2008 AIChE Midwest Regional Conference

September 22-23, 2008
University of Illinois at Chicago

8:15 am - 8:30 am  
Scott Fogler, President-Elect, AIChE
Welcoming Remarks

8:30 am - 9:20 am  
Keynote
Chemical Engineering: Technical Challenges – The Last Frontiers
Carlos Cabrera, CEO and President, UOP, LLC

Details

Chemical Engineers have historically played an important role in nearly every breakthrough technology in the energy industry. From the beginnings of the petroleum refining, petrochemicals, and natural gas industries challenges have consistently been overcome through innovations that stretched current knowledge. As the energy industry now faces a new slate of challenges, from heavier feedstocks to increasing regulations, UOP's scientists and engineers are developing new technologies and looking at novel approaches to help customers around the world find solutions. These include technologies for processing heavy crude oil that extract additional value, integrating petrochemical production with refining operations to help mitigate financial risk, managing diesel/gasoline production mix for optimum value, and more efficient operations and use of renewables to address environmental regulations.
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Track 1 - Refining and Petrochemicals

9:30 am-11:30 am    Intro/Tutorial
1:00 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Chair: Bipin Vora, UOP LLC
Co-Chair: Stanley Frey, UOP LLC

Details

With crude oil price over $100/bbl and increasing environmental pressure for clean fuels, the refining industry is facing increasing challenges. This one day seminar will focus on what changes refiners are making to address challenges in the coming decade. How they can maintain profit margins through optimization and energy integration, or through processing more difficult crudes. Integrated refining and petrochemical production have become a common thread for new grass root refineries overseas. With increasing raw material prices and competition from abroad, the U.S. petrochemical industry is also facing challenges. Papers are invited from refiners and petrochemical producers, as well as from academics and research institutions addressing these issues.

Presentations
(1) Refinery Units and Streams, Dave Collings, Jacobs Consultancy
(2) Introduction to Petrochemicals -101, Peter Pujado, Sr., Mgr., Consultant
(3) Hydrocracking Innovations for Maximum Diesel Production, Massimo Sangalli, UOP LLC
(4) Chemical Tracers Find Elusive Leak in Hydrotreater Feed/Effluent Exchangers, Dave D. Ferguson Jr., Tracerco
(5) Small Capacity Sulfur Recovery Units, John F. Watson, Merichem Chemicals & Refinery Services LLC
(6) Catalyst Passivation for Safer Reactor Entry, Martin Gonzalez and Tanecia Heard, BP Whiting Refinery
Gary Welch, Cat Tech
(7) Unlocking High Value Xylenes from Light Cycle Oil, Stanley Frey, James A. Johnson, and Vassant P. Thakkar, UOP LLC
(8) The Fine Art of Fuel Gas Management, Christopher Vogel, Jacobs Consultancy

Track II - Environmental, Health and Safety

9:30 am-11:30 am    Intro/Tutorial
1:00 pm-3:00 pm     OSHA National Emphasis Program for Process Safety
3:30 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Co-Chair: Daryl Dierwechter, Hexion Specialty Chemicals
Co-Chair: Scott Berger, Center for Chemical Process Safety

Details

Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) must be considered as part of every new design, plant expansion and operational review.  This covers food, pharmaceuticals, oil, chemicals, plastics, well...everything manufactured in quantity from raw materials. In addition to meeting compliance requirements, many company and organization bottom lines have also been improved through pollution prevention opportunity assessments, process safety management reviews and improved employee health through industrial hygiene programs.  This session will look at current EHS topics of interest in the manufacturing environment including the current OSHA compliance push that focused on refining last year and is aimed at the chemical process industry this year. EHS is comprised or numerous regulations and programs that taken individually are simple, but must be viewed as interacting amongst its individual components as well as the processes they regulate. Tutorial overview of how EHS fits together and how to easily build successful compliance assessment programs will be presented in the morning, followed by detailed examination of current and emerging topics of regulatory and technical importance.

Presentations
(1) Beyond Regulation and Enforcement: Rethinking EPA in the 21st Century, Walter W. Kovalick Jr., U.S. EPA
(2) Metrics to Drive Improvement in Process Safety, Scott Berger, Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), and Tim Overton, Dow Chemical
(3) Handling of Hazardous Chemicals, Dave Carey, The Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, Inc. (ACHMM)
(4) OSHA's Refinery NEP Perspective, One Year Later and the Upcoming Chemical Safety Enforcement Initiative, George Yoksas, OSHA
(5) Refining Industry Experience and Perspective on the OSHA NEP, Casey Bullock, CITGO
(6) Managing an OSHA National Emphasis Program Inspection, Mark S. Dreux, Arent Fox PLLC
(7) Dust Explosion Hazard Assessment - Material Characterization, Ashok G. Dastidar, Fauske & Associates, LLC
(8) Hazard Evaluation Procedures Update as Presented by the Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedure – 3rd Edition, 2008, Narayanan Sankaran, UOP LLC
(9) From P & ID to Steel: An Introduction to the Placement of Process Equipment, Rich Parkinson, UOP LLC

