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Thriving Post-Covid: A Manager’s Guide to Building a Workforce Resilient to Pandemics and Other Crises

Anu John
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Thriving Post-Covid: A Manager’s Guide to Building a Workforce Resilient to Pandemics and Other Crises

Abstract

Not since the last 100 years has the world witnessed, a virulent, pernicious, deadly virus, the SARS-CoV-2, stealthily come up at first and then later break upon the entire world since 2019 end, from East to West and North to South in such severity and deadly manner. The last pandemic, the great influenza Spanish flu was in 1918, which killed nearly 50 million people and this pandemic, the covid, which is still unfolding, with its fast mutating variants has already killed near to 6 million in the world. There is not a single area of human activity from personal lives to businesses which have not been affected, one way or the other by this rampaging covid virus. It has forever changed the course of lives worldwide, in unprecedented and unimaginable ways and this spectre of gloom and death continues to hangover us like the Damocles sword.

However, human ingenuity, innovation and research and vastly improved medical infrastructure compared to what it was a 50 years back, has helped the great fight back as how human beings have fought and survived over the years, floods, famines, droughts and epidemics. As they say, “it’s the survival of the fittest.” And the “fittest” need not always be the physically strongest. The “fittest” are often the mentally strongest- the ones with the indomitable spirit to keep pushing forward, come what may! Our times present before us challenges which constantly wage war with our minds. This article is a handy compilation of useful strategies for HRs and managers for coping with crises in order to foster workplace resilience, to boost the “human resource” and prevent it from crumbling in times of distress.

Introduction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prescribes in it’s guidance, the role of businesses and employers in responding to Covid-19. While the CDC encourages employers and organizations to coordinate with the respective state governments to obtain accurate information from time to time, it provides strategic guidance to combat the virus at an organizational level, with the main focus on strictly following physical safety measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, placing physical barriers, prohibiting handshakes, delivering services remotely, use of electronic devices instead of physical cash for payment, avoiding gathering during peak hours, frequent washing of hands and sanitizing, frequent disinfecting of commonly shared surfaces and contact thermometers, placing physical barriers or use of signs and tape marks where person-to-person interaction is likely, use of PPE kit where required, self-isolation or quarantine for sick individuals or those with a sick household member with Covid-19, work-from-home schedules for employees in non-essential services, implementation of flexible, non-punitive paid sick leave and supportive policies in it’s systematic effort to control transmission. Other physical safety measures include conducting daily in-person or virtual health checks like symptom and temperature screening. The Aarogya Setu app mandated by the Government of India is a handy digital service for contact tracing, symptom mapping and self-assessment. Measures like these help detect and combat the virus at an early preventive level, thus keeping an already overwhelmed health care system from falling apart. A robust and strictly followed health care policy within the organization reduces spiraling health care costs, worker absenteeism, employee turnover, on the job accidents and disease spread. The CDC further recommends that all employers implement a well-tailored plan to meet the specific challenges faced by the individual organization with the ultimate agenda to prevent and reduce transmission, maintain healthy business operations and maintain a healthy work environment. Workplace policies are to be communicated with the team clearly, frequently and using multiple methods. This helps address misinformation spread on social media. The CDC’s workplace health model is a comprehensive approach to address the health and safety needs of the employees. The 4 step model comprising assessment, planning and management, implementation and evaluation helps uphold a robust system in place to combat the pandemic.

Employee Well-being and Workforce Resilience

“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire”, Ferdinand Foch- the French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War once rightly said. In the context of Covid-19, the global pandemic which shook the whole world is a reminder for us to buckle up and ensure that the physical and mental well-being of our workforce is not compromised if it is to survive future pandemics and catastrophes, which are now becoming a part of life- “the new normal” as one would call it. And the only way forward is to emerge resilient amidst it all.

Dr. Roger Walsh, professor of psychiatry and human behavior, philosophy and anthropology, and his work on “therapeutic lifestyle changes” (TLC’s) which appeared in American Psychologist, the flagship journal of the American Psychological Association, is now more relevant than ever before. TLC’s are a useful tool designed to help individuals enhance physical and mental well-being and lower elevated health risks. While it may not act as a direct “cure”, it definitely helps build both physical and mental resilience much required during a pandemic when people are stuck in their homes across a span of several months, an overburdened healthcare system and a shortage of medical supplies. The most common 8 TLC’s are:

1. Exercise: 30 minutes of daily exercise or physical activity increases fitness, vitality, stimulates endorphins, strengthens bones and muscles, prevents cognitive decline, improves energy levels, improves sleep and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease.

2. Diet: Improves immune system, increases energy and productivity, improves memory and concentration, stronger muscles and healthy lifestyle, longer lives and fewer ailments.

3. Spending time in nature: Reduces stress, enhances physical well-being, improves productivity, improves healing, increases general mental health, attention recovery and promotes healthy lifestyle.

4. Healthy relationships: Deep sense of love and belonging, security and confidence, improves mental health, fosters emotional support, increases mental well-being, happiness, empathy, companionship, instills a sense of shared problems and difficulties.

