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The Capability-Demand Gap in U.S. Refining and Petrochemical Console Operations
by: George E. Dzyacky
This paper focuses on the culture of console operator training in the U.S. Refining and Petrochemical Industries (RPI); the consequences of these established training practices and the methods by which the industry can raise the level of professionalism and competency demanded by the responsibilities of this job. Of all the professional, trade and administrative disciplines required to operate a refinery or petrochemical facility, managers, accountants, engineers, electricians, pipefitters, machinists, administrative assistants etc.; console operators who unarguably occupy the most safety-critical position in the plant, are the only ones trained and brought all the way to “qualification” by their coworkers.
Distillation Column Flooding Predictor
U. S. Patent 5,784,538
by: George E. Dzyacky
1999 - D.O.E., Inventions and Innovation Grantee
The Flooding Predictor is a pattern-recognition methodology that predicts flooding in distillation columns. Two early commercial versions de-bottlenecked one of the largest refineries in North America. Distillation tower flooding occurs at abnormally high vapor and/or liquid rates. The loss in tray efficiencies is attributed to unusual behavior of liquid inventories inside the column leading to conditions of flooding of the space in between trays with liquid. Depending on the severity of the flood condition, consequences range from offspec products to equipment damage and tower shutdown.