Overview

The Chemicals Sector is a significant energy user and consequently a direct and indirect contributor to the UK’s GHG footprint. Energy use in the Chemicals Sector is dominated by natural gas and electricity. Natural gas being mainly used for process heating through combustion and electricity for electric drives.

Both natural gas and electricity usage for heat and power in the chemical industry will have to be addressed for the UK’s pathway to net zero by 2050. Whilst electricity can be readily made net zero through the use of renewables, the replacement for unabated combustion of natural gas is not so straightforward.

Hydrogen is touted as an obvious net zero replacement for natural gas and this presentation addresses the features of hydrogen and electricity for process heating. Options for the provision of low temperature <100 C, medium temperature 100 - 400 C and high temperature >400 process heating are identified and discussed.

Speaker

Tom Baxter, Chemical Engineering Consultant, PDB

Tom Baxter graduated from Strathclyde University in 1975 with a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (first class honours). He is a Fellow of the IChemE. He started his career with ICI Petrochemicals, moved to fine chemicals with the Swiss company Ciba-Geigy before taking a position as a Process Engineer in 1980 with BNOC (British National Oil Corporation). Through privatisation and acquisitions BNOC became Britoil then BP. Here he worked as an Operations Engineer, Development Engineer and Research Manager.

In 1991 he left BP and joined Altra Consultants as Technical Manager. He accepted a position as Technical Director with Genesis in 1998 and became the Aberdeen Business Unit Director in 2005. He returned to his role as Technical Director on 2010 together with a position as Senior Fellow in the Chemical Engineering Department at Aberdeen University, which he helped establish. Since 2003 he has been visiting Professor of Chemical Engineering at Strathclyde University.

He is a regular contributor to The Chemical Engineer and is currently a consultant providing greenhouse gas reduction expertise.       

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Aberdeen Members Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.   

Time

12:30—13:30 BST.

Intended audience

Since almost all Chemical Engineers will be involved in the design and operation of process heaters, the talk will be relevant to a large swathe of the chemical engineering community. Attendees will be provided with information to help with future decision making relating to net zero/low carbon heating.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via GoToWebinar®. 
Check system requirements.

You are advised to join the webinar at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time, to allow for your computer to connect.  

Webinar archive

This webinar is free of charge and open to all to attend. If you wish to access the slides and a recording to replay on demand, you will need to be a member of the Aberdeen Members Group.