Author Profile
33 Results Found
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A 1978 Perspective on Control Systems Future
ISA author Ed Farmer shares his 1978 writings project on the future of the industry, and updates us with his 2021 perspectives. -
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Reflecting on an Automation Career
In the last post of his guest series, ISA Fellow Ed Farmer reflects on his multi-decade career in automation. -
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Coding for Automation Projects Is More Than Writing Code
Translating mathematical equations into code can lead to precision errors. The condition the system is intended to detect must match the scope of the math. -
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What Is a Meaningful Sample for a Statistical Analysis?
An ISA Fellow recounts the evolution of process control work that he has experienced. -
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Searching for the Next Big Thing for a Career in Industrial Automation
An ISA Fellow describes his family history in mining, engineering, and aviation while speculating about the future of industrial automation. -
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How to Achieve Career Success in Process Automation
ISA Fellow Ed Farmer advises process automation engineers who are just starting their career paths. -
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Can You Diagnose Problems in an Industrial System with No Observability?
An experienced engineer compares the process of solving a pipeline problem in his neighborhood with similar situations in industrial settings. -
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The Role of Standards and Regulations in a Pipeline Leak Detection Plan
One of the important objectives of a leak detection plan is specifying the required sensitivity. The two usual ways of doing that begin with either a leak hole size or a percent of mainline flow crite -
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My Journey on a "Yellow Brick" Path to Becoming an ISA Fellow
ISA author and leak detection expert Ed Farmers shares his life experiences in industrial automation on the road to becoming an ISA Fellow. -
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Energy in Fluid Mechanics
A common issue in a lot of pipeline work is ensuring the physical line data and operating data are consistent. -
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The Enigma of Process Knowledge
Cryptography is a good way to enhance understanding of the more esoteric portions of a journey to understand the difference between what is stochastic and what is deterministic. -
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An Introduction to Operations Research in the Process Industries
Operations research concepts are well-known in the field of project management and are evident in Gantt charts and critical path method organization and planning. -
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Pipeline Leak Size: If We Can’t See It, We Can’t Detect It
Pieplein leaks produce flow at locations and times associated with the leak event. The occurrence, size, location, stability, and impact are all stochastic. -
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What Is Frequency Domain and How Can It Be Applied to Industrial Pipeline Flow?
Knowing the frequency content of a time-domain depiction of a process variable helps expose the magnitude and frequencies of its frequency-domain component parts. -
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How Long Does It Take to Detect a Leak on an Oil or Gas Pipeline?
In pipeline leak detection, If we know upstream and downstream pressure and flow, we can make assumptions about what is happening on that piece of pipe. -
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Raw Beginnings: The Evolution of Offshore Oil Industry Pipeline Safety
A lot of insight and work goes into oil industry leak detection projects, and a lot of amazing things come out. -
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Why You Must Factor Maintenance Into the Cost of Any Industrial System
Maintenance is as important as the selection & implementation of an industrial system. It's not an extra cost, but is an inherent price of this technology. -
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How Does Heat Transfer Affect Operation of Your Natural Gas or Crude Oil Pipeline?
There are four methods of heat transfer in most industrial pipeline situations. Each involves significantly different methodology and calculations. -
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What Is the Connection Between All of the Inputs and the Output of an Industrial Process?
The relationships among process parameters can be explored mathematically with a mathematical procedure called sensitivity analysis. -
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How Differing Conditions Impact the Validity of Industrial Pipeline Monitoring and Leak Detection Assumptions
Understanding how the process system and automation equipment work is crucial in pipeline leak detection.














