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EDITORIAL
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Jasu Shah Maulik Jasubhai Shah Hemant Shetty Mittravinda Ranjan (mittra_ranjan@jasubhai.com) D P Misra, N G Ashar, Prof. M C Dwivedi P V Satyanarayana, Dr S R Srinivasan, R B Darji, R P Sharma Bernard Rapose (bernard_rapose@jasubhai.com) Harshal Y Desai (harshal_desai@jasubhai.com) Girija Dalvi (girija_dalvi@jasubhai.com) Arun Parab, Umesh Chougule Abhijeet Mirashi Dilip Parab Brenda Fernandes V Raj Misquitta (Head), Arun Madye
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4 • November 2014
NEWS ► Industry News / 6 Technology News / 18
NEWS FEATURES ► Industry Needs will Drive the Growth of Renewable Chemicals in Asia: Crécy / 22 Government Recognises Corrosion Control as 3rd Dimension in GMP / 26
FEATURES ►
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‘Make in India’ with SMAC / 30 – Ramesh Subramanian, Global Delivery Head, Blue Star Infotech Integrating, Sharing and Analysis of Big Data: A Game Changer for Chemical Industry / 34 – Arun Ramachandran, Country Manager (Data Computing Division), EMC India BDA and IoT: Redefining Chemical Industry / 38 – Abhijeet Mhatre, Co-Founder & R&D Head, Covacsis Technologies Developments in Instrumentation Calibration Tools / 42 – Mike Shelton, Product Manager, GE Measurement & Control Rapid Estimation of Comonomer Content in Polyolefins by FTIR / 48 – Dr G Sivalingam, AVP (Technology), M Saroop, Sr Manager, Technology Group, RIL India Naphthalene Market - Key Insights & Perspectives / 50 – Karan Chechi, Research Director, TechSci Research
MARKET INSIGHTS ► A Framework to Attain Operational Excellence / 58
MARKETING INITIATIVE ► Outokumpu’s High Performance Stainless Steel Helps to Remove Power Plant’s SO 2 Emissions Efficiently / 64 Automatic - Self Cleaning Filter Systems an Innovation by Filter Concept
/ 66
PRODUCTS ► / 69 EVENTS ► / 76 PROJECT UPDATE ► /77 BACK OF BOOK ► Ad Index / 81 Book Shelf / 79 Interview/ 82 “The Chemical Industry Needs to Blow Against the Wind” – Frank Lelek, President Region India, Evonik Industries Cover image courtesy: GE Measurement & Control Disclaimer: The Editorial/Content team at Jasubhai Media Pvt Ltd has not contributed to writing or editing “Marketing Initiative.” Readers would do well to treat it as an advertisement.
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Chemical Engineering World
CEW Industry News NRL to Build Biorefinery with Finnish Firm
P. Padmanabhan, Managing Director, NRL shaking hand with Pasi Rousu, President, APAC, Chempolis
Guwahati, India: Chempolis Ltd, a Finland-based biorefining technology corporation signed a partnership agreement with Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to jointly partner to build a world class biorefinery using Chempolis formicobio technology in Assam for producing bioethanol with co-production of furfural and acetic acid from locally available cellulosic biomass. Signing took place in the presence of visiting President of India Pranab Mukherjee and President of Finland Sauli Niinistö. Agreement commits both the par ties to set up the biorefinery utilising Chempolis’ for micobio technology, using bamboo as main biomass which is abundantly available in the state of Assam in North-East India. Project implementation is expected to take approximately 2.5 years. Navin Singhania, President, Chempolis India, said, “Bamboo is an important raw material in North-East region of India accounting 66 per cent of the country’s bamboo resources. This agreement aiming at utilisation of bamboo is completely in line with objectives of India. For NRL production of fuel grade ethanol will result in substantial savings, in addition, this project is expected to have minimal carbon footprint.”
Sandvik to Expand Manufacturing & R&D Base New Delhi, India: Sandvik is increasing the c o m p a ny ’s m a n u fa c t u r i n g a n d R & D b a s e in India. This is in light of the production at the Indian facilities being of ‘high quality’ and even competing with Japan. As a result, Sandvik will be setting up a new facility in Chakan, Maharashtra. The first phase would Olaf Faxander President and CEO involve an investment of USD 45 million for the manufacturing and R&D facility in Maharashtra. Sandvik AB This facility will be getting strategic investments over next five years and development will begin mid-2015 and the facility would be operational from 2016. Sandvik is expected to hire about 100 people for the R&D facility in the following years. Olaf Faxander, President and CEO, Sandvik AB, said that the company’s facility in India has been one among the top two or three with respect to the product quality. He went on to add that India often competes with Japan which is the company’s highest quality index. In India, maximum growth segment were machine cutting tools for the mining and construction as well as the automotive sector. 6 • November 2014
Environmental Clearances to be Made Simpler New Delhi, India: Fertilizer ministry in India is seeking opinion and suggestions of different companies to make the environment cleanrce process simpler wihtin the country. Specific suggestions are being sought by the ministry which are intended to simplify the process of environmental clearances along with having a single window clearance in place. The letter sent to the Single Super Phosphate (SSP) and phosphate & potassic (P&K) fertiliser companies asked for information on whether the Department of Environment of States, Ministry of Environment and Forest or State Pollution Control Boards have caused any delays or harassment. Furthermore, the ministry is seeking information about the companies which have already obtained environmental clearance in the past 10-15 years and delays they faced. Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) has been sent a copy of this letter.
Asian Paints to Acquire 51% Stake in Kadisco Paint New Delhi, India: Asian Paints will be acquiring a stake of 51 per cent in Kadisco Paint, a Ethiopia-based company, through Berger International, its Singapore based subsidiary for an undisclosed sum. Asian Paints informed the BSE that a share purchase agreement has been signed by Berger International Limited among other definitive agreements and documents to acquire a stake of 51 per cent in Kadisco. Kadisco, which is a leading paint company in Ethiopia, is involved in manufacture and sale of decorative paints, automotive paints, industrial paints, adhesives and other coatings.
GAIL India Looking for Partner New Delhi, India: GAIL India Ltd is seeking a potential strategic partner for the company’s LNG import terminal in Odisha. The company has put up an expression of interest (EoI) to have a partner in its ` 3,108 crore floating liquefied natural gas terminal to be set up off the coast of Paradip. Currently, site selection for the product is complete and a market survey has begun.
CHEMTECH Condoles the Demise of Pothen Paul Mumbai, India: CHEMTECH mourns the unfortunate demise of Pothen Paul, Former Chairman, Aker Solutions after suffering a major stroke in Kochi. He was amongst the most respected veterans from the Indian EPC industry and had worked with Aker Solutions for 45 years. He played a pivotal role in growth and development of organisation. Paul was associated with CHEMTECH for a very long time and was a guiding force for CHEMTECH in setting up the EPC World Expo and conference. He was also the recipient of CHEMTECH CEW Leadership & Excellence Award for Engineering Services in the year 2009. CHEMTECH has lost a very dear friend and patron and pays homage to Pothen Paul. Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Industry News GACL Plans Expansion of ` 3500 Crore Ahmedabad, India: Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Limited (GACL) is going to undertake an expansion of ` 3500 crore which would involve a new caustic soda plant at Bhavnagar as well as a power plant at Dahej. There are plans of either setting up a new caustic soda plant or acquiring an existing one in eastern India. The investment would not just involve expansion of capacities of caustic potash, caustic soda, chloromethane and phosphoric acid at its Dahej plant. Caustic soda would be expanded by 1200 tonnes per day (TPD), caustic potash by 120 TPD, chloromethane by 600 TPD and phosphoric acid by 300 TPD. A coal-based power plant would also be set up in Dahej by GACL. The company is looking at other options as well which include setting up a new caustic soda plant in Bhavnagar having a capacity of 600 TPD. Another plan on the cards is to have a new plant with a capacity of 300 TPD in eastern India or acquiring one with a similar capacity.
Urea Production Decreases as Naptha Units Remain Shut Mangalore, India: There has been a loss of 1 lakh tonnes in the production of urea since three naphtha-based private urea manufacturing units have been shut in southern India. Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF), SPIC and MFL have ceased production of urea in their naphtha-based plants at Mangalore, Tuticorin and Chennai respectively since the companies are not eligible for subsidies from October 1. All naphtha-based units were asked to switch to natural gas as its feedstock by the Union Government before September 30 and the government also stated that companies that continue to produce ammonia and urea with naphtha will not get subsidy. MCF had shut down its operations of the urea plant in Mangalore from October 1. There have been protests from the MCF and MFL workers, representatives of SPIC as well as farmers who feel that the Mangalore plant is capable of using natural gas as a feedstock for production of fertilisers.
DuPont Launches Technology to Counter Fake Pesticides Sale New Delhi, India: DuPont has introduced technology solutions which will counter the issue of illegal and counterfeit pesticides being sold in India under the company’s brand. Two technologies have been introduced by the company, DuPont Izone and DuPont Tracelogy which will create awareness among the farmers about identifying an original product against a counterfeit one. Both DuPont Izone and DuPont Traceology work on web-based and cloud-based verification systems respectively. Izone validates the authenticity of a product when a SMS is sent by the farmer while Traceology allows tracking products and gives essential information like the batch number, lot, etc for verification of the product. In India, about 40 per cent of the pesticides sold are counterfeit, which not only infringe on the trademarks of well-known brands but also pose a danger to the environment. It could damage the crops resulting in a great loss of wealth to the farmers. 8 • November 2014
G l o b a l C a p a c i t y R i s e i n Favo u r o f I n d i a n Fertiliser Industry Hyderabad, India: There is an increase in the global capacity in the fertiliser sector which will decrease the raw material costs for the Indian fertiliser manufacturers as well as help the government in reducing the subsidy burden. There are about 200 expansion projects in the advanced stage of development for fertiliser raw materials which amount to almost USD 110 billion in investments as per International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA). These projects will be operation in the 4-5 years to come and are in Russia, Brazil, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) states that almost 12 million tonne or raw materials and approximately 14 million tonnes of finished fertilisers are imported by India. Between 2013 and 1018, about 22 new units for processed phosphates have been planned; of these China will have one-third of these. Saudi Arabia and Morocco will have another seven facilities. There would be a growth of 5.1 million tonne in the global capacity of main processed fertilisers during the same period to reach 47.7 million tonne.
Prices of Complex Fer tilisers May Increase by 5-10% Mumbai, India: Domestic complex fertiliser manufacturers are likely to increase its prices by 5-10 per cent to make up for the increase in the cost of raw materials. In the past few weeks, there has been a rise in the cost of raw materials such as ammonia and phosphoric acid by almost 7-15 per cent. The US Dollar which appreciated from Rs 60 to ` 61.4 added to the industry woes in this period. G Munendar, Representative, Fertilizer Dealers’ Association and Member, Fertilizer Advisory Committee said that GSFC, Coromandel, GSFC, Paradeep Phosphates and Indian Potash have intimated the dealers about an increase in prices while Kribhco and Iffco will increase the prices in the next few weeks. In the international market, ammonia costs USD 600 a tonne as compared to the previous USD 525 on the other hand the price of phosphoric acid increased by USD 50 to reach USD 765 per tonne. Fertiliser dealers predict that an increase of 5-10 per cent would amount to an increase of ` 50-100 on a 50kg bag of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) which costs ` 1,120 in the domestic market. As compared to the seven million tonne a year back, the fertiliser inventory at present is about three million tonne of complex fertilisers.
India Invites Saudi Oil & Gas Companies to Invest New Delhi, India: India has extended inivtations to Saudi Arabian oil and gas companies to come forward and make investments in the crude oil storage facilities and downstream industries in the country. This invitation was made by Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Pradhan held a number of meetings with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia where specific issues about the public sector oil companies in India as well as Saudi Aramco were discussed. Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Industry News RCF & BPCL Tie-up to Set-up Sewage Treatment Plant New Delhi, India: Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers and BPCL have tied up to set up a Sewage Treatment Plant in Trombay which would involve an investment of ` 200 crore. In a BSE filing, RCF stated that this RCF-BPCL Sewage Treatment Plant will have a capacity to treat 22.75 million litres per day (MLD) of municipal sewage for the production of about 15 MLD treated water. Also, the plant will be designed with state-of-the-art technology. From the ` 200 crore investment required in the plant, BPCL will be contributing Rs 80 crore and RCF will be investing the rest ` 120 crore; the water from this sewage treatment plant will shared by RCF and BPCL. At the foundation stone ceremony of the plant, Union Fertilizer and Chemicals Minister, Ananth Kumar said that RCF will be granted the Navratna status. He added further that RCF’s Thal III project in Maharashtra will get special priority. Presently, it is a Miniratna company and the Navratna status will allow the company more financial autonomy.
Sanmar to Expand Chemical Complex in Egypt Chennai, India: TCI Sanmar Chemical SAE is planning on investing USD 150 million under phase two of the project. The Sanmar group has already established a big chemical complex in Egypt at Port Said. This investment will include setting up a PVC plant having a capacity of 2 lakh tonnes and increasing the plant’s existing ethylene capacity by 60,000 tonnes. After investing in phase two, the total investment is pegged to be USD 1.3 billion. In March 2007, Trust Chemical Industries was acquired by TCI Sanmar and was renamed to TCI Sanmar Chemicals. The plant received a visit recently by Ibrahim Mehleb, Prime Minister of Egypt along with the Indian Ambassador, Navdeen Suri. He praised the Indian manufacturing facilities in Egypt for its scale; the largest Indian investment in the country is Sanmar’s. The investments from India in Egypt stand at USD 2.5 billion across 50 companies in different sectors.
Consortium Led by NMDC could Acquire Stake in Acron New Delhi, India: A consortium led by NMDC may acquire a stake of 30 per cent in Acron, the Russian potash firm. The investment for the will come up to ` 1,000 crore. This consortium consists of National Fertilizer Ltd (NFL), Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF), Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) and Kribhco. The consortium is also taking into account a possibility of entering into an offtake agreement for importing 30 per cent of potash from Acron. Currently, NMDC is undertaking a feasibility study for this proposal which will cost about ` 2 crore. In 2013-14, approximately 3 million tonnes (MT) potash was imported; 100 per cent of India’s potash requirement is supplied through imports. 10 • November 2014
Hollingsworth & Vose Acquired RFS
Luke Kissam President and CEO Albemarle
Bengaluru, India: Raman FibreScience (RFS) has been acquired by Hollingsworth and Vose (H&V). With this the company wants to establish a footprint in the country. Raman FibreSciences is involved in designing and development of different kinds of wet-laid non-woven composites and specialty papers.
H o l l i n g sw o r t h & Vo s e a r e i n t o s u p p l y o f advanced materials for filtration, battery separator and industrial applications. Valentine Hollingsworth, Chief Executive Officer, Hollingsworth & Vose said, “For H&V India represents an important market and the RFS location and team provide H&V with an operational base with which to serve our customers and grow our India presence.”
By 2020, Plastic Consumption to be 200 Lakh Tonnes Indore, India: Looking at the growth in the usage of different kinds of commodity, it is estimated that the plastic consumption in India will be 200 lakh tonnes by the year 2020. Subhash Chaturvedi, Madhya Pradesh Chairman, Plast India Foundation’s National Promotion Committee said that the plastic consumption in India in 2013 was about 120 lakh tonnes and this is expected to reach 200 by 2020. He added that there is an increase of 10 per cent on an average in the consumption of plastic each year.
Synthetic Fibre Manufacturers Want Excise Duty Lowered Mumbai, India: The synthetic fibre manufacturers have requested the central government to eliminate any bias and anomalies against the man-made fibre (MMF) industry. It has also asked for the excise duty to be brought down and keep it on par with cotton fibre and yarn so that the Indian textile can grow further. Having numerous large plants with state-of-the-art technology, India is the second largest producer of MMFs in the world. About twothird of the domestic textile market is made up of MMF textiles but the country’s exports of value added textiles of MMFs stands at a mere 3 per cent. In comparison to this, China has given a great impetus to synthetic textiles which has made it the largest textile exporter in the world. A crucial anomaly in the excise duty structure is impacting the growth of the Indian Textile Industry and has held it back from becoming the largest textile exporter stated the Association of Synthetic Fibre Industry (ASFI). An excise duty of 12 per cent is levied on the MMF and yarn while cotton yarn and fibre are exempted from the same in India, according to ASFI. Chemical Engineering World
CEW Industry News Albemarle Receives Approval for Acquisition of Rockwood Holdings Los Angeles, USA: Albemarle Corporation and Rockwood Holdings Inc announced that shareholders from both companies approved the proposals relating to Albemarle’s acquisition of Rockwood at their respective special meeting. “We are pleased with the support from both Albemarle and Rockwood shareholders, Luke Kissam President and CEO which reaffirms the strategic merits of this Albemarle combination and represents another important step in creating a premier specialty chemicals company. We are fully focused on the integration planning process to combine our companies and enable us to better serve customers and end markets around the world and deliver long-term value to shareholders,” said Luke Kissam, President and Chief Executive Officer, Albemarle.
BASF Partners with AHB to Produce L-alanine Anhui, China: BASF and Anhui Huaheng Biotechnology Co Ltd (AHB) have signed a Letter of Intent to confirm the feasibility of a joint operation for L-alanine production. AHB is a large L-alanine manufacturer in China and BASF has successfully qualified AHB’s L-alanine for industrial use. The joint operation will be based on proprietary technology developed and already operated by AHB. The product from the joint operation will serve BASF’s specific demand and for AHB to serve the pharmaceutical, fine chemical, food and beverage industries. Both companies will continue to pursue joint cooperation to take advantage of economies of scale and the complementary expertise each has in their respective areas.
