My Intention....

When i first start writing in this site, my intention was to provide more information about the career as a chemical engineer and any career closely related to it. This is mainly because, i was also not sure what is chemical engineering....I did mention in my previous post something about how i have a very vague vision about the field of chemical engineering, but i decided to pursue a degree in this field because i like chemistry.

Therefore, i would like to give all information related to chemical engineering to future chemical engineering studets. I would also expose my experience as a practicing chemical engineer to those chemical engineering students, so that they will know more or less how and what does a chemical engineer do. What can they expect as a chemical engineer....and so on.... Maybe I'm not that old yet, and do not have that huge experiece in chemical engineering stuff, but i think i have tasted various fields of chemical engineering afer i completed my degree.

Well, after completed my chemical engineering degree from University of Bradford, I returned to my country, Malaysia. My original plan and my ambition is to become a lecturer. I began to work as a research assistant and continue my masters degree in chemical engineering specializing in Reaction Engineering - Catalysis Technology. So, i was there doing those research work for 2 years ++.
My son -Maybe he wants to be a chemical engineer too. Following his parent's...
Then, after my masters degree i joined a local oil and gas service company. With this company i did a lot of specialty chemical stuff associated with oil and gas. I travel a lot doing projects here and there, onshore and offshore. It was really exciting, interesting and challenging. I've been with that company for about 2.5 years. I have to leave the company because it want to move to KL. I can't move because all my family and parents are here and we just purchased a house in johor bahru.

I move on with my life and got a job in an oil refinery in Johor Bahru. However, i have to commute daily for about 98km in order to go and return from work. This is another chapter of my chemical engineering career. This one was a challenging and interesting one as well. So, at the point i'm posting this story, i've been working in the refinery for about 1 year and 3 months now. But the amount of knowledge and information that is kept in my drive O inside my CPU brain is so much....Luckily RAM is also high......512 MB.....
This photo was taken in the morning and i'm already sweating...
So, from my experiences that i gain all these years, i hope i can help few people who choose chemical engineering as a career some information and knowledge. I hope this can further and increase your comprehension on chemical engineering.

I'm also working on to create another page/site dedicated to the subject of heat exchanger, cooling tower, boiler, specialty chemical, instrumentaion + automation, oil and gas. However, i guess that will take some time to complete as i'm also working full time. I can only do this after work when i have the energy....

Not My Typical Day As A Process Engineer...

A lot of things happen this week. To be exact...these 2 days.....

In the early hours today, electricity power was out. The whole factory was affected and the whole plant have to stopped. This was already a bad sign of the day....I guess....

Well, then we realised that it happened for a matter of seconds only. The power provider had changed the power station and unfortunately that resulted the power to be not available for 2 - 3 seconds. The effect to my plant was a massive downtime.

During this sudden power breakdown, many pending maintenance job that could not be performed during normal plant operation was carried out. But, the timing must be monitored. If the maintenance work took a lots of time, and the time to regain power is less, then the maintenace work should not be carried out. However, if the work requires less time, then it might be possible to decide on doing the job fasttttt........So, this is the point where decision making is vital.

My colleague install the UPS system (a power back up system) for the PLC (programable logic controler) in my plant. The process took about 45 minutes. They cannot install the UPS during normal plant running hour because to install the UPS, the PLC must be switched off (the plant is running 24 hours). So, when the plant is down, it was a fantastic opportunity to install UPS.

As soon as the power returned, the plant supervisor and operator were very busy doing their job starting up the plant. Many sections need to be handled and be taken care off. The vacuum system need to be stabilized. The high pressure boiler need to be switched on and obtain the desired pressure to reach targeted temperature. The cooling tower need to be in great shape to supply water to plant to establish good vacuum.

Unfortunately, one of the cooling tower fan was broken when the plant attempted to start up. So, we cannot use that cooling tower. We have to use another cooling tower which was under cleaning. Luckily, cell no 1 of the cooling tower which is under cleaning is ready for duty....However, the 12" gate valve on top of that cooling tower is leaking and have to be replaced with a new one in order to make the cooling tower work. Another 1.5 hours there.....Soon, a 20 tonne crane entered the plant and lifted the damaged fan down for maintenance. The 8 bladed fan was serviced, repaired and fixed backed to its original position.