5. Recreation: Improves mental health, builds strong families and healthy communities, key to balanced human development and reduces self-destructive anti-social behavior.

6. Relaxation and stress management: 7-8 hours of sleep at night increases energy and alertness, boosts immunity, improves oxygen flow, pain relief, treats and prevents various diseases, re-energizes the brain and releases endorphins.

7. Meditation: Reduces stress, reduces aging, improves brain functioning, helps with sound sleep at night, increases immunity and helps fight diseases and increases attention span.

8. Service and altruism: An attitude of kindness and caring makes us happy, promotes social connections, increases hope, life satisfaction and sense of gratitude, improves emotional health and gives a sense of meaning and purpose to life.

While therapeutic lifestyle changes are to be practiced on a personal and individual level, every organization has a duty to create awareness about the same to ensure a robust and healthy workforce. While no one is immune to the effects of a pandemic, supporting and caring for each other during trying times is what helps the employee feel truly valued. Hence, it is important that the manager or HR ensures that all practice self-care. As a team, creating a safe space where each one could freely talk about their challenges and concerns while also validating and acknowledging those feelings can be an extremely therapeutic and rewarding experience. Feelings are never right or wrong. It is okay to panic during a pandemic. It is about what one does with it. That is, not to allow the anxiety to overwhelm you to the point where it makes the individual dysfunctional and unproductive. One should take steps towards managing the anxiety such as practicing meditation, limiting alcohol and caffeine which could aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks, getting enough sleep, counting to 10 slowly, talking to a friend or mental health professional, deep breathing, getting virtually connected with friends and family, going for a nature walk, houseplants, fresh air, etc.

The eight risk factors associated with work-related stress and ill health are work demands, lower levels of control, poor support from supervisors or co-workers, lack of role clarity, poorly managed relationships, low levels of recognition and reward, poorly managed change and organizational justice.

As a manager, watch out for the following general signs:

● Emotional response
● Erratic behavior
● Overly sensitive
● Irritable
● Angry
● Teary
● Tense
● Obsession with parts of the job
● Neglecting of parts of the job
● Disengagement
● Low morale
● Withdrawal behavior
● Increased absence (unplanned)
● Increased negative language
● Workplace conflict
● Appearing physically tired, headaches, etc
● Decline in physical appearance
● Reduced performance

Signs of disengagement:

● Absenteeism
● Discretionary effort
● Team-work affected
● Productivity reduces
● Work quality reduces
● Avoidance of team social interaction

Signs of burnout:

● Compassion fatigue
● Emotional exhaustion
● Reduced motivation
● Increased cynicism
● Negativity
● Sense of isolation

If you notice any of the above mentioned signs, then work towards building a truly healthy workplace using the LEADS Method: listen, empathize, ask, discuss and take steps.

● Create a work culture where everyone feels valued. Listen to their concerns. Check for understanding. Address them as much as possible.
● Empathize with their feelings. Not pity or sympathy. Develop listening and communication skills. Make an effort. Show them you care by words and actions.
● Have a routine check-in conversation. Ask them about their own and their family’s well-being. For example, “how’s it all going?”, “what has been a challenge for you?”, “how have you decided to handle that?”, “is there anything that we can do to help you?”. Maintain confidentiality.
● Ask questions to clarify what they want, what they need and what they expect to happen.
● Discuss the issues and problems at hand. Share solutions or guide them. Do a follow-up later.
● Refer to a mental health professional, if required.
● Speak openly about mental health. Set an example and talk about your own mental health. The goal here is to remind one another that “we’re all in this together”. Maintain confidentiality. However, if the individual is particularly uncomfortable or overwhelmed listening to such a sharing, respect them and let them refrain from such an activity.
● Provide them regular, honest and constructive feedback. No personal attacks.
● Acknowledge and appreciate them whenever possible, especially when someone goes out of their way.
● Create a positive environment. However, refrain from toxic positivity or being in a denial of reality. Give them realistic hope.
● Provide flexible work arrangements which would help reduce stress and manage anxiety.
● Give clarity on their job-related tasks.
● Provide skill-training when required. Overcome uncertainty and stress by skill building and task mastery.
● Frequently assess employee performance. Take note of increase or decrease in performance.

While the above mentioned strategies may come across as both time and energy consuming “if the employees come first, then they’re happy. A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy so they keep coming back, ..it’s just the way it works”, said Herb Kelleher, co-founder and late CEO and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines. The American Psychological Association’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards Program lists the following benefits of a psychologically healthy workplace:

● Improved health and well-being
● Greater workforce resilience
● Increased employee morale
● Lower turn-over
● Better company culture
● Early problem solving
● Higher employee engagement
● Increased productivity
● Higher performance
● Lower absenteeism
● Increased team cohesion
● Decreased injury and compensation claims
● Increased job satisfaction

Finally, let’s keep the faith, hope and love. Believe that better times will come. This too shall pass. That is the law of nature.

