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Harold Birkett

Title Associate Professor
Department Audubon Sugar Institute
E-mail HBirkett@agcenter.lsu.edu
Address 1 3845 Highway 75
St. Gabriel, LA 70776
Phone 225-642-0135
Fax 225-642-8790

Summary of Experience

    Over 40 years sugar, ethanol and sugar by-products experience. Holds a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Registered Professional Engineer in Louisiana. Chief Process Design Engineer and Process Specialist for Schaffer & Associates for past 33 years. Developed computerized Material and Energy programs for the sugar and process industries that facilitate the design of plants and the analysis of factory operation and laboratory reports. Part time Associate Professor Sugar Technology at Audubon Sugar Institute, Louisiana State University. Formerly, process Manager in sugar factories and ethanol facilities in Guyana and USA. Member and past president of the American Society of Sugarcane Technologists and the author of over 50 publications.

Details of Experience

Schaffer & Associates International, L.L.C, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1972 - Present)
Manager - Process Engineering

Material & Energy Balances, and Process Design for sugar factories, sugar refineries, alcohol distilleries, and chemical plants. Air quality calculations. Engineering for new cane sugar mills, cane sugar refineries and sugar facility expansions.

Computerized the entire Material & Energy (Steam) Balance for cane sugar operations. Simulation models used for balancing the factory operations, de-bottlenecking based on actual operating parameters and quality of cane; factory modernizations, expansions and rehabilitations.

Responsible for Computerization of the Lab Report preparation and analysis.

Developed the Cane Core Sampling System for testing sugar content in cane, upon delivery to the factory.

Steam and Energy Utilization - boiler efficiency testing and recommendations for modifications for efficient utilization of energy and to eliminate auxiliary fuel usage.

Raw Cane Factories and Refineries - feasibility studies, basic design, material and energy balances, for new factories, modernization programs, expansion programs, rehabilitations and modifications.

Short course and training programs for SAIL, Audubon Sugar Institute (Louisiana State University) and Nicholls State University (classroom and hands-on).

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1977 - Present)

Associate Professor conducts research at the Audubon Sugar Institute for the Louisiana Sugar Industry.

Instructor for engineering and short courses.

Developed the Cane Core Sampling System for testing sugar content in cane, upon delivery to the factory.

Schaffer & Associates, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1969 - 1977)

Part time while doing graduate work at Louisiana State University on M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

Graduate Assistant

Breaux Bridge Sugar Cooperative, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (1970 Sugar Crop)

In charge of all process operations at a 2400 TCD raw sugar factory

Breaux Bridge Sugar Cooperative, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (1968 Sugar Crop)

In charge of all process operations at a 2400 TCD raw sugar factory

Bookers Sugar Estates, Georgetown, Guyana (1967 - 1968)

Assistant Chief Technologist - Technical assistant and consultant to 9 raw sugar factories (1600 - 5000 tons cane/day). Design and pilot plant investigations.

Blairmont Central Factory, Guyana (1967)

Fabrication Superintendent - in charge of all processing operations for 3000 tons cane/day raw sugar factory

Albion Distilleries, Albion, Guyana (1965 - 1967)

Manager - Fermentation, distillation, aging, blending, warehousing rum for 10,000 liter/day pot still batch rum plant and 6000 liter/day continuous still rum plant.

Schaffer & Associates, & Predecessor Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1964 - 1965)

Part-time while working crops at various sugar factories

Albion Sugar Factory, Berbice, Guyana (1965 - 1967)

Assistant Fabrication Superintendent.

Operation, maintenance, and training of personnel at 3600 tons cane/day raw sugar factory

Meeker Sugar Cooperative, Lecompte, Louisiana (1964 - 1965)

Process control, cane sampling and testing, and cane payment

Arthur G. Keller Consulting Engineers, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1964)

(Predecessor Company of F. C. Schaffer & Associates)

Design, checking and drafting for raw sugar factories

Effluent treatment plant design

PUBLICATIONS:

  • Birkett, H.S. "The Efficiency of the Steam Generating Plant in the Cane Sugar Factory", Proc. B.W.I. Sugar Tech. Vol. 2, 1966: 352-362
  • Birkett, H.S. "An Investigation of Certain Factors Which Influence Raw Sugar Quality", M.S. Thesis, Louisiana State University, August 1971
  • Birkett, H.S. and J.J. Seip. "Core Sampling Studies - 1972", Proc. American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT) Vol. 34(NS), 1974: 195-209
  • Birkett, H.S. and J.J. Seip. "Core Sampling Studies - 1973", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 4(NS), 1975: 163-177
  • Birkett, H.S. "Preliminary Report on the 1974 Factory Scale Core Studies", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 5(NS), 1976: 202-207
  • Birkett, H.S. and J.J. Seip. "Bagasse as a Fuel for the Louisiana Raw Sugar Industry", Energy Resources Situation Study, Working Paper 74-4, Louisiana Department of Conservation. November, 1974
  • Birkett, H.S. "Observations on Louisiana Factory Operations", Sugar Journal, Vol. 39, March 1977: 25-27
  • Birkett, H.S. "The Determination of Sugar Cane Quality in Louisiana by the Core Press Method", Ph.D. Dissertation, Louisiana State University, May 1977
  • Birkett, H.S. "The Fuel and Steam Balance in the Raw Sugar Factory", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 6(NS), 1977: 165-176
  • Birkett, H.S. and J.A. Polack. “Alcohol From Sugar Cane in Louisiana”, The Sugar Journal, May 1978: 9-11
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "Saving Energy in Sugar Mills". Proc. ASSCT Vol. 7, 1978: 167-172
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "Processing of Total, Close-Spaced Cane", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 7(NS), 1978: 173-179
  • Birkett, H.S. "The Multi-Product View of a Fermentation Industry", Proc. First Inter-American Conference on Renewal Sources of Energy, 1979: 215-219
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Improvements in the Technology of Process­ing Sugar Cane in Louisiana Since 1960”, Green Fields: Two Hundred Years of Louisiana Sugar, The Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1980: 99-114
  • Birkett, H.S. "Raw Sugar Manufacturing reports and Factory Performance (Part I)", The Sugar Bulletin, Vol. 58 - No. 23, Sept. 1980
  • Birkett, H.S. "Raw Sugar Manufacturing Reports and Factory Performance (Part II)", The Sugar Bulletin, Vol. 58 - No. 24, Sept. 1980: 10
  • Birkett, H.S. "Computer Solution of the Material and Energy Balance and Analysis of Capacity for a Sugar Factory". Proc. Tenth Convention of the Association of Mexican Sugar Cane Technologists. Sept. 1980
  • Birkett, H.S. "Computer Checking and Analysis of Factory Performance from Manufacturing Run Report" Proc. Tenth Convention of the Association of Mexican Sugar Cane Technologists. Sept. 1980
  • Polack, J.A., H.S. Birkett and M.D. West. "Sugar Cane - Positive Energy Source for Alcohol", Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 77, June 1981: 62-65
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "The Use of Dextranase in Processing Sour Cane", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 8, 1981: 127-133
  • Birkett, Harold. "Review of Papers Presented at the ASSCT Meeting", Sugar Journal, Vol. 44, August 1981: 12
  • Birkett, Harold S. “Deaerators", Sugar Bulletin, Vol. 60, No. 22, August 1982: 6
  • Birkett, H.S. "Evaporation and Sugar Boiling", Sugar y Azucar 1982 Yearbook. Vol XLX: 191-199
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Papers on Factory Operations", Sugar Journal, Vol. 46, August 1983: 14
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Cane Washing", Sugar Bulletin, Vol. 62, No. 5, December 1983: 6-7
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Energy Conservation Measures in the Louisiana Cane Sugar Industry", F. O. Licht's guide to the Sugar Factory Machine Industry. 1984: A91-A94
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Computer Applications", Sugar Journal, Vol. 46, March 1984: 10
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Review of Manufacturing Operations", Sugar Journal, Vol. 47, March 1985: 9-10
  • Birkett, H.S. "Higher Exhaust Steam Pressures", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 4, April 1985: 120
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Trends in the Louisiana Sugar Indus­try", ASSCT Meeting - Louisiana Division, February 7-8, 1985. Sugar Journal, Vol. 47, May 1985: 14-19
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Review of ASSCT Papers - Manufactur­ing", Sugar Journal, Vol. 48, August 1985: 13
  • Birkett, H.S., S.J. Clarke, Y.K. Cho, W. Keenliside and J.A. Polack. "Factors Affecting Mill Extraction", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 5, December 1985: 101-108
