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APR 2017 Volume 13 No.2
THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES
THE HIDDEN DANGERS IN FOOD PROCESSING In print | Online | Mobile - The UK’s No.1 Media for the Manufacturing Process Industries
CONTENTS PRODUCT SECTIONS
4-5 News & Events
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
FEATURED ARTICLES
USING SCADA DATA FOR IIOT JUST BECAME MUCH EASIER
6-7 Applications
10
12 PUMP AWARDS 2017 15-20 Fluids & Liquids
USING CREDIT CARD FRAUD DETECTION SOLUTIONS
(incl. Pumps & Valves)
THE BENEFITS OF INDUSTRY 4.0 APPLIED TO THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES
21-23 AQE 2017 26-27 Process Measurement & Instrumentation
24 30
33 Mixing & Mixers
37 Network &
35
Communications
PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING MANAGER Peter Ullmann: peterullmann@piimag.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Guy Ullmann: guyullmann@piimag.com SUPPLEMENTS MANAGER David Harling: davidharling@piimag.com OFFICE MANAGER Diane Ullmann: dianeullmann@piimag.com ART DIRECTION Talita Soncini talita@piimag.com
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IN THE PIPELINE
POWDER CHARACTERISATION & PREDICTED PERFORMANCE FOR PROCESS DESIGNERS & ENGINEERS
38 EDITOR Phil Black: philblack@piimag.com
CAN YOU BE SURE THAT YOUR VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES ARE RUNNING AT MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY?
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH GLYCOL: A HIDDEN DANGER IN FOOD PROCESSING
33 Spectroscopy 34 Weighing
28
ISO17025 EXPLAINED
27 Test Measurement 31 Heat Transfer & Energy
14
THE ECHO’S STILL THE THING – FLOW MONITORING IN OPEN CHANNELS & CLOSED PIPES
27 Calibration 31 Drives & Motors
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TACKLING MAINTENANCE COST ...THROUGH EFFECTIVE ASSET MANAGEMENT
All product announcements published in Process Industry Informer are paid for. All copy submitted for publication in Process Industry Informer must be legal and must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice and is accepted for publication, or not, at the publishers’ absolute discretion. When deemed necessary all copy may be edited and classified at the publishers’ discretion. All material contained in Process Industry Informer is published in good faith, but it is emphasised that the publishers do not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any advertisement or message published (nor is any kind of warranty expressed or implied by such publication) and that the publishers specifically disclaim all and any liability to advertisers, readers and user of any kind for loss or damage of any nature
whatsoever and however arising, whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause, and whether on the part of the publishers of Process Industry Informer, or their servants or agents, or any other person. Although it is the intention of the publishers in general to run copy as supplied by advertisers, advertorial item headings, which are not charged for, will be selected by the Editor, and other minor changes may be made, at the Editor’s discretion, for the sake of clarity, to avoid offence, for legal reasons or to ensure conformity to house style. Copy supplied over length will be cut to the amount paid for. Units and abbreviations will be standardised in accordance with house style. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers.
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NEWS & EVENTS ABB’S NEW UK DRIVES MANAGER TAKES UP POSITION ABB has appointed Stuart Melling to lead its UK variable-speed drives and controls business following the promotion of Neil Ritchie to a global service management role. Stuart’s role, effective from 1st January 2017, follows his previous experience successfully guiding the company’s UK drives service operation. Prior to that he was sales manager for ABB’s marine and cranes business and operations manager for its UK measurement and analytics portfolio. Melling says he intends to use his new role to focus on supporting customers by closing the loop between Industry 4.0 technologies and the real business value they can bring, whilst providing long-term support for customers with older drive systems. “2017 is an exciting year for motor-driven applications,” says Melling, “While my focus is on variable-speed drives, we are working closer than ever with other ABB businesses that provide vital parts of the drive train – such as motors, mechanical power transmission, PLCs and HMIs. “Our aim is to reinforce our position as a leader in the supply of complete packages. This is a particular strength as we are one of the few manufacturers of both motors and drives and ancillary equipment. Not only can we offer a perfectly matched pair, but we are also able to extract valuable data from an application and through the Internet of Things ensure that equipment lifetime is extended, productivity is enhanced and even more energy is saved.” Stuart, who joined ABB 12 years ago, is based in the North West of the UK with his wife and children. For more information please contact: ABB Ltd, Tel: 01925 741517 E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.co.uk/energy
HBM WEBINAR SHEDS LIGHT ON FIBER BRAGG GRATING TECHNOLOGY As the use of optical sensors based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology becomes more and more widespread, both in long term complex monitoring systems and simple short term structural testing, HBM offers some valuable information and advice in its latest webinar, which takes place on 27th April 2017. Traditionally associated with complex handling and fragility, ‘Field installations of optical structural health monitoring systems: Lessons learned over a decade’ dispels this myth and shares the dos and don’ts involved in installing systems based on FBG technology. Used to determine strain, temperature, acceleration, displacement and tilt in components, structures and in environments where conventional technologies have reached their limits, FBG technology opens the door to a range of possibilities. Also used to test structures and materials with high levels of strain, high numbers of load cycles, high electromagnetic noise or in highly explosive environments, optical sensors based on FBG technology also enable the ability to monitor the condition of large structures in harsh environments, using different types of sensors, which are connected in line over long distances and interrogated by a single instrument. Suitable for a variety of applications including, Civil Engineering, Energy, and Aerospace, to name but a few, optical products are designed to be as easy to use and understand as possible for users with limited experience. Exclusively available from the HBM Academy, this informative webinar on FBG Technology has been designed to fit in with challenging time constraints which can often make attending training courses difficult. Each webinar, which normally takes a maximum of 30 minutes, can be easily accessed at a later date or simply used as a refresher course. In addition, all registered attendees will receive a link to the webinar, via email, after the presentation. All HBM webinars are free of charge and open to anyone. However, spaces are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis. Please reserve your spot by booking at www.hbm.com/en/3157/webinars For further information, contact HBM on +44 (0) 20 8515 6000 or via email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk or visit the HBM website at www.hbm.com
INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION SYSTEMS INAUGURATES NEW OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Intelligent Automation Systems Ltd. recently officially inaugurated its new establishment at Hyde Park Hayes, a West London business centre, located less than three miles from Heathrow Airport. With this, the company reiterates its commitment to provide single-source solutions for high-quality industrial automation and motion control products to customers across the United Kingdom. Intelligent Automation Systems is a corporation of complementary business services that provide application engineering and design, supply, implement, test and repair industrial automation systems. This includes HMIs, motion controllers, brushless and brushed servo systems, linear systems, 2/3/5 phase stepping systems, AC induction systems, and spur and planetary gearboxes. The Hyde Park facility is part of the company’s strategy to build an integrated sales and aftermarket services channel. Driven by its endeavour to offer end-to-end solutions under one brand, this improved operations consolidates all the sales, research, and technical support activities for Intelligent Automation Systems for the UK, North Ireland and continental Europe markets. “Intelligent Automation Systems has maintained operations within the UK since 2007. To offer seamless, comprehensive, customised solutions to our customers in diverse industries across the UK, we recently merged our activities. Our Hyde Park facility offers cutting-edge industrial automation from global manufacturers like Trio Motion, Sanyo Denki, Fastech, Kinco Automation, RTA and SPG,” says Ajay Karavadra, Technical Director. “What gives Intelligent Automation Systems a distinct advantage is our team of engineers who draw on more than three decades of cross-product technical know-how to provide exceptional solutions that are truly out-of-the-box, delivered within on-time schedules, and do not exceed customer budgets.” For more information contact Intelligent Automation Systems Ltd, Hayes, West London Tel: +44 20 8432 2749 Fax: +44 20 8432 3051 E-Mail: sales@intelligent-automate.com Web: www.intelligent-automate.com
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SMART PRODUCTS & SERVICES HEADLINE IN ABB’S BIGGEST EVER UK PRODUCT GUIDE IoT-enabled drives, motors and controls together with applicationspecific packages feature in ABB’s new 120-page guide. Smart sensors, apps and services that enable users of motors, variable speed drives (VSDs) and controls to tap into the opportunities offered by the Internet of Things (IoT) headline in ABB’s 2017 catalogue. These include the world’s first affordable sensor for tracking the performance of low voltage (LV) motors. The ABB smart sensor for LV motors is simply attached, without wiring, to the frame and monitors key parameters such as temperature and vibration. The data is drawn into a central cloudbased dashboard to provide maintenance crews with a real-time view of key performance indicators, showing which motors need servicing and when. Advanced apps for VSDs that provide access to cloud-based services and information throughout the product’s life cycle are also featured. The Drivetune app enables service engineers to commission and tune the performance of VSDs via wireless Bluetooth connection. Meanwhile, the Drivebase app allows plant personnel to access ABB’s vast drive knowledge base via the cloud, to assist with installation and troubleshooting, simply by scanning a dynamic QR code generated by the VSD on its control panel. The catalogue includes VSDs and motors designed for use in specific industries. These include the ABB drive for water and wastewater, ACQ580, and the ABB HVAC drive, ACH580. ABB’s range of motor-drive packages aimed at specific industries and applications are also detailed in the guide. As one of the only companies manufacturing both VSDs and low voltage AC motors, ABB is able to offer customers perfectly designed, tested and approved matched pairs. ABB’s extensive range includes synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) and drive packages for industry, water and machines and an enhanced range of ATEX-compliant motor and drive packages for hazardous areas. The guide contains detailed information and specifications for the full range of ABB drives and controls, motors and mechanical power transmission products all in one place. For a free printed copy of the guide email energy@gb.abb.com or call 07000 DRIVES (07000 374837) or to download a PDF of the guide go to www.abb.co.uk/energy.
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
NEWS & EVENTS FULTON CELEBRATES AS 1000TH TRAINEE GAINS CITY & GUILDS CERTIFICATION Just three-and- a-half- years after their introduction, Fulton Limited – the leading heat transfer specialist – is celebrating having welcomed its 1,000th trainee onto its City & Guilds Accredited training course. The City & Guilds-certified, one-day training course was introduced by Fulton in 2013 and offers a mix of theoretical and practical operational assignments which, the company claims, bridges the gap between the more expensive courses (that can cost many thousands of pounds per employee), and cheaper, straightforward ‘toolbox’ training. Commenting for Fulton, customer services manager Jeff Byrne says: “This is a real mileston for the company. We are delighted to have welcomed Muhammad Ateeb Farooq, our 1,000th trainee, who successfully completed the course and gained the City Guilds certificate. We operate the courses throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland and at our Bristol-based manufacturing facility, which has a dedicated training room.” He goes on to say that with no two boiler systems being the same, Fulton prefers to run its training courses at customers’ own facilities, so technicians and engineers learn on the equipment they will be monitoring day-to- day. However, Fulton’s in-house facility can accommodate training for its range of electric, gas, oil and dual-fuel- fired vertical and horizontal steam boiler systems. City & Guilds certification adds value to the training courses and supports both the Safe Management of Industrial Steam and Hot water boilers Guidelines BG01 (SAFed) and INDG- 436 (HSE) regarding operation and training. The Fulton Operator Routines & Maintenance course is designed for boiler operators and covers basic day-to- day operation and monitoring; and provides employees with the knowledge required to monitor a boiler and ensure it is running efficiently and safely. It also includes training in operational procedures, daily blowdowns, and checking of water levels, alarms, etc. the course also examines the importance of correctly treated feedwater and what boiler inspectors will look for during routine insurance inspections.“We have always promoted the benefits of operator training to our customers and enjoy seeing technicians and engineers grow in confidence as they improve their knowledge.” says Jeff. Fulton’s training has proven to be invaluable to employers, with operators managing more of their own maintenance and repairs and avoiding costly call-outs that require no more than the simple flick of a switch to resolve. Jeff says “Real examples like this prove that a Fulton one-day Operator Routines & Maintenance course could potentially save the cost of many expensive and unwanted engineers’ visits.” For further information on Fulton’s City & Guilds Accredited training programme, call 0117 972 3322, or email jeff.byrne@fulton.co.uk.
PHS WASTEKIT APPOINTS NEW MD PHS Wastekit, the UK leader in sales, installation and maintenance of waste balers, compactors and shredders, has appointed Joe Roberts to head up its senior management team. Joe brings with him a wealth of experience gained from previous roles as Head of Operations at ICI Paints, Sales & Operations Director at Buck & Hickman Ltd, and Operations Director at Copart UK Ltd. His focus at PHS Wastekit will be on growing the company’s market share in the UK and Ireland and continuing to develop the business to take a customer focused approach. Simon Woods, Executive Director of PHS Specialist Businesses said: “We are delighted to welcome Joe Roberts to the team. 2017 is set to be an exciting time for PHS Wastekit with a number of new initiatives coming to fruition, including the expansion of our product range. Joe’s expertise will be vital in helping the business to capitalise on these opportunities and reinforce our position as the UK leader in our market.” For more information contact PHS Wastekit, Smethwick, West Midlands Tel: 0800 169 3534 | E-mail: phswastekit@phs.co.uk Web: www.phswastekit.co.uk
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
GAMBICA ANNOUNCES LATEST MEMBER: ADVANTECH INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS (IIOT) GROUP Founded in 1983, the Industrial IoT Group has grown into a global business organization with more than 30 branch offices in 17 countries, and a worldwide partner network comprised of leading Automation corporations. As a pioneer in open Automation technology, Industrial IoT Group is proud of its efforts as global stewards; providing vertical-focused products, solutions and value-added services for a wide array of sectors, including; Building Automation, Machine Automation, Power & Energy, and Intelligent Transportation Systems. Sebastian Amos, Sector Head for Process at GAMBICA stated “Advantech is a company at the front end of technology and will be an asset to GAMBVICA and its members particularly with its views on 14.0, the Internet of Things” With a new UK office based at The Royal Arnsenal, Woolwich, more details can be found on their website www.advantech.eu
OCEAN OPTICS LAUNCHES WEBSTORE Online shopping for popular preconfigured spectrometers and accessories Ocean Optics has introduced a new webstore, allowing customers to shop more conveniently for a select range of its preconfigured spectrometers and accessories. The webstore lets customers shop from anywhere in the world, at any time. Users can buy from the dedicated Shop Products page or from the product pages of the main site. The products available from the webstore – select preconfigured spectrometers and accessories – display pricing, model options, recommended or required accessories, product availability and estimated shipping time on their product pages. While the webstore was designed to let users shop independently, live chat and order review are available for assistance. Convenient shipping features are built into the site, such as allowing the use of customers’ own shipping / courier accounts and the ability to add multiple shipping addresses under one account. Tax-exempt customers can upload their documentation to be saved for future purchases. Purchase transactions are protected through the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway. To shop at the webstore, visit https://goo.gl/o5YeMy For more information contact Ocean Optics, Duiven, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)26 319 05 00 | Email: info@oceanoptics.com Web: www.oceanoptics.com
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APPLICATIONS Qdos PUMP REPLACES THREE DIAPHRAGM PUMPS AT MAJOR WATER TREATMENT PLANT · Qdos 30 pump proves ideal for dosing phosphorous coagulant iron III chloride · Maintenance time and spare parts reductions help deliver rapid ROI · More Qdos applications now planned at this plant and others in the company The water treatment plant at Riepe, in the East Frisia region of Lower Saxony, has replaced three diaphragm pumps with a Qdos series peristaltic pump fromWatson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG). Dosing phosphorous coagulant iron III chloride for over a year, the Qdos 30 pump has not only cut capital equipment costs, but introduced significantly reduced maintenance and repair costs. The Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband (OOWV) is a regional water association in the East Frisia region of Germany that not only supplies clean drinking water, but purifies the waste water from more than 500,000 people through 46 water treatment plants. “Besides household waste water, we also have a relatively large amount of waste water from industrial areas,” explains Plant Manager Klaus Janssen. “For this reason, the phosphorous levels in the inflow water are relatively high, at around 15 mg/l on average. However, our prescribed phosphorous limit at the point of entry is 2.0 mg/l, although we are in fact striving to not exceed the target limit of 0.5 mg/l.” DIAPHRAGM PUMP ISSUES In order to achieve this reduction, the waste water facility uses chemical coagulation, which converts the phosphate solution in the water into insoluble phosphate compounds that can then be isolated. At Riepe, one diaphragm pump supplied the coagulant from underground storage containers into the holding tank, with the actual dosing handled by two further diaphragm pumps – one in constant use and one in standby mode in the event of a failure. Indeed, failure was an increasingly common outcome as the pump diaphragms were often corroded by the chemical coagulants, making replacement necessary. “The diaphragm pumps also produce a strongly pulsating flow which, after some time, would lead to signs of wear and tear on the fittings and valves,” says Mr Janssen. “The maintenance work started amounting to several hours per month; moreover, we had to hold a whole range of spare parts in stock, including diaphragms and valves.” A further problem with the diaphragm pumps was suction. Air would be drawn in, which could jam the valves meaning that the diaphragm pumps were unable to prime and pump. As a result, the phosphorous limits discharged from the plant increased and, in the worst case, meant that the relevant authorities had to be notified. To avoid this, emergency operations at night or during the weekend were becoming more frequent. The problem occurred most often whenever the stock of coagulant was replenished. Here, the chemical dosing lines had to be manually flooded with water to enable the diaphragm pumps to operate. HIGH PHOSPHATE LEVELS? NO PROBLEM The new Qdos 30 peristaltic pump at this site doses at 150ml/min, although it offers a maximum flow rate of 500ml/min – more than enough for occasions when there are high phosphate levels in the water. The single Qdos pump is able to draw the iron III chloride directly from the storage tank, which means that a holding pump, the standby pump and, the holding tank, plus associated float switches and electronics, are no longer necessary.“While the accuracy of the diaphragm pumps declined over time as the diaphragms became corroded and worn, the Qdos pump is extremely accurate, so we’ve able to reduce the frequency of recalibration.” COMPLETE RELIABILITY In total, Mr Janssen estimates that the Qdos pump has led to an impressive time saving of between two and five hours per month. “By relieving us of this workload and the saving on spare parts, the investment has paid off very quickly.” For more information please contact Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, Falmouth, Cornwall. Tel: 01326 370370 E-mail: info@wmftg.co.uk Web: www.wmftg.com
GOODLIGHT T8 LED TUBES PAYBACK IN 8-MONTHS FOR QUORN FOODS
LED Eco Lights recently announced that Quorn Foods, a leader in meat alternative produce, has replaced the fluorescent tubes at its 13,000 sq. ft. Stokesley, North Yorkshire manufacturing site with high-performance, energy efficient T8 LED tubes from the Goodlight™ range. Quorn Foods achieved a payback on the installation of the Goodlight T8 LED tubes in just eight months, significantly reducing their carbon footprint. The Stokesley site is its principal manufacturing site with six hundred staff operating four production lines that create Quorn’s well known range of healthy meat free foods. Commenting, Derek Passmore, Electrical Engineer at Quorn said, “Goodlight gave us a four-fold advantage. We’ve reduced our costs, reduced our carbon footprint, reduced the maintenance workload and improved the working environment for our staff. It’s rare to make everyone happy, but replacing fluorescent tubes with Goodlight LED light fittings has pleased management, staff and made our lives easier. It was also quick, easy and economic.” Goodlight T8 tubes draw just 22W, giving Quorn Foods a direct energy saving of 60% compared to the 55W fluorescent tubes that they replaced. On top of this, Quorn achieved significant additional energy savings from the reduction in the load on the air conditioning systems. As a food manufacturing site, Quorn Foods needs to maintain the temperature on the production floor at a consistent 10 degrees C. Even when the outside temperature is below this figure, the heat generated by the machinery and the lighting means that air-conditioning is required. Installing the Goodlight LED tubes was simplicity itself, according to Derek Passmore. For more information contact LED Eco Lights Ltd, Camberley, Surrey Tel: 01276 691230. Email: sophia@ledecolights.com. Web: www.goodlight.co.uk
SECURITON ASD UNITS FROM PATOL ARE KEEPING GRESSINGHAM FOODS SAFE IN DISS Gressingham Foods, which is famous for its Gressingham Duck, is now protected from fire by aspirating smoke detectors from Patol. Patol was appointed official UK distributor for Securiton aspirating smoke detection equipment in 2015 and ten units supplied by electrical wholesaler Rexel WF Senate were recently fitted at the Gressingham Foods facility in Diss by local engineering company, E Rand & Sons Ltd. Gressingham Foods has over 20 different farm sites. The new facility at Diss includes a pallet racking warehouse, several cold rooms and a packing area. In each of these locations, the units, which are among the most reliable early warning systems, were all installed with filter boxes and dirt trap boxes. Of the ten Securiton devices supplied, seven were ASD 535-1 and three were 535-2 models. The cold rooms which range in temperature from minus 4° to minus 22° Centigrade are fitted with heated sampling points to prevent the build-up of ice affecting the system. If a sampling pipe is affected by low ambient temperatures to the point where accumulating ice crystals might impact adversely upon its performance, the heating automatically comes on to immediately eliminate the problem. Developed in Switzerland and manufactured in Germany, aspirating smoke detectors from Patol are among the most precise early detection systems for fire. Impressing with their unrivalled performance level and very long service life, they are particularly reliable and robust and - thanks to their sophisticated detection technology - they can give a highly sensitive and early reaction to incipient fire conditions. Patol offers a comprehensive range of three different Securiton detectors that makes this early detection of fires both scalable and cost-effective. The difference between models is the maximum area that each covers and this ranges from a single facility up to areas measuring 5,600m2. ASD 535, the flagship model for large-scale applications in four versions (1 or 2 channels, with/without smoke level indicator) is the universal device with outstanding performance characteristics for medium-sized and large monitoring areas. Its ambient temperature range reaches as low as –30°C, making it perfect for cold storage warehouses. For more information contact Patol Ltd, Reading, Berkshire. Tel: 0118 970 1701| E-mail: info@patol.co.uk | Web: www.patol.co.uk
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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
APPLICATIONS 80 GHz LEVEL RADAR SOLUTION HELPS RECYCLE APC RESIDUE INTO CONCRETE BLOCKS Another success for high frequency contactless radar level sensors Castle Environmental is a leading supplier of specialist waste treatment, recycling and disposal services, handling in excess of 250,000 tonnes of waste each year. They operate three full permitted sites in the UK and are proud to be ISO 14001 and ISO 9002 accredited. They are dedicated to reducing reliance on landfill through the development of sustainable waste treatment and recovery methods. One type of waste processed at their Cardiff site is APCr (Air Pollution Control residue), the fine powder that remains following the cleaning of gases from Energy from Waste facilities. It contains lime which is alkaline, and consequently APCr is classified as hazardous waste. For the past 18 months Castle have used recycled APCr as an aggregate replacement in the production of precast concrete products. Following a detailed end of waste review in full consultation with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), APCr is gainfully employed in the manufacture of a range of concrete blocks. The pre-processed APCr is combined with additional aggregates and cement to produce heavy duty interlocking concrete blocks and 4” dense blocks, which are used in construction, civil engineering projects, barriers and bay walls. (See fig 1) Now that APCr can
Figure 1: Useful construction blocks produced using recycled APCr, rather than sending to landfill
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
be recycled as an alternative to landfilling the waste, the resultant concrete products mark a huge step forward in Castle Environmental’s plans to be the leading recycler of APCr in the UK. Part of this recycling process involves mixing the APCr powder with recycled water in a 4m high agitated vessel to form a slurry which is then dewatered prior to combining with other aggregates to form the blocks. During this mixing process, the level in the vessel requires careful monitoring and control to ensure the process is carried out under the correct conditions. Inside the vessel there is a very agitated surface, solids can build up on the walls as well as the agitator itself and surface foam can also be produced under certain conditions. (See fig 2) All these difficult conditions; the uneven surface, foam and solids build up - are accommodated by the VEGAPULS 64’s 80 GHz radar technology to deliver accurate and reliable level readings. It Figure 2 Challenging conditions - the mixing process employs focusing to avoid produces a very turbulent surface, splashing, surface unwanted interfering foam, build up on the walls and vessel internals signals combined with high sensitivity to read through condensation, sensor build up and to overcome the foaming surface. This technology is overcoming the ‘Laws of Physics’ that imply the higher the frequency, the more it can be affected. Through latest generation components, enhanced design and software it is taking sensitivity to astonishing performance levels, VEGAPULS 64 radar copes with these challenges and many others. 80 GHz contactless radar is offering new solutions to level measurements that were previously thought impossible with a contactless device. As well as handling difficult conditions such as these, they are also capable of measuring very low reflectivity hydrocarbons, even liquid gases, highly pure solvents, past complicated vessel internals, down long nozzles and even operating through process isolation valves. For more information contact VEGA Controls Ltd, Tel +44 1444 870055 E-Mail: doug.anderson@vega.com Web: www.vega.com/uk
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FEATURED ARTICLE
USING
SCADA DATA
FOR IIOT JUST BECAME
MUCH EASIER At times it seems hard to believe we’re already in the second decade of the 21 st century; what is even harder to believe is that the majority of manufacturers are still only using technology that is at least 30 years old. Many of these systems work wonderfully for what they are meant to do, collect and store data and monitor systems. However, these systems alone cannot help industrial companies meet the challenges of today’s global market.
A
lthough there are several reasons for this situation, the perception that change is too difficult and expensive is the leading cause for companies to remain hesitant to take advantage of the new opportunities promised by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). A recent LNS Research survey of over 400 manufacturing executives showed the vast majority of companies do not have plans to invest in IIoT technology in the near future. When we consider how expensive many of the existing systems are, it’s understandable why industrial companies are reluctant to invest in new technology. Unfortunately, these executives are often looking at old technologies that have been tweaked to try to take advantage of IIoT opportunities and may require removing the current systems. The good news is there are very affordable technologies developed specifically for the Internet Age that work with existing systems to help manufacturers gain deep insight into process behaviour that translates into fast ROI.
SCADA INFORMATION IS MORE VALUABLE THAN EVER SCADA systems were originally designed to collect data and monitor processes. Since they generate such enormous amounts of data, historians were added to store this data. Initially, historians were used to fulfill regulatory requirements, such as generating reports for government agencies. Leading industrial companies recognized the data hidden in their historians could provide valuable information on plant processes and production, but accessing and utilizing the data could be very difficult. The reason for this is historians weren’t designed for “read” purposes or a two-way transfer of information. Manufacturing execution systems (MES) were introduced in the early 1990s in an attempt to bridge the gap between plant floor SCADA systems and enterprise ERP software. They also promised to provide analytics, such as KPI data, to improve plant floor operations. While they have been able to provide more advanced capabilities than SCADA systems, they are expensive and often require extensive engineering to be implemented. Moreover, they were developed for a different business era in which systems were still largely siloed and Internet optimization was largely an afterthought.
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Modular, on-demand subscription software built for the 21st Century offers economical predictive process analytics to improve efficiencies. By Bert Baeck, CEO, TrendMiner
21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY HAS ARRIVED When we consider the amount of time and money industrial companies have spent for traditional software, we can understand the reluctance of some manufacturers to enhance their systems. They are still trapped in the fear that any new solution will be expensive as well as require extensive engineering and training for employees. In addition, they are apprehensive about becoming locked into a cycle of difficult and expensive upgrades, patches and limited scalability. To really take advantage of the IIoT companies need next generation solutions that were developed for that purpose. These solutions are able to offer users the best of new technologies, particularly in terms of ease of use and affordability.
GOOGLE FOR INDUSTRY As mentioned earlier, while historians hold a wealth of valuable data for improving operations, accessing that data and turning it into actionable information has been time consuming and difficult. Many applications were based on data modelling, which required extensive engineering and data scientists to perform. As a result, only mission critical applications were targeted, leaving vast areas of improvement opportunities hidden. In 2008, engineers from Covestro (then known as Bayer MaterialScience) knew there had to be a better way to leverage time-series data. They worked with different types of analytics models and identified their limitations for scaling-up beyond pilot projects. Eventually, they were able to use their deep knowledge of process operations to create “pattern search-based discovery and predictive-style process analytics” developed for the average user. The unique multi-dimensional search capabilities of this platform enable users to find precise information quickly and easily, without expensive modelling projects and data scientists.
Figure 1: Combining live data with historical context shortens the analysis latency to immediate, providing an opportunity to take actions even before an event can affect process performance. A simple example of how this works is the song title recognition app Shazam. While the technology used by Shazam is different, the concept is similar. Instead of trying to map every note in a song to its vast database of songs, Shazam uses pattern recognition software that seeks “high energy content” or the most unique features of a song then matches it to
similar patterns in its database. This is a very simple explanation of a complex process, but the important thing is that it enables users to quickly find a song title with a very high rate of accuracy. Naturally, industry demands more sophisticated algorithms that are capable of going beyond mere search. Often called Google for Industry, this software works by connecting to existing historian databases then implementing a column store database layer for an index. This software makes it easy to find, filter, overlay and compare interesting time periods to search through batches or continuous processes. Moreover, this next generation solution enables users to search for particular operating regimes, process drifts, operator actions, process instabilities or oscillations. By combining these advanced search patterns users unlock the true information they need. For example, an operator compares multiple data layers or time periods to discover which sensors are more or less deviating from the baseline then make adjustments to improve production efficiency
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER In addition to easy search, this new technology provides process data contextualization and predictive analytics capabilities. Engineers and operators can provide annotation to provide greater insight. Its predictive analytics capabilities enable an early warning detection of abnormal and undesirable process events by comparing saved historical patterns with live process data. Moreover, the solution calculates the possible trajectories of the process and predicts process variables and behaviour before it happens. This gives operators the ability to see if recent process changes match the expected process behaviour and pro-actively adjust settings when it does not.
21ST CENTURY BUSINESS MODEL This free predictive process analytics (discovery and predictive) also employs a modern business model: online subscription pricing. In addition to making process analytics affordable to all companies, this also frees businesses from having to spend the time and money on adding additional licenses and upgrades. Each time a user logs in, they automatically get the latest version of the software. As we have seen, companies now have the option to enhance the value of the investment they have made in high quality historians. Low cost predictive analytics solutions that complement their existing historians enable companies to better use the data collected by historians to provide valuable business insights. With an affordable, plug and play solution to uncover new areas for improving operation efficiencies the question becomes why more businesses aren’t using software that is created for the IIoT generation. The future is here and companies can no longer operate solely using existing systems if they want to stay competitive in this new world.
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FEATURED ARTICLE
USING CREDIT CARD FRAUD DETECTION SOLUTIONS IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES By Sebastian Amos -GAMBICA – Sector Head, Process Instrumentation & Control
Many people reading this will have had “the call”. Today, you may receive it by text.“Have you just made a purchase for a 56” HD TV in Currys, Singapore? “Press 1 for yes. 2 for no”. Then starts the real conversation and in most cases the conclusion is validated, the card stopped and life goes on.
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etecting fraudulent transactions is arguably the most useful use case to individuals for big data at Amex, as it is for most financial services companies. Try as they do, it’s quite difficult for fraudsters to create transactions that totally mimic real transactions in every detail, and machine learning algorithms are quite good at picking out
these anomalies (1) If you replace “Credit Card” with “Process Variable” or “Machine Status” and Fraudulent” with “Concerning”, there seems to be the possibility of merging technologies.
ANALYSIS Where are the process industries today on this potential path to better use of big data to improve the process and better manage maintenance? A recent paper from Don Rozette published in Control Global magazine (2) recognises that within most organisations, maintenance divisions are
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“siloed” and the process team can be oblivious to the maintenance issues, thus things get fixed but no real review is done on a) why they failed and b) how can the process be changed to remove the failure. There is also recognition that 75% of assets operate on a “run to fail” basis. With more and more data available within the historians, the first analysis to be done requires assets to be classified and prioritised as a minimum requirement to focus on the 25% that cannot operate on the “run to fail”. This is a view of today. Big data and data analytics, by default will remove the silos. Big data, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Data analytics have enormous potential within the process industries and well beyond just machine management. The amount of data that can be produced by any process automation system is now at a level that simple KPI graphs and alarm systems are flooded with data and manually interpreting this is becoming near impossible. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) develops over the next 10 years, the data will continue to increase. There is, however, time on our side. The process industries tend to lag the cutting- edge technologies for two reasons. One, developers tend to wait for the systems to become stable before deploying them into an industrial context and two, the turnover of new technology is slow. New greenfield plant will take advantage as soon as it can, but brownfield upgrades, particularly in the UK, tend to be changed out only when a device fails. So, what can we learn from technology available today in other sectors and how should it be developed and deployed? Again, we can look at the technologies used in the credit card industry. Learning what’s legit, what’s shady – An extract from a report in “theconversation.com” (3) “Simply put, machine learning refers to self-improving algorithms, which are predefined processes conforming to specific rules, performed by a computer. A computer starts with a model and then trains it through trial and error. It can then make predictions such as the risks associated with a financial transaction. A machine learning algorithm for fraud detection needs to be trained first by being fed the normal transaction data of lots and lots of cardholders. Transaction sequences are an example of this kind of training data. A person may typically pump gas one time a week, go
grocery shopping every two weeks and so on. The algorithm learns that this is a normal transaction sequence. After this fine-tuning process, credit card transactions are run through the algorithm, ideally in real time. It then produces a probability number indicating the possibility of a transaction being fraudulent (for instance, 97%). If the fraud detection system is configured to block any transactions whose score is above, say, 95%, this assessment could immediately trigger a card rejection at the point of sale.” In summary, actual data is compared against model data and when the two show a difference, an alarm is raised. In the process industries, we do something like this already. We check temperatures and pressures. We check yields and quality. Some of this is performed in real time, some is performed in the laboratories. We have asset management systems that store data about runtime and propose maintenance cycles. We can look at machine vibration analysis, that while these can alarm and stop machines effectively, thus protecting the machine, the process and people, we still need to have the full process offline while repairs are made. Rarely do we compare a formal high definition model against the actual process, though there are some excellent examples for pipeline leak detection systems. If we can collect large quantities of data via the IIoT, and create models and learning software, as with credit card fraud, we should be able to predict failure and address it before the process shuts down. Process management is now entering the world of automated data forensic analysis. The benefits here can be enormous. Oil rig shutdown can cost between $1m and $5m per day in lost production. Black starting a rig can take 3 days. Recalls on products from soap powder to pharmaceuticals can be reduced as the products would not have left the factory. So, what are the nuances in the process we can use big data for. As examples, we would be able to see when valves start to stick, not necessarily due to valve alarms but measurements taken around the area the valve is installed. We could be looking at flows, temperatures and pressures, with the self-educating software flagging a process error that would provide a focus for detailed examinations. The possibilities are endless.
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HOW MUCH DATA ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? It takes a lot of computing power to churn through this volume of data. For instance, PayPal processes more than 1.1 petabytes of data for 169 million customer accounts at any given moment. This abundance of data – one petabyte, for instance, is more than 200,000 DVDs’ worth – has a positive influence on the algorithms’ machine learning, but can also be a burden on an organization’s computing infrastructure. (3) We can compare this to a real-time process control system. A 10,000 I/O HART enabled system could generate 50,000 data points/second which include some locally derived information plus timestamps. Assuming each point is 512 bytes, this equates to 2.2 Terabytes per day. Currently we rarely store that level of data as historians tend to look at max/min/avg over predefined timescales, but that has always been the way around too much data. We are now approaching data storage and processing capabilities, outside of the financial capabilities of all but the largest organisations. IIoT and Big Data processing now need to look elsewhere and cloud computing is the current solution. Data needs to be stored and analysed and only the results piped back to the users.
HOW CLOUD COMPUTING WORKS The following summarises an article from “How Stuff Works” (4) Currently, nearly every office based employee in an organisation requires a computer complete with Operating System and applications to perform their job. This is, for example, Windows, Office Suite with email, Internet Access and specific programmes to enable the job to be done. This covers everything from control software development tools, finance tools, Enterprise management etc. The list goes on. This is a complex and, especially in a large organisation, an everchanging environment with serious network and security management infrastructures. Cloud computing changes the focus of where the heavy work is done with efficiencies made through virtualisation that better exploit processing power. Employees can now use basic web browsers or mobile devices to complete their tasks. How the cloud works in detail is probably not relevant for this discussion. Just assume it does.
TYPES OF CLOUD COMPUTING There are three main types of cloud computing: 1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) means you're buying access to raw computing hardware over the Net, such as servers or storage. Since you buy what you need and pay-as- you-go, this is often referred to as utility computing. Ordinary web hosting is a simple example of IaaS: you pay a company serve up files for your website from their servers. 2. Software as a Service (SaaS) means you use a complete application running on someone else’s system. Web-based email and Google Documents are perhaps the best-known examples. 3. Platform as a Service (PaaS) means you develop applications using Web- based tools so they run on systems software and hardware provided by another company. So, for example, you might develop your own ecommerce website but have the whole thing, including
the shopping cart, checkout, and payment mechanism running on a merchant’s server. App Cloud (fro salesforce.com) and the Google App Engine are examples of PaaS.” PaaS lends itself to the requirements of Big Data analysis in the Process Industries.
PROS - Lower upfront costs and reduced infrastructure costs. - Easy to grow your applications. - Scale up or down at short notice. - Only pay for what you use. - Everything managed under SLAs. - No more slow internet on a Monday Morning as upgrades are sent to ever machine. - Overall environmental benefit (lower carbon emissions) of many user efficiently sharing large systems. (But see the box below.)
CONS - Higher ongoing operating costs. Could cloud systems work out more expensive? - Greater dependency on service providers. Can you get problems resolved quickly, even with SLAs? - Risk of being locked into proprietary or vendor-recommended systems? How easily can you migrate to another system or service provider if you need to? - What happens if your supplier suddenly decides to stop supporting a product or system you’ve come to depend on? - Potential privacy and security risks of putting valuable data on someone else’s system in an unknown location? - If lots of people migrate to the cloud, where they’re no longer free to develop neat and whizzy new things, what does that imply for the future development of the Internet? - Dependency on a reliable Internet connection.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY? The large computing based organisations all offer cloud services. Microsoft (5) , IBM (6) and Oracle (7) lead the way, however, the data analysis tools available are still mainly focused on supply chain management, CRMs and building services. Whilst IBM and Oracle have products with a consumer focus, Microsoft does have examples of configuration on its Azure platform for predictive maintenance(5). The focus for the Process Industries is therefore Platform as a Service (PaaS) but the focus moves to the applications that can help us. We started this article looking at the low hanging fruit benefits of big data, cloud computing and learning analytics within the maintenance sectors. There are products available that are using these technologies already. Microsoft has a complex system which can be reviewed – see Ref 8. However, there are offerings from SMEs that could be considered closer to the end user. Based on a technology generically called “Prognostics” - An engineering discipline focused on predicting the time at which a system or a component will no longer perform its intended function (9). Solutions such as Prognosys TM from Senseye (10) and Cassantec (11) use machine learning and advanced analytics extracting data from multiple sources to achieve this. The actual analytics tend to be the domain of the latest breed of Data Scientists.
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These solutions, including the Microsoft offering, have a focus on identifying from historical, real-time, repair and failure histories the anticipated failure of specific items. This can work well for production lines and some process lines but it still does not reach to where it is believed/hoped that the IIoT can take the process industries.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND NEXT STEPS Firstly, we need to see beyond the uses within maintenance. The target today is as we stated at the start: - Process anomaly detection - Product continuous quality management - Self-correcting systems - Planned maintenance as part of both the process and maintenance engineers brief. We have the design tools available today, lifted from the Credit Card company structured design approach. They are still closely aligned with software analysis procedures developed by the data scientists where the picture below, borrowed from Microsoft (5) , shows it can be easily used as the basis for industrial needs. Developing this will enable the new systems to collect large quantities of data, analyse it either against models, automatically update and modify the models and then either ask predefined “sharp questions” e.g. will this system fail in the next 36 hours, or offer a heat map that simply drives the process and maintenance teams to act on potential issues before these start affecting quality and yield. None of this can be done by human review today as the data quantities are too large. However, the IIoT will be providing the data and the Data Scientists already understand the learning software applications from banking to enable the crossover. In 10 years time, there will still be alarm systems and reports but the process and management of the process will be ordered by the intelligent data crunchers operating on the cloud. To reach this aim, companies must maintain a rolling upgrade path on all their equipment and replace it as it fails with IIoT enabled hardware. IT/OT infrastructure need to be quietly upgraded to meet the higher demands for bandwidth and radio communications. Computer systems need to migrate to cloud based services A ten-year period will bring plants to a ready to go status, the application designers will have their systems ready and the two will meet. References 1. www.datanami.com/2016/05/03/credit-card- companies-evolving- big-data/ 2. www.controlglobal.com/articles/2016/big-data- analytics-to- manageasset-performance/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email& utm_ content=39554198& _hsenc=p2ANqtz-- c9qnNr3qoCxE weBIjl_ 3. www.theconversation.com/machine-learning- and-big- data-know- it-wasnt- youwho- just-swiped- your-credit- card-48561 4. www.explainthatstuff.com/cloud-computing- introduction.html 5. Microsoft - www.azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/ 6. IBM - www.ibm.com/big-data/us/en/ 7. Oracle - www.oracle.com/uk/cloud/get-started.html 8. www.gallery.cortanaintelligence.com/Tutorial/Predictive-Maintenance- Templatewith- SQL-Server- R-Services- 1 9. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prognostics 10. www.senseye.io/solution/ - what 11. www.casantec.com/
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This was the 17th year of the Pump Industry Awards and it was considered by many to have been the best ever. Whether it’s recognising companies and individuals who go the extra mile or acting as a motivator to encourage more companies to fulfil their potential, the core values of the awards have not changed over the years. This year’s Pump Industry Awards Gala Dinner was held on March 23rd at the splendid Crowne Plaza Hotel, Heythrop Park on the fringe of the Cotswolds, for the second consecutive time. The awards ceremony was the feature of the evening, hosted by the delightful TV & Radio Presenter, Anna Williamson and held in association with the BPMA and sponsored by Process Industry Informer, KSB, SPP Pumps, WEG, Siemens, Tomlinson Hall and World Pumps. The eight delighted winners were presented with their trophies & certificates to the cheers & jeers’ whilst the finalists also were awarded their certificates on the stage. The after dinner entertainment was from the fantastic young ladies who comprised the Siren String Quartet, the raving cheers and lasting applause said it all. Finally, there was the usual Charity Raffle to raise money for WaterAid, which raised a magnificent £3100. For further information about the Pump Awards & view the photo gallery please visit www.pumpindustryawards.com. If you are interested in sponsoring, nominating and/or attending the 2018 event contact Andrew Castle at Andrew@touchwavemedia.co.uk
MEET THE WINNERS
The awards focus on key areas of manufacture and supply, including innovation and achievement, energy saving, engineering excellence, customer care and employee motivation. On the night, six companies and two individuals were awarded, and a fantastic night was had by all!! TECHNICAL INNOVATION – PRODUCTS SPONSORED BY: PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER WINNER: SUNDYNE HMD KONTRO VAPOURVIEW®
VapourView® is a revolutionary condition monitoring instrument that broadens the scope of sealless pump technology extending its economic and environmental benefits to wider applications. Hazardous area certified, VapourView® can be applied where sensitivity to vapourisation is critical (e.g. hydrocarbon pumping). Non-invasive, VapourView® provides a real time ‘window’ on the pumped medium, signalling any significant gas content in the liquid. Subsequent remedial system changes eliminate safety risk, maximise up-time and extend the life of capital equipment. TECHNICAL INNOVATION – PROJECTS SPONSORED BY: KSB WINNER: TRIARK AODD PUMP USED IN FOAM CONCRETE APPLICATION By using an AODD pump at its heart, Triark developed a pneumatic ‘foam generator’ that was able to produce the same sort of foam that Celcon use in the factory production of its building blocks, but in a more liquid form to enable onsite mixing and pouring of lightweight foam concrete to fill landfill sink holes. Attached to the side of the cement mixer, allowing use of the on-board compressor and water tanks, appropriate volumes of water and foaming agent are drawn separately into the integral AODD Pump, which mixes them in the correct ratio to produce the pre-foaming solution. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY: SPP PUMPS WINNER: SIEMENS INSTALLATION OF VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES ON MARCHWOOD POWER STATION MAIN COOLING WATER PUMPS Marchwood Power Station is located near Southampton on the Solent estuary and in 2015, they contracted Siemens DF& PD to convert three mechanically throttled pump systems on the plant cooling water intake system to variable speed flow control. On completion of the project, the power station has seen significant energy savings and a dramatically improved station power output (more MW’s for the same fuel usage) based upon optimised cooling.
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY: SIEMENS WINNER: NEPTUNO PUMPS World-class designer and manufacturer with over 44 years of experience delivering custom engineered, innovative and sustainable pumping solutions for highly abrasive and corrosive applications. Recognised by the World Economic Forum as a pioneer in the circular economy, Neptuno Pumps has adapted its capabilities to reduce, reuse adn recycle its customer’s waste through remanufacturing and redesigning as well as reducing their CO2 emissions through energy efficient pumping solutions, redefining the relationship between end-user and manufacturer.
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY: WEG WINNER: TOMLINSON HALL & CO. Founded in 1919 Tomlinson Hall’s extensive engineering expertise ensures they provided full service solutions to customer’s challenges. 2016 saw the firm at the forefront of offering innovative new services to industry, including Pump Energy Check reports in partnership with Grundfos Pumps, whilst also continuing to invest heavily in staff training. As a manufacturer of its own pump “Liquivac” in addition to global distribution for other brands, Tomlinson Hall understands technical challenges from a manufacturer’s perspective, which greatly strengthens the service offer to end users. ENGINEER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY: WORLD PUMPS WINNER: JAMIE MILLS XYLEM WATER SOLUTIONS Jamie, Systems Engineer at Xylem Water Solutions is a dedicated member of the BIM4Water steering group who specifically explores water industry information exchange and standard product data template creation. With a strong interest in emerging technologies he pioneered techniques of additive manufacturing in hydraulic pump modelling. In 2015 Jamie proposed a concept which aims to predict the optimum time to service or replace pumps by mathematically predicting their performance degradation.
SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY: TOMLINSON HALL & CO WINNER: ABB As a supplier to the pump industry, ABB goes the extra mile to deliver innovation and value to its organisation and customers. This goes far beyond providing the consistently high levels of technical innovation, environmental awareness, market penetration and growth are the company’s objectives. With its focus on delivering best practice and leading-edge ideas, ABB continues to push the boundaries of technological achievement, with particular emphasis on helping its customers to explore and unlock the opportunities offered by industry 4.0. 12
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THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE PUMP INDUSTRY AWARDS – A MAN OF DETERMINATION Brian Huxley is a qualified Training Officer, whose career started in the early 1960’s as a commercial apprentice with GLYNWED. He went on to hold several training positions, before leaving the company in 1974 to become Group Training Officer for METCOM – a Federation of Mechanical and Engineering Trades. He held that position until 1978 when he was promoted to Regional Manager. From his humble beginnings at METCOM he progressed to Regional General Manager, then Assistant Director, then Director and eventually to take on the role of Managing Director. In 1993, amongst his other roles within METCOM, Brian was also asked to take on a Trade Association which was at that time operating with a part time General Secretary and a part time Technical officer. It was from there that our
recipient began the restructuring of the BPMA. As a Director of the BPMA, he has been responsible for introducing and creating many of the services that are available to members today, such as the Buyers Guide, Newsletters, BPMA Training and the World Pump Report. In 1998 he insisted that the BPMA employed a full time Technical Director, to oversee and further develop that important aspect of the Association’s service offering. Under his Directorship the BPMA became one of the first Trade Associations to have a website and to offer membership to suppliers of the industry, something that has been copied by many others since. In 2009, in order to safeguard the interests of both members and staff, he instigated the BPMA’s transition to a limited company. Over the years, he stabilised the finances and developed a healthy balance sheet, enabling the role of BPMA Director to be passed onto his successor, Steve Schofield, in 2013. An accomplished diplomat, well known for his calm and measured approach, he is recognised throughout the UK and Europe as a true Ambassador for the UK Pump Industry. In view of this outstanding dedication, Brian is a worthy winner of this year’s PIA Lifetime Achievement Award.
SUNDYNE HMD KONTRO VAPOURVIEW® SHORTLISTED AS FINALIST FOR PUMP INDUSTRY AWARDS Sundyne is excited to announce that the VapourView® sealless pump condition monitoring instrument has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious British Pump Industry Awards in the category for Technical Innovation of the Year (Product). They were ecstatic when they were announced the winners. Designed and manufactured by Sundyne HMD Kontro, VapourView broadens the scope of sealless pump technology, extending its economic and environmental benefits to wider applications, and can be applied where sensitivity to vaporisation in the pumped fluid is a concern, for example in hydrocarbon processes. Launched in mid-2016, the cUL hazardous area certified VapourView device provides vital information to the enduser on the presence of gases in a pump’s internal flow regime and forewarns of adverse conditions likely to affect bearing lubrication or magnetic coupling cooling in a sealless magnetic drive pump, thereby eliminating safety risks, maximizing up- time and extending the equipment’s life. Martin Stuart, Product Development Manager at Sundyne HMD Kontro, commented: We were delighted that VapourView is one of six products to be shortlisted. Our dedicated technical team has developed this unique, ground breaking product to bring sealless magnetic drive pumps to new audiences who can now benefit from lower maintenance costs, enhanced health and environmental safety, leak-free operation and long life durability.” Founded by the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) in 2000, The Pump Industry Awards have become the recognised platform for celebrating significant industry achievement. The Technical Innovation of the Year Award distinguishes companies that produce the most innovative pump, pumping system or other pump related product, new or redeveloped, that has been introduced to the market within the last 24 months. To learn more about this year’s Industry Pump Awards finalists and the selection process, visit www. pumpindustryawards.com. More information on the VapourView system and the full range of Sundyne HMD Kontro sealless magnetic drive pumps can be found at www.sundyne.com.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
Perfected Sealless Pumps Continuous innovation means Sundyne HMD Kontro magnetic drive technology is now even more robust, reliable, economic and suited to even more applications ZeroLoss™ Composite containment shell / shroud that significantly reduces power requirements meaning smaller motor sizes and less energy consumption.
VapourView™ Non-intrusive instrumentation that uses ultrasonics to detect the presence of gas in a liquid from outside the confines of the pump. Secondary Containment Options to enhance even further the environmental, health & safety attributes of sealless pumps.
With new derivatives including vertical, high-pressure, low-flow, multi-stage, even extended sump versions, there is a Sundyne HMD Kontro sealless pump that is perfect for your next project. Enquire today.
+44 (0)1323 452141 vince.lee@sundyne.com www.sundyne.com/hmdkontro 13
FEATURED ARTICLE
THE BENEFITS OF INDUSTRY 4.0 APPLIED TO THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES Industry 4.0 is thought of by some as somewhat akin to the development of the laser. It was developed because it could be, but its real impact on the world has yet to really emerge although somehow, we all think it will be big. The laser, of course, ended up more than delivering on its initial promise – but will Industry 4.0? by Sebastian Amos - GAMBICA – Sector Head, Process Instrumentation & Control
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t is the nature of this type of new development that inspires others to begin to discover its uses. To a purist this might appear to be the wrong way around but it is so often the way the most momentous innovations happen in reality. This is where Industry 4.0 finds itself today – arguably it is the most exciting time in its development. Industry 4.0 is a developing concept that aims to enable the manufacturing of many products to become autonomous. By this, we mean enabling the process elements and control systems to make decisions at a local level but have the data needed for these decisions available from all the individual elements via a cloud. We will discuss this later in this article. The Process Industries has a large amount of technology already available to enable this vision and there are not many steps required to realise the advantages. The ideas are best described through an illustrated walkthrough. Large chemical works are designed to have a degree of process reconfiguration to make different products or products with slightly different compositions. An example, could be a bitumen plant that can provide different blends for different applications. Avery simple example of a blending plant is shown in Fig 1. If we take this example, orders are received into an ERP system and some degree of organisation is added. Recipes are loaded to the local workstations and typically selected by the operators who know what plant and feedstock is available. A batch run then commences. Operators keep an eye on the feedstock to make sure the appropriate system is notified for re-order. The customer sends his tanker in anticipation of the product being available and once he arrives, the lorries are filled and tared. Final invoicing can now be triggered with details available from the SCADA on weights, product and QA history if required. Fig 2 shows the typical integration of systems that enable this process. Figure 2 – Integrated Systems, today. All these systems, customer ordering, feedstock ordering, scheduling, manufacturing and invoicing are currently managed through individual systems from ERP, Accounting, Control & SCADA and the main link to the outside world is email or in some cases, paper. Now, let’s look at how we could improve this process with I4.0 Firstly, all the data from the plant is now located in a cloud, so there are no local databases or islands. The cloud has data from instrumentation, drives, motors, valves, positioners and anything else that can be monitored. Fig 3 shows the cloud solution. Figure 3 – Industry 4.0 Cloud Solution. These instrumented systems are “self-aware” in that they automatically attach to the cloud and announce who they are, their software address and the data sets they can send and receive. They can also be aware of where
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they are in that each device has a GPS locator embedded that will identify its position to be cross referenced automatically to the P& ID and AMS (Asset Management System) This data enables the cloud to have an image or model of the system and with the physical hardware also present, we have a true Cyber Physical System (CPS). The next thing to investigate is what can be done with the data. Looking upstream and downstream, the benefits of I4.0 integration can be acknowledged. 1. FEEDSTOCK ORDERING The system can automatically order feedstock. When the cloud sees the levels in a bunker or tank dropping, a supplier with whom a previous pre-order agreement has been made will also see this data. There is no reason the supplier should have his data on a different cloud. It would be beneficial that the entire supply chain sends and receives its data for the end to end process on the one cloud. Automatic ordering and scheduling of the delivery is available to the supplier. It is not difficult to see how an extension of the complete supply chain is cloud based. Supplier “A” now schedules delivery and ships the required feedstock identifying when it will arrive. The lorry with the product is tagged so that it can receive cloud data concerning delivery time, where to enter the site, automatic security recognition and which bunker/silo/tank to deliver to. The levels are replenished, the cloud is aware. Supplier “A” had been given and accepted an order, scheduled manufacture, delivered, invoiced and been paid with all this data cloud based and the relevant applications based on the cloud servers. 2. CLOUD INITIATED PRODUCTION Orders and stock levels are now in the cloud. The cloud has a model of what plant is available and can schedule production. Recipes can be sent to the local PLC/DCS controls and these will put the batch into production. Local plant control will allow for all events to be managed on the plant, reacting to alarms only. The control systems are still reporting the plant functions to maintenance systems and the cloud will be reviewing production quality against internal models. Batch data is collated and when the production system has exported the product to the output tanks, the system is ready for the next order. 3. CUSTOMER COLLECTION The cloud has all the data concerning production schedules and times. The customer can review when and where to collect it. Again, assuming the product is to be collected by lorry, the collection data and security information is loaded from the cloud into the lorry RF Tag. This could include information cloud what the lorry ETA will be. Entering the site and directions to the correct tanks are all identified by the plant and when offloading is complete, the system is ready to use the exporting tanks again. Throughout this process there has been minimal human interaction. Operators no longer need to “tweak” the system or make production choices. Their key function is to manage alarm states. The cloud automatically keeps itself stocked, manages production, arranges collection and submits (and pays) invoices. CLEARLY THERE ARE HUGE BENEFITS IN A PLANT THAT IS TRULY INTEGRATED WITH I4.0 1. The production plant is seamlessly integrated with its suppliers and customers with all data in one place and consistent. Cloud systems and communications backbones are a key focus of today’s upgrade work with the storage and communications networks now offering seamless 100% availability. 2. The plethora of third party systems are cloud based. They all use the same data. They are managed centrally and may well be maintained by third parties on a Service Level Agreement. 3. Control systems have information concerning their environment. Thus, when a component is changed and announces itself, there is no need to recalibrate or reconfigure. They sit on a truly “plug and produce” network of devices. 4. Ordering and Invoicing are fully automatic. Payments should also be. 5. Support / Backroom staff can be reduced. 6. Maintenance engineers will be more focused and the systems will enable pre- emptive maintenance calls. 7. Such a factory could be run centrally from anywhere in the world. A follow the sun would work well. 8. Local staffing would be significantly reduced. All the above add up to improved production, faster time to market and reduced costs. What’s not to like?
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves PUMPS LIMITED - A VERY BRITISH MANUFACTURER EXPORTING GLOBALLY
UK specialist pump manufacturer Flotronic Pumps Limited was founded by Lew Norris in 1981 and pioneered the air-operated, double-diaphragm ‘ONE- NUT’ pump. Flotronic’s ‘ONE-NUT’ design allows quick pump disassembly for inspection, cleaning and maintenance – delivering a massive benefit for customers in terms of reduced down-time, particularly as the pump can be inspected or maintained in line without disconnection of pipework Today it has evolved substantially from the original and is integral to an extensive range of models and deployment in a huge variety of critical process applications. These include transferring materials as diverse as adhesives, cosmetics, drinks, dyes, food stuffs, hand cream, mayonnaise, paints, petrochemicals and yoghurt as well as aggressive chemicals such as acids, MEK and Toluene. Flotronic pumps can provide constant liquid feeds and pump thin or viscous liquids. Flotronic Pumps’ products are in operation around the world. The air-operated double diaphragm pump has other advantages …… over alternative pump types include self-priming, the ability to ‘dry-run’, ease in dealing with ‘dead-heading’ and solids content. The absence of a need for electricity also makes the pumps readily portable and very safe. Flotronic Pumps and sanitary applications - Consumers rightly expect food and other hygiene-critical products to be clean and free from agents that cause disease or infection and their expectations are reflected in increasingly demanding legislation and internationally recognised accreditations Flotronic Pumps Limited might be firmly based in the UK … … but the company is seeing significant success in developing new markets overseas. Exports as a percentage of total sales rose from just 15% in 2003 to 40% in 2016. 50% of exports go to Europe - but pumps are being sold in increasing numbers across the world including the US and Canada (25%) and the Far East (8%) - with the remaining 17% distributed to the Middle East, India, South America, South Africa and Australasia. The company is seeing particularly high overseas growth in pump sales into its target Pharmaceutical, Food & Beverage, Chemical manufacture and Cosmetics markets, with three of the most recently developed products, the ‘Minichem’ - machined from a solid block of PTFE, the 3-A accredited ‘H’ series sanitary applications pump and the EHEDG accredited ‘E’ Series pump generating particular interest. The company has invested in heavily in established in supporting local dealer networks to make their exports drive happen. For more information contact Flotronic Pumps Ltd, Brighton, West Sussex. Tel: 01444 881871 E-mail: sales@flotronicpumps.co.uk | Web: www.flotronics.co.uk
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
BIFOLD PNEUMATIC ACTUATOR CONTROLS The Best Technology at the Lowest Cost – At Least 22% to 39% Cost Saving Bifold offer configurable valve control products, simplified for ease of selection with the highest safety factors and reduced spares requirements, offering the highest flow at the lowest cost. Maximise flow of typical tubed systems with Bifold components With traditional tubed pneumatic control circuits Bifold elements are capable of the highest possible flow in the market but the output is limited by the change in the bore size through the tubes and fittings. Maximise flow of typical nippled systems with Bifold components With traditional nippled pneumatic control circuits Bifold elements are capable of the highest possible flow in the market but the output is restricted by the diameter of the nipples. Optimise flow with Bifold patented modular solution Bifold developed an unrestricted common bore system that optimises the high flow capability of their components. Bifold have furthered this logic and developed a range of patented Filter Boosters removing as many elements as possible from the flow line including the filter and regulator, amplifying the possible flow for any given tube size. This principle results in smaller tube sizes being used and can be supplied in up to a 2” connection. If you are interested in the lowest cost solution for your application, please visit bifold.co.uk for further details and a video outlining the above. You can also contact Bifold on TEL: +44 (0) 161 345 4777.
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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves GRUNDFOS THE SMART DIGITAL DOSING PARTNER
HYDRA-CELL SEAL-LESS PUMPS EXCEL IN EMISSIONS CONTROL
Accurate dosing of chemicals is a crucial part of production processes for many different businesses. From drinking water and wastewater treatment to industrial processing in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food & beverage industries. In such circumstances, dosing exactly the right amount of chemicals is important in order to reach process targets, as well as to control operation costs while delivering the required results safely and reliably. The acclaimed Grundfos SMART Digital range of dosing pumps provides reliable, safe, and economical dosing with industry-leading accuracy. Today the new SMART Digital XL DDA and DDE pumps offer an extended range by delivering a dosing flow of up to 200 l/h and a pressure of up to 10 bar. These SMART Digital XL pumps require little maintenance as the membrane and other robust pump features mean that the service intervals are 8,000 operating hours at 100% operation. At 30% operation, the interval is an impressive 20,000 hours. In short, the new SMART Digital XL DDA and DDE deliver accuracy and reliability and are flexible enough for any application anywhere. Add to that the fact they are easy to set up and operate as well as requiring very little attention when in operation and you will see why we think our SMART Digital XL DDA and DDE pumps have just made dosing smarter. Find out more for yourself by visiting www.grundfos.com/get-smart or for Literature Request or for more information contact Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Leighton Buzzard , Beds. Tel: 01525 850000 | E-mail: grundfosuk@grundfos.com | Web: www.grundfos.co.uk
Hydra-Cell pumps from Wanner are said to meet the challenges of flue gas scrubbing in terms of corrosion resistance and their ability to handle abrasive particulate matter. In the wake of the recent automotive emissions scandals, air pollution control has again taken ‘centre stage’. The challenge of minimizing the environmental impact of industrial processes has never been greater as mandatory emissions threshold limits are driven ever lower. Of major concern are particulate matter and toxins emanating from thermal processes. The majority of particulates can be removed effectively by gas scrubbing in its variety of forms and modern scrubbing liquids are commonly tailored to the pollutants being removed. As the scrubbing liquid is invariably recirculated, the extracted particulates can prove problematical for pumps with dynamic seals, causing premature wear and possible catastrophic failure. Being a seal-less design, Hydra-Cell pumps handle these abrasive particles with ease. Pumped liquids or slurries are 100% contained and a wide choice of pump head materials ensures even the most aggressive scrubbing liquids cause no pumping problems. For more information contact Wanner International, Fleet, Hants. Tel +44 (0)1252 816847 Email: NHerrington@wannerint.com Web: www.hydra-cell.eu
AXFLOW INTRODUCES COMPRESSOR VAPOUR RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR TANK EMPTYING AxFlow is now offering a compressor system as an alternative to centrifugal pumps for emptying liquefied gas from storage tanks, vessels and mobile tankers. Unlike pumps, which can only unload around 85% of the liquefied gas, the compressor system will easily transfer over 99% thereby enabling users to recover this potentially expensive liquid heel. The compressor system also eliminates the problem of liquefied gases boiling when centrifugal pumps are used. AxFlow’s VRS is a simple frame-mounted unit which can be used for intermittent and continuous duties. Available in mobile and static formats, the VRS is divided into two stages, liquid transfer and vapour recovery. The function of the compressor is to push the liquid from inside the tanker into the storage vessel using pressurised vapour from the storage vessel. Following this, the compressor connections are reversed using a 4-way valve to suck out any remaining vapour in the tanker and transfer it to the storage vessel. Designed specifically for liquefied gas transfer duties, the vertical piston compressor comes in single or two stage versions with air or water-cooling. Engineered to meet customer’s specific requirements the VRS enables liquid transfer or gas evacuation down to pressures of 50 millibar absolute, and is suitable for displacements of up to 212 m3/h and system pressures up to 42 bar. For more information contact AxFlow Ltd, Ealing, London. Tel: 0208 5792111 E-mail: info@axflow.co.uk Web: www.axflow.co.uk 16
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves HYBRID CAN FEATURE ENHANCES ENERGYEFFICIENCY OF LEAK-FREE MAG-DRIVE CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS The significant benefits of using magnetically driven pumps such as; zero leakage, no wastage or environmental hazards along with extended pump life with longer service intervals, are being appreciated by many end-users in the process and chemical industries. A good example of these types of pumps is the extensive range developed by M Pumps and available exclusively in the UK through pumping specialists MICHAEL SMITH ENGINEERS. The range includes; magnetically coupled centrifugal, vane, turbine and side-channel pump options which are meeting the demands of challenging applications. With technology advancing, so are demands from end-users in the process and chemical industries seeking effective pumping solutions for handling higher pressures, higher temperatures with improved energy-efficiency. In response, M Pumps has focused on improving the energy efficiency of their centrifugal pumps which led to the development of an innovative rear containment shell and now fitted as standard on their CN MAG-M Series of centrifugal process pumps. With choice of either titanium or hastelloy C inner shell, this unique patented hybrid containment shell combines the reliability and chemical resistance of a standard inner metallic shell with the strength of a carbon fibre outer shell and can be selected for applications with liquids at temperatures up to 200ยบC and system pressures up to 50 Bar. The M Pumps hybrid solution minimises magnetic losses by featuring a very thin barrier in either hastelloy or titanium. Consequently for a given duty, M Pumps hybrid technology will consume less power in operation enabling a smaller motor to be installed compared to a pump with a traditional containment shell. Additionally, the benefits of improved energy-efficiency and a more compact, space-saving solution, CN MAG-M pumps provide the important advantages of mag-drive pumps. For example, a hermitically sealed, leak-free design with no rotating seals to fail meaning reduced downtime, no crosscontamination of the pumped liquid, no wastage, no environmental hazards and improved operator safety. Close coupled versions are available which reduces possible alignment issues and minimises on-site space requirements, a choice of chemically resistant wetted materials helps to extend pump life, increase servicing. For critical applications secondary containment options are available. Thanks to their leak-free design M Pumps are particularly suited to handling toxic, flammable or other dangerous liquids. Models are available for handling capacities up to 4000 m3/ hr, differential heads up to 220 metres (single stage) and up to 700 metres (multi-stage) with system pressures up to 150 Bar. For more information contact Michael Smith Engineers Ltd, Tel: FREEPHONE: 0800 316 7891. Email: Info@michael-smith-engineers. co.uk or Web: https://goo.gl/tX85rd
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves
Albany Pumps A N E M P LOY E E O W N E D CO M PA N Y
A fresh approach from Albany Pumps
Albany Pumps makes a wide range of reliable and robust standard, customised and specialised positive displacement pumps. If you require an external gear pump, a twin screw pump or an internal lobe pump, we think you’ve found the right place: • 100+ years of experience and British manufacture • Employee ownership with a Trust to guarantee longevity • CNC production plant in Lydney, Gloucestershire • Service and repair centre in Bradford, West Yorkshire • Standards for every industry ATEX, CE, BSI, VdS and API • 100+ countries sold to worldwide • Over 10,000 proven application stories NEW
BROCHURE
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WEBSITE
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ONLINE QUICK PUMP GUIDE
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CONFIGURE A PUMP SERVICE
Download your essential guide to Albany Pumps now: www.albany-pumps.co.uk
Contact Sales on +44 (0) 1594 842 275 sales@albany-pumps.co.uk www.albany-pumps.co.uk 18
P&M PUMPS GAINS ‘SHOP WINDOW’ WITH UK UTILITY BUYERS P&M Pumps Ltd of Sawtry, Cambridgeshire has gained a ‘shop window’ with companies in the utilities sector by joining Achilles UVDB an online community that enables companies to manage supply chain risk and comply with EU regulations. P&M Pumps Ltd, which has 7 staff and provides sole UK distributorship of Vaughan Chopper pumps in the UK and Ireland, will now be able to share on an online platform of its capabilities in key business areas, such as health & safety and compliance. Achilles UVDB is used by over 1000 buyers from over 40 UK utilities companies to find suitably qualified suppliers. Achilles works to ensure suppliers’ information is accurate via data validation, desktop and physical audits. Several buying organisations also use the community as an approved mechanism for tendering for contracts above and below EU threshold contracts, streamlining the procurement process. Andy Parr, Director for P&M Pumps said: “We are delighted to have received accreditation to Achilles UVDB following many years of growth in the waste water and renewable energy sector. We look forward to further expansion and see accreditation as a means of providing reassurance to potential customers who are committed to obtain goods and services only from Achilles accredited suppliers.” Tom Grand, Regional Director for Achilles in the UK and Ireland, said: “By joining the biggest utilities supply chain risk management community in the UK, P&M Pumps Ltd has put itself in the best position to be considered for work with UK utility buyers.” Further information on Vaughan Chopper Pumps is available from: P&M Pumps, Tel: 01487 830123. | Email: sales@pumpmix.co.uk | www.pumpmix.co.uk
EASY-TO-FIT GEAR PUMPS IDEAL FOR HANDLING VISCOUS FLUIDS The GVR range of Gear Pumps which are ideally suited to transferring a wide range of viscous fluids such as fuel, gear and lubricant oils, varnishes, molasses and cosmetics, now includes an option for face mounting on B3/B14 motors in addition to the standard B3/B5 flange mount. The new flange arrangements make it quicker to fit as the motor feet can be used for mounting avoiding the need for packing, for example when used on booster sets for all OEM applications which require duty standby operation. In addition larger models are now available in the 10 Bar BFC range and in the 20 Bar AFP range increasing the flow rates up to 70 lit / min and 80 lit / min respectively. Available through PUMP ENGINEERING, these self-priming, volumetric flanged gear pumps are ideal for handling viscous fluids (without suspended solids) and feature as standard a durable, robust cast iron construction with gears and shafts in steel. Other versions are available in bronze or AISI 316 stainless steel. GVR gear pumps have standard BSP threaded connections with larger pumps having flanged connections. They can be supplied complete with an internal safety relief valve while standard models are fitted with mechanical seals in ceramic, graphite and Viton, or with other mechanical seals if required. ATEX versions are also available as are options for protection to IP56 Further details are available from: Chris Newberry, Pump Engineering Ltd, Littlehampton, West Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1903 730900. E-mail: sales@pumpeng.co.uk | Web: www.pumpeng.co.uk
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves SPX COOLING TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES REDESIGNED MARLEY® AV COOLING TOWER Broader range of single flow towers with compact footprint in single and double height designs
SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc. a full-line, full-service industry leader in the design and manufacture of cooling towers and other specialized heat exchangers, announces are design of its popular Marley AV line of factory-assembled single flow cooling towers. The new induced draft crossflow design features both single and multi-fan models and a broader tonnage range from 122 to 772 nominal tons and flowrate of 117 to 1541 gpm (27 to 350 m3/hr).The AV provides a compact footprint and is well-suited to support air conditioning and refrigeration systems as well as light industrial loads. A bearing housing belt drive system is standard equipment; the Marley Geareducer® and motor outside airstream (MOA) options are available on some models. Other popular selections The Verderflex® Rapide is a range of industrial tube pumps that provide a balanced selection of simple to include welded stainless operate peristaltic pumps. The family offers the customers, choices that are compact, simple to use and require steel basins, sweeper piping, no tools during the tube change. The range has been developed to offer reliable and cost effective pumping interior mechanical and access solutions for industrial applications. Standard designs incorporate rugged aluminium pump heads with “thickdoor platforms, slip-resistant walled” tubing for increased suction lift and IP55 gear motors with both single and three phase options. The plenum walkway and hot water Verderflex® Rapide is an excellent, low flow dosing pump capable of handling viscous, abrasive and chemically basin guardrail system for aggressive media with total containment and leak free pumping. safe and easy inspection and maintenance. Featuring the new, patentVERDERFLEX® PUMP IN PRINTING PROCESS pending MarKey™ Drift In a printing process, where pumps are used to deliver inks to its printers, the pumps use considerable amount Eliminators, the AV Cooling of compressed air and require constant maintenance due to the wearable parts like Tower achieves the lowest seals and valves. This could result in high repair and maintenance measureable drift rate, down costs and higher and frequent down-times. In addition to this, to 0.0005 percent of circulating these pumps are required to deliver shear water flow, so less water escapes sensitive inks to the printers without the tower. Quiet and ultra-quiet foaming or separation. fan options are factory installed on most models. Control packages offer single point ADVANTAGES OF THE RAPIDE power connections for a range TUBE PUMP of systems. The AV is certified by - Compact and easy to use the Cooling Technology Institute - Can be integrated into third party (CTI) and multi-cell models are equipment such as printing presses Factory Mutual approved. The -Designed for industrial line is available worldwide.
PUMP INK WITH VERDERFLEX
ABOUT SPX COOLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.: SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of cooling towers, evaporative fluid coolers, evaporative condensers and air cooled heat exchangers providing fullservice cooling solutions and support to customers in the power generation, petrochemical, industrial, refrigeration, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) markets for more than 100 years. For more information, please visit www.spxcooling.com. SPX Cooling Technologies and its product brands are part of SPX Corporation. MARCH / APRIL 2017 -
environments including chemical, mining, printing and water treatment - Can be used with variable frequency drives (VFDs)
After assessing the situation, a Verderflex R8 Peristaltic Hose pump was recommended. With a flow rate between 170 l/hr and 470 l/hr at 2Bar, the low maintenance Verderflex R8 was perfect for this application. This pump enables the customer to save both cost and time by having high dependability and only one wearing part – the hose. With a simple clamping mechanism enabling hose change, the pumps are easy to maintain on-site, without requiring specialist repairs. There are no seals or valves to replace, nor impellers that can become clogged. Verderflex’s happy customers claim that Verderflex R8 is a “great pump and very reliable”. In addition to the benefits described above, customers were delighted that Verderflex® pumps also save money on ink during setup/cleaning between jobs by being reversible. They simply pump any unused ink back into the supply after the print job is finished. For more information on Verderflex® Products Web: www.verderflex.com/en/ Email: info@verderflex.com Phone: +44 (0)1924 221 020
FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves NEW EFFICIENT HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP FOR A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE In June 2016 KSB Aktiengesellschaft, Germany, launched its Movitec 125 pumps, complementing its current range of vertical high-pressure pumps. The multistage centrifugal pumps are designed for fluids such as water, coolants, condensate and mineral oils. They are ideal for industrial recirculation and firefighting systems, cooling water circuits and washing plants as well as for boosting pressure in general process applications, for example. The engineers behind the new pump sets put special emphasis on achieving outstanding hydraulic efficiencies. The efficiency of a pump with a full impeller diameter is greater than 80 percent. The type series handles flow rates of up to 192 cubic metres per hour (at 60 Hz) at heads of up to 125 metres. The permissible fluid temperature ranges from -20 °C to +120 ˚C. As standard, the new pump sets are driven by 2-pole IP3 motors of 15 to 45 kW. Fitted with product-lubricated plain bearings made of tungsten carbide, cast bases, and torsion-resistant pressure shrouds sealed by confined O-rings, the pumps are highly robust and reliable. Corrosion-resistant hydraulic components made of stainless steel further add to these qualities. Several material variants and flange connection options provide users with maximum flexibility when it comes to installing and operating the new pump sets. With easy-to-replace standardised cartridge mechanical seals to EN 12756, the new Movitec 125 pumps are easy to service and built to last. As an option, the pump can be operated on a frequency inverter and combined with high-efficiency motors to increase the system’s efficiency and match the flow rate to actual demand. For more information contact KSB Aktiengesellschaft,Germany. Tel.: +49 6233 86 - 3702 E-Mail: christoph.pauly@ksb.com
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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
PERFECT TIMING FOR
AIR QUALITY & EMISSIONS EVENT
AQE 2017 will take place in Telford (UK) on 24th and 25th May at a time when the health effects of air pollution are constantly in the headlines, and when the UK Government is due to consult on its latest plans to comply with air quality guidelines in the UK’s larger towns and cities. Registration for the event is now open (www.AQEShow.com), with entry to the Exhibition and Workshops free of charge. However, a range of fees apply for those that wish to attend one or more of the Conferences.
A
QE 2017 is the ninth in a series of specialist air and emissions monitoring events that began in 2002. Outside of the event’s Conferences, registered visitors will receive free access to an international Exhibition and a series of walk-in/walk- out Workshops that will run in four rooms located within the Exhibition Hall. The exhibition will provide a unique opportunity to see most of the world’s leading organisations in air quality and emissions monitoring products and services. Visitors to AQE 2017 will include anyone with a professional interest in industrial emissions and ambient air quality. This will include the operators of regulated processes, regulators, environmental health officers, test houses, consultants, the media, researchers, academics, accreditation organisations, technology manufacturers and service providers.
DAY 1: INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS CONFERENCE – MONITORING DIFFICULT GASES AND DUST The conference will begin with a regulatory update on the Industrial Emissions Directive, provided by David Graham of Uniper. Marc Coleman from NPL will then discuss the challenge presented by the monitoring requirements for SO2, and he will be followed by Antti Heikkilä from Gasmet Technologies in Finland who will describe the impact of new EN Standards on the acid gases HF and HCl, including an overview of the current status of test methods and currently available instrumental measurement techniques. The two main NOx control strategies rely on the accurate dosing of NH3 or urea, and Dr Barbara Marshik from Servomex in the United States will explain the advantages of direct gas measurements with a feedback process loop for Ammonia slip monitoring that reduces NOx and Ammonium Bisulphate formation. Paul Firth from Tarmac in the UK will then describe the challenges and possible solutions to the calibration and measurement of particulates at low concentrations. Erkki Lamminen will describe the Dekati® eFilter™ which combines gravimetric PM measurement with real-time diffusion charging and current measurement. Indoor, outdoor and combustion source measurement studies will be described and compared with other instrumentation. Following the US EPA regulations for coal and oil fired processes and cement kilns, process operators had to choose a mercury monitoring method. Shawn Wood and Andy Curtis will describe the monitoring that has taken place in the United Sates and relate this to the European CEN that is currently being developed. Continuing the mercury monitoring theme, Mike Hayes from the Linde Group, will then discuss calibration methods. Heather Whittenbury from Johnson Matthey in the UK, will explain how gaseous and liquid fuels can be treated with fixed bed absorbents at ambient temperature to remove H2S and mercury, and the absorption
profile can be easily measured.
AQE 2017 EXHIBITION
DAY 2 (MORNING): REA - WASTE MANAGEMENT SITE EMISSIONS
By registering at www.AQEShow.com visitors will be provided with free access to the AQE 2017 Exhibition with over 90 stands featuring most of the world’s leading and accreditation organisations. Many of the exhibitors will launch new products and services at the event, and visitors may be interested to learn that GCE have improved and extended their Buzz Wire Game and ORBITAL will run a prize competition to guess the mileage of a Yamaha FS1E (Fizzy) motorbike. Quantitech, which is now a Gasmet company, will launch a new integrate continuous emissions monitoring capability in addition to a new range of portable and fixed FID analysers, and a new range of laser gas analysers. Axetris will launch a new laser gas module for measuring low range HCl, and Protea will demonstrate the Dadolab range of isokinetic sampling equipment, in addition to new AIR-IQ software for the real-time determination of gas concentrations in FTIR or Mass Spectrum data. SW Technology sagl will unveil two new analysers for measuring ammonia and oxygen with hot CEMS extractive systems. Experts from Uniper will be available to discuss their range of environmental planning and permitting services, and NPL will launch a new ‘Gases and Particulate Simulator’ which simulates emissions at customisable gas and particle concentrations, flow, temperature and water content for instrument development and training. Air Monitors will feature new technologies for monitoring gases and particles in both indoor and outdoor air. New products on show will include the FIDAS Frog and the Pegasor in addition to new Aethalometers.
The second day of AQE 2017 will also feature a Conference with an emissions monitoring theme. The Organics Recycling Group of the Renewable Energy Association will run a morning seminar on ‘Controlling and Monitoring Emissions on Waste Management Sites.’ Rupert Standring from the Environment Agency will explain the new M9 Technical Guidance for monitoring Bioaerosols, and Catherine Rolph from the Open University will outline Worker Protection Strategies against bioaerosols. A speaker from Odournet will describe the design and maintenance of biofilters for effective odour mitigation, and Jennifer Watts will describe the legal obligations of a site operator for emissions control and odour monitoring.
DAY 2 (ALL DAY): INVESTIGATION OF AIR POLLUTION STANDING CONFERENCE (IAPSC) Developed in partnership with IAPSC (Investigation of Air Pollution Standing Conference), there will be three sessions covering: pervasive air quality monitoring; vehicle emissions monitoring and data management; and local air quality management and policy. The first two presentations will provide information on pervasive monitoring in two Local Authority case studies and this will be followed by a presentation on Real World Emissions – the use of PEMS on heavy duty vehicles to assess the impact of technology and driving conditions on air quality in urban areas. Subsequent speakers will cover telematics in traffic-related air pollution research and case studies on local plan development allocations, and air pollution reduction in Manchester. The final presentations will address air quality annual status reports and the ‘National Clean Air Day: one day to inspire years of action.’ Pre-registered visitors to AQE 2017 will benefit from free parking, refreshments and lunch, and free access to the AQE 2017 Exhibition and Workshops. However, there are charges for attending the Conferences:
Day 1 (24th May) AQE industrial emissions monitoring - £55 +VAT Day 2 (25th May) REA monitoring waste management site emissions - £55 +VAT Day 2 (25th May) IAPSC ambient air pollution monitoring - £155 +VAT (non- members). Attendance may be more cost-effective by joining IAPSC – see www.iapsc.org.uk.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
AQE 2017 WORKSHOPS Operating from four rooms within the exhibition hall, free walk-in/ walk- out workshops will run throughout both days of the event. The theme of the first day’s workshops will be ambient air quality with subjects covering new technologies, mobile techniques and the relationship between outdoor and indoor air quality. The theme of the second day’s workshops will be emissions monitoring, covering topics such as regulatory compliance, new technologies, portable monitors and problematic species. Summarising, AQE organiser Marcus Pattison says: “With 3 conferences, over 30 workshops and a large international exhibition, AQE2017 attendees will have to plan their time carefully if they are to make the most of everything on offer.”
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SICK (UK) Ltd - Stands 6 &7
A SHOWCASE OF EMISSION SOLUTIONS
QUANTITECH - Stands 62 & 63
MAJOR NEW LAUNCHES FOR QUANTITECH AT AQE 2017 Quantitech will unveil a number of major new product initiatives at AQE 2017 that will be of great interest to anyone involved with gas analysis and emissions monitoring. “Since the last AQE event, we have been acquired by Gasmet Technologies and invested in newresources so that we are now able to offer complete integrated continuous emissions monitoring systems.” says Managing Director Ken Roberts says ”In addition, we will launch a new range of MCERTS approved FID analysers, offering fixed, portable and EX versions. “Quantitech’s metCEMS II eMCERTS approved FTIR multigas analyser, with options for additional measurements of oxygen, TOC, particulates, temperature, pressure and low.” The same MCERTS approved technology is employed in the Gasmet DX4000 portable heated FTIR analyser, and this will also feature on the Quantitech stand, in addition to the DX4040 FTIR ambientgas analyser. Visitors to the Quantitech stand (62 & 63) will also be able to see MCERTS approved FID analysers, including the PT63 Portable FID, from SK Elektronik and, for the first time in the UK, new laser gas analysers for a wide range of process gas monitoring applications. For more information contact Quantitech Ltd, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Tel: 01908 227722 E-mail: sales@quantitech.co.uk Web: www.quantitech. Co.uk
SICK AG are one of the worlds leading suppliers of premium Process Analytical equipment and Emissions monitoring solutions. This year we can be found on stands 6 & 7 and will be showcasing some of our emissions monitoring solutions along with the GMS800 Syngas Analyser. With a wide range of both extractive advices and insitu devices SICK is the ‘one stop shop’ for all your process and emission monitoring requirements, Our process automation experts look forward to welcoming you to the SICK stand. For more information contact Andrea Hornby, Marketing Communications Mana, SICK UK LTD, St. Albans, Herts Tel: 01727 831121 E-mail: andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk | Web: www.sick.com/gb/en/
PCME - Stand 47
AIR LIQUIDE UK - Stand 59
PCME SHOW THEIR RECENTLY INTRODUCED DUST ALERT 40 PCME Ltd, leading specialists for in-stack particulate emission and velocity measurement systems will be displaying the new QAL 360 Backscatter PM CEM, which offers the latest TUV and MCERTS approval for 7.5 mg/m3, with QAL 1 to EN 15267-3. Ultrasonic and differential pressure in-stack velocity sensors will also be on display together with the most recent addition to PCME’s ContinuousBag Filter Performance Dust Monitoring range, the DUST ALERT 40. PCME will be joined by SWR Engineering, also part of the Environnement S.A Group of companies, demonstrating innovative powder flow instruments, including products to monitor the mass and flow rates of conveyed solids, together with level and moisture sensors.
For more information contact PCME, Saint Ives, Cambridgeshire. Tel: 01480 468200 Email: contact@pcme.com Web: www.pcme.com
ASHTEAD TECHNOLOGY - Stand 77
FLEXIBLE CHOICE OF AIR QUALITY & EMISSIONS MONITORING EQUIPMENT The Ashtead Technology stand (No. 77) at AQE 2017 will feature a comprehensive range of both workplace and emissions monitoring instruments including the latest technologies from TSI and Testo. With a range of the cutting edge technologies, and a choice of financial options, visitors will be able to ensure that their instrumentation matches both their needs and budget. Visitors will be able to see TSI’s Environmental DustTrak ambient air quality monitor (with MCERTS), as well as the latest portable DustTrak instruments, offering visitors the opportunity to try the instruments to take particulate measurements and view the data handling and display capabilities. Testo’s portable emissions analysers, the Testo 340 and 350 (with MCERTS) will also be on display. These instruments are able to measure multiple gases simultaneously in combustion emissions from engines, turbines, boilers, burners and other combustion sources For more information contact Rebecca Wharton, Marketing Ashtead Technology Ltd, Letchworth, Hertfordshire Tel. 0845 270 2707 Email: europe@ashtead-technology.com Web: www.ashtead-technology.com
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COME MEET THE TEAM AND ENTER OUR COMPETITION FOR A FABULOUS PRIZE
Air Liquide UK Limited, part of the world leading Air Liquide Group, provides your single source of expertise for the full range of industrial & laboratory gases and related technologies. Air Liquide is a world leader and constantly strives to improve our offer to our customers. Come meet the team and enter our competition for a fabulous prize. Air Liquide UK Limited, part of the world leading Air Liquide Group, provides your single source of expertise for the full range of industrial & laboratory gases and related technologies. Air Liquide is a world leader and constantly strives to improve our offer to our customers, including readily available, off the shelf, stock gas mixtures and pures for emissions and ambient air monitoring. Our offer includes: •Specialty Gases mixtures & pures •ISO 17025 accredited gases •Industrial Gases •Bulk gases •Dry Ice •Engineering Support Services For Engineering Support Services: Call 01782 822061 Email: specgas.ALUK@airliquide.com Visit: industry.airliquide.co.uk/
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
JUST A TASTER FOR THE 90+ EXHIBITORS CONCEPT LIFE SCIENCES - Stand 43
TURNKEY INSTRUMENTS - Stands 74 & 75
TURNKEY INSTRUMENTS RELEASE NEW IGAS SENSOR Turnkey Instruments of Northwich, Cheshire will be releasing the all new iGAS instrument at AQE 2017 as well has demonstrating their full range of particulate monitors. iGas® is Turnkey®’s new internet gas monitor. Its multiple gas sensors are housed within a temperature controlled manifold and aspirated by means of an ultra-quiet pump making the instrument equally suitable for both Outdoor Environmental and Indoor Air Quality monitoring. Typical sensitivities are given below. Carbon dioxide is detected by means of a nondispersive infra-red (NDIR) detector, VOCs (isobutylene) by a 10.6eV photo- ionization detector (PID), and the other gas species by means of 4-electrode electrochemical cells. A propriety zero gas generation scheme is employed to eliminate zero drift in all of the gas sensor cells. Please vist us at Stands 74 & 75 For more information contact Turnkey Instruments Ltd, Northwich, Cheshire Tel:01606 330020 E-mail: sales@turnkey-instruments.com Web: www.turnkey-instruments.com
TUV RHIENLAND - Stand 49
Concept Life Sciences provides an unrivalled range of routine and specialist analytical capabilities for the Air, Environmental, Food, and Pharmaceutical sectors.
M&C - Stand 73
TUV Rheinland with its headquarters in Cologne and subsidiaries in more than 500 locations around the world is an internationally renowned provider of services related to environmental protection. Amongst other services, our experts provide comprehensive know-how concerning performance testing, emission measuring and functional testing in various sectors for a multitude of national and international organizations. The type approval and QAL1 certification of automated measuring systems has been an important topic for the manufacturers of automated measuring systems for several years. Future opportunities for AMS manufacturers lie in the new standard EN 15267 part 4 for the certification of portable measuring systems as well as the reduction of emission limit values for mercury at large combustion plants. Visit our TÜV Rheinland experts at stand 49 at AQE 2017 in Telford and see for yourself what benefits our professional service can provide for your business. For more information contact TUV Rhienland, Cologne, Germany via www.eco-tuv.com
The company’s skilled and experienced scientists provide high quality results, rapid turnaround times and expertise in developing new methods. This is supported by dedicated project managers, readily accessible online LIMS and a bespoke courier service. As the UK’s market leader in Occupational Hygiene Founded in 1985, and Stack Emission analysis, Concept Life Sciences’ as M&C Products Analysentechnik, laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art analytical today’s M&C Tech instrumentation, providing fast, efficient, and accurate Group is an established data with a design that can accommodate high sample leader in the provision numbers with attention to detail, efficiency, and safety. of high quality gas sampling and The company’s expert staff understand industry demands conditioning solutions and are committed to providing analytical services of for the process gas analysis industry. With more than 200 employees, subsidiaries and qualified representatives in numerous countries, the highest standard. Experts from the company will M&C is an innovative and reliable partner all over the world. Quality be available on stand 43 to answer any environmental standards are guaranteed at the German M&C production facilities in analysis questions. Ratingen and Aach in accordance with DIN ISO9001:2008 as well as the production Quality Assurance Notification ATEX- Directive 94/9/EG, For more information contact DIN EN ISO/IEC80079-34 /IECEX. In addition to sample probes, gas Concept Life Sciences, Manchester. coolers, sample lines, filters and pumps, M&C offer a range of portable Tel: +44 161 8362760 equipment for stack testing and paramagnetic oxygen analysers E-mail: info@conceptlifesciences.com or visit For more information M&C TechGroup Sales Services GmbH, www.conceptlifesciences.com. Germany Tel: +49 2102 9350 Web: www.mc-techgroup.com
AXETRIS - Stand 8
FOCUSED PHOTONICS – Stand 64
Axetris AG is a designer and OEM manufacturer of Laser Gas Detection (LGD) solutions based on Tunable Diode Laser Spectrometry (TDLS). The TDLS technology provides a solution to many gas detection challenges in emission monitoring and process control. The technology offers unique advantages like precise optical, contact-less measurements, excellent target gas selectivity and sub ppm-level detectivity. With our Laser Gas Detection solutions we cover a variety of applications in the field of continuous emission monitoring, process control, leak detection or selective catalytic reduction. This year, we are particularly proud to announce our new LGD F200 module able to measure HCl in a low range according to compliance requirements of European directives QAL1 For more information contact Schwarzenbergstrasse 10, 6056 Kägiswil, Switzerland. Tel: +41 41 662 76 76 Web: www.axetris.com/en
Focused Photonics manufactures a range of process gas analysers based on tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). By utilising ‘single-line’ spectroscopy, the Laser Gas Analyser (LGA) range can be configured for continuous analysis of a number of key compounds, with an enormous dynamic range from single figure ppm to % levels, without interference from other process components. With a fast response, super-low maintenance, proven reliability in harsh operating environments and very low ownership costs, the LGAs offer fast payback. Typical applications include waste to energy, incineration, NH3 slip control for De-NOx, HCl measurement for sorbent injection optimisation, in-furnace CO/O2 for fuel efficiency savings, flue gas monitoring in FCC catalyst regeneration, trace H2S and H2O in natural gas, H2S measurements in sulphur recovery, cross-duct CO monitoring for electrostatic precipitator safety, and many others. Focused Photonics is represented in the UK by Quantitech For more information contact Quantitech Ltd, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Tel:01908 227722 Email: info@quantitech.co.uk Web: www.quantitech.co.uk/
GAS SAMPLING & CONDITIONING SOLUTIONS
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
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FEATURED ARTICLE Handheld, mobile measurement of flow in closed pipe application with Pulsar Flow Pulse
THE ECHO’S STILL THE THING
– FLOW MONITORING IN OPEN CHANNELS & CLOSED PIPES
by Alistair McKinnon, Sales & Marketing Director, Pulsar Process Measurement
There are many ways of effectively measuring liquid flow. From the ubiquitous – MagFlowmeters, turbine meters, to the highly specialised – Coriolis meters, for example. This article looks at developments in ultrasonic noncontacting measurement and acoustic non-invasive flow measurement for both open channel flow, including MCERTS applications, and also in closed pipes, based on Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques developed specifically for the task.
B
y far the most popular automatic, continuous (full measurement range) open channel flow (OCM) measurement approach world-wide remains the use of non-contacting ultrasonic technology which, for those who aren’t familiar with it, consists of a compact transducer, usually piezo-electric, that emits a high-frequency sound pulse, inaudible to humans, which then reflects from the liquid surface and returns, the time of flight for the echo being converted to a distance. The transducer can stand alone or form a system with a control unit.
MCERTS MEASUREMENT The basic principle is a simple one, depending on the piezo-electric crystal being re- energised by the returning signal to produce a small voltage spike, a measurement being derived from the speed of sound, and the technique has been around in one form or another for decades. In practice, however, the signal processing required to accurately discriminate the signal has developed
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enormously, moving from analogue to digital, and then has followed the same improvements in speed and accuracy as every other modern digital technique. High-frequency transducers are used nowadays, maximising the resolution of the measurement in these short-range applications. Depending on the manufacturer of the equipment, processing of the signal is then undertaken in the transducer itself and/or in a wall- or panel- mounted controller which provides processing and communications. All manufacturers provide a choice of controller, or, indeed, in some instances no controller, depending on the complexity of the application. A modern, high-frequency ultrasonic system provides the high accuracy demanded by accreditation protocols such as MCERTS, the Environment Agency’s emissions monitoring scheme while being easy to install and maintain and very cost-effective. Ultrasonic systems continue to represent the most accurate MCERTS approved technology on the market, for example Pulsar offer three measurement devices approved to MCERTS Class 1, depending on application. Ultrasonic measurement uses the speed of sound in the calculation, and all OCM systems compensate for changes in speed of sound due to temperature changes. The latest MCERTS standard also includes a requirement for solar radiation shields to mitigate the effect of direct sunlight on the transducer.
OTHER OPEN CHANNEL FLOW MEASUREMENT For high-accuracy, MCERTS type applications, there is another part of the equation, which is the need for a well-engineered and installed Primary Measurement Device (PMD) such as a calibrated flume or a weir. A PMD works by constricting the flow in such a way that a change in flow rate results in a calculable change in level or ‘head’, which is what we actually measure. The flume manufacturer will also supply a head to flow curve of a minimum 21 points, entered into the controller for greater accuracy. There are many other situations, for example in a canal or in an inaccessible sump, where there is no room for a PMD to be fitted. In those cases we have two options: we can derive a ‘curve’ of flow against level by measuring the flow rate using other means at various levels, and electronically recording a set point for each level within the controller. A Pulsar system will typically allow around 32 points of calibration. Alternatively, the velocity of the flow can be measured, which may be enough in some applications where all that is required is to know that water is flowing in a certain situation.
NEW FLOW VELOCITY MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY Traditionally, flow velocity has been measured using contacting devices, typically turbines or Doppler immersion probes, plus some other time of flight techniques. These have been highly successful but occasionally problematic, obviously potentially prone to fouling and, particularly the Doppler sensor, reliant on various conditions within the flow. New approaches such as Pulsar’s MicroFlow and MicroFlow-I offer direct non-contacting measurement of water velocity to be made. Using microwave (RADAR) technology, along with completely novel digital signal processing, a compact transducer is positioned above the flow and makes a non-contacting, time-of- flight measurement of flow velocity. A simple bracket can be used to mount the transducer at the optimum angle and multiple sensors can be used for wide channels (over 1.5m). Going back to flow measurement, of course once a flow velocity has been determined, it can be combined with level measurement to produce a flow measurement using a velocity x area calculation. This is a powerful, relatively low cost approach that does not require the civil engineering that is so often required when measuring using a flume or weir. More often used for process control than MCERTS type applications, it can nevertheless yield good results and some systems have MCERTS approval.
COMMUNICATIONS AND CALCULATIONS Once the core measurement has been made, then all other operations derive from it. Ultrasonic systems have been developed around the needs of the water/waste water industry. Over time, the number of routines and applications built into these devices as standard has multiplied, so that now it is possible to perform pretty much any typical control function – penstock control, pump control, valve management etc., directly out of the box. For communications purposes, industrial Ethernet such as Profibus and Modbus, plus other digital protocols are available along with the more usual 4-20mA and volt-free relay closures are included, depending on model. If you look at the top of the range devices, such as Pulsar’s Ultimate Controller, then more exotic options are available , such as a camera so you can literally keep an eye on the process!
NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT IN CLOSED PIPES For many years, the usual approach for measurement of flow in
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
Pulsar’s MicroFlow velocity sensor combines with an ultrasonic transducer for a velocity x area flow measurement solution
closed pipes has been the reliable and generally accurate magnetic flow (magflow) meter, and it is unlikely that will change any time soon. However, there are drawbacks. First, if a magflow can be installed from day 1 in a new installation, all well and good. If, on the other hand, flow monitoring needs to be introduced later, then there can be a significant interruption to the process and the costs associated with the design and installation of the meter. Large sizes of magflow meters can be very expensive too. And, if it is critical that an accurate measurement is made, then that may well be worth it. If, on the other hand, what you really need is a reliable and repeatable method of monitoring the process, then the latest non-invasive methods, exemplified by Pulsar’s Flow Pulse, could well be the answer. Small, clamp-on acoustic sensors including a high-output ceramic crystal, literally fixed using just a screwdriver, and operating on pipe materials including rigid plastic, stainless or mild steel or even cast iron, are producing good results where flow rates are between 0.3m/s and 10m/s. Widebore pipes of 1 metre diameter are possible and there is no intrusion into the process whatsoever, and Pulsar’s system will work with slurries through to liquids with as little as 200ppm entrained particles, the equivalent of hard water. Ultrasound is ‘fired’ through the pipe wall at 90º to the flow. The novel spread spectrum analysis technique employed by Pulsar is called RSSA (Refracted Spread Spectrum Analysis), which analyses and integrates data over a wide frequency range to derive a flow rate, which can then be output to SCADA or telemetry. The compact system is so easy to use, even mobile operations are possible with hand-held, batter powered versions of these devices. With relatively low cost per installation, this means that they can be more generally deployed within a process, so process managers can have real clarity of flow profiles within their operations.
Twin sunshields minimise the effect of sunlight on the Open Channel measurement
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
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PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION TITAN LAUNCHES NEW RESPONSIVE WEBSITE Titan Enterprises, a leading developer of high quality flowmeters and flow instrumentation, has launched a new responsive website (www.flowmeters.co.uk) which ensures visitors automatically enjoy a perfectly formatted viewing experience from a desktop, tablet or mobile device. Dee Stapley, Sales Manager said, “The clean design of the new Titan website allows visitors to simply and quickly locate pertinent product information including the full technical specifications of our extensive range of ultrasonic, oval gear and turbine flowmeters as well as flow instrumentation. In response to customer demand we have produced a series of new selection charts which enables you to quickly select which Titan product is the optimum choice in terms of handling the fluid type, flow rate, maximum pressure and maximum temperature your application requires. In addition, visitors can quickly access service and support information, flow meter calibration services and find where their local sales agent is located. Located at www.flowmeters.co.uk the site is well worth bookmarking by anyone required to meter the flow of fluids”. For further information please contact Titan Enterprises Ltd, Sherborne, Dorset. Tel: +44-1935-812790 E-mail sales@flowmeters.com.uk Web: www.flowmeters.co.uk
ALICAT SCIENTIFIC A PREFERRED SUPPLIER FOR VICI AIR POLLUTION ANALYZER CALIBRATORS Alicat BASIS Mass Flow Controllers offer required accuracy, speed, and size Alicat Scientific has been selected by analytical instrumentation manufacturer Valco Instruments Company Inc. (VICI) as one of its preferred suppliers for gas flow controls in its Dynacalibrator Calibration Gas Generators. Alicat’s range of BASIS OEM mass flow controllers provide the control required by VICI to create gas mixes down to fractions of a nanogramme per minute, in a compact footprint for easy integration. Designed specifically for original equipment manufacture and process integration, BASIS is Alicat’s smallest footprint instrument. It controls gas flow rates used for mixing or diluting, or supplied into processes—such as gas analysers, custom blending manifolds, and burners. Introduced in 2015, BASIS has been qualified and accepted by customers within gas chromatography, gas mixing, and sputtering for film coating, as well as burner applications. BASIS MFCs were selected by VICI as they provide the necessary control to create precise gas concentrations from high parts per million (PPM) to low parts per billion (PPB). VICI has incorporated multiple BASIS mass flow controllers into some of its Dynacalibrator line, which use Metronics permeation devices to provide a wide range of accurate calibration gases for air pollution and stack gas analysers. BASIS handles the mass flow rates needed by the Dynacalibrators to produce highly repeatable gas mixes over a wide range of flows. Having a small footprint, a high turndown ratio of 200:1, and a rapid response (100 milliseconds) aid the Dynacal products in achieving both accuracy and precision goals. The BASIS line of mass flow controllers come in three flow ranges: 1-100 sccm, 5-1000 sccm, and 0.1-20 slpm. They can be configured with six selectable gases—Air, Ar, CO2, N2, O2, and N2O—or with He or H2. To learn more about the BASIS OEM mass flow controller from Alicat Scientific, visit www.alicat.com/basisoem, or call +1 520 290-6060 or for UK & Europe call 01223 472804 E-mail; Europe@alicat.com
NEW FMT 3 INNOVATIVE DIGITAL FLOW METER
Introducing the latest product from German manufacturer Tecalemit, a durable multi-purpose digital turbine flow meter, suitable for; diesel, fuel oil, water, antifreeze and Adblue®. Now available in the UK from Bell Flow Systems, the FMT 3 flow meter features a symmetrical measurement chamber allowing the device to be used with flow in both directions. Models are straight forward to operate and suitable for use in automotive environments and most downstream oil applications, where measured fluids display a wide range of viscosities. The meter is ingress protected to IP65 and features a large illuminated LCD display with freely rotatable viewing angle, adjustable in 90 degree increments. A unique feature of this model within its’ target markets is the magnetically coupled operation ensuring total separation between wetted components and the display, which can be removed during operation . This is especially helpful for any future maintenance since it allows the user to replace just the LCD display, work on the existing line, or perform any future upgrades easily and safely. With an accuracy reading of better than +/-1%, after initial calibration, the meter is ideal for applications where precise flow measurement is required. FMT 3 Meters will operate at flow rates of between 5-120 l/min and a maximum operating pressure of up to 10 bar (145 psi). For more information please contact Bell Flow Systems Ltd, Buckingham, Bucks. Tel: 0800 027 7786 or 01280 817304 E-mail: sales@bellflowsystems.co.uk. Web: www.bellflowsystems.co.uk
EMERSON VIBRATING FORK SWITCH NOW BRINGS RELIABLE LEVEL MONITORING TO DEMANDING HYGIENIC APPLICATIONS Rosemount™ 2120 receives global approvals for sanitary and aseptic applications Emerson’s Rosemount™ 2120 series of vibrating fork switches, which provide reliable level monitoring in demanding and safety-critical applications, are now suitable for use in hygienic process environments. Hygienic certificates enable them to be used in sanitary and aseptic applications in industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. The Rosemount 2120 series of switches, based on vibrating short fork technology, are robust, reliable, require almost no maintenance and are easy to install and use. SIL 2 certification enables the fork switches to be used for critical overfill protection, high and low level alarm and pump control duties in a wide range of process applications. Hygienic approvals are now available on tri-clamp process connections. The wetside is machined from solid 316 type stainless steel, guaranteeing zero porosity and increasing robustness, with several surface finishes available, including a new electropolished option. “The Rosemount 2120 is designed to provide a quick response time, delivering a successful level detection solution across many process industries,” said Teddy Tzegazeab, Rosemount product manager, Emerson Automation Solutions. “Increasing the switch’s robustness and gaining hygienic approvals will enable customers to take advantage of its reliable switching capabilities in even more demanding applications.” Leveraging Emerson’s unique and proven fast-drip fork design, the Rosemount 2120 offers reliable level monitoring even in sticky/viscous applications often associated with hygienic manufacturing processes. The hygienic version of the Rosemount 2120 has been certified by both the American 3-A Sanitary Standards organisation and the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG). The product is also designed in accordance with FDA and ASME-BPE standards. For more information on Emerson’s complete range of vibrating fork level switches, visit: www.Emerson.com/rosemount-level or contact InfoCentral@Emerson.com
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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION NEW TACHOMETERS: JUST THE TICKET FOR SPEED MEASUREMENTS IN ALL ZONES This extensive new range of Tachometers from BEKA associates simplifies speed measurement and display in both hazardous and nonhazardous areas. Featuring panel and field mounting models which can be configured to function with most sensors, the tachometers have bold easy to read displays simultaneously showing speed and the total time that the monitored machinery has been operating. Options include backlighting, isolated alarms, synchronous pulse and 4/20mA isolated outputs. The field mounting Tachometers have an IP66 impact resistant GRP case with stainless steel fittings suitable for use in harsh industrial environments, including off-shore applications. Panel mounting models have IP66 front of panel protection and include a rugged 316 stainless steel instrument. ATEX, IECEx, US and Canadian intrinsic safety certification allows worldwide installation in gas and dust hazardous areas. For Zone 2 or 22 applications, Ex nA and Ex tc approval permits installation without the need for Zener barriers or galvanic isolators. For further information including datasheets and certificates please visit: www.beka.co.uk/tachometers.html or phone the BEKA sales office on 01462 438301.
NEW HIGH SPEED, PORTABLE DATA LOGGER & DIGITAL DISPLAY LAUNCHED BY INTERFACE FORCE MEASUREMENTS Interface Force Measurements, a leader in force measurement announce the launch the Model 9330 high speed, portable data logger and digital display. Packed full of useful features, this new stand- alone unit offers the option of high speed data capture away from mains power, ideal for use in remote locations. The Model 9330 displays 24bit resolution and has an impressive 3750Hz update rate. Incorporating peak and valley capture, it can store up to 6 sensor calibrations and measurements from load cells or torque transducers can be logged at 1000Hz to a standard SD card. This data can then be downloaded to a PC via the built-in USB port and Windows compatible software for off-site analysis. Adding further versatility, the rechargeable battery can power up to 4 x 350 ohm sensors, but also offers up to 300 hours stand by time and up to 20 hours continue use. Speaking about this new product, Tony Rokins at Interface Force says: “We are delighted to introduce this versatile new data logger and digital display unit. Its portability and long battery life makes it ideal for taking measurements in isolated locations and the addition of the SD card enables data to be analysed back in the office, laboratory or factory. “ Information on the new product can be found at www.interfaceforce.co.uk/9330/index.php or contact Force Measurement Ltd by Tel : 01344 776666 or E-mail: tonyr@interface.uk.com
CALIBRATION
TEST MEASUREMENT
NEW FLUKE PROCESSMETER COMBINES THE FUNCTIONALITY OF A LOOP CALIBRATOR WITH AN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY-RATED DMM
NEW HBM T12HP DRIVES PRECISE MEASUREMENT RESULTS!
Addition of a simple module enables wireless connectivity to a mobile phone using the Fluke Connect app Fluke has introduced the Fluke 787B ProcessMeter™ which offers double troubleshoot-ing capabilities by combining the power of an industrial safetyrated digital multimeter (DMM) and a mA loop calibrator into a single, compact test tool. Based on the trusted measure¬ment capabilities of the Fluke 87 DMM, the 787B adds the ability to measure, source and simulate mA with the accuracy and resolution you would expect from a Fluke mA loop calibrator, giving the ideal tool for troubleshooting and calibrating current loop applications. When it is fitted with a Fluke ir3000 FC module, technicians can wirelessly monitor, log, and share data from the field with their team using the Fluke Connect® mobile app. The 1000V CAT III / 600V CAT IV safety-rated Fluke 787B ProcessMeter can source / simulate a 20mA DC current, providing a simultaneous mA and percentage scale readout for calibration purposes. It offers Manual Step (100%, 25%, Coarse, Fine) plus Auto Step and Auto Ramp. For troubleshooting purposes, it features true-RMS DMM capabilities to measure to 1000V AC/DC and 440mA AC/DC, as well as resistance and frequency (to 20kHz). It also offers Min/Max/Average/Hold/Relative modes, diode test and an audible continuity check. When fitted with a Fluke ir3000 FC accessory, measurements can be wirelessly transmitted to the Fluke Connect app on smartphones or tablets and automatically uploaded to FlukeCloud™ Storage, eliminating transcription errors. Technicians can collaborate in real time with other colleagues with ShareLive™ video calls, increasing productivity in the field. Measurements from the 787B can be combined with measurement data from multiple Fluke Connect test tools to create and share comprehensive reports from the job site via email. Technicians requiring the added functionality of a 24V DC loop power supply and a HART mode setting with a built-in 250Ω resistor should choose the Fluke 789. For more information about all Fluke products contact Fluke UK Ltd, Northampton Tel: 0207 942 0700. Fax: 01603 256 606 E-mail: industrial@uk.fluke.nl Web: www.fluke.co.uk.
HBM - a market leader in the field of test and measurement - is pleased to announce the arrival its new digital T12HP Torque Transducer, which dramatically reduces set up times and optimises testing. Setting the standards for dynamic measurements in test stands, the new T12HP digital torque transducer provides unprecedented precision, particularly in terms of temperature stability. Eliminating the impact of temperature influences on the measurement result, due to a TCO value of 0.005%, the T12HP also features a FlexRange™ function, which enables users to run a more detailed analysis in any partial range, from the full measurement range. Unlike other technologies currently available on the market, the new T12HP from HBM enables different measurement tasks to be expeditiously performed using a single characteristic curve, eliminating the need to switch to a second measurement range. In addition to its excellent technical performance features, CAN, PROFIBUS, EtherCAT and PROFINET interfaces also ensure easy integration of the T12HP torque transducer with different test stand concepts. In addition, as the measurement flange is installed directly in the drive train, this makes it maintenance free. Meeting the market requirements for increasingly flexible and efficient test cycles, the new T12HP fully complies with the demanding requirements for high accuracy, high dynamics and high resolution and is available from HBM with different nominal (rated) torques, ranging from 100 Nm to 10 kNm.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
For more information contact HBM United Kingdom Ltd, Tel: 0208 515 6000 E-Mail: info@hbm.com Web: www.hbm.com
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FEATURED ARTICLE
ISO17025 If every process is only as good as the devices used to measure it, then every one of those devices needs to be as accurate as possible. The ISO17025 standard has been created to help ensure consistency in the way that equipment, including measurement instruments, is tested and calibrated in order that its accuracy can be relied upon by end users. Dr Jonathan Farrington of ABB explains more about the standard and what it means both for end users and providers of testing and calibration services.
D
espite the ISO17025 standard having been around since 1999, there is still a lot of uncertainty around who it applies to, what it means and its benefits for both end users and testing and calibration laboratories alike. The following is an attempt to cut through the confusion and explain the importance of the standard.
WHAT IS ISO17025? The main aim of calibration is to introduce a known standard against which the accuracy of a measurement can be made. For providers of calibration and testing services, it is necessary to show how that known standard As a UKAS ISO17025 accredited was itself arrived at, in order to facility, ABB’s Stonehouse provide the traceability needed laboratory is able to calibrate between the end measurement its own temperature, pressure and how it was arrived at. and electrical equipment as The purpose of ISO17025 is well as those of third parties. to introduce a recognised and verifiable level of best practice so that end users can be confident that a provider of calibration and testing services has undertaken the correct steps when calibrating their equipment.
THE STANDARD REQUIRES PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVE: 1. That they operate and adhere to a clear set of management procedures which can be subsequently checked against in order to ensure that a test or calibration was properly carried out. Specific areas covered under this category include: - Organisation - Document control - Corrective and preventive actions - Management reviews - Internal audits 2. That they are technically competent to perform the tests and calibration they are offering. This category extends to: - Personnel, including their ability/experience in testing and calibrating specific equipment - Premises and environmental conditions - The test and calibration methods being employed - Equipment used to perform the tests/calibrations - The demonstration of measurement traceability - Sampling, handling and transportation of the equipment being tested and/or calibrated
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EXPLAINED
- Assuring the quality and consistency of test and calibration results - Reporting the results
(UKAS), which operates in accordance with ISO17011:2004, a global standard governing the general requirements for accreditation bodies.
WHO AND WHAT DOES ISO17025 COVER?
WHAT DOES ISO17025 MEAN FOR END USERS?
The ISO17025 standard covers any organisation offering testing and calibration services. Its purpose is to ensure that anyone purporting to calibrate a device is competent to do so, in order to ensure the accuracy of the resulting data from their calibration process. Recognising that different laboratories often use different methods to test and calibrate a device, ISO17025 covers both standard and non- standard methods, as well as any procedures developed by the laboratories themselves. For end users, this means that as long as an organisation and its procedures have been accredited to ISO17025, they will be able to count on the credibility of the calibration and the conditions under which it was performed.
The efficiency of any industrial or utility process ultimately relies on accurate measurement. Whether the data from an instrument is used to help maximise product quality or as part of a critical safety system, it is vital that a plant operator can count on the accuracy of that device. For end users, the ISO17025 standard provides a basic level of confidence that a provider of testing and calibration services is capable of calibrating their device. The role of ISO17025 in ensuring that testing and calibration service providers are accredited to a single recognised standard offers a number of benefits. Firstly, in the event of a problem, the ability to demonstrate that they used an accredited provider will enable end users to show that they took every possible measure to ensure the accuracy of their measurement instruments. Secondly, it effectively enables end users to shop around between providers rather than being tied to a single provider, enabling them to explore different solutions for their calibration requirements.
WHEN WAS IT INTRODUCED? The current iteration of ISO17025 was introduced in 2005 in order to bring it up to date following the launch of the ISO90001:2000 quality standard. The original version was published in 1999 and replaced the ISO/IEC Guide 25 and EN 45001 standards which had previously applied to calibration and testing services to create a single standard setting down universal requirements for both management and technical competence.
WHO DOES IT APPLY TO? As mentioned above, the ISO17025 standard applies to anyone performing testing and calibration services, regardless of the number of people involved or the scale of the activities being undertaken.
WHY WAS IT INTRODUCED? Although there are recognised standard methods for testing and calibrating equipment, there is no single set that applies universally to everything. Manufacturers that also calibrate their own equipment, for example, will almost certainly operate methods that may differ both from the standard approach and those operated by other manufacturers. For this purpose, ISO17025 puts in place the required management and technical competence needed to ensure that a test or calibration result is consistent irrespective of the method used. A key part of this includes being able to demonstrate to an end customer how their equipment was calibrated and how the end calibration was arrived at.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR PROVIDERS OF CALIBRATION SERVICES? ISO17025 is not a mandatory requirement but instead seeks to introduce best practice into testing and calibration services. Although it is not a mandatory requirement, ISO17025 is like any best practice standard, in that it will be used as the benchmark against which a provider of calibration services will be compared in the event of any consequences arising from an incorrectly calibrated product. As this may potentially include liability for personal injury and/or the destruction of plant leading to public injury or loss of life, the financial and reputational benefits of being accredited to the standard soon become clear. To become accredited, an organisation must have their procedures and competence inspected and ratified by a recognised accreditation body, which has itself been accredited to international standards. This last requirement, regarding accreditation to international standards, helps to ensure that an accreditation awarded in any particular country will be globally recognised as long as the organisation that awarded it was itself an accredited body. In the UK, all accreditations for testing and calibration are managed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service
HOW CAN I CHECK WHETHER A CALIBRATION AND TESTING PROVIDER IS ACCREDITED TO ISO17025?
ABB’s flow calibration facility at Stonehouse can be used for testing and calibration of flowmeters sized from 1mm to 2.4 metres at accuracies down to ±0.1%.
Organisations offering test and calibration services in the UK that have been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) will be able to demonstrate a Schedule of Accreditation. The schedule features details including their UKAS laboratory number, the address of the accredited facility, the date it was issued and the types of testing and calibration that it has been accredited for.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ORGANISATION THAT CALIBRATED/ TESTED MY PRODUCT WAS NOT ISO17025 ACCREDITED? As mentioned previously, there is no legal requirement for testing and calibration laboratories to adopt the ISO17025 standard or to be accredited. The standard exists as a benchmark of best practice for the testing and calibration of equipment. It is not illegal to have a device calibrated or tested by a non-accredited organisation or to use it in your process. However, in the event of problems such as impaired product quality, injury or loss of life caused by a faulty instrument, it is highly likely that blame will be apportioned according to whether the parties involved took every reasonable step to avoid the situation from occurring. While a faulty or poorly calibrated instrument may not be the direct cause of the problem, its contribution to the chain of causation will almost certainly be considered. In such instances, courts and other regulatory bodies have a tendency to look towards recognised best practices as the minimum standard. This has an implication on both end users and testing and calibration organisations. For end users, there is the need to demonstrate that they did everything possible to make sure that their device was fit for duty. Where testing and calibration organisations are concerned, meanwhile, there is the requirement to demonstrate their competence. ABB in the UK operates two accredited calibration laboratories, both located at its manufacturing facility in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. Both facilities are available for use by third parties.
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
FEATURED ARTICLE
CAN YOU BE SURE THAT YOUR VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES ARE RUNNING AT
MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY? While variable speed drives (VSDs) provide an important energy saving technology, Mitsubishi Electric’s Matt Handley questions how many of the installed base of drives are actually set up to run at their maximum efficiency.
E
nergy efficiency is now a prime consideration for machinery designers, plant engineers and finance directors - with a seemingly constant stream of new legislation designed to encourage industries to reduce their energy usage. As a result there are many technologies available that will now help organisations optimise their energy requirements and reduce their carbon footprints. Is all the applied technology fully optimised though? It is a frequently quoted statistic that electric motors account for 60% of UK industrial energy usage. It is equally well known that fitting a variable speed drive to control the speed of a motor can save energy – so much energy in fact, that the purchase cost is usually recouped within 16-18 months. Importantly, a variable speed drive also allows users to fit motors sized closer to their typical duty, affording further energy-saving potential.
Today there are hundreds of thousands of variable speed drives installed in countless applications across the country, saving users many thousands of pounds in energy costs. But are end users getting the most out of their variable speed drives? Are they reaping all of the energy savings that they could be? How many of these variable speed drives are actually set up to run at their maximum efficiency? It might be assumed, for example, that having fitted a variable speed drive, you have achieved your energy savings potential – end of story. The drive may certainly be optimising the speed of the motor by matching it to the requirements of the application. In high duty pump and fan applications for example, this will mean taking advantage of the inverse square law of speed to energy consumption to deliver some significant savings in energy use. However, to really deliver the maximum energy savings, variable speed drives have to be properly set up at the commissioning
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could make the drive sluggish to respond to changes in the load. However, this is no longer the case, with best of breed products incorporate technologies that will eliminate the problem. For example, the FR-F800 includes our Electric’s Advanced Optimum Excitation Control technology, which automatically switches the drive between its energy saving mode and its high torque mode to best meet the requirements of the load at any given time. With this mode enabled, users can be assured that they are always achieving the optimum energy saving but without compromising performance.
AND THE SURVEY SAYS… stage; this can be as simple as activating one parameter to turn the drive intelligent energy saving mode on.