References

  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
  • https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/pdf/WorkplaceHealth-model-update.pdf
  • https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2008/10/fact-sheet.pdf
  • https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/mental-health/mental-health-strategy-research/stress-tip-sheets/risk-factors-for-work-related-stress-tip-sheet-4
  • https://adaa.org/tips

Dr Srinivasa Sourirajan, Pioneered Development of Membranes

Chemical Industry Digest
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Dr Srinivasa Sourirajan, Pioneered Development of Membranes

Dr. Srinivasa Sourirajan, the accomplished scientist best known as the father of Reverse Osmosis, died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 98 in Ottawa, Canada on 20th February, 2022. His prolific and highly impactful work contributed to the development of scientific pathways that addressed some of the most pressing social issues of our time, including equitable global access to drinkable water and food supply, innovation in healthcare and medicine, and scientific breakthroughs on clean energy. He was a three-time nominee of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Born in a small rural village in south India, he was in the first generation of young Indians who received a PhD in chemistry in post-colonial India. His thesis research caught the attention of Prof. Paul Emmett of Johns Hopkins University, a world leader in the field of catalysis. This brought him to the United States in the mid 1950’s to Yale University, where he received an additional doctorate in Chemical Engineering.

In 1956, Dr. Sourirajan joined UCLA as a research scientist and made seminal contributions in three areas. First, he pioneered new research methodologies and techniques that generated novel data about geophysics. Second, his trailblazing catalysis work led to the development of unleaded gas to fight the growing smog problem. Third, and perhaps most notably, he invented modern reverse osmosis using a cellulose acetate polymer with Sidney Loeb

In 1961, Dr. Sourirajan and his family moved to Ottawa, Canada, where he worked at the National Research Council (NRC) as a research scientist for 25 years. His work and reputation made the NRC the world center of membrane research in the 1960s, attracting top scientists from around the globe. His work on reverse osmosis inspired commercial and industrial use cases from multinational corporations like Dupont. After he retired from the NRC in 1986, he founded the Industrial Membrane Research Institute (IMRI) in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Ottawa with the goal of educating the next generation of scientists. In 1991 Dr. Sourirajan moved to Singapore to establish a membrane research laboratory at the National University of Singapore.

Dr. Sourirajan received numerous awards and accolades over the course of his lifetime, including an Honorary Doctorate Degree awarded by the University of Ottawa in 1994. He was inducted into the American Membrane Technology Association’s Hall of Fame in 2016. Dr. Sourirajan was recognized by the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference as one of the top-achieving chemical engineers of the 20th century. He was also lauded by the scientific community for his influence as a scientist, inventor, and philosopher.

In addition to his scientific legacy, Dr. Sourirajan was among some of the first Indian immigrants who settled and raised their families in Ottawa and was active in helping to build the Indian community there. Dr. Sourirajan is survived by his wife, Kamala; his son, Krishna; his daughter-in-law, Chitra; his three granddaughters, Sonali, Kishori, and Anjana; his grandson-in-law, Andrew, and his great-grandson, Nikhil.

Russia’s Ukraine war: Disruption in fertilizer supply

Dr MP Sukumaran Nair
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Russia’s Ukraine war: Disruption in fertilizer supply

A direct economic impact of Russia’s Ukraine war is that prices of food, energy, fertilizers will tend to rise unless the conflict ends up soon. This is especially due to the fact that Ukraine is a major food grain- wheat and corn- producer; Russia, a major supplier of natural gas to Europe, and the Black Sea area is a major hub of fertilizer production and trade. Besides, it has also brought to the public domain the severity of sanctions imposed by superpowers on their opponents. In a warring situation, governments feel the strength of domestic capabilities and the need to foster policies promoting and nurturing the public sector.

Impact of Sanctions

A variety of sanctions are imposed on Russia by the US, European Union, UK, Japan, Germany, Canada, and Australia. This included the freezing of assets, banning trade, investments, purchase of sovereign debts, access to fintech solutions, banning the use of airspace, stock exchanges, and blacklisting of politicians and officials and so on. Modern governments find it difficult to sustain operations and people are put to numerous difficulties in everyday life without the support of these transactions. Even domestic transactions are adversely impacted on account of these sanctions.

Ever since the outbreak of the war, global IT, finance, technology, and manufacturing powers have shown that any nation, however powerful and capable they are, can be subjected to restrictions and denial of access to important services, systems, and linkages. Even after being partially aligned in Quad and nonaligned in power groups, India is being asked to take sides and subjected to restrictions to even agreed systems so that the country is forced to take sides.

Importance of Self Reliance

Banks and such technology-oriented institutions, who are dependent on foreign networks and clouds need to be supported by local servers to ensure services can continue. Academic, research and development, skill and manpower training needs including higher education need a thorough review in this context and we have to develop our own institutions and strengthen existing ones using indigenous resources and capabilities. Even military requirements need to be strengthened with indigenous manufacturing and service support.

All the above highlights the need for self-reliance at least in critical areas like IT/ ITES capabilities, banking, technology development and the rapidly emerging frontier technologies and advancing developments in current science. Professionals and organizations including quality and standards regulators need to relook, re-engineer and dedicate themselves to ensure national capabilities and shun self-imposed walls in the name of independent working for their own name or economy of scale and adopt a cooperative and collaborative approach.

