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Energy Transition and Industrial Sustainability

Mike Guilfoyle
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Energy Transition and Industrial Sustainability

Abstract

Energy transition and industrial sustainability involve the monitoring, control and disclosure of industrial operations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) concerns. It encompasses various areas, including energy efficiency, transitioning to net-zero emissions, decarbonisation, renewable power generation, grid infrastructure, renewable energy adoption, circular economy practices, responsible sourcing, and ESG reporting. These efforts are crucial in combating climate change and driving transformative technological advancements in industry.

Globally, we are in a critical time of action on climate change. Energy transition and sustainability are now being woven into the core fabric of business strategies of industrial companies, particularly manufacturing, utility, and oil and gas organizations. Efforts are often halting or grudgingly taken, and results have been mixed at best, but change has at least begun and will accelerate, mainly due to regulation and technological innovation. Both the 2021 United Nations (UN) annual climate change conference, COP26 (Conference of Parties) climate agreement and the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report call for action on climate change pointing to irrefutable degradation across the Earth’s climate system, atmosphere, oceans, ice floes and on land. This, combined with a shift in corporate mindsets following the past two years of pandemic, is reshaping industry, sparking innovation, and accelerating transformational technological change throughout the sector. COP26 has arguably resulted in the most ambitious international climate agreement to date. Though we still can expect to see 2.4oC warming, all participating nations did agree to return to COP27 with more aggressive goals.
Energy transition and industrial sustainability refers to the management, tracking, and reporting of industrial activities targeting GHG reductions and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. Industrial sustainability covers a range of topics such as energy management and efficiency, net-zero transition, decarbonization, power generation, grid transmission and distribution, renewable energy electrification, circular economy, ethical sourcing, ESG reporting, and more.

Emissions Measurement

Historically, one of the major hurdles to sustainability was agreement across stakeholders and interests as to how to view emissions so that they could be classified in a way that allowed improvement protocols, standards, and metrics to be quantifiably measured. Around the turn of the century, the GHG Protocol was developed by the World Resources Institute (WCI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) as a means of defining emissions. Over the course of more than a decade, that definition evolved, leading to what is now the world’s most widely accepted accounting and reporting standards for measuring GHG emissions. Emissions are classified as follows:
• Scope 1: Emissions directly from owned and controlled company sources, such as production facilities and transportation vehicles.
• Scope 2: Emissions from facilities that provide energy that is bought and consumed by a company.
• Scope 3: Emissions that originate outside of the company, such as from other companies in the supply chain or end users.
These scopes come into more focus when visualized through the many mechanisms that are familiar to us all as consumers. The graphic provided by WRI and WBCSD (Fig 1) illustrates the overlapping nature of the gases that make up the emission scopes.

Embedded, Operations, and Live Use GHG Emissions

Industrial companies can usually identify the various sources of GHG emissions arising from their operations – though tracking and managing those emissions may not be at all straightforward. These are emissions generated from daily operations, such as production activities, heating and cooling buildings, operating company vehicles, and the like. It can be helpful to consider embedded (upstream) GHG emissions and live use (downstream) GHG emissions as well. Customers and other stakeholders increasingly want to know a product’s carbon footprint, which necessitates understanding the embedded GHGs, as well as the emissions generated while using the product, which necessitates understanding the live use GHGs.

Adopting a Responsible Approach

A responsible approach to climate mitigation involves six key activities (See Fig – 2). First, aggressively seek out and identify GHG emissions – especially those types requested by stakeholders – and disclose the current state. Next, establish public emissions targets, and plan how to meet them, delineating the incremental steps that will unavoidably be necessary. Execute on the plan, decarbonizing where possible and obvious, increasing efficiencies, and reducing emissions. Report progress regularly. Use carbon offsets as a bridge step where necessary to meet your goals, but ensure that the offsets used are quantifiably effective, traceable and have a measurable and positive impact on GHG reductions. Planting trees that you later harvest for use in production is not as good as planting elsewhere. Publicly commit to aligning all climate change lobbying with the goal of restricting global temperature rise to 1.5⁰ C above pre-industrial levels and disclose all climate lobbying activities. Another potential tool is making contributions or otherwise supporting independent climate mitigation activities, acting outside your value chain.

Sustainability Is More than GHG Mitigation

Reducing GHG emissions is crucial for the climate, but reducing emissions alone is not a sustainability strategy. Stakeholders must also focus on a company’s ESG goals and performance. It can be helpful to address overall sustainability goals in five areas: supply chain, production and operations, product, product ecosystem, and live use. These will all vary by industry, type of product, region, and a variety of other factors. A barrel of oil, an automobile, plastic, generated power, a tractor – obviously, these cannot be treated the same, so the distinct role each plays in sustainability must be considered.
Fig 3. Five Dimensions for Achieving Sustainability

Product

Customers and other stakeholders increasingly want products to have a low carbon footprint, and they expect it to be transparent to them. They want them to be built from ethically sourced materials and components. They want products that generate little or no emissions during their lifetime of operation. They want products that are maintainable, upgradable, and reusable, instead of disposable, planned obsolescence products.

Production and Operations

Here the expectations are already becoming clear – industrial companies are beginning to be held to account for sustainability. Companies are expected to decarbonize and operate efficiently and with low or zero emissions.  Those operating at historical profitability will be held up to increasingly stringent accountability to become more sustainable.
Specific timelines to do so have been given. They are expected to track, manage, monitor, and report on ESG metrics. Where possible, they should move to a circular economy model, use ethically sourced materials and components, generate low or zero GHGs, sustain the local operating environment, and deliver products that are climate friendly. This will necessitate the use of software and AI, together with connected machines and workers, digitalization, automation, and introduction of new operating and business processes (see Fig 3).
Specifically, three industrial pillars—manufacturing, utilities, and oil and gas—are at the center of global energy transition and sustainability efforts. If these segments do not transform from their current role in the market, other efforts across the globe will ultimately be unsuccessful. When examining the challenges each faces, there are considerable nuanced similarities and differences. Additionally, there are dependencies across the three and even the potential for competitive conflict.

Oil and Gas Companies Need Capabilities for Reinvention

The oil and gas industry has its own unique characteristics related to energy transition. Oil and gas products and byproducts are ubiquitous across the globe, and it is too simple to blame the industry for their pervasiveness in all facets of life. Yet, this universal dependency must be reduced. Additionally, the oil and gas industry creates greenhouse gas emissions across their process lifecycles from extraction and refinement through distribution and consumption.
As a result, the oil & gas industry is under more pressure than any other to reduce emissions and implement net-zero goals by divesting and mothballing high-emissions business. To do so, industry players must aggressively learn how to connect operations to improve sustainability, diversifying their energy services portfolio, and demonstrating more overall corporate responsibility in reducing the impact of climate change. This pressure has magnified as investment firms have begun insisting capital allocation be tied to formal sustainability plans and measurement.
The oil and gas industry is challenged to accomplish the following:
• Significantly reduce direct carbon emissions of current operations related to the extraction and processing of oil and gas.
• Diversify energy portfolio to include low-carbon solutions. This initiative is also related to the potential growth opportunity of energy services companies, specifically by potentially monetizing renewable energy, carbon capture, hydrogen and biofuels. and electric vehicles (EV) markets.
• Support the reduction of oil and gas necessary in consumer products, such as single-use plastics, furniture, and clothing.

