ABSTRACT
336 337Petroleum refining and petrochemical processes are moving toward a newer scientific paradigm and a newer visionary future. Science, technology, and engineering are witnessing drastic changes in this century of human civilization. Energy and environmental sustainability are at a state of immense distress. Scientific vision and deep scientific introspection are unfolding new chapters in human history and time. At this threshold of a new century and a newer scientific revolution, the need for chemical process engineering tools has widened the scientific vision and unfolded the murky depths of modeling, simulation, optimization, and control. Depletion of fossil fuel resources is plundering and threatening the true scientific vision of petroleum engineering science. Global status of energy sustainability is at a disastrous state. The author delineates the concept of modeling, simulation, control, and optimization of petrochemical processes and petroleum refining with deep comprehension and cogent insight. Vision of science and engineering is at its helm at each step of scientific endeavor in the present century. At this crucial juxtaposition of human civilization and human scientific pursuit, the immediate need of science is to reenvision the areas and domain of petroleum refining and the field of petrochemicals. Chemical process modeling and simulation are the pallbearers and the hallmarks of a greater emancipation of scientific innovation in decades to come. This treatise brings forward to the scientific horizon the wide and versatile world of process modeling, simulation, control, and optimization of the fluidized catalytic cracking unit in a petroleum refinery and other chemical engineering systems. Chemical engineering systems are robust, and deep introspection is necessary in comprehending and unraveling the murky depths of the visionary world of chemical process modeling and simulation. Vision of science and engineering, the defiant urge to excel, and the progress of human scientific endeavor will go a long way in visionary emancipation of chemical process engineering and petroleum engineering science.