The conflict has already taken a toll on the energy markets all over Europe. Russia supplies about one-third of Europe’s natural gas supply, the main feedstock to major power and chemical producers who will be forced to shut down the units if gas prices continue to rise. Heating and power prices are already rising. Media reports say that by the end of the month, the intensity is going to be severe for the households, businesses, and heavy industries which need the energy at a fair price to operate comfortably.

Ukraine & Russia: Major producers of fertilizers & raw materials

The aggression is going to impact our fertilizer supplies in a big way with regard to price and availability. Around 2.4 million tonnes of ammonia was shipped from Pivdenny port (Odessa) in 2021, of which only 0.15 million came from Ukraine and the rest came from Russia, supplied through Togliatti Azot and Rossosh pipelines. Russia is the second-largest producer of ammonia, urea, potash and the fifth-largest producer of complex phosphates. The country accounts for 23% of the global ammonia export market, 14% of urea, 21% for potash and 10% of the complex phosphates. The war has already started disrupting global fertilizer market, as Russia is a leading supplier of fertilizer and related raw materials. It is also the largest exporter of urea, NPKs, ammonia, UAN and ammonium nitrate, and the third-largest potash exporter. In the phosphatics sector, traditionally dominated by China and Morocco, Russia is a major exporter with 4 million tonnes per year of DAP/MAP shipments last year. The Black Sea ports of Yuzhny and Odessa are major fertilizer handling ports with pipeline transport facilities for ammonia from Russia.

India’s overdependence on imports of raw materials & fertilizers

India depends heavily on imports for meeting its fertilizer raw materials (natural gas, sulphur and rock phosphate), intermediates (ammonia and sulphuric and phosphoric acids), and finished products (diammonium phosphate, potash and complex fertilizers) requirements. The self-sufficiency in urea production achieved by 2000 was lost due to unfriendly policies which discouraged further investments in the sector for two decades and also due to the privatization move and closure of a number of plants on account of low energy efficiency which paved the way for large scale imports.

India, the world’s largest urea importer, is also a major importer of phosphatic and potassic fertilizers. Urea imports amount to 8-9 million tonnes per annum mostly from China, Oman, Ukraine, and Egypt. China has restricted urea imports since October 2021. As gas prices go up, imported ammonia price also follows suit. A significant part of the supply shortage could be met by maximizing production in the newly commissioned fertiliser plants at Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri. On an average, 5 million tonnes of phosphatic fertilizers are imported to India mostly from China, Morocco, S. Arabia, Russia and Jordan. Potash supplies (around 4 million tonnes a year) are totally imported from Canada, Russia, Belarus Jordan, Lithuania, Israel, and Germany. Current imports, of course, are going to be at much higher rates due to the emergent situation in these countries. Earlier, our major suppliers of DAP were Saudi Arabia, Morocco and China. China has already restricted exports of DAP last year, so India is already constrained to tap Morocco and Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Estimates of fertilizer subsidy allocation of Rs 1.05 lakh crore for 2023 in the recent budget are likely to go haywire on account of the war.

Adverse Impact due to supply chain disruption

Here again, disruption in production in Russia and Ukraine and closure of plants in Europe will result in an increase in fertilizer commodity prices all across the world. A shift in product movement from traditional markets will lead to price volatility in the global fertilizer market significantly impacting availability. Had we continued the fertilizer expansion policy of the 1980s and 1990s, where fertilizer PSUs contributed significantly to meet our demand for mineral-based plant nutrients, we would not have been in such a precarious situation as we are now. Today, Indian farmers are hard-pressed for the easy availability of fertilizer products whose prices have also skyrocketed. Only urea which still remains under administrative price control is cheap and affordable to farmers. The immediate need of the hour is that the government of India rushes to tie up alternate supplies and ensure adequate availability of mineral nutrients to the farmers. Any laxity in doing so will adversely impact the food security of the nation.
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IIT Mandi Researchers Use Orange Peel Derived Hydrochar For Biofuel Precursors

Chemical Industry Digest
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IIT Mandi Researchers Use Orange Peel Derived Hydrochar For Biofuel Precursors

Women In Science – Dr. Malathy Venkatesan

Chemical Industry Digest
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Women In Science – Dr. Malathy Venkatesan

Dr. Malathy Venkatesan – Senior Scientist at Innovation Centre of Tata Chemicals Ltd

Dr. Malathy Venkatesan (PhD-Biochemistry-UDCT [now ICT]) Senior Scientist at Innovation Centre of Tata Chemicals Ltd, works on food formulation (sweeteners) FOS applications, Aeroponics, natural extracts from plants. Dr Malathy has over 25 years of experience in the field of Biochemistry. She focuses on areas like flavour and fragrance production by biotechnology route, Enzyme production and application in food processing, food formulation, extraction of high-value products from natural sources.

The motivating forces that led you to take to your educational and professional careers. What drove you to take up these respective fields?
Science fascinated and intrigued me from childhood. My mother, a mathematician encouraged inquisitiveness about science in everything around us. I, therefore, took up pure science as the subject for studies all the way to a doctorate. Research and development was the profession chosen by me for further pursuit of science to commercialize applications and innovations thereof.