Teijin to Stop In-house Production of DMT
As previously announced on July 15, 2014, the Boards of Directors of both Albemarle and Rockwood approved a definitive agreement under which Albemarle will acquire each outstanding share of Rockwood common stock for USD 50.65 in cash and 0.4803 of a share of Albemarle common stock. On November 13, 2014, Albemarle received regulatory clearance for the transaction from the European Commission.
Tokyo, Japan: Teijin Limited announced that its Board of Directors had passed a resolution to recognise extraordinary losses in the six months ended September 30, 2014, attributable to the implementation of restructuring initiatives in several businesses. Having revamped its integrated polyester materials production business model, which encompasses all stages, from raw materials through to finished products, from the perspective of cost competitiveness, Teijin resolved to discontinue production of DMT, a raw material used in polyester, the cost competitiveness of which it feels is unlikely to recover.
Vertellus Expands Manufacturing Presence
ACS Honours Three Dow Women Scientists
Indianapolis, USA: Vertellus, has purchased Pentagon Chemicals (Holdings) UK Ltd. The acquisition significantly expands Ver tellus’ manufacturing presence in the agrochemical and phar maceutical sectors and positions Vertellus to complement its current chemistries with UK based Pentagon’s strong capabilities in Rich Preziotti phosgenation, chlorination, Grignard and sodium CEO Vertellus dispersion, among others. The transaction is expected to boost earnings of Vertellus Specialty Materials division approximately 20 per cent, contributing to a 13 per cent increase in total company revenue. The acquisition of Pentagon is part of Vertellus’ vision to expand its Specialty Materials footprint in the life science sector through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Revenues from life science applications represent more than 65 percent of the company’s total revenue, and Vertellus expects the acquisition will significantly increase its agriculture chemical and pharmaceutical business.
Midland, USA: Dow’s Dr Jaime Curtis-Fisk, Dr Melinda Keefe and Dr Beth Lorsbach are among the 10 women honoured with the Women Chemists Committee (WCC) of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) 2015 Rising Star Award. The annual WCC Rising Star Award was created in 2011 to recognise up to 10 outstanding women scientists who are approaching mid-level careers and have demonstrated outstanding promise for contributions to their respective fields. “We are thrilled that three of our scientists have been recognized for their outstanding work. Jaime, Mindy and Beth each have a completely different story, but are equally deserving of this recognition. Having three scientists from Dow is a special honour, and we are pleased to see them acknowledged as role models for other women in science,” said A N Sreeram, Corporate Vice President - Research & Development, Dow. Dr Jaime Curtis-Fisk is currently working in the field of formulation development for the delivery of active ingredients in application areas including pharmaceuticals, microbial control, and packaging. Dr Melinda Keefe serves as a principal research scientist and R&D customer focal point for Dow Coating Materials in Collegeville, Pennsylvania and is an expert in polymer synthesis, paint formulation design and testing, with an active research interest in art conservation science. Dr Beth Lorsbach is the process chemistry leader for Actives to Products R&D with Dow AgroSciences. Beth is an expert in synthetic organic chemistry as well as agricultural molecule synthesis and scale-up. Throughout her career, she has contributed to the product pipeline by advancing new compounds.
Rich Preziotti, CEO, Vertellus, said, “Given the complementary capabilities of Vertellus and Pentagon, we look forward to supplying life science companies with a high quality supply of actives and critical intermediates delivered by a team who understands both the complex chemistries and the business markets in which they are used.” 12 • November 2014
Chemical Engineering World
Chemical Products Finder | November 2013 | 57
CEW Industry News Te ch n ip Gets E P C C ontract for We s tla k e ’s Ethylene Plant Expansion Paris, France: Technip was awarded a contract by Westlake Chemical Cor poration to provide detailed engineering and procurement services to expand the recovery section of Westlake’s Petro 1 ethylene plant at its complex in Sulphur, Louisiana, USA. Technip’s operating centre in Houston, Texas, USA, will execute the project, with support from the group’s office in Mumbai, India. Stan Knez, Senior Vice President, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, commented, “This award follows a series of Technip feasibility studies to help Westlake evaluate expansion options and development of the process design package and front end engineering design for the expansion. Technip is pleased to bring its extensive ethylene plant modernisation experience and continue its involvement in bringing this important project to fruition.” Technip has widened its range of services and has reinforced its leadership in the downstream business since the acquisition of Stone & Webster process technologies in 2012.
Blackstone to Buy Chemical Unit from Orica New York, USA: Orica Limited announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its chemicals business to funds advised by Blackstone for USD 750 million. The sale includes the chemicals trading businesses in Australia, New Zealand and Latin America and the Australian Chloralkali manufacturing business. It also includes Bronson and Jacobs which is a supplier to the food and nutrition and health and personal care industries in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. In August this year Orica advised the market that it had completed a strategic review of its chemicals business and that it would be pursuing a separation of the business, either by sale or demerger. Following a number of third parties expressing interest in acquiring the chemicals division, the Orica Board formed the view that a sale would likely result in higher and more certain value for shareholders than a demerger.As part of the transaction, Orica will retain responsibility for legacy environmental remediation obligations of the chemicals business. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015.
Braskem’s Acquisition of 70.59% Stake in Solvay Indupa Rejected Brussels, Belgium: Solvay has taken note of the Brazilian competition authority’s (CADE) decision to reject the intended acquisition of Solvay’s 70.59 per cent majority stake in Solvay Indupa by Brazilian chemical producer Braskem. The decision was taken during a public hearing held earlier today. While Solvay is awaiting details of the decision, it confirms that its strategic direction remains unaffected. Solvay will, as soon as possible, examine alternative options to sell Solvay Indupa which is South America’s second-largest PVC producer and fourth-largest caustic soda producer. 14 • November 2014
BP to Upgrade Petrochem Plants in US & Belgium Houston, USA: BP announced that it plans to invest over USD 200 million to upgrade its pur ified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants at Cooper River, South Carolina and Geel, Belgium. The investments will position these a s s e t s a m o n g s t t h e m o s t e f f i c i e n t P TA m a n u fa c t u r i n g fa c i l i t i e s i n t h e w o r l d . B y Luis Sierra applying the latest PTA technology to these world-scale production facilities, BP expects to greatly improve feedstock and energy efficiency thus reducing both variable and fixed cost and greenhouse gas emissions. The BP Cooper River site is the largest PTA producer in the Americas and BP Geel is the largest in Europe. “This allows us to apply our latest proprietary technology and process know-how to existing assets, significantly improving their cost competitiveness and reducing their environmental footprint. It enables Cooper River and Geel to remain the leading PTA manufacturing complexes in the Americas and Europe respectively,” said Luis Sierra, President BP Aromatics - Americas, Europe and Middle East.
INEOS Takes Complete Control of Styrolution Rolle, Switzerland: Following clearance by the competition authorities, INEOS has successfully completed the purchase of BASF’s 50 per cent share in Styrolution, a joint venture between the companies. The purchase price for the acquisition is euro 1.1 billion. Styrolution will continue to operate as a stand-alone business within INEOS Industries Holdings Limited. Styrolution was founded in October 2011 as a 50-50 joint venture between BASF and INEOS, and is the leading, global styrenics supplier.
Oil India Looking to Increase Hydrocarbon Concessions Globally Singapore: Oil India Ltd which is India’s second largest PSU is looking at increasing hydrocarbon concessions all over the world, including Mexico and Brazil. The company is scrutinising a number of good properties aggressively from where it could bring crude oil into India said Sunil Kumar Srivastava, Chairman and Managing Director. India depends on imports for about 75 per cent of its crude oil and 30 per cent of its natural gas requirement every year. He added that by bringing more oil and gas into the country India’s energy import bill will certainly reduce. OIL has a four percent farm-in stake in off shore Mozambique for which it invested USD 900 million. In January 2014, both OIL and ONGC Videsh (OVL) announced an acquisition of 10 per cent farm-in stake with Mozambique. OIL has its operations in 11 countries and produces hydrocarbon in limited quantities in Russia, United States and Venezuela. Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Industry News AkzoNobel and Partners to Explore Using Waste Streams as Feedstock
Verdezyne & Bio-XCell to Build Renewable Chemicals Plant Together
Asterdam, Netherlands: AkzoNobel is part of a major Dutch partnership working with Canada’s Enerkem to explore the use of waste streams as a feedstock for chemical production and the development of waste-to-chemicals facilities. The collaboration features a number of industry and semi-governmental partners looking to benefit from Enerkem’s proprietary technology that converts waste into synthesis gas – a common starting material for products such as methanol and ammonia. “Given the growing concerns over raw material and energy scarcity – the need to innovate and develop less traditional solutions is becoming ever more important. To accelerate these innovations we are entering into strategic partnerships, all focused on replacing non-renewable raw materials, which could have major environmental benefits,” said Werner Fuhrmann, Executive Committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals, AkzoNobel. Aimed at closing the loop by converting waste back into useful products, the initial partners are AkzoNobel, Enerkem, the investment and development agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM), Groningen Seaports, Rotterdam Partners and InnovationQuarter. Within the next two to three years, the partners are aiming to have a plant in Delfzijl or Rotterdam (or both) become the first in Europe to utilise the new technology.
Kuala Lampur, Malaysia: Verdezyne Inc, has reached an agreement with Bio-XCell Malaysia to construct Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility in Bio-XCell’s premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar, in southern Malaysia. With construction scheduled to commence in 2015, the plant will be capable of producing approximately 30 million pounds per year of diacids, including dodecanedioic acid (DDDA), and will be the world’s first bio-based plant for the production of DDDA. The multi-faceted agreement includes leasing a 6.9-acre site owned by Bio-XCell in Malaysia’s premier biotechnology park in Nusajaya, Iskandar, Malaysia. The 13-year, renewable lease provides for expansion options on other adjacent lots, and all major utilities will be supplied by Bio-XCell. It also includes a loan of approximately USD 75 Million (approximately RM 250 Million) from Bio-XCell. The manufacturing facility will leverage Verdezyne’s yeast fermentation technology with the abundant supplies of non-food, plant-based feedstocks in Malaysia to produce a variety of commercial diacids, including DDDA. These diacids may in turn be used to produce nylon or other polymers for use in a variety of applications including engineering resins, automotive parts, athletic apparel, carpeting and toothbrush bristles, at lower cost than traditional, petroleum-derived nylons.
Yokogawa has Concluded FEED for Petronas
Kemira Inaugurated Paper & Pulp Chemical Plant
Tokyo, Japan: Yokogawa Electr ic Cor poration announced that its subsidiary, Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has completed the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for PETRONAS’ Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia. Yokogawa Kontrol (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd was awarded the FEED as the Main Automation Contractor (MAC) for RAPID.
Nanjing, China: Kemira celebrated the completion of the company’s new Nanjing production base. Over 200 distinguished guests were invited to witness this historical moment, including Marja Joenusva, Consul General of the Republic of Finland, and Jari Rosendal, President and CEO at Kemira, senior officials from the Nanjing government, Kemira’s clients, media representatives and company staff. It will provide a wide range of functional and process chemicals for water-intensive industries such as the paper industry. The estimated annual capacity is 100,000 tons. The first phase operations provide nearly 100 jobs for the local community. The new plant is equipped with cutting-edge facilities offering the highest quality, featuring a high degree of automation and use of sophisticated IT-systems in the production process. Kemira’s new plant is focused on the Asian market, China in particular. Production will be mainly serving the paper industry, while at the same time providing products and services to the oil and mining industry and municipal water treatment. Currently there are five production lines serving across an array of chemical products for pulp and paper manufacturing. The production capacity for sizing agent (ASA), which mainly used for improving water-resistance in middle to high end paper, will be the largest in Asia. Besides ASA products, the new plant also produces polyacrylic ester, polyacrylamide emulsion, defoamers, and deinking agents, all of which are widely applied in key paper manufacturing processes.
Yokogawa will supply the CENTUM VP production control system and the ProSafeR-RS safety instrumented system for RAPID, as well as advanced process control and plant information management systems which will ensure high productivity and safety at the complex. It is estimated this is Yokogawa’s largest order for a project in Southeast Asia. RAPID is part of PETRONAS’ mammoth Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) development worth an estimated USD 27 billion, which comprises of RAPID and its associated facilities including the Pengerang Cogeneration Plant, LNG Regasification Terminal, Air Separation Unit, Raw Water Supply Project as well as its Liquid Bulk Terminal and other ancillary facilities. RAPID will consist of a 300,000 barrels per stream day refinery and petrochemical complex with a combined capacity of producing 7.7 million tons per annum of various grades of products, including differentiated and specialty chemical products. PIC is poised for its refinery start-up by early 2019. 16 • November 2014
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Technology News Indian Noble Prize Awarded to Hyderabad Scientist
New Solar-friendly Form of Silicon Discovered
Hyderabad, India: Dr S Venkata Mohan, Principal Scientist, BEES division has been awarded the most coveted CSIR Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in Engineering Sciences for the year 2014. This award is the highest in the country for science and known as the ‘Indian Noble Prize’. He has won six national and international awards and has seven patents on ‘sustainable waste remediation technologies’. His work currently revolves around creating an integrated method that cannot just treat waste water but also produces valuable byproducts like biodiesel, bioplastic and biohydrogen (clean fuel). He adds that the challenge lies in making this technology economically feasible for industries.
Washington DC, USA: Silicon is the second most-abundant element in the earth’s crust. When purified, it takes on a diamond structure, which is essential to modern electronic devices; carbon is to biology as silicon is to technology. A team of Carnegie scientists led by Timothy Strobel has synthesised an entirely new form of silicon, one that promises even greater future applications. Although silicon is incredibly common in today’s technology, its socalled indirect band gap semiconducting properties prevent it from being considered for next-generation, high-efficiency applications such as light-emitting diodes, higher-performance transistors and certain photovoltaic devices.
Making Flexible Solar Cells from Graphene Offers Benefits Houston, USA: Rice University scientists have invented a novel cathode that may make cheap, flexible dye-sensitised solar cells practical. The Rice lab of materials scientist Jun Lou created the new cathode, one of the two electrodes in batteries, from nanotubes that are seamlessly bonded to graphene and replaces the expensive and brittle platinumbased materials often used in earlier versions. Dye-sensitised solar cells have been in development since 1988 and have been the subject of countless high school chemistry class experiments. They employ cheap organic dyes, drawn from the likes of raspberries, which cover conductive titanium dioxide particles. The dyes absorb photons and produce electrons that flow out of the cell for use; a return line completes the circuit to the cathode that combines with an iodine-based electrolyte to refresh the dye. While they are not nearly as efficient as silicon-based solar cells in collecting sunlight and transforming it into electricity, dyesensitised solar cells have advantages for many applications, according to co-lead author Pei Dong, a postdoctoral researcher in Lou’s lab. Read more about this research on http://news.rice.edu/
F r a ck i n g C h e m i c a l s A s Tox i c a s C o m m o n Household Substances Boulder, USA: The ‘surfactant’ chemicals found in samples of fracking fluid collected in five states were no more toxic than substances commonly found in homes, according to a first-of-itskind analysis by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. Fracking fluid is largely comprised of water and sand, but oil and gas companies also add a variety of other chemicals, including antibacterial agents, corrosion inhibitors and surfactants. Surfactants reduce the surface tension between water and oil, allowing for more oil to be extracted from porous rock underground. In a new study, the research team identified the surfactants found in fracking fluid samples from Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Texas. The results showed that the chemicals found in the fluid samples were also commonly found in everyday products, from toothpaste to laxatives to detergent to ice cream. Log on to http:// www.colorado.edu/news/releases/ for more information. 18 • November 2014
When semiconducting materials are subjected to an input of a specific energy, bound electrons can move to higher-energy, conducting states. The specific energy required to make this jump to the conducting state is defined as the band gap. While direct band gap materials can effectively absorb and emit light, indirect band gap materials, like diamond-structured silicon, cannot. In order for silicon to be more attractive for use in new technology, its indirect band gap needed to be altered. Strobel and his team, Carnegie’s Duck Young Kim, Stevce Stefanoski and Oleksandr Kurakevych (now at Sorbonne), were able to synthesise a new form of silicon with a quasi-direct band gap that falls within the desired range for solar absorption, something that has never before been achieved. Read more on http://www.eurekalert.org/
UH Chemists Create Porous Molecules which Bind GHGs Houston, USA: A team of University of Houston (UH) chemistry r e s e a r c h e r s h ave d eve l o p e d a m o l e c u l e t h a t a s s e m bl e s spontaneously into a lightweight structure with microscopic pores capable of binding large quantities of several potent greenhouse gases. “Greenhouse gases, such a carbon dioxide, have received much attention lately because of their potential to dramatically affect Earth’s climate, primarily the temperature of the planet,” said Ognjen Miljanić, a UH associate professor of chemistry and leader of the team. While carbon dioxide presents the biggest problem, Miljanić notes that several other compounds are hundreds or thousands of times more potent in their greenhouse effect per unit of mass. These compounds include Freons, used as common refrigerants, and fluorocarbons, highly stable organic compounds in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced with fluorine. “We developed a molecule that self-assembles into a structure that can capture these greenhouse vapors to the tune of 75 percent by weight. This molecule could be used to capture Freons from disposed refrigeration systems, for example, or to concentrate them prior to analysis of their content,” Miljanić said. Read more about their research on http://www.uh.edu/news-events/ Chemical Engineering World
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CEW
Technology News A Coating that can Protect against Heat and Oxidation
Largest Ever Synthetic Molecular ‘Cage’ Built by Biochemists
Munich, Germany: Researchers have developed a coating technique that they plan to use to protect turbine engine and waste incinerator components against heat and oxidation. A topcoat from micro-scaled hollow aluminium oxide Coating that protects against-heat-and-oxidation spheres provides heat insulation, in the lab, already proved more economical than conventional techniques. Gas-phase insulation has far greater potential than keeping our homes warm. It can also be used to protect turbine engine and waste incinerator components when subjected to intense heat. All you need to do is transfer this effect to a coating that is just a few hundred micrometers thick.
Los Angeles, USA: UCLA biochemists have created the largestever protein that self-assembles into a molecular ‘cage.’ The research could lead to synthetic vaccines that protect people from the flu, HIV and other diseases. At a size hundreds of times smaller than a human cell, it also could lead to new methods of delivering pharmaceuticals inside of cells, or to the creation of new nanoscale materials. The protein assembly, which is shaped like a cube, was constructed from 24 copies of a protein designed in the laboratory of Todd Yeates, a UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry. It is porous — more so than any other protein assembly ever created — with large openings that would enable other large protein molecules to enter and exit. Yeates, the study’s senior author, has sought to build complex protein structures that self-assemble since he first published research on self-assembling proteins in 2001. In 2012, he and colleagues produced a selfassembling molecular cage made from 12 protein pieces combined perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. Now they have done so with 24 pieces, and they are currently attempting to design a molecular cage with 60 pieces. Building each larger protein presented new scientific challenges, but the bigger sizes could potentially carry more ‘cargo.’ Log on to http://newsroom.ucla.edu/ to read more on the research.
Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal have not only done just that, they have also done it in a particularly economical way. They have designed a coating that consists of an outer topcoat from conjoined aluminium oxide spheres. “These spheres are hollow and filled with gas,” explains coatings expert Dr Vladislav Kolarik from the ICT’s Energetic Systems department. What is most remarkable is that the heat insulating layer from hollow aluminium oxide spheres is obtained on the basis of a conventional, economic process. Log on to http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/ to read more about the research.
Lanxess Receives Award from ICC Mumbai, India: LANXESS India Private Limited has been acknowledged for its exceptional work in the area of water resource management. The company has been systematically pursuing an integrated water management strategy at its manufacturing site in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh and has been working towards ‘zero discharge’ goal which has been accomplished through the Waste Water Post Treatment Plant. The award for Water Resource Management in Chemical Industry was handed over to Namitesh Roy Choudhary, Vice President – Industrial and Environmental Affairs & Capital Investment and Subhat Kumar Jindal, General Manager, Head of Manufacturing, Nagda site, LANXESS India Private Limited, in appreciation of the company’s perseverant efforts towards meeting very high water resource management standards at its manufacturing site in Nagda. Ananth Kumar, Hon’ble Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India and Padma Vibhushan Dr Anil Kakodkar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India, handed over the award to Namitesh Roy Choudhury and Subhat Kumar Jindal, in the presence of other dignitaries from the chemical industry at a gala event. The LANXESS site at Nagda already had a full-fledged effluent treatment plant (ETP) and a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant which treated sewage water from the colonies around and rendered it fit for use in the production processes. 20 • November 2014
Clean Energy ‘Bio Batteries’ could be a Near Possibility Norwich, UK: Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) are a step closer to enhancing the generation of clean energy from bacteria. A report published shows how electrons hop across otherwise electrically insulating areas of bacterial proteins, and that the rate of electrical transfer is dependent on the orientation and proximity of electrically conductive ‘stepping stones’. It is hoped that this natural process can be used to improve ‘bio batteries’ which could produce energy for portable technology such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops – powered by human or animal waste. Many micro-organisms can, unlike humans, survive without oxygen. Some bacteria sur vive by ‘breathing rocks’ – especially minerals of iron. They derive their energy from the combustion of fuel molecules that have been taken into the cell’s interior. A side product of this reaction is a flow of electricity that can be directed across the bacterial outer membrane and delivered to rocks in the natural environment – or to graphite electrodes in fuel cells. This means that the bacteria can release electrical charge from inside the cell into the mineral, much like the neutral wire in a household plug. The research team looked at proteins called ‘multi-haem cytochromes’ contained in ‘rock breathing’ bacteria such as species of Shewanella. Lead researcher Prof Julea Butt, from UEA’s School of Chemistry and School of Biological Sciences said, “These bacteria can generate electricity in the right environment.” Read more on https://www.uea.ac.uk/ Chemical Engineering World
CEW News Features
Industry Needs will Drive the Growth of Renewable Chemicals in Asia: Crécy BioTork’s core contribution is in advancing the fermentation industry. The company develops better performing industrial microorganisms which are then scaled up and deployed in partnership with industries, either to optimise industrial pathways or promote new pathways for new products. In many cases, it has its own portfolio of projects and, in some cases, it also provides access to its technology for collaborative partners. Recently, the State of Hawaii advanced BioTork’s agricultural and energy initiative by funding a zero-waste project that converts crops, crop residues, dedicated energy crops, and agricultural waste into economically and environmentally sustainable biofuels and value-added co-products. CEW sought views of BioTork’s CEO Eudes de Crécy on company’s core functionalities, its plans and the market for renewable chemicals.
T
he renewable chemicals market has been predicted to grow at CAGR of 7.7 per cent and reach USD 84.3 billion by 2018 driven by ethanol and biopolymers. According to Crécy, the growth will be even higher in in Asia, especially in China, Japan and India, because of the industry needs in these regions, especially with regard to food packaging, biodegradable and compostable plastics. He believes that market growth is driven by consumer demand, the market viability and the industrial production conditions with regard to a product or a service.
of the microorganisms involved in the bioconversion processes to perform well at scale.”
While responding to CEW, Crécy says, “Today, Europe is the largest market for renewable chemicals, followed by the United States. Growth rates will remain important in these two continents because of a persisting consumer demand for green products. However, we forecast an even higher growth rate of renewable chemicals in Asia…”
According to Crécy, BioTork offers an easy to implement, cost-effective solution to the robustness problem.
Challenges “But there are challenges,” he agrees, “and BioTork believes that the biochemical industry suffers from what we call the ‘robustness problem’, or the failure
Eudes de Crécy Chief Executive Officer BioTork 22 • November 2014
The reliance on sub-optimal microorganisms has many negative consequences, including low yields, requiring more fermentation batches to achieve the targeted output; long fermenter retention times, resulting in fewer batches per unit time; the design of complex and expensive processes to circumvent the limitations of the biocatalyst; and a reliance on expensive, refined feedstocks.
“In brief, appropriate microorganisms are continuously grown under environmental conditions, which are similar to those met in the target bioconversion process. As generations of microorganisms succeed one another, natural selection favours those organisms, which perform best. After this natural selection has occurred, highly adapted microorganisms are isolated and ready to be scaled up for further use in an industrial plant,” he explains further.
Today, Europe is the largest market for renewable chemicals, followed by the United States. Growth rates will remain important in these two continents because of a persisting consumer demand for green products... Chemical Engineering World
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CEW News Features Using a state-of-the-art patented proprietary technology, BioTork has mastered an industrial methodology based on evolutionary optimisation. Instead of adapting the production process to the metabolic limitations of the microorganisms, BioTork adapts the microorganisms to perform optimally in the production process. Crécy believes that only those industries that will push this selection principle to its maximum will succeed in the fermentation pathways; first, with better performance of the microbe they will capture strong competitive advantage, second, they will also conquer margins for further downsizing their production units; the smaller size a process can be profitable at, the more adaptability it has to penetrate smaller markets, the more it can resist periodic economical fluctuation of cost of feedstock and of energy. The Impact of Shale Gas Boom According to Crécy, shale gas boom will certainly affect the renewable industry until it reaches full maturity, and, again, the fossil oil-based industry is defending hardly its position. “Every time it reduces the cost of oil, it is hurting the nascent renewable industry. As always, markets do have the first word.” “However,” he adds further, ”if the industry produces negative environmental results, regulation will impose rules and constraints in our countries as the public opinion is more and more aware and putting pressure on politics. Thus, helping the renewable industry to mature is key and our contribution to solving the robustness problem will be instrumental in a durable establishment of this nascent industry.” End Users’ Perspective End Users’ perspective goes a long way to determine the market dynamics. “Environmental considerations and public opinion promoting green solutions have always been particularly important in Europe and in the United States.” 24 • November 2014
BioTork is currently working on the alternative feed production for the aquaculture industry. The company is enhancing the value of agro-industrial by-products dramatically and alleviating the constraints of aquaculture challenge by providing quality feedstock at very competitive price levels. However, Crécy is of the opinion that in more recent years, end users’ in Asia have also demonstrated a growing public awareness of environmental impacts. As protests have increased in scale and frequency, projects in China, India or Japan have been postponed or cancelled with significant financial consequences for governments, companies and their investors. He comments, “In several cases, the chemical industry has been the target of protesting communities. We definitely believe that end users will have a growing impact on the market dynamics. Market actors will have to take this into consideration.” Advantages Crécy also compares the bio-based renewable chemicals market with the conventional chemicals derived from hydrocarbons and throws light on the advantages. “First, the big advantage of fossil oil-based chemistry compared to bio-based renewable chemicals is they have spent decades to optimally use the whole barrel as a feedstock with no waste, while most of the bio-based renewable chemicals are not yet there with by-products and waste often poorly valued. For the biorenewable industry, it is critical to focus on the ‘no waste’-principle. Second, to conquer and establish a new product in the market, the quality of the product is of the essence. Biodiesel can be regarded as an example of a market failure because its quality varies so much, depending on the quality of the feedstock; such variability is unacceptable for a drop-in fuel. Third, as the bio-based renewable chemical production becomes more and more attractive from an economic point of view, they will replace conventional chemicals.” Research and Development On integration of renewable chemicals in the existing processes, he replies that
it is always case-by-case scenario and dependent on conditions. He emphasises “it is critical to develop microbiology and fermentation knowledge and expertise to develop the renewable industry based on fermentation as an add-on to existing chemical industry.” BioTork is currently working on the alternative feed production for the aquaculture industry. The company is enhancing the value of agro-industrial by-products dramatically and alleviating the constraints of aquaculture challenge by providing quality feedstock at very competitive price levels. “This specific development program is now scaling up. Another field is the ethanol industry, whose feedstock is not optimally valued. The same is true for the ethanol fermentation process itself and its byproducts. Having started from scratch a few years ago, our workforce now consists of 20 highly skilled, talented and dedicated people. 2015 will be a year of substantial growth for the company,” the CEO adds. Crécy believes that Europe, especially Germany, and the United States, will remain strong. He also reckons on an even bigger growth in Asia, especially in China, Japan and India. At this moment, BioTork’s focus is on America. However, the company is observing the Indian market very closely and is thrilled by its potential. BioTork can make any fermentation industry more competitive. “We would definitely be looking at proposals coming from India as this is a very promising market,” he adds. (Read more about BioTork’s Evolutionary Optimisation Method on www.cewindia.com) - Harshal Y Desai
Chemical Engineering World
CEW News Features
Government Recognises Corrosion Control as 3 rd Dimension in GMP
E
ach year, corrosion losses account for over 3 per cent of country’s GDP which is double of our country’s R&D expenditure, shared Shekhar Basu, Director, BARC during the inauguration of CORCON 2014 organised by NACE International – India Gateway Section. Dr Samir Degan, Chairman, CORCON 2014 said, “Corrosion is a pressing issue for India. It is imperative that companies in the country come together to combat corrosion by focussing their attention on awareness, protection and control. We are overwhelmed with the response we received this year and are glad to be doing our bit to protect people, assets and the environment.” In his plenary talk, the Chief Guest Ananth Kumar, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India congratulated the NACE International India Section for providing a platform where various stake holders could discuss developments and improvements in corrosion control and mitigation. Recognising corrosion as the 3 rd dimension for good manufacturing practices , he said, “My Department is in the process of formulating a National Chemical Policy for the first time. I would like to mention that the need for
a dedicated policy for the chemical sector has been felt for a long time in order to facilitate rapid increase in the share of this sector in GDP and accelerate the development.” He also announced that the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology attached to his ministry will soon enter into a memorandum of understanding with NACE to train employees in corrosion control. CORCON 2014 was granted Trade Fair Certification by the U.S. Department of Commercial Services along with the support of President Barack Obama himself. Dr Degan chaired the roundtable with the US Department of Commerce to facilitate the dialogue public private sector dialogue on corrosion between two countries. Arun Kumar, Assistant Secretary, US Department of Commerce, Mugdha Sinha, Director FT & EP, from Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, B Narayan, Group President, Procurement & Projects, Reliance Industries Ltd, Tushar Jhaveri, CEO, Vasu Chemicals & Past President NACE International, P S Singh, Head Chemicals and Petrochemicals FICCI, Harvey Hack, current President of NACE International along with other members of the board and representatives from
Ananth Kumar at CORCON’14
the industry attended the meeting. Sinha welcomed the move to highlight and discuss the issue of corrosion and that the Indian government was ready to collaborate with NACE and coming up with the actionable plan to facilitate business in this space. NACE is currently conducting an IMPACT Study, to examine the extent of corrosion and identifying global best practices for reducing costs associated with corrosion in numerous industries. This extensive study is scheduled to be complete in May 2016 and will share detailed insights on corrosion across industries and ways to tackle this global menace. Over 800 delegates from 20 countries attended the annual corrosion conference and interacted with international corrosion experts in 150 technical sessions over 4 days of conference in Mumbai.
NACE team and the key speakers of CORCON’14 with the Minister of Chemicals and Fertiliser, Ananth Kumar (in the centre).
26 • November 2014
- Mittravinda Ranjan Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features Guest Column
‘Make in India’ with SMAC Ever since the launch of ‘Make in India’ campaign the nation has united to resurrect the crumbling economy. Efforts from all corners are being made to increase manufacturing in India. However, the key lies in speeding the process through not only revision in policies but also through implementation of high-end technology, writes Ramesh Subramanian, Global Delivery Head, Blue Star Infotech.
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anufacturing is important for economic progress of any country and in India it contributes about 16 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As India is poised to be a manufacturing hub primarily due to its growing domestic demand, many multinationals are establishing their manufacturing units here. There is the vast domestic market with surging wages, as well as uncertainties and cost economics from global angles that guides this preference. Also, policies and plans by the government have boosted India’s promise as a pivotal manufacturing destination. However, in order to remain competitive in the global arena, the Indian manufacturing sector has to really gear up as the competition is intense and low cost destinations are always around the next corner. Factors such as labour and capital productivity, infrastructure and environmental clearances are critical to the growth of manufacturing sector, but the most significant element is ‘Technology.’ Keeping in mind the Asian context, where countries like China, Korea, Bangladesh and Indonesia are also vying to be manufacturers favoured destination, India must rely on its strength in the area of technology to truly transform it into a manufacturing hub. Technology will play a major role in not only improving efficiency, productivity and quality but also cutting costs and reducing material expenditure and energy consumption. Today’s manufacturing units are complex, integrated and comprehensive units where 30 • November 2014
diverse functions collaborate smoothly to furnish the final product. They often juggle conflicting demands like alteration in stock sizes, delivery time, improving quality and correspondingly increase profit margins. Through it all, the manufacturing unit must consistently achieve equilibrium between Product, Price, Quality, Quantity and Time. By embracing state-of-the-art technology, a manufacturing unit will be enabled to perform multiple functions at optimum levels of efficiency. As technology is bound to change the way manufacturing businesses operate, it will also have an effect throughout the operating cycle – from product design, development, and supply chain management to distribution. Organisations have already started moving from legacy systems and most of them have adopted Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The challenge however is integration of IT and to train and enable an optimum man-machine interface which convinces management and employees to adopt new systems and processes and supports smooth roll-out of the same.
operations to the company’s management. The emergence of new age technologies specifically SMAC (Social, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud) will further add to the transformation of the manufacturing sector.
Adoption of ERP in manufacturing has matured after decades of investment and all the departments from production and sales to operations and finance are connected by a common IT enabled platform, thus giving an integrated view of
Earlier, when setting up a unit in remote location, engineers would usually travel to, build the entire IT infrastructure, run it for months and then train the employees before finally handing over to the locals in factories. Now with the cloud, one can
Here are some glimpses of how each technology will have its impact on manufacturing: Cloud: Cloud will have the greatest impact. With the cloud, manufacturing units don’t have to set up their own infrastructure. The three core components of cloud ie, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS (Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service and Software as a Service) enable any manufacturing unit to adopt and use latest tools and technologies without wasting time and resources. Cloud can replicate similar IT services in manufacturing units spread across different geographies. Integrating IT in different units spread geographically used to be a big challenge earlier, but with the adoption of cloud, this issue can be put to rest easily and at a very low cost.