Track III - Energy Supply and Consumption in the 21^st Century

9:30 am-11:30 am    Intro/Tutorial
1:00 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Chair: Mike Schultz, UOP LLC
Co-Chair: Kevin Taylor
Co-Chair: David Myers, UOP LLC

Details

The rising price of conventional crude oil has led to a renewed focus on both the supply and consumption of energy in the Midwest. Presentations are sought from industrial representatives in the Midwest region who are active in the development of non-bio-based alternatives to crude oil. On the consumption side, industrial approaches to topics such as energy efficiency, energy conservation, and waste heat recovery are of interest. Examples of industrial collaboration with academic and/or government entities to address either of these areas would be of value as well. Finally, submissions that examine the interface between supply and consumption, and how changes in one impact the other would be of interest.

Presentations
(1) Alternative Power Systems: An Introduction for the Chemical Engineer, Donald J. Chmielewski, Illinois Institute of Technology
(2) How to Compete in a Carbon-Constrained World, Nicholas Spates, Modular Process Control (MPC)
(3) Massive Electricity Storage: A Critical Technology for Renewable Power, Bernard S. Lee, Institute of Gas Technology (retired)
(4) Energy Recycling: A Secret Hidden in Plain Sight, Suresh Jambunathan, Recycled Energy Development, LLC
(5) CO2  Management for Process Industries – Establishing Reduction Baseline and Target, X. X. Frank Zhu, UOP LLC
(6) Advanced Energy Technology Developments, William E. Liss, Gas Technology Institute
(7) Energy Auditing – A Step by Step, William A. Ryan, Energy Resources Center, University of Illinois-Chicago

Track IV - Critical Skills for the Advancement of Young Professionals

1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Chair: Kristine Chin, AIChE
Co-Chair: Jeffery Perl, Chicago Chem Consultants

Details

Presentations
(1) Patent Law Fundamentals, William (Bill) C. Youngblood, Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein, Cohen & Pokotilow, Ltd.
(2) Getting the Most from Mentoring, Christina Krawczyk, UOP, LLC
(3) How Will You Manage? Pointers on How to be an Effective Leader, Glen Rosentrater, CP Project Services

4:30 pm - 6:30 pm: Tabletop Displays, Job Fair and Book Signing

6:30pm - 8:00pm:  Chicago Local Section Dinner Program
Speaker: Dr. Al Sacco, Professor at Northeastern and former NASA Astronaut. First Professor of Chemical Engineering in Space.

8:30 am - 9:20am  
Keynote
Food and Biofuels: A Chemical Engineer’s Perspective
Jim Foster, Director of Research, Archer Daniels Midland

Details

In recent years advances in nutrition science have been a driving force behind food ingredient development. For example, the understanding of the implications of trans fats to human health has led to mandatory labeling of these fats. The food industry responded with a variety of options to replace trans fats including ADM's Novalipid line of fats and oils. Industry partnerships have accelerated new technologies in both the creation and application of no/low trans options. While food provides energy for our bodies, fuels provide the energy to heat our homes, and move people and goods around the world. Biofuels have a long history of providing energy to man. With rising petroleum prices and the projected growth in energy demand, biofuels are poised to become an increasingly important part of our energy mix. Investment in both current and next generation biofuels is vital for developing energy diversity. Biodiesel and ethanol are providing the basis for infrastructure development, and for development of second and third generation biofuels. Chemical Engineering is indispensable at all levels of food and biofuel technology development from crops to automobiles, and in maintaining the balance between food and fuel production.

Track I - Collaboration Among Industry, Academia and the Government

9:30 am-11:30 am

Chair: Jeff Perl, Chicago Chem Consultants

Details

Presentations
(1) University-Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP) - Fostering Collaboration, Anthony M. Boccanfuso, The National Academies
(2) University of Illinois at Chicago's Technology Services Center, Ralph Pini, UIC
(3) Purdue Industry Academia Pharma Consortium, Steve Beaudoin, Purdue University

Track II - Food Manufacturing

9:30 am-11:30 am    Intro/Tutorial
1:00 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Chair: Peter Clark, Consultant

Details

Chemical engineering principles are applied in food manufacturing to develop novel and improved traditional preservation processes, such as canning, aseptic processing, high pressure processing, freezing, dehydration, membrane concentration, pulsed electric field, and extrusion. Many foods are non-ideal fluids, leading to challenges in estimating pressure drops and transfer coefficients. Emulsions, fine powders, slurries and foams are some of the more unusual states of matter that are common in foods. Presenters of basic and applied research in these and other current areas of interest are invited from universities (especially professors and students of food engineering), government laboratories and the food industry.

