective, inexpensive choice for handling smaller quantities of material. In manual filter press, two types of mechanism are available: ratchet and capstan types. In manually-operated filter press with ratchet closing device, the system consists of ratchet mechanism, pinion and gear wheel. By applying a ratchet lever to the pinion shaft the force is transmitted by small pinion to the larger gear wheel which provides the final lightening on the plate pack.

Fluoropolymer coatings (KYNAR PVDF/HALAR ECTFE/FEP/PFA) are blend of high performance resins and fluoropolymer lubricants. These coatings are a superior dry film lubricant that produce a smooth, hard, slick coating and provide excellent corrosion and chemical resistance. Other benefits of fluoropolymer coatings include reduced friction resistance to galling, non-stick, non-wetting, electrical resistance and abrasion resistance. Customised moulded parts for aggressive chemicals. It finds application in heat exchangers, Nutsche filters, centrifuge, small vessel and reactors priming pot, basket strainers, etc.

For details contact: Thorat Filtration Pvt Ltd Gala No: 12, 3rd Floor, A-Bldg, Gami Indl Park Plot No: C-39/A, TTC Indl Area Pawane, MIDC, Navi Mumbai 400 705 E-mail: info@thoratfiltration.com

For details contact: Chemitek Equipments Plot No: 117, Nr GETCO SS Old GFIDC, Gundlav, Valsad Gujarat 396 035 Tel: 02632-236022 E-mail: sales@chemitek.co.in

Nitrogen Generators

Pressure Swing Adsorption

For the LC/MS analysers’ line, the Brezza Series offers dedicated NiGen LCMS nitrogen generators. The LC/MS analysers offered by various manufacturers do not all share the same requirements in terms of type, flow rate, pressure and purity of the gases needed for their operation. That is why the NiGen LCMS Series of generators in the Brezza line was created to meet the needs of all LC/MS analysers on the market. Available in three models: 40.1 version with output of 40 Nl/min and integral compressor; 100 version with output of 100 Nl/min without compressor; able to supply up to 4 LC/MS analysers; purity up to 99.9 per cent; no HC in the outlet nitrogen. High purity nitrogen guaranteed by the PSA system with the exclusive CLAIND Fast Punty patent: unlike conventional hollow fibre membranes, the Carbon Molecular Sieves utilised in PSA technology allow almost total adsorption of hydrocarbons, thereby limiting analytical interference on samples and spectrum. The internal 50 litre nitrogen and compressed air storage tanks avoid frequent air compressor starts, thereby reducing noise levels and maintenance requirements; high performance available with an extremely competitive purchase price.

Thanks to pressure swing adsorption technology the generator produces nitrogen from the compressed air inlet by separating the nitrogen molecules from the other molecules present in ambient air by means of filtration performed by carbon molecular sieves.

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Also the 40-1 version, which is equipped with a special built-in full oil-free compressor features minimum noise levels thanks to a series of sound-proofing and anti-vibration features, while compressor servicing is only necessary after 14,000 hours of duty. For details contact: CLAIND Via Regina 24 22016 Tremezzina (CO), Italy Tel: +39 0344 56603, Fax: +39 0344 56627 E-mail: info@claind.it or Circle Readers’ Service Card 17

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Inside the CMS columns, oxygen, moisture, hydrocarbons, CO2 and other contaminants are adsorbed, allowing the nitrogen to flow into an accumulation tank. From the accumulation tank the nitrogen is brought to the required pressure and then transferred to the generator outlet. Alternatively, the CMS columns are regenerated by expelling the previously absorbed compounds and then prepared for a new filtration stage by means of flushing with a reverse flow of nitrogen to ensure thorough cleaning. The Fast Purity process, composed of several stages, makes it possible to maintain constant minimum pressure in the CMS columns in such a way as to avoid peak flows on the molecular sieves for complete utilisation of MS performance and consequent delivery of the maximum purity of nitrogen in minimal times. For details contact: CLAIND Via Regina 24 22016 Tremezzina (CO) Italy Tel: +39 0344 56603 Fax: +39 0344 56627 E-mail: info@claind.it or Circle Readers’ Service Card 18

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Products CEW Non-metallic Centrifugal Pumps

Silicone Sleeves for Corona Treater

These pumps are designed for handling of most several industrial duties and available in variety of fluoropolymer to suit different requirement involving aggressive media at elevated temperature. The wetted parts of the pumps are moulded with following fluoropolymer: KYNAR PVDF (Polyvinyldene Fluoride), PPH Polypropylene Homopolymer, FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene), PFA (Perfluoroalkoxy). Polymer moulded with strong metal armour series – CMPV/CMPH/CMFE/CMPF to improve mechanical strength and avoid deformation. Shaft sleeve positively locked against impeller with positive locking technology. External seal cooling water not required. Back pull-out design. It finds application with all aggressive corrosive or toxic media up to 200oC with or without abrasive slurries.

APPL’s di-electric silicone sleeve manufactured from a specific silicone rubber compound, providing excellent electrical, thermal and chemical resistance, making it ideally suited to the harsh environment that is the corona treatment process. APPL’s silicone sleeves are produced specifically as an electrical dielectric sleeve and are manufactured to extremely close tolerance, ensuring reliable and consistent corona treatment performance. APPL’s sleeves are available in sizes 50-mm (2”), 75-mm (3”) and 98-mm (4”) nominal dia. It is also available in custom colour and sizes as per the requirements. For details contact: Ami Polymer Pvt Ltd 319 Mahesh Indl Estate, Opp: Silver Park Mira-Bhayander Rd, Mira Road (E) Thane, Maharashtra 401 104 Tel: 022-28555107, 28555631, 28555914 E-mail: mktg@amipolymer.com

For details contact: Chemitek Equipments Plot No: 117, Nr GETCO SS Old GFIDC, Gundlav, Valsad Gujarat 396 035 Tel: 02632-236022 E-mail: sales@chemitek.co.in

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Platinum-cured Silicone Tube

Thermoplastic Elastomer Tube

Imatech is platinum grade silicone tubing (nonregulatory market) designed for general purpose applications in food and pharma industries.

Imaprene pharma grade thermoplastic elastomer tubing designed for peristaltic pump transfer. Imaprene is opaque tubing especially known for its excellent flexibility

Imatech is smooth bore tubing compared to peroxide grade tubing, which reduces risk of particle entrapment during transfer of fluid. Imatech meets all technical requirements related to nonregulatory market.

and flex crack resistance.

Manufactured by using general purpose platinum grade silicone rubber and packaged in clean room of Class 10000 facility audited by TUV Nord. It has better fluid transfer characteristics compared to peroxide silicone tubing. Available with FDA-approved silicone-based colour coding. It has better transparency and higher shelf-life compared to peroxide tubing. Free of any heavy metals and hazardous substances.

Imaprene is manufactured by using world class thermoplastic elastomer. It is manufactured and packaged in dust-free environment of ISO 9001 QMS, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 Certified facility. It has excellent chemical and solvent resistance (Ex IPA). It is superior flex crack resistance and durable for peristaltic pump application. It has smooth bore to ensure least contamination. It is non-toxic and non-haemolytic.

For details contact: Ami Polymer Pvt Ltd 319 Mahesh Indl Estate, Opp: Silver Park Mira-Bhayander Rd, Mira Road (E) Thane, Maharashtra 401 104 Tel: 022-28555107, 28555631, 28555914 E-mail: mktg@amipolymer.com

For details contact: Ami Polymer Pvt Ltd 319, Mahesh Indl Estate, Opp: Silver Park Mira-Bhayander Rd, Mira Road (E) Thane, Maharashtra 401 104 Tel: 022-28555107, 28555631, 28555914 E-mail: mktg@amipolymer.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 21

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CEW Products Gas Scrubber System

Reverse Osmosis

Ablaze gas scrubbers are used to defuse corrosive exhaust gases, before being released. The stripping liquid is chosen as per the nature of vapour to be scrubbed. A corrosion-resistant recirculation pump is taken, which ensures constant flow of solvent through the system. The solvent and gas come in contact with each other in the column, which is packed to increase surface area for gas absorption. Scrubbers are available from lab scale up to pilot scale of 500 L. It finds application in neutralisation of exhaust gases, scale up studies, gas liquid reaction and gas absorption. For details contact: Ablaze Export Inc E-52/4 Sardar Estate Ajwa Road, Vadodara Gujarat 390 019 Tel: 0265-2570105 E-mail: info@ablazeexport.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 23