What were the challenges you faced from your educational career to your working life and how did you overcome them?
The first challenge was the loss of my parents very early in my educational timeline. Fortunately, I had competed and won a government merit scholarship during the IXth standard, which paid for my education till graduation. For further studies, I joined UDCT (now called ICT) again on a scholarship and continued on a GATE fellowship for a doctorate. During my studies towards PhD, I faced a lot of challenges in juggling responsibilities to look after my son and manage to study.

As a woman have you faced any difficulties in your career from a male-dominated world?
I believe women have to work at least twice as much to achieve what men can, mainly because they have a family and children to nurture along with a career. Women are required to compromise advances in career especially if the family is young and there is minimal support. I had to wait for a few years before joining the mainstream industry as my priority at that time was my young child.

In the industry, fewer jobs are available for women even if the qualifications are equal. In comparison to men, fewer women rise in their careers to reach top posts. I have seen men who were my contemporaries grow faster in their career.

I found that at Tata Chemicals’ Innovation center, women are treated well and allowed to grow in knowledge as well as career. I am happy to have finally found my niche and a place to pursue my passion for learning along with the delivery of science-based service to the company as well as society.

Women In Science – Ms. Sapna Bawsay

Chemical Industry Digest
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Women In Science – Ms. Sapna Bawsay

Ms. Sapna Bawsay – Senior Research Executive at Tata Chemicals

Sapna Bawsay, Senior Research Executive at Tata Chemicals is a performance-driven Cosmetologist with 13+ years of experience in the Personal & Home Care industry and in Research & Development, quality assurance, application development and supporting business development. She is involved in market surveys and research starting right from concept studies to consumer trials and in leading end-to-end activities such as formulation development, technology transfer including operational & commercial activities. She works closely with key stakeholders to craft the user-centric product strategy that enables an enhanced consumer experience & product-centric expectation.

The motivating forces that led you to take to your educational and professional careers. What drove you to take up these respective fields?
Science is everywhere and all around us. I was passionate about understanding the Science behind making everyday cosmetics and home care products; today I am proud to be a part of transforming ideas and concepts which are delivering user-friendly and sustainable products. When I had to shortlist a stream all my fellow students were either trying for engineering or medical but I always wanted to do something unique and different. Cosmetology then was a unique stream which many of us were not even aware of having a master’s degree too. So, without wasting much time I decided to do cosmetology and now I am very proud of my unique skill set.

What were the challenges you faced from your educational career to your working life and how did you overcome them?
My education went on smoothly without any challenges; I was a confident student and was the university representative for my college. In my earlier days I got placed through campus recruitment in research and development. But soon after a month, I was moved to production, which I felt was unfair. I discussed my concern, spoke about my discomfort and my area of interest, which was understood and I shifted back to product development. So it is very important to speak for yourself and to be heard and pursue what you are passionate about.

As a woman have you faced any difficulties in your career from a male-dominated world?
I consider myself very blessed. I have always got supportive and encouraging male colleagues. In fact, 15 years back my father supported me to travel out of my hometown for my career and now my husband is my rock-solid support system.

How Solar Power Can Be Used in the Chemical Industry

Anne Liesel Margery
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How Solar Power Can Be Used in the Chemical Industry

Like many other countries around the world, India has also been steadily increasing its renewable energy (RE) capacity. The Economic Times reported that in just the five years between 2016 and 2021, RE capacity doubled from 50GW to 105GW. This progress has affected industries of all kinds, including the fast-growing chemical industry. Chemical companies’ transitions toward more widespread usage of solar energy stands to not only provide economic benefits, but also improve the environmental status of the sector.

Here’s how…

The Chemical Industry in India

The chemical industry is essentially responsible for producing and managing basic chemicals and their derivatives; petrochemicals, paints and varnishes, gases, fertilisers, alcohol, etc. It is heavily relied upon by other industries, which makes it a high-consumption sector. According to The Guardian, the global chemical industry consumes more than 10% of fossil fuels globally and emits an estimated 3.3 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases each year. Catalytic procedures demand intense heating and pressure to produce reactions, so businesses rely largely on fossil fuels.

The Indian chemical industry ranks as the sixth-largest in the world, and the third largest in Asia. The Climate Group reports that 12% of total manufacturing emissions are specifically from the chemicals sector, with demand for ammonia and petrochemicals constantly increasing at a rapid rate. This is why the industry requires transformative technology for scaling up decarbonisation. And solar energy offers one way to create a more sustainable chemical industry in India.

How Solar Power Helps the Chemical Industry

Besides the conversion of sunlight into electricity, solar-driven chemistry is able to process (a) the conversion of sunlight into electricity, (b) the conversion of sunlight into chemical energy, (c) the photochemical synthesis of valuable molecules, and (d) photochemical pollution remediation, as noted by a study published in RendicontiLincei.

