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Last Updated: 01 May 2008 


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CAST Communications - Spring 2008

Table of Contents

Editorial Notes by Peter Rony and Karl Schnelle
Articles
  • Fuel Cell Systems – An Introduction, by Donald Chmielewski
  • Communications
  • 2006 CAST Directors' Award
  • 2007 CAST Award Winners
  • Award Introduction by Wayne Bequette
  • 2007 Computing in Chemical Engineering Award Lecture by Erik Ydstie
  • Photos from the 2007 CAST Awards Dinner by Wayne Bequette and Peter Rony
  • CAST Election Results by Wayne Bequette
  • New Travel Grants Awarded
  • Announcements
  • How to Contact AIChE
  • CAST10 E-Mail List
  • 2008 Award Nomination Form   
  • Advertisements
  • Free CAST Membership
  • CAST Communications Advertising Policy   
  • Join the CAST Division of AIChE
  • Editorial Notes
    by Peter Rony and Karl Schnelle

    Welcome to the 11th online issue of CAST Communications. At the CAST Awards Dinner in Salt Lake City, the 2007 Computing in Chemical Engineering Award Lecture was received by Erik Ydstie, Carnegie Mellon University. His award presentation may be viewed in either ppt, pdf, or mov format. For further details, please see the section on the Award Lecture.

    CAST Election Results are reported by Wayne Bequette, 2006 CAST Chair. The CAST elections committee (Andy Hrymak, Vince Grassi and Wayne Bequette) is pleased to announce the results of the election of officers for 2008. In addition, we wish to acknowledge Ken Muske and Don Bartusiak (2007-9 Directors) for helping us coordinate the elections.

    Our new 2008 SECOND VICE-CHAIR, Scott Keeler, received his degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada (B.A.Sc. (1984), M.A.Sc. (1985), Ph.D. (1990)). Scott is currently Research Leader in Bioprocess R&D at Dow AgroSciences. Our new 2008-2010 DIRECTORS are Jeffery Logsdon and Bhavik R. Bakshi. Jeffery Logsdon is an Advisor for Reaction Engineering and Modeling and Simulation for INEOS Nitriles in Lisle, Illinois. Bhavik R. Bakshi is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-director of the Center for Resilience at The Ohio State University. For biosketches for all three new officers, please see Election Results.

    Photos from the 2007 CAST Awards Dinner were taken by Wayne Bequette, 2006 CAST Chair, and Peter Rony, CAST Publications Board Chair. We show photos of all the award winners announced at the 2007 CAST Banquet:

  • Computing in Chemical Engineering: Dr. B. Erik Ydstie, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Computing Practice Award: Dr. Lionel O’Young, ClearWaterBay Technology Inc
  • W. David Smith, Jr. Graduate Publication Award: Dr. Christopher V. Rao, University of Illinois
  • CAST Outstanding Young Researcher Award: Dr. Mayuresh Kothare, Lehigh University
  • 2006 CAST Directors' Award: Kapil Mukati, Babatunde A. Ogunnaike, Erten Eser, Shannon Fields, and Robert W. Birkmire.

    Your editor participated – as somebody completely new to the concept of webCASTs – in one of the live CAST WebCAST presentations, namely, “Multi-scale Modeling and its Application to Catalyst Design and Portable Power Generation”, by Professor Dion Vlachos of the University of Delaware. The date was Thursday, 24 April 2008, from 2 PM to 4 PM EDT. This webCAST was amazing to the editor, and well worth the time spent. Dan Sliva managed the webCAST from his home in New York. During the webCAST, your editor succeeded in capturing each PowerPoint screen using SnagIt 6.0 from TechSmith, Inc.

    CAST has been doing these webCASTs since 2004. AIChE started in 2007 and has them archived at Webinars. Here is a list of previous AIChE webinars:

  • Developing the Next Generation of STEM Leaders: Utilizing Structured Activities and Community Events as Contexts for Holistic Youth Development and Demonstration of Scientific Knowledge, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Presented by Rodney Dotson, Director of the Institute for High Performance Learning (HPL) at the City College of New York
  • Nanotechnology: What is it? What are the opportunities? , March 27, 2008 Presented by Dr. Meyya Meyyappan, Chief Scientist for Exploration Technology – Center for Nanotechnology, NASA Ames Research Center
  • Recommended Industry Process Safety Metrics, February 13, 2008 Presented by Tim Overton, Chief Process Safety Engineer – Dow Chemical Company
  • Networking: A Lifetime Exercise, December 12, 2007 Presented by Eric Borgstedt, Director, Global Sales and Marketing, SEPCOR, Inc and Past President, ChemPharma
  • Ethics and Excellence in Engineering, November 14, 2007 Presented by Alan Rossiter, President of Rossiter & Associates
  • Advancing from the Cubicle, October 9, 2007 Presented by Deborah Grubbe, Vice President – Group Safety and Industrial Hygiene for BP plc.

