Calcium Nitrite Project.  Abocol in SA.

• I was requested by Abocol from Cartagena, Columbia to design a  calcium nitrite plant for them.  A very comprehensive and detailed design was provided.  (2005-2006).

Calcium nitrite project. Grace Construction Products.

• The process was licensed from Nissan Chemical. Ran production tests in Toyama, Japan. (1978-1982)
• The Wilmington, NC plant design, de-bottlenecking, and operation. (1980-1982; 1994-1996)
• The Augusta, GA plant design, start up, equipment problem solving and operations process engineering support/data analysis. (1996-2005)

Calcium nitrite specific to Augusta.

• Steam (i.e. heat) cost reduction project. The Grace plant gets NOX gas from the PCSN nitric acid plant heat exchanger train. Developed an Excel spreadsheet dynamic heat and material balance simulation of this train to determine how much heat was lost to PCSN when we took NOX gas from them
• The ball valves originally used for Hot NOX gas shut off suffered seat and spring failure in this +1600 F stream. Developed the specifications for a gate valve for this application. Did a thermal analysis and modeled heat loss from the valve and its extended bonnet to ensure the stuffing box was far enough away from the heat to allow for carbon stem packing. Had the valve built, and it worked.
• In the Wilmington and Augusta plants we had observed that the tail gas exhibits a repeatable certain behavior when a reactor batch is finished. Developed a model of this behavior. Had it programmed into the Augusta plant's Allen Bradley PLC580. The procedure has proved to be very useful in aiding the operators in determining the time to take a batch off.
• Inconel 600 was specified for many of the valves in the NOX line. Found that Inconel 625 is a better choice to minimize corrosion. Have successfully used Inconel 625 at temperatures up to 1270 F.
• Developed a reactor kinetic model replete with nitric oxide oxidation to predict calcium nitrite production rates. The model has proved useful in determining the impact of temperature, NOX chemistry, lime loading, etc. on production rate and selectivity to the nitrite.
• Provided for all the data analysis in the plant including the Dionex 100 ion chromatography analysis of the product for nitrite and nitrate. Have supported the operators in calibrating the Dionex and troubleshooting the procedure/equipment when something goes wrong.
• At the outset of the design phase for the Augusta plant, recommended that Atlas Copco be selected to build the tail gas compressor for the plant. They not only had the best price but a quality design with good reputation. Provided for the process design of the compressor by determining the suction pressure and temperature, discharge pressure, and intercooler conditions they should use in the design as well as expected normal and maximum gas flow.

Camet metal monoliths. Electrically heated auto exhaust emission control converter process design and development. (1991-1994)

Mini-Daramic. Development of a down sized version of the Grace battery separator process for Japan. (1989-1990)

Colowyo Coal. Conceptual design of utility inverted L shaped boiler to take advantage of our coal's higher ash fusion temperature. (mid 1970's)

Desalination of sea water to improve heat transfer in evaporators used to make fresh water. Pilot study at Wrightsville Beach, NC. Operated 2 different desalination processes and tested water in onsite evaporators. One desalination process was the ammonia/phosphoric acid route to precipitate magnesium ammonium phosphate and calcium hydrogen phosphate. The other desalination process design was the removal of calcium carbonate via the lime / magnesium carbonate route. (1964-1965)

Grace Sugar Process. Pilot level spray drying sugar containing solutions to make quick dissolving interesting products. (early 1970's)

Phthalic Anhydride. Pilot plant studies of both fixed and fluid bed approaches of catalyzed ortho-xylene oxidation. Grace Research TiO2 based catalyst did not require bromine promotion. (late 1960's-1970)

Ceramic monoliths for mid 1970's auto catalyst effort using Grace Poramic technology. Participated in extrusion studies, dryer design, and the complex firing of the product. (mid 1970's)

Ecotrol manufacturing and engineering manager for porous bed electrochemical cells. (1971-1973)

Vinyl acetate via ethylene, oxygen, and acetic acid process licensed by the Japanese firm Nippon Gohsei. Pilot tests in Japan. (1965-1966)

Other Projects that Involved the Engineering Consulting Staff

Biochemical/Biomedical Engineering. These projects started when Edward T. Woodruff was appointed head of the bound enzyme task force to make medical diagnostic tubing. (1975-1976).  Next we did process design and development for the pyrogen free amino acids blending and packaging project. (1978-1980).  Other important projects include artificial pancreas product development support and process design. (1990-1991), Liver assist device (1990's), Low Density Lipoprotein removal device (1990's).

Fumed silica. Pilot studies and commercial plant process engineering support. Grace looked at 2 fumed silica processes. One fumed silica process was based on plasma arc technology. The other fumed silica process was licensed from Nynaes Petroleum. In the latter project we were involved in fumed silica process/plant design. (early 1980's and late 1980's)

Camet metal monolith product and process development. (1991-1994)
Colowyo Coal land reclamation and re-vegetation. (mid 1970's)

Nitroparaffins via NO2 reaction with C2 and C3. Process engineering support to the Grace Organic Chemicals plant in Deer Park, Texas. (1984-1985)

US Patents
Grace Sugar process spray drying recycle particle size needs.  US 3704169 and US 3706599.
Camet electrically heated converter package that incorporated a non electrically heated so called light off converter.  US 5546746.

See Accomplishments.