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Canada-Japan Co-op Program Experiential Report Internship Period: June 2011 - August 2011 Sumitomo Chemical Corporation 5-1 Sobiraki-cho Niihama, Ehime, Japan 792-8521 http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/ Cherie Tan University of British Columbia Chemical and Biological Engineering August 31, 2011

Cerie Tan Sumitomo Chemical 2011

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Cerie Tan Sumitomo Chemical 2011

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  • Canada-Japan Co-op Program

    Experiential Report Internship Period: June 2011 - August 2011

    Sumitomo Chemical Corporation

    5-1 Sobiraki-cho

    Niihama, Ehime, Japan 792-8521

    http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/

    Cherie Tan

    University of British Columbia

    Chemical and Biological Engineering

    August 31, 2011

  • i

    Table of Contents

    1. Company History and Overview1

    2. Department/Organization 2.1 Roles and Responsibilities..2 2.2 Work Environment3

    3. Living Arrangements5

    4. Cultural Experiences

    4.1 Daily Life.6 4.2 Summer Activities.7

    5. Recommendations for students...9

    6. Conclusion..10

  • 1

    1. Company History and Overview

    The origin of Sumitomo Chemical dates back to 1913 when the House of Sumitomo

    aimed to solve the problem of sulphur dioxide emissions from the Besshi Copper Mines

    in Ehime, Japan. A plant was initially constructed to produce fertilizers from sulphur

    dioxide but over the years, the company has expanded its business, products and

    services not only within Japan but also worldwide. The Sumitomo Group currently has

    19 major independent companies and Sumitomo Chemical is one of them.

    Sumitomo Chemical has five sectors, Basic Chemicals, Petrochemicals and Plastics,

    IT-related Chemicals, Health and Crop Sciences and Pharmaceuticals. There are

    various plants located throughout Japan with the oldest based in Niihama, Ehime where

    Sumitomo Chemical was founded. Three industrial districts currently exist in Niihama,

    and they are: Ehime Works (Niihama District), Ohe Works and Ehime Works (Kikumoto

    District). Ehime Works is the domestic base for the Basic Chemicals sector and some of

    its major products include Caprolactum, Methionine, Acrylonitrile, Polymethyl

    Methacrylate resin and many more.

    Figure 1. One of the old entrances to the

    Besshi Copper Mines on Besshiyama

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    2. Department and Work Environment

    2.1 Role and Responsibilities

    As a Co-op student at Sumitomo Chemical, I was part of the Process Systems

    Engineering (PSE) Group which is within the Process and Production Technology

    Center at Ehime Works. The Process and Production Technology Center focuses on

    chemical research to study new processes for the plants and improve existing ones.

    There are three Centers in Japan based in Osaka, Chiba and Ehime.

    The PSE Group at Ehime Works consists of two teams. One team focuses on

    process control while our team focuses on the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics

    (CFD) in the design of new plant processes or improvement of an existing one.

    I learnt about the basics of CFD and its applications to industrial problems, focusing

    particularly on multiphase flow. I began learning about the applications of CFD by

    performing basic simulations such as heat flow and CSTR exercises. This also helped

    me to understand the basics of programming. From there, I developed codes using the

    Fortran programming language to carry out various simulations of fluid flow before

    moving on to multiphase flow. Following that, I was able to test various numerical

    schemes and compared them to assess their effectiveness for the individual simulations

    performed. Thus, I was able to select the best scheme for carrying out the simulations

    for cases in which the sharpness of the interface along with mass conservation were

    very important. I also had the opportunity to conduct visualization experiments for

    comparison with the earlier simulations performed. The experiments provided an

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    excellent means of confirming our simulation results and a better understanding of the

    phenomenon occurring.

    The role as an intern in the team really expanded my knowledge of basic

    programming and the applications of fluid dynamics in a chemical plant. Prior to this

    work term, I only had a basic understanding of computer programming and also a

    limited understanding of how fluid dynamics was applied beyond a theoretical viewpoint.

    With this work experience, I am able to better understand fluid dynamics, its

    applications and also the usage of Fortran and simulation softwares such as Fluent. All

    these I can apply to my final year of undergraduate study. Furthermore, the experience

    working in a large scale chemical plant has definitely been a rewarding one. As part of

    the work introduction, we were taken on a site visit of one of the plants at Ehime Works

    and we were briefed on the production process of Methionine.

    2.2 Work Environment

    Our group consists of 13 members lead by our Group Manager and our 2 team

    leaders. All the members of our group are extremely caring, humble and approachable

    people. They are patient with our learning and enthusiastic about sharing the Japanese

    culture with us. Having this opportunity to work with them has been an enriching and

    unforgettable experience. One major aspect of the Japanese culture is the politeness of

    the people whether at work or in the community. No matter where we are, a friendly

    greeting can be heard or even a tiny bow is given to strangers. These are the small

    actions that help to start conversations and practice our Japanese language skills!