Keeping in mind the Asian context, where countries like China, Korea, Bangladesh and Indonesia are also vying to be manufacturers favoured destination, India must rely on its strength in the area of technology to truly transform it into a manufacturing hub. Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Features Mobility can allow manufacturing organisations to g enerate bu s i n e s s va l u e t h ro u g h i n c r e a s e i n c u s t o m e r i n t e r a c t i o n s , facilitate better intra-organisational communications and monitor operational performance. easily replicate the existing infrastructure in new plants and system can be up and running with limited costs and resources. By using cloud-based systems, manufacturers are able to streamline the core components of their work and this empowers them to develop innovative products and expand market operations. Cloud adoption also enables the conversion of capital expenses in IT into an operational, and transaction-correlated operational expense. This of course leads to far greater agility than possible with own IT resources, not to mention the ability to focus better on operations rather than on IT. Mobility: The adoption of mobility is still low within the manufacturing sector. The impact would vary throughout the manufacturing value chain – product design and engineering may have a very low impact; sales, customer service and installation may have a very high impact. Most enterprises are hesitant as the Return on Ivestment (ROI) from mobility is still not clearly established. Mobility just doesn’t mean providing mobile devices to employees, but entire ecosystem need to be build and integrated to get true benefits of mobility. This includes connecting shop floor to production department, inventory management and even with sales and customer service. This can enable real-time information flow throughout the supply chain, allowing production managers and sales team to access real time information about the inventory; and supervise the shop floor remotely. Though the benefits of mobility are clear in terms of reducing costs, bringing in efficiency and productivity, the challenges remain in terms of a clear cut strategy which can really work. There are multiple devices and platforms, and integrating them together as well as enabling machine to machine and man to machine communication would be a challenge. 32 • November 2014
The other challenge is to drive ‘consumption’, ie, to derive meaningful usage of reports, statistics, workflows and analytics using the mobile platform, so that such details are always available with managers and decision-makers of the company at all times. As competition in the consumer market grows, and government policy and infrastructure turn into enablers rather than disablers, we should see the need for speed and agility come to fore, and result in a strong ‘pull’ for such services in all manufacturing industries. Mobility can allow manufacturing organisations to generate business value through increase in customer interactions, facilitate better intra-organisational communications and monitor operational performance.
enhancement of existing products and development of new products by understanding customer psyche is increasingly important. Analytics can help to understand the knowledge generated during developmental phase of a product and can help the product development team. Analytics can help to analyse customer data and thus develop a product which is more apt for the market. Adoption of Analytics should increase for manufacturing sector with the increasing facilitative conditions for Indian Manufacturing. Social (Collaboration Tools): Manufacturing companies have started using collaborative tools in the last few years, though in a very ad-hoc way. Investment in social collaboration tools is not seen as priority right now for manufacturing sector, with the tradition of very few ‘knowledge workers’ needing collaboration as opposed to administrators, blue collar workers and machines.
Analytics: There has been humungous growth in the amount of data created, transferred and collected which often hinders sound decision making capabilities. Many a times the data gets jumbled up and vital information is lost. However, the scenario is improving as most manufacturing companies have already implemented ERP and BI tools. However, these remain restricted to basic information about sales, inventory, and purchase for the management, and are still not used for fact based decision making.
There have been specific collaboration tools in sectors of the manufacturing industry to ease communication flow in the supply chain, exchange large data files within specific teams, etc. However, using a truly ‘social’ approach is as yet not on the radar. This will inevitably change with the introduction of more intelligence in the supply chain, in manufacturing processes and disaggregation across the value chain - all of which would lead to a higher need for “social” collaboration as opposed to directive information-sharing.
Advanced and predictive analytics can change new product development, efficiency in supply chain management and enhance customer relationships. manufacturing units may have collated huge volumes of data over the years, which primarily remained unutilised. Analysing them can help to identify causes for supply chain inefficiencies, such as inventory pile-ups, machine failures, critical labour shortage etc and enable mitigation in advance. Product lifecycles have become shorter, so to stay competitive,
Creating a social media plan will form an integral part of the marketing plan for both B2B and B2C companies. Manufacturers must capitalise on social media as an opportunity to share ideas, views, opinions and engage in dialogues with external parties. By doing so, manufacturers can ascertain customers feedback to improve a product or get inputs from stakeholders on current market conditions. This creates a bond between the manufacturer and end parties thereby improving professional and business ties. Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features Guest Column
Integrating, Sharing and Analysis of Big Data: A Game Changer for Chemical Industry Organisations across sectors that quickly embrace ‘big data’ to transform their business will distance themselves from the competition, writes Arun Ramachandran, Country Manager, Data Computing Division, EMC India & SAARC. In this article, he further highlights the significance of the ‘big data’ for chemical industry and talks about how companies, which leverage on it, can create significant competitive advantages.
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oday, data is coming at us faster than before in no familiar structure and sequence. Big data is a fascinating term to describe this exponential growth of new format of data including images, sensor, seismic, mapping and social exchanges that have the ability to provide us with keen insights. Big Data is the opportunity for IT to transition from driving business efficiency and reducing costs to driving business agility and growing revenue. Organisations across sectors that quickly embrace ‘Big Data’ to transform their business will distance themselves from the competition. The exponential growth in big data is worth mentioning: As per the EMC IDC Digital Universe study, the digital universe in India is nearly doubling in size every two years and will multiply 9-fold between 2013 and 2020 – from 326 exabytes to 2.8 zetabytes. The digital information in India is exploding at a much faster pace than IT budgets or skilled manpower driving adoption of cloud computing. While two-third of the digital universe bits are created or captured by consumers and workers, yet enterprises have liability or responsibility for 85 per cent of the digital universe. Clearly big data is a game-changer and cannot be ignored by industries including chemical industry. The chemical industry operates in one of the most complex and high risk supply chains in the world. It is characterised by volatile industrial 34 • November 2014
markets, inherently hazardous and closely regulated products, feed stocks that often originate in unstable conflict regions and inter-dependent logistics networks of rail, road, ocean and pipelines that must safely transport vast quantities of raw materials, and finished product to producers and markets. These factors all converge to increase risk and add to the unpredictability of chemical production, transport and marketing. In such a scenario, we must discover why and how a big data roadmap is a must for organisations planning to remain competitive. Chemical Industry: Current Scenario The chemicals industry is already facing significant logistics and supply chain challenges as a result of the oil and gas boom, not to mention the continued pressure on companies and governments to reduce carbon emissions. Thus, applying a combination of digital technologies can help companies respond to these market shifts by changing the way they operate, becoming a digital enterprise while also improving the safety of their operations, driving efficiency and reducing costs. Big Data Analytics (BDA) which is part of the popular trend SMAC (Social, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud) is defining the
industry landscape today. It is no surprise that a survey conducted by Accenture with more than 150 C-level and top management executives across global chemical firms found that 94 per cent plan to increase their digital spend, while 87 per cent said that those who do not spend money on digital will lose their competitive edge. Chemical companies across globe say they expect to achieve the highest Return on Investment (ROI) for every penny they spend on big data analytics and cloud computing within the next three years, according to research. This could ultimately drive growth and improve margins. As the industry is realising that these solutions not only help them streamline their operations, but also are very crucial in improving their bottom line, the trend is changing. Today, chemical companies need integrated content value chains because managing information efficiently enables safe, low-cost operations, streamlined compliance, and value-added products and services that boost the bottom line. Chemical companies use analytics to identify valuable opportunities. In such a scenario, big data is often talked about for its promise - to
The chemicals industry is already facing significant logistics and supply chain challenges as a result of the oil and gas boom, not to mention the continued pressure on companies and governments to reduce carbon emissions. Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features Properly managing big data does not only allow faster and more efficient decision making, it even enables business transformation or innovative business models via processes which have not been possible before.
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address a multitude of business problems and create a multitude of business opportunities. Big Data and IT Challenges Facing the Chemical Industry BDA provide an obvious path to streamline and safeguard chemical supply chain management. When we say ‘big data’, we talking about being able to deal with it effectively, to process it efficiently in real time, to understand it and to use it for impactful decision support. Other industries have already developed best-practice models, but we can see some key ways it would benefit chemicals: • By shrinking product life cycles, mass customisation and expanding regulatory frameworks in product innovation and R&D • Analysing the valuable data spawned by manufacturing and asset management to predictively model performance • Taking care of complex shipment and logistics transactions in supply chain management, tracking and tracing goods – and being able to respond to any potential issues in real time • Understanding the pipeline, customer and product profitability at any level of granularity in sales and marketing. With the right tools, you can carry out simulations to focus on or commit to the most profitable deals and respond to customer needs on the fly
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Properly managing big data does not only allow faster and more efficient decision making, it even enables business transformation or innovative business models via processes which have not been possible before. That is what drives the need. The Future Big data and advanced analytics are hugely disruptive forces to our industry, but companies willing to embrace the challenge will create significant competitive advantage and growth opportunities. The challenge that is now in the face is actually harder to quantify, and yet perhaps most important of all is the way that big data empowers people by removing the need for endless chains of approval. With real-time cloud-based relevant data in their hands, people can make decisions on the plant floor or at the customer site without having to wait to talk to their boss at the end of the shift or when they get back to the office. Ultimately, it is about total cost of ownership. The end game is that we have a convergence between online analytical processing and online transactional processing, obviating the need for middleware and reducing layers so we need less hardware, software and IT operational support. The result? Sustainable innovation via smarter, faster and simpler business processes. 36 • November 2014
Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Features Guest Column
BDA and IoT: Redefining Chemical Industry Quick decision making is of utmost importance for a plant manager, particularly during emergencies, says Abhijeet Mhatre, Co-Founder & R&D Head, Covacsis Technologies Pvt Ltd. In this article, Mhatre further emphasises on the “decision support system which provides all relevant details proactively rather than the conventional reactive report mechanisms” and illustrates incidents that highlight the need for proper data analysis mechanism.
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magine a scenario. A CEO of a multi-billion dollar chemical organisation is relaxing in a remote location on a family vacation. On the back of his mind he always has this thought if there is anything wrong in the plant which needs his urgent attention. He does have a capable team who can handle contingencies, but at the same time he knows that communication which takes place through people is slow and fabricated. If there was a way in which his plant could directly communicate to him about its urgencies, he can be truly at peace with his vacation. This is a real world situation which is faced by manufacturers on a daily basis.
automated machines for manufacturing processes. These machines communicate by generating huge amount of data. Processing and analysing this data holds the key to reform manufacturing practices to not only carry out the manufacturing processes efficiently, but also make sure that these processes are implemented in a manner which proves beneficial to the organisations in financial terms as well. Big Data Analytics (BDA) has the capability to change the whole manufacturing value chain from acquiring raw material, to processing it into final product, to more effective disbursement of the product in the market.
Manufacturing operations are centered on ‘zero latency in decision making’. Eliminating delay in decision making is a must which requires Quick Analysis and Same Analysis (QASA), which in turn requires three things ie, Acquisition of Data, Complete Data and Real Time Data. Current generation of plant management systems are defaulting on all the three aspects resulting into ineffective decision support system.
The data generated from the machines when analysed, provides a perfect 360 degree view of the chemical plant. It provides a view on various dimensions like how the machines are performing, what is the energy and raw material consumption by them, how many times these machines have halted and the reasons behind them. There are many methodologies through which data generated can be analysed. The analytics of big data provides the ease to define the methodologies as per the need and requirement of the organisation.
The need of the hour is a decision support system which provides all relevant details proactively rather than the conventional reactive report mechanisms. The industry progressively needs to eliminate the reaction time of acting on any aberration. This can happen only if the operator on each machine is empowered to understand the business impact of each machine in the same way as a plant officer would understand it. This transition requires the convergence of Big Data with Internet of Things (IoT). The combination is so lethal that it will force the existing business model to reinvent itself. The advent industrial revolution brought 38 • November 2014
BDA, though being very effective can lose its efficiency if the accumulation of data and its analysis is not done on a real time basis. For this, a system is required which connects all the disparate machines and is capable of transmitting its data in real time. Such a mechanism is provided by IoT, which connects the disparate machines and transmits its data in real time. A leading chemical manufacturer was facing losses incurred over a period of six months
by poorly performing areas (ie, crude flow & reflux flow) on the production floor. They deployed BDA and IoT solution and identified frequent fluctuations in column bottom vacuum which directly affected the rate of crude flows and hence resulted in lower throughput. This cause when tracked back to the root indicated that the column bottom vacuum in the plant’s fractional distillation column needed to be replaced at the earliest. Implementing on the suggestion the organisation was able to save ` 48 lakhs in six months. In another incident, management of a leading agrochemical manufacturer were not able to measure or monitor impact of deviations in process parameters on product quality in real time basis. Implementing BDA and IoT on the DIA reactor allowed the plant team to study impact on the quality of the output due to inconsistencies in process parameters, which provided them a bigger picture about how the economics (cost, quality and productivity) on the production floor is shaping in real time. The company hence achieved potential cost saving of ` 11.07 lakhs in a single week just by observing the aberrations in DMS flow rate (process parameter). All this is possible by connecting all the machines and equipment of a plant floor and analysing the data gathered through them in real time. There cannot be an excruciating example of how IoT equipped with BDA is transforming the manufacturing operations. This is the power of real time BDA and IoT in the chemical industry which not only transforms an organisation into a smart organisation but also makes it a profitable one! Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features Technical Article
Developments in Instrumentation Calibration Tools The process sector is probably the main industrial user of plant instrumentation and this is used for the measurement of a wide range of parameters, such as pressure, temperature, flow, level and various electrical measurands. This accurate and reliable measurement is essential for continuing plant performance, efficiency, quality, safety and compliance. To ensure this accuracy and maintain reliability, it is vital that all measuring instruments are regularly and correctly calibrated.
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alibration? What, Why and When? Calibration involves comparing, at intervals, the value measured or set by the plant instrumentation with a known reference standard, which is traceable to national or international standards, to establish the accuracy of the plant instrumentation. It is important that calibration is carried out on a regular basis, because all measuring instruments drift in accuracy over time. Having established the need to calibrate, it is then important to decide when to calibrate. Sometimes calibration strictly follows manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations. Some organisations prefer to calibrate on a regular frequency basis, such as annual shut-down. The safest bet would seem to be to calibrate more frequently, but this entails increased time and cost, both in lost production and in calibration resource. Historically, calibration often
Figure 1: A Technician carrying out calibration
42 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014
meant taking an instrument out of service and sending it to a standards laboratory, or sometimes to an on-site laboratory, equipped with the necessary quality of calibration equipment. This is still done for some specialised instruments but with the introduction of the latest generation of smart, portable calibration instruments, which can integrate with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sophisticated calibration and maintenance management software, it is now possible to automate the calibration process for some measurands and often even possible to increase calibration intervals while still meeting standards relating to process and product quality and safety. How to Calibrate? If it is decided to calibrate in situ, it is first necessary to consider the ambient conditions of the various calibrations. Working in potentially explosive atmospheres, for example, presents real challenges, particularly for technicians who need a multitude of test tools and ancillaries, including gas bottles and regulators, to cover electrical, temperature and pressure applications. The difficulties are further complicated because of the regulations governing working practices in potentially explosive atmospheres. Even with suitable equipment, technicians are required to follow strict procedures and safety guidelines documented in text documents, drawings, data sheets, spreadsheets etc. It is simply not practical to carry all this material into the field in paper form. In addition, all
calibration and maintenance actions and data have to be documented, often with pen and paper. Errors result and time is wasted transcribing the data and then up-dating the maintenance systems. It is an unfortunate fact that, even when calibration has been carried out correctly, poor documentation can be the difference between a forced shut-down and a safety approval. Selecting the Right Tools Selecting the right calibration tool can be confusing. Many tools are dedicated to one measurand so that an instrument technician often needs to carry a number of calibrators to meet all the challenges he faces in a typical working day. Fortunately, multi-function calibrators, which combine a standard multimeter and with additional capabilities such as loop testing and pressure calibration, are now available. The latest hand-held, multi-function/ calibrator is operated by a touch and swipe screen, similar to a smart phone. It can measure and simulate the electrical parameters, temperatures and frequencies associated with the majority of process instrumentation but is significantly more accurate (eight to 16 times) than a typical multimeter. As a modular tool, its duties can be expanded by the addition of a uniquely flexible pressure system. This comprises a range of 32 high accuracy pressure measurement modules and three pressure generating stations so that pressure can be generated pneumatically Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Features Hand-held calibrators operate essentially like a multi-meter (although today, they are between 8 and 16 times more accurate than a standard multimeter). As such, they measure the electrical parameters of instruments. measured and sourced without the need for secondary calibration equipment. Genii also provides its own 24V loop supply and contains an integral 250 ohm HART resistor.
