Electrification Technologies for the Industrial Decarbonization
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Delaware Energy Institute (DEI)
University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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Abstract
The energy and sustainability transition involves complex feedstocks, such as biomass and plastics, and requires new processes and materials, efficient ways to deliver heat to reactors, clean hydrogen production, process intensification, and electrification. We will present an overview of some of the challenges to achieve this. We will then discuss electrification technologies, such as plasmas, microwaves, and Joule heating, toward decarbonizing the chemical industry with an emphasis on high-temperature processes and scalability of the technologies for retrofitting existing infrastructure. We will also present AI-enabled multiscale modeling for process optimization and scale-up. We will demonstrate these technologies with examples from shale gas upgrade and plastics recycling and upcycling.
Bio
Dionisios (Dion) G. Vlachos is the Unidel Dan Rich Energy Chaired Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, a Professor of Physics at the University of Delaware, and the Director of the University of Delaware Energy Institute (DEI) and of the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI), an Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC). He has also been a lead in the Process Intensification Fundamentals of the RAPID Manufacturing Institute. Professor Vlachos is the recipient of the R. H. Wilhelm Award in Chemical Reaction Engineering from AIChE, the Philadelphia Catalysis Club Award, the Irving Wender Award for Excellence in Catalysis from the Pittsburgh-Cleveland Catalysis Society, Exceptional Achievements in Catalysis Award of the Catalysis Science & Technology Division (CATL) of the ACS, an ExxonMobil Visiting Chair Professorship at the National University of Singapore, and an AAAS Fellow. He also received an NSF Career Award and an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award. His current research interests include catalysis and reaction engineering for a circular economy, renewable fuels and chemicals, plastics recycling, modular and distributed manufacturing, process intensification and electrification, multiscale modeling, data science, uncertainty quantification, and in silico prediction of catalysts.
Catalysis Club of Chicago 