Reverse Osmosis is used to remove large majority of contaminants from water by pushing the water under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. KEP has developed reverse osmosis technology with innovation at an optimised capital and operating cost. Reverse osmosis is an effective and proven technology to produce water that is suitable for many industrial applications. It is currently considered one of the most economic and effective process for waste water treatment. RO is an effective method of reducing the concentration of total dissolved solids and many impurities found in water.Features low operating cost, low maintenance, easy to install and service, energy saving separation technique, high recovery and eliminates thermal degradation. For details contact: KEP Engg Services Pvt Ltd 6-A-52, Opp: Park, Nr Vedant International School Apurupa Colony, Jeedimetla Hyderabad, Telangana 500 055 Tel: 040-23096275 E-mail: info@kepengg.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 24

Oil-free and Gas-tight High-pressure Compressor With the integration of the former HAUG Kompressoren AG, Sauer Compressors has significantly extended its portfolio to include solutions by the industry’s leading expert in oil-free air and gas compression. The HAUG.Sirius NanoLoc marks the latest addition to the product range that combines high pressure with oil-free compression. Both the crankcase and the compressor stages operate without any oil. This ensures highest gas and process purity. Therefore, the compressors are an ideal choice for sensitive applications such as industrial gases, medical applications and bio technology as well as the chemical, pharma and food industries. With its hermetically gas-tight construction, the HAUG.Sirius NanoLoc achieves extremely low leakage rates of <0.001 mbar l/s and enables 4-stage compression of almost any gas. The compressor delivers a flow rate of max 66 Nm3³/h and a final pressure of up to 450 barg with an inlet pressure of up to 30 barg. Depending on the configuration, it comes with a motor power of 11-30 kW. In addition, the HAUG.Sirius NanoLoc is ideally suited for booster applications of gases such as helium, natural gas or hydrogen. The well-proven magnetic coupling drive adds to the machine’s exceptional gas-tightness both at standstill and during operation. The technology is a core feature of the HAUG.Sirius Series. Due to the newly developed and unique NanoLoc piston design’s friction-free sealing, wear and friction losses in the cylinders have been reduced significantly. Likewise, all the compressor’s components are designed for a particularly long service life. Even in operations with long standstills, frequent interruptions and cold starts, the HAUG.Sirius NanoLoc is highly dependable. The absence of oil serves to significantly lower operating and maintenance costs. Due to its unparalleled process purity, the compressor reduces the need for gas treatment and filtration after compression to a bare minimum. Often, treatment and filtration are not required at all, resulting in significant time and cost savings. For details contact: J P Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau GmbH Brauner Berg 15 24159 Kiel, Germany Tel: +49 431 3940-0 E-mail: William.Koester@sauercompressors.de

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Products CEW Equalizer Surge Dampeners Wilden, part of PSG, a Dover company offers its new bolted plastic Equalizer Surge Dampeners – Integrated SD Series (ISD). The new ISD Series dampeners have been specifically engineered to help extend the life and reduce the noise of Wilden 13-mm (1/2″) and 25-mm (1″) Pro-Flo Series bolted plastic air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps while providing users with convenient installation and use. Wilden ISD Series dampeners utilize an integrated design that allows them to be directly incorporated in the Pro-Flo Series bolted plastic manifold design. They easily screw onto the top of your Wilden pumps without any additional hardware required. There are no additional connecting elements or piping changes needed to install these dampeners, which helps keep operational downtime to a minimum. These dampeners are available in 13-mm (1/2″) and 25-mm (1″) sizes in Polyethylene construction, with PTFE and EPDM diaphragm material options. They feature temperature ranges from -51oC to 138oC (-60oF to 280oF) for EPDM and 10oC to 137oC (14oF to 280oF) for PTFE. With a maximum working pressure of 100 psi, they are ideal for use across a variety of markets, including paints and coatings, chemical, hygienic, and general industrial applications. For details contact: Dover India Pvt Ltd No: 33, NH-4, Pazhanchur, Mevalurkuppam Chennai 600 123 Tel: 044-67193000 E-mail: rajesh.shankar@psgdover.com / ravi.prasad@psgdover.com

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Hydrolysis-stabilized PBT Compounds Compounds based on PBT need greater resistance to hydrolysis and aging in hot and humid environments when used in automobiles. Furthermore, additional thermal loads arise when charging the battery. In combustion engines, there is a trend towards turbocharged engines, which results in increased temperatures in the engine compartment. With this in mind, LANXESS has developed the new polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) product range Pocan XHR (Xtreme Hydrolysis Resistance). They have achieved outstanding results in the SAE/USCAR-2 Rev. 6 long-term tests of the American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In the SAE/USCAR long-term tests, a finished part is exposed to temperatures from -40oC to +175oC (Class 5) at relative air humidities of up to 100 per cent in 40 eight-hour cycles. The finished parts then undergo various function tests. The test process is extremely demanding, as heat and humidity affect aging more intensely when the two factors are combined. At present, there are four products in the Pocan XHR range. Pocan B3216XHR and B3233XHR have glass fibre contents of 15 and 30 per cent respectively, and attain Class 5 classification. Pocan TP155-002 is specially tailored for laser transmission welding. The lasertransparent compound with a glass fibre content of 30 per cent is suitable for resource-efficient production of sophisticated housings for electrical/electronic components, and achieves results between Class 4 and 5 in the USCAR test. Particularly interesting is the unreinforced Pocan B1205XHR, which achieves the second-highest grading in the SAE/USCAR test with Class 4. It can be processed with next to no distortion, thus enabling highly intricate geometries. LANXESS is currently working on adding further product types to the Pocan XHR range. As well as its outstanding hydrolysis resistance, Pocan XHR has other benefits. For example, its elongation properties and high resistance to alternating temperatures make it suitable for overmoulding of metal parts that are exposed to temperature fluctuations. Further strengths are its improved chemical resistance to substances such as caustic soda, and a much greater long-term temperature stability than standard PBT types, even in dry environments. Pocan XHR is similar to the hydrolysis-stabilized PBT compounds in the Pocan HR Series that have become established in many Series production applications. In particular, the balanced processing characteristics so valued by the market have been transferred to the new XHR generation. For details contact: LANXESS India Pvt Ltd LANXESS House Plot No: A-162, A-163, A-164, Road No: 27 Wagle Estate Opp: ITI College MIDC, Thane (W), Mumbai 400 604 Tel: 022-25871000, Telefax: 91-022-25826742 E-mail: infoindia@lanxess.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 27 00

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CEW Products Hollow Paddle Dryer

Sanitary Napkins Incinerators

It is observed that several waste water treatment plants are facing issues with the waste stream of the distilled sludge. This sludge is generally dewatered by means of sludge dewatering machine. After dewatering the sludge has dry solid content of approximately 20-24 per cent, suitable for thermal treatment for drying in the dryer.

Eco-friendly sanitary napkin incinerator is a sanitary napkin destroyer with auto-off feature built with safety, reliability and long life in mind. It is an environment-friendly product and instant solution for disposal of used sanitary napkins in a scientific and hygienic manner since the napkins get burnt to sterile ash.Used sanitary napkins are usually disposed-off in dust-bins or open surfaces which may give rise to various contagious diseases or when they are disposed-off in toilets, they lead to block-up of sewage systems. To overcome this common problem, an easy to use incinerator is designed that scientifically destroys the used napkins without causing any harm to the environment.

As this is single pass drying technology, back mixing is not required. The long retention time with average sludge temperature of 100 degrees, provides sterilisation and hygienic treatment of the sludge. Due to this process, any type of sludge can be handled by the dryer, making it suitable for centralized dryer accepting different sludge from different sections of plant. Any moisture level can be chosen for the end product. For details contact: Micro Transmission Systems C-23, Sector 85, Phase 2 Dist: G B Nagar, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 305 E-mail: info@microtransmissionsystems.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 28

For details contact: Nachiket Engg Pvt Ltd 303 Sanskruti Shilpa, Tarte Colony Nr Kalmadi House, Off Karve Road Erandwane, Pune, Maharashtra 411 004 Tel: 020-65008600 E-mail: info@nachhiketgroup.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 29

