Process Industry Informer April 2018

www.processindustryinformer.com

APRIL 2018 Volume 14 No.2

THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

The key to implementing

Industry 4.0?

In print | Online | Mobile - The UK’s No.1 Media for the Manufacturing Process Industries

contents

featured articles

product sections 4-5 News & Events 6-9 Applications 21 PUMP AWARDS 2018 12 Health & Safety 12 Process Control 12 Filtration & Separation 16-18 Fluids & Liquids (incl. Pumps & Valves) 22-25 Process Measurement & Instrumentation 25 Heat Transfer & Energy 31 Solids Handling 32 Condition Monitoring 32 Laser Sensors 33 Test Measurement 33 Calibration 33 Valve Control

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Understanding functional safety

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INTEGRAL HIGH EFFICIENCY ECONOMISERS: why aren’t more companies reaping the benefits?

A CLOSER LOOK AT MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE STRATEGIES

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Hiring chemical dosing equipment could benefit your bottom line

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SALES & Marketing Manager Guy Ullmann: guyullmann@piimag.com CIRCULATION Manager Jean Caunin: info@piimag.com Office Manager Diane Ullmann: dianeullmann@piimag.com Art Direction Talita Soncini talita@piimag.com

Printed By Bishops Printers Ltd Advertisement & Editorial Offices Process Industry Informer, Passfield Business Centre, Lynchborough Road, Passfield, Liphook, Hants, GU30 7SB Tel: 01428 751188 Fax: 01428 751199 Email: info@piimag.com Web: www.piimag.com Subscriptions UK £25 | EIRE £35 Overseas prices on application © Process Industry Informer

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What is a reliability culture?

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5 easy steps to make your production line more efficient

Could contracting help make Industry 4.0 a reality?

Publisher/Advertising Manager Peter Ullmann: peterullmann@piimag.com

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Four boiler contaminants that jeopardise power plant

Best Practices: Cooling Tower Reconstruction

Editor Phil Black: philblack@piimag.com

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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

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NEWS & EVENTS Top industry award honours ‘unsurpassed’ AESSEAL founder Chris Rea Chris Rea, founder and Managing Director of AESSEAL, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the pump industry.

Fellow professionals in the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) selected Chris for the honour in the prestigious Pump Industry Awards, citing his ‘significant and consistent contribution the pump industry’ over his 39 year career.

Announcing the award, the BPMA stated: “Chris is not only a great figurehead for the business, but he is also a great accountant and a great engineer and has been responsible for making AESSEAL what it is today. He believes in supporting the local community, furthering the engineering profession and is particularly interested in promoting women in engineering.

“Chris continues to invest heavily into the AESSEAL business and his outstanding contribution to the mechanical sealing, reliability and associated pump industries, is probably unsurpassed.”

Chris Rea established AESSEAL in 1979 with a staff of just five, designing and manufacturing mechanical seals and support systems for a wide range of industries.

His ongoing investment and innovation has seen the Rotherham based company grow into a global design, production and customer service leader.

The investment in AESSEAL is evident in the £5.5 million spent on new state-of-the-art machinery, and building refurbishments totalling around £1 million, over the past year.

The AESSEAL systems division in Mangham Road, Rotherham, was officially opened by President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Carolyn Griffiths on Friday April 20th following its £460,000 upgrade.

Carolyn Griffiths will joined Chris Rea and other engineering industry leaders that evening for the annual IMechE dinner at the Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield.

This month also saw a new £1 million machining centre go into operation at the AESSEAL Global Technology Centre and Special Product Division in Rotherham.

The 11 axis Nakamura Tome Super NTX features a unique parts handling system, designed and developed by AESSEAL. It provides super-fast production times and will improve operational efficiency as well as the quality of the core components of mechanical seal products manufactured at the site.

The Nakamura is the last of eight new machines which have been installed at AESSEAL sites in Rotherham and Bradford in the past year, creating more than 20 