    Our interest in the details of our CAST Division web server encourage us to discuss the future of web hosting for the newsletter.

    The CAST server has 664 files, 29 folders, and a uses a total of 760 MB of storage space. Paul Rony operates the RAID-array web server in Blacksburg, VA. His connection to the Internet is located at his home in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The CAST website links to the Internet through his web server.

    The web server – which is called “Ronycentral” – in Blacksburg crashed on April 10, 2008. As analyzed by Karl Rony, the 256-MB RAM-memory module became defective after about 4 years of reliable operation. A quick trip to our local Best Buy led to purchase of a 1 GB RAM memory module, which replaced the defective, 256-MB module and brought the server back to life after six hours of down time.

    The “Ronycentral” server in Blacksburg is not the correct answer for the CAST website in the future, a site that increasingly will serve archived webCAST and CAST AIChE session presentations. According to Paul Rony, such large video files may need to be stored using a 3rd party, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), to which the CAST website would have a link for each streaming video.

    And, finally, the Quote of the Day is by Henry Petroski.



    Articles

    Fuel Cell Systems: an Introduction for the Chemical Engineer
    by Donald Chmielewski, Illinois Institute Of Technology

    This material [4.6 MB pdf] is intended for anyone with a background in Chemical Engineering and aims to provide a foundation for those interested in fuel cell research. Among the great challenges facing upcoming generations is the construction of a new globally focused and sustainable energy infrastructure. Clearly, many researchers believe that fuel cell systems will play a large role in this development, as evidenced by the plethora of articles published on the subject each year.

    The 89 page presentation was recently given at the 2007 Annual Meeting of AIChE.


    [www.iit.edu/engineering/chbe]



    Communications

    2006 CAST Directors' Award

    Given for the best poster presentations at the AIChE Annual Meeting. The following are for Work Presented at the 2006 AIChE Annual Meeting in San Francisco. .

    First Place:

    Kapil Mukati, Babatunde A. Ogunnaike, Erten Eser, Shannon Fields, and Robert W. Birkmire, "Source Scale-up for Physical Vapor Deposition of Cu(Inga)Se2 on Flexible Substrates."

    Click on the poster [246 KB pdf] for the full-size pdf of the winning poster.




    Honorable Mention:

    Ivan Miletic, Rob Garbaty, Stephen Waterfall, and Mary Mathewson, "Steel Scrap Purchasing Optimization and Supply Management." Dofasco, Inc, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

     


    2007 CAST Award Winners

    The 2007 CAST Division Awards were announced previously - details are here [79 KB pdf].

    The intro and presentation were recorded for posterity in mov format. The file is 192MB, so please right-click and select "Save Target As..." to download it to your own computer before trying to view it. Please email Karl if you would like to see video of future CAST presentations. If you have an internet connection that is slower than DSL (a modem for instance), the file will take a long time to download! An online speed test is at tech.msn.com.


    Award Introduction
    by B. Wayne Bequette, 2006 CAST Chair

    Computing in Chemical Engineering Award - Recognizes outstanding contributions in the application of computing and systems technology to chemical engineering

    The introduction [604 KB pdf] to the attendees of the 2007 CAST Awards dinner may be downloaded in pdf format.


    [www.eng.rpi.edu]    


    2007 Computing in Chemical Engineering Award Lecture
    by Erik Ydstie, Carnegie Mellon University

    The award presentation given at the 2007 CAST Awards Dinner may be viewed in ppt [5.2 MB ppt] or pdf [6.0 MB pdf] format. During the presentation, Erik showed a few short animations which can be viewed if the ppt file is opened as a PowerPoint Slide Show. If you do not have PowerPoint or the free Viewer, then the pdf is available.