At the same time, during this starting up of plant, many unexpected thing can also happen. This is one of the most critical part of running a plant. Any careless mistake can lead to a devastating catrostrophy. One of the vessel was caught on fire. Luckily, it was detected fast and everything was under control.

Then, when we tought that everything was going to be ok, suddenly the power was cut-off again (for the second time within just 3 hours from the first one). I immedietly called the chargeman and asked him to check out and rectify the problem. Well, it was not only a problem for my plant, but also the whole plant in the factory again, which now it include the boiler. This cannot be good. And this happened nearby lunch time. I get myself some update of what really when wrong by visiting the LV room. Well, it was found that the main fius switch for all the plant was totally wipe out!!! It look really "cool" in black!!!! well, it burnt....and nearly became like coal... Estimated time to fix the mess was 2 hours. So, just wait for another 2 hours and we did some other maintenance work that can be done while the power is gone...

After 2 hours, the power returned. Now, another problem appeared. The boiler cannot be started because its transformer suddenly cannot work. That piece of plastic + metal need to be replaced. After that, the boiler can be started and steam is delivered to respective plants with sufficient pressure.

At the same moment, I must make myself available for an appointment which was arranged a week earlier with a supplier who came from KL. We were discussing some stuff about networking, IT and some PLC conection matter....This is already another big subject....The problem now, I was called for a sudden big meeting with HQ...Oh no!!!....What now? I have to inform my senior that i cannot join the meeting. I have to discuss something with this supplier. We already had an appointment.

Earlier before lunch, i was called to attend the daily production meeting. Usually my senior will attend the meeting, but on this day, some visitor from some country came and he have to lead the tour guide in the plant. So, there i go for the meeting....of course i've been asked few things about wether my plant can run the type of oil that some customer requested....when? tomorrow!!! Ok.....this is not normal process. We have not run this oil before, so i cannot answer....I must refer to my senior exec and senior supervisor to check on the feasibility of the process.

Another project that i handle which is the tank gauging experience some communication problems. However, the power problem unexpectedly made the communication to improve and the system became ok. As i prepare myself to go home, i notice that the earlier tank gauging problem came back....Oh no....I shook my head disbelief....it's happening again...

Well....all of this happened in a one very long day today.....and always when i reached home, it's already dark....i cannot event see my flowers bloom during daylight because i always reach home when it's already dark....Luckily tomorrow is a public holiday....huh...!!!

BIODIESEL BASICS II

There a lot more to learn and study and explore about this biodiesel subjects. One of my source of information is the Oil and Fats International magazine published by DNG, UK. Actually, the magazine covers all about news, technologies, information, advertisement, announcement related to oils and fats internationally. Well, biodiesel is part of this subject as well. Below is an article that i would like to share regarding biodiesel in the west, which i read recently...from the magazine....

News Article ID: 1123109 June 2006
Fuel Speed Ahead: Biodiesel Gains Record Momentum

Peter LaVaute says people know him as an environmentalist. But he's also a businessman who looks for lucrative opportunities, and he's hoping to build multiple biodiesel plants. LaVaute is part of a trend that some have likened to a gold rush. Jenna Higgins writes.

"I believe we're about to run into a brick wall - lack of fossil fuel," he said. "As a country, we're going to have to change the way we provide goods and services. We're going to have no choice but to become self-sufficient."

LaVaute, president of Ecosense Solutions, sees biodiesel as one of the most promising opportunities to fill a growing need for domestic fuel. He also sees it as a chance to help with something else that is important to him - revitalising rural communities. One of his biodiesel projects involves working with farmers in central Nebraska on developing a multi-feedstock biodiesel plant. In addition to the more typical soybean oil feedstock, the plant could make biodiesel from sunflower oil.

"One of the most exciting things to me is to develop a resource a community has, but has overlooked," he said. Sunflower seeds are 40-50% oil, he said, and the crop is relatively low-input and drought resistant.