Presentations
(1) Historical Review of High Pressure Food Process Engineering, Alfredo Rodriguez, National Center for Food Safety and Technology
(2) Microfluidics and Nanotechnology for Biological Detection, Yi-Shao Liu and Rashid Bashir, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
(3) Open Innovation – A New Way of Addressing the Needs of the Food Industry, Erik Whalen-Pedersen, Kraft Foods Inc.
(4) Development of a Recombinant Bacteriophage for the Concentration and Colorimetric Detection of Escherichia Coli O157:H7, Bruce Applegate, Food Science, Purdue University
(5) Challenges in Microbial Modeling for Food Safety Engineering, Bradley P. Marks, Michigan State University
(6) Thermal and Kinetic Parameter Estimation and Sensitivity Analysis for the Degradation of Anthocyanins in Grape Pomace, Dharmendra Mishra, Michigan State University
(7) Optical Biosensors for Multipathogen Detection, Arun K. Bhunia, Purdue University
(8)Integrated Food Production Systems, David Dixon, The Facility Group

Track III - Biofuels

9:30 am-11:30 am    Intro/Tutorial
1:00 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Chair: Patrick Shannon, Middough
Co-Chair: Jerry Palmer, Ambitech Engineering

Details

Biologically-derived transportation fuels are assuming increasing importance in our attempts to reduce dependence on imported oil. Many of the chemical and metabolic mechanisms for economically viable fuels production are not well understood. There may be marked pressure on food prices as more agricultural products are diverted to fuels production. The long-term sustainability of some of the current popular processes is unclear. Presentations are invited from industry, research and academia on current practices and emerging developments in this evolving topic.

Presentations
(1) Second and Third Generation Biofuels: A Review of the Chemistry, Feedstocks, Processes and Projects, Dale Monceaux, AdvancBio, LLC
(2) The Environmental Impacts of Biofuel, Xiaomin Yang, BP
(3) Landfill Gas, Dean Karafa, Middough, Inc.
(4) Developments in Farm-Scale Pyrolysis of Agricultural Residues for Heat, Power, and Fertilizer, Peter Schubert, Packer Engineering
(5) Transportation Fuel in a Fossil Fuel Free World, Navneet R. Singh, Rakesh Agrawal, W. Nicholas Delgass, and Fabio H. Ribeiro. Purdue University
(6) Culture Conditions Supporting Inhibitor Tolerance and Rapid Production of Ethanol by P. Stipitis Nrrl Y-7124, Patricia J. Slininger, Crop BioProtection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA Agricultural Research Service
(7) Feed Flexible Processing of Oil-Rich Crops to Jet Fuel, Michael MaCall, UOP LLC
(8) Next Generation of Biofuels: An Abengoa Market Perspective, Victoria Putsche, Abengoa Bioenergy New Technologies
(9) Non Bacterial Way of Synthesis of Biofuel from Cellulose, Praveen Kumar Gorakavi, Venkata Basava Rao V., Sailu Ch., and Laxminarayana P., Osmania University

Track IV - Pharmaceuticals

1:00 pm-5:00 pm     New Concepts and Ideas

Chair: Stephen Beaudoin, Purdue University 

Details

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has a profound effect on the quality of life in the U.S. and across the world through its effect on the alleviation of suffering from disease and through its economic impact.  The role of the chemical engineer in this industry is central to meet  demands for effective, high quality and safe medicines.  This topical symposium presents tutorials on drug discovery, development, and manufacturing, as well as technical papers on a wide variety of topics essential to state of the art pharmaceutical manufacturing.  The topical features presentations from leading academicians and industry practitioners, and is designed to strike a balance between theory and practical application.

Presentations
(1) Particle Behavior in Pharmaceutical Unit Operations, James D. Litster, Purdue University
(2) Pharmaceutical Particle Adhesion to Surfaces, Stephen P. Beaudoin, Ravi Jaiswal, Caitlin Kilroy, Dave Balachandran, and Kyung Min Lee. Purdue University
(3) Advances in Pharmaceutical Technologies, Simon Roberts, Abbott Laboratories
(4) Pharmaceutical Solids Inspired by Design: Characterization for Understanding Mixing and Milling, M. Teresa Carvajal, Purdue University
(5) A Computational and Experimental Investigation of Mechanisms for Caveolae-Mediated Endocytosis, Belinda S. Akpa, Ludwig Nitsche, Lewis E. Wedgewood, and Richard D. Minshall. University of Illinois at Chicago
(6) Design of Hybrid-Viral Gene Delivery Vectors Via Association of Murine Leukemia Viruses with Synthetic Agents, Rahul K. Keswani, David M. Drake, and Daniel W. Pack. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

 
Gas Technology Institute 

Chicago Chem Consultants