Salman Zafar

Senior Process Engineering professional with 16+ years of experience in chemical process plants designing, nuclear facility design, operations, commissioning, shutdowns, and process safety implementation. Extensive hand on experience in Front End Engineering Design, EPC, Commissioning, Installation and Operation phases. Participation experience in HAZOP, HAZID, and Bow‑Tie Workshop studies, contributing to systematic hazard identification, cause–consequence analysis, barrier definition, and risk reduction to ALARP levels across FEED, EPC, commissioning, and operational stages.

Principal Engineer – Process Design and Commissioning at Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) (2020-01 – Present)

• Developed Front End Engineering Design package (HMB, PFD's & P&ID's, Line sizing and Hydraulics Calculations) for the recovery of useful heavy elements from waste streams (2 phase).
• Design of waste stream concentration evaporator unit with reflux condenser and reboiler unit for variable concentrations feed mixture to achieve desired concentration for further separations processes.
• Process Design Selection and Installation of Pumping System for 2 phase concentrated streams from evaporator containing TDS value of 500 and above.
• Design of PSV and PRV for concentration evaporator unit and pumping system regarding overpressure scenarios as per API code.
• Supervised Equipment and piping commissioning for the waste stream concentration project
• Developed and Implemented In Service Inspection guidelines for plant equipment and machinery including piping for detection of material failure and deformity under extreme temperature and pressure conditions.
• Managed continuous, safe operation of chemical process plants, ensuring compliance with stringent HSE and environmental standard
• Participated in HAZOP studies as a Process Design Engineer, supporting structured hazard identification, deviation analysis, and safeguard assessment; integrated HAZOP recommendations into process design and operating procedures to reduce operational risks and enhance plant safety integrity.
• Participated in HAZID studies as a Process Design Engineer, supporting early‑stage hazard identification across design, installation, commissioning, and operational phases of new process units, leading to improved risk awareness and proactive design modifications to prevent potential safety and operability issues.
• Implementation of HIRA concept in process design, installation and operations for new projects.
• Planned and executed major plant shutdowns and maintenance activities while ensuring safe startup.
• Optimized plant parameters to enhance production efficiency, equipment reliability, and process safety performance.
• Supervising shift engineers to ensure safe trouble-free plant operations ensuring personnel and environmental safety standards and optimizing processes to achieve maximum productivity.
• Technical training of fresh junior engineers enabling them to lead plant shift operations and enhancing their problem-solving skills to handle plant emergency situations in response to any accidental event.

Senior Engineer – Process Design and Commissioning at Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) (2011-01 – 2020-12)

• Developed Front End Engineering Design package (HMB, PFD's & P&ID's, Line sizing and Hydraulics Calculations) for the production and recovery of molybdenum (used as cancer tracer) product dissolution reactor and Ion exchange column method.
• Designing of dissolution reactor with simultaneously operating heating jacket (for fuel dissolution) and cooling jackets (for off gas cooling and recovery) ensuring thermal knocking prevention and material failure.
• Process Design Calculation and Installation of Nitrogen Gas and Air operated Pumping System i.e. Air Jets and Air Lifts mechanism to ensure purity of molybdenum product and contaminants free.
• Design of PSV/PRV for molybdenum production reactor and its allied pumping unit under reactor steam control valve failure scenario.
• Designing of Iodine adsorption column using silver or activated charcoal as adsorbent from gas stream and aqueous phases
• Designing of Vacuum Purging and Decay system for radioactive long lived gases from dissolution reactor using controlled off gas removal using interlocking with reactor steam heating control valve and purging vacuum pumps.
• Led cold commissioning activities using water and acidic media, validating process performance before hot commissioning.
• Developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for normal operations, startup, shutdown, and emergency conditions.
• Prepared process unit description and equipment specification sheets for detailed understanding of plant and its vital components.
• Prepared Process Instrumentation Datasheets for Instrumentation Engineers based on Final P&ID's
• Supervised process piping installation, ensuring compliance with approved isometrics, layouts, and process specifications as per ASME B31.3.
• Executed equipment layout and installation based on Auto PLANT 3D models.
• Managed quality assurance documentation, inspection, and testing during mechanical fabrication activities.
• Designed and commissioned test rigs for calibration of air lifts, steam jets, and air jet condensers used in restricted-access zones.
• Coordinated international procurement and inspection of stainless-steel filters, pipes, and fittings from global vendors.
• Supervised fabrication and QA/QC inspection of stainless-steel process equipment per approved drawings and standards.
• Development of quality plans and quality documents during equipment fabrication inspection activities as part of quality assurance programme in PAEC.
• Troubleshooting and maintenance free operation of process utilities section in chemical separation plant.

Junior Engineer – Process Plant Design at Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) (2009-01 – 2011-12)

• Developed Material & Energy balances, PFDs, P&IDs, Line sizing and Hydraulic calculations as per Basic Engineering Package.
• Prepared and reviewed Process Equipment (Pressure vessels and Storage tanks) design Sketches and Technical Specifications for mechanical engineers for fabrication drawings preparation.
• Thermal design of Shell and Tube Heat exchangers and Condensers for Off Gas recovery from Fuel Dissolution Reactor using Aspen HTFS and HTRI Software.
• Designing of Packed Column for NOx Absorption and trace gases to ensure complete removal from effluent gas into the exhaust stack.
• Designed Mixer Settler and Pulse Columns based Solvent extraction/Liquid Liquid Extraction systems for metal separation processes using Aspen LexSet.
• Designing Calculations of Relief Valve (PSV/PRV) for Dissolution reactor Overpressure scenarios as per API 520/521
• Developed Distribution Flow Drawing for Process Utilities (Steam, Chilled Water, Cooling Water, Hot Water, Instrument Air, Process Oxygen and Nitrogen) into the Process Operation Area.
• Designing of Non-Mechanical moving equipment Steam Jets and Air lifts for radioactive and flammable stream from reactor to storage vessels.
• Prepared Technical Specification for Procurement of Positive Displacement Metering Pumps and Plate and Frame Heat Exchangers for Process Utilities Flow requirement from international vendors.
• Preparation of Technical Specification for Procurement of Pipes, Pipe Fittings and Valves as per ASME and API Standards
• Procurement and Inspection of Stainless-Steel Pipe (ASME B36.19), Pipe Fittings (B16.5) and Valves (B16.34) from vendors in China

MS in Process Engineering – Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIEAS) (2007-01 – 2009-12)

B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering – NFC Institute of Engineering & Technological Training (2001-01 – 2006-12)