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Review of ASSCT Manufacturing Papers", Sugar Journal, Vol. 48, March 1986: 9-10
  • Birkett, H. S., S.J. Clarke, W. Keenliside, J. A. Polack and J. Stein. "1984 ASI Milling Studies", Proc. ASSCT Vol. 6, 1986: 91-101
  • Birkett, H.S., W. Keenliside, J.M. Stein. “ASI 1985 Milling Studies”, ASI 7th Annual Industrial Seminar on Factory Operations, April 10, 1986, 1-18
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Review of ASSCT Papers - Manufactur­ing", Sugar Journal, Vol. 49, August 1986: 18
  • Birkett, H. and J. Stein. “Increasing Sugar Recovery of Low Grade Massecuite”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report for 1987.
  • Birkett, Harold S. "President's Message: Louisiana Divi­sion", Sugar Journal, Vol. 50, August 1987: 7
  • Birkett, H.S. and J. Stein. “1988 Core Sampling”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1988, 183-193.
  • Birkett, Harold. “Review of Manufacturing Papers”, Sugar Journal 51 (March 1989): 9
  • Birkett, H.S. and J. Stein. “1989 Core Sampling”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1989, 229-243
  • Harold Birkett, J. Stein, S.J. Clarke, M. Fontenot, D. Day, D. Sarkar, M. Saska and T. Garcia. “1990 ASI Final Molasses Survey”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1990, 145-147
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1990 Boiler Project”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1990, 148-160
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1991 Boiler Project”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1991, 176-193
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1990-1992 Boiler Results”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1992, 187-213
  • ASI Staff. “1993 ASI Final Molasses Survey”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1993, 177-185
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1993 Milling Tests”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1993, 186-203
  • ASI Staff. “1994 ASI Final Molasses Survey”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1994, 246-254
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1994 Milling Tests”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1994, 255-276
  • ASI Staff. “Analysis of Final Molasses from Louisiana Sugar Factories”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1995, 217-224
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “Mill Performance Tests in Louisiana Sugar Factories”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1995, 225-235
  • ASI Staff. “1996 ASI Final Molasses Survey”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1996, 223-225
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “1996 Milling Studies”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1996, 226-234
  • ASI Staff. “1997 Audubon Sugar Institute Final Molasses Survey”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 1997, 220-222
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “Cane Washing Losses At Louisiana Factories”, LA Agric. Exp. Station Sugarcane Research Annual Report, 2000, 242-245
  • Legendre, Benjamin L., Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “Assessment of Stalk Cold Tolerance of Louisiana Varieties”, Abstract, Journal ASSCT, Volume 22 (June 2002): 120
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Horizontal and Vertical Crystallizers And Batch and Continuous Pans”, ASI Factory Operations Seminar, April 16, 2003, 9 pp.
  • Birkett, Harold. “Core Lab Sugar Prediction, Factory Performance and Liquidation Factor”, Sugar Bulletin, September 2003: 15-16
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Evaluation of C Crystallizers and C Massecuite Reheaters”, ASI Factory Operations Seminar, April 1, 2004: 1-11
  • H.S. Birkett and J.M. Stein. “Cane Washing Losses – Part 1”, Sugar Journal, Vol. 67 No. 4 (September 2004): 17-21
  • H.S. Birkett and J.M. Stein. “Cane Washing Losses – Part 2”, Sugar Journal, Vol. 67 No. 5 (October 2004): 25-28
  • H.S. Birkett and J.M. Stein. “Cane Washing Losses – Part 3”, Sugar Journal, Vol. 67 No. 6 (November 2004): 17-21
  • Viator, Ryan P., Edward P. Richard, Jr., Blaine J. Viator, Windell Jackson, Herman Waguespack and Harold Birkett. “Combine Fan Speed and Ground Speed Effects on Cane Quality, Yield, Losses and Economic Returns”, Abstract, Journal ASSCT, Vol. 24, 2004
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Low Grade Station Operations and Equipment Evaluation”, Annual ASI Factory Operations Seminar, April, 2005, 2-17
  • Viator, R.P., E.P. Richard, B.J. Viator, W. Jackson, H.L. Waguespack and H. Birkett. “Combine Harvester Extractor Fan and Ground Speed Effects on Sugar Yield, Cane Quality and Field Losses”, Submitted to Applied Engineering in Agriculture, December 2005, in review

