Chemical Engineer Consultant: Polymerization Reactor Design and Control Systems (1437)

Expertise

  • Control systems, control loops and PLC for chemical plants.
  • Polymer processing, reactor design, polymerization and reaction modeling.
  • Mathematical and computer methods to quantify a problem.
  • Chemical process sensors and integration into process control system.
  • Statistical process control for chemical plant operations.
  • Production and chemical engineering of acetal copolymer resins and micro porous polyolofin membranes.

Experience

Independent Consultant, 2003 - Present
  • Created a conceptual design of a resin production plant to support an investment proposal.
Hoechst Celanese - "Celgard" Division, Staff Engineer 1990 - 2001
  • Improved "Celgard" microporous polyolefin membrane production on blown film extrusion lines and hot stretching ovens through process control which resulted in improved product yields and profitable operation.
  • Lead the installation and programming of a network of Honeywell and Rockwell controllers and supervisory hosts.
  • Programmed Visual C , Visual Basic, function charts, and ladder logic so controllers and computers operated correctly in the control system.
  • Improved the process through statistical process control.
Hercules Science and Technology, Senior Research Engineer, 1986 - 1990
  • Supplied control systems for the pilot plants within the Research Center for reliable and safe operation.
  • Demonstrated benefit of advanced control at a plant making biaxially oriented polypropylene packaging blown film which resulted in the plant investing in a major control system upgrade.
  • These projects involved identifying sensors, writing specification, computer programming and control system configuration.
Celanese Engineering Resins, Bishop TX, Senior Process Development Engineer 1979 - 1986
  • Lead engineer for a major computer control project that installed a Honeywell DCS system with supervisory host that resulted in higher production capacity and energy cost savings.
  • Consulted within the plant on process enhancements which removed production bottlenecks and improved reactor performance.
  • Invented a method of introducing diluted polymerization initiator to improve product quality and increase the production by about 1,000,000 pounds per year.
Celanese Research Company, Summit NJ, Research Engineer, 1975 - 1979
  • Acetal resin, polymer processing, reactor design and polymerization reaction modeling.

Education

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Ph.D. and M.S., Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA