Ryan Krenz Email and Phone Number

Research and development for the CoFlow software package on the network constrained solver, a heuristic solver for integrated production system modelling (IPSM) of combined reservoir and production systems.- Design and code algorithms in C# to implicitly maximize production from reservoir to a surface facility given a set of constraints by breaking a process flowsheet into segments and solving the segments’ mass, momentum, and energy balance equations simultaneously.- Work with customer support and customers to interpret CoFlow solve failures and provide solutions to meet the customer’s short- and long-term needs.- Troubleshoot solver issues examining the model residual and derivative equations, constraints, and solution methods to diagnose situations where there is no solution to the problem posed, or there is one or more solutions that the solution technique failed to find.- Improve robustness using the Newton-Raphson method to solve the nonlinear system of equations by providing good initializations, correct derivatives with respect to all variables, and smoothing discontinuities in model equations when phases and/or components disappear.

Research Areas: Computational Thermodynamics, Process Simulation, Phase Equilibria and Physical Properties for Chemical Process DesignCourses Taught: Engineering Thermodynamics (Engg 311), Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (Ench 427), and the Chemical Engineering Laboratory II (Ench 551).

Expanded and optimized VMGThermo, a phase equilibrium and physical property calculator, the calculation engine for the chemical process simulator VMGSim. - Troubleshot problems with thermodynamic models (equations of state and/or activity coefficient models), physical properties (density, viscosity), calculation algorithms (flash and phase diagrams), and numerical methods (Newton-Raphson, Quasi-Newton).- Accurately represented fluid phase behaviours in VMGThermo by tuning thermodynamic models to published experimental data. Clients used these to model chemical processes such as: oil refineries, sweetening of sour natural gases using chemical or physical solvents, steam generation in power plants, and hydrate inhibition in pipelines.- Improved performance for all phase equilibrium calculations in VMGThermo (and VMGSim) using the AQTime profiler to identify problem areas. Streamlining object calls improved calculation speed for fluid mixtures consisting of five or more chemical species.- Expanded the VMGThermo example code distributed to clients into standard examples written in three programming languages: Visual C++, Visual Basic, and Visual Basic for Applications.- Delivered front-line technical support for VMGThermo. Helped customers such as Neotec and Telvent integrate VMGThermo into their own software solutions.- Performed quality assurance for products: standardized UI interface for easier testing, expanded test suites, final checking of all products (VMGSim, VMGThermo) for release.

- Built simulation cases for direct fired heaters to troubleshoot condensation problems on the tube banks in heavy oil heaters and examine potential solutions.- Assisted in design and layout of fuel gas skids for direct fired heaters.- Prepared as-built piping diagrams onsite for direct-fired heater built for Alberta Envirofuels.

- Performed final layouts of fuel gas skids including actual dimensions of valves, actuators, instrumentation and fitting provided by vendors to ensure adequate clearance for assembly and maintenance.- Drafted onsite wiring diagrams for flow computers at small terminal in Hardisty, AB.