During a visit to Purdue Northwest's CIVS lab, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan said research there is “an example for the world to see.”
Mrvan was joined Feb. 16 by representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, including Geri Richmond, DOE under secretary for science and innovation. The group visited PNW's Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation to observe research into steel decarbonization initiatives funded through several multimillion-dollar research grants from the DOE’s office of renewable energy and efficiency.
“I have read about the things CIVS and this institution are doing, and now I am even more impressed,” said Richmond in a press release. “My story to take home to the Department of Energy is that it should be proud, and I am very proud to see what you are doing.”
CIVS was the leading organization for three large grants funded by DOE in the last three years, including a $7.1 million grant to support research on steel decarbonization of a steel making electric arc furnace.
Richmond was especially impressed with CIVS's ability to simulate lab conditions and then validate its research. Mrvan and Richmond both donned 3D goggles to see blast furnace and other iron- and steel-making processes.
“It is so cool how my brain can go right in the middle of a blast furnace when you are simulating hydrogen and to see what the energy flow would look like,” Richmond said.
She also pointed out the collaboration between CIVS and the steel industry to create prototypes that will lead to less energy use and fewer greenhouse emissions.
“When we talk about decarbonization, we talk about the ability of our steel industry to thrive, we talk about renewable and cleaner energy, and we talk about the Purdue Northwest students and CIVS lab being an example for the world to see,” Mrvan said. “When we bring resources back to Northwest Indiana and Purdue Northwest, they are well spent. We have the industry, workforce and education to bring everyone together in order to make a greater product and show the world we can do it.”
The two also mentioned CIVS's role in the development of hydrogen-powered alternative energy solutions. PNW is part of the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen, or MachH2, which received $1 billion in federal funding to develop a hydrogen hub.
“What Purdue Northwest is doing is an important contributor to why the MachH2 Hydrogen Hub was chosen,” Richmond said. “We want to make sure that you have workforce development, novel ideas and new ways of looking at things. CIVS fits that perfectly while also coupling with industry. Institutions like this are the kind we want to make sure are integrated into the hub.”
PNW Chancellor Chris Holford said the research center's collaboration with other external entities is what makes it special. He pointed to the establishment of the Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium by CIVS as one success story.
“This close collaboration addresses issues that are important to those industries and helps facilitate economic and workforce development,” Holford said. “Our goal is not only to be training today’s workforce, but the future workforce 10 years out.”