Manufacturing Sustainability Must Be Unequi-vocally Quantifiable

Discrete, hybrid, and process manufacturing companies are under serious external pressure from investors, communities, and politicians to improve sustainability. Increasingly, manufacturers are being required to quantitatively demonstrate sustainability improvements. Organizing their people, culture, systems, processes, resources, and ecosystems to do so might be their most daunting challenge to date. Certainly, it will incorporate most, if not all, digital transformation initiatives already underway or on the drawing board.
Some sustainability strategies will require what seems obvious on the surface—reducing emissions and energy usage, reducing scrap and waste, employing circular economy business practices, and lowering the carbon footprint of products (e.g., chemicals). However, it will require immense and transformative change to get these things done. Additionally, there are volumes of yet to be defined work needed beyond these efforts, and that is where the major challenges lie.
One of the most existential difficulties for manufacturers is simply defining what sustainability means relative to their vast, complex ecosystems (from sourcing through consumption), and proving quantifiably that any efforts undertaken support that definition. Given how ingrained manufacturing is in the very fabric of our global economy, it is simply overwhelming for many manufacturers to understand where their responsibility begins and ends.

Technologies to Consider

The number of technologies, both entrenched and emerging, that can contribute to a business-wide sustainability effort are vast. To be sure, there are some well-known regulatory-driven tracking and reporting systems that have traditionally played a role, such as energy and building management systems, geospatial information systems (GIS), manufacturing execution systems (MES), and environmental, health, safety compliance (EHS) systems. They likely will continue to do so, although for the last one it is still uncertain whether it will evolve to support modern notions on sustainability, fill a more niche role, or eventually be replaced as antiquated by broader ESG platforms and set of accompanying applications.
Additionally, many technologies that support digital transformation can, by their very nature, address sustainability issues and use cases. Machine learning and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) are good, straightforward examples. Solutions could be provided through one or more of the following:
• Combined hardware and software
• Standalone delivery or as part of a system or application
• Ad hoc creation using microservices
• Professional services toolkit
Regardless of the technologies applied to sustainability performance, asset-intensive industries will still face major challenges proving quantifiable net value. For example, the most obvious starting point is the optimization of assets, a seemingly obvious improvement in energy efficiency and emissions reduction. However, within a siloed view of sustainability, the optimization of those assets might contribute negligibly in the face of aggressive reduction targets. This is particularly true for aged assets in service that were never designed to meet the sustainability requirements of today. To be sure, their performance should be optimized, but it may need to be managed within the performance criteria of a larger strategic goal.

Recommendations and Plan of Action for Companies

Considering what is at stake, ARC recommends the following actions for organizations to plan and implement sustainability and ESG strategies:
• Proactively work with your customers: Many companies are waiting for pressure from their customers as to how operations and performance need to evolve and be measured. Don’t wait. Engage your customer base to determine how they are and will be held accountable. Begin to work that into your strategies.
• Adopt a framework: Once you have identified the performance indicators critical to your customers, identify a working framework that is specific and quantifiable. Use this framework to develop your strategies.
• Understand progress will be iterative: People are just beginning to understand both the vast scope and complexity of change required to address climate change. Like transformation, it will be iterative, and innovation will occur along the way. Demonstrations of good faith action and improvement will be necessary as your efforts evolve.
• Address the obvious: Optimized assets reduce emissions and energy inefficiency. As part of digital transformation, your organization should already be working toward asset optimization, so continue to push these efforts. However, understand that this optimization cannot be a siloed approach to sustainability, as it must fold into a higher-level sustainability strategy.
• Support and require transparency: To quantify your company’s sustainability performance, you know where your responsibility begins and ends. This will require both upstream and downstream data and performance transparency.
• Don’t overlook the people aspect: As with all change, the people component is the most difficult. For sustainability, understand you will need many new skills, from economists to technologists, and some that have yet to be created. Additionally, sustainability must become a cultural norm with the workforce. Apply the same diligence as you would to operational safety.
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Chemingineering – Supramolecules – Bridging Physics and Biology

K Sahasranaman,
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Chemingineering – Supramolecules – Bridging Physics and Biology

Supramolecular chemistry is a field where non-covalent interactions between molecules are harnessed to construct fascinating chemical architectures with unique properties. Supramolecular chemistry holds immense promise in fields like materials science, drug delivery, and nanotechnology, driving innovation and opening new avenues for scientific exploration.

On a fateful day in 1967, in a laboratory in Strasbourg, France, Jean-Marie Lehn observed a peculiar phenomenon. Two seemingly unrelated molecules unexpectedly entwined forming a mesmerising structure that defied conventional expectations. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Jean-Marie embarked on an audacious journey, eager to unravel the hidden secrets of molecular recognition. He meticulously designed and synthesised unique molecules that possessed the ability to recognise and selectively bind to specific partners, much like a key fitting perfectly with its lock. His research led him to define a new field within chemistry which he called “supramolecular chemistry”. This field is concerned with the complex entities formed by the association of two or more chemical species linked to one another through non-covalent intermolecular interactions. Jean-Marie Lehn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987.

Bridging Physics and Biology
Supramolecular chemistry can be considered as a bridge between physics and biology. It explores the interactions and self-assembly of molecules and molecular systems, focusing on the non-covalent forces that govern their behaviour. By studying these non-covalent interactions, supramolecular chemists gain insights into fundamental physical principles and apply them to biological systems. Supramolecular chemistry provides a framework for understanding the physical principles underlying biological phenomena and offers tools to manipulate and control these processes. It enables the design and synthesis of molecules and materials that mimic or interact with biological systems, leading to applications in drug delivery, biomaterials and molecular sensors.

Non-covalent
There are several salient features that often occur simultaneously or independently within a supramolecular assembly. Supramolecular systems rely on non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, van der Waals forces, hydrophobic interactions, and π-π stacking. These weak interactions are reversible and allow for dynamic and adaptable structures. Supramolecular systems often involve molecular recognition, where specific interactions occur between complementary sites on different molecules. This recognition can be highly selective and result in the formation of well-defined assemblies.

Self-assembly
Supramolecular systems have the ability to self-assemble, meaning that the individual components can spontaneously come together to form larger structures. This process is often driven by the favourable interactions between the components and the resulting thermodynamic stability of the assembled structure. Supramolecular systems can exhibit hierarchical organisation, where multiple levels of assembly occur. For example, small molecules may first assemble into discrete supramolecular building blocks, which then further assemble into larger superstructures. Supramolecular systems exist in a dynamic equilibrium, constantly interchanging between different structures and conformations. This dynamic nature allows for adaptability, responsiveness, and the ability to undergo stimuli-induced changes.

Emergent Properties
Supramolecular systems often display emergent properties, meaning that the collective behaviour of the assembled structures is different from the properties of the individual components. These emergent properties can include enhanced stability, unique optical or electronic properties, or specific functionalities. Supramolecular systems can exhibit a wide range of structural diversity, ranging from discrete complexes and cages to extended networks and crystals. This diversity arises from the ability of different components to assemble in various ways based on their chemical structure and interactions.

Material Science
Supramolecular chemistry finds applications in various fields, including materials science, drug delivery, sensing, catalysis, and nanotechnology. In materials science, supramolecular interactions are harnessed to design and construct functional materials with tailored properties. For example, self-assembled monolayers on surfaces can be used to modify the properties of materials, such as their wettability or electronic conductivity. Supramolecular chemistry also explores the concept of stimuli-responsive materials, which can undergo reversible changes in response to external stimuli such as light, temperature, pH, or electric fields. These materials, often referred to as smart or intelligent materials, have applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and sensors. For example, supramolecular hydrogels can change their properties in response to environmental cues, enabling controlled release of drugs or facilitating tissue regeneration.

