COLLABORATION IN BASIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (COBASE)

Miguel Bagajewicz visited Krzysztof Urbaniec at the Warsaw University of Technology for two weeks in May 2000. The primary objective of the visit was to engage in discussions to perform joint research in the area of process heat and power integration in process sites. While in Poland, Bagajewicz gave several lectures covering such topics as heat integration between plants, water management, and instrumentation upgrade/data reconciliation. He also toured a large refinery and petrochemical complex in Plock with which the Warsaw University of Technology cooperates.

Since this visit, the two scientists have explored ways to continue their cooperation. Urbaniec invited Bagajewicz to participate in a NATO project involving energy integration in municipalities for various countries. In addition, Bagajewicz agreed to join Urbaniec in serving on the international committee of Press 2001, an annual European conference on process integration. The two also discussed the possibility of organizing an industry-financed workshop in Plock.

In terms of academic cooperation, they plan to focus on two issues: heat integration between plants and the specific retrofit of crude fractionation units. Although research on heat integration among plants is already relatively unique, a novel aspect will be incorporated involving investment planning and risk containment. A proposal will be sent to NSF in order to pursue these fields of research.