In short
I graduated (Italian Master’s Degree) in Chemical Engineering. My thesis, entitled “Theoretical and experimental analysis of heat transport in fixed bed reactors”, involved the development of a data acquisition methodology through the design of a hardware/software interface for monitoring and controlling a reactor for steam reforming, and the definition of a mathematical model for the analysis of experimental data obtained. The results were then compared with scientific studies in the literature, which confirmed the goodness of the model used.
After that, I worked CONPRICI, an University Consortium for the prevention and protection against chemical and industrial risks, in the development of guidelines for the calculation of restoration costs arising as a result of environmental damage.
Subsequently, I moved to Ferrara to attend at a postgraduate and stageur course (In italy: Master di secondo livello) in “Engineering of polymerization and polymeric materials”, sponsored by Lyondellbasell (formerly Basell / Montedison). During my Master, I worked on the company’s pilot plants, in turnation, and I collaborated with the process design section of the company.
Later I was hired by MDT – Mussi Distillation Technology as Process Engineer, for the design of distillation, concentration and evaporation plants for ethanol and biomass for the food, chemical or bioethanol sectors, following all the phases of an order, from basic engineering, feed, detail and subsequent commissioning.
More in detail my main tasks were:
- Design of distillation, evaporation and anydrification plants, from Basic to Detail Engineering
- Heat and material balance calculation, process modeling with Aspen Hysys/Plus, or with programs in Excel/Vba
- P&ID development and markup
- Process design of major equipments and development of process datasheets
- Line sizing, hydraulic calcultations, control valve and PSV sizing and rating
- Logics and interblocks, C&E
- Preparation of the operating manual
- Vendors follow up
- Feasibility studies
- Development of special programs for the process simulation according to the needs of the company (using Excel with VBA or Autocad with VBA)
- Commissioning and startup in Russia and Uzbekistan
After that I moved to Altran, a leading engineering consulting company, as a process engineer consultant, in the design of Oil & Gas, compression and dehydration stations for natural gas (North Rumalia Fields, Iraq) ) and fractionation units and C2 + recovery, working in task forces for General Electric, Shell and KT Tecnimont.
Currently, I’m working as a Senior process engineer for Ballestra, a leading company in the field of sulfonation, detergency, and chemicals such as sulphuric acid, phosporic acid and potassium sulphate.
Other works not related to chemical engineering field
In order to pay for my studies, I collaborated for six years as a freelancer editor, translator, and columnist for numerous national computer magazines. This work has taught me to complete projects with precise and short-term deadlines, acquire technical skills in programming and information technology, and improve my understanding of written and spoken technical English.
In the past, I have developed small application programs, including a chess engine (based on public algorithms that I have partially optimized).