Medicine
The design and synthesis of supramolecular systems often involve the use of molecular recognition, which refers to the specific interactions between complementary molecules. Host-guest chemistry is a prominent example of molecular recognition, where a host molecule selectively binds to a guest molecule through non-covalent interactions. This recognition can be based on the shape, size, charge, or other complementary properties of the molecules involved. In drug delivery, supramolecular systems offer promising solutions for targeted and controlled release of therapeutics. By designing host molecules that can selectively bind to specific guest molecules, drug molecules can be encapsulated and protected, allowing for controlled release at the desired site. This approach can improve drug efficacy, reduce side effects, and enhance patient compliance.

Sensors and diagnostics
Supramolecular chemistry also plays a crucial role in the development of sensors and diagnostics. By exploiting the specific interactions between target molecules and sensing elements, supramolecular sensors can be designed to detect analytes with high sensitivity and selectivity. These sensors find applications in environmental monitoring, food safety, and medical diagnostics, among others.

Catalysis
Catalysis is another area where supramolecular chemistry has made significant contributions. Supramolecular catalysts can accelerate chemical reactions by providing a favourable environment for the reaction to occur. By incorporating catalytically active sites within larger supramolecular structures, researchers can design catalysts with enhanced activity, selectivity, and recyclability. Nanotechnology is another field greatly influenced by supramolecular chemistry. Supramolecular self-assembly can be utilised to create nanoscale structures and devices with precise control over their size, shape, and function. These structures, known as supramolecular nanoparticles, have applications in drug delivery, imaging, energy conversion, and molecular electronics.

Challenges
Designing supramolecular systems with specific properties and functionalities can be challenging. The ability to predict the behaviour and properties of supramolecular assemblies based on their structural motifs is still limited. The lack of reliable computational tools for accurate predictions hampers the design process. The synthesis of supramolecular structures often involves multiple synthetic steps and the precise control of non-covalent interactions. Achieving high yields and selectivity while maintaining structural integrity can be difficult. Additionally, the synthesis of complex supramolecular architectures requires sophisticated techniques and building blocks. The dynamic nature of supramolecular assemblies poses challenges in terms of stability, reproducibility, and the development of robust functional materials. The non-covalent and/or reversible processes ubiquitous in the field can be difficult to control, mainly due to their sensitivity to environmental conditions. Characterising supramolecular assemblies can be challenging due to their transient and dynamic nature. Traditional characterisation techniques often fall short in providing detailed information about their structure, properties, and interactions. The development of advanced characterisation techniques capable of probing supramolecular systems in situ and at the nanoscale is essential.

Epilogue
Supramolecular chemistry is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field that investigates the interactions between molecules and the formation of complex, functional structures. By understanding and manipulating non-covalent interactions, scientists can design and construct supramolecular systems with tailored properties and applications in diverse areas. This field continues to expand and inspire new discoveries, paving the way for exciting advancements in materials science, medicine, and nanotechnology.

Readers’ responses may be sent to:
k.sahasranaman@gmail.com or
chemindigest@gmail.com

Chemical Industry Digest – May 2023 Issue

Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemical Industry Digest – May 2023 Issue

Chemingineering – Supramolecules – Bridging Physics and Biology
– K Sahasranaman, Independent Consultant
Supramolecular Chemistry revolutionizes science and technology. Read how harnessing non-covalent interactions drives innovation in materials science, drug delivery, and nanotechnology. Dive into the world of molecular self-assembly and witness how supramolecular chemistry shapes the future of molecular engineering, paving the way for novel materials and cutting-edge technologies.

Achieving Operational Excellence in Chemicals Industry Using Advanced Process Control 
– Priya Bhagwat, Varadaradjou C, Nitin Jain, Equinox Software and Services Pvt Ltd
Chemical companies are embracing automation and optimization projects to stay ahead in the market. Explore the power of advanced process control (APC), a software-based solution that optimizes processes enhances supply chains, and boosts competitiveness. Learn the benefits of APC, including improved throughput, yield, energy consumption reduction, real-time quality regulation, and faster batch transitions, making it a strategic tool for achieving operational excellence in the dynamic world of chemicals.

Solution Defying Reformer Tubes’ Weld Cracks Eliminated
– S Raghava Chari, Independent Consultant
Explore the persistent challenge faced by the ammonia production industry and the elusive
search for a solution. Uncover a groundbreaking method that finally tackles the issue of top weld cracks effectively and economically. Gain in-depth insights into this game-changing solution that enablestrouble-free production of ammonia and chemical fertilizers, with
potential benefits.

Safe Management of Chemicals in Storage, Handling and During Transportation
– Karan Chechi, TechSci Research
The proper handling and management of chemicals is vital to ensure safety in the workplace and protect public health. Understand the importance of complying with government regulations and material handling precautions to mitigate risks and promote safe practices. Explore how adhering to these rules not only enhances occupational safety but also safeguards the environment for the benefit of all.

Out of the Box – Solutions to Industrial Problems
– S Raghava Chari, Industry Consultant
Once again Raghava Chari describes the real-life plant problems of valves, controllers and pumps and fertilizer plants and how they were resolved by him through root cause analysis and applying native wisdom.

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Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemingineering – Digital Twin

K Sahasranaman
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Chemingineering – Digital Twin

Digital Twin technology is transforming the manufacturing industry by creating virtual replicas of physical objects and systems that can be monitored and analysed in real-time. EPC firms too can gain significant advantages in cost, time and quality by adopting digital twins. In the future clients are likely to demand digital twins as a value-added deliverable from EPC contractors.

Like in almost every other business, digitalisation is rapidly spreading its tentacles in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) sector too and as a result, the EPC firms are reaping a lot of advantages in cost, time and quality. Particularly interesting for EPC companies is the concept of Digital Twin. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical asset, process or system. Digital twin technology was first used by NASA for assessing and simulating the conditions of the Apollo 13 mission decades before the term was officially coined. Michael Grieves (then on faculty at the University of Michigan) is credited with first applying the concept of digital twins to manufacturing in 2002. The concept of digital twins is best enunciated by Grieves himself – “Only when we get it to where it performs to our requirements do we physically manufacture it. We then want that physical build to tie back to its digital twin through sensors so that the digital twin contains all the information that we could have by inspecting the physical build.” The digital twin of a chemical plant is a comprehensive model created by combining data from various sources, such as simulation software, IoT sensors, and SCADA systems. This digital model can be used to monitor the performance of the plant, optimise operations and predict and troubleshoot potential problems.

Advantages
Digital twins offer several advantages over the lifecycle of a chemical plant. It provides plant operators the wherewithal to continuously monitor the assets across their entire lifecycle and track changes and fine-tune the parameters for optimum performance. Digital twin technology can be used to optimise chemical processes. It can simulate the chemical reactions that occur in the plant and identify the optimal operating conditions for the process. The digital twin can be used to optimise the plant’s production schedule. It can simulate different production scenarios and identify the most efficient schedule that meets production targets while minimising costs. Digital twin technology can be used for predictive maintenance of plant equipment. It can monitor the condition of equipment in real-time and identify when it needs to be repaired or replaced. This helps to reduce maintenance costs and plant downtime. The digital twin can be utilised to simulate emergency scenarios and test the effectiveness of safety protocols. It can identify potential safety hazards and mitigate risks before they get out of hand.

