Althaf Valappil Kader
About Althaf Valappil Kader
Althaf Valappil Kader is a Process Automation Engineer currently working at FERCHAU in Dow Chemicals, Stade, Germany. He has extensive experience in process control systems, safety instrument systems, and alarm optimization, with previous roles at companies such as Yokogawa, KBR, and ABB.
Current Role at FERCHAU
Althaf Valappil Kader currently works as a Process Automation Engineer at FERCHAU, focusing on projects for Dow Chemicals in Stade, Germany. He has held this position since 2019, contributing to various automation and control processes. His responsibilities include conducting Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) to design independent protection control layers aimed at mitigating process hazards. He also develops process control strategies and prepares control narratives for various systems, including distillation columns and utilities.
Previous Experience in Process Automation
Before joining FERCHAU, Althaf Valappil Kader accumulated extensive experience in process automation across several organizations. He worked at KBR, Inc. as a Senior Technical Professional from 2015 to 2019, where he was deputed to Dow Chemicals in Chennai. Prior to that, he served as a Control System Engineer at ABB for one year and as a Control System Engineer at Yokogawa for three years. His career also includes a role as a Project Engineer at Praj Industries and a brief tenure as an Executive - Instrumentation at Biocon.
Educational Background in Instrumentation Engineering
Althaf Valappil Kader holds a Bachelor of Electronics and Instrumentation degree from KMEA Engineering College, where he studied from 2006 to 2009. His educational background has provided him with a solid foundation in instrumentation engineering, which he has applied throughout his career in various roles related to process automation and control systems.
Technical Expertise in Process Control Systems
Althaf Valappil Kader possesses significant technical expertise in process control systems. He has working knowledge in programming and troubleshooting on the MOD5 DCS platform, and he specializes in state-based control system configuration and design utilizing the ISA95 / S88 model. His skills extend to safety instrument system programming, control loop configuration, and PID tuning, which enhance process control efficiency. He also evaluates existing safety interlocks and provides solutions to comply with ISA84.01/IEC 61511 standards.
Contributions to Process Safety and Automation
In his roles, Althaf Valappil Kader has made contributions to process safety and automation. He conducts integrated testing and code validation using various simulation platforms, ensuring the reliability of control systems. He optimizes alarm parameters through systematic creation and justification processes, enhancing overall safety and operational efficiency in chemical plants.