Figure 2: The swipe screen of the latest type multi-function calibrator
from 95 percent vacuum up to 20 bar to 100 bar, and hydraulically up to 1000 bar. Its broad range solves the transportation and EHS issues of using gas bottles and regulators. Such a calibrator also allows instrument engineers to view written procedures, safety notes permits, drawings, diagrams and datasheets and has sufficient memory to store a massive plant instrument database. Consequently, results can be recorded automatically, enabling full historical analysis in the field, without the need for a PC, so that automated procedures / work orders can be downloaded remotely and results up-loaded to anywhere in the world, enabling timely completion of audit records, service invoices and calibration certificates etc. In addition, the latest calibrator also offers HART and Fieldbus communication capability, so that instrumentation can be configured and commissioned as well as calibrated. It features a built-in library of all 1300 registered HART and 600 Foundation Fieldbus device descriptions (DD), with virtually unlimited memory for future updates. It can view, change, clone and store device configurations, even off-line. Analogue variables can be 44 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014
Compatible Calibration Maintenance Software A typical process plant can contain 1000s of instruments and the analysis of all the calibration data is not a simple task. It involves scheduling, resource management and cost analysis, as well as the challenge of storing all the data and documentation to meet audit requirements. However, the latest software developments combine calibration and maintenance management and provide a comprehensive solution for streamlining maintenance workflow by improving data integrity, scheduling work activity, automating calibration and maintenance and correcting deviations. For example the latest software platform from GE interfaces seamlessly with the latest calibrator, enabling the automatic download of procedures and the direct upload of results, ensuring paperless calibration and maintenance, with total integrity of data and no chance of transcription errors. Scheduling can be automated and worksheets sent directly to the appropriate operators. The system generates alarms for overdue activity and will highlight deviations that require action and provides compliant audit-ready data. A major advantage of the GE software package is that it is web-based and can be installed on a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s server and accessed through a PC and web browser from anywhere in the world. Alternatively, the software can be hosted by a third party as a service on an external server, so that there is no need
for software installation and IT support at the company itself. Calibrating Temperature Sensors Hand-held calibrators operate essentially like a multi-meter (although today, they are between 8 and 16 times more accurate than a standard multimeter). As such, they measure the electrical parameters of instruments. With temperature instruments, such as RTDs and thermocouples, they are used to simulate the electrical output from the device to see if this agrees with the value displayed. For general purposes, this is sufficient, as the mechanical components of RTDs and thermocouples are themselves inherently stable, the greatest source of drift being in the associated electronics. Consequently, to calibrate the sensor itself, it is necessary at intervals to simulate the temperatures the sensor will measure in practice. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multi-function calibrators have the capability to simulate pressure, as explained earlier, but the simulation of temperature requires a separate piece of hardware and, generally, this takes the form of a calibration bath. Temperature Calibration Baths There are two kinds of calibration baths: liquid baths and dry blocks. Both require an electricity supply and both generate real heat to simulate the conditions under which temperature sensors operate. The temperature generated has a known accuracy, so these devices can be used with great confidence to calibrate various temperature devices. However, with some calibrators certain sources of inaccuracy must be taken into account. A typical liquid bath can generate temperatures from -35 0 C to 165 0 C and from ambient to 255 0 C, depending on the heating fluid. The latest baths, such as those from GE, incorporate the latest Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features
Figure 3: A selection of the latest multi-function and temperature calibrators
heating and electronic control technology, combined with continuous agitation of the fluid bath, providing high accuracy and stability throughout the large homogenous measuring zone. They are factory-configured as liquid baths and are provided with a cover to hold up to five temperature devices, of various geometrical form and size, while reducing heat loss from the surface of the heating fluid. A leak-proof cover also prevents spillage during transportation around a site. The latest liquid baths are also versatile and feature additional interchangeable baths to suit different temperature ranges. They can also be converted into dry block calibrators by the insertion of a dry block insert. Dry blocks are simple to use and are very robust for field use. Essentially, they rely on the heating up of a metal block and can, typically, simulate temperatures from -35 0 C to 650 0 C. Compared with liquid baths, they heat up and cool down much more quickly. To ensure homogeneity of heat around the sensor to be calibrated, Dry Blocks offer a range of precision-bored inserts with diameters to suit a wide range of sensors. Although not quite as accurate as liquid baths, dry blocks can offer significant benefits in terms of ease of use in the field. Conclusions Process instrument calibration is vital to the continuing operating efficiency and safety of any process plant. However, the selection of the right tools for the job can sometimes be confusing. Fortunately, developments in calibration technology are now helping to make a task, which is often still considered as a chore, increasingly productive, reliable and user-friendly. Author’s Details Mike Shelton Product Manager GE Measurement & Control Emails: mike.shelton@ge.com
46 • November 2014
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CEW Features Technical Article
Rapid Estimation of Comonomer Content in Polyolefins by FTIR Rapid Estimation of comonomer content in polyolefins is the need of polyolefins industry and has been demonstrated by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The developed method could successfully predict the ethylene content in Polypropylene Random Copolymer (PP-RCP) and ethylene & 1-butene content in PP terpolymer. Methods for quantitative estimation of short chain branching in Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) have also been established in this article.
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nfrared (IR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool and is of fundamental importance for the determination of molecular structure, composition, configuration and stereo regularity of polymers [1] . Polyolefin IR spectra are dominated by methylene bands (polyethylene, PE) and methyl and methylene bands (polypropylene, PP). The simplest polymer structure ie, polyethylene, would be a chain of methylene units terminated on each end by methyl groups. Since PE is composed almost completely of methylene groups, its infrared spectrum would be expected to consist solely of methylene stretches and bends. Typical polyolefin FTIR spectrum is given in Figure 1. It can be seen from the figure that there are four sharp peaks which dominate the spectrum: The methylene stretches at 2,920 and 2,850 cm -1 and the methylene deformations at 1,464 and 719 cm -1 . Due to the crystallinity of polyethylene, the 1,464 and 719 cm -1 peaks are split, and additional peaks are seen at 1,473 and 731 cm -1 . For PP, the addition of a methyl side group on every other carbon atom in polyethylene complicates the infrared spectrum. In polypropylene, in addition to the methylene, methyl and methine groups are also present. The methyl peaks appear at 2,962/2,952 (split peak), 2,868 and 1,377 cm -1 . A methyl deformation gets overlapped with the methylene deformation, and the peak gets shifted slightly to 1,458 cm -1 .
Polyolefins are produced in many forms of copolymers and blends. The presence 48 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014
of comonomer and short chain branching disrupt crystallinity of the methylene
backbone and results in modified (The article continues on page 52)
Figure 1: Typical polyolefin FTIR spectrum showing various stretches and deformation of functional groups
Figure 2: Typical polyolefin IR spectrum showing weak methane peaks
Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Features Forward Focus
India Naphthalene Market Key Insights & Perspectives According to a recently published report by TechSci Research, “India Naphthalene Market Research Forecast & Opportunities, 2019”, naphthalene market in India is expected to register double digit increase at an estimated CAGR of 18.24 per cent in value terms during 2014- 19F. In 2013, the overall demand for naphthalene in the country pegged at 82.33 thousand metric tons, and is expected to grow to over 113 thousand metric tons. CEW brings forward the key insights and perspectives for its readers. Karan Chechi Research Director TechSci Research
N
aphthalene, represented by molecular formula C 10H 8, is a white crystalline organic compound that can be derived either from crude oil or coal tar. Chemically, naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon formed by the fusion of two benzene rings. Naphthalene is characterised by a peculiar odour, which is easily detectable even in concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. Naphthalene derived from crude oil is purer than that derived from coal tar. However, since 1990, industries have forbade using crude oil for extracting naphthalene and generally prefer coal tar for extraction. Coal tar is a byproduct of steel industry. It is produced during carbonization process while making coke. High temperature coal tar derived from steel industry contains various organic chemicals such as naphthalene, xylene, toluene, etc. Distillation of coal tar results in several organic compounds. Firstly, coal tar is distilled to remove low boiling components like benzene, xylene and toluene within light solvent column. Subsequent to distillation, the leftover crude is called coal tar naphtha, which contains naphthalene in high concentration with boiling range of
50 • November 2014
130 0 -200 0 C. Coal tar naphtha can be distilled to get pure naphthalene at up to 220 0 C under normal atmospheric pressure. Major impurity present in coal tar is thionaphthalene (1-3%). Coal Tar
DISTILLATION
Naphthalene (Upto 220 0 C)
In order to distill naphthalene, high temperature coal tar is a primary requirement. In India, coal tar of such high grade is mainly produced by a few players such as Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL). While some of the steel companies in India distill naphthalene on their own that is more than 90 per cent pure by composition, others directly sell coal tar to chemical industries for naphthalene production. Naphthalene produced by other allied industries is 60-80 per cent pure by composition. Based on the composition purity, naphthalene can be classified into two categories: • Crude Naphthalene- > 60 per cent pure • Hot Pressed Naphthalene- 90 per cent pure In India, Naphthalene market is highly consolidated since majority of the share
is occupied by SAIL. Being a byproduct of steel industries, naphthalene production in the country is dependent on the quality and quantity of steel produced in steel industry. As a result, the market for naphthalene in India remains volatile and is dependent on imports to fulfill the recurring demand. In 2013, the overall demand for naphthalene in the country was pegged at 82.33 thousand metric tons, and is expected to grow to over 113 thousand metric tons through 2019. Major factors that are likely to drive such a tremendous increase include growing textile exports, rising adoption of naphthalene in construction industry and growing production of sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde (SNF) for use in construction chemicals. Consumption of Naphthalene in Different Applications Textile Products: In textile industry, an array of processes is involved to come up with a final product like bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing. Bleaching is done to remove the original colour and odour of the raw material from which the textile is made. Before bleaching, scouring of material is done to make the textile hydrophilic in nature. Alkyl
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Features CEW insects. Naphthalene balls are not only used in textile industry to kill moths but also as a snake repellent and in toilets to kill germs and other insects. Diverse use of moth balls is driving the market for naphthalene in the country. Construction Chemicals: Naphthalene is a key raw material for the production of sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde. Around 1/4 th of the total naphthalene is being consumed in the production of SNF. Naphthalene is first sulfonated with the help of sulfuric acid, which then reacts with formaldehyde to give SNF polymer. SNF is useful in increasing the fluidity of concrete mixtures. Increasing production of SNF in the domestic market is driving the naphthalene market in the country. SNF can be produced from naphthalene as follows: C 10H 8 + H 2SO 4
SULFONATION
C 10H 7 – SO 3H + CH 2 = O – SO 3H)n+ H 2SO 4
C 10H 7 – SO 3H + H 20 POLYMERISATION
C 10H 7 - SO 3H - (C 10H 7 - SO 3H)n + NaOH – (C 10H 7 - SO 3Na)n + H 2O + Na 2SO 4
SO 3H – C 10H 7 – (CH 2 – C 10H 7
NEUTRALISATION
C10H 7 - SO 3Na
Wall Tiles: Since naphthalene is hygroscopic in nature, it can be used in the production of wall tiles for water proofing systems. Tiles play a major role in improving the interiors of residential and commercial spaces. Indian wall tile industry is continuously increasing at 15 per cent annually. The overall market for tile industry in India was valued at USD 2974.47 million in 2012. Increasing market for tile industry is also driving naphthalene market in the country.
naphthalene sulfonates, in general, are used as wetting agents during the scouring operation. The process of dyeing imparts colour to the textile product and is done in the presence of certain chemicals like naphthalene sullfonates. Indian textile industry has been witnessing robust growth, which in turn is surging the demand for naphthalene in the domestic market. As a result, the country is emerging as one of the global leaders in the production of yarns and fabric. In addition, rising FDI investments are also driving the growth of Indian textile industry, which in turn is boosting the demand for naphthalene in India. For instance, in 2005, textile industry witnessed FDI investments worth USD 40 million, which increased to USD 101 million in 2013. Moth Balls: Naphthalene is characterised by a highly pungent smell, which can be easily detected even at very low concentrations. Being a sublime substance, naphthalene readily converts from solid state to gaseous state, which is toxic to moths and other
Chemical Engineering World
Availability of Alternate Material Globally, naphthalene is used to produce phthalic anhydride, naphthols and mothballs. However, due to availability of alternate materials, demand of naphthalene in these products is decreasing in India. Bon Acid (Beta oxy naphthoic acid), 1,4 dichloro benzene and xylene are alternate ingredient for naphthols, mothballs and phthalic anhydride, respectively. Conclusion India Naphthalene market remains largely import-driven with SAIL as the only large producer of naphthalene operating in the country. The company produces hot pressed naphthalene, while other players such as AVH Chemicals and Bhilai Cement are engaged in producing crude naphthalene by procuring coal tar (raw material) from various steel companies. “Since raw material for naphthalene is a by-product of steel industry during the process of making coke, naphthalene market in India completely depends on the scenario prevailing in India’s steel industry. This is the main reason behind the uneven scenario in trade dynamics of the naphthalene in India,” said Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.
November 2014 • 51
CEW Features physical properties, such as lower melting point, lower modulus, and higher impact strength [2]. In order to understand the effect of comonomer type and its content on the physico-mechanical properties of these commercially important polyolefins, qualitative and quantitative estimation of comonomer present is of great importance [3] . Since FTIR spectroscopy is a relatively simple and fast technique and can have quantitative approach, we have explored the option of using FTIR for the quantitative determination of comonomer/ short chain branching in polyolefin. In this paper, we report methods developed for determination of ethylene content in PPRCP, ethylene and 1-butene content in PP terpolymer and short chain branching in LLDPE. Experimental Details FTIR scans of pressed film specimens (~250 micron thickness) of PP-RCP samples (standard and validation samples), PP terpolymer samples (~100 micron thickness; standard and validation samples) and LLDPE samples (~100 micron thickness), were recorded in absorbance versus wave numbers (cm-1) in Perkin Elmer FTIR model SPECTRUM-100 spectrophotometer in the range of 4500 cm-1 to 650 cm -1. The FTIR method is typically applicable to samples which appear pure and clear, do not show significant interferences from residual catalysts, additives or artifacts. Results and Discussion Ethylene content in PP Random Copolymer: A method has been developed for the determination of ethylene content (%C 2) in propylene- ethylene semi-crystalline copolymers including random grades over the range 0.5 to 13 wt. % ethylene using FTIR. The spectrum of a PP-RCP show characteristic band in the range of 790 – 660 cm -1, which is due to methylene sequences [-(CH2)- n rocking vibrations, where n = 1,2,…5] and a sharp prominent peak at ~725 cm -1, indicates presence of ethylene comonomer. There is a large band at 4,482 - 3950 cm -1 because of the combined absorption of methyl and methylene groups. Thus the ratio of area of peak at 725 cm -1 to area of absorption bands between 4482 – 3950 cm -1 should be able to predict the ethylene content in the polymer. For demonstration of this, standard samples with ethylene content in the range of 1.5 to 6 wt% have been chosen and empirical correlation was developed. Figure 3 shows the validity of ratios of ethylene peak to overall other peaks for predicting the ethylene content in RCP. The equation obtained was: ... 1 Where, A c2 is the area under the peak 725 cm -1 A t is the total area under peak 4482-3950 cm -1 Et (wt%) is the ethylene content 52 • November 2014
Figure 3: Plot showing the validity of ratio of areas of 725 cm-1 to 4482-3950 cm-1 as predictive tool for determining ethylene content in Random Copolymers
Sample no
A C2 /A t
Predicted Et%
Plant Values
1
0.03897
5.0
5.1
2
0.02381
3.0
3.2
3
0.02262
2.8
2.9
4
0.02440
3.1
3.1
5
0.02260
2.8
3.0
6
0.04500
5.6
5.5
7
0.02646
3.3
3.1
8
0.02702
3.4
3.2
9
0.02680
3.4
3.2
Table 1: Validation of Transfer function (Eq 1) with unknown random copolymer samples
To assess the reliability of the Eq1, FTIR spectra of other PP-RCP samples were recorded. The spectra were analysed according to the above mentioned method and A C2/ A t values were measured and are shown in Table 1. Using the measured A C2/A t values for each sample, ethylene contents were determined from the Eq1 and were compared with plant values. It can be seen from the table 1 that ethylene content estimated using developed equation closely represents the plant values measured through established methods indicating applicability of the correlation for random copolymer. Ethylene and 1-Butene Content in PP Terpolymer: The robustness of the approach can be demonstrated by extending it to terpolymers. The ethylene and 1-butene contents in 1-buteneethylene-propylene random terpolymers (terpolymer) have been simultaneously predicted over the wide range of concentrations. The spectrum of terpolymer show characteristic peaks at ~730 cm -1 and at 770 cm -1 which are due to rocking vibrations of methylene sequences of ethylene component and ethyl branches of butylene component respectively. There is large band at 4482 – 3950 cm -1 that is due to the combined absorption of methyl and methylene groups. Similar to the method developed for estimation of ethylene content in random copolymer, empirical correlations have been developed to simultaneously predict the ethylene content and 1-butene in terpolymers. The ethylene Chemical Engineering World
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Final Ad template amol.indd 117
December 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ 117
24-01-2014 10:39:53
CEW Features content can be obtained from the ratio of area of peak at 730 cm -1 to area of peaks at 4482-3950 cm -1 and 1-butene content can be obtained from the ratio of area of the peak at 770 cm -1 to area of peaks at 4482-3950 cm -1. The empirical correlations obtained were: ... 2
... 3 Where, A c2 is the area under the peak 730 cm -1 A c4 is the area under the peak 770 cm -1 A t is the total area under peak 4482-3950 cm -1 Et (wt%) is the ethylene content 1Bt (wt%) is the 1-butene content Figure 4 shows the validity of ratio of ethylene peak to overall other peaks for predicting the ethylene content and 1-butene peak to overall peaks for predicting the 1-butene content in terpolymers. To assess the reliability of Eqs 2 and 3, FTIR spectra of unknown terpolymer samples were recorded. From the spectra, ethylene and 1-butene contents for each sample were predicted using equations 2 and 3 respectively and are shown in Table 2 along with measured values. It can be seen from the Table 2 that
Figure 4: Plot showing the validity of ratio of areas of 730 cm-1 to 4482-3950 cm-1 and 770 cm-1 to 4482-3950 cm-1 as predictive tool for determining ethylene and 1-butene contents in 1-butene-ehtylene-propylene terpolymer
Sample No
A c2 /A t
A C4 /A t
Predicted Et %
Predicted 1-Butene %
Plant Et%
Plant 1-Butene %
1
0.0152
0.0017
4.5
6.6
4.4
6.5
2
0.0215
0.0014
3.5
5.7
3.6
5.6
3
0.0128
0.0010
2.3
4.0
2.2
4.1
4
0.0169
0.0010
2.8
4.1
2.7
4.2
5
0.0168
0.0011
2.8
4.4
2.8
4.3
6
0.0177
0.0010
3.0
4.0
3.1
4.2
Table 2: Validation of Transfer functions (Eq 2, 3) with unknown terpolymer samples
54 • November 2014
Standard LLDPE
Comonomer Type
Ratio of Peak Areas
Calculated Comonomer %
Plant Values
A
1-Octene
0.1948
7.5
7.4
B
1-Hexene
0.2092
7.9
7.9
C
1-Hexene
0.2188
7.2
7.3
D
1-Hexene
0.2023
7.2
7.1
E
1-Butene
0.0129
0.8
0.8
F
1-Butene
0.0850
3.3
3.2
G
1-Butene
0.0812
3.2
3.1
H
1-Hexene
0.1543
6.0
6.1
I
1-Hexene
0.1724
6.5
6.4
Table 3: Table demonstrates the applicability of transfer function (Eq 4) in predicting comonomer contents of various types in LLDPE
developed methods were able to satisfactorily predict the ethylene and 1-butene content. Comonomer content in Linear Low Density Polyethylene: Further, this approach has been extended to polyethylene such as Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and LLDPE. LLDPE can be made with various copolymers such as 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene and 4-methyl- 1 –pentene [4]. The qualitative analysis of short chain branching (SCB) in polyethylene is important for the correlation of molecular structure with physical properties [5]. FTIR spectrum of LDPE/ LLDPE show characteristic peaks at 2850-3000 cm -1 due to C-H stretching of methylene and methyl group, at 1,464 cm -1 due to methylene deformation (– CH scissoring), at ~ 1390 - 1370 cm -1 due to methyl deformation (CH bending); at 720-725 cm -1 due to methylene rocking and in the region 1000-750 cm -1 due to methyl (long chain) rocking bands [2]. The methyl and methylene rocking bands, which are more characteristic of short chain branch type, were found to be more useful. Methyl, ethyl, butyl, isobutyl, and hexyl branches are qualitatively and quantitatively characterised in LLDPE copolymers by FTIR spectroscopy. Ethyl, butyl and hexyl type SCB in LLDPEs are readily distinguishable [4, 6] by the methyl rocking band positions (886-894 cm -l). The absorption bands at 887 cm -1, 893 cm -1 and 888 cm -l can be used to identify 1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene copolymers respectively. An absorbance band at 770 cm -1 has also been used to identify the ethyl branches in 1-butene LLDPE [7]. In the spectrum of LLDPE, we have considered the peak at 1465 cm -1 and peaks in the region 886-894 cm -1, which are due to methylene deformation (–C-H scissoring) and methyl (long chain) rocking bands respectively. The type of comonomer present is identified from the peak position in the range of 894-886 cm -1, ie, 770 cm -1 for 1-butene, 893 cm -1 for 1-hexene and 888 cm -1 for 1-octene. For quantitative estimation of the comonomer, following measurements were made from the spectrum of standard LLDPE Chemical Engineering World
CEW Features samples and the data on the same is given in Table 3. A correlation between ratio of peak areas at 894-886 cm -1 and 1465 cm -1 and that of comonomer content was found as: ... 4 The calculated comonomer content (%) as per equation 4 and the corresponding plant values of LLDPE samples are also given in Table 3 (on previous page). This unequivocally demonstrates the applicability of the method developed for polyolefin. It can be seen from Table 3 that the variation of comonomer percentage between calculated value and that of plant value is less than 5 per cent and transfer function could actually predict various types of comonomers in LLDPE. Conclusions Conventional transmission FTIR spectroscopy can be applied to rapidly analyse comonomer contents in polyolefin. Simple transfer functions can be generated to determine ethylene content in PP random copolymer and ethylene and butylene content in PP terpolymer with <5 % variation. The FTIR technique was also successfully applied to identify and determine the comonomer content (1-hexene, 1-octene) in LLDPE. The methods developed in this work reinforce FTIR as a reliable and convenient technique for determination of qualitative and quantitative estimation of comonomer in polyolefin. References: 1. Jack L Koenig, Spectroscopy of Polymers, Elsevier (1999) 2. K. Shirayama, S. Kita, and H. Watabe, Makromol.Chem., 151, 97 (1972). 3. R. Alamo, R. Domszy, and L. Mandelkern, J. Phys.Chem., 88, 6587 (1984). 4. A. Prasad, Polymer Engineering & Science, Vol. 38, No. 10, (1998). 5. N. K. Datta and A. W. Birley, Plast. Rubb. Process. Appl. 3, 237 (1983). 6. F. M. Rugg, J. J. Smith, L. H. Wartman, xr, NO. 1, 1-20 (1952) 7. A. Willbour, J. Polym. Sci., 34,569, (1959).
Authorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Details Dr G Sivalingam Assistant Vice President - Technology Reliance Technology Group - Polymers (RIL) Email: sivalingam.gunasekaran@ril.com Madhumita Saroop Senior Manager Reliance Technology Group (RIL) Email: madhumita.saroop@ril.com
55 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014
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Monitor - Control - Transmit - Record
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CEW Market Insights
A Framework to Attain Operational Excellence TRACC is a very cost effective solution, which, in most cases would provide tangible ROI within a space of 12 to 18 months. The entire process begins with an assessment of the current situation and quantification of the benefits to be received by the customer. Hence the client has a complete business case for internal approval and buy-in, before investing significant amounts of money, reveals Sharad Mittal, Business Partner, Competitive Capabilities International.
C
ompetitive Capabilities International (CCI) is a global operations excellence management company that helps clients accelerate their operations and supply chain excellence journey through TRACC, its Integrative Improvement management framework. The company has implemented TRACC in over 20 sites in India and over 2000 sites globally. Recently, Asian Paints, India’s largest paint manufacturer, selected TRACC as the foundation for the operational excellence programme at of one of its plants. CCI is well geared to provide implementation and consulting support to its clients in India. Making Life of Chemical Manufacturers Easy While responding to CEW on how the system can make the life of a chemical manufacturer easy, Mittal reveals that TRACC is a knowledgebase of best practices encompassing various facets of operations and supply chain. The knowledgebase is divided into 5 steps of maturity so that it addresses all companies, irrespective of the level of advancement in their continuous improvement programme. “Reduction in Energy consumption through elimination of Loss and Waste; Improvement in OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) leading to reduced costs; and Reduced employee attrition are some of the advantages for chemical companies,” Mittal comments. He further adds that TRACC best practices work together to help companies develop and implement an improvement strategy, manage the transformation and provide a roadmap for the continuous improvement journey. This helps companies achieve sustainable, replicable world class business performance improvement. Mittal emphasises TRACC is a knowledgebase of best practices which are divided into 5 stages of maturity (from ‘do nothing’ to ‘world’s best’). According to him, companies are leveraging the system to create a vision and a compelling roadmap for operational excellence; Benchmarking their systems and processes against global (and intra company) best practices and standards, through the TRACC assessor, Monitoring 58 • November 2014
the value delivered and the progress of the improvement programme; Improving the leadership effectiveness to implement and support the efficiency improvement programme; Managing the cultural change; Building on existing improvement initiatives which could be leveraging known approaches like TPM, TQM, Six sigma, etc; Moderating the rate of change, as per organisational appetite for change; and Improving standards of health and safety through driving awareness at an operator level. Enhancing Skills and Competence The TRACC content provides the knowledge needed for achieving higher levels of efficiency. “At each step of the process, TRACC provides the content explaining “What to do”, “Why to do” and “How to do”. The level of detail (templates, charts, examples, step-by-step guide) hand holds the employees through this journey saving precious time in research and experimentation. TRACC content includes multiple training programmes, which are customised to the audience,” explains Mittal. He also mentions about ‘Train the Trainer’ programme conducted by How Companies Leverage Knowledgebase of Best Practices? • By creating a vision and a compelling roadmap for operational excellence • By benchmarking their systems and processes against global (and intra company) best practices and standards, through the TRACC assessor • By monitoring the value delivered and the progress of the improvement programme • By improving the leadership effectiveness to implement and support the efficiency improvement programme • By managing the cultural change • By building on existing improvement initiatives • By moderating the rate of change, as per organisational appetite for change Chemical Engineering World
CEW Market Insights
The scope for TRACC
CCI. CCI emphasises on enhancing employee potential and improvement through internal resources, reveals Mittal. Reducing Waste The first step on the road to operational excellence is building awareness regarding the potential for improvement. “TRACC helps your company gain knowledge about the potential losses and wastes that are present in the current manufacturing and supply chain processes. These could be from simple machine downtime, pump stoppages or excess steam losses, all the way through to excess time to attain process stability from short production stops. It is our experience that there are often hidden losses within the process and the reduction of these will assist reduce the cost of manufacture per tonne,” Mittal states. Does the system provide training material and workshops to support employees to uncover hidden wastes by routinely scrutinising their processes? Yes, Mittal replies. “The system also encourages them to develop innovative solutions for waste elimination, through problem solving skills enhancement. The result is production of quality products on time, every time with refined processes and a vigilant workforce,” he adds further. 62 • November 2014
Changing Trends The response towards adopting latest systems is increasing. “Traditionally the Indian chemical companies lagged behind in adopting such programs but there is now a visible urgency to improve efficiencies across the entire value chain, to be cost competitive,” Mittal comments. He explains that India has become an integral part of the global economy and the Indian companies are no longer ‘shielded’ by protectionist policies and rules. Many Indian chemical companies are now either customers of or vendors to large MNC companies. “This imperative has further been exaggerated by the rising energy and raw material costs. The managements of Indian chemical companies of all sizes are therefore focusing on running efficiency improvement programmes. Programmes like TRACC are therefore receiving tremendous response from these companies.” CCI is also in discussion with medium and large scale manufacturers to extend the benefit of the system. Mittal claims that CCI can address specific areas of improvement through an approach from the basics thus laying the foundation for improvement. The area and scope depends on the strategy and business imperatives of the prospective client. - Harshal Y Desai Chemical Engineering World
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nvironmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity and other life forms on our planet today. In such condition, Filter Concept has taken some strong initiative and accepted the challenges to overcome pollution related problem faced by various industries. As a part of this, we have introduced pollution control equipment to reduce emission of hazardous contaminants generated by various industries such as Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Steel & Power, Cement, Formulations, Fertilisers, Textile, Paints & Inks, Chemicals, Mines & Mineral, Electronics & many others. We have developed Self Cleaning filter systems to restrict emission level as low as 10mg /m 3, which is very less compared to environmental pollution control norms in INDIA and across the globe. Function of Innovation Self-cleaning filter is constructed with filter housing, filter element, back flushing valve, differential pressure gauge, differential pressure switch, Dust Extraction assembly, Geared motor with Sensor and Control Panel. Filter housing can be offered in various material of construction such as various grades of stainless steel, carbon steel and alloy metal. Filter element can be offered in wedge wire, multi layered wiremesh, and plain wiremesh configuration, depending upon process requirement. These filters can offer filtration level starting from 1 micron to 2000 micron. They are designed to deliver flow rate up to 2000 m 3/hr or even more than that with parallel configuration. Features and Benefits • Simple operation of filtration • Easy process of backwash/back flush • Less wastage of water for cleaning • No consumable cost • Minimum manual intervention • Uninterrupted through put all time, even during back flushing • Can handle high suspended load APPLICATION INDUSTRIES Domestic water supply
Tooth Paste
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Cooling water
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Ground water
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Lubricants
Agriculture irrigation water
66 • November 2014
About the Company Filter Concept is an ISO, OHSAS, ASME, the National Board of Boiler and Vessel Inspectors and CE Certified Company involved in business of Manufacturing and Export of Industrial Filter Systems and Consumables for Air, Gas and Liquid Applications. Their core business is micron and macron filtration. Filter Concept is one of the largest and fast growing entities dealing in most diverse filtration systems in the world. Filter Concept offer complete filtration solutions to almost all industries. Their products adhere to highest international quality standards of manufacturing and meet ISO, OHSAS standards and the international design standards like ASME, CE, DIN, and BS Standards. Email: Website: Phone:
info@filter-concept.com www.filter-concept.com +91 79 2754 1602 Chemical Engineering World
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Chemical Engineering World
Products CEW Video On Installation Of Oil & Gas VRU Compressors Blackmer offers a new video to illustrate the proper installation of a vapour-recovery unit’s compressor in oil-and-gas production applications. The four-minute video, titled Proper Vapour Recovery System Compressor Assembly, explains to the viewer how the proper mounting and installation of the various models of Blackmer Reciprocating Gas Compressors—the HD, HDS and NG Series—as part of an in-the-field vapourrecovery unit (VRU) can optimize the operational reliability and production of the system while also reducing costly downtime and maintenance.. A quality VRU consists of a number of components, but at its heart is the compressor. However, by its very method of operation, any reciprocating machine will create unbalanced forces and moments as the powerful movement of the rotating parts produce shaking forces that can result in unit vibration, and compromise performance. As the video explains, the proper way to eliminate vibration in the compressor is by anchoring it to a suitable baseplate that is at least four times the weight of the compressor, then bolting the baseplate to a concrete slab. The concrete slab should be placed on a level surface that has been graded and never installed on non-compacted soil. For details contact: Dover India Pvt Ltd – PSG 40 Poonamallee By-pass, Senneerkuppam, Chennai 600 056 Tel: 044-26271020, 25271023 E-mail: sales.psgindia@psgdover.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 1
Automation Software B&R offers its revolutionary new mapp technology. These modular software blocks simplify the development of new programs and reduce the development time for new machines and systems by an average of 67%. At the same time, mapp reduces overall service and maintenance expenditures. mapp eliminates these recurring programming tasks for developers by providing preconfigured blocks that are easy to use and already extensively tested. Programmers can then concentrate on their main task: implementing machine or system processes in the application software. mapp blocks are seamlessly integrated into B&R’s automation software landscape. This means that any developer who works with Automation Studio can implement mapp blocks to make their work easier and their application software clearer. The end results speak for themselves: increased machine availability, lower maintenance costs and much easier team collaboration. For details contact: B&R Industrial Automation Pvt Ltd 8 Tara Heights, Mumbai-Pune Road, Wakdewadi, Pune, Maharashtra 411 003 Tel; 020-41478999 | Fax: 91-020-41478998 E-mail: shyam.padwal@br-automation.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 2
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CEW Products
Industrial Valves
Filament-wound FRP Pipes and Fittings
Flowchem Industries offers industrial valves like ball valve, fire safe ball valves, remote operated ball valves, actuated ball valves, multiport ball valves with product range in size 006 mm to 600 mm and pressure rating up to 2500 Class in forge steel, cast steel, Stainless steel, Hastelloy B & C, Alloy-20 and under International Standard like ASME/ASTM/ BS. Flowchem Industries is authorized to use API 6D, API 608, API 600 and API 6A monogram on products and approved with CE PED by BV and ISO 9001:2008 certified by BVQI. Flowchem have conducted fire safe test for ball valves as per API 607, 2005 / API6FA 1999 and BS 6755 Part-II witnessed by EIL/LLOYDS/BVIS. Flowchem has been servicing the oil and gas industries, petrochemical industries, pharma unit, power plants, refineries, paper industries, cement plants and steel plants.
EPPCPL offers FRP pipes manufactured on sophisticated CNC filament winding machines. Filament winding method with a specially designed winding angle pattern offers very good physical and mechanical strength in hoop and axial and in both directions. FRP pipes are widely used in chemical process and other industries where highly corrosive chemicals are used. FRP pipes and fittings are manufactured with isopthalic, bisphenol, vinyl ester and epoxy resins depending upon individual’s application. FRP pipes and fittings are available in wide range of sizes from 25 to 4,000 mm with pressure rating from 2.5 to 30 kg/cm 2 and temperature resistance up to 100 OC.