Project Phase Opportunities
The use of digital twins during the operating phase of a chemical plant is well-established. However, its application by EPC companies during the project phase is a relatively new trend. The biggest benefit of having a digital twin during the project phase is that it allows the stakeholders to take more informed decisions fairly early. These crucial decisions come with a huge potential to save operating costs during the lifetime of the project. Digital twin allows the management to understand the implications of design decisions early in the project phase. During the planning, design, and construction of a new chemical plant, project digital twins can optimise the design in line with operational requirements and reduce the risk of delayed or non-conformant construction. Digital twins help cross-functional teams to collaborate on the design of complex systems in an interactive and immersive manner. The superior quality assurance and quality control offered by digital twins are significantly reducing mistakes and corrections during the construction phase. Project digital twins can also improve logistics and communication within the supply chain, which can help maintain the schedule and budget.

Types of Digital Twins
There are three main types of digital twins, each serving a different purpose. EPC firms can benefit from all three types of digital twins during various phases of the project in different ways. A process digital twin is a virtual model of a physical system, which is used to optimise the process, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. It helps businesses to simulate and test different scenarios to identify the best design from various options. EPC companies can use the process digital twin during the engineering phase, particularly for residual basic engineering, FEED preparation and validation. A product digital twin is a virtual model of a physical product, which is used for design, simulation, testing, and optimisation. It helps manufacturers to identify issues and optimise the performance of the product before it is built. The product digital twin will be of immense benefit to the EPC company during the construction phase. A performance digital twin is a virtual model of a physical asset, which is used to monitor and analyse its performance in real time. It helps businesses to identify issues, optimise performance, and predict maintenance needs. EPC companies can think of the performance digital twin as a value-added deliverable to the end customer.

Components
A digital twin is a dynamic digital 3D model of a real-world physical entity that is continuously updated by live data captured from the physical space. It consists of the following components: the real-world physical entity; the data collected from the physical entity and surrounding processes that are also linked to its digital counterpart; the digital 3D representation of the physical entity; and a software program that processes the incoming data and applies it to the digital model. The bi-directional stream of data between the digital model and the physical object is the key. This allows the digital twin to not only monitor and mimic accurate current conditions of its real-world counterpart, but also evaluate collected data and inform decisions for optimisation. The digital twin is a very open-ended concept and can be completely customised to fulfil almost any need from simply monitoring and providing a descriptive data output, to simulating “what-if” conditions, to controlling the real-world physical entity.

IoT
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical system and it needs to be constantly updated with real-time data to accurately reflect the current state of the physical system. Gathering this data and ensuring its accuracy is a challenging task. Internet of Things (IoT) is the backbone on which a digital twin is constructed. IoT plays a crucial role in the implementation of digital twins by providing real-time data and information about the physical system being modelled. IoT devices collect data from the physical system and transmit it to the digital twin, where they are processed and analysed.

Epilogue
The digital twin is a complex concept. The numerous benefits it offers are not so easy to grasp on a superficial level. Constructing a digital twin is expensive and time-consuming. As the awareness about digital twin grows in the industry, more chemical companies are likely to incorporate it as a deliverable in the EPC contracts. EPC firms that can deliver this value not only stand to gain new business opportunities, but can also benefit by implementing projects on time and within budget.

Readers’ responses may be sent to:
k.sahasranaman@gmail.com or
chemindigest@gmail.com

Chemical Industry Digest – April Issue 2023

Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemical Industry Digest – April Issue 2023

Chemingineering – Digital Twin
– K Sahasranaman, Independent Consultant
Digital Twin technology is transforming the manufacturing industry by creating virtual replicas of physical objects and systems that can be monitored and analysed in real-time. Digital twins offer several advantages over the lifecycle of a chemical plant which are well
explained.

Building a New Plant? Embed Cybersecurity at the Design Stage Itself to Reduce Lifetime Enterprise Risk – Mandar Phadke, Abhisam Software
Since the advent of the internet age and extensive digitalization, cybersecurity has become crucial to ward off all kinds of threats in process and other industries. This article explains how building cybersecurity from the ground up is much more robust and less expensive.

Modularization: Strategic Choice for EPC Projects
– Abhijit Bhattacharya, L&T Energy (Hydrocarbon) (LTEH)
Modular Construction of complex plants is gaining ground due to many advantages. However, it may not be suitable in all cases. This article elaborates on the criteria for selecting modular mode for EPC projects.

Process Simulation Enabled Optimal Conceptual Design
– Nirav Shah, Puneet P, Omkar P, Omprakash Gupta, Aniruddha Chipalkatty, Equinox Software and Services Pvt. Ltd.
Process simulation is used to advance our understanding of a specific process and chemical engineering as a whole. This case study is an interesting exercise of how joint working of simulation team consultant and client lead to great results.

Importance of Energy Efficient Dehumidifiers for Drugs and Pharma
– Dhirendra Choudhary, CEO, Bry-Air (Asia).
It is crucial to have dehumidification to keep medical products without deterioration and increase shelf life. The benefits are explained in the article, with reference to new humidification technology.

Coal Gasification for a Self Reliant India
– Sumit Kumar, Avalon Consulting
Using syngas generated by coal gasification to make urea and a number of other chemicals can help the country reduce dependence on imports of natural gas and chemicals. This article outlines coal gasification technologies developed in India and the support needed from the government.

Interview – SK Chaudhary, Founder Director, Safex Chemicals 
In this interaction with Chemical Industry Digest, Chaudhary says that agrochemical companies have already started gearing up to combat climate change, practice sustainability and move to greener manufacturing processes. He emphasised that all stakeholders should jointly work together to phase out harmful chemicals.

Building a New Plant? Embed Cybersecurity at the Design Stage Itself to Reduce Lifetime Enterprise Risk

Mandar Phadke
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Building a New Plant? Embed Cybersecurity at the Design Stage Itself to Reduce Lifetime Enterprise Risk

Introduction

Cybersecurity has become more important in recent years as the threat landscape has changed in the past few years. There are several reasons for this including the proliferation of state and non-state entities, individual cybercriminals and others who have the capability and resources for these. On the other hand, businesses have to play a catch-up game to thwart these attackers. Previously, the worry over these incidents were on financial losses, business disruptions and cascading effects on the industrial supply chain due to forced shutdowns, but now these can also be potential ways to deliberately cause industrial accidents such as fires, explosions and loss of containment in case of industrial targets.
In this article, we will understand how we can increase the cyber resilience of process industrial plants, if we take appropriate actions, starting at the design stage itself and then at every stage of the project. This helps create systems that can be used to ensure cybersecurity at all stages of the plant lifecycle, after the project is completed and even later on after the plant starts production.

Past cyber incidents

Cyber-attacks on process industries are relatively new phenomenon that accelerated in the past decade. Not all incidents are announced to the general public. Some of the notable ones that received wide publicity, are listed below, with brief descriptions of each incident. These examples have been given to give an idea of the different kinds of incidents that can possibly occur.

1. Colonial Pipeline incident [1]

In May 2021, Colonial Pipeline company, which is one of the largest petroleum pipeline operating companies in North America, suffered a cyber-attack, that forced them to shut down a large part of their pipeline operations, leading to supply shortages all along the US East Coast.