For now, LaVaute's Nebraska biodiesel plant is just the seed of an idea. But he is among a growing number of entrepreneurs with biodiesel projects on the drawing board.
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) estimates there are 30 plants currently in the early planning stages. Another 45 are already under construction. Compare that to the number of plants already operating, 60, and it's easy to see how fast the industry is growing.

"I take about 25 calls per day from people interested in starting biodiesel plants," said Donnell Rehagen, NBB's chief operating officer. "Frankly, the pace of the growth is sometimes startling. We hope we don't see empty biodiesel plants in five years, but that's for market forces to determine. It's unlikely that everyone will succeed."

Read the full story in Oils and Fats International July 06. You can read or subscribe the "Oil and Fats Magazine" at >>> http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/default.asp?pubid=28&nav=0



For other reading material and information about biodiesel...go to the these links....

http://www.mosta.org.my/events/6_Programme.pdf ---> Oils and Fats International & Malaysian Oil Scientiest and Technologist Association (MOSTA) is organizing Oils and Fats International Congress 2006 (OFIC 2006)Incorporating Oils and Fats International Asia 2006 (formerly OFTEX). Get more details from this link....I'm also going to this exhibition in September in Kuala Lumpur. Don't worry, I'll get the information posted after my visit there....

http://www.biodiesel.org ---> National Biodiesel Board

http://www.biodieselgear.com/---> Some technical info about Biodiesel

http://www.biodieselnow.com ---> Can discuss & exchange ideas in Biodiesel forum

Hi! I just stop a while telling my experience as a chemical engineering student. If i keep on writting about that, then i guess everybody will get bored. So, I will alternate my post....something a little technical and some of my experiences....

BIODIESEL BASICS I....

Since the biodiesel concept was introduced sometime ago, many researches were carried out to study the feasibility of this spectacular idea. Some countries in Europe has already attempted and succesfully implemented the biodiesel technology. My country, Malaysia has also indulged in the research activities and is now actively encouranging private sectors and palm oil company to develop biodiesel plant.

When I was doing my masters, a friend of mine, Pidun, was doing a research related to palm oil. To be exact, the research was about "palm oil conversion to gasoline via catalytic cracking using modified zeolite ZSM-5 catalyst". At that time I was developing another research which was "Natural gas conversion to gasoline via one step process using modified ZSM-5 catalyst". Well, my research is nothing to do with any bio"fuel" concept. It's purely converting fossiel fuel from one group of hydrocarbon to the another lengthy group of hydrocarbon. But, that time, i have already thought that palm oil is going to be a great potential in the energy world market, because it is a renewable energy.

Now, the phrase "biodiesel" can be heard anywhere and everwhere in this industry. What is so great about biodiesel? What is Biodiesel? How is it made? From my interaction with some people, many do not understand what actaully is biodiesel.....I'll briefly explain about biodiesel...in this post and also in the coming post....

What is biodiesel?

Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

How is biodiesel made?

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

Let's continue later.....in my next posts.....

Mid Chapter as A Chemical Engineering Student

It was a very exciting feeling to start a new semester in a new place in another country with a totally different background. The plan now is to study chemical engineering for 4 semesters (3, 4, 5 & 6), and after that get the chemical engineering degree. The subjects that i took for all those semesters were:

Semester 3 & 4:
1. Mass Transfer
2. Heat Transfer
3. Fluid Mechanics
4. Process Control
5. Foundations of Accounting
6. English Language
7. Process Design
8. Computer Aided Process Engineering
9. Process Safety
10. Powder Technology
11. Mixing Processes
12. Advance Control

Semester 5 & 6:
1. Differential Mass Transfer
2. Fuild and Particle Mechanics
3. Reaction Engineering
4. Process Control & Instrumentation
5. Applied Chemical Thermodynamics
6. Quality Engineering
7. Biochemical Engineering
8. Non-Newtonian Fluid
9. Business Strategy
10. Design Project - Alumina from Bauxite

Mid Chapter of A Chemical Engineering Student

One of my proudest moment was when i successfully get myself a place to study chemical engineering in UK. I can remember how proud my parents were, especially my father. I'm glad to make them happy. The day came and all of us, the JPA (government) sponsored student gathered at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) that evening. All my family members were at the airport to wish goodbye and good luck. We (myself and my colleague) were very excited at this moment. We were really looking forward to enjoy the journey. Some of us have never been on a plane. So, these category of people were more excited + a little bit suspen!!!

