OTTO SIMON
AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE UK’S ZERO-CARBON TRANSITION POWERED BY INSIDE SUSTAINABILITY
OTTO SIMON
I
PROFILE
AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE UK’S
ZERO CARBON TRANSITION
Building on 150 years of expertise in gas processing, thermal processes and technology selection, Otto Simon Ltd has expanded into the emergent technologies sector, delivering projects for methane fermentation, bio-syngas production, and utilising hydrogen as fuel. Senior Project Manager Clive Mansfield discussed further the employee owned trust’s pioneering work in the burgeoning hydrogen sector. Feature by Andy Probert. 2 Otto Simon
Becoming an employee owned trust in 2019, Otto Simon has around 100 employees in Manchester, Rotherham, Stalybridge, Forfar, and based on long-term client sites across the UK.
Enviable track record Otto Simon has developed an enviable track record in applying advanced technology in the coke/steel, renewables, waste, biomass, biofuels, energy, petrochemical, water and refinery sectors. Building on 150 years of expertise in gas processing, thermal processes, and technology selection, it has since expanded into the emergent technologies sector, delivering projects for methane fermentation, bio-syngas production, and utilising
O
hydrogen as fuel, among others.
original company, led by Dr Otto, became
remains at the forefront of technical inno-
a world leader in coke processing and built
vation in the developing hydrogen market.
tto Simon Ltd has always led from the front, no matter what century it found itself. From the late 1800s, the
more than 48,000 coke ovens worldwide. Henry Simon, a Prussian born engineer
Otto Simon became a member of the North West Hydrogen Alliance in 2019 and
“We specialise in providing services to the hydrogen sector, working on pioneering
who moved to the UK in 1860, revolutionised
UK projects,” commented Senior Project
the flour milling industry by introducing the
Manager Clive Mansfield. This includes
rolling flour milling plant. He turned his inter-
providing practical hands-on engineering
ests towards revolutionising the manufac-
expertise for feasibility studies, due dili-
ture of coke and implemented innovative
gence, undertaking demonstration trials,
technology across the UK.
and repurposing conventional gas equip-
When the companies merged in 1974, later becoming Otto Simon Ltd in 2004, a consolidated legacy of know-how and
ment to utilise blended or pure hydrogen as a fuel source in industrial settings. The team has built considerable experi-
experience as a privately owned engi-
ence with hydrogen as a fuel and provides
neering consultancy and project delivery
technical engineering support to several
organisation began.
pioneering hydrogen projects. Otto Simon 3
OTTO SIMON
I
PROFILE
Otto Simon is supporting Progressive
develop and promote hydrogen tech-
Energy with the Department for Business,
nology in the North West of England,”
Enterprise, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
Mr Mansfield revealed.
funded fuel switching studies. It recently delivered the HyDeploy project at Keele
Key role in hydrogen projects
University, working with Progressive Energy
Hydrogen has a crucial role to play in the UK
and Cadent to trial the blending of hydrogen
government’s strategy to be net-zero by
into the gas grid.
2050. The North West of England produces
“We are working closely with the North West Hydrogen Alliance to 4 Otto Simon
40 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions each year and acknowledges it is part of
press, pipe and store it in depleted gas fields in the Irish Sea. The UK government recently awarded £33 million to HyNet to further develop this project, supported by a further £39 million of private funding from the HyNet consortium. Investigative works have been undertaken to prove the feasibility of producing and supplying sufficient volumes of hydrogen to satisfy industrial demand, while preparatory work continues regarding the capture and storage of CO2. The preparedness for the hydrogen revolution is in part driven by the funding from BEIS. Fuel switching studies and trials have commenced in which practical assessment will qualify the suitability of hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas. This includes evaluating the introduction of 100% hydrogen into furnaces and fired equipment whilst parallel events have taken place assessing the effects of blending 20% hydrogen in natural gas for commercial and domestic use. This is where Otto Simon’s extensive experience in gas processing, gas cleaning and managing the process and its safety standards and requirements is quickly gaining ground. the global problem. But now, the North
Hydrogen in an industrial environment
West is at the vanguard of implementing
Otto Simon is also heavily involved in
regional solutions.
a fuel-switching project at glass manu-
HyNet is arguably the most high-profile
facturer NSG’s gas furnace in St Helens.
project of its kind in the UK. It has two prin-
It designed and implemented innovative
cipal objectives: to supply hydrogen to
modifications to allow the glass manu-
large industrial consumers of natural gas,
facturing plant to run on hydrogen fuel.
which will entail building pipelines, and
“The process was successfully trialled,
upgrading plant and fired equipment;
marking an important step in decarbonising
and to capture CO2 from industry, com-
the UK industry,” commented Mr Mansfield. Otto Simon 5
6 Otto Simon
OTTO SIMON
I
PROFILE
Before a wholesale switch to hydrogen is made, the effect of its use on the manufacturing process needs to be tested and understood. Unlike boiler systems where fuel is used to raise steam or hot water, which can be piped for use elsewhere, fuel used in the manufacture of glass comes into direct contact with the product. Any adverse impact upon product quality would be unacceptable. Working with its partners, Otto Simon provided design, construction and commissioning services to facilitate the innovative hydrogen trials at NSG Pilkington Glass’s Greengate site. The trials were successfully completed and demonstrated hydrogen was as capable as natural gas in achieving excellent melting performance and product quality in the furnace, with vastly reduced carbon emissions. “It gives confidence that a wholesale switch to hydrogen as a fuel is not only technically feasible, it would eliminate
Highly commended
carbon dioxide emissions from the pro-
Otto Simon and partner FutureBay were
cess,” stated Mr Mansfield.
recently highly commended in the Energy
Once the feasibility was established,
Awards and the Sustainability Award at the
Otto Simon developed a conceptual
IChemE Global Awards 2021, which cele-
design for full-scale deployment of
brate chemical, process and biochemical
switching to the new hydrogen fuel. It
engineering excellence.
oversaw the construction and commis-
The awards were for FutureBay’s develop-
sioning of infrastructure for the hydrogen
ment of a new energy storage technology
trials at Greengate, and NSG successfully
based on a novel thermal cycle that delivers
manufactured architectural glass using
energy storage, cooling, heating, and con-
hydrogen fuel in a world-first trial.
verts waste heat to electricity.