2.  Stuxnet- Natanz Uranium enrichment facility [2]

The Stuxnet malware found its way into the control and automation systems of Iran’s Natanz Uranium enrichment facility, where it could manage to physically damage centrifuges used to process uranium. It is not clear if in addition to largescale damage of equipment, if any personnel injuries occurred.

3.  TRITON- Saudi Arabian petrochemicals plant [3]

The Safety Instrumented System of this plant was attacked with malware and it could have caused a disaster, however alert control room staff noticed it happening and they could manage to safely shutdown the plant. In this case it was a near miss, if it had succeeded, it would have resulted in a large industrial disaster.
Are these the only ones? No, there are many more of such incidents, but such news is not widely reported for fear of giving ideas to potential perpetrators, as well as to prevent panic in the public.
According to an Industrial cybersecurity expert, writing for Control magazine, in reality there are more than thousands of incidents each year [4], that go unreported or misreported. Many of the incidents are either deliberately, or mistakenly, not attributed to cyber-attacks, but to mysterious failures of equipment. The investigation findings rarely make their way into the public discourse, unless it directly affects the public, such as the colonial pipeline incident.
Note that these are only attacks against companies in the process industry sector; other industry and business sectors, which are also subject to such attacks, are not the subject of this article.
The point of mentioning this is that the cyber threat to industrial plants is real, not theoretical and we should take steps to protect our plants from cyber-attacks. These cyber-attacks can happen anytime during a plant’s lifecycle and if addressed at the project stage itself, can help reduce lifetime enterprise risk.
This article gives a broad overview of how this can be implemented.
We will start from the basics.

Two Types of Systems

There are mainly two types of computer-based systems in the process industry, which we refer to as IT (Information Technology) systems and OT (Operational Technology) systems.
IT systems mainly process information, without controlling any physical objects or parameters. Examples of IT systems are ERP systems, other Management Information Systems (MIS), Logistics & Dispatch Management systems, smart Process Design systems that use CAD, Process simulation systems, Maintenance Management systems, Incident reporting systems and so on. All of these basically process information, but do not directly control any physical equipment.
OT systems are cyber-physical systems, which means they are computer-based systems that control physical equipment.
Examples of OT systems are industrial control, automation and safety systems (called as IACS for short), Electrical substation control systems, pipeline SCADA systems, (SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems), Building Management Systems (used for HVAC, access control, etc) and Fire Alarm Systems.
For example, an IACS will open/shut valves, start/stop pumps and other equipment. A Building Management System (BMS for short) may control door opening, move air dampers, start/stop blowers and other equipment. Fire alarm systems can be for fire detection as well as firefighting, where they may operate fire water pumps and other equipmnt.

Two types of cyber incidents

There are mainly two types of cyber incidents.
One is an attack which happens directly on IT systems, that consequentially affect the plant’s OT systems. This means that the OT system is not under attack, but because the attacked IT system can no longer communicate with the OT system, that is also affected. This happened in case of the Colonial Pipeline incident, where the IT systems were attacked and due to the business processes that were in use, the OT systems became unusable and had to be shut down. Since the OT system shut down the pipeline also had to be shut down.
The other type of incidents, are where the OT systems are directly attacked. In the Stuxnet attack for example, the OT systems were directly attacked that physically damaged the uranium centrifuges. That IACS was completely isolated from the internet and other external systems. Whether any harm occurred to personnel or any environmental damage occurred is not known, as there was an information clampdown from the authorities.
Process industries must guard against both types of attacks, as the business needs both IT and OT systems to function normally, in order to run the business.

OT cybersecurity and IT cybersecurity

OT cybersecurity and IT cybersecurity are different and need different tools, different types of skills and different approaches. Using IT cybersecurity tools and practices, is either not possible at all in the OT domain, or it may actually do more harm than good if used. OT cybersecurity is often referred to as Industrial Cybersecurity, which makes it clear that we are talking about cybersecurity of Industrial Systems.
Hence process industries need both skillsets, plus some people who have knowledge about both domains.

Cybersecurity of the plant is not a pure IT issue

Process Industry Asset owners and operators should understand that cybersecurity of the plant is not a purely IT problem. It is an OT problem and requires the plant’s operations and maintenance team, as well as the safety team, to have specialized knowledge and skills for ensuring Industrial Cybersecurity. Additionally, all plant personnel are collectively responsible for a good cybersecurity posture of the plant, just like all plant personnel are responsible for safety of the plant.
Many older process plants have IACS that were designed and procured before cybersecurity was an issue and hence are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. We can of course try to modify these systems and institute new processes to improve their security posture, but there are challenges in doing so.

Why consider cybersecurity at the design stage?

Bolting on security after the plant is built, is difficult to do and is not a good idea, besides being more expensive to implement and maintain. This is done only for older plants because we have no choice. We cannot rip off everything and start anew for older plants.
For a brand new plant, however, we can implement cybersecurity design concepts from day one, so that we can build a plant that will be cyber resilient always.
The project itself should be executed with cyber resilience to reduce the risk of delays and disruptions, or loss of intellectual property, due to a cyber incident.

Project Phases & the plant’s lifecycle

A typical process plant starts out as an idea. Once the conceptual idea is ready with some baseline figures, such as “Let us build a greenfield 100,000 tonnes per annum 1-Diethyl-xyz manufacturing facility in ABC Industrial area, near the port of XYZ, in country GHI. The project should take 18 months from start to commissioning and the plant is expected to run for at least 30 years, as we see a strong and growing demand for this product and several supply shortages as some older plants get decommissioned and nobody else is building a new plant to make this”.
After this project is approved by the company management, the various stages are as given in Figure 1. During each stage of the project and thereafter (once commissioned), cybersecurity has to be ensured.

IT security and OT security during the project

Note that from Figure 1, you will realize that even though a typical plant like this, uses a lot of OT systems (such as for example IACS, Fire & Gas Systems, Building Management systems), during the project, we have to consider both IT security as well as OT security.
For example, the systems via which the engineering design is carried out, are all IT systems, where hundreds of engineers will work on design and drawings of the project. It is important to have cybersecurity to not only protect Intellectual Property (prevent stealing of designs and data), but also to avoid disruptions due to cyber attack, that can destroy the design data or delay the project timelines.
Every phase of the project has cybersecurity requirements, which will get progressively more complex as multiple vendors, contractors, consultants, and others start their work, exchange data and drawings, remotely access various data, hold online meetings and so on, which all need robust Information security and IT cybersecurity.
The OT security requirement specifications must start as early as possible, even during the concept phase itself, when you will be carrying out various concept HAZOP studies and similar safety and environmental impact studies. Cyber vulnerabilities and their effects on the plant’s safety must start in this phase itself.
In the basic engineering phase, the IACS and other OT system specs must include cybersecurity requirements. Safety studies done during this phase must account for cyber incidents.
This indeed is a lot of work, but it can be managed well with a robust Cybersecurity Management System in place, which will involve all stakeholders including the IT side as well as the OT side. All members of the project team should be made aware of it and the importance of managing it well.
After the trials end and the startup is successful, the project team will hand over to the plant’s operations team.

Parallels with the Safety Lifecycle

Many of us are familiar with the concept of the Safety Lifecycle, but we will take a look at it again, to have an insight on the similarities with cybersecurity.
The basic idea of the Safety Lifecycle, is that safety is not a one-time activity or stage of the project, but a continuous process. We need to ensure safety throughout the lifecycle of the plant starting from the concept stage (where we may carry studies like Concept HAZOP), right up to the time that the plant is decommissioned (where we carry out a Decommissioning HAZOP). In between these two phases, we have to continuously ensure that the plant continues to operate safely. This Safety Lifecycle for a process industry plant is shown in Figure 2.  It is based on the one given in the international standard IEC 61511-Functional Safety -Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industry sector[5].

Poor cybersecurity can adversely affect safety

Why should we bother about cybersecurity of the plant? Why should we follow a lifecycle approach?
Poor cybersecurity at the plant level, can not only result in disruption of operations, but also result in theft of intellectual property (such as production recipes and processes, other process & equipment know how), or can cause accidents such as fires, explosions, toxic releases and similar incidents. Since cyber-attacks are notoriously hard to attribute, there are very few ways to find the real perpetrator. Therefore, it has become a preferred method of not only cyber criminals (who hope to earn ransom by disabling systems and demanding payment in order to restore them), but also state and non-state actors, who may act due to different motivations, such as a grouse against the company’s policies, or as means of attacking the country that hosts the plant. In these cases, they are not interested in money, they are only interested in sabotage of the plant or causing a disaster.

Cybersecurity at each Phase of the Lifecycle

We should implement cybersecurity for every phase of the plant’s lifecycle starting from the phases in the project lifecycle to after the plant commissioning, where it will be applicable to the phases of the plant’s lifecycle, until it is decommissioned.
This implies a structured and well-planned approach to cybersecurity, which means we require a management system to implement it. If you think about it, conceptually a Cybersecurity Management System has similarities with a Quality Management System, or a Safety Management System. Note that a CSMS does exist in many companies, but it is only for the IT related systems. We should have a CSMS for OT systems too and it should be applicable right from the conceptual phase of the project.

Cybersecurity Management System for the plant

Copyright 2023. Abhisam Software Pvt.Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Such a CSMS can either be integrated into the company CSMS, or it could be a separate CSMS at the level of the plant management. It is up to the company management to think and decide which approach works best. However, remember that the personnel who are responsible for the plant level CSMS should be well versed in securing OT systems, as IT security and OT security are different domains.

Although the figure 2, is meant for the development of a Safety Instrumented System for a process plant, it is useful to understand for implementing cybersecurity for a process plant too, during the entire lifecycle of the plant.
Such a lifecycle is shown (Figure 3).
A brief explanation of the cybersecurity requirements for these phases is given here.

1. Cyber PHA/Security HAZOP

This is done along with the normal Hazard and Risk Assessment studies that use methods like HAZOP, What-If, LOPA and similar, to ensure that the Hazard and Risk assessment study includes the consequences for cyberattacks. This is because cyberattacks can disable the plant’s Control and Safety systems and countermeasures need to be developed to ensure that safety does not get compromised, even if the IACS is disabled. A Security HAZOP can help us find these scenarios and ways to add additional protective measures.

2. Rings of Protection / Allocating layers

This is similar to the LOPA Study carried out for safety functions, to ensure that there are enough cyber protection layers, in other words, “Rings of Protection”.

3. Cybersecure Design of IACS and other OT systems / Safety Requirements Specifications

This phase has to ensure that specs for IACS & other OT systems include cybersecurity specifications, and the design and architecture of the system is cybersecure.

4. Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures during Installation and Commissioning

Although there would a Master document containing cybersecurity policies and procedures for the company and the project, which could be part of the CSMS, there is a need for special cybersecurity policies and procedures that are applicable only during the installation, pre-commissioning and commissioning phases, when several contractors, outside parties, various vendors and system integrators for the IACS and other OT systems are all present at site. In this phase, both IT security as well as OT security considerations apply.

5 & 6. Industrial Cybersecurity Lifecycle – Plant Operations phase and Modifications phase

Once the plant is commissioned and starts production, the Industrial Cybersecurity Lifecycle*[6] can be followed. This is shown in Figure 4.
The operations phase is one of the longest phases of the lifecycle and can run for several years (in our example with the new plant, this period is 30 years), so it is very important that during this period, cybersecurity does not degrade over time, even after modifications to the plant that may take place during this long period.
There are several versions of OT Cybersecurity lifecycles. However, most of them do not take the unique features of the process industry into account. Hence Abhisam has developed the below Industrial Cybersecurity Lifecycle which is relevant to the process industry sector.
Here is a picture that shows the Industrial Cybersecurity Lifecycle* (Figure 4)

7. Decommissioning Phase

During this phase, special cybersecurity policies and procedures must be developed to ensure that intellectual property such as plant process data, recipes, historian data and other kinds of data is either properly archived or destroyed/prevented from unauthorized access.

Safety culture and cybersecurity culture

As an asset owner, implementing cybersecurity in the project and then later at the plant level is a challenging job. It requires a change in the company culture. This has parallels with Industrial Safety, where it has been found that having a good safety culture in the organization always improves the overall safety of the plant and leads to a drastic reduction in the number of safety incidents.
Similarly, a good cybersecurity culture must be developed during the project lifecycle and maintained later on, after the plant is commissioned. Even the best CSMS, or IT security or OT security systems cannot work without the people who use it being fully committed to it. Many security breaches happen due to human ignorance and errors and thus if a robust cybersecurity-aware culture is nurtured, your plant will have far less risk of being a victim of a cyber attack.

Standards and Practices

There are several cybersecurity standards for both IT security and OT security, such as IEC 62443 (not all parts have been published so far, but the published parts can be useful), ISO 27001, NIST 800-82 and others.
You need to study which of them are applicable to your plant or facility. In some cases, this may depend on the industry sector, or the jurisdiction where the plant is located. Although cybersecurity standards are important to understand and apply, these are the baseline. They are good to use and apply, but implementing them does not automatically ensure complete cybersecurity, as each project and plant in the process industry sector is unique in its own way. There is no one fits all magic standard or solution available. Hence a boilerplate product or solution may not work.
You also need to find out if any cybersecurity directives or regulations apply, as these are mandatory by law and have to be complied with. Even within the process industry they differ for different sectors, as well as in which jurisdiction the plant is located.

Competencies Required

You not only need competent people to be in charge of your IT security and OT security, you also need all your project and operations personnel to have working knowledge of both IT and OT cybersecurity, with a robust Learning Management System with appropriate learning courses, with assessments, which helps you upskill them and maintain their competency at all times.
This is often overlooked and a reason for many cyber incidents happening.

Role of Insurance in mitigating cyber risks

There is often a myth prevailing among some decision makers, that it is not necessary to do all these things, it is enough to have a rudimentary CSMS, enter some legal clauses in contracts with vendors and contractors regarding cybersecurity and then take out an insurance policy.
Although cyber insurance is a good idea, it is not a substitute for a good cybersecurity posture. In the past, there have been famous cases, where the claims were challenged and ended up in courts[7]. The difficulty in attributing responsibilities for cyber attacks means that if a state actor is suspected to be behind the attack, it can be deemed to be an “act of war”, which is generally not covered in many policies. Hence, it would be prudent to consider experts in this field before taking out such policies and in any case an insurance policy should be an additional risk reduction measure, not the primary one.
Roadmap to implement cybersecurity for your project
This article here can be used as a starting point to build a roadmap to implement a robust cybersecurity plan for your next grassroots project.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is a growing concern in the process industry. Past incidents demonstrate that cyber-attacks can not only disrupt operations but can also be the cause of industrial accidents that can damage assets, injure people and damage the environment. We need to build in cybersecurity at the plant’s initial concept design stage itself, followed by further cybersecurity related actions during each stage of the project and later on also during the plant’s operational phases too. This will greatly reduce the risk of a cyberattack affecting the plant and consequential damages, leading to a lesser level of overall risk to the enterprise.