Bradford city Hall

The journey took about +/-12 hours by the MAS 747-400, and we really enjoyed the journey. We had some sleep and ate some nice food served to us. We arrived at Heatrow Airport on the following morning. The temperature was very cool (autumn) and the wind was blowing strong (maybe 30 kPa + +....hi hi...or 90 miles/hr). And yes we came prepared with all these winter clothing. We transited at London and took a Focker-28 to Leeds-Bradford airport. It was a smaller plane with a pair of engine. I don't know what type of engine...Definitely not a Rolls Royce engine.....The wind turbulence was very fierce that time. The plane seems to be drifting up and down, left to right to left again....some of us lost the appetite to eat the delicious croissant and orange juice served to us. But most importantly, the aircraft landed safely and we went out of the fiuslaj in one piece...breathing fresh midland air....and it's a very cold one...

Bradford Interchange

Some mature student (post graduate) have waited for our arrival and they picked us to their home. They tell us all the basic information and what we should know about the life in Bradford: how to eat, what to eat, where to buy food, where to shop, how to adopt, the bank location, the post office location, and other vital informations that we really need in this new place....I stayed in a post graduate's house whom i called Abang Hilmi, with another 2 friends. It was just a temporary home before we can get a house to rent. After we managed to get a decent small 3 storey terrace house + a basement in the Bradford city (12, Noble Street, BD7 3BD), we moved in. It was a very cold house without any central heating....and it cost us 250 pounds per month. That's very cheap for a house...and a freezing one. The four of us occupied the house and we split the 250 by 4. The land lord, a Pakistani British citizen live next to the property and never misses to ask for the rent on the 1st of everymonth!!! .....Next....starting a new chapter as a foreign student.......

Early Chapter as a Chemical Engineering Student II

In the Nothern Consort ium United Kingdom (NCUK) program, the life is not as easy as expected. I'm now a first year chemical engineering student. I have to learn more chemical engineering subjects. It was simply because NCUK is a program for first year university that uses the syllabus for a number of universitis offering chemical engineering degree in the Midlands, UK. So, instead of learning first year subjects of a university, i have to learn subjects from a combination of university, which means I have to slightly learn more. Well, all university offering chemical engineering will have a in general a quite similar basic first year subjects. So, well....that's ok. I have to face it.

The subjects that i learned during that first year university:

1. Chemical & Power Thermodynamic
2. Material & Energy Balance
3. Unit Operations - I realised i applied a lot of this in work now....
4. Fluid Flow, Heat & Mass Transfer - I used the knowledge of this as well in plant
5. Strength of Material
6. Reaction Kinetics
7. Engineering Drawings - I like this...because i like drawing...
8. Engineering Mathematics/Statistics - I didn't like this...all the differentiation and calculus!!!
9. Laboratory Experiments - Lots of very interesting experiments and it's fun!!!
10. First Year Design Project - could not really remember...about this....

Well, at the end of year, i took the exams together with the rest of my friends. It's so tough!!! It was the most difficult examinations that i have ever taken in my entire life....This exam was very critical as it decides wether you go to UK or you stay in the country....I can recalled some of my friends crying while answering the examination papers. I can also see my friends shaking their head not knowing what to answer. All papers were veryyyy tough, but the most cruel and disastrous were Unit Operation and Engineering Maths. The lecturer, to my suprised enjoyed seing us cannot answer the questions....Oh no....what will our future be?? That questions linger in most of our heart....Are we going to UK or not?

The day came and the result was released. It's now a matter of "pass" OR "fail"...Everybody were worried. Worried that they won't make it for UK. Well, to my relieve, i passed the first year examination. Majority of my friends passed too. If I'm not mistaken, maybe about 10 of my friends failed and they were very miserable. I felt sorry for them. Life goes on...and now I'm on my way to UK..........I believe I can fly.....