STEVEN E. ZELL, P.E.

*** ***** ******* **** * Salt Lake City, Utah 84103 * 860-***-****

adp233@r.postjobfree.com – www.linked.com/in/stevenzell

PROFESSIONAL CHEMICAL ENGINEER

Extensive diversified experience in:

Process Engineering, simulation, and optimization, and equipment design in petroleum refining, gas processing, biodiesel, biogas, petrochemical, and specialty chemical industries

Safety engineering, Risk Management, Failure Analysis, Litigation Support

PSD permitting, Air dispersion modeling

Software development for process simulation and optimization, accidental release modeling, and atmospheric dispersion modeling

Willing to Travel

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Process Equipment Design and Optimization Environmental Compliance

Process Simulation (HYSYS, AspenPlus) PSD Permitting

PFD and P&ID preparation and review Chemical Modeling Software Development

HAZOP and Risk Management Analysis Pollutant Emissions Measurement

Pressure-Relief System Design and Analysis Process Failure Analysis

Fluent in spoken and written technical French Excel, Word, PowerPoint

Air Dispersion Modeling (AERMOD, CALPUFF, SCIPUFF, HGSYSTEM, SLAB, ALOHA)

Licensed Professional Engineer (2006)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Process Engineer Salt Lake City, UT

Tetra Tech, Incorporated March 2019 - Present

Prepared a detailed proposal, with expected yields and PFD’s for a 20,000 BPD hydroskimming refinery, including

-Crude Distillation Unit

-Debutanizer

-Naphtha Hydrotreater

-Naphtha Splitter

-Isomerization Unit

-Catalytic Reformer

-Kerosene Hydrotreater

-Diesel Hydrotreater

-Sulfur Recovery Unit

Calculated air emissions inventory for a plastics-to-fuel plant, including

-Particulate emissions from plastics shredding and pelletizing

-VOC emissions from fuel processing units, including fractionator, hydrotreater, vapor recovery unit

-CO and NOx emissions from fired heaters

-Developed process modifications to reduce emissions

Evaluated competitive bids for a thermal oxidizer and flare system for technical feasibility and cost

Biogas process engineering from anaerobic digesters, including compression, dehydration, desulfurization, and separation of CO2 from methane using membranes

Evaluated over 200 pressure-relief valves, inlet and discharge piping at a mineral processing facility for safety of personnel and equipment, made change recommendations to ensure proper function in the event of a release

Senior Process Engineer/Chief Estimator South Jordan, UT

Chemex Modular LLC September 2013 – March 2019

Process Engineering for the following modular refinery unit projects:

Crude Distillation Units (3 projects)

Diesel Hydrotreaters (4 projects)

Naphtha Stabilizers (2 projects)

Naphtha Splitters (2 projects)

Catalytic Naphtha Reformers (2 projects)

Transmix Splitters (gasoline / kerosene / Diesel—2 projects)

Steam-Methane Reformer for hydrogen production

Natural Gas / LPG cryogenic separation units

Biodiesel production from cooking grease

Biodiesel production from animal fats

Duties include:

Process simulation and optimization using HYSYS and AspenPlus

Development of process flow diagram and Mass Balance

Development and review of piping and instrument diagrams

Heat exchanger design and rating with Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating program

Design and rating of distillation columns with valve trays or packing

Developed equipment specifications for:

-Reactors

-Distillation Columns

-Separator Vessels

-Shell-and-tube Heat Exchangers

-Air-Cooled Exchangers

-Pumps

-Compressors

-Pressure Relief Valves

-Flares

-Control Valves

Hazard Analysis (HAZOP) and Review

Wrote process operating manuals

For an expansion of a catalytic naphtha reforming unit (to produce aromatics and increase octane number), used detailed operating data to develop a mathematical reaction model to extrapolate reaction yields and pressure profiles to a higher throughput rate with larger reactors.

Developed specifications for larger reactors, heat exchangers in parallel, additional hydrogen recycle compressor, and new piping to process higher throughput while respecting pressure profile of existing equipment.

Cost Estimation for Commercial Proposals

Performed preliminary simulations (using HYSYS) to calculate equipment sizes and develop cost estimates for commercial proposals for modular refining units, including

Crude Distillation Units

Vacuum Distillation Units

Naphtha Hydrotreaters

Catalytic Reforming Units

Diesel Hydrotreaters

Natural Gas/cryogenic separation units

Principal Consulting Chemical Engineer Windsor, CT TRC Environmental Corporation 1996 - 2013

Project Safety Studies:

Calculation of areas affected by hypothetical worst-case scenarios of

-Liquid or vapor releases of toxic chemicals, using DEGADIS, HGSYSTEM, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (FLUENT) dispersion models

-Fires, explosions, or BLEVEs of flammable substances

-Air temperatures and oxygen levels due to indoor liquid nitrogen release

Analysis of mitigation measures to reduce probability and health effects of accidental releases.

Designed a system to absorb 98% of expected emissions due to thermal runaway and overpressure from batch reactors in a pharmaceutical plant.

Developed a method to model pollutant emissions from liquid pool fires as equivalent point-source emissions for use in AERMOD and CALPUFF dispersion models.