    [www.cheme.cmu.edu]




    Photos from the 2007 CAST Awards Dinner
    taken by Wayne Bequette, 2006 CAST Chair, and Peter Rony, CAST Publications Board Chair

    We would like to congratulate again all the award winners announced at the 2007 CAST Banquet:

  • Computing in Chemical Engineering: Dr. B. Erik Ydstie, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Computing Practice Award: Dr. Lionel O’Young, ClearWaterBay Technology Inc
  • W. David Smith, Jr. Graduate Publication Award: Dr. Christopher V. Rao, University of Illinois
  • CAST Outstanding Young Researcher Award: Dr. Mayuresh Kothare, Lehigh University
  • 2006 CAST Directors' Award: Kapil Mukati, Babatunde A. Ogunnaike, Erten Eser, Shannon Fields, and Robert W. Birkmire


  • Frank Doyle and Erik Ydstie



    Lionel O’Young



    Christopher Rao



    Mayuresh Kothare



    Tunde Ogunnaike

    And here are some casual shots from the banquet.






    Eric Ydstie and his wife.JPG
    Genevieve and Eric Ydstie



    Wayne and Matt





    Oliver and John




    CAST Election Results
    by Wayne Bequette, 2006 CAST Chair

    The CAST elections committee (Andy Hrymak, Vince Grassi and Wayne Bequette) is pleased to announce the results of the election of officers for 2008.

    Please join us in congratulating Scott, Jeff, and Bhavik, and in thanking them for agreeing to provide leadership roles in the CAST Division. We also thank all of the candidates for putting their names forward for election. In addition, we wish to acknowledge Ken Muske and Don Bartusiak (2007-9 Directors) for helping us coordinate the elections.

    2008 SECOND VICE-CHAIR: Scott Keeler

    Scott Keeler received his degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada (B.A.Sc. (1984), M.A.Sc. (1985), Ph.D. (1990)). Scott is currently Research Leader in Bioprocess R&D at Dow AgroSciences. In this role, he interacts with biotechnology Research and Business leaders across the Company in areas ranging from discovering new traits for crops, to developing new fermentation and downstream recovery processes, to creating technology investment and implementation models for new business ventures.

    During his career, Scott has worked in both R&D (from early-stage Discovery research through to manufacturing plant and field crop scale-up) and in Operations (from sponsor and champion of the global cross-contamination prevention program to business partner to the Plant Genetics and Biotechnology business). His research and application interests lie across the interfaces between functions and businesses. They range from industrialization of biotechnology research, to the application of math modeling and statistics in the development of new business ventures. Throughout his many diverse projects, he has continually developed, applied and championed the use of quantitative decision-making tools in non-traditional areas.

    Scott has been active in the CAST Division of AIChE for more than 15 years. He was CAST Division Secretary/Treasurer for five years. He has been Programming Chair for Area 10C, and was Production Editor of the CAST Communications Newsletter for several years. Scott is also a member of CSChE (the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering). He has chaired and organized technical sessions for both Institutes as well as the World Congress of Chemical Engineering.

    2008-2010 DIRECTOR: Jeffery Logsdon

    Jeffery Logsdon is an Advisor for Reaction Engineering and Modeling and Simulation for INEOS Nitriles in Lisle, Illinois. He has 17 years of experience working on a variety of technical assignments involving modeling, simulation, and optimization areas for the Amoco Chemical Company, BP, and INEOS Nitriles. The work involved research with University departments as well as projects with leading commercial software companies and government agencies. He also worked for the Union Carbide Corporation from 1979-1984 as a plant manufacturing engineer and process engineer.

    He has B.S. and M.E. degrees from the West Virginia Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. degree from Carnegie Mellon University. He has co-authored several technical articles and is a co-inventor on U.S. patents and international patents. He serves on the advisory board for the Chemical Engineering Department at WVU Institute of Technology.


    [www.chbmeng.ohio-state.edu]

    2008-2010 DIRECTOR: Bhavik Bakshi

    Bhavik R. Bakshi is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-director of the Center for Resilience at The Ohio State University. He received his B. Chem. Eng. from the Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai and MS in Chemical Engineering Practice and Ph.D. from MIT in 1992. While in graduate school, Bhavik obtained a minor in Technology and Environmental Policy and conducted research at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Before joining Ohio State in 1993, he was Member of Technical Staff at Aware Inc. in Cambridge, MA and worked on the use of wavelets for signal processing and machine learning. Bhavik's research is developing advanced statistical methods for solving process engineering problems, systematic approaches for sustainable engineering, and understanding the interaction of industrial, ecological and economic systems.

