7 replies to this topic

[Radionise]

Hi folks,

Just want to create a light-weight topic to hear everyone's opinion about the distinctive difference between a chemical engineer and a process engineer.

We all know both are similar. So lets discuss any possible differences.

I myself have rarely seen anyone advertising a post for 'chemical' engineer. But 'process' engineer; a lot!

One of my lecturer at university last time who taught on advanced chemical reaction used to joke saying that if we don't take advanced chemical reaction, we are incomplete as a chemical engineer, just merely a process engineer.

Have a say guys!

[djack77494]

Radionise,
Chemical engineering is a major you can take at a university. You get a degree such as a B.S. in chemical engineering.

After you have obtained your degree and get out into "the real world", you look for a job. There are many possibilities here, including sales, R&D, design, operations, training, etc. Amongst the many areas where you might seek employment is the specialty known as "process engineering". In simple terms, the process engineer is a member of the design team (or maybe the sole member of the team for a very small project). He works to define the process by identifying the processing steps required to achieve the desired product. He then refines the broad approach to develop and (partially) specify the equipment and instrumentation needed to accomplish this. Along the way, depending on the size and nature of the project, he may prepare Process Flow Diagrams (PFD's), Heat and Material Balances, Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID's), and initiate datasheets which are expanded into specifications by other specialties. Process engineers could also be closely linked to operations, in which case they might be more involved in evaluating operational data and in troubleshooting. Naturally, the definition of what a process engineer is and is not is very fluid and varies from company to company.

I would say that your lecturer's idea of what a chemical engineer is leans towards the R&D side of things.
HTH,
Doug

[Sandeep01]

Pretty well defined djack.

Would just like to add that a process engineer could be seen as a plant packager, wherein he ensures that various technologies/packages/equipment are adequately provided for and properly integrated to optimally operate and control the plant (safety goes without saying).

This, as mentioned by djack, is achieved during the design process through teh development of various philosophies, design basis, pfds, p&ids, datasheets, specifications and other documents.

The above is not meant to be limiting, and defining the role of a process engineer could be continued endlessly.

Just a thought, this thread could eventually evolve into the job description of a process engineer, wherein many organisations view it as a very mechanical process (not to demean mechanical engineering) rahter than the thought provoking and innovative attitude required to achieve an optimally designed plant.

Looking forward to more inputs.

[Chemie]

Well defined by Doug and Sandeep,

I would like to add and put it as a blend of experience and theoretical knowledge as a Process Engineer.

Chemie

[Radionise]

Of all the commonness mentioned, there are still some distinct differences between process engineering even say, in the same industry (i.e. oil & gas).

For instance a process engineer in the upstream business emphasises more on technical skills related to separations, multiphase flow; while a process engineer in the downstream, i.e. refinery, practices more of the chemical reaction and process integration knowledges etc.

These differences in the oil and gas business always make me think that a process engineer in the upstream seems a nearer 'cousin' to the mechanical engineer than the process engineer at dowstream who is more 'chemical'.

[djack77494]

Radionise makes a good point. In the upstream business, processes where the most technical aspects of chemical engineering are important (such as distillation, reaction kinetics, etc.) are few and far between. As a result, quite a few upstream process engineers are mechanical engineers by training. Though I do not favor non-chemical engineering process engineers (I am a bit biased), this can work out well in industries where mechanical knowledge of the process is as important as the few technical topics where mechanical engineers would have a disadvantage vis-a-vis chemical engineers. In other words, both disciplines bring talents to the table, and there are times when the talents of one or the other discipline would be favored. That said, I think that to be called a process engineer, one should be able to comfortably attack problems involving mass transfer, reactions, kinetics, etc. One would not usually be expected to have much knowledge of strength of materials, machine design, vibrations, etc. So, I think of process engineering as being an area of chemical engineering. I invite alternative thoughts, since I think this is an interesting topic.
Doug

[Radionise]

Interesting comments djack. My experience is actually from the upstream oil gas industry. And after my postgraduate course I will be embarking on the same industry again, but in the contracting business rather than operator.

Basically, deviations of upstream process engineers from the mainstream chemical engineering stream (if such things do exists ) is not that bad. For instance, it is common to see them working on process debottlenecking or modification process, i.e. working on scrubbers (the scrubber in upstream oil and gas is completely different from the scrubber that we learnt at university), separators, dehydration/glycol unit, sour gas treatment, removal of H2S etc, with heavy use of process simulators, which also includes dynamic simulations like modelling relieve devices etc.

One thing which is very interesting about upstream that always amaze me is in regards to any aspects that can be associated with three phase separators. designing separation equipment for upstream processes which are prone to changes of the feed conditions throughout the life time of the platform, is a big challenge. In other words, offshore processes are very very dynamic in nature. Not to mention about the slug flows in pipelines which can disturb the steady state operation of the separators. In addition, depending on the constraint of the environment, sometimes you can't just simply design a separator by following common guidelines or rule-of-thumbs.

However, in my personal opinion, those chemical engineers who are reservoir engineers or well engineers do seem to deviate a little bit further from the 'pure' chemical engineering stream. To summarise it, process engineers who works on surface operations in the upstream still utilise most skills which are within the mainstream chemical engineering. But for those who works on subsurface operations, that depends...