References

  1. Colonial Pipeline Cyber Incident https://www.energy.gov/ceser/colonial-pipeline-cyber-incident
  2. Countdown to Zero Day- Stuxnet  https://icdt.osu.edu/countdown-zero-day-stuxnet-and-launch-worlds-first-digital-weapon
  3. Attackers Deploy New ICS Attack Framework “TRITON” and Cause Operational Disruption  https://www.mandiant.com/resources/blog/attackers-deploy-new-ics-attack-framework-triton
  4. More than 17 million control system cyber incidents are hidden in plain sight- Joe Weiss, Controlmagazine https://www.controlglobal.com/blogs/unfettered/blog/21438102/more-than-17-million-control-system-cyber-incidents-are-hidden-in-plain-sight
  5. IEC 61511-1:2016 -Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/24241
  6. The Abhisam Industrial Cybesecurity Lifecycle- Top 10 controls to protect your IACS https://www.abhisam.com/industrial-cyber-security-lifecycle-top-10-controls-to-secure-your-iacs/
  7. Mondelēz settlement in NotPetya case renews concerns about cyber insurance coverage https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/mondelez-zurich-notpetya-cyber-insurance-settlement/636029/
  8. The figures in this article are conceived and made by Abhisam who own the copyright for the same.
  9. The views expressed in the article are the author’s own and may not reflect the views of Abhisam.

Chemingineering – Forever Chemicals

Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemingineering – Forever Chemicals

The robustness of the C-F bond in per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a double-edged sword. While it confers many useful properties for a variety of applications, its persistence and longevity in the environment is a cause of huge concern. A concerted and holistic effort is required to address the responsible use of these “Forever Chemicals”.

A Diamond is Forever. This iconic tagline in the DeBeers campaign of 1947 helped boost the sale of diamonds. It continues to be one of the most loved brand slogans of all time. In an ironic turn of events, the Harvard researcher Joseph Allen coined the term “Forever Chemicals” in 2018 in a Washington Post op-ed. Allen was using the term pejoratively to describe a class of chemical compounds that persist in our environment to the detriment of our health. At the root of this is the unique property of the Carbon – Fluorine bond.

C-F Bond
Fluorine is the most electronegative element in the periodic table and when bound to carbon forms the strongest bond in organic chemistry. Due to the large electronegativity difference between carbon and fluorine, the C-F bond is polar and exceptionally strong. It is the strongest single bond between carbon and any element. The C-F bond dissociation energy is significantly more than that of the C-H bond in hydrocarbons. The unique properties of the C-F bond in various chemicals make them extremely useful in applications like pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and material science. Fluorine-containing molecules are increasingly being used in the pharmaceutical industry due to their unique pharmacological properties. The C-F bond in these compounds can improve drug potency, stability, and bioavailability. Fluorine-containing pesticides and herbicides are highly effective due to the stability of the C-F bond. These compounds can resist degradation by sunlight, moisture, and microbial action, resulting in prolonged efficacy. The C-F bond in fluorocarbons provides excellent thermal stability, chemical inertness, and resistance to degradation. They are commonly used in refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and non-stick coatings.

PFAS
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known colloquially as “Forever Chemicals”, are a group of more than 9000 chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment and resistant to degradation. PFAS compounds are composed of carbon and fluorine atoms and are characterised by strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make them highly stable and resistant to chemical breakdown. In conjunction with their ability to act as surfactants, these properties make PFAS ideal for diverse industrial and commercial applications. They are used in a wide range of products, including non-stick cookware, waterproof fabrics, stain-resistant carpets, food packaging, and firefighting foams, due to their unique properties of heat resistance, chemical stability, and water repellence. However, these same properties make them highly persistent in the environment and bioaccumulative in living organisms, including humans.

Impact on Health
The impact of PFAS on human health is a matter of growing concern, as these chemicals have been linked to a range of adverse health effects, including cancer, immune system dysfunction, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and hormonal disruption. Exposure to PFAS can occur through multiple pathways, including ingestion of contaminated food and water, inhalation of air emissions, and dermal contact with consumer products. Studies have shown that PFAS can accumulate in the blood,liver, and other organs of humans and wildlife, and that exposure to even low levels of these chemicals can have harmful effects on health. One of the most concerning aspects of PFAS is their potential to cause cancer. Several studies have shown that PFAS exposure is associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including kidney and testicular cancer. The mechanisms by which PFAS may promote cancer development are not yet fully understood, but may involve their ability to damage DNA, disrupt cellular signalling pathways, or suppress the immune system.

Contamination
The main sources of PFAS contamination in the environment are industrial and commercial activities that use or produce these chemicals, as well as the disposal of products that contain them. For example, PFAS can enter the environment through wastewater discharges, landfill leachate, and air emissions from industrial facilities. They can also be released from products during use or disposal, leading to contamination of soil, water, and air. Once in the environment, PFAS can travel long distances and persist for decades or even centuries, accumulating in the food chain and exposing humans and wildlife to potential health risks. The concern with PFAS is that they can accumulate in the environment and in the human body, and exposure to high levels of PFAS has been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, and developmental issues in foetuses and infants. As a result, there is growing concern about the widespread use and potential health risks of PFAS, and efforts are being made to limit their use and to clean up contamination in affected areas. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to establish legally enforceable levels, for six PFAS in drinking water. EPA is also proposing health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels for these six PFAS. The 6 PFAS include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS).

Treatment
Conventional water and wastewater treatment facilities are not capable of removing PFAS. There are various separation technologies that can be applied to wastewater once PFAS has been identified. Reverse osmosis, foam fractionation, ion-exchange resins and granulated activated carbon are the most common methods used to filter out PFAS. Waste products from these separation technologies including spent filter media and liquid PFAS concentrates are then sent to landfills or incinerated, which doesn’t destroy PFAS but rather transfers the compounds to other environmental matrices. The scientific community is actively engaged in developing technologies that can permanently destruct PFAS. These include electrochemical oxidation, incineration, sonolysis, photocatalysis and plasma-based treatment. Only the most aggressive and energy-intensive technologies are capable of breaking down PFAS. Therefore, cost-efficient treatment options for large volumes of contaminated water rely on coupling technologies that first separate and concentrate PFAS to reduce the volumes and make destructive treatment technologies viable. Today, destruction technologies like electrochemical oxidation and plasma have demonstrated abilities to breakdown the recalcitrant carbon-fluorine bonds. Hydrodynamic cavitation also shows lot of promise.

Epilogue
Currently the use of PFAS is diverse and widespread, even in consumer products where alternatives are available. The most effective way to prevent the release of PFAS into the environment is to reduce or eliminate their use in products and industrial processes. This could be achieved through product redesign, substitution with safer alternatives, or voluntary phase-outs by industry. Some companies have already made commitments to reduce or eliminate the use of PFAS in their products, and regulatory agencies could encourage this trend through incentives, regulations, or bans. A serious dialogue is required between all stakeholders to foster greater transparency to phase out PFAS in a time-bound and responsible manner.