EtherCAT G EtherCAT G was introduced by Beckhoff Automation as an extension of the EtherCAT Standard. Beckhoff recently presented the gigabit technology addition to the ETG, and after thorough review, the organization’s Technical Committee accepted it. Right now, the ETG is working to add EtherCAT G to the corresponding technology specifications. The well-known 100 Mb/s EtherCAT technology remains the proven solution for the majority of applications. However, EtherCAT G offers additional user advantages, especially in applications where particularly large amounts of process data must be transported per device. This can include, for example machine vision, high-end measurement technology or complex motion applications that go beyond the scope of classic drive control. As an extension of standard EtherCAT technology, EtherCAT G is fully compatible; existing devices designed for 100 Mb/s can be seamlessly integrated into an EtherCAT G system, and EtherCAT G devices in a 100 Mb/s EtherCAT system behave like classic EtherCAT devices. The central element of EtherCAT G is the use of EtherCAT Branch Controllers, which essentially fulfil two main functions: On the one hand, they act as a kind of node for the integration of segments from 100 Mb/s devices; on the other hand, they enable parallel processing of the connected EtherCAT segments. This significantly reduces the propagation delay in the system, which increases system performance many times over previous levels. The integration of EtherCAT G is simple, as the extension is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Standard and no software adaptions in controllers are required for the standard mode. The advantages of EtherCAT are well known and include processing on the fly, comprehensive diagnostics, simple configuration and integrated synchronization. These attributes are of course fully retained when EtherCAT G is used. For details contact: BECKHOFF Automation Pvt Ltd Suyog Platinum Tower, 9th Floor Naylor Road, Off Mangaldas Rd Pune, Maharashtra 411 001 Tel: 020-67064802 Fax: 91-020-67064899 E-mail: a.phatak@beckhoff.com

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Products CEW Self-adhesive Profiles

Horizontal Axially Split Casing Pumps

Self-adhesive strip plays a crucial part in sealing and spacing throughout a multitude of different industrial sectors. Strips that are manufactured from EPDM make ideal seals against any ingress of water or air. Self-adhesive strip has a closed cell structure and therefore do not allow any liquid, gases or air to pass through them, creating a perfect airtight seal on your products. The compression of the EPDM base material allows for uneven surfaces to be securely sealed once clamped down. EPDM has excellent resistance to UV and ozone and is widely used in external applications when parts will be subject to weathering. EPDM is a relatively cheap sponge material choice making it a cost-effective solution to most sealing application. EPDM self-adhesive strip is easy to install, just peel off the selfadhesive backing. The adhesive backing tape used is not fully resistant to water where large amount of moisture or water are present; it is advisable to use plain expanded EPDM and a good conduct adhesive. EPDM provide excellent resistance against oil, acid, alkalis and has good weathering against heat and ozone. For details contact: Ami Polymer Pvt Ltd 319 Mahesh Indl Estate, Opp: Silver Park Mira-Bhayander Rd, Mira Road (E) Thane, Maharashtra 401 104 Tel: 022-28555107, 28555631, 28555914 E-mail: mktg@amipolymer.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 31

These are horizontally split casing, single stage, double or single suction pumps with horizontal shaft and detachable stuffing box called insert. A variety of models are available to operate. Pump casing is horizontal axially split volute type. Suction and discharge nozzles and supporting feet are cast integral with lower half casing. Impellers are double or single suction type accurately balanced. Hydraulic thrust is balanced automatically because of pressure equalisation on both sides of the impeller. Shaft is of high tensile steel accurately machined and ground is supported by anti-friction bearings. It is protected by shaft sleeves from wear in stuffing box area. Stuffing box can be sealed by gland packing or by mechanical seal and is suitable for liquids having temperature up to 100oC. Deep groove ball bearings are provided. Standard lubrication is grease. Drive is suitable for electric motor or diesel engine. Suitable for handling water with slight impurities in industries, water works, irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, fire-fighting, air conditioning plants, water circulation, processing plants, etc. For details contact: Kirloskar Brothers Ltd Udyog Bhavan, Tilak Road Pune, Maharashtra 411 002 Tel: 020-24440770 E-mail: marketing@kbl.co.in

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Gas Separation Membrane The SEPURAN green membrane cartridge consists of several thousand hollow fibres manufactured from high performance polymers and wrapped with a SS casing. The ends are embedded in a resin. The membrane cartridge is contained in a SS pressure vessel. The cartridge and housing together comprise the SEPURAN green membrane module. The membrane module can now withstand a gas mixture under pressure in which multiple modules can be piped together. The simple, easy to handle set-up results in a compact upgrading plant. At present the SS housings manufactured for the SEPURAN green cartridges are made to conform to the respective country specific regulations. This allows plant construction companies to adapt flexibly to local pressurised equipment regulations. Housings for pressures of up to 20 bara and to 40 bara are available. Today, Evonik offers SEPURAN green membranes and cartridge systems for biogas upgrading in various sizes. Choices of 2”, 4” or 6” dia membranes are available to address plants of all sizes. For details contact: Evonik India Pvt Ltd Krislon House, Saki Vihar Road Saki Naka, Andheri (E) Mumbai 400 072 Tel: 022-67238800 E-mail: aashish.maheshwari@evonik.com

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CEW

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL Plastivision India

Dates: 16-20 January 2020 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai Event: This event provides the perfect platform for plastic industry players like manufacturers, dealers, buyers and end-users. It is well-appreciated for helping participants stay updated with the latest technological trends. Visitors can participate in numerous live product launches, seminars, conferences and consultation sessions. They also get a chance to network with overseas delegates and industry influencers. It is only a trading fair exhibition from the plastic industry approved by UFI (the leading Paris-based exhibition authority). For details contact: The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Assn AIPMA House, A-52, Street No: 1, MIDC Marol Andheri (E), Mumbai 400 093 Clean India Show

Dates: 13-15 February 2020 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai Event: The premier exhibition for the cleaning industry and professional cleaning segments in India, Clean India Show creates avenues for enhancing cleaning business. The Expo provides opportunities for international players to understand the Indian market potential, explore business opportunities and find the right business partners for manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sales. New product launches and demos act as catalysts to the growth of the Cleaning Industry. For details contact: Virtual Info Systems Pvt Ltd 231, Master Mind-1, Royal Palms Mayur Nagar, Aarey Colony Goregaon, Mumbai 400 065 Renewable Energy Expo

Dates: 13-15 February 2020 Venue: Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam, Chennai Event: The 2nd Edition of this event will be held in Chennai. The scope of this exhibition is to stimulate the growth of renewable in the region through collaboration of technology and product sharing. This event will be bringing together businesses, sustainable energy industry trade associations, government agencies, and energy policy research organizations to showcase the status and potential of the crosssection of renewable energy (biofuels/biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) and energy efficiency technologies. The expo is proclaimed at the right time when there is a paradigm shift in the global trend towards massive deployment of solar power and other renewables along with investments worth billions of dollars in technology and green energy. For details contact: Water Today Pvt Ltd 3D Bhaghreetha Residency 125 Marshalls Road Egmore, Chennai 600 008 84 • December 2019

Energy from Waste Conference

Dates: 04-05 March 2020 Venue: America Square Conference Centre, London, UK Event: The Energy from Waste Conference, the event is the premier conference in the UK and Europe driving new technology discussion, operational efficiency, best practice and compliance in the global energy from waste sector. Designed to support your professional learning and global network development, this programme is packed with policy updates, expert advice and market opportunities from a lineup of renowned international speakers on Energy Waste Management. It drives the new technology discussion, operational efficiency and best practices. For details contact: Mark Allen Group St Jude’s Church Dulwich Road London SE24 0PB U.K. Corrosion Conference & Expo

Dates: 15-19 March 2020 Venue: George R Brown Convention Center, Houston, USA Event: Corrosion Conference & Expo showcase your newest products in front of customers, prospects, partners, and influencers; generate leads efficiently and effectively; build relationships with key players and decision-makers; bolster the global influence and reach of your company’s product or service; and expand your reach and tap into new markets meeting new potential buyers and suppliers. For details contact: Nace International - The Corrosion Society Houston, U.S.A. Tel: +1 281-228-6411 E-mail: tiffany.krevics@nace.org Analytica

Dates: 31 March-03 April 2020 Venue: Exhibition Munich, Munich, Germany Event: Analytica provides the attendees with the opportunity to explore the areas of laboratory technology, analytic and biotechnology. For details contact: Messe Munchen India Pvt Ltd INIZIO 507 & 508, Cardinal Gracias Road Chakala, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400 093 Tel: 022-42554700 Fax: 91-022-42554719 E-mail: info@mm-india.in Chemical Engineering World


Project Update CEW New Contracts/Expansions/Revamps The following list is a brief insight into the latest new projects by various companies in India.

