Sustainability Engineering ― A Design Guide for the Chemical Process Industry

This book explores sustainability engineering through the lens of the manufacturing and chemical process industries to elucidate the safe and economic implementation of process designs used to transform raw materials into useful finished products. The author applies the tenets of sustainability science to develop an engineering methodology that supports the perpetual availability of raw materials through recycling/reuse/repurposing, incorporates inexhaustible supplies, such as solar energy and municipal waste, and encompasses the husbandry of these resources in a manner that minimizes negative environmental impacts. Anyone involved in the design or manufacture of chemicals, or the upgrade of existing manufacturing processes, will benefit from this book’s suggestions for identifying improvement options, while adding the pivotal aspect of sustainability to the usual cost and safety equation optimization elements.

Dr. Jeffrey Perl has been President of Chicago Chem Consultants Corporation (CCC) for the past 25 years. CCC’s work is focused on chemical process engineering, hazardous waste treatment and environment, safety and occupational health management systems (ESOH-MS) and engineering activities. Dr. Perl is a former plant manager and process engineer for a national solvent chemical recovery and recycle business. His specialties include chemical process design, engineering and troubleshooting, pollution prevention, Superfund remediation design, negotiations with state regulators, and chemical separation processes. He has contributed forensic engineering evidence and expert testimony regarding root cause of process failures leading to workplace accidents or premature product failure. He provides investment and technical reviews of new product or technical service opportunities for corporate, venture capital and private investors. He is also Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, teaching senior chemical process design engineering. Dr. Perl has authored numerous technical papers, and has undertaken conference presentations and chaired symposia. He served in the United States Air Force Reserve with three by-name request HQ assignments over 10 years, including work on all AF environmental and pollution prevention compliance issues in the San Antonio TX HQ and service in the office of The Air Force Surgeon General in Washington DC, where he focused on active duty readiness issues.