Among the four, the conversion of sunlight into electricity remains to be the most stable and profitable use. Photovoltaic electricity stored in batteries can be used to power electric engines, which are three to four times more efficient than internal combustion engines. Moreover, Hoymiles notes that shifting to solar allows manufacturers to take advantage of government incentives such as capital subsidies, tax credits, and rebates depending on the location. In fact, solar power can reduce company power costs by 20-40%.

Research published in Frontiers in Energy Research shows that concentrated solar thermal systems and photovoltaic solar power solutions can also be used as solar energy sources for the production of chemicals. But while the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy and artificial photosynthesis both validate major breakthroughs, much work still needs to be done to make them more efficient ways to produce chemical energy. As for pollution remediation, some notable examples include the production of synthetic fuels by co-electrolysis, the electrochemical reduction of CO2, and the photocatalytic fixation of nitrogen to ammonia.

There’s also the question of whether concentrated solar thermal systems and photovoltaic solar power solutions can be used to power energy-intensive, continuous processes, or only for batch processing. According to this study found on BMC Chemical Engineering, renewable energy can be used to supplement both. For instance, some plants may function 24/7 with different energy levels, while others are fully switched on and off. Solar power can augment power for both to operate continuously within a limited range of operations.

According to Manu Karan, Vice President of CleanMax, solar power can be a very effective supplementary source of energy for chemical plants. There are, however, a few roadblocks in the viability of solar technology, including grid dependency and complicated grid synchronization.

The Future of a Solar-Powered Chemical Sector

Overall, many economic, sustainability, social, and political aspects are involved with the increased usage of solar power in the chemical sector. With that, there should be a steady push for the development of new tools for chemical engineering assessment, as well as innovative methodologies for the development of materials, reactors, and processes needed to bolster the transition to more sustainable use of energy and chemistry.

Many of the world’s biggest corporations have signed the RE100 pledge, which aims to achieve 100 percent renewable energy sourcing within a stipulated timeframe. More and more corporations are also seeing the economic benefits and cost-effectiveness of investing in solar energy systems, and this is further propelled by new government policies and incentives. Moving forward, India plans to implement efforts for the adoption of RE and other clean energy technologies — not only for the public use of electricity, but for other energy applications as well.

Refrences

Economic Times
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/renewables/towards-greener pastures-how-fm-can-give-requisite-push-to-renewable-energy-sector/articleshow/89225493.cms

The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/22/chemicals-industry-pollution-emissions-climate

The Climate Group
https://www.theclimategroup.org/our-work/publications/spotlight-decarbonising-heavy-industry-india-narratives-iron-and-steel-cement

CleanMax
https://chemindigest.com/power-of-solar-in-the-industry

Rendiconti Lincei
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12210-019-00836-2

Hoymiles
https://www.hoymiles.com/energy-storage/

Frontiers in Energy Research
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2021.677980/full

BMC Chemical Engineering
https://bmcchemeng.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42480-019-0006-8

Chemical Industry Digest
https://chemindigest.com/

SCR Catalyst Plugging Case Study – Methane Reformer

Andrew Kline
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SCR Catalyst Plugging Case Study – Methane Reformer

Catalyst Plugging Mechanism

Hydrogen reforming is a process to produce hydrogen from a compound composed of hydrogen atoms. During reforming, a convection pass is used to heat the process which creates NOx. The NOx rich flue gas passes through an SCR reactor for reduction before being exhausted to the atmosphere. Lint-like fibres from the convection pass, and refractory liners create an obstruction that builds up and fouls the face of the SCR catalyst.

Buildup Costs Millions

The result is decreased NOx reduction, higher pressure drop across the catalyst, and ultimately decreased hydrogen output. Often, this buildup will require an unscheduled outage to manually conduct cleaning. This outage can take as long as five days at an estimated cost of $1 million per day.

Lab Study

Samples of ash collected from the catalyst were sent to the lab for testing. Microscopy images indicated hair-like particles as well as granular particles. These particles combine and create a “dryer lint”- like fibrous material.

Testing of several online cleaning systems such as sonic horns produced no discernible results in breaking up the media. However, the use of air cannon blasts sufficiently broke apart the mass. Various styles of screen material and design were then tested to determine the optimal pitch and diameter for operation in reformers.

Figures 1 & 2: Typical buildup and fouling of a reformer SCR catalyst face.

Mitigation Method

The exact cause for the material being caught in the flue gas is unknown, and it is very difficult to pinpoint and address all locations where the refractory fiber may break loose. However, once the material breaks free and accumulates on the SCR catalyst, dP will increase and NOx removal will decrease.

Bringing the unit offline to vacuum the material is extremely costly and not an ideal solution, therefore units often run at a reduced output until the turnaround. IGS has installed nearly 100 NoNOx LPA screens in front of SCRs since the early 2000s, allowing companies to maintain better output. This screen, based on patented technology is available globally, including in India and South East Asia.

Case Study: Methane Reformer in Texas

Completed installation of the IGS Filtration Screens in a Methane Reformer

Based on these successes, IGS installed NoNOx Reformer Screens upstream of the SCR on a methane reformer in Texas in 2016. The screen is designed to capture these particles upstream of the SCR catalyst.

