Prospects and Opportunities
On May 5, Metafrax Chemicals hosted the fourth semi-final stage of the competition for the best scientific and technical paper among young specialists.
Six participants presented projects aimed at optimizing the company's production processes to the expert commission.
The papers were evaluated by the company's managers and chief specialists: Andrei Yeremeyev, Technical Director (chairman of the jury), Konstantin Ardashev, Head of the Production and Technical Department, Dmitry Kotsolainen, Chief Mechanical Engineer, Dmitry Kuryshev, Chief Power Engineer, Boris Gershonok, Head of the Automation and Metrology Department and Nina Silveistrova, Deputy Head of the Planning and Economic Management (PEM) Department.
Each participant was given 10 minutes for a presentation and 5 minutes for answers from the commission. The jury assessed not only public speaking skills and stress tolerance, but also the practical value of the projects: relevance, economic feasibility, depth of study and implementation possibility.
Pavel Kazantsev, a urea synthesis operator, was the first to speak. His project was dedicated to the selection of a new heat exchanger to reduce the temperature of the pump oil system in the urea plant. The young specialist compared several equipment options in detail, highlighting the advantages and risks of each, which allowed the commission to consider the problem comprehensively.
The next step was the defense of Dmitry Dolmatov, a melamine synthesis operator. He proposed a procedure for replacing the heat-transfer salt in the vessel item 40-V-1620, analyzing four methods: mechanical, the use of a steam ejector, dilution with water and the use of a submersible pump. According to Dmitry Dolmatov, the latter option is optimal for maintaining the operability of the equipment. The persuasiveness of the presentation, the independence in preparation and the relevance of the topic ensured that he reached the finals.
Sergei Bayev, a formalin synthesis operator, presented a project for heating a silver catalyst in the UF-1 unit with hot nitrogen. According to the specialist, this solution will allow to conduct unplanned stops for repairs without putting the system into shutdown mode, extending the service life of the catalyst. The young specialist’s paper was highly appreciated by the jury.
Yegor Smirnov, an ammonia operator, focused on reducing waste from thermostable salts when carbon dioxide is released. Artyom Weitz, a melamine synthesis operator, researched technologies for the recovery of heat-transfer salt, and Vladislav Vostretsov, a methanol conversion operator, presented a paper on the design of a horizontal shell-and-tube heat exchanger for methanol rectification. These projects also sparked discussion, highlighting the diversity of youth approaches to solving production problems.
Summarizing results, Andrei Yeremeyev noted that the competition is not only a platform for demonstrating knowledge gained at universities, but also a starting point for career growth. The next stage of the defense will be the final, which will be held in the near future, on May 16.