PRESENTATIONS:

  • Birkett, H.S. and J.A. Polack. "Preliminary Trials of Dextranase", ASSCT Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 10, 1978
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "Alcohol from Sugar Cane in Louisiana", ASSCT Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 10, 1978
  • Birkett, H.S. "Observations on the Louisiana Core Samplers", Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Division of the ASSCT, February 8-9, 1978
  • Birkett, H.S. "A Comparison of Raw Sugar Boiling Schemes", Eighth Annual Joint Meeting of the Florida and Louisiana Divisions of the ASSCT, June 22-23, 1978
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "The Use of Dextranase in Processing Sour Cane", Eighth Annual Joint Meeting of the ASSCT, Orlando, Florida, June 23, 1978
  • Matic, M. H.S. Birkett, S.J. Clarke and J.A. Polack. “Molasses Exhaustion – Louisiana 1980”, Eleventh Annual Joint Meeting of ASSCT, Fort Walton, Florida, June 18-19, 1981
  • Polack, J.A. and H.S. Birkett. "A Look at Very High Pol Sugar, Parts I and II", ASSCT Meeting - Louisiana Division, February 3-4, 1983
  • Birkett, H.S. and J. M. Stein. "Milling Studies", 17th Annual Joint Meeting of the Florida and Louisiana Divisions of the ASSCT, June 1987
  • Birkett, Harold S. "Interpretation of Cane Sampling Results", ASSCT Meeting, February 1988
  • Birkett, Harold S. “The Future of Sugar Technology”, Keynote Speaker, XIII West Indies Sugar Technologists’ Conference, Barbados, April 17-22, 1988
  • Birkett, Harold S. “Forum – Discounts and You”, Nineteenth Annual Joint Meeting of ASSCT, New Orleans, Louisiana, June, 1989
  • Birkett, Harold S. “Fly Ash, Boiler Ash and Emissions”, Waste Products Handling Meeting, Audubon Sugar Institute, May 15, 1990
  • Birkett, H.S. “Core Sampling”, American Sugar Cane League Contact Committee Meeting, Thibodaux, Louisiana, July 12, 1990
  • Birkett, Harold S. “Processing Sugar Beets”, ASSCT Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 14-15, 1991
  • Birkett, H. “Air Quality and Boiler Emissions”, ASI 2nd Annual Environmental and By-Products Seminar, Burden Center Conference Room, May 15, 1991
  • Birkett, Harold. “Core Sampling In Louisiana”, GEPLACEA, Mexico City, Mexico, Summer 1991
  • Birkett, Harold. “Final Molasses Survey”, ASI 17th Annual Factory Operations Seminar, April 9, 1996
  • Birkett, Harold. “Core Sampler and Analysis”, ASI 18th Annual Factory Operations Seminar, Nelson Memorial, April 17, 1997
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Summary of Milling Studies in Louisiana (1992-1996)”, ASSCT- Joint Meeting, Florida, June, 1997
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Corer Update”, American Sugar Cane League Contact Committee Meeting, Thibodaux, Louisiana, July 8, 1998
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Review of New Core Lab Formula Results”, ASSCT, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February, 1999
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Projects During 1998-99 Crop”, ASI Seminar, May 1999
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Cane Washing Losses”, American Sugar Cane League Contact Committee Meeting, Bayou Vista, Louisiana, June 28, 2000
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “The Problem With Trash”, American Sugar Cane League Contact Committee Meeting, Thibodaux, Louisiana, June 27, 2001
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Horizontal and Vertical Crystallizers”, ASI Factory Operations Seminar, April 9, 2002
  • Harold Birkett and Jeanie Stein. “The Effect of Mechanical Harvesting on the Sugar Mills”, ISSCT Agricultural Engineering Workshop on Green vs Burned Cane. Thibodaux, Louisiana, October 13, 2003
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Roundtable Discussion”, ASSCT Meeting – LA Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 3, 2004
  • Birkett, H. and J. Stein. “Low Grade Operations and Equipment Evaluation”, ASSCT Meeting – LA Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 10-11, 2005
  • Birkett, H. and J. Stein. “Evaporator Heat Transfer Coefficients”, ASI Factory Operations Seminar St. Gabriel, Louisiana, April 19, 2005
  • Birkett, Harold. “Effect of Imbibition on Extraction and Steam Balance”, ASI Seminar on Milling, Nelson Memorial Building, LSU Campus, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 11, 2005
  • Birkett, Harold. “Use of Mill Tests for Milling Optimization”, ASI Seminar on Milling, Nelson Memorial Building, LSU Campus, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 11, 2005
  • Birkett, H. “Review of 2005 Crop”, ASSCT Meeting – LA Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 7, 2006
  • Birkett, H. and J. Stein. “Louisiana Milling and Boiler Efficiencies – 2005”, ASSCT Meeting – LA Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 8, 2006
  • Birkett, Harold and Jeanie Stein. “Energy Self-Sufficiency and Cogeneration in Louisiana Cane Sugar, Factories, ASSCT Joint Meeting, Florida, June, 2006

  • Ph.D. Chemical Engineering (1977)
  • M.S. Chemical Engineering (1971)
  • B.S. Chemical Engineering (1964)
  • Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Memberships

  • American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists

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