    Bhavik has been active in AIChE's CAST Division and Sustainable Engineering Forum, primarily via chairing and organizing sessions at the annual meetings. He is also active in his local chapter of AIChE and currently serves at the advisor of the student chapter at Ohio State. Bhavik chaired the AIChE topical conference on “Global Climate Change and the Chemical Industry” in Spring 2002. He is on the editorial board of Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems and an Associate Editor of American Society of Civil Engineers' Journal of Energy Engineering. He is also on the science advisory board of the radio series, Earth & Sky.





    New Travel Grants
    by the Editors

    Please congratulate the following individuals for winning the first annual CAST Travel Grant (for attending the 2007 AIChE Annual Meeting):

    Charles McFall, Rene Elms, Sathyendra K. Ghantasala, Victor M. Zavala, Panagiota Foteino, Pradeep Y Tiwari, Mahadevabharath Somayaji, Pradeep Suresh Babu, Alexander Smith, Duy Quang, Nguyen Thanh, Yogendra Shastri

    Nominations are due August 1st for the 2008 grants.


    Announcements

    Free CAST Membership Offered!
    by Karen High, 2007 CAST Chair

    CAST membership is now free to Undergraduate AIChE members! This is a great mechanism for students to find out about what goes on in the CAST Division. One of the best perks is their ability to participate in live webCASTS! Goto Join AIChE to apply.



    How to Contact AIChE

    Publication sales, meeting registration, applications for membership, technical training, and other AlChE products and services may be obtained by using the contact information below or visiting AIChE Contacts.

    American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
    3 Park Avenue
    New York, NY  10016-5991
    General Inquiries: 800-242-4363
    International calls: 212-591-8100
    Fax: 212-591-8888
    On-line contact form

    For answers to questions, try one of the following AIChE Staff:

    Felicia Guglielmi
    Director of Volunteer & Membership Activities
    212.591.7329
    Bette Lawler
    Director of Operations
    (212) 591-7207
    Joe Cramer
    Director of Technical Programming
    (212) 591-7950
    Anette Ngijol
    Volunteer & Membership Activities
    (212) 591-7478
    Steve Smith
    Director of Technical Activities & Journals
    (212) 591-7335

     

    CAST10 E-Mail List

    The following websites are used to participate in the list:

    1. listserv.umd.edu/archives/cast10.html is the link that subscribers can use to read and post emails.
    2. www.ench.umd.edu/cast10/ has lots of archived emails.

    The address to post messages to the list is CAST10 at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU .

    2008 Award Nomination Form

    pdf.gifPlease use the 2008 Award Nomination Form [52KB, MS Word], which should be completed by April 15, 2008 [extended to May 14!!!]]. See CAST Division Awards for submission guidelines. Electronic submissions are encouraged.


    Quote of the Day

    Successful design is not the achievement of perfection but the minimization and accommodation of imperfection.

    -- Henry Petroski, in forbes.com


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    CAST Communications Advertising Policy

    Advertising Rates: 1/4 page = $60; 1/3 page = $70; 1/2 page = $90; 2/3 page = $120; 1 page (8.5" x 11") = $150
    Production Details: Retain your original art, please. Submit an e-mail containing a WORD or PDF version (contact editor for preferred formats) of your advertisement, to the CAST newsletter editor: Peter R. Rony.
    Deadlines: December 1 for the Winter issue; July 1 for the Summer issue.
    Payment Details: Prior to publication of advertisement, please submit check payable to CAST Division, AIChE to the CAST Division Secretary/Treasurer
    Questions: Peter R. Rony, Telephone (540) 951-2805

     

    Join the CAST Division of AIChE

    Already a member? Please ask a colleague to join.

    The Computing and Systems Technology (CAST) Division of AIChE is responsible for the wide range of activities within AIChE that involve the application of computers and mathematics to chemical engineering problems including process design, process control, operations, and applied mathematics. We arrange technical sessions at AIChE Meetings, organize special conferences, and publish this newsletter - CAST Communications - twice a year. These activities enable our members to keep abreast of the rapidly changing fields of computing and system technology. The cost is $10 per year, and includes a subscription to this newsletter. Shouldn't you join the CAST Division now?

    To join the CAST Division, please contact AIChE.


    CAST Communications - Spring 2008
    The Semi-Annual Publication of the Computers and Systems Technology Division of AIChE
    Editor: Peter R. Rony, Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech
    Associate Editor: Karl D. Schnelle, Dow AgroSciences LLC

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