CHEMICALS Tata Chemicals, the world's second largest soda ash manufacturer, has received green nod for expansion of its soda ash plant in Gujarat at an estimated cost of ` 1,042.07-crore. The proposal is for expansion of its soda ash plant located in Devbhumi Dwarka district from 10.91 to 113.16lakh TPA and enhance captive power plant capacity from 84 to 125-MW. The proposal was first vetted by a central government constituted green panel and based on its recommendations the Union Environment Ministry has given the environment clearance (EC) for the expansion of soda ash plant in Gujarat. According to the EC certificate issued to the Tata Chemicals, the green signal to the proposed project has been given subject to compliance of certain conditions and prior clearance from the wildlife angle, including clearance from the standing committee of the national board for wildlife. As per the proposal, the expansion will be carried out within the existing plant premises of 231 hectare (including cement plant). The cost of the project is pegged at ` 1,042.07-crore and will be completed in two years. Soda ash, an important part of Indian inorganic chemical industry, is the common name given for the technical grade anhydrous sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). It is a high volume, low-value product and finds application mainly in the production of detergents, glass, chemicals, sodium silicate, water treatment and pulp/paper. India has the advantage of abundance of raw materials, ie, limestone and salt and growing domestic demand that favours the establishment of soda ash plants. The proposed expansion of soda ash plant will meet the increased domestic and industrial demand, the company said. Insecticides (India) Ltd has announced a ` 200-crore expansion plan to increase its capacity in the next three years. In the first two years, it would spend about ` 100-crore, followed by an investment of ` 100-crore in 2020. The firm is planning to set up an Export Oriented Unit in Gujarat with an eye on increasing export component of the business. Exports contributed about ` 35-crore in the total turnover of ` 1,109-crore in 2017-18. The firm has a share of about 5 per cent in the ` 18,000-crore crop protection market in the country. Tata Chemicals has completed the acquisition of the silica business of Allied Silica for ` 123-crore. The company last year entered into a business transfer agreement to acquire Allied Silica’s precipitated silica business on a slump sale basis. The deal was part of the ` 295-crore investment approved by the Board in February 2017, towards this specialty business. The acquisition includes a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, which will produce highly dispersible silica. The specialty chemical product represents a downstream value addition to Tata Chemicals soda ash business, where it ranks among the top manufacturers globally. R Mukundan, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals, said the next focus would be to enhance the operational readiness of the plant to maximise throughput of product portfolio, while meeting the requisite safety and quality specifications. Precipitated silica is a versatile product with applications in many industries including rubber, oral care, coatings and agrochemicals. The acquisition also offers the possibility to make value added silica for applications that demand high performance. Songwon Industrial Co Ltd a specialty chemicals company of South Korea Chemical Engineering World

has launched its new pilot plant in Panoli (Gujarat), thereby strengthening the organisation’s overall specialty chemicals development capability. Built on Songwon’s Indian site with all the necessary main unit operations, the new plant is equipped with the most up-to-date technologies and materials for producing a wide range of chemicals for a broad spectrum of applications - from one kilo up to several hundred kilo samples. To reinforce the organisation’s position in existing areas of business and enhance its ability to enter new areas, the new pilot plant will be supported by the Songwon’s strong local R&D team in Panoli, as well as its central technology innovation center located in Maeam, Korea.

MINING Universal Autofoundry Limited (539314/UNIAUTO) has opened a new unit (UNIT-II) with installed capacity of 1,800-MT per month to manufacture CI/Ductile Iron Castings at B-51, SKS Industrial Area, Reengus, District Sikar, Rajasthan. The company has made an investment of ` 40-crores (approx) raised from banks to set up this new unit. Universal Autofoundry Ltd is a world class manufacturer and exporter of Grey Cast Iron and Ductile Iron which has now made expansion by setting up a new manufacturing unit in the name of UNIT-II at B-51, SKS Industrial Area, Reengus, District Sikar, Rajasthan with installed capacity of 1,800-MT per month which is just double as compared to the existing capacity of the Company. Singareni Collieries Co Ltd (SCCL) has received a boost for its plans of increasing the coal production to 70-million tonnes in 2019-20 by getting the green nod for Kistaram open cast mine recently after suffering some setbacks in getting environmental clearance for its proposed new mines and expansion of existing ones earlier this year. The coal company has achieved a production of 64.4-million tonnes in 2018-19 and getting the environmental clearance for Kistaram open cast mine, with a capacity of 2-million tonnes per annum (MTPA), in Sathupalli mandal of Khammam district is expected to go a long way in its plans to jack up the production by nearly 6-million tonnes. The green nod to the proposal has come three years after public hearing conducted on it. According to SCCL officials, a committee of experts in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) that has gone through the proposal has recommended clearance to the mine earlier and stipulating several conditions to keep impact of the mining activity under check on air, water and local people. Environmental conditions in and around Sathupalli town were also appraised separately by the panel before giving its nod. We are expecting green nod for expansion of a few of our existing mines this year as also the commencement of production in coal block allotted to us in Chhattisgarh, sources in SCCL stated. MOIL said production at its Parsoda manganese mine is expected to begin soon. The mine will be operated by open cast mining method. MOIL has been granted mining lease of Parsoda manganese mine near village Parsoda, 46-km from Nagpur in the year 2016. The lease extends for 50 year period, ie, from April 22, 2016 to April 21, 2066 and the project cost is estimated to be ` 19.54-crore. MOIL, under the Ministry of Steel, operates around 10 mines, including six in Maharashtra and four in Madhya Pradesh. Balaghat mine is its largest, which produces top quality manganese ore. Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL), on 2nd February, 2019, held a groundbreaking ceremony at Ghatsila Unit of HCL for construction of concentrator plant at Rakha, initiating Chapri-Sidheswar mine, a new December 2019 • 85


CEW

Project Update mine development and Rakha mine re-opening projects. CMD informed that considering the opportunity to further increase the resource base of copper mineral in the State has finalized plan to undertake depth exploration up to 1,000-meter from surface in its existing lease area in next two years. HCL, in its Unit located at Ghatsila planned to implement total five mine expansion projects to increase the mine capacity from current 4.0 to 72.0-lakh tonne. Successful implementation of the project will also reduce country's dependence on imported copper concentrate.

OIL & GAS

NTPC Ltd hopes its captive coal production will reach 100-million tonne as soon as its five coal blocks commence operations, aided by faster regulatory clearances and the part-privatization model of Mine Development and Operator (MDO). The success of the plan would determine fuel security of the operations of India's largest power producer.

In the first phase, BCPL shall set-up an HPG 2nd Stage plant at a cost of ` 125.99-crore. This project having the capacity of 52,000-TPA will produce a value-added product which can be blended with motor spirit.

CIL, ONGC to produce coal-bed methane from 10 new mines: support SAIL in one more. The Coal Ministry has identified 11 mines to produce coal bed methane (CBM). Initially, ONGC will harness the gas and then CIL will extract coal from them. In addition to the mines with CIL, the two (ONGC and CIL) will also help develop SAIL’s Parbatpur coal block (Jharkhand). Here too, ONGC will first harness the CBM. SAIL had surrendered the Sitanala and Parbatpur coal mines. SAIL had engaged MECON to prepare a techno commercial viability report, which declared the project unviable. JSW Energy, part of the Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group, is believed to be in the race for buying out the thermal power assets of Monnet Power and Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd (JITPL) in Odisha. Monnet Power’s 1,050-MW coal-based power plant near Angul was in advanced stage of commissioning. Monnet Power’s parent company, Monnet Ispat & Energy had won the Mandakini coal block in Odisha in competitive bidding, it surrendered the block later on grounds of economic unviability. Besides Monnet Power, JSW Energy is also eyeing takeover of BC Jindal controlled JITPL’s 1,200-MW coal-based plant at Derang near Angul. The first unit (600-MW) of the 1,200-MW plant had begun commercial operations and started power supplies to the Odisha grid. This project has been completed at a cost of ` 7,537-crore which includes a debt component of ` 5,900-crore. JITPL has power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Odisha’s Gridco Ltd, Kerala State Electricity Board and Tata Power Trading Corpn. Apart from JSW Energy, JITPL also had competing offers from Adani Power and Singapore’s SembCorp. The valuation of the prospective deal is not known. NLC India (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation) which is in the hunt for buying out power assets is understood to have shown interest in the 700MW Odisha plant of Hyderabad-based Ind-Barath Power Infra Ltd (IBPIL). The power plant located at Sahajbahal, near Jharsuguda, has commenced commercial operations. In August last year, NLC India had floated an EoI from companies owning coal and lignite-based power projects, for a possible acquisition. NLC India’s installed thermal power capacity is 3,240-MW. It runs a 10-MW solar power unit and wind power assets with a capacity totalling 37.5-MW. Western Coalfields has received the environment clearance for its ` 263-crore expansion project in Nagpur district, Maharashtra.The proposal is to enhance the production capacity of the Gokul open cast mine to 1.875-million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from the existing 1-MTPA.The mine, located in 767.17-hectare, has a mineable reserve of 14.50-million tonnes. The clearance to the project is subject to certain conditions. Company has been asked to get 'Consent to Operate' certificate from the State Pollution Control Board for the existing production capacity of 1-MTPA and also the 'Consent to Establish' for the proposed capacity of 1.875-MTPA prior to enhancing the production capacity. 86 • December 2019

Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL), Lepetkata in Dibrugarh, foundation stone for HPG 2nd Stage Plant was laid by The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, D V Sadananda Gowda. The proposal for setting up a Butene-1 and second Stage Hydrogenation of Pyrolysis Gasoline (HPG) plant at Lepetkata at a cost of ` 386-crore, has been approved by Government of India.

