Chemicals and petroleum refining
U.S. chemical manufacturing leadership
The U.S. is a major global manufacturer of chemicals and petroleum refining products. U.S. chemical production and petroleum refining have a very broad and diverse range of products, from bulk chemicals such as methanol, ethylene and sulfuric acid to specialty chemicals and formulated products like adhesives, paints and coatings.
Current heating technologies
The manufacturing processes are equally diverse; they typically include chemical reaction steps, followed by product separation and purification and operate at temperatures ranging from ambient to 900°C. Heating requirements are met by either using steam or combustion heating, with the fuel required for generating steam or direct heating being typically a mixture of natural gas and recycled hydrocarbon byproducts, with the latter playing a significant role. This blend of fuels contributes to both operational complexity and opportunities for innovation in thermal management.
The opportunity
The optimization of electrification and hybrid process heating in the chemicals and petroleum refining industry will lead to improvements in energy efficiency and product quality and consistency, cost reduction overall and contribute to increasing the resilience of the power grid.
Competitive advantages
Through existing and emerging advanced electrified and hybrid process heating technologies, EPIXC is well positioned to advance the competitiveness of U.S. chemicals and petroleum refining, reduce manufacturing costs, improve product quality, enable broader heat process technology choices, and provide transparent, impartial systems-level analysis to inform technology readiness and adoption decisions.
Cost reduction
Reduce manufacturing costs through optimized heating solutions.
Quality improvement
Enhanced product quality and consistency.
Technology choice
Broader heat process technology options.
Decision support
Transparent systems-level analysis for informed decisions.
EPIXC research focus
EPIXC research will focus on adapting existing electric and hybrid heating technologies to the needs of this industrial sector and on identifying new technologies as needed. At the same time, EPIXC researchers will develop new process designs that increase energy efficiency, allow for flexibility in operation and ensure inherent operational safety. EPIXC will also develop tools for evaluating the cost of advanced process heating solutions and the environmental impact of implementing them in practice. These tools will help inform investment and technology selection decisions in industry.
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