Join the South Texas Section for our monthly dinner meeting. This event is on the topic of Useful Rules of Thumb in Distillation. We will also have a workshop on the Ammonia & Methanol: Decarbonization Options Today and Tomorrow. This event will be In-Person only with no virtual web casting option available.
The event will be held at Flour Enterprises office (737 N Eldridge Pkwy, Houston, TX 77079) on the 1st Floor in the Trinity Room. The is free parking in the garage behind the office building.
Agenda
- 5:00 pm -6:00 pm Workshop - Ammonia & Methanol: Decarbonization Options Today and Tomorrow
- 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner
- 7:00 pm - 7:15 pm Announcements
- 7:15 - 7:30 PM Awards
- 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Keynote Presentation - Useful Rules of Thumb in Distillation
Dinner Registration
Workshop (1 PDH by STS)
Topic
Ammonia & Methanol: Decarbonization Options Today and Tomorrow
Abstract
Ammonia and methanol have long been the backbone of fertilizer and chemical production. Their scale, established infrastructure, and versatile applications now place them at the center of clean-energy strategies. Reducing the carbon footprint of these industries, however, is not straightforward—particularly for legacy plants not designed with carbon constraints in mind.
This workshop will present several case studies and provide a high-level overview of technology improvements and decarbonization options. For ammonia, revamp measures include partial and complete conversion from gray to clean production through blending of blue or green hydrogen, along with the technical and economic challenges these approaches pose. ATR-based pathways will also be addressed as an option for new facilities. For methanol, options include combined reforming, ATR integration, intermediate condensation, CO₂ capture, and selective ethane blending in existing plants, as well as carbon capture and CO₂-to-methanol routes in new facilities.
The intent is to provide a balanced perspective—what can be achieved today, what is on the horizon, and where significant challenges remain.
About the Speaker
VK Arora, PE, is a licensed professional engineer in Texas with over 40 years of hands-on experience across petrochemical, refining, and syngas technologies. A Bachelor of Technology graduate in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi, he has led over 50 ammonia and methanol plant revamps worldwide, conducted numerous feasibility studies, and directed large, complex projects—including PDH, acrylic acid and esters, low-carbon ammonia, methanol, and integrated CCS — as an Owner’s Engineer. He is also the inventor of three patents related to improvements in the ammonia process. His career includes leadership roles at Lummus Technology, KBR, SABIC, Reliance, Technip, and KPI Inc. He remains actively engaged in applying practical solutions, sharing experience, and supporting industry efforts toward decarbonization.
Keynote Presentation (1 PDH by STS)
Topic
Useful Rules of Thumb in Distillation
Abstract
In almost every troubleshooting assignment, it is desirable to solve a problem as fast as possible with the least expense. Detailed analysis takes detailed study and rigorous calculations, which can delay the diagnosis and solution by several months. This is where the rules of thumb become invaluable. They can quickly direct troubleshooters to the most likely issues and divert resources away from the less likely issues. The deliverable is a quick diagnosis at a shorter time.
Rules of thumb should always be taken for what they are: rough criteria that reflect the experience of practitioners. They are not meant to replace detailed calculations such as those presented in most distillation texts. Their merit is in providing troubleshooters with a preliminary orientation while exploring potential trouble spots. Most of these rules of thumb apply to systems where there is a lot of experience. Many other systems are not covered by these rules.
This presentation highlights common rules of thumb that have been useful to engineers engaged in troubleshooting distillation towers, as well as a few application case studies. Included are rules of thumb for tray and packings flooding, downcomer maximum entrance velocity, trays and packing efficiencies, tray and packing flow regimes, tray channeling, packing distributor liquid head, tray stability factor, tower inlet and outlet velocities..
About the Speaker
Henry Z. Kister is a Fluor Corp. Senior Fellow and Director Fractionation Technology. He has over 35 years’ experience in design, troubleshooting, revamping, field consulting, control and startup of fractionation processes and equipment. He is the author of four books, the distillation equipment chapter in Perry’s Handbook, the distillation chapter in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, and about 150 articles. Kister has taught the IChemE- sponsored “Practical Distillation Technology” course over 570 times in 26 countries, and a recent “Troubleshooting Distillation Controls” course, also sponsored by IChemE. A recipient of several awards, Kister obtained his BE and ME degrees from the University of NSW in Australia. He is a Fellow of IChemE and AIChE, Member of the US National Academy of Engineering, and has been serving on the FRI Technical Advisory and Design Practices Committees for more than 25 years.
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