In the current financial year, the plant is operating at above 100 per cent capacity. Company has made remarkable progress in the last fiscal, achieving its maiden profit and is witnessing a consistent increase in its market share of Polymer, the release said. Cairn Oil and Gas, which is part of the Vedanta Group, has drawn up plans to spend over $ 1.1-billion in coming 18 months to improve the crude oil production from the Mangla, Bhagyam and Aishwarya fields in Barmer. The announcement comes at the heels of Cairn Oil and Gas completing a decade of operations at the Mangla Processing Terminal in Barmer recently. With implementation of Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) enhanced oil recovery, we aim to increase the recovery factor from 36 per cent to over 50 per cent. This means that we will be able to extract more than half the crude oil present in the fields said Ajay Kumar Dixit, Chief Executive Officer of Cairn Oil and Gas. In September last year, the Cabinet had approved the policy framework to incentivise enhanced recovery (ER)/improved recovery (IR)/unconventional hydrocarbon (UHC) production methods/techniques to improve recovery factor of existing hydrocarbons reserves for augmenting domestic production of oil and gas. The policy proposes systemic assessment of every field for its ER potential, appraisal of appropriate ER techniques and fiscal incentives to de-risk the cost involved in ER projects to make the investment financially viable. The current production from the Mangla, Bhagyam and Aishwarya fields is to the tune of 135,000-140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (kboepd). Cairn Oil and Gas currently produces a fourth of India’s total domestic oil production and targets an immediate production of 300-kboepd by 2020-2021. The target by financial year 2021-22 is to have a production of 500-kboepd. Essar Exploration & Production Ltd (EEPL) and ENI, the Italian oil major, have discovered the presence of gas and condensates in the Ken Bau prospect at Block 114, Song Hong Basin, Offshore Vietnam. ENI Vietnam is the operator of the block with 50 per cent participating interest while EEPL holds the remaining 50 per cent. Confirming the discovery, ENI in a statement said, “Its exploration well located at Block 114, Song Hong Basin, Offshore Vietnam, has proven the presence of gas and condensate in the Ken Bau prospect. The well result indicates a significant potential of the hydrocarbon accumulation.” The exploration well Ken Bau 1X has been drilled at a depth of 95-m below water level, and reaches a total depth of 3,606-m, encountering several intervals of gas and condensate sandstone interbedded with Miocene age shale, with an estimated net reservoir thickness in excess of 100-m. Ken Bau 1X well was plugged and abandoned ahead of the original plan due to certain technical issues, prior to reaching deeper levels that could hold significant additional resources. Chemical Engineering World


Project Update CEW “ENI is already planning to start a drilling campaign early next year to fully assess the substantial upside of the discovery,” said the statement adding that Ken Bau 1X results represent a significant breakthrough for evaluating the exploration potential in the Song Hong Basin. Mauritius-based EEPL has so far invested over $1.1-billion in the exploration and production business in Vietnam, Nigeria and India. Company’s unconventional Hydrocarbon acreages in India are through wholly-owned subsidiary Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd (EOGEPL) EOGEPL’s Raniganj CBM asset in West Bengal is the first CBM asset in India to cross the threshold of 1-million cubic metres per day of gas production. Hindustan Petroleum Corpn Ltd (HPCL) has informed that there are no roadblocks in setting up the 9-MMTPA refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at an approved cost of ` 43,129-crore at Pachpadra in Barmer district of Rajasthan. In addition to motor spirit and diesel, the refinery envisages production of major products like Ethylene and Propylene derivatives. These derivatives are used as feedstock in various ancillary industries, viz, packaging, textile, petrochemical industry, etc. Vedanta Ltd announced an oil discovery in its Krishna Godavari basin block in the Bay of Bengal. The block previously had a gas discovery in the very first well drilled. Vedanta holds 100 per cent participating interest in the block. Multiple reservoir zones were encountered in the well H2 within the Mesozoic sequence between the depths of 3,310 to 4,026-metres with hydrocarbon indications during drilling and downhole logging, it said. The zone from 3,403 to 3,431-metres was tested through conventional well testing (Drill Stem Test) and flowed oil to the surface. Further appraisal will be required to establish the size and commerciality of the oil discovery. The first exploration well A3-2 drilled in the block was a gas discovery. Cairn India, the company Vedanta bought and merged with itself, had in June 2010 won the KG-OSN-2009/3 block in the 8th round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). It had committed to drill six exploratory wells on the block. These were expandable to 10. The KG basin is a proven basin where there have been many hydrocarbon discoveries. The company acquired around 1,000-sq km of 3D seismic data based on which it drilled two wells. KG-OSN-2009/3 offshore block in the Bay of Bengal was originally spread over in an area of about 1,988-sq km which was later reduced to 1,298-sq km due to exclusion of area within firing range. It is located in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean along the East coast of India, approx 1.5 km from the Indian coastline. Haldia Petrochemicals (HPL) plans to deploy an innovative technology for its project that seeks to convert crude oil into chemicals and petrochemicals directly. As opposed to the customary production of refined petroleum products, HPL’s plant will concentrate on higher output of petrochemicals. They will be setting up the refinery to produce chemicals and petrochemicals. The direct conversion of crude to petrochemicals will be the first of its kind in the country unlike other refineries, which are producing petroleum products. Such technologies are used widely in China. HPL is setting up an integrated refinery with aromatic complex for production of paraxylene and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) units in the first phase. The production capacity of paraxylene unit will be 1.6-million tonne per annum (MTPA) and PTA will have 2.5-MTPA capacity. The first phase of the HPL project approved is expected to be operationalised within five years of allotment of land. HPL has committed an investment of ` 28,700-crore ($4.05-billion) in the first phase on its Odisha project. Recently, the High Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) in Odisha headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gave its nod to the proposal, which HPL submitted on March 1. Official sources have Chemical Engineering World

touted HPL’s proposal as the country’s single-largest domestic investment in the last 12 months. Vedanta Ltd has received environment clearance for the expansion of its oil and gas operation in Rajasthan that would entail an investment of ` 12,000-crore. The proposal is to expand onshore oil and gas production from the existing 3,00,000-BOPD (barrels oil per day) to 4,00,000-BOPD and 165-MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day) to 750-MMSCFD from the 'RJ-ON-90/1' block located in Barmer and Jalore districts, Rajasthan.The environment clearance (EC) is, however, subject to compliance to certain conditions. The estimated project cost is ` 12,000-crore. The company aims to implement the project in a phased manner during seven years. The project involves oil augmentation to produce up to 4,00,000-BOPD and 250-MMSCFD of associated gas from the oil field and natural gas augmentation to produce up to 500-MMSCFD. Total area of the oil and gas block is 3,111-sq km. Out of it, the project presently covers an area of 1,501.7-hectare in Barmer and Jalore districts. Additional 150 hectare of land in Barmer district will be used for the proposed expansion. The 'RJ-ON-90/1 block' comprises of Vedanta Ltd and State-run ONGC for hydrocarbon exploration, development and production activities in the block, while Cairn Oil and Gas division (part of Vedanta Group) is the operator of the block. BPCL-Kochi Refinery is going ahead with its second petrochemical project to produce polyols at an investment of ` 11,300-crore. An import substitute, polyols are used in the production of polyurethanes used in diverse products such as automotive seats, mattresses and shoe soles. The project is expected to go on stream by 2022. BPCL is in talks with various global firms to finalise the technology for six different products.There is a huge demand for polyols and it is growing at 10 per cent per annum providing good scope for MSMEs to set up units in the complex. The first petrochemical project of BPCL-KR constructed at a cost of ` 5,500-crore is all set to commence operations. It will produce acrylic acid, acrylates and oxo-alcohol that are used in the manufacture of paints, super absorbent polymers, detergents, adhesives, sealants and solvents. The technology has been sourced from Mitsubishi, Air Liquide Global and Johnson Mathey Davy. The two projects will facilitate ` 13,000-crore forex savings per annum for the country. With the completion of the second petrochemical project, BPCL-KR is expecting around 16 per cent increase in its turnover in three years. BPCL-KR is slated to complete its fuel upgradation project to comply with BS-VI norms by February next year. The project cost is around ` 3,300-crore. Tokyo Gas and Centrica LNG Co will be co-purchasing 2.6-million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of natural gas from ONGC Videsh-partnered Rovuma Offshore Area 1 project in Mozambique. The agreement with the Tokyo Gas and Centrica LNG Co will be effective from the date production begins to the early 2040s. This takes the longterm sale tie-ups from the project to more than 9.5-MTPA, OVL said in a statement. The development plan for the project was approved in February 2018. Under the existing agreements, CNOOC Gas and Power Singapore Trading & Marketing have a commitment to procure 1.5-MTPA over 13 years. Shell International Trading Middle East has an agreement to procure 2-MTPA over 13 years. Bharat Gas Resources, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation will get 1-MTPA of gas over 15 years. State-owned oil and gas company of Indonesia, Pertamina has an agreement for 1-MTPA of gas over 20 years. December 2019 • 87


