scope:

A dependable five-step problem-solving technique for chemical plant and refinery process operators and engineers As chemical engineering processes increase in size, scale, and intricacy, industrial problem solvers need to embrace new strategies for resolving complex or chronic plant operating issues. Too often, these professionals rely on intuition and experience-based solutions for tackling problems that require rigid procedural standards, resulting in approaches that routinely fail to fixor even definewhat's gone wrong. To institute a more effective industrial problem-solving environment, Problem Solving for Process Operators and Specialists combines cause-and-effect thinking with the formulation of theoretically correct hypotheses to create a five-step technique for overcoming the most challenging operational stumbling blocks. Discussion includes: Techniques to find, define, and solve process problems and to create a daily monitoring system before they progress to the critical level Methods for formulating corrective remedies for typical process equipment such as pumps, compressors, heat exchangers/furnaces, fractionating towers, and reactors A thorough, well-balanced mix of underlying theory and practical field applications Helpful tips on reducing repeat failure risk by teaching how to determine the root cause of a problem Presenting pragmatic calculation techniques, real-world examples, and insight from an author with more than fifty years of industrial experience, this practical resource hones greater awareness and responsiveness to problems related to processes in operating plants, and helps establish a protocol these facilities can implement to attainand maintainpeak performance.