For details contact: Flowchem Industries Flowchem House, Science City Road, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380 060 Tel: 079-27712102, 27712103 E-mail: fci@flowchem.com
For details contact: EPP Composites Pvt Ltd Plot No: 2624, Kranti Gate Main Road GIDC Lodhika Indl Estate, Kalawad Road Metoda, Gujarat 360 021 Tel: 02827-287059, 287060, 287061 Fax: 91-02827-287063 E-mail: marketing@epp.co.in
or Circle Readers’ Service Card 3
or Circle Readers’ Service Card 4
GigaGuard Pressure Status Indicator SEMI-GAS Systems offers its new GigaGuard Pressure Status Indicator (PSI) for monitoring gas supply pressure from 1 or 2 pressure switches with single or dual outputs. The compact controller is SEMI-GAS’ latest addition to the GigaGuard gas control product line and the manufacturer’s economical solution for indicating pressure changes in manual, non-hazardous gas applications where minimal facility monitoring is desired. The new GigaGuard PSI features green, yellow and red indicator lights and an audible alarm to signify pressure conditions beyond the user specified set points. Should the pressure exceed the system parameters, an integrated LED button on the front panel allows the operator to manually silence the horn. The GigaGuard PSI configuration can be accessed and adjusted with any web compatible browser. While the controller comes standard with MODBUS TCP communications, remote monitoring is also available through the controller’s bottom-mounted Ethernet RJ45 port. The GigaGuard PSI NEMA-rated ABS plastic enclosure is 4.25” high by 8.0” wide and 2.5” deep and comes with built-in brackets for easy wall or rack mounting. A 6’ AC power cord with 5-15p plug is provided; however, an external DC power source can also be used. For details contact: Applied Energy Systems 180 Quaker Lane, Malvern PA 19355, U.S.A. Tel: 610-647-8744 E-mail: mkasper@semi-gas.com / mkasper@appliedenergysystems.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 5
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Products CEW Precision Temperature Controller Model 5R7-388 RoHS compliant controller is a bidirectional control for independent thermoelectric modules or in conjunction with auxiliary or supplemental resistive heaters for both cooling and heating applications. The “H” bridge configuration of the solid state MOSFET output devices allows for the bi-directional flow of current through the thermoelectric modules. Highly efficient N-channel output devices are used for this control mode. This controller is PC programmable via an RS232 communication port for direct interface with a compatible PC. The easily accessible communications link permits a variety of operational mode configurations. Field selectable parameters or data acquisition in a half duplex mode can be performed. This controller will accept a communications cable length in accordance with RS232 interface specifications. Once the desired set parameters are established, the PC may be disconnected and Model 5R7-388 becomes a unique, stand alone controller. All parameter settings are retained in non-volatile memory. For details contact: Oven Industries, Inc 5060 Ritter Rd, Bldg C, Suite 8, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, U.S.A. Tel: (877) 766-6836, (717) 766-0721 | Fax: (717) 766-4786 E-mail: sales@ovenind.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 6
Multi-function Recording and Datalogger Compressed air and gases are expensive media “without measurement there is no control”. CS Instruments, Germany, offers new flow station DS400 unique product for measurement of actual consumption including peak values and leakage at a glance having given features: 3.5” graphic display with touch screen shows the progression of the measured values graphically; 2 sensor inputs for consumption/dew point sensors; USB interface for reading out the data logger by means of USB stick; etc. Flow station DS400 with consumption sensor VA400 is easy to install and removal under pressure by means of ½” ball valve. Several gas types freely selectable at DS400. Applicable from ½” to 12” (DN 300). Diameter freely adjustable via DS400. 4-20 mA output for m 3/h and pulse output for m 3 (total consumption). For details contact: AV Measurement & Control (India) Plot No: P46/1, 102 Sonata Comml Complex, Opp: Unique Automobile Nr ICICI Bank, MIDC, Dombivli (E), Dist: Thane, Maharashtra 421 203 Tel: 0251-2424418, 6458885 E-mail: vadnerkar@avmacindi8a.com / sheeja@avmacindia.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 7
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CEW Products
Internally Heat Reactivated Type Air Dryer
Thermoelectric Controller
Mellcon offers an internal heat regenerated type dryer. The internal heater type dryer provides most efficient, economical and easy to maintain method of drying compressed air and gases. The drying medium (molecular sieves or activated alumina) is contained in two carbon steel pressure vessels. While chamber one is under drying a small amount of dry air is passed through an electrical heater embedded in chamber two and carries out the disorbed moisture. Each column remains in line for drying for about 6 hours. For regeneration, the desiccant is heated for about 3 hours and then cooled for another 3 hours before changeover. The operation is fully automatic. After every 6 hours the towers change over automatically, and tower alternate undergoes drying and regeneration. Digital indications are provided to monitor the proper regeneration. A outlet dew point indicator is also supplied to visualize the dryness of gas/air. The dryer is offered for dew point up to -80 oC.
Oven offers 5R7-573 thermoelectric controller. This open board temperature controller is specifically designed with a proportional integral control algorithm to provide the most precise control to thermoelectric (Peltier effect) modules at the most economical price.
For details contact: Mellcon Engineers Pvt Ltd B-297 Okhla Indl Area, Phase I New Delhi 110 020 Tel: 011-26811727 / 26816103 | Fax:91-011-26816573 E-mail: mellcon@mellcon.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 8
The H bridge control provides a seamless transition between heating and cooling, eliminating dead spots. A red LED for heat and green LED for cooling indicate mode. Pulse width modulation controls the power level in the thermoelectric module at a base frequency of 900 Hz. Power resolution is one of ±255 steps in the load circuit control. For details contact: Oven Industries, Inc 5060 Ritter Rd, Bldg C, Suite 8 Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, U.S.A. Tel: (877) 766-6836, (717) 766-0721 Fax: (717) 766-4786 E-mail: sales@ovenind.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 9
Regenerative Blowers AMETEK Precision Motion Control, a division of AMETEK, Inc, offers ROTRON Chem-Tough regenerative (side channel) blowers for situations requiring safe and efficient handling of corrosive and/or potentially explosive gases. They operate dependably in environmentally challenging, chemically corrosive and potentially hazardous conditions including methane extraction and flaring. They are ideal for a wide range of oil-rig, oil-field, landfill, wastewater and chemical processing applications. The blowers employ regenerative air technology to develop proper air pressures and vacuums. This is accomplished without the higher energy and maintenance costs associated with larger multi-stage or positive displacement blowers and compressors. An extensive product range allows users to achieve ideal flows, pressures and vacuums. Permanent salt spray resistance also makes them ideal for aquaculture. Rugged construction features include nickel-plated components and SS-303 motor shafts and hardware. Custom designed seals assure leak containment. Use of low-friction polymers provides permanent “dry” lubricity. The blower’s low-noise, high efficiency aerodynamics are achieved through the use of lower speed, long-life AC induction motors. These ATEX-certified, explosion-proof motors are custom-designed for harsh environments and available in all international voltages. For details contact: AMETEK, Inc 1100 Cassatt Road, Berwyn, PA 19312, U.S.A. Tel: 610-647-2121 | Fax: 215-323-9337 E-mail: steve.griffiths@ametek.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 10
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Products CEW Water Ring Vacuum Pump Vacunair Engg Co Pvt Ltd offers water ring vacuum pump and compressors having non-pulsating vacuum and pressure energy saving pump designed by operating at low periphery speed and offer vacuum pump for specific power of 60 to 65 m 3/hr per kW. Pump is available in wide selection for any requirement range 20 to 7,000 m 3/hr, vacuum up to 700 mm Hg and vacuum up to 25 mm Hg absolute. No lubrication is required and can handle air/gas/air with water comfortably. Standard pumps are available with stuffing box type gland seal arrangement and can also offer with mechanical seal. Easy to mm size.
maintain
the
pump
as
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are
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Impellers are duly dynamically balanced as per ISO 1940-1973 (E) Class G 6.3. Vacuum pumps are available in CIFG-260, gun metal, phosphor bronze, aluminium bronze, SS-304, SS-316 and other alloy steel. It finds application in industries like chemical, pharma, fertilizers, etc. For details contact: Vacunair Engg Co Pvt Ltd Nr Gujarat Bottling, Rakhial, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380 023 Tel: 079-22910771 | Fax: 91-079-22910770 E-mail: info@vacunair.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 11
mapp Technology & ACOPOS P3 3-axis Servo Drive B&R offers two groundbreaking innovations: mapp technology and ACOPOS P3 3-axis servo drive. mapp technology simplifies the development of new programs through the use of modular software blocks, freeing developers from having to program basic functions so they can instead concentrate on their main task: implementing the machine or system process itself in application software. The ACOPOS P3 represents a similarly impressive progression in automation technology. This three-axis servo drive allows space savings of up to 69% in the control cabinet. It also features a sampling time of 50 µs for the entire controller cascade, making it the fastest servo drive with safety functions on the market. For details contact: B&R Industrial Automation Pvt Ltd 8 Tara heights, Pune-Mumbai Road, CTS 21 (19A) Wakdewadi, Shivaji Nagar, Pune Maharashtra 411 003 Tel: 020-4147 6999 | Fax: 91-020-4147 8998 E-mail: ninad.deshpande@br-automation.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 12
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CEW Products
Energy-efficient API BB1 Pump KEPL offers energy efficient BB1 Series pump under the model name of KBAD. This new Series is designed especially for process industries for various chemical and liquid pumping applications. KEPL’s BB1 pumps are characterised by side nozzle configuration preferred for fluid transfer applications. Its near-center line mounting design makes the KABD suitable for various refinery applications subjected to ISO or API criteria for flammable or dangerous fluids with specific gravity greater than 0.7 and temperature below 200˚C and 400˚F. For details contact: Kirloskar Ebara Pumps Ltd Pride Kumar Senate Bldg, Senapati Bapat Road Pune, Maharashtra 411 016 Tel: 020-25600100 | Fax: 91-020-25600351 E-mail: kelp@kepl.in.net or Circle Readers’ Service Card 13
Quick Shut-off Pneumatic Actuators The compact actuator is a quarter turn rack and pinion actuator. The superiority of the COMPACT II actuator over single and double rack and pinion actuator designs, results from the four pistons which generate torque around a centrally located pinion, thereby giving more than double the torque achieved by these designs. The increased number of pistons in the actuator allows their diameter to be reduced while maintaining its high torque. This also allows the overall size of the actuator to be reduced and become more compact. For details contact: Jasubhai Engineering 64/A, GIDC Indl Estate, Phase 1 Vatwa, Ahmedabd, Gujarat 382 445 Tel: 079-25831042 Fax: 91-079-25831825 E-mail: mumbai@jasubhai.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 14
Hot Water Recirculation Pump KSB offers hot water recirculation pumps for large industrial heating systems as well as forced circulation boilers and district heating systems. The horizontal, radially split single-stage volute casing pumps feature a back pull-out design. Their ratings and dimensions comply with ISO 2858; with regard to handling hot water, organic or synthetic heat transfer fluids, they also meet the technical requirements of ISO 5199. The HPK-L Pump Series, which comes in 49 different sizes, can be operated at temp of up to 400oC without any additional cooling devices, and is designed for pressure classes of up to PN 40. . A fan impeller fitted at the pump shaft end generates a continuous flow of air between the large cooling fins surrounding the mechanical seal chamber. A service life of up to 25,000 operating hours is ensured by large, product-lubricated silicon carbide plain bearings fitted close to the impeller and by two angular contact ball bearings in back-to-back arrangement sealed on both sides and mounted at the “cold” end of the shaft. The patented venting profile, VenJet, makes sure that the gas contained in the fluid is separated near the mechanical seal and that it collects in the venting chamber. The pump’s design provides space for the installation of double mechanical seals in tandem arrangement without necessitating any changes to the lengths of the cooling distances in the pump. In this configuration, a quench fluid is provided between the two mechanical seals. It prevents thermal degradation of the fluid handled at the sealing clearance in cases of leakage at the inboard mechanical seal, and discharges the heat transfer fluid into the quench system. This enhances the system’s operating reliability, especially when using synthetic heat transfer oils of up to 400°C and with vapour pressures of more than 1 bar. Discharge-side casing wear rings and drilled holes in the impellers help to reduce the axial thrust and thus the loads on the bearings. With 49 pump sizes on offer, a hydraulic system allowing the pump to be operated close to the best efficiency point (BEP) can be selected for almost every application. For details contact: KSB Pumps Ltd Mumbai Pune Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411 018 Tel: 020-27101000, 27101241, Fax: 91-020-27426000 E-mail: bipin.kode@ksb.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 15
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Products CEW Bin Blender Bin blender has been designed for complete automatic process of mixing. The equipment is constructed according to cGMP principles and is manufactured from AISI 316 grade SS. The equipment is highly versatile as the bins of different sizes can be used. The versatile bin blender comprises of robotic pillars, rotary cubical cage, hydraulic bin lifting mechanism, locking mechanism, drive arrangement, auto braking system for perfect positioning of bin after stop command, laser sensing device for safety and smart PLC control. The equipment refuses to start if the bin is not locked properly. The parameters are programmed and the bin always stops in perfect vertical position. After stopping it can be lowered hydraulically and emptied. A printer port is provided to give the records of the process just completed. Bin blender is a compact structure, steady in performance and convenient to operate. It has high mixing coefficiency and easy interchangeability of bins for different batch quantities. For details contact: Solace Engineers (Mktg) Pvt Ltd Gokulesh Comml Complex, 3rd Floor, Sun Pharma Rioad, Tandalja Vadodara, Gujarat 390 020 Tel: 0265-2681543, 2681544 | Fax: 91-02662-222719 E-mail: info@solaceeng.com / solacekg@gmail.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 16
Automation PC The new Automation PC 2100 unites the PC world with hard real-time applications. If needed, Automation Runtime and Windows can run at the same time, allowing the Automation PC 2100 to be used simultaneously as a high-performance industrial controller as well as a PC for things like sophisticated HMI applications. Available with single-, dual- or quad-core processors, the computing power of the Automation PC 2100 is fully scalable. At the upper range of performance, it even exceeds the performance of many Core i-Series processors. Other standard features include two gigabit Ethernet interfaces as well as one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 interface. Fieldbus connections such as POWERLINK or CAN can be individually configured, and compact MLC-based CFast cards with 60 GB or more are available to meet every memory need. The graphics engine used by Intel Atom processors is derived from Core i technology and provides powerful processing all the way up to Full HD. This is also the first time that support for DirectX 11 is provided in this segment, opening up even more possibilities for enhanced graphic capabilities in SCADA and other HMI systems. For details contacat: B&R Industrial Automation Pvt Ltd 8 Tara Heights, Mumbai-Pune Road, Wakdewadi, Pune, Maharashtra 411 003 Tel; 020-41478999, Fax: 91-020-41478998 E-mail: shyam.padwal@br-automation.com or Circle Readers’ Service Card 17
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ChemTECH World Expo 2015
Chemical Industry Gorinchem
Dates: 28-31 January 2015
Dates: 2-4 Dec 2014
Venue: Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC),
Venue: Gorinchem, Netherlands
Goregoan, Mumbai
Details: Chemical Industry Gorinchem will be held for a
Details: World meet of chemicals, petrochemicals,
period of three days in The Netherlands
pharmaceuticals and process industry in India
Organiser: Evenementenhal Gorinchem
Contact: +91 22 40373636
Contact: +31 183 680680
Email: sales@jasubhai.com
Email: gorinchem@evenementenhal.nl
Website: www.chemtech-online.com
Watertech India 2015
Website: www.evenementenhal.nl
China International Exhibition for Coating & Paintss
Dates: 2-4 September 2014
Dates: 13-16 Mar 2015
Venue: Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Venue: Beijing, China
Details: International Trade Fair for Water & Wastewater
Details: One of the leading trade fair for Coating & Paints
Treatment & Management
industry in China
Organiser: Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd
Organiser: Sinostar Internationl Ltd
Contact: +91 22 6757 5940
Contact: +852 2865 0062
Email: nidhi.agrawal@india.messefrankfurt.com
Email: info@sinostar-intl.com.hk
Website: www.watertechindia.com
Website: www.sinostar-intl.com.hk
World PetroCoal Congress
Chem Bio Finland 2015
Dates: 15-17 February 2015
Dates: 18-19 Mar 2015
Venue: Convention Centre-NDCC, New Delhi
Venue: Helsinki, Finland
Details: On sustainable usage of the non-renewable
Details: Exhibition for the chemical, laboratory and
resources
biotechnology products and services
Organiser: Energy and Environment Foundation
Organiser: The Finnish Fair Corporation
Contact: +91 11 2275 8149
Contact: +358 40 450 3251
Email: punit.nagi@ee-foundation.org
Email: sales@messukeskus.com
Website: www.worldpetrocoal.com
Website: www.messukeskus.com
Chemspec India 2015
Middle East Coatings Show 2015
Dates: 16-17 April, 2015
Dates: 9-11 March 2015
Venue: Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), Mumbai
Venue: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE
Details: Event for the Indian fine, custom and speciality
Details: An event for raw materials suppliers and equipment
chemicals community
manufacturers
Organiser: Quartz Business Media Ltd
Organiser: DMG Events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ME & Asia
Contact: +91 99 204 74017
Contact: +971 4 4380355
Email: rohit@chemicalweekly.com
Email: info@dwtc.com; chrishamilton@dmgeventsme.com
Website: www.chemspecevents.com
Website: www.coatings-group.com
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Chemical Engineering World
Project Update CEW New Contracts/Expansions/Revamps The following list is a brief insight into the latest new projects by various companies in India. • CHEMICALS India GCI Resitop, a subsidiary of Gun Ei Chemical Industry Company, is planning a resin-coated sand and phenolic resin manufacturing project in Oragadam, district: Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. The project is planned for completion in 3 years from zero date. Bhuruka Gases, belonging to the Bhuruka Group, is planning a compressed oxygen project in district: Pune, Maharashtra. The project is in initial stage. Land is yet to be acquired. Vasudha Pharma Chem is planning a chemical manufacturing project in village: Atchutapuram, district: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The project will be spread over 26-acre of land. Land has been acquired. Work on the project commenced in August 2014 and is planned for completion in 2016. Sayona Colors, belonging to the Sayona Group, is planning an expansion of its dyes and colour manufacturing project in Navrangpura, district: Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The project will involve capacity expansion of products like synthetic organic dyes, food colours and cosmetic colours. The project is waiting for international collaboration. Punjab Chemicals & Crop Protection is planning a thiamethoxam manufacturing project in villages: Kolimajra and Samalheri, district: Mohali, Punjab. The project will come up at the company’s existing plant premises. The project is in planning stage. SK Solvochem Private Limited is planning a 1,500-TPA synthetic organic chemicals manufacturing project (dye and dye intermediates, bulk drug and intermediates excluding drug formulations, synthetic rubbers, basic organic chemicals, other synthetic organic chemicals and chemical intermediates) at a cost of ` 20-million in village: Nimbua, district: Mohali, Punjab. The Public hearing was held in January 2014. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. Nuray Chemicals is implementing a ferric-citrate manufacturing project at the existing unit in SIDCO Industrial Estate, Kakalur, district: Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. Civil, mechanical and engineering work is in progress. The project is scheduled for completion in Q4 2014. Equipment is already available. Ascent Pharma is planning a synthetic organic chemical manufacturing project in village: Veraval, district: Rajkot, Gujarat. As of September 2013, the capacity of the proposed unit is yet to be finalized. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. Work on the project commenced in Q1 2014. Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited is planning a chemical manufacturing project 1-(2-Phenylethyl) piperidin-4-one in Chemical Engineering World