CEW

Project Update The Mozambique Rovuma Offshore Area 1 project will be developed initially as an onshore LNG plant consisting of two LNG trains with total nameplate capacity of 12.88-MTPA to support the development of the Golfinho-Atum field located entirely within Offshore Area 1. ONGC Videsh presently holds 16 per cent net interest in the Mozambique Rovuma Area-1 Offshore Project out of which 10 per cent Participating Interest (PI) is held directly by ONGC Videsh and another 6 per cent is held through its 60 per cent shareholding in Beas Rovuma Energy Mozambique Ltd (BREML). The remaining 40 per cent shares in BREML are held by Oil India Ltd. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is the operator of this project with 26.5 per cent PI. The other partners are: Mitsui (20 per cent), ENH (15 per cent), BPRL (10 per cent) and PTTEP (8.5 per cent). Chennai Petroleum Corpn Ltd (CPCL) the Indian Oil Corpn's (IOC's) group company is planning to set up a greenfield refinery at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, at a cost of ` 27,460-crore. The products, including motor spirit (MS) and high speed diesel (HSD), which will be produced from the refinery will help meet the latest BS-VI specification in the southern States. The new refinery will be part of the Government of India's plan to set up a petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals investment region (PCPIR) in this region. The boards of CPCL and IOC have accorded in-principle approval for the 9-million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) refinery at CBR at an estimated investment of ` 27,460-crore, plus or minus 30 per cent. The investment includes ` 2,800-crore for setting up a polypropylene unit of around 500 thousand metric tonne (TMT) per annum capacity. The refinery is expected to be operational by 2023-24. The products from the refinery will meet the latest BS-VI specifications. CPCL's new refinery complex will come up with the latest technology and it will include a polypropylene unit to maximise value addition from the complex. It will produce valuable products, including liquefied petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, polypropylene, etc, besides petrochemical feed stocks. The petrochemical complex will also feed stocks to downstream industries, including pharma, paint and lacquer, printing inks, adhesives, coatings, chemicals, automobile lubricants, and PVC, among others. CPCL operates two refineries with a total capacity of 11.5-MMTPA (10.5-MMTPA at Chennai and 1-MMTPA near Nagapattinam) in Tamil Nadu. The company's crude throughput increased to 10,789-TMT in 2017-18, from 10,256-TMT in 2016-17. Its profit after tax stood at ` 913 crore in 2017-18, as compared to ` 1,030-crore in 2016-17. ONGC will pump in ` 6,000-crore in drilling 200 wells over the next seven years in Assam in order to increase the output from the State. The investment will take place in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts of Upper Assam. All statutory clearances are being obtained. The investment will lead to increase in production from the State. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) will invest as much as $800-million as equity in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique where it holds a 10 per cent stake, as the project moves closer to the final investment decision (FID) stage. The Maharatna PSU paid $703-million ($800-million is over and above this) to buy the 10 per cent participating interest in the Rovuma Offshore Area 1 concession in the Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique where about 75 trillion cubic feet of natural gas was discovered, positioning it as a strategic global LNG supplier. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, USA is the main operator of the gas field with a 26.5 per cent participating interest. The Area 1 consortium is developing an initial onshore LNG project consisting of two LNG trains with total nameplate capacity of 12.88-million tonnes per annum (MTPA). 88 • December 2019

The partnership has concluded the legal and contractual framework with the signing of the marine concession agreements with the Mozambique government. It has signed long-term SPAs for 1.2-MTPA of LNG and is in advanced negotiations with several buyers, including BPCL, to secure the remaining volume of 9-MTPA to reach FID. Currently, the partners are discussing the terms and conditions of project funding which will largely depend on the quantity and rate at which the gas is sold. The entire 9-MTPA is expected to be tied-up by the end of the year or early next year. Out of the $20-billion project cost, BPCL will have to contribute equity of some $800-million as its share of the 10 per cent participating interest when the FID is closed. CPC Corp of Taiwan is planning to invest $6.6-bn in petrochemical project in Paradip, Odisha. In this regard, delegation led by CPC president ShunChin Lee met the Indian Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas to discuss the proposal. With an annual production capacity of 15-million tonnes, the Indian Oil Corpn’s (IOC), Paradip Refinery was selected to host the new project, which will utilise the refinery’s feedstock. It will have many downstream units for the production of a wide range of end-products and petrochemical intermediates. Vedanta Ltd plans to expand its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Odisha to 6-million TPA by 2021 using alternate bauxite resources as it looks beyond. The firm believes there are enough alternate resources of bauxite available to feed the expansion and has moved beyond the previously pursued high-quality bauxite beneath the pristine Niyamgiri hills, The Lanjigarh plant produced around 1.2-million tonnes of alumina last fiscal and has a current capacity of 2-million tonnes. While the plant currently imports 2.5-3 million tonnes of bauxite and sources almost an equal volume from domestic mines, the expansion project would need a total of 18-million tonnes of bauxite annually. Vedanta had intended to supply the refinery with bauxite extracted from the Niyamgiri hills by a mining company owned by the State government, which backed the project. Odisha has 700-million tonnes of known bauxite reserves, of which Niyamgiri holds an estimated 88-million tonnes. Odisha has 70 per cent of India's total bauxite reserves, the world’s 5th largest. Currently, costly bauxite is imported from as far as Brazil and Guinea at a port in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh before being moved by trains 275-km to Lanjigarh. Vedanta has environmental and other clearances in place for the expansion and does not need any new land. Indian Oil Corpn (IOC) plans to invest ` 20,000-crore in city gas distribution (CGD) projects in the next five to eight years. IOC, which owns a third of India’s oil refining capacity identifies compressed natural gas (CNG) replacing some of the petrol and diesel consumed in vehicles today and LPG replaced by piped cooking gas in households. The company plans to invest at least ` 20,000-crore for the CGD business in those projects won during the ninth round of bids. The investment will mainly include setting up of CNG dispensing stations as well as laying pipelines in cities to transport gas to households for cooking purposes and industries for commercial use. According to oil ministry figures, India needs to invest an estimated $100-billion in natural gas infrastructure by 2022, including setting up a gas grid across 228 cities, Oil India Ltd has signed an agreement with five PSU JV Partners in Guwahati in connection with construction of North-East Gas Grid Pipeline project. The gas grid project will connect eight North-Eastern States, viz, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. The proposed JV Company will have equal equity contribution from all the five PSU JV Partners. Chemical Engineering World


Book Shelf CEW Nanophotocatalysis and Environmental Applications

Liquid Separations with Membranes

Editors: Inamuddin, Mohd Imran Ahamed, Abdullah M Asiri and Eric Lichtfouse

Author: Karl W BĂśddeker Price: $108.80 No of pages: 133 pages (Hardcover) Publisher: Springer (2nd Edition)

Price: $90.99 No of pages: 273 pages (Hardcover) Publisher: Springer (1st Edition) About the book: This book presents photocatalysis as a state-of-art technology in energy production and conversion. The ever increasing demand for energy with growing economies has led to a dearth of energy sources. The exhaustive dependability on non-renewable resources of energy has not just depleted them but also lead to the birth of secondary problems such as pollution and climate change. The photoactive processes have opened a new window for the production of green energy and helped in environmental sustainability. The harnessing of renewable sources especially sun and water for fuel production and noxious gases reduction solve both the issues of pollution mitigation and energy crisis. This book will be a guiding path to understand the photocatalytic process and mechanism for the deterioration of heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and pathogens from wastewater. Environmental remediation is of crucial importance in the context of human sustainability in the present and future times. The unplanned anthropogenic activities and revolutionary industrialization end up in environmental contamination with noxious organic-inorganic and biogenic pollutants. The photocatalytic disinfection and detoxification is the only solution to preserve and restore the ecological balance. The main emphasis is to explore and enhance the photocatalytic potentials of solar active-materials.