WHERE TO START LOOKING… The first area to always look at is nature of the load i.e. is it constant torque or variable torque. The drive can then be adjusted to match its output to the load, thereby maximising the available energy savings. While a drive in constant torque mode will still save energy compared to having no drive on the motor at all, optimum savings will only be achieved in variable torque mode if the connected load is a pump or fan, although it must be stated that some types of pump require the constant torque setting. This needs to be set up when the drive is installed; again this is normally as simple as adjusting one parameter. Further, many variable speed drives have specific energy-saving modes, with dedicated algorithms tailoring the profiles of the output to deliver greater optimisation. As an example, Mitsubishi Electric’s FR-F800 variable speed drive – a dedicated product aimed at pump, fan and compressor operations – offers specific energy saving modes that can achieve further energy savings up to 15% compared to standard operating modes. It also provides a number of advanced features specific to the industries relying on fans, pumps and compressors to deliver further improved performance within the application. Some users may have shied away from enabling such energy saving modes on variable speed drives, as historically they
It is also fair to say that energy optimisation is a constantly moving target. That means ongoing monitoring of energy usage is vital for identifying areas ripe for optimisation. Even more fundamental than that is the need to perform a post installation survey once a variable speed drive has been fitted. While there is a plethora of energy saving calculation tools that can make the case for fitting the drive in the first place, these tools make a variety of assumptions that may not always be accurate against real world operating conditions. While the tools certainly provide an indication of how much energy can be saved and show estimated payback times, only a detailed post installation survey can highlight real energy savings and show opportunities for
further optimisation. We can see, then, that while variable speed drives offer numerous opportunities to save energy – and are demonstrably doing so in a wide range of industries and applications – spending a little time to set up the technology correctly will deliver so much more. Hand on heart it’s impossible to tell how much more energy users could be saving if they really optimised their drives nationwide. What we have seen is that even after a VSD has been fitted, we can often increase energy efficiency by 10% or more quite easily. It also isn’t unusual to be over 10% which if you compare that figure to the relatively small gains in motor efficiency on offer by upgrading from an IE2 to IE3 motor for example, it really is substantial. The irony is that the capability is often already there, it just needs switching on.
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
DRIVES & MOTORS DIAGNOSTIC APP AIMS TO HELP USERS REDUCE DOWNTIME
Control Techniques has launched a brand new mobile application to help drive users analyse and find solutions for common drive errors. Its new Diagnostic Tool application, available on Apple, Android and Windows mobile devices, is a quick and simple way for users of Control Techniques’ drives to solve any error codes which the drive may show. Built within the app are easy-to-use wiring diagrams for first time setup, plus links to the relevant manuals which provide the most comprehensive drive data and information. The app also has full contact details of the technical support teams around the world to aid you with any technical problems. Currently, the app has full information for all drives within the Unidrive M, Powerdrive F300, Elevator drives, Unidrive SP, Commander SK, Digitax ST and Mentor MP ranges. Users simply download the app, select their drive variant and enter the error code. The app will then display a full description of how to resolve the issue. Jon Atkinson, engineering manager at Control Techniques, said; “It is often concluded that the cause of a drive trip is directly related to the drive hardware since it is the drive which indicates there is a problem. The reality is that 90% of the trips are caused by issues outside of the product which have triggered the drive protection. “Using the Diagnostic Tool application, users can quickly and easily access further diagnostics information to determine the most likely cause of the problem and how to resolve it to make the system operational again.” For more information, visit www.EmersonIndustrialAutomation.com or contact Control Techniques Ltd, Newtown, Powys. Tel: +44 1686 612996 E-mail: Chris.Corfield@Emerson.com
HEAT TRANSFER & ENERGY COGEN BOILER BLOWDOWN CONTROL USING CONDUCTIVITY In sugar and ethanol plants, return condensate is recirculated to the boilers to generate steam. The evaporation of this steam leaves behind an increasing concentration of minerals that cause scaling and under deposit corrosion. This damage leads to boiler tube failures and requires plant shutdown for cleaning and expensive maintenance. Download METTLER TOLEDO’s latest application note ‘Cogen Boiler Blowdown Control Using Conductivity.’ Discover how using conductivity measurement for boiler blowdown control can be a very effective way to keep mineral concentrations within an acceptable range and increase the efficiency and life of the boiler. Download the application note at: www. mt.com/uk-Cogen-Cond-wp For more information contact Mettler Toledo Ltd, Beaumont Leys, Leics. Tel: 0116 234 5095 | Email enquire.mtuk@mt.com | Web: www.mt.com
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
WIRELESS PRESSURE GAUGES EMERSON INTRODUCES THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST WIRELESS PRESSURE GAUGE TO HELP PLANTS IMPROVE OPERATIONS The Rosemount™ Wireless Pressure Gauge delivers safer and more reliable readings, enabling better visibility of field changes both in the field and remotely AUSTIN, TEXAS -- Emerson Automation Solutions has introduced the industry’s first WirelessHART® pressure gauge. The Rosemount Wireless Pressure Gauge enables remote collection of field data, keeping operators updated on changing field conditions and improving personnel safety by reducing manual operator rounds and field exposure. Mechanical gauges are plagued with quality and reliability issues. These issues are commonly associated with overpressure, vibration, corrosion, extreme temperatures, and accidental damage. Additionally, mechanical gauges are unable to communicate a device status. Emerson’s new Rosemount Wireless Pressure Gauge utilizes field-proven piezoresistive sensor technology to deliver reliable pressure readings. With the flexibility to accommodate changing process conditions, the Wireless Pressure Gauge also gives up to 150X overpressure protection compared to traditional gauges, which provides for a safer field environment by using two layers of process isolation. Bourdon tube gauges have traditionally been a mainstay for taking pressure readings in the field, but are limited to visual indication of process conditions when an operator is present. Bourdon tubes also use moving parts, which can break or wear over time due to use and vibration, causing inaccurate readings or process to spill. The Wireless Pressure Gauge eliminates mechanical gauge common weak points by removing the components that inhibit the device from reporting/displaying pressure and providing up to a 10-year life, which reduces maintenance cost and time. The large 4.5-inch gauge face provides easy field visibility. “As part of our Pervasive Sensing™ portfolio, this new gauge design fundamentally changes how customers use pressure gauges by helping them make better business decisions,” said Bob Karschnia, vice president and general manager of wireless products at Emerson Automation Solutions. “Real-time insights provide actionable information that improves personnel safety while reducing facilities’ costs and time.”
To learn more about the Rosemount Wireless Pressure Gauge visit: https://goo.gl/OVRWzY www.Emerson.com or Contact: Deanna Johnson, Emerson Automation Solutions 001-512- 633-2937, Deanna.ohnson@Emerson.com
LUBRICATION EDWARDS INVESTS IN IMPROVING SOLUTIONS FOR VACUUM PUMP LUBRICATION Edwards UltragradeTM Performance vacuum lubricants are ideal for industrial and high vacuum applications. Developed specifically for applications that require low vapour pressure while working at high stresses and high temperatures, they can be used in larger heavy duty as well as in smaller vacuum pumps. The newly branded ‘UltragradeTM Performance’ oils benefit from improvements in formulation, handling and packaging that together result in a finer product for customers dependant on high grade lubrication for their oil sealed vacuum pumps. “As a technology leader in the field of vacuum our customers expect affordable reliable solutions from us“, said Eckart Roettger, President of the Vacuum Technique Service Division. “Unlike the oil you might find in your car that must be changed every 30,000 km, the oil used in many vacuum pumps must work for the equivalent of 2.5 million km. The challenge is in delivering this performance combined with the versatility required to suit every application that we need to serve”. Edwards’ UltragradeTM Performance can deliver some of the most exceptional performance possible from a mineral based oil. UltragradeTM Performance base oils are refined without the uses of solvents for extreme purity. The base fluids are combined with selected additives to provide a formulation resilient to the stresses of mechanical pumping. Finally, fluids are blended to achieve a selection of products that can be exactly matched to different pump types and applications. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com or call Tel: +44 (0) 1293 52 88 44 E-mail pr@edwardsvacuum.
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FEATURED ARTICLE FOOD INDUSTRY FOCUS
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH GLYCOL:
A HIDDEN DANGER IN FOOD PROCESSING
After hygiene, p r e c i s e temperature c o n t r o l is of vital importance for the food and beverage industries; both in terms of regulating the working environment as well as specific production processes – to ensure consistent quality throughout the year. However, many manufacturers are mistakenly overlooking one element of their cooling systems which could pose a serious contamination risk when disaster strikes. Here, Brent Hall, Technical Manager at ICS Cool Energy, explores what manufacturers need to know about glycol and how they can ensure their cooling system is performing at its best and safely.
SETTING THE SCENE Glycol is a staple in all chiller-based cooling systems operating below 6˚C, and is effectively an anti-freeze solution with built-in inhibitors to prevent the heat transfer fluid from damaging chiller systems. This usually occurs from freezing, especially if the chiller is outside, or from the corrosion of internal parts. Used throughout industry in secondary refrigeration systems, glycol can be separated into two main categories: mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) and mono propylene glycol. Most food processing plants are well aware of the high toxicity levels of MEG and it is therefore rightly overlooked in favour of MPG for all food-related applications. An MPG offers low oral toxicity levels and for the last 20-30 years, it’s been perceived as the safe solution where there is a risk of incidental contact with food. In fact, MPG as a compound is actually used in some food colourings and flavourings, as well as e-cigarettes. However, MPG is fundamentally very corrosive. While it represents minimal risk to humans, an MPG, even when diluted with water, can prove to be highly corrosive when it meets metallic elements found within a chiller system, namely those made from aluminium, copper and steel. Therefore, the vast majority of suppliers recommend the use of inhibitors to counteract the corrosive nature of the glycol, and this is commonly accepted within the food and beverage processing sector.
THE HIDDEN TOXINS – CRUCIAL FACTS However, while these inhibitors are necessary to ensure the chiller system is able to operate efficiently and effectively, what’s often missed is that a lot of these commonly-used inhibitors do not offer the same levels of low toxicity as MPG.
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Crucially, the glycol inhibitor toxicity information is frequently not reflected in the safety data sheets due to the relatively low volumes used, so they too are missed by the end-user. An uninhibited MPG and water solution would not pose a risk of poisoning if a leak were to occur and it came into contact with a product intended for human consumption. The same cannot be said, however, if the heat transfer fluid has been treated with the majority of anti- corrosion inhibitors available on the market. Ultimately, using the wrong inhibitors means the MPG solution creates a serious risk of contamination. Vitally, this fact is not known by many in the food industries.
SOLVING THE PROBLEM How can the food processing industry therefore start to tackle this potential contamination risk? Awareness is the first step. I urge all food and beverage manufacturers to check with their current glycol supplier whether the substance poses a contamination risk if it were to come into incidental contact with food. Next, consult with industry bodies. There are a number of organisations which can offer guidance on ‘food safe’ products, with the NSF being a key authority. The NSF can provide a list of products which are accredited as safe to use in food processing applications, and can therefore provide a reliable alternative to MPGs with potentially toxic inhibitors. These products, which include the NSF-accredited FlowCool-FS glycol from ICS Cool Energy, feature organic inhibitors which can guarantee the required levels of corrosion prevention and thermal efficiency, without posing a risk to human health if inadvertently consumed. These organic inhibitors have been developed by a team of skilled chemists which, when combined with an MPG, will offer end-users the desired peace of mind when it comes to avoiding potentially poisonous contamination.
PEACE OF MIND Ultimately, the food processing industry is a rightly risk-averse market sector. One small leak can cost a company its credibility and share of the market, and it is becoming increasingly hard to recover reputational damage in such a fast-paced and competitive market. Glycol is an ever-present fixture in most cooling systems in food and beverage processing plants across the country. However, many manufacturers may unwittingly be exposing themselves to serious contamination risks if a leak were to occur and the glycol used was treated with potentially harmful inhibitors. Fortunately, new products are entering the market which combine MPGs with organic inhibitors to deliver a heat transfer solution which is both reliable and, crucially, one hundred per cent safe for incidental human consumption if a leak were to occur. In an industry where there is no room for error, you can’t under estimate the importance of extra peace of mind.
5 TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GLYCOL 1. ONLY USE INHIBITED GLYCOL Uninhibited glycol and water mixtures are very corrosive, often even more than plain mains water. 2. DON’T MIX GLYCOLS Different types and brands of glycol shouldn’t be mixed. Most modern glycols contain inhibitors and are dyed for identification. If accidentally mixed, incompatibilities can lead to separation and/or reaction, resulting in gel formation which will clog filters, strainers, and pump suctions. 3. CHECKING YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL RULES Some areas have regulations regarding the use and disposal of particular glycols and antifreeze solutions, concerning things such as ground structure, the water table and drainage. Be sure to consult your local authority to check the local environmental rules. Bio- glycols are an environmentallyfriendly alternative. 4. USE THE CORRECT WATER Most systems use ordinary mains “tap” water. However, applying the appropriate inhibitors and biocide is of vital importance to prevent chiller system damage. Using one of the “Pure” waters – distilled, demineralised, de-ionised or RO Water – will remove all the unpredictability associated with town mains water. We recommend the use of pure water – distilled, demineralised, de-ionised or RO water – with a suitable (minimum 20%) inhibited glycol mix to give the ultimate system protection. 5. MAINTAIN YOUR CHILLER AND SYSTEM’S HYGIENE AND FLUID If either of the water/glycol solution or system pipework are deficient in any way, the chiller’s operation will be compromised and the heat transfer capability will be reduced. Filters/strainers should be installed and checked regularly, although the best policy is to tackle the source of any contamination. The chilled water system must be flushed, cleaned and sanitised prior to adding a new water/glycol solution. It must also be regularly sampled and tested to ensure there are no underlying or progressive contamination and/or corrosion issues.
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
MIXING & MIXERS ‘HOW TO’ VIDEO FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRIES LAUNCHED BY SILVERSON MACHINES Silverson Machines Ltd have recently released a series of new ‘How to’ videos on their YouTube channel intended to demonstrate and instruct how to get the best results from various key ingredients in the food industry. Produced by Silverson’s videographer Emanuel Caetano, the series includes ‘How to’ information on applications such as Mixing Xanthan Gum, Dispersing Titanium Dioxide and High speed sugar dissolving at ambient temperature. With more people turning to video for information Silverson began producing video content to demonstrate and instruct how to get the best results in various applications when using a high shear mixer. Although Silverson have previously produced videos focusing on the capabilities and range of their mixing equipment, the new series of videos is intended to reach out to those who aren’t aware of Silverson and their mixing technology, to help them improve their processes and get the best yield from their ingredients with the help of a Silverson High Shear mixer. With over 70 years’ experience, Silverson are hoping to help a new set of customers with their mixing requirements. By focusing on what people are searching for online, ‘How to dissolve sugar without heating the water’ for example, Silverson’s new videos target a new audience while showing how versatile and useful their mixing equipment is in these applications. Harold Rothman, Managing Director of Silverson says: “Videos are very demonstration friendly allowing the viewer to quickly understand the benefits of Silverson Mixers. “ More ‘How to’ videos are currently being filmed including videos on emulsions and High Active Surfactants. Additional videos will be released over the course of the year covering a wide range of applications over the food, chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. To view the videos, please visit: www.youtube.com/silversonmachines and subscribe to the channel to get updates on the newest content and be the first to know when new videos are released. The videos are also available to view alongside the corresponding application reports on the Silverson website at www.silverson.co.uk.
SPECTROSCOPY THE BUZZ AROUND NANOSPONGE SERS AND TRACE-LEVEL DETECTION
OCEAN FX SPECTROMETER PROVIDES HIGH ACQUISITION SPEED
Sensitive spectroscopy tools help identify substances linked to honeybee population decline Ocean Optics has shown how highly-sensitive, trace-level Raman spectroscopy measurements can detect concentrations of insecticide that are less than a fiftieth of the level judged harmful to honeybees. Using a real-world example related to the problem of honeybee population decline, the company demonstrated the power of RAM-SERS-SP SurfaceEnhanced Raman Spectroscopy substrates’ proprietary gold-silver nanosponge alloy. By comparing the ability of new gold-silver substrates with that of traditional substrates to detect imidacloprid, an insecticide suspected to be dangerous to bee colonies, Ocean Optics scientists were able to demonstrate the enhanced sensitivity that RAM-SERS-SP substrates bring to Raman measurements. SERS substrates amplify very weak Raman signals by many orders of magnitude, with measurements of SERS-active analytes possible at even parts-per-trillion levels. Silver-only SERS substrates work best with 532 nm Raman excitation, while gold substrates are better suited to 785 nm Raman systems. By combining the silver and gold on one substrate the new SERS nanosponge substrates perform well with either wavelength. When used with 638 nm Raman excitation, the nanosponge substrates are enhanced to an even higher level of sensitivity. Recent high rates of honeybee loss have been investigated by US government regulators and other researchers. According to ongoing US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies, the insecticide imidacloprid has been identified as a threat to commercial honeybee colonies, with the agency citing traces at concentration levels greater than 25 ppb as likely harmful to honeybees. To test the effectiveness of Ocean Optics substrates in detecting imidacloprid at these harmful trace levels, Ocean Optics scientists set up a lab experiment using the company’s gold nanoparticle and gold-silver nanosponge SERS substrates. They made a series of measurements using the gold nanoparticle substrates, in a setup with 785 nm Raman laser excitation, and a series of measurements using the gold-silver nanosponge substrates, in a setup with 638 nm Raman excitation. In the test, the gold-silver nanosponge SERS substrates delivered the best results, detecting imidacloprid concentrations as low as 0.4 ppb (well within the 25 ppb concentration rate cited by the EPA as harmful to bees). The substrates high sensitivity and low background noise made it easier to discern Raman peaks at these very low-concentration levels. Raman is a useful technique for fast, non-destructive analysis, with the enhanced sensitivity provided by SERS substrates allowing detection of trace levels of samples such as insecticides. Affordable and easy to use, the Ocean Optics SERS substrates are well suited to deployment in the lab or field.
Latest Ocean Optics device offers Ethernet operation, speed, sensitivity and spectral buffering The latest miniature spectrometer from Ocean Optics offers high-sensitivity CMOS detector performance, an acquisition speed of up to 3,000 scans a second and on-board spectral buffering to ensure data integrity during reaction monitoring. The Ocean FX spectrometer is suitable for high-speed sorting and grading in production environments, measurement of transient events and reaction kinetics monitoring for drug development and similar applications. Ocean FX is anchored by a high-sensitivity CMOS detector with good response in the UV, and available with interchangeable slits. Its on-board buffer holds up to 50,000 spectra, so users don’t miss a single data point during kinetics measurements. Also, Ocean FX allows users to operate the spectrometer via Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB. Ocean FX is available in versions optimized for the UV-Vis (200-850 nm), Vis-NIR (350-1000 nm) and extended (2001025 nm) wavelength ranges. Enhanced-sensitivity, and custom and OEM configurations are also available.
To read the full Honeybee Insecticide Detection application note, visit https://goo.gl/C6zhJu. To learn more about Ocean Optics SERS substrates and Raman Spectroscopy systems, contact an Ocean Optics Applications Scientist at info@oceanoptics.com, visit the website at www.oceanoptics.com or call Ocean Optics EMEA on +31 (0)26 319 05 00.