The screen pitch is designed smaller than the pitch of the catalyst, as it is critical to catch all particles which are too large to pass through the catalyst. Additionally, the screen functions as a flow aid. Therefore, IGS selected a screen system designed to achieve both sufficient filtration and flow optimisation. During the design phase, the pressure drop was also considered in selecting the screen pitch. The goal was to install a screen that would prevent buildup but also minimise pressure drop increase.

Air Cannons

Air Cannons are required because the particles tend to become trapped on the screen and block gas flow, much like fibers in a dryer lint trap. When this happens, the gas tends to bypass certain areas of the catalyst and increase NOx emission. The air cannon addresses this in two ways. First, they blast the particles, breaking them apart so that they are small enough to pass through the filter and the catalyst without harm. Second, the blast is aimed to push the remaining particles down to the lower collection area, where they will not impact performance and can be removed later during a planned outage.

CFD analysis was performed with and without the screen in place, and the results showed that the screen improved the uniformity index from 90% to 92%.

Turnaround Impact

Due to the standardised modular design, IGS’s mechanical division can install SCR screens, Air Cannons, and access doors in less than a working week of critical path time. In this referenced case, all the work was performed within the time window of the preplanned outage and caused no impact to the turnaround schedule.

Prior to the screen installation, the typical startup sequence required utilising a “cheese cloth” to capture particles that break free during start up.

The new inline screen system eliminated the need for the cheese cloth by capturing all particles that were too large to pass through the catalyst. Before the screen installation, this practice was critical because the work performed during the outage resulted in dislodging particles larger that the catalyst opening. This process delayed full startup by roughly a day. Because of the installation of the screen, this cheese cloth startup process can be eliminated, saving roughly $1 million during each outage. This saving alone pays for the screen system!

Operating Assessment

Initially, the Texas plant did not experience any significant pressure drop increase across the catalyst, which was a significant improvement. Prior to the screen installation, the catalyst required frequent manual cleaning at a sizable cost. Initially, the plant opted to not utilise the air cannon system, which eventually caused buildup across the screen. This was predictable, as the screen was designed to capture the material and the air cannons were intended to sweep the buildup off the screen face and into the collection zone. However, even with the buildup on portions of the screen face, the distance between the screen and the catalyst was great enough so that the gas distribution recovered, resulting insignificantly improved SCR performance than without the screen in a built-up state.

Since air cannons were not used properly, the buildup on the screen face eventually did reach the catalyst face. When this was discovered, the air cannons on the screen were cycled and effectively broke apart the particles on the screen, allowing them to pass through the SCR without causing additional buildup. The particles were visibly seen coming out of the stack and no pressure drop increase was experienced across the SCR, confirming the successful air cannon cleaning.

To eliminate the risk of material passing through the screen were air cannons not operated regularly, after two years it was decided that a finer pitch secondary screen was to be installed. After installation of this secondary screen, all particle buildup on the catalyst face was eliminated.

Results

Below are photos of the catalyst face taken while the unit was online after more than a year of run time. They clearly show almost no buildup on the SCR itself, and the NOx reduction numbers remain constant. Due to infrequent firing of the air cannons, the secondary screen does experience some minor accumulation, however data indicates this does not impact the NOx removal or SCR performance.

This elimination of buildup and pressure drop resulted in the plant no longer having to run at a reduced output, has their ID fan running per design, has optimal NOx reduction of the process gas, and has increased the catalyst life. After recognising this success, the plant has purchased a second IGS screen system for its sister plant, to be installed in 2022.

New Trends in Gas Flow Measurement in Chemical Industries

Manish Patel
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New Trends in Gas Flow Measurement in Chemical Industries

Introduction

Chemical production is mostly a complex process that consists of many unit processes and unit operations, as is well known. Chemical engineers have to design chemical processes based on the desired end product. This involves monitoring and controlling many process parameters such as pH, temperature, pressure, flow, the concentration of liquid chemicals or gases for further product development.

Chemical production processes could be continuous or batch type which need precise control of process parameters for desired quality. Currently, midsegment chemical industries mainly monitor and control a few parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH, etc which are important for quality control but liquid (chemicals & solvents) & gas flow measurements are often not given that importance. But this in turn compromises fine quality control.

Importance of Precise Flow Measurement

Flow measurement in chemical industries is now becoming crucial for good quality control and conservation of energy. Various chemical processes demand accurate flow measurements as below :

● Solvent & Gas precise dosing into reaction vessels
● Mass transfer processes
● Process gas emission control
● Inert gas tank blanketing for safety
● Flare gas monitoring and control
● Gas, steam, fuel gas, compressed air utility flow monitoring

Precise gas flow measurement is becoming crucial in chemical & fine chemical pilot plants and production processes for high-quality product manufacturing.

