Chemical Engineer: Polymerization Engineering, Chemical Reactors and Polymer Devolatilization

Expertise

• Chemical process design, facility project management.
• Simulation of continuous and batch processes.
• Chemical pilot plant design and engineering.
• Custom chemical pilot plant design, operation and pilot plant evaluations.
• Molecular transport mechanisms and equipment.
• Polymer devolatilization and solvent removal.
• Supercritical fluid polymer interactions.
• Polymerization engineering and chemical reactors.
• Reaction engineering.

Engineering Course Instruction

• Polymer Reaction Engineering
• Batch Process Engineering
• Devolatilization and Purification of Polymers
• Computer Methods in Engineering
• Process Modeling and Simulation
• Chemical Reaction Engineering
• Fermentation Biotechnology
• Material, Energy and Economic Balances
• Energy Balances

Experience

Independent Chemical Engineering Consultant, 1989 - Present

Undisclosed University, Associate Professor, 2006 - 2008

• Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, 1999 - 2006

Du Pont Company, Research and Development Associate, 1978 - 1987

BF Goodrich Company, Research and Development Engineer and Associate, 1978 - 1983

Development of a Polyacrylic Acid Production Facility

• Co-leader of a team that developed a 2.5 million process for the continuous production of aqueous polyacrylic acid.
• Led the development of all fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic data, design and sizing of the primary Continuous Stirred Tank Teactor (CSTR) and a post reaction Pressurized Flow Reactor (PFR) used to chase residual monomer.
• Led design of a stripping column for treatment of SO2 from the product stream and development of the computer simulation of the process conditions to modify product properties for different customers.
• Process was taken from initial concept, through laboratory batch reactions, to commercial production startup in nine months.

Nanofiber Devolatilization

• Lead consultant on the development of new stripping processes for the removal of residual spinning solvent from nanofibers produced via commercial scale spinning operation.
• Responsible for development of fundamental transport data and models used as a basis for the design of the commercial stripping unit.
• Team member of the design team, responsible for overseeing the choice of stripping conditions, residence time requirements and P&ID reviews.

Polyacrylonitrile "Noodle" Production

• Lead consultant and design contractor for the development of a facility to produce "noodles" made from polyacrylonitrile.
• Polymer is soluble in a highly concentrated proprietary mixed-salt solution that enables the material to be extruded into noodles resembling cooked spaghetti. Product is used for medical applications.
• Responsible for development of fundamental design data, preliminary process flow diagrams, development of concepts, laboratory testing of separation and purification processes, and development of design data and P&IDs for drying and packaging the product.

Tyvek Spunbonded Devolatilization

• Lead consultant on the development of a new stripping process for the removal of residual spinning solvent from Tyvek sheets produced with a new spin solvent.
• Responsible for development of all fundamental transport data and models used as a basis for the design of the commercial stripping unit.
• Team member of the design team, responsible for overseeing the choice of stripping conditions, residence time requirements and P&ID reviews.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Associations

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers - AIChE
• American Chemical Society - ACS
• American Society for Engineering Education - ASEE

Publications

• Multiple publications on chemical process engineering, kinetics, diffusion, phase transfer and catalysis.

Education

• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University
• B.S. Chemistry, Campbell College