Readers’ responses may be sent to:
k.sahasranaman@gmail.com or
chemindigest@gmail.com

Chemingineering – Ohio Derailment

K Sahasranaman
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Chemingineering – Ohio Derailment

The derailment of a goods train carrying hazardous cargo in Ohio, USA has led to widespread outrage among the local residents and some intense soul searching among the responsible authorities. We will do well to pay heed to the lessons unravelling from the incident as rail transport of chemicals is poised to expand both in volume and reach in the country.

On 3rd February a goods train derailed in the state of Ohio, USA. The train was carrying hazardous cargo which spilled over on the tracks and adjoining area. There was no loss of life. The alacrity with which the authorities responded and launched an investigation into the incident holds lessons for us in India, where bulk transportation of chemicals is growing bigger and getting more widespread.

The Incident
The 2.7-kilometre-long goods train had 149 railcars, out of which 20 were reportedly carrying hazardous cargo. The derailment, which occurred a little before 9 pm local time, knocked 38 rail cars off the rails and the ensuing fire affected an additional 12 railcars. The hazardous cargo in the rail cars that were affected by the derailment included vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene and benzene. Five railcars were carrying a total of 43,000 litres of vinyl chloride, a confirmed carcinogen. These five railcars posed the greatest threat, especially as the temperature inside one of them was steadily rising indicating the onset of polymerisation. To avoid the possibility of a runaway reaction and explosion, the authorities released the contents into a ditch and burned it off three days after the incident. The controlled burning of vinyl chloride produced a massive fireball and images of columns of black smoke went viral on social media. Following this the nearby residents reported experiencing headaches, dizziness and nausea. Though there was no loss of human life, thousands of fish were reportedly killed in the nearby waterways following the spill.

Investigation
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of USA was prompt in launching an investigation and the preliminary report is rich in details. At the time of the derailment the train was reportedly travelling at 75 kilometre per hour, just under the maximum speed limit of 80 kilometre per hour. An automated safety system known as “positive train control” was enabled and operational. The train carried three crew members – the locomotive engineer, the conductor and a trainee – and the report did not find any wrongdoing on their part. Video footage of the train before derailment reveals sparks flying from underneath the train, most probably from an overheated wheel bearing. A public report from NTSB will take 12-18 months, but the preliminary report attributes the incident to a bearing failure.

Bearing Failure
The wheel bearing failure happened on the 23rd railcar of the goods train. The overheating of the bearing was picked up by sensors provided on the railroad lines. Three such sensors, known as hot-box detectors, were available along the 50-kilometre stretch near the site of the derailment. They recorded the overheating of the suspect wheel bearing. The first detector registered a temperature of 21 degrees C above the ambient temperature. When the train reached the second detector located 18 kilometres away, the temperature had risen to 57 degrees C above the ambient. The third detector recorded a temperature of 140 degrees C above ambient and this triggered an alarm for the crew to halt the train and inspect the bearing. When the train was decelerating the wheel bearing failed leading to the derailment. The train company’s safety guidelines require crew to initiate action only when the bearing temperature crosses a threshold on 95 degrees C above the ambient. Because the detectors were spaced too far apart, the wheel bearing heated up beyond the train crew’s ability to halt it safely.

Design Flaws
NTSB’s investigation is far from over. They will review the safety equipment and procedures of the Norfolk Southern, the private train company, to see if the catastrophic failure could have been avoided. The spacing of detectors on rail tracks and the temperature at which they trigger alarms are not presently governed by any law and they vary from operator to operator. Had there been an additional detector between the second and the third, the train could have been brought to a safe halt before the bearing got compromised. NTSB also plans to examine whether vinyl chloride should be transported in more robust railcars. Also on the anvil is revisiting the definition of “high hazard flammable train” which is reserved for trains carrying crude and petroleum products. These trains would have electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, which according to studies are better than the air brakes that were present in the Ohio train. Electronic brakes may have decreased the number of derailed railcars.

Environment
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set up air quality monitoring stations near the derailment site and also collected soil and water samples from the surrounding areas. A dam was constructed to contain the contaminated firefighting water at the site. Absorbent pads and vacuum trucks were used to recover the spilled chemicals. EPA has ordered Norfolk Southern to cover the full cost of cleaning up the aftermath of the train crash. Norfolk Southern has drawn up a plan to clean up the site including digging wells to test and monitor groundwater. The company also plans to take a series of measures moving forward to minimise the long-term impacts of chemicals on the land and groundwater, including ripping up the tracks where the train derailed and removing soil underneath.

Emergency Response
The authorities continue to receive lot of flak on the way they handled the situation in the days following the incident. Evacuation was mandatory within a 1.8-kilometre radius but many refused to comply with the order. 500 residents chose to stay put and this noncompliance was noticed only 3 days later, whereupon the authorities decided to act aggressively. People were posting their reasons for not complying with the evacuation order on social media which the authorities failed to monitor. Many residents and local officials have expressed frustration that the authorities failed to adequately communicate the severity of the incident, leading many to ignore the evacuation order. The incident has been an eye-opener on the effectiveness of emergency management procedures.

Lessons for India
In India, 57% of chemical distribution is through road and rail accounts for only 37%. But this is poised to change as many companies want to bring down their carbon footprint by adopting rail movement of their raw materials and products. The Ohio derailment holds many lessons for Indian chemical industry including logistics service providers.

Readers’ responses may be sent to:
k.sahasranaman@gmail.com or
chemindigest@gmail.com

Chemical Industry Digest – March 2023 Issue

Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemical Industry Digest – March 2023 Issue

Chemingineering – Forever Chemicals
– K Sahasranaman, Independent Consultant
There are a group of more than 900 chemicals that are resistant to degradation and euphemistically called ‘Forever Chemicals’. One such group known as per-and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are resistant to degradation mainly due to the robustness of the C-F bond. As much as these chemicals have useful applications, they are also dangerous to the environment. Our columnist says that the most effective way to prevent the release of these harmful substances is by either reducing their use or totally eliminating them. Towards this a serious dialogue is needed among all stakeholders.

Catalysis at the Crossroads of Science and Technology
– B. Viswanathan, IIT Madras
Catalysis continues to play a crucial role in chemical transformations. Research in this area is expected to intensify in the coming decades. A major focus area will be on energy transitions. Catalyst technology has been instrumental in converting, storing and transforming energy from conventional and non-conventional sources. Also, the emergence of nano-catalysis technology and the identification of single-atom active sites are expected to increase the output of chemical industries.

Significance and Critical Role of Calibration for Field Instruments!
– Prasad Sonak, WIKA Instruments India Pvt Ltd
Calibration technology over the years has advanced very much; its role and importance has increased. With digitalisation, smart machines and artificial intelligence taking over, calibration has become very crucial. Today, highly accurate and precise measurements are essential to ensure the quality of products and processes. Seamless process quality control through predictive calibration will be a game changer.

Do You Suspect the Motor-current of Your Pump?
– S. L. Abhyankar
There are several issues faced due to the misgivings on the motor-current of a pump. Overloading is almost always a major concern. In this article, S L. Abhyankar, an expert on pumps talks about operational issues and how correct troubleshooting can solve the problem.

Interview
Global Chemical Supply Chain Logistics Has Many Important Dimensions to it
– V. Raju, All Cargo Group
Chemical supply chain is all about specialized logistics and storage solutions. The latest technologies such as Industry 4.0 and digitalisation are crucial in order to handle hazardous chemicals. In this interview V Raju speaks of the current scenario and on the important technological and other developments directing the course of this industry.

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