Instrumentation Process Control Engineer Expert Witness

TYPES OF CASES

• Sewage flowmeters used for billing were not accurate and helped CTA persuade MACM to correct said installations.
• Allegations that the instrumentation review process caused construction delays.
• Investigated an incident where swimming pool chemicals mixed to produce a chlorine cloud in which Plaintiff was injured
• Investigated the performance of a flowmeter measuring and billing for effluent to the water treatment facility to defend allegations that the flowmeter was measuring erroneously low for many years.
• Defended claims that 50 year-old flowmeters passing approximately $200 million of steam per year were inaccurate,
• Investigated and wrote a report regarding the installation of a water flowmeter used for billing that was not properly installed.
• Investigating the installation and operation of a large municipal sewage flowmeter to determine why it is not measuring accurately.
• Consulting expert for two patent infringement cases
• Food Service natural gas flowmeter
• Elmira Floral boiler outage
• Water meters
• Winery SO2 flowmeter
• Chlorine Loading/Unloading Valve

SUMMARY

• Life Fellow of the International Society of Automation (ISA) for contributions in flow measurement (2007)
• Instrumentation and process control engineer with extensive design and plant experience
• Developed original upgrades and energy-saving projects
• Director of Weed Instrument (1995-1997)
• Awarded MSEE in Optimal Control (University of Illinois)
• Awarded BSEE with Honors (University of Connecticut)
• Fluent in Portuguese and semi-fluent in Spanish

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Private Co., LLC, Principal, Chestnut Ridge, NY 2002-present

Provides instrumentation, process control and market research consulting services to industry and manufacturers.

• Developed Consumer Guides for various flow and level measurement technologies
• Wrote various market studies and analysis
• Writes whitepapers and articles for instrumentation manufacturers and end-users
• Teaches “Industrial Flow Measurement” seminars
• Performs expert witness work
• Provides consulting services to various manufacturers and end-users

COPPERHILL AND POINTER, Principal, Chestnut Ridge, NY 1986-Present
Provides instrumentation and process control consulting services to industry and manufacturers.  Added specialization in flow measurement, advanced regulatory control and the application of variable speed drives.

• Performed flow laboratory uncertainty analysis that resulted in over 20 recommendations for improvement
• Taught numerous flow measurement and instrumentation seminars
• Performed expert witness work including testimony in Federal court
• Developed protocol for testing competitive instruments
• Performed analysis to identify problems with an important instrument in a nuclear power plant

NEPERA, Harriman, NY 1983-1998
Lead Utility and Instrumentation Engineer
Managed the instrumentation, electrical, and utility areas on a plant wide basis, including long range capital planning, utility process engineering, boiler and incinerator controls, energy conservation and the development and implementation of capital projects addressing system efficiency, system simplification, operating flexibility, reliability and maintainability.  Familiar with RCRA, cGMP and NFPA/NEC.

• Increased profitability by US$ 1,100,000 per year by installing novel control valves that increased main reactor and byproduct processing capacities by 15% and 33%, respectively.
• Reduced annual energy costs by US$ 250,000 by substituting a waste fume for combustion air and by atomizing with plant air instead of steam.
• Eliminated the need for an expenditure of US$ 75,000 plus ongoing maintenance expenses and environmental problems by championing a hazard review that eliminated the need for explosion doors.

MOBAY CHEMICAL, Pittsburgh, PA 1980-1983
Senior Process Control Systems Engineer – Corporate Staff
Executed the instrumentation portion of capital projects throughout the corporation.  Non-project assignments included the development of an instrumentation estimating procedure and a flowmeter technology study.

UNITED STATES STEEL, Pittsburgh, PA 1975-1980
Instrumentation Engineer – Corporate Staff
Performed the scoping, estimating, specification, preparation of installation drawings, and startup assistance for process instrumentation systems on various steel-making processes. Effectively coordinated the activities of outside engineering contractors and vendors.  Spent 12 months in Brazil directing calibration, checkout, dry run and startup.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Life Fellow of the International Society of Automation (ISA) in “recognition of contributions to flow measurement and variable speed drives for process control” (2007)
• Member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed Conduits Main Committee and various subcommittees (1985 – Present)
• Member of ISO TC30 SC9 WG4 – Selection of Flowmeters (1998 – 2006)
• INTECH Editorial Advisory Board Member (1995 – Present)
• Processing Editorial Advisory Board Member (2023 – Present)
• Flow Control Editorial Advisory Board Member (1996 – 2022)
• INTECH Brasil Editorial Advisory Board Member (2002 – 2007)
• Knovel Editorial Advisory Board Member (2011 – 2015)
• Instructor teaching variable speed drive technology seminars for the Association of Energy Engineers (1988-1996)
• Adjunct Instructor teaching industrial flow measurement and variable speed drive seminars at the ISA Training Center, ISA International Conferences, and at various other locations. (1983 – Present)
• Speaker at ISA meetings/conferences and other technical events to include the Inaugural Keynote Address at the Global Conference and Exhibition on Innovative Solutions in Flow Measurement and Control (flotek.g) in Palakkad, India (2017)

PUBLICATIONS: Written over 10 books and over 350 technical articles. Available upon request. Reviews books and papers by others as requested.

AWARDS: Available upon request.