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    Furthermore, the group/teams threw various welcome parties for the interns which

    helped to bond the co-workers together. The company really emphasizes on building

    good relationships between co-workers by organizing events to allow us to get to know

    one another better. A lot of effort is placed to help newcomers feel comfortable with the

    work environment.

    Figure 2. Welcome party at the companys clubhouse

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    3. Living Arrangements

    There are various company dormitories throughout the city for all Sumitomo

    employees. The dormitory that Co-op students and interns are assigned to is relatively

    new and equipped with a cafeteria, gym and activities room. Two meals are provided at

    the cafeteria each day at a reasonable cost (250 yen for breakfast and 450 yen for

    dinner) and the dormitory personnel are extremely friendly and approachable. A single

    room is assigned to each individual and this includes a private washroom with shower

    and bath, small kitchen and bedroom. A common laundry area can also be found on

    each floor and the use of the washer, dryer and iron is free of charge.

    Figure 3. Company Dormitory Figure 4. Typical dinner at the dormitory cafeteria

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    4. Cultural Experiences

    4.1 Daily Life

    Throughout my stay in Japan, there were plenty of opportunities for experiencing the

    uniqueness of the Japanese culture. Beginning with the living arrangements, our

    dormitory rooms had a traditional tatami bed and futon in place of a typical mattress.

    Also, it is customary to greet others in the hallway with Ohayou Gozaimasu, Konnichiwa

    or Konbanwa depending on the time of day. Meals served in the cafeteria almost always

    had rice, miso soup and seaweed as part of the set, which are staple foods in Japan. As

    an employee at Sumitomo Chemical, we were provided bicycles for our daily

    transportation purposes. This was a challenge for me but an absolutely rewarding

    experience considering that cycling is an extremely common mode of transportation for

    the Japanese people.

    Figure 5. Cycling to work during Japans monsoon season

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    4.2 Summer Activities

    Since my work term took place for the duration of the summer, I had the opportunity

    to participate in various summer activities. These include summer festivals such as the

    famous Gion Matsuri and Sumitomo Chemicals Natsu Matsuri. This gave us an

    opportunity to meet family members of our co-workers and enjoy performances put up

    by the various departments. The festive spirit and enthusiasm of the Japanese people is

    undeniably an amazing part of their culture. Furthermore, we had many chances to

    travel and go sightseeing on weekends to Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. Each city in

    Japan has its own history and unique cultures for us to experience and enjoy. In order

    to brush up on our language skills, we took Japanese classes twice a week conducted

    by a volunteer organization. This gave us the opportunity to meet other foreigners and

    learn more about the language together.

    Figure 6. Matsuyama Castle in Ehime

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    Figure 7. Crowds of people at the famous Gion Matsuri in Kyoto

    Figure 8. Dressed in the traditional yukata

    for Sumitomos Natsu Matsuri Figure 9. Itsukushima Torii (floating

    gate) in Miyajima, Hiroshima

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    5. Recommendations for students

    In order to ease the transition from North America to life in Japan, I would highly

    recommend an open heart and mind to accept a culture that is similar to ours in some

    ways yet different in many others. The Japanese culture is so richly developed from

    history and generations of tradition. Once settled in, the customs and mannerisms are

    easy to get used to. On the contrary, living in a smaller city like Niihama might actually

    be an easier transition for Co-op students given that the pace of life is a little slower

    than that of bigger cities and less of a concrete jungle environment. Furthermore, the

    chances to experience a typical Japanese lifestyle are higher in smaller cities too.

    For my internship position at Sumitomo Chemical, I would recommend that students

    have a basic knowledge of computer programming and an interest in fluid dynamics.

    Although prior experience in programming is not absolutely necessary for the position, it

    would benefit the student to have a little knowledge beforehand. Most importantly, the

    student should have a passion for learning as this is one of the main contributors

    towards completing a successful and fulfilling work term. As long as the student

    possesses an enthusiastic attitude and mindset, they will easily transition into the work

    and culture here.

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    6. Conclusion

    Working in Japan for two and a half months has been a really amazing experience

    despite the short stay. I had plenty of opportunities to experience the culture and

    traditions of Japan in a different way than if I was a traveller. Being able to live and work

    in another country and another continent has definitely been an eye-opener with many

    unforgettable stories.

    In addition, being able to work for a large chemical corporation has definitely been

    the most rewarding experience for my Co-op duration. The skills and knowledge that I

    have acquired here will no doubt be of great use towards the rest of my academic and

    career development.

    I really appreciate the efforts of the Canada-Japan Co-op Program in helping me

    secure a placement here in Japan and also Sumitomo Chemical for giving me the

    opportunity to experience life here as an intern. I would highly recommend the program

    to all students looking for a chance to experience work and life in a country so rooted in

    culture and tradition and also to work for an excellent company like Sumitomo Chemical.