To learn more about Ocean FX, please contact an Ocean Optics applications scientist at info@oceanoptics.com or visit the website at www.oceanoptics.com.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
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WEIGHING BULK BAG FILLER INTEGRATES NTEPCERTIFIED WEIGH SYSTEM TO ENABLE +/- .01% WEIGH ACCURACY
NEW WTX120 WEIGHING TERMINAL MAKES THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MEASUREMENT CHAIN
Prevents Material Loss or Re-work Resulting from Over- or Under-filled Bags National Bulk Equipment, Inc. (NBE). NBE 3-A, USDA, FDA and BISSC-compliant bulk bag filling systems are engineered, fabricated, and constructed to speedinspections, simplify integration, and ensure qualification for start-up into food processing and packaging operations. These NBE sanitary bulk bag filler systems also support process practice protocols where 3-A Accepted Practices or other cGMPs are necessary. These NBE sanitary bulk bag filling systems include features such as 32 Ra surface finishes to simplify cleaning; tool-less, demountable assemblies to speed inspection; 3-A compliant components to aid in sanitary standards conformance; HEPA air filtration for sanitary bag inflation; and a structural framework leak test system to facilitate clean-in- place (CIP) procedures. These sanitary NBE bulk bag fillers also offer NTEP-certified weigh devices to assure certified weight accuracy to +/- .01%, to a 4,500 pound bag weight. The integrated automation of NBE sanitary bulk bag fillers standardizes controls programming and expands controls functionality to include legacy systems. System-wide automation of process operations, diagnostics, and reporting are controlled through a single HMI. NBE integrated automation improves equipment performance, optimizes throughput, and increases operator safety. Equipment overview video, viewable at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkBhOhVpTyA For more information contact National Bulk Equipment, Inc. Corporate Contact: Tim Wiersma, Holland, MI 49424 National Bulk Equipment, Inc. Phone: 001 616.399.2220 Phone: 001 616.738.7271 E-mail: timw@nbe-inc.com Web: www.nbe-inc.com
Highly versatile in form and function, the new WTX120 weighing terminal from HBM – market leader in the field of test and measurement – is designed for uncomplicated integration into industrial and rail mounted weighing applications. Winner of the Readers’ Choice Weighing Review 2017 for best weighing instrumentation, the WTX120 is suitable for use in filling, dosing and sorting plants and machines, for example in the food production, pharmaceutical and process industries, the new high performance terminal is based on the very latest HBM strain gauge technology and is approved for legal-for-trade applications. Offering real-time communications via industrial Ethernet and Fieldbus interfaces, the WTX120 from HBM can be easily integrated into standard industrial control systems and is compatible with PanelX software. The WTX provides technical excellence with the highest industrial resolution up to 30,0000d; highest legal for trade resolution of 10,000e (OIML certified); high-speed data rate up to 800hz; and up to 120.000 legal for trade memory. Featuring a large easy to read back-lit display and push buttons, display and text navigation, the robust WTX120 allows for effortless on-site operation and comes complete and ready to use in stainless steel housing, designed for optimal ease of maintenance. From sensors through to software and service, HBM offers a complete range of weighing solutions which can be adapted to suit a wide variety of requirements. For more information please contact HBM on +44 (0) 208 515 6000 or visit www.hbm.com
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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
FEATURED ARTICLE FOOD INDUSTRY FOCUS
IN THE PIPELINE successfully in thousands of different process applications, there are several recent innovations which provide superior temperature control, reliability and efficiency. These include:
For food manufacturers dealing with v i s c o u s products, the design and specification of appropriate pipework is crucial. Whilst jacketed pipework is familiar territory, what are the latest solutions available to minimise seepage and optimise temperature control? Stephen Forrester, MD of adi Process Pipework, provides his analysis.
TRIPLE JACKETING
V
MINIMISING SEEPAGE
iscosity plays a key role in any industrial process where liquid is involved, but it is particularly important in the food & beverage sector. For example, high volumes of liquids, ranging in viscosity from aqueous to pasty, must be carefully pumped through pipelines to ensure the quality of the product is maintained. Process pipework systems carrying viscous products must be sized correctly dependent upon the viscosity and operating pressure that needs to be achieved, to provide the appropriate flow rates to service plant items such as temperers and depositors. However, problems arise when fluctuations in temperature cause the viscosity or state of the liquid to change. Often, liquids carried in pipelines are much hotter than ambient temperature and, as such, experience heat losses if temperature control measures are not implemented. For example, concentrated sugar slurries used in confectionary production often require preventative measures to stop the formation of sugar crystals which can adversely affect seal performance in the pumps and valves. One of the most widely-used solutions in the industry is jacketed pipework. This involves is passed through to either heat or cool the liquid in the inner tube. This maintains a consistent temperature of the medium that is being transferred to ensure that a constant flow rate is achieved. While the concept of jacketed pipework is straightforward, and is used
The triple jacket system uses 316 stainless steel on the inner skin where the product is in contact with the pipe. There is a fully welded 304 stainless steel jacket over the tube, and fittings with an inlet and outlet connection which allow the flow of hot water through the jacket sections at a controlled temperature to heat the product. The triple jacketed system then has a further fully welded jacket which is filled with suitable insulation sections before welding. This design drives the heat inward, towards the product, which makes it more effective and efficient than conventional jacketing. This also means that the heat does not escape into the area and raise the ambient temperature of the building, therefore reducing the need for air conditioning. Whilst the initial cost outlay is higher than normal jacketing, the long-term energy savings provide an attractive return on investment. adi developed this system for a chocolate production installation in Poland in 2008 but this has since been rolled out across other manufacturers and contractors.
Fats in certain products often seep out of the flanged gaskets normally used such as nitrile and gortex. However, captured O-ring gasket systems are proven to prevent the seepage that often takes place. This is where a normal O-Ring, usually made of either of either Buna®-N or Fluorocarbon, is held between two aluminium retaining rings to form a vacuum seal. This is a more effective sealant than a flanged gasket as it provides a food hygiene grade encapsulated seal that has proven to be far more effective in the long-term prevention of degradation or seepage when in contact with viscous products such as sugar syrup, glycol or chocolate.
LONG RADIUS BENDS Long radius bends present a challenge to some manufacturers, as prefabricated jackets are not always available in the correct dimensions. In these instances, a bespoke solution is the best choice, however this can be costly and involve a number of different parties. Service providers such as us may also have the facilities to manufacture highly customised products which allow to incorporate long radius bends. For example, we can use long radius bends of up to three diameters for the inner bends and have also used triple jackets for pigging systems.
THE ALTERNATIVES The primary alternative to jacketed systems is trace heating. Trace heating involves running an electrical heating element – known as ‘heat tape’ - along the length of a pipe to maintain the temperature of the material within. The pipe must then be covered with a layer of thermal insulation to prevent heat loss and increase energy efficiency. With its useful thermal properties, such as the ability to transport heat over long distances while giving up its heat at a constant rate, steam offers a useful alternative to electrical heat tape in trace heating applications. Steam tracers can often use excess process steam that would otherwise go to waste, making them a highly efficient option. And in the absence of a live electrical current, steam tracing is inherently safe and suitable for use in all zones. However, the main issue with any trace heating system is the inconsistency of temperature it provides. Typical trace heating systems will generate hot spots that can bake off the product which are then compounded by cold spots in other locations. While a self- regulating tracer cable can adjust its watt output at any point along the entire length of the heater circuit, helping to prevent hot or cold spots, a triple jacketed system will still offer superior temperature consistency. As an example, we recently completed an upgrade of a trace heating system to jacketed pipework for a well-known UK biscuit manufacturer. The work involved replacing the old and expensive to use trace heated copper pipework with new stainless steel jacketed pipes and filters. Totalling 150 metres in length, the pipework feeds the syrup from the holding tanks to eight mixer facilities. The pipes were manufactured in 3m lengths at our manufacturing facility in Somerset and transported to site for installation. Since these production systems are in operation 24/7, it was crucial that there were no interruptions to the process and no bacterial issues. Therefore, all the pipework was both pressure and swab tested, with every weld undertaken by a specialist coded welder. The result was significant energy savings for the manufacturer. A costly process, which used a significant amount of electricity, was replaced with four heaters to provide a flow of hot water around the jacked pipework system. The second alternative to jacketed pipework is ‘limpet jackets’ or ‘limpet coils’. Limpet jackets offer a relatively inexpensive temperature control solution; however, as the system is not in close proximity to the product, heat transfer is inconsistent. As with trace heating, insulation is also required with limpet jackets to retain heat which is an added expense. An issue affecting both limpet jackets and trace heating systems is the inability to fully weld the insulation jackets required. Therefore, they are far more susceptible to damage, particularly when used in rugged industrial environments. Damaged insulation does not retain heat properly, meaning the product within the pipework is not maintained at the correct temperature.
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POWDER CHARACTERISATION & PREDICTED PERFORMANCE FOR PROCESS DESIGNERS & ENGINEERS Predicting the performance of powder processing equipment can be a significant challenge but is vital for process designers specifying new plant. It demands a comprehensive understanding of the entire process and familiarity with the relationship between powder properties and process equipment, together with how they combine to deliver product with the intended properties and quality. This same understanding is also required by engineers working as part of the manufacturing team, who must use the specified plant to achieve optimal output.
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ophisticated powder characterisation tools make it possible to predict powder behaviour within production processes and use this information to accelerate and optimise the selection of processing equipment. This article uses examples of two typical powder handling operations to illustrate this approach.
HOPPER DESIGN AND REFILLING PROTOCOLS Consider a blend flowing from a hopper into the feed frame of a tablet press, with the hopper being refilled every time the powder level falls below a certain point. With certain blends, the discharge flow becomes erratic shortly after the refill, resulting in inconsistent filling and plant stoppage. Not all blends exhibit this behaviour and analysis reveals that the material at the hopper outlet, which is already compressed by the weight of the powder bed above it, is further consolidated by vibration from surrounding machinery when the flow is paused during refilling. The powder’s response to vibration is, therefore, highly relevant and problems are more likely to arise if vibration causes a major change. Universal powder testers incorporate bulk, shear and dynamic flow measurements in a single instrument, measuring the powder in motion, and allowing the analysis of samples in a consolidated, conditioned, aerated, or even fluidised state. This enables the flow energy of a conditioned sample to be compared with that of a sample consolidated by compaction or vibration, yielding a quantifiable consolidation index (CI), and providing the necessary insight to rationalise the processing behaviour outlined above. Comparative studies of the die filling performance of two different powders, A and B, provide an illustration of this point. Sample A has a CI (tapped) of 1.11 while that of sample B is 2.32. This indicates that B, a relatively cohesive material with very fine (4 microns) angular particles, is significantly more affected by vibration than A. Die filling trials confirm that the performance of B deteriorates markedly if it is consolidated, as would be expected from the results, whereas A is likely to exhibit much more robust behaviour. A designer with access to the powder testing information has options - specify a more accommodating hopper with more steeply angled walls and/or larger outlet; pursue a policy for reducing equipment vibration; and/or install equipment for rapidly releasing a blocked hopper. This same information leads the manufacturing team to better operational practice with respect to hopper filling and an improved response in the event of blockage, with refilling the hopper with smaller quantities more frequently likely to be one of the best solutions. 36
By Tim Freeman, Freeman Technology CORRELATING POWDER PROPERTIES WITH SCREW FEEDER PERFORMANCE Process designers routinely use screw feeders to control the flow of material from hoppers. The properties of a powder will directly impact performance of the feeder and a poorly matched powder/feeder combination will typically be associated with low feed rates, high screw torques, and the accumulation of powder on the tube walls, decreasing both short and long term operating efficiency. The key screw feeder design variables that can be manipulated include: the size of the feeder (diameter and length); the geometry, drive and pitch of the auger; and the accessories used to ensure consistent flow, such as vibrational feeders and fluidisation or agitation in the feed hopper. Specifying the optimal screw feeder for a given application is critical to operational success, so characterising powders in order to predict is extremely useful. A collaborative study between Gericke AG (Zurich, Switzerland) and Freeman Technology Ltd (Tewkesbury, UK) investigated the properties of five different powders and their performance in two different types of screw feeders. The GLD is a compact, versatile feeder used for high accuracy feeding of dry solids, for pilot scale applications, and for those requiring frequent material changeover. The GZD unit is a compact, self-cleaning, twin screw extruder used for low capacity applications and is particularly suitable for materials with poor flow characteristics.
THE FIVE POWDERS TESTED WERE: - Calcium Citrate - Calcium Hydroxide - Cellulose - Maltodextrin - Milk Protein
Table 1 shows the dynamic, bulk and shear powder properties for the five powders alongside the volumetric feed rate for each powder type when run through the GLD screw feeder. Using multiple linear regression to identify correlations between these two sets of data, two dynamic flow properties were found to predict performance in the GLD feeder: Specific Energy (SE) and Flow Rate Index (FRI). SE reflects how a powder behaves when in an unconfined state and is heavily influenced by inter-particular interlocking and friction. FRI describes how a powder’s resistance to flow changes as a function of flow or shear rate.
Table 2 shows the powder properties again but now compared to volumetric feed rates when run through the GZD feeder. In this case, a simpler correlation was observed with Aerated Energy (AE) robustly predicting the actual feed rate. AE is the flow energy measured when the sample is aerated by air flowing up through it at a defined linear velocity - in this case PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017
40 mm/s, hence AE40. Cohesive powders tend to have a relatively high AE, since aeration does little to reduce the resistance they present to flow, while for free-flowing powders AE can approach zero as the powders fluidise. The five materials tested exhibited a relatively broad range of AE values, but a robust relationship between AE and volumetric feed rate holds for all materials.
Figure 1 shows the measured feed rates for the five powders along with the predicted values. The predicted values accurately reflect observed performance in the GLD feeder. To challenge the predictive ability of this approach, two additional powders were tested - cement and lactose.
NETWORK & COMMUNICATIONS HARTING’S “SMART” HAN-MODULAR® ID CONNECTOR MODULE ENABLES INDUSTRY 4.0 HARTING is expanding its range of so-called “smart” connectors which can provide identification of key machine components or functional control elements and are also increasingly being deployed for machinery predictive maintenance. Communication can be performed using inexpensive bidirectional systems like the I 2 C bus, as well as standardised bus systems such as CAN Bus. Following on from the already established I 2 C ID module, the new CAN ID module is the latest product in the smart Han® series. Implementation as a Han-Modular® module ensures that identification is flexibly integrated into interfaces which comprehensively supply machines with power, data and signals, in the most optimum space-saving manner possible. The progress made by transferring identification functionality to the connector can best be illustrated by showing how such embedded intelligence features can be beneficial to the increasing trends for both modular designed processing machinery and machinery with multiple isochronous drives.
Case 1: ID module in modular designed processing machinery with exchangeable elements (Fig.1)
Figure 2 shows the measured feed rates for each of the original five powders, and the two new materials (shown in red), along with the predicted values. The same experiment was undertaken with the GZD feeder and Figure 3 shows the measured feed rates for all seven powders. Once again, the predicted values accurately describe the performance in the GZD feeder. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing robust correlations between measurable powder properties and the volumetric feed rate delivered by different designs of screw feeder. In both cases it is dynamic powder properties which were found to be most relevant.
The Han-Modular ID module offers the double functionality of an identification tool and data storage device and paves the way for the customisation of the machine unit. In addition to local machine control, industrial Wi-Fi modules provide easy connection with the Industry 4.0 manufacturing environment.
Case 2: ID module in pluggable isochronous drives (Fig.2)
PREDICTING PERFORMANCE Multi-faceted powder characterisation provides an essential foundation for identifying properties that are most relevant to performance in any specific unit operation. Powder testers that enable this approach can therefore be extremely valuable for optimising a range of powder processes. MARCH / APRIL 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER
Both conventional machinery and special-purpose machinery contain machine components characterised by movement processes made up of individual synchronously executing movements. The CAN bus, which operates in real time and is organised according to the “publisher-subscriber” principle, is ideally suited for the synchronisation of subscribers. The CAN ID module also enables the current configuration of the drives to be tested and the parameters that are determined to be transmitted to all other drives and the controller The machine may only start up if the drive is correctly configured. Start-up is blocked if any state exists other than the one desired. As a result, the CAN ID module offers advantages for both types of machinery. For Industry 4.0 applications, integration takes place via network-enabled devices or, in future, directly via an Ethernet interface. This in turn implements end-to- end networking of the data. For more information contact Harting Ltd. Northampton, Northants. Tel: +44 (0) 1604 827500 E-mail: salesUK@HARTING.com Web: www.harting.co.uk 37
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TACKLING MAINTENANCE COST ...THROUGH EFFECTIVE ASSET MANAGEMENT By Peter Jackson. BSc (Hons)Mech Eng. MIAM, Senior Consultant, MCP Consulting Group
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eading manufacturing and service companies know that the effective Asset Management is a basic need for long term competitiveness. But even today, MCP has evidence that fewer than 10% of company sites in the UK have mastered this skill and hence the ability to claim to have ‘leadingthe-world’ status’. The overall UK profile of where sites are on the journey to becoming ‘world-class’ is shown in figure 1.
and techniques must be applied to mitigate the likelihood of its failure. The resulting annual maintenance schedules for each asset must be stored in the CMMS for reference in the maintenance planning process
3. PLANNING WORK. Weekly maintenance schedules are essential and should not interfere with output. A maintenance planner is mandatory, with tasks managed as Works Orders and results recorded. Maintenance best practice is to plan in advance more than 80% of the available resource man-hours
4. SPARE PARTS MANAGEMENT.
So, where is your company in terms effective asset management? You should consider the following 10 point asset management challenge… 1. Are you following a long term plan to apply asset management’s best practice ways of working? 2. Are you confident that each item of equipment (physical asset) has an appropriate, risk based annual maintenance plan? 3. Are you using a planning process such that technician or craftsman’s time is mostly planned one week in advance? 4. Are you sure you have the ‘right’ spares in stock? 5. Do you know that the total cost of your maintenance is correct for the current approach to asset management? 6. Is it clear that operations and project leaders care about the processes for effective asset management? 7. Do operational roles include asset management duties, tasks and objectives? 8. Do you apply specific asset management KPIs that are compared to targets and are actively used to drive continuous improvement? 9. Are there partnering arrangements with key outsourced providers or suppliers that allow for sharing risk and rewards? 10. Are you confident that the full scope of effective asset management is understood by all employees? If your response is NO to even a few of these challenges, then an effective asset management programme will deliver benefits to your organisation. Below we address the 10 challenges above for a sustainable asset management (AM) journey
Spare parts account for approximately a third of annual maintenance spends. The subject is gaining greater attention under the title Maintenance, Repairs and Operating Materials (MROM) management. From developments of techniques in Supply Chain Management (SCM) their application for engineering spares management is entirely appropriate. Traditional storemen are being encouraged to be ‘Subject Matter Experts’ (SMEs) in the complex world of MROM management.
5. COST OF MAINTENANCE. Guidelines suggest what should be the annual cost of maintenance relative to the replacement-as-new value of all the assets in a given portfolio. Depending on the business sector, world-class providers are expecting the maintenance budget to be between 1 and 3% for a highly developed AM system. Are you meeting this target?
2. MAINTENANCE PLANS After determining how important an asset is the appropriate tools
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Measuring the management of workload and the effectiveness of the planning to ensure costs are in-line with budgets, and the equipment is performing at the design standards is a must. Visually showing the results as trends in a dash board format is current best practice.
9. OUTSOURCING. Is appropriate where there is a business benefit…but think before leaping into the arms of a provider hoping they understand the subject which is a mystery to you. If you cannot write a comprehensive user requirements specification (URS) for the outsourced subject you need to become knowledgeable before you outsource.
10. UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATION. Regular communication of the progress and results of the full application of AM across the business is necessary to ensure a culture where application of world-class processes become ‘business as usual’. There are many examples of how such an asset management programme has achieved success, for example:
A LARGE SERVICE ORGANISATION An organisation’s asset base has grown by 80% in the past 4 years but with only a 20% growth in asset management costs. A multimillion cost avoidance through applying best practice ways of working following extensive re-training.
6. FUNCTIONAL INVOLVEMENTS.
A DRINKS MANUFACTURING SITE
AM cannot be delivered as an engineering initiative alone. Managers, project engineers, HR and finance all need to recognise their involvement in the delivery of an effective AM system.
Site productivity has increased from a starting position of 55% to 70% today over a 4 year journey. This was achieved through applying best practice asset care.
7. OPERATOR ASSET CARE (OAC).
A FOOD PRODUCER SITE Following a programme of training and then sustaining new practices the site has been recognised as the site of choice in the group and developing from an AMIS score of 54% in 2012 to 72% in 2016.
A DIVISION OF A MAJOR PHARMA COMPANY
1. LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLAN Improving AM has to be done in a formal strategic manner. ISO 55000 clearly indicates the need for an AM system that describes the policy and strategy for life long care of installed assets. The AM Policy and Strategy documents need to be ‘owned’ by those involved
8. KPIS.
For highly reliable equipment performance it is essential that those who operate (use) the equipment do so it a sensitive manner. OAC engages the user in the correct use of equipment and to do whatever maintenance they can do for themselves.
Over a 5 year period the division (18 sites in 14 countries) was guided and supported by MCP to introduce better working practices. The development of confidence at each site is always difficult to express, but highly valued by all involved. Some practical results included: • Identifying 5 % more assets than were not previously recorded. • A total across the division of 40% fewer breakdowns • Overtime reduced by 45% • Late PMs…a thing of the past • A total AM cost reduction approaching 20% lower costs
PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - MARCH / APRIL 2017