Developed and implemented a method to calculate atmospheric PCB emissions from a two-year project for dredging, shipment by barge, and remediation of contaminated sediments from the Hudson River.

PSD Permitting:

Calculation of criteria pollutant emission rates and atmospheric dispersion calculations using AERMOD and CALPUFF to ensure EPA compliance for:

-Coal- and gas-fired power plants, and

-Process expansion of refinery unit operations

-Specialty Chemical plants.

Visibility impairment analysis for permitting for four power plants within 50 km of Class I areas (National Parks and Forests), including development of software to streamline these calculations.

Litigation Assistance:

In toxic tort litigation for client companies in the refining and chemical industries, concerning accidental releases of toxic chemicals, fires, or explosions,

Analyzed depositions to obtain key factual information

Wrote rebuttals exposing fallacies in opposing expert reports

Wrote expert reports used in court

Calculated transient emission rates of toxic chemicals, including two-phase releases

Developed specialized software to calculate emission rates when necessary

Air dispersion modeling to determine concentrations at plaintiff locations

Determination of health effects on plaintiffs

Process / Environmental / Safety Engineer Décines, France Rhône-Poulenc Industrialisation 1986 – 1995

Process design and project engineering for a new major facility to produce hydroquinone and pyrocatechol from phenol in Louisiana, including:

-Equipment sizing and specification

-Piping and Instrument specification and review

-Hazard and safety analysis

-Writing process operating manuals

Project leader for the development of a software application to optimize process operation of two olefins production plants in France, which is still used today.

Developed a software application to optimize process operation of refinery operations for Aramco in Saudi Arabia.

Led an experimental research program into the relationship between meteorological measurements and atmospheric dispersion of pollutants, including design and construction of weather station, tracer-gas experiments, and statistical evaluation of results.

Emission measurements of pollutants (SO2, NOx, PM, VOCs, chlorides) from major chemical plants in France, including writing technical reports in French.

Designed and implemented two methods for measuring fugitive emission rates using meteorological data and tracer gases.

Software Development Engineer Houston, TX

Scientific Software Intercomp 1984 – 1986

Developed and tested software application for real-time transient predictive simulation of flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and compositions for the trans-Siberian natural gas pipeline, including simulation of transient effects of changing operating conditions at compressor stations and valve opening and closure.

Senior Process Engineer Houston, TX Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation 1980 – 1984

Process design, chemical process simulation, equipment sizing and specification, PFD and P&ID design and review, and safety analysis for the following unit operations in client refineries:

-Catalytic cracking (FCCU)

-Hydrocracking

-Hydro-desulfurization

-Catalytic Reforming

-Delayed Coking

-Crude oil fractionation

-Alkylation

-Gas desulfurization using ethanolamines

-Gas separation using membranes

Developed a software application to optimize the operation of the hydrogen distribution system at Exxon’s refinery in Baytown, TX

Developed software applications to optimize design of shell-and-tube heat exchangers and air-cooled condensers, including energy recovery, installed costs, and operating costs.

Process Engineer Bloomfield, NJ

The Lummus Company, 1978 – 1980

Process design, process simulation, equipment specification, product yield optimization, PFD and P&ID specification and review, and optimization of olefins production units, including:

-Pyrolysis (cracking) heaters fed by naphtha, ethane, and butane

-Charge gas compression, chilling and fractionation

-Cryogenic fractionation design (demethanizer, deethanizer, depropanizer, ethylene and propylene fractionator, etc.), including optimization of heat exchange

-Refrigeration (ethylene and propylene) system optimization

EDUCATION

Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering 1974 – 1978

High Honor with Thesis

GPA: 3.8

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

Licensed Professional Engineer (Chemical Engineering), Connecticut (#25080), 2006

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Air and Waste Management Association

Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers

Northeast Energy and Commerce Association

Tau Beta Pi

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Fluent in spoken and written French. Received Language Diploma from Alliance Française in Paris, France, (1985). Has written detailed engineering and research reports in French.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Zell, S.E., Catizone, P.A., and Richards, L.W.: “Effects of Plume Subtended Angle on Visibility Impairment over a Class I Area”: Paper No. 277, AWMA Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007.

Catizone, P.A.; Zell, S.E.; Fennell, P.; and Hoffnagle, G.F., “Permitting a Major Source Near a Class I Area: Challenges and Experience”, Paper No. 1270, AWMA Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 2005.

Catizone, P.A.; Zapert, J.G.; and Zell, S.E., “Application of the PLUVUE Model for PSD Permitting: Protocol and Support Software Development”, Paper No. 70072, AWMA Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, 2003.

Hoffnagle, G.F. and Zell, S.E., “Offsite Consequence Model vs. Real World Release Data”, Paper No. 372, AWMA Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2000.

Hoffnagle, G.F., Catizone, P.A. and Zell, S.E., “Modeling of Advanced Mitigation Techniques”, Paper No. 367, AWMA Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, 2000.

Hoffnagle, G.F. and Zell, S.E., “Risk Management Plan Modeling for Ammonia Retailing”, AICHE Symposium: Ammonia Plant Safety, Charleston, SC, 1998.

Contact this candidate