In Search of Expertise (Part 3): ePTQ

“Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology” -- John Tudor

The Petroleum Technology Quarterly site (www.eptq.com) includes a very informative feature called Technology Q&A.  Experts in various aspects of petroleum technology provide technical answers to very practical problems posed by people in the field.

Consequently, browsing through the Q&A can provide leads on experts you may want to get more information on.  Ralph Ragsdale is one of those people … read on …
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ePTQ Technology Q&A
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Question
Why does the stripping steam trip close when there's a high level in tower?

Answer
27/01/2013  A:  Ralph Ragsdale, Ragsdale Refining Courses, ragsdales@juno.com
The bottom section of a typical coker fractionator contains a proprietary layout of pans, discs and donuts or side-to-side baffles, but no valve trays. So, the typical answer of avoiding an upset of tray sections does not exactly, but does directionally apply. Stripping steam is injected into a vapor space, intended to flow evenly through either horizontal or vertically flowing layers of liquid. When a high level covers the injection point of the steam, unnecessary agitation occurs, adding to the possibility of damage to the internals. 
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To learn more about Ralph, I Googled him in Scholar.  Here is what I found …

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Google Scholar: Ralph Ragsdale

US refiners choosing variety of routes to produce clean fuels
R Ragsdale - Oil and Gas Journal;(United States), 1994 - osti.gov
Description/Abstract Passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 has prompted US
refiners to install new facilities to comply with stricter specifications for gasoline and diesel
fuel. Refiners are choosing a number of routes to produce these clean fuels. A roundup of ...
Cited by 6 Related articles Cite

Low pressure coker operation with distillate recycle
CJ Kruse, R Ragsdale, JR Roth, GC Hughes - 1995 - osti.gov
Description/Abstract Todays highly competitive refining industry requires new and existing
process units to maximize the production of high-value products while minimizing capital
and operating expenses. Refiners are rapidly optimizing the design and operation of units, ...
Cited by 2 Related articles Cite

[CITATION] Economics of Resid Conversion Processes
R Ragsdale - 1990 - National Petroleum Refiners …
Cited by 1 Related articles Cite

Reduction of Greenhouse Gases
RD Ragsdale - US Patent App. 12/725,409, 2010 - Google Patents
The heat removal and recovery systems of a nuclear energy source and the heat
requirements of a nearby industrial facility are designed to achieve zero or near-zero
greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial facility. Alternative arrangements of heat ...
All 2 versions Cite

[CITATION] The economics of integrating refining and petrochemicals
R Ragsdale, GL Ewy - PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY …, 1999 - CRAMBETH ALLEN

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Next, I searched for him in LinkedIn.  You can look for people from within LinkedIn, of course, but I like to use Google …

Google Search String: linkedin ralph ragsdale

Here is the result …

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Ralph Ragsdale
Owner at Ragsdale Refining Courses
Houston, Texas (Houston, Texas Area) Oil & Energy
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View Ralph's full profile
Ralph Ragsdale's Overview
Current Owner at Ragsdale Refining Courses
Past Executive Technical Director at Bechtel
Technology Mgr. at MW Kellogg
Senior Process Engr. at Stearns Catalytic Co.
see all
Education Rice University
Connections
87 connections
Websites Company Website
Ralph Ragsdale's Experience
Owner
Ragsdale Refining Courses
June 2007– Present (6 years)
Courses in petroleum refining technologies
Executive Technical Director
Bechtel
Privately Held; 10,001+ employees; Construction industry
1991– 2001 (10 years)
Technology Mgr.
MW Kellogg
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Oil & Energy industry
1986– 1991 (5 years)Houston
Senior Process Engr.
Stearns Catalytic Co.
1983– 1986 (3 years)Denver, CO
Process mgr.
Fluor
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; FLR; Construction industry
1972– 1983 (11 years)
Sr. Process Engineer
Tenneco Oil Co.
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; TEN; Automotive industry
1966– 1972 (6 years)Chalmette, La. and Denver, Co.
Process Engineer
Signal Oil & Gas Co.
1953– 1966 (13 years)Houston, TX
Formerly Eastern States Petroleum and Chemical Co.
Ralph Ragsdale's Skills & Expertise
Process Simulation
Oil/Gas
Petrochemical
Process Engineering
Petroleum
Ralph Ragsdale's Education
Rice University
BA, BS, ChE
1949 – 1954
Ralph Ragsdale's Additional Information
Websites:• Company Website
Groups and Associations:
Chemical Process Engineers
Hydrocarbon Processing
Oil & Gas Process Engineer
Oil Refinery Professional
Petroleum Downstream
The Process Engineer
The Process Engineering Connection
World Refining Technology
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The result of all this searching is that we know enough about Ralph to determine whether to trust what he says in the ePTQ Technology Q&A … and, by extension, whether to add him to our list of experts for future reference.