Gas Blanketing Controls and How to Contribute to IEH v.5

Sigifredo “Sigfried” NINO
Invensys Systems Canada Inc.

Q: I would like to contribute to the next edition of the Instrument Engineers Handbook. I would like to know what are the formalities and what are the qualifications required. I am a design engineer working with a Danish oil and gas consultant. Please let me know how to proceed.

Deepesh G.K
Rambøll Oil & Gas
Doha - Qatar

A: I am glad that you are writing from outside the United States, because it is time for us to broaden the character of the Instrument Engineers’ Handbook (IEH) from an American to a global one, so that the readers can benefit from the knowledge of process control engineers around the globe.

In preparation for the 5th edition, I have a folder in which I am collecting the names and addresses of the potential co-authors, their areas of interests and their qualifications (resumés), including past publications if any. When somebody offers to update an existing chapter or prepare a new one, I favor colleagues with operating or design experience, because the IEH is written by users and for users, and therefore I want to keep it totally unbiased, which can be hard (although there are outstanding exceptions) for colleagues working for suppliers.

The IEH is a practical handbook. The dirtier its pages get, the happier I am. If you do not have copies of the index of the three volumes (Vol. 1 on measurement, Vol. 2 on control, Vol. 3 on software), I can send them to you. You can find a complete index to all three volumes at www.controlglobal.com/IEHindex.html. In the 5th edition, I plan to insert new material on energy conservation and on the control of renewable energy processes.

I should also note that I have not yet decided if I should take on the preparation of the 5th edition, and if I do, whether I should retain the three-volume format. One option I am thinking about is to find three competent colleagues, each to edit one of the volumes at my guidance as the series editor. Another option I am considering is to abandon the three-volume format and publish each chapter as a separate book. Therefore, when you send me your offer to participate, you have three options:

1. You can offer to update or prepare section(s) in the 4th edition. If this is your preference, name the section(s) you would like to handle.
2. If you are experienced as an editor (put information in your resumé), you can offer to take on the editing of one of the three present volumes.
3. If you are qualified (please elaborate on this in your resumé), you can offer to take on the conversion of one of the chapters into a separate book by updating some of the sections by yourself, and inviting qualified coauthors to update the ones you are less knowledgeable about.

In view of the above, you can send me your resumé, and tell me what role you would like to play.

Béla Lipták