Advances in Wastewater Treatment Editors: Giorgio Mannina, G A Ekama, Hallvard Odegaard and Gustaf Olsson Price: $174.14 (Paperback) No of pages: 396 pages Publisher: IWA Publishing (Intl Water Assoc) About the book: Advances in Wastewater Treatment presents a compendium of the key topics surrounding wastewater treatment, assembled by looking at the future technologies, and provides future perspectives in wastewater treatment and modelling. It covers the fundamentals and innovative wastewater treatment processes (such as membrane bioreactors and granular process). Furthermore, it focuses attention on mathematical modelling aspects in the field of wastewater treatments by highlighting the key role of models in process design, operation and control. Other topics include: anaerobic digestion; biological nutrient removal; instrumentation, control and automation; computational fluid dynamics in wastewater; IFAS systems; new frontiers in wastewater treatment; greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment. Each topic is addressed by discussing past, present and future trends. Advances in Wastewater Treatment is a valid support for researchers, practitioners and also students to have a frame of the frontiers in wastewater treatment and modelling. Chemical Engineering World

About the book: The plan of this book is to present the relevant thermodynamic features of fluid mixtures in contact with semipermeable barriers, then to apply this information in deriving the design requirements of individual membrane separation processes. The membranes, by this approach, are introduced by way of the mass transport and selectivity demands which they are to meet. This book gives a survey, in systematic order, of the terms and concepts by which barrier separations operate. This book presents a self-consistent approach to separations of liquids with membranes, contrasting equilibrium separations with the rate-controlling effects of barrier interference on mass transfer. Unlike equilibrium separations, which depend on the thermodynamic condition of the fluid mixtures alone, barrier separations additionally are subject to specific interactions of the mixture components with the barrier. While the thermodynamics of fluid mixtures is predictable and open to adjustment, barrier interference adds another dimension to the repertoire of separation effects. Exploiting barrier interference is the challenge of membrane separation science and technology. This book is about the principles behind. This 2nd Edition incorporates the remarkable new developments especially in the field of hydrophobicity of surfaces and closely connected membrane distillation. Additionally, the new edition includes a chapter on Electrodialysis and its potential for energy efficient seawater desalination. December 2019 • 89


CEW

Marketing Initiatives

Innovative Precision-Weighing Solutions Offer Top Speed and Accuracy in Tough Environments METTLER TOLEDO is pleased to launch its new range of flexible XPR precision balances. These balances are designed to speed up weighing processes and simplify sample preparation—even under challenging conditions.

L

ab operators around the world know that a small mistake in weight value can become magnified in subsequent analysis steps. This makes getting weighing right the first time key to analytical success. Efficient weighing also saves time and let users focus on the analysis. New METTLER TOLEDO Excellence XPR precision balances go beyond weighing to support the kind of process efficiency that enhances accuracy, reduces rework and lowers costs thanks to features such as user guidance and sample ID management. New XPR balance models also include the SmartPan™ weighing pan. This innovative pan delivers results in half the time by minimizing air-current effects on the weighing cell for significantly shorter

Normally, particularly at very low minimum weights, a draft shield is needed to produce accurate results. However, opening and closing draft-shield doors

adds procedural steps, while reducing them increases speed and helps to protect operators from repetitive-motion injuries. Under standard conditions, even a 1 miligram XPR balance with SmartPan can be used without a draft shield. In the turbulent conditions, these sensitive balances can be used with the draft shield doors open. XPR precision balances remove the guesswork from sample handling by guiding users through the weighing process via built-in applications or saved customized methods. The results of each step are displayed on the balance notepad where users can add comments and export data, and ability to print barcode-ready labels ensures results are attributed to the correct step. This avoids sample mix-ups, ensures accurate formulation and creates process traceability.

stabilization and better repeatability— even when weighing in a demanding environment such as a fume cupboard, production environment or high-traffic area.

90 • December 2019

To learn more about METTLER TOLEDO Excellence XPR precision balances and how you can improve weighing accuracy in 6 key steps, view product details and download a free checklist at www. mt.com/xpr-precision

About METTLER TOLEDO METTLER TOLEDO is a leading global supplier of precision instruments and services. The Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing applications. METTLER TOLEDO also holds top-three market positions in several related analytical instruments and is a leading provider of automated chemistry systems used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development. In addition, the Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and holds a leading position in certain process analytics applications. Additional information about METTLER TOLEDO can be found at www.mt.com

For details contact: METTLER TOLEDO Call us Toll Free -1800 22 8884 / 1800 10 28460 or Email-sales.mtin@mt.com

Chemical Engineering World


CEW

Marketing Initiatives

Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Analyser: a Real Time Water Quality Monitor A Unique Technique: UV-Vis Spectroscopy After Gas Stripping

T

ethys Instruments, SAS manufacture Online Hydrogen Sulphide analyser (H2S) for industrial and municipal waste water application. Tethys Hydrogen Sulphide measurement is based on the UV absorption of the Hydrogen Sulphide gas after a stripping phase. H2S converted

exceptionally selective measurement for Hydrogen Sulphide without any drift as an automatic zero is performed on each measurement on ambient air. The Hydrogen Sulphide gas has a typical periodic absorption spectrum that is analysed using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) that brings an exceptional selectivity. No interference has ever been reported after years of operation on many different applications.

Silent Features of Tethys H2S analyzer: 1: stripping pot/ 2: temperature probe/ 3: gas flow cell/ 4: gas pump/ 5: xenon flash lamp/ 6: spectrograph

in to gas phase by addition of HCL. H2S is measured in the gas phase through UV Absorption spectroscopy principal. Consequently, the turbidity or colour of the sample has absolutely no influence and measurements can even be carried on activated sludge. It gives

• H2S measurement without influence of other Ion present in sample. • “Drift free” method for zero as the zero is done on air before each measurement • “Drift free” method for scale as only dependent on the optical path (fixed), the sample temperature being automatically compensated using Van’t Hoff equation

• A USB port allows to transfer the recorded measurement that may be imported to Excel for treatments or graphs.

Unique modular concept The unique modular concept allows to monitor simultaneously different parameters together with H2S measurement. Thanks to the Tethys R&D team who invented innovative modular concept for online water analysers which allows measurement of various parameters - even if it follows different measurement technology – in one analyser. For example, Tethys can offer in one analyser – measurements like Oil-in-water (UV Fluorescence), COD/ BOD/TOC/TSS (UV Spectroscopy), H2S/ Ammonia NH4 (UV Spectroscopy after gas stripping), Phosphate (Colorimetric), Turbidity (Nephelometric), pH, DO, TSS (External Sensor attachment).

• No effect of suspended solids or colour as the measurement is done on the gas phase • Very low maintenance (no electrode to replace and the lamp has more than 10 years of life time) • Patented Flow cell allows very high level of suspended solid without clogging. No filtration required on most of waste water application • Auto cleaning facility available. • The color touch screen and intuitive User-friendly interface UV500ATEX – H2S Analyzer

Chemical Engineering World

For details contact: TETHYS Instruments 57, Chemin du Vieux Chene, 38240 Meylan-France. Tel : +33 4 76 41 86 39 Fax : +33 4 76 41 92 27 Email: sales@tethys-instruments.com Web: www.tethys-instruments.com

December 2019 • 91


INTERVIEW CEW Interview

As the World Grows More Connected, Data Security Becomes the Necessity against Digital Threats. Sanjay Joshi

Country Manager – India Aker Solutions

With the advent of Industry 4.0, digitalization has been taking over all the manual interventions at a gradual, but rapid pace. With an exclusive interaction with Chemical Engineering World (CEW), Sanjay Joshi has shared his views on various aspects of Digitalization viz concerns for implementing digitalization, addressing the gaps between piloting the projects and creating business cases, framework for digital journey, efficiency & productivity expansion through data, response-time reduction, bringing in new products into the market, and lowering carbon foot-prints from both organizational as well as industrial point-of-view. What key concerns do you perceive when it comes to implementing digitalization? With greenfield facilities, digital processes can be built in at an early stage of project development. Future technology advancements can also be taken into account. In brownfield facilities, upgrades are often necessary

92 • December 2019

to ensure that the data is a viable resource for analysis. A single facility can generate several terabytes of raw data from its instruments every day. Using this to improve business and operational decision-making requires program design and applications to ensure data quality, to analyze the available information, and to present it in a usable

format. Organizations will need to build teams with specialized skillsets to meet the requirements. As the world grows more connected, projects are executed from a greater number of locations. Infrastructure with strong security is a necessity to secure data and to minimize the digital threats. While these challenges are significant, they can be solved through a combination

Chemical Engineering World


Interview CEW Digital threats can be mitigated through a combination of innovation, collaboration, and effort, thus making the industry safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. of innovation, collaboration, and effort, thus making the industry safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. What’s your suggestion for the companies in addressing their gap between piloting the projects and creating the business cases which demand more investment?

technology adoption will have to build in. Collaboration and information sharing between the organizations will also play a significant role in enabling the digital transformation of the sector to happen. How can the Companies expand their efficiency and productivity through data?

