Extraordinary Professor
Short Bio
Professional Background
Johan van Dyk is an internationally recognised expert on carbon management, coal chemistry and a renowned coal gasification specialist. Johan’s professional career developed over almost two decades at Sasol Technology, where his in-depth knowledge and keen scientific know-how has rocketed him into the highest ranks as a technical group leader at Sasol Technology’s Research and Development Unit.
His technical background, scientific experience and international R&D track record support his current role from September 2013 as Technology Manager at Africary where he will push for the successful commercialisation of the UCG mining process by ensuring a cost effective, energy efficient implementation and operation of the Theunissen UCG project.
Starting from 1995 he held the chair as Chief Scientist over the Sasol Gasification R&D function and by the time of his departure at the end of 2013, Prof van Dyk managed the ultimate position of Technical Lead for Sasol Gasification R&D Coal Science. His leadership and keen insights help Sasol optimise its world class gasification systems as he develops the characterisation parameters for successful gasification and simulation tools for efficient coal utilisation. Johan has been the coal technical lead for several Sasol Coal-to-Liquid project evaluation studies and is the go-to guy for quick and technical to-the-point answers.
Education
PhD (Minerals Engineering)
2006
North-West University, Potchefstroom
Thesis: Manipulation of gasification coal in order to increase the ash fusion temperature of the coal to operate the gasifiers at higher temperatures
M.Sc. (Minerals Engineering)
1999
University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), Johannesburg
Thesis: Thermal Fragmentation of Coal Sources for Gasification SCI
Hons. B.Sc. (Chemistry)
1995
North-West University, Potchefstroom
B.Sc. (Chemistry)
1994
North-West University, Potchefstroom
Professional Memberships
Technical Advisory Member to the Minister of Energy and Department of Energy, South-Africa
Extraordinary Professor, Stellenbosch University
Associate Professor, North West University, Potchefstroom
International Vice-Chair and Board Member for International Pittsburgh Coal Conference
ISO and SABS Technical Advisory and Referee Member
Advisory Board Member for Virthucon, Freiberg University, Germany, from 2009
Member of the Coal Processing Society of South Africa
Member and Treasurer of the South African Underground Coal Gasification Association
Reviewer for ELSEVIER (FUEL, Fuel Processing, Energy and Fuels, etc.)
Program Coordinator, Pittsburgh Coal Conference: Gasification
Postgraduate supervisor, Stellenbosch University
Postgraduate supervisor, North-West University
Industry Expertise
Coal and coal mining resources
Gasification
Biomass
Carbon feedstock interpretation
Energy and power
R&D and project management
Publications and Awards
>100 International refereed papers and publications
International University of Pittsburgh Award for Innovation in Coal Utilization, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and innovation in coal and gasification conversion.
Research Interests
In his illustrious international career Johan has worked extensively on all major developments relating to coal, biomass, energy and gasification projects. In 2016 Johan received the International University of Pittsburgh Award for Innovation in Coal Utilization, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and innovation in coal and gasification conversion.
Selected Publications
Van Dyk, JC, Collins, AC and Muehlen, P., IMPORTANCE OF MINERAL MATTER SIMULATION AND UNDERSTANDING IN GASIFIER TECHNOLOGY SELECTION, GTT Technologies Users Seminar, Aachen, Germany, 25-29 June 2018.
Van Dyk, JC and Brand JF, UCG APPLICATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE POLYGENERATION OF POWER AND FUELS, Syngas Technologies Conference, USA, October 2017.
Van Dyk, JC, Brand,Waanders, FB, IN-SITU CO2 CAPTURE DURING AN UCG PROCESSBY SIMULATING POSSIBLE CO2 ADSORPTION ON ROOF AND COAL MINERAL STRUCTURES, 34th Interntional Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh USA, 5-8 September 2017.
Van Dyk, JC, J Brand, FB Waanders, AC Collins, THERMO CHEMICAL SIMULATION OF A COAL GASIFICATION PROCESS (APPLYING WASTE CAPTURED CO2 EITHER FROM COMBUSTION OR GASIFICATION), 19th GTT Workshop, Aachen, Germany, June 2017.
International University of Pittsburgh Award for Innovation in Coal Utilization, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and innovation in coal and gasification conversion. Presented at the 33rd International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Cape Town, 12 August 2016.
JC van Dyk, J Brand, BB Beamish, RS Whitney and TP Levi, SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION ASSESMENT OF A COAL RESERVE PLANNED FOR UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION UTILIZATION, 7th International Freiberg Conference, Inner Mongolia China, 8-12 June 2015.
Aboyade, W, Knoetze, J, Gorgens, J and Van Dyk, JC, IMPACT OF CO-GASIFICATION AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES ON CONDENSATE PRODUCTION IN UPDRAFT GASIFIERS, 29th International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, USA, 17 October 2013.
Van Dyk, J.C., Aldrich, C., ONLINE ANALYSIS OF COAL ON A CONVEYOR BELT BY USE OF MACHINE VISION AND KERNEL METHODS, Production tracking number: GCOP 517486, International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, Vol. 30, p. 331-348, June 2010.
A. Luckos, M.N. Shaik, and J.C. van Dyk “Gasification and pyrolysis of coal”, Handbook of Combustion, M. Lackner, F. Winter, A.K. Agarwal (Eds), vol. 4: Solid fuels, pp. 325-364, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2010.
Van Dyk, J.C., Aldrich, C., ONLINE ANALYSIS OF COAL ON A CONVEYOR BELT BY USE OF MACHINE VISION AND KERNEL METHODS, Pittsburgh International Coal Conference, September 2009.
Van Dyk, JC, Coal-to-liquids: The Sasol Experience, CHEMCHON 2006, India, 2006, (invited plenary presentation).
Van Dyk, J.C., Coal-to-liquids: The Sasol Experience, ELECTRIC POWER Conference, May 2007, Chicago, USA (presentation at Coal-to-Liquids workshop).
Reinecke, CF and Van Dyk, J.C., Coal Gasification: The experience of Sasol Technology, Energy and Coal of Russia, February 2006 (invited plenary presentation presented on behalf of Chris Reinecke)
18th Low-Rank Fuels Symposium, 2003, USA, Suitability of feedstocks for the Sasol-Lurgi Fixed Bed Dry Bottom Gasification Process, JC van Dyk*/MJ Keyser/JW van Zyl. (paper and presentation)
17th INTERNATIONAL PITTSBURGH COAL CONFERENCE 2000, Pittsburgh, USA, Full Scale Sasol/Lurgi Fixed Bed Test Gasifier Project: Experimental Design and Test Results: Experimental Design and Test Results, MJ Keyser*, JC van Dyk. (presentation, award for best technical paper).