Mr Mansfield asserted: “The results and
By capturing, storing, and converting
experience gained from this project will
heat to electricity, the system allows
allow us to support companies in other
users to shift the electrical load from
industries to trial and adapt to using
peak to off-peak periods, utilising heat
hydrogen as a fuel source.”
currently wasted to improve overall
8 Otto Simon
energy efficiency and enable electrical demand to be managed. The technology can be applied to industrial
Once the system was built and commissioned, trials were conducted and proved the FutureBay system could capture the
and commercial processes, delivering signif-
waste heat from the data centre and deliver
icant environmental benefits to diverse
1.2MWth of cooling whilst simultaneously
industries. It can provide users with savings
delivering stored electricity.
of up to 50% of energy consumption, 100%
FutureBay’s containerised system has
of energy costs and reduces CO2 emissions
been designed for easy installation onto
by up to 60%.
existing facilities. The system has been
FutureBay built, tested, and operated
designed with environmental, health and
a full-scale demonstration unit in Oldham
safety benefits in mind, using nontoxic mate-
which confirmed all aspects of the system’s
rials operating at low temperatures and
operation. Otto Simon acted as principal
pressures for safe and reliable operation.
designer to deliver the demonstration unit,
Mr Mansfield commented: “Otto Simon is
supporting the concept development and
proud of our involvement with the develop-
managing the detailed design, installation
ment of this project. FutureBay’s novel
and commissioning.
thermal cycle delivers energy storage Otto Simon 9
OTTO SIMON
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PROFILE
capabilities which can benefit a wide
convert methane into a single cell protein
range of commercial and industrial applica-
product. The product, Feedkind™, is an
tions, as well as help to achieve the transi-
alternative to fishmeal in aquaculture and
tion to a zero-carbon economy.”
promises to be a significant development in the protein market.
More achievements
Otto Simon designed and constructed
Otto Simon has also been instrumental in
a plant to produce FeedKind™ protein that
working with Calysta and the Centre for
contributed to it winning ‘Team Award’ at
Process Innovation to deliver a new biotech
the 2017 Global IChemE Awards. Following
plant in Teesside that brings an interesting
the successful project delivery, Otto Simon
new twist in turning fuel into food.
supports developing a pre-FEED Process
As fish increasingly becomes an important source of protein, the debate for sustainability and protection of wild fish builds.
Design Package for commercial-scale projects worldwide. Otto Simon has also worked with Go Green
The required increase in fish production will
Fuels, a spin-off from Advanced Plasma
have to come from farmed fish, and these
Power, to deliver a Compressed Bio-
fish need to be fed; at this point, technology
Methane Demonstration Plant in Swindon.
enters the debate.
The plant was designed to convert waste
Calysta has developed a process utilising methanotrophic bacteria that
from local homes and businesses into biomethane for injection into the local gas distribution network and reduce landfill. The project won the Energy Award, Sustainability Award and Outstanding Achievement award at the 2018 Global IChemE awards.
Key differentiators Mr Mansfield emphasised that Otto Simon differentiated itself from the competition as it excelled in its chosen field while acting as an employee owned trust. He explained: “Surveys show that employee-owned businesses achieve higher productivity, improved innovation, and better resilience to economic turbulence, and workforces are more engaged, more fulfilled, and less stressed. “By giving employees a stake and a voice in how the business is run, the 10 Otto Simon
employee ownership helps promote a
While the business has naturally enacted
general wellbeing of employees.” It also
measures to limit the impact of the pan-
reduces staff turnover, enables long-
demic and continues to assess and respond
running relationships with clients and
to industry challenges, Mr Mansfield empha-
encourages repeat business.
sised that one of Otto Simon’s key activities
Ensuring all projects are delivered to the highest HSEQ standard, Otto Simon has
is to keep track of its carbon footprint. He added: “Maintaining a continual
won the RoSPA Gold Award for the past
improvement quality system means we’re
five years, earning them the RoSPA Gold
always looking for ways to improve our
Medal Award for outstanding health and
operations. We work with clients to develop
safety achievements and they recently
innovative technologies and processes
achieved over 1 million manhours without
which promote sustainability and support
a RIDDOR reportable accident.
them in improving energy efficiency at their
Mr Mansfield reflected that Otto Simon is agile and responsive, with a flat man-
sites and facilities.” Looking ahead, Mr Mansfield said: “The
agement hierarchy that enables them
government’s hydrogen strategy lays
to adapt quickly and be flexible to
out a road map for the next 20 years of
clients’ requirements.
hydrogen development in the UK. Otto
“Otto Simon has extensive experience
Simon plans to continue supporting the
delivering major projects from concept
development of the hydrogen economy
stage to commercial operation. We sup-
in the North West and continue investing
port clients at every step of their project
in emergent and novel technologies to
development and forge lasting relation-
promote decarbonisation.
ships to provide consistent, high-quality
“The challenge to the industry is to meet
support. All this is underpinned by main-
Net-Zero by 2050 and Otto Simon aims to
taining open, honest and collaborative
position itself as an expert on hydrogen
working relationships.”
fuel switching.”
n Otto Simon 11
www.ottosimon.co.uk