Digitalization could increase the efficiency of projects and operations for oil & gas companies. Improvements through digitalization can have a meaningful impact by increasing field recovery, extending the assets’ life, and reducing the possibility of safety incidents’ occurrence. Considering the high potential for a spectrum of improvements, digitalization is currently the leading R&D priority for the industry. Extensive analysis is required to ensure its optimal usage to provide the long-term efficiency and productivity gain for the industry to maintain its competitiveness over the coming decades.

Data alone cannot add any value; it has to be brought into context and has to be combined with strong domain knowledge to become useful to the company. This contextualized data can be used in a multitude of ways. By being enabled with digital tools, faster selection of concept and analysis support the customers in comparing multiple options and scenarios with a significant reduction in the time and cost. Knowledge-based engineering – using previous projects’ data – could expedite the engineering execution, thus reducing the execution period from months to weeks while embedding safety standards automatically into all the design processes.

Please walk us through the framework required for assessing, defining, and mapping out the digital journey with respect to infrastructure and resources.

During the construction phase, projects do benefit from a connected workforce working with a centralized information store. The execution risk could be reduced through simulation with the tools, such as walk-through models, thereby enabling better training and preparation for complex operations.

Digital transformation of the industry has to begin at the organizational level. For digitalization to deliver all its potential benefits, it must be integrated into a company from end to end. Companies will need to develop and implement a focused digital strategy. Support from the top management is essential as it will require both investment and commitment. Processes will have to be reviewed and revised, suitable skillsets are to be developed or brought in, new technologies have to be adopted, and updated infrastructures as well as systems are to put in place. And most importantly, a culture of innovation and Chemical Engineering World

Once the facility is operational, realtime condition and performancedata support the quick and accurate decision-making. Applications can monitor the conditions, thus supporting the predictive maintenance and the automated operations’ shutdowns. This could minimize the risks or disruptions or failures, while maximizing the efficiency and the lifespan of equipment. These are just a handful of the potential

digitalization applications in the energy industry. As we work towards a more efficient industry, we will see increased innovation. How does digitalization play its part in response-time reduction to offer customized solutions and to bring new products to the market? While every project has its own requirements, one of the key methods to reduce response-time is by increasing the automation in engineering. For example, Engineering Assistant is our centralized library for engineering knowledge, technical data, documents, and 3D models which belong to the current & past assets along with the projects. This is easily searchable, thus supporting the reuse of components and information while also enabling the automatic implementation of structural integrity rules and safety standards. Simultaneously, the data obtained through increased digitalization can be analyzed to find opportunities for product innovation and improvement. What’s your perspective in lowering carbon footprint throughout the product life cycle. As we move towards a more sustainable energy industry, the data obtained through digitalization will play a key role in reducing its impact on environment. This could be an enabler for current de-carbonization technologies, through improving operational efficiency or by acting as a basis for innovations. For example, the potential environmental benefits include the reduction of emissions by over 1 million tons! Digitalization is the future of oil & gas, and we have to work together as an industry to ensure that we will reap the benefits from digitalization initiatives.

Moderator: Jayati Mukherjee December 2019 • 93


CEW Ad Index

Sr. Client’s Name No.

2

Atomic Vacuum Company (Exports)

3

Avcon Controls

45 Inside Cover I 59 33 61

7

Concord Instruments Pvt Ltd

61

8

Desmi India LLP

43

9

DNP International

63

10 Hi-tech Applicator

3

35

14 Jasubhai Engineering

53

15 Kishor Pumps Pvt Ltd

Inside Cover II

47

19 Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd

23

20 Prima Equipment

51

BioPharma World Expo 2021 24-27 February 2021 Bombay Exhibition Center Goregaon (East), Mumbai, India

INSIGHT INTO THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECH INDUSTRIES

The Journal of Materials & Equipment for the Process Industries

Pumps, Valves, Actuators Pipes & Fittings

ChemTECH SOUTH WORLD EXPO 2019

21 Prochem Trunkey Projects Pvt Ltd 22 Ravel Hiteks Pvt Ltd 23 ResistoTech Industries Pvt Ltd

65 Back Cover

27 Tata

39

28 Tecnimont Pvt Ltd

31

29 Thyssenkrupp India

29

30 UNP Polyvalves (India) Pvt Ltd

27

31 Vacuum Drying Technology India LLP

41 17,18,19,20

Advanced Automation: Embracing Digitalisation

US $ 10 ` 150

63

MUMBAI

26 Suraj Ltd

www.oswindia.com

VOL. 16 ISSUE 4

59

INSIGHT INTO UPSTREAM & DOWNSTREAM HYDROCARBON INDUSTRY

jUnE - jULy 2019

25 Samtech Engineering Services Pvt Ltd

VOL.16 | ISSUE 4 | jUnE - jULy 2019 | MUMBAI | US $ 10 | ` 150

OFFSHORE WORLD

11

94 • December 2019

                

9

24 Ross Process Equipment Pvt Ltd

32 Vega India Level & Pressure Measurement Pvt Ltd

www.cpfindia.com Vol. 38 No. 1 April-May 2019 Mumbai ` 100/-

` 100

18 Mist Ressonance Engg Pvt Ltd

BioPharma South World Expo 2019 4-6 December 2019 HITEX Exhibition Center, Trade Fair Office Building Izzat Nagar, Kondapur PO, Hyderabad, India

MUMBAI

15

Packaging and Labelling

APRIL-MAY 2019

17 Mettler-Toledo India Pvt Ltd

www.pharmabioworld.com

CHEMICAL PRODUCTS FINDER

21

Vol 18 | Issue 02 | sePTeMBeR 2019 | MuMBaI | ToTal Pages 60 | PRIce ` 150

VOL. 38 NO. 1

16 KSB Pumps Ltd

24-27 February 2021 Bombay Exhibition Center Goregaon (East), Mumbai, India

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13 IPCO

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SOUTH WORLD EXPO 2019

ToTal Pages 60

5

ChemTECH

MuMBaI

12 HRS Process Systems Ltd

6&7

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Cole Parmer

Mumbai

6

sePTeMBeR 2019

65

Separation Special

Vol 18 Issue 02

Chemlin Pumps & Valves Pvt Ltd

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PHaRMa BIo WoRlD

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11 Horizon Polymer Engineering Pvt. Ltd

CHRONICLING PROCESS INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS SINCE 1966

VOL.54 ISSUE 07

4 BPCL

your reach through

JULY 2019

Aeron Composite

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JASUBHAI MEDIA PVT. LTD. Taj Bldg., 3 rd Floor, 210 Dr. D. N. Road Fort, Mumbai-400 001 Tel.: 91-22-40373636 Fax: 91-22-40373635 E-mail: industrialmags@jasubhai.com

Chemical Engineering World



R.N.I. No. 11403/1966 Date of Publication: 29thth of every month. Postal Registration No: MCS/095/2018-20 R.N.I. No. 11403/1966 DateSorting of Publication: 29 of every month. Postal Registration No: MCS/095/2018-20 th Office, Mumbai No.:78 Posted at Patrika Channel Office, 400001, on 30 of every month. Total Pages No.:74 Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai 400001, on 30th of every month. Total Pages No.: 96

Manufacturer of:

Lined piping systems, Columns, Vessel and Tanks for corrosive media applications

Lining Material: PTFE/PFA/FEP/PVDF/PP/HDPE

Why Resistotech: • Processing capacity of 50+ tonnes per month • Large diameters upto 2000 NB (80”) by paste extrusion • Liners thickness from 2 mm to 14 mm as per application • Seamless lining in Tanks, column and vessel – no weld joints • Liner lengths 6400 mm upto 400 NB and above all 3200 • All sizes 90 Deg Elbows in single piece • Minimizing joints by longer lengths -saves product and installation cost • Full vacuum upto 200 Deg C in any size • Testing as per ASTM F 1545 – 03 for 100% products • FDA certificate and compliance

Techno-commercial solutions provider with pre-engineering and case study of corrosion issues RESISTOTECH INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED

C-11, MIDC, SINNAR, DIST.: NASHIK, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, PIN - 421 301. M: 0091 9820429054 | T: 0091 2551 230540 | E: sales@resistotech.com | W: www.resistotech.com


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