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CEW Project Update Parawada, district: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. As of September 2013, the project is waiting for Government approval. 1-(2-Phenylethyl) piperidin-4-one is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs. This is a new product line in the existing plant. The company also plans to produce Amitriptyline HCl in the same unit in future. • MINING Barmer Lignite Mining Company, a JV between Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals and Raj West Power, a subsidiary of JSW Energy is planning an expansion from 3.75-MTPA to 7-MTPA of the Kapurdi open cast lignite mining project in Kapurdi, district: Barmer, Rajasthan. The project cost is estimated to be ` 18,000-million inclusive of a new lignite mining project at Jalipa mines. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. • NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY Shri Shivsagar Sugar & Agro Products is planning an 18-MW bagasse-based co-generation power project in village: Udpudi, district: Belgaum, Karnataka. The project will come up in the existing 150-acre sugar plant premises. Documentation work for preparation of tender is under progress. The project is planned for completion in 12 months from zero date. Siddheshwari Paper Udyog is implementing a 6-MW rice husk-based captive power project in Kashipur, district: Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand. The project is coming up with an expansion of its kraft paper-manufacturing unit. Civil work is nearing completion and machinery has been ordered. The Jeypore Sugar Company Limited is planning an expansion of its bagasse-based co-generation power plant from initial 0.5-MW to 8.5-MW in village: Chagallu, district: West Godavari. Andhra Pradesh. As of January 2014, the project will come up along with a new 120-KLD grain-based distillery. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. Savera Beverages is planning a 5-MW coal and bagasse-based captive power project in village: Hiranwali, district: Fazilka, Punjab. The project is waiting for environmental clearance and is planned for completion in 6 months from zero date. 28-acre of land has been acquired. The project will come up along with a 100-KLD grain-based distillery to produce extra neutral alcohol. • THERMAL POWER Astrix Laboratories is planning a 5-MW coal-based captive power project in village: Gaddapotharam, district: Medak, Telangana. The project will come up along with a modernizationcum-expansion of its API manufacturing project. The estimated cost of the total project is ` 600-million. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. The project is planned for completion in 2 years from zero date. Neyveli Lignite Corporation is planning the 4,000-MW Sirkali thermal power project in Sirkali, district: Nagapattinam, 78 • November 2014
Tamil Nadu. The project will be spread over 1,221.82-hectare of land. Phase-I will consist of 1,980-MW and the estimated cost is ` 144.82-billion. Phase-II will consist of 2,020-MW. Action has been initiated for preparation of FR for coal jetty and marine EIA study. The company is to expedite the issue of administrative sanction for acquiring land. Letter of award (LOA) for the consultancy services for the preparation of feasibility report (FR) has been issued to Tractebel and preparation of FR is in progress. Preparation of feasibility is under progress. R K M Pow e rg e n i s p l a n n i n g a 4 × 6 6 0 - M W c o a l - b a s e d thermal power project in district: Datia, Madhya Pradesh. The project is waiting for environmental clearance and coal allocation. Tripura State Electricity Corporation is planning to upgrade its Rokhia gas-based thermal power project in Rokhia, district: West Tripura, Tripura. The estimated cost of the project is ` 3,200-million inclusive of up-gradation of the Baramura gasbased power project and renovation of the Dambur hydroelectric power project. The scope of the project will involve conversion of thermal power project into combined cycle. The project would generate 35-MW more power if it goes for combined cycle system. North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company to convert thermal power project into combined cycle. The expenditure will be shared by the NEEPCO and the company. As part of the ‘understanding, NEEPCO will take 50% of the increased power while the State Government will have to pump in ` 900-million to implement the joint venture project. Pashamylaram Common Infrastructure is planning a 1-MW coal-based co-generation power project in village: Pashamylaram, district: Medak, Telangana. The total land area is 15-acre. The estimated cost of the project is ` 860-million inclusive of a common effluent treatment plant, which is also in planning stage. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. Talavadi Cements, a subsidiary of Birla Corporation, is planning a 35-MW captive power project in village: Bari, district: Satna, Madhya Pradesh. JM Environet is the environmental consultant. The project is waiting for environmental clearance. The power generated will be used for the cement project to come up in the same location, which is in planning stage. Hira Electro Smelters, formerly known as RVR Smelters, belonging to the Hira Group, is planning a 20-MW waste heat recovery-based captive power project in Bobbili, district: Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. The project is in conceptual stage. Work on the project is expected to commence in 2017. The project will come up along with a 50,000-TPA coke oven products manufacturing project.come up in the same location, which is in planning stage. Chemical Engineering World
Book Shelf CEW Internal Corrosion of Pipelines Editors Pages Publisher
: Anil Bhardwaj, Baldev Raj : 372 [Paperback] : Narosa Publishing House Pvt Ltd
About the Book : Internal Corrosion of Pipelines dwells upon various factors responsible for internal corrosion of pipelines, which include corroding gases like O 2, CO 2, H 2S; different types of bacteia; environmental factors such as temperature and pressure; aqueous chemistry including salinity, buffer ion concentration, ionic composition and pH; flow regimes in case of multiphase flow etc. Mechanism, cause and effects have been explained in user-friendly language with apt case studies and examples. Internal corrosion of pipes in seawater environment is a very specific issue relavant to coastal, offshore and shipping industry. The options of corrosion resistant materials and corrosion control have been eloborated which can vary depending upon requirement of industry, temperature and flow conditions. Two types of pipeline systems are common to most chemical process industries, viz cooling water and firewater. They are essential for efficient and safe operations of a chemical process plant. The environmental and flow condition are different for these lines and unique corrosion control measure, including specific material of construciton, for these two categories of lines have been dealt in this book in separate chapters. A discussion on composit materials has also been included, which are fast emerging as corrosion resistant material for several environments of pipelines. Corrosion control and monitoring go hand-in-hand and therefore, the aspect of corrosion monitoring and inspection has also been duly covered in this book. Finally, there is a chapter on holistic approach to handle corrosion through corrosion management tools. The chapter have been written by experts in the respective fields. Certainly, this book will be a treasure for all those involved with pipelines in variety of environments of various industries.
Separation and in Biorefineries Editors Price Pages Publisher
Purification
Technologies
: Shri Ramaswamy, Huajiang Huang, Bandrau Ramarao : USD 160.93 : 608 [Hardcover] : Wiley
About the Book : Separation and purification processes play a critical role in biorefineries and their optimal selection, design and operation to maximise product yields and improve overall process efficiency. Separations and purifications are necessary for upstream processes as well as in maximising and improving product recovery in downstream processes. These processes account for a significant fraction of the total capital and operating costs and also are highly energy intensive. Consequently, a better understanding of separation and purification processes, current and possible alternative and novel advanced methods is essential for achieving the overall techno-economic feasibility and commercial success of sustainable biorefineries. Chemical Engineering World
S uccessf ul Pa r tn e r in g : Fundamentals for Project Owners and Contractors Author Price Pages Publisher
: Henry J Schultzel, V Paul Unruh : ` 6,015.00 : 180 : John Wiley & Sons
About the Book : This book shows project owners, construction professionals, and others how to implement the recently developed practice of partnering as a more efficient, cost-effective, and far less stressful way of planning, organising, and completing construction projects. Adopted by such organisations as the Army Corps of Engineers, its growing number of converts have reported fewer delays and lawsuits and other benefits, including a more cooperative and focused work atmosphere. With this new book practicing professionals will gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of partnering and how to apply them to their construction projects. Successful Partnering It is a sad fact that as many as 70 per cent of all construction projects will result in some kind of litigious action and this, in turn, will result in enormous losses of money, time, and energy for all parties involved. In the hope of avoiding this debilitating drain on resources, many construction-related firms have adopted the recently developed practice of partnering. In partnering, all participants work together and accept joint responsibility for the completion of a project. Successful Partnering shows you how to initiate and build partnering relationships in your projects, and how, a construction team can focus on problem solving instead of fault finding. November 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ 79
Ad Index CEW Sr. No.
Client’s Name
1
Avcon Controls Pvt Ltd
2
Atomic Vacuum Company (Exports)
3
Page No
Sr. No.
Client’s Name
Page No Inside Cover II
77
20
Kirloskar Brothers Ltd
Inside Cover I
21
Kirloskar Pneumatic Co Ltd
11
Beda Flow Systems Pvt Ltd
33
22
Kishor Pumps Pvt Ltd
65
4
BHS-Sonthofen (India) Pvt Ltd
55
23
Nirmal Industrial Control
80
5
Busch Vacuum India Pvt Ltd
53
24
NNE Pharmplan (India) Pvt Ltd
49
6
Chemtech World Expo 2015
56
25
Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd
39
7
E I DuPont India Pvt Ltd
23
26
Rajdeep Engineering Systems (Pune) Pvt Ltd
63
8
Eureka Forbes Ltd
35
27
Rasaii Flow Lines Pvt Ltd
47
9
Fainger Leser Valves Pvt Ltd
57
28
Rittal India Pvt Ltd
10
Forbes Marshall
17
29
Seal Excel (India) PVt Ltd
63
11
Glatt (India) Pharma Engineering Pvt Ltd
15
30
Shavo Technologies Pvt Ltd
25
12
Goodie International Pvt Ltd
43
31
SSP Pvt Ltd
27
13
Gopani Product Systems
Back Cover
32
Super Industrial Lining Pvt Ltd
14
H&R Johnson (Ind)
19
33
Suraj Ltd
65
15
Hanna Equipments (India) Pvt Ltd
77
34
Toshniwal Instruments (Madras) Pvt Ltd
59
16
Hi-tech Applicator
7
35
Tranter India Pvt Ltd
31
17
ImageGrafix Engineering Services Pvt Ltd 69, 71,73,75
36
Uni Klinger Ltd
45
18
Integral Process Controls India Pvt Ltd
37
37
UNP Polyvalves (India) Pvt Ltd
13
19
Jasubhai Engineering Pvt Ltd
5
38
Vega India Level & Pressure Measuremnet Pvt Ltd
21
Chemical Engineering World
9
3
November 2014 • 81
CEW Interview
“The Chemical Industry Needs to Blow Against the Wind”
“Image building exercise and focus on protection of the environment by the chemical industry is a continuous effort, we cannot afford even one black day that could spoil the entire industry’s effort,” Frank Lelek, President Region India, Evonik Industries elucidates the varied opportunities & lacunas of the Indian Chemical industry with special impetus to Specialty Chemicals in an exclusive interview with Titto Eapen.
82 • November 2014
Chemical Engineering World
Interview CEW How crucial is the Indian market for Evonik that made the company to represent all of its six chemical business units in India? There are many interesting opportunities for us in India. Industries like animal nutrition, pharmaceutical, transportation, coatings and adhesives, personal care and petrochemicals have been in our focus for many years in this region. One of the typical characteristic of Evonik is that we focus on high performance a specialty chemical which in itself is a challenge for us since the market for such products is in some areas are still relatively small in India. In order to cater to the middle market, we have initiated a number of projects to offer lower cost solutions for India. Do you think that India is ready for high-end chemistry solutions? We are confident that the quality levels of end-use products will increase over time, in line with what happened in other emerging markets, eg, due to the trend for urbanisation which is aggressively being pursued. Moreover, there will be more middle class population and their disposable income will enable them to go from two wheelers to four wheelers, from basic mobile phones to more high-end electronics. None of these products are possible to make in India without the right chemical basis. Today, a lot of products (either end-user goods or the raw materials to make them here) are imported. The manufacturing companies which are already making in India are at the developing stage and we see lot of opportunities in that domain in the future. Merger and Acquisition is one way to foray deep into the Indian market: Does Evonik have any such plan in the pipeline? Yes! We do have plans but at the moment we are not in a stage to discuss in detail. We look into the Indian market from several angles and work with different approaches. We have been producing precipitated silica in India for the last 20 years. On top of that, we have consistently increased our business via imports from other countries like Germany, Belgium, Chemical Engineering World
China and Singapore, etc. Naturally, we are evaluating all the possible options like importing, local toll manufacturing, greenfield investments and acquisitions when deciding how to best approach a particular market. We do not have a preferred way; it really depends on the particular situation. Do you think that the Indian chemical industry needs an image building exercise to get out from the shackles of negative propaganda that has been set in the backdrop of Bhopal Tragedy? Image building is an important task for our industry and it has been taken on by various industry associations. Take the example of the “Chemistry & You” campaign by CII, which explains how chemistry benefits the consumers. The first aspect is to create awareness that everything we do in life has some relation with chemicals and that positive connection has to be made. Also, the chemical industry offers attractive employment opportunities. Unfortunately, there is a perception among the general public that chemicals should be avoided. Apart from creating awareness for the benefits of chemicals, it is also important that chemical manufacturers have to follow the environmental norms and engage with the public. Let’s take for an example; Large chemical companies (local and from overseas) are typically building state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India without violating any of the environmental norms. The industry has to take every precautionary measure in their plants to avoid incidents in the future. So it’s a continuous exercise to build the image of the industry but one black day is enough to spoil the entire industry for decades. Moreover, image building is a collective effort and a long term process as well. The industry under the banner of ICC is pushing hard to implement Responsible Care in India. The association is motivating more and more companies to subscribe to the initiative and to comply with the stringent requirements that need to be fulfilled
before any company can proudly carry the logo. There is a contention from the industry luminaries that India lives in the shadow of China as far as the investment in the chemical domain are concerned: How would you like to respond to it? I don’t think that India is in the shadow of China. The fact of the matter is simply that countries like India, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are much smaller in market size compared to China. From an MNC perspective, one typically puts the first priority where the biggest opportunities are. As far as Evonik is concerned, we have a strong footprint in China already, with several production units and strong presence with local applied technology labs. And we are actively pursuing various projects to substantially increase our footprint in India, with elements such as new investments, acquisitions and more space for research activities after the move of our India headquarter to Airoli, Navi Mumbai early next year. Moreover, I’m not a big fan of the comparison of China vs. India. There are some similarities especially in the sphere of population but there are many more differences. The political set-up, the financial situation of the country and also the infrastructure is completely divergent. Another factor that distinguishes India from China is its diversity. China is much more homogeneous as compared to India. Ease of doing business and annual GDP growth in absolute terms are factors that attract a lot of investments. “The whole Evonik Group is worth 13 Billion Euros revenue with over 33 thousand people working worldwide. As far as Evonik’s Indian operation is concerned, the company has about 200 million euro revenue and 260 people working in India. Evonik India has its company headquarter in Mumbai. Apart from that the company has a manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh and sales offices in Noida, Kolkata & Chennai.” November 2014 • 83
CEW Interview
Evonik’s €500 million methionine production complex on Jurong Island
India has to develop in its own way; the impetus should be to get back to 8-9 per cent GDP growth which will translate into 12-13 per cent of specialty chemical growth, which in itself is an opportunity that nobody can ignore.
tenant. The new government is striving hard to find a solution for this issue but it seems to be a difficult task altogether. In the meantime, critical molecules are not being made in India and the economy of the country is suffering as a result.
What are the opportunities that you are looking at in India? Before investing in any country, we specifically analyse the opportunities and risks in that particular country and in the target application. Today, more and more companies both Indian as well as Multinationals companies are looking to invest into chemicals that are currently not produced locally in India. In the specialty domain, Evonik is actively promoting the HPPO technology because we believe that propylene oxide is one missing ingredient in the Indian market that is desperately needed to fulfill the latent demand of the people. However, it’s like blowing against the wind, the market size is currently small so the industry is not building plants, but my theory is that once the industry starts producing the molecules then the downstream plants will also be built.
How the proposed National Chemical Policy will be a game changer in revamping the confidence amongst the investors? The draft has been prepared in consultation with various industry bodies, so the industry has been able to provide their inputs to the government. The chemical industry is a highly complicated industry with diverse kinds of players focusing on different market arena with varied types of product portfolios. Moreover, there are different types of stages in processing chain that uses various technologies so naturally the industry has a variety of concerns. It is commendable that prior to the finalisation, the government has pro-actively involved the industry and considered their views.
Do you think that it’s high time for India to take the PCPIR model seriously to attract more investment in chemical industry? The PCPIR idea is the right model to attract investment since it should provide raw materials for the companies that want to invest in downstream technologies. Unfortunately, the original concept has not been implemented and crucial raw materials are all consumed by the anchor 84 • November 2014
Would you like to share any challenges or obstacles that you have faced while doing business in India? One challenge in India is the ease of doing business. It takes too long to set up a new company or expand the current units as compared to other countries. Once you start running the company then has to deal with a lot of red tape. Every country has regulation and the industry is willing to obey with the rule of the land but if you are obeying all the rules then you want to be left alone and then you
expect that you should not be hassled. The central and state governments are working on attracting investments into manufacturing, and it is necessary that compliance with the law is enforced, but it should be ensured that fully compliant companies are not being troubled. The other challenge (but also advantage) is the diversity of the country. In one region, it is quite easy to do business while in some other region it is difficult to even sustain. Due to difference between regions A and B, the companies are closely scrutinizing the geo-political factors as well prior to making any investment decision in any particular region in India. Politicians or governments of different states must realize that there is a competition amongst them to attract investment; the most attractive one will attract the best projects. This of course applies also to the country as a whole which is in competition with other countries for investment projects. Where is the Indian Chemical Industry heading towards 2020? Most of the multinational companies who are operating in India have heavily invested in Europe, America & China on the technological front. My personal theory is that by 2025 many of our core technologies will be set up in India. There will be a substantial first mover advantage for the company that brings a particular new technology into this market, but it takes entrepreneurial courage, a lot of stamina and some support from the government to make it successful. Chemical Engineering World
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