Pros & Cons of Various Flow Technologies

Various Flow technologies available for Gas flow monitoring and control are :

a) Orifice Type Flow Meter – Differential pressure measurement across restriction orifice design
Pros :
● Volumetric flowmeter, Oldest, and rugged technology design as per ISO5167/BS1042
● Rugged construction designed for high pressure & temperature applications
● Can manufacture with different grades of metals for corrosive gases
Cons :
● High-pressure drop
● Low accuracy

b) Coriolis Mass Flow Meter – Works on oscillating tube frequency measurement direct mass flow measurement design
Pros :
● Direct Mass flow rate, proven high accuracy, and true mass flow measurement
● Very high accuracy and repeatability
● A few metal construction possible for corrosive gases
Cons :
● High-pressure drop
● High initial cost
● Works up to 100oC temperature

c) Thermal Mass Flow Meter – Heat dissipation principle
Pros :
● Mass Flow rate independent of pressure and temperature.
● No pressure drop
● High turndown ratio ( 100:1) & high sensitivity for leak detections.
● Various MOC suitable for corrosive gases possible
● Easy installation and low maintenance
Cons :
● Not suitable for high moisture content
● Sensitive to dust concentration, needs cleaning

d) Vortex Flow Meter – vortices low-pressure pulse frequency measurement principle
Pros :
● Volumetric Flow rate
● Works for high pressure and temperature applications such as gas, water & steam.
● Better accuracy & 10:1 turndown ratio
Cons :
● Sensitive to vibrations & moisture content
● Not suitable for higher pipe diameters above 200mm
● Installation is critical

e) Ultrasonic Flow Meter – Transit time difference of sound velocity in the fluid
Pros :
● Volumetric Flow rate measurement
● No pressure drop
● High turndown ratio ( 20:1)
● Non-contact easy in any moc pipeline for corrosive gases possible
Cons :
● Not suitable for high moisture content
● Low accuracy
● Internal pipe conditions affect measurement accuracy
● High initial cost

f) Turbine Flow Meter – Rotating turbine frequency measurement
Pros :
● Volumetric flow rate measurement.
● Low cost
Cons :
● Moving parts periodic maintenance needed
● Not suitable for high moisture content
● Low accuracy

The pros & cons of various flow measurement technologies, as highlighted above might help chemical industry instrumentation engineers to select a flow technology that suits them best. Current trends show the emerging role of Thermal Mass (Calorimetric) flowmeters in chemical industries which provide many benefits in various chemical process applications.

Thermal Mass Flow Meters

Insertion thermal mass flow meter utilizing the heat dissipation principle

The latest innovation from various manufacturers of thermal mass flowmeters provides benefits to chemical industries as below :
● Measures mass flow rate accurately even in wet gas effectively
● Long life & rugged sensor insensitive to dust and dirt
● Special sensor or PFA Coated for highly corrosive gases
● Highly sensitive for leak detections can provide good knowledge of process fluctuations.
● Saves energy while monitoring with no pressure drop
● Online Sensor removal is possible without interruption of the process
● Accurate measurement over entire temperature range up to 400°C applicable
● Versatile & Adjustable for various pipe dimensions
● Easy and cost-effective installation even for large pipe sizes

Suitable thermal mass flow meter sensors for the chemical industry

Conclusion

Thermal mass flow technology is gaining ground in chemical industries for process gas emissions at low pressures and chemical pilot gas flow measurement needs for research.

Chemical Industry Digest – February 2022 Issue

Chemical Industry Digest
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Chemical Industry Digest – February 2022 Issue

Download Issue Here

Chemingineering – Flying Sustainably
– K Sahasranaman, Independent Consultant
All activities will need to be more and more sustainable henceforth. Aviation is no different, at the moment contributing a lot to global emissions. Many alternate options of electricity and hydrogen do not work for aviation at the moment. However, fuel from renewables is promising, says our columnist.

Liquid Liquid Mixtures Separation
– S Raghava Chari, Independant Consultant
Separating liquid-liquid mixtures comes into play at many instances from environmental
protection to industrial applications. Technologies for this has advanced and the
author provides an overview and the conceptual principles in such separations.

Role of Membrane Technology in Sustainable ‘Green’ Bio-Methanation Projects
– Vinod Paremal, Regional President, Evonik India
India can be potentially rich in bio-gas from various sources, particularly agrowastes, sewage, etc. However, the biogas, primarily methane, that is extracted, needs to be cleaned up due to many impurities in it, before utilising it for industry, transportation, etc as fuel. Membrane technology is the best option for purifying the raw gas.

What Level Of Autonomous Operations Is Your Facility?
– Dick Hill, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are rapidly changing the very functioning of the industry at many stages into autonomous mode. Digitally transformed
and enabled technologies are taking people and industrial processes to the next paradigm.

SCR Catalyst Plugging Case Study – Methane Reformer
– Andrew Kline, Sr Manager, Integrated Global Services
A methane reformer is an equipment, which produces pure hydrogen gas from methane using a catalyst. In this case study, the author elaborates on how talks how using specialised screens placed in front of SCR makes a big difference, Preventing the fouling of the SCR catalyst and increasing productivity.

Chemical Warehousing – Design and Operation to Ensure Safety
Chemical warehousing, which includes storage of hazardous materials, is highly regulated with a substantial investment in the physical storage environment. There has to be rigorous adherence to associated protocols, practices and paperwork required to ensure safety and compliance. This article gives an overview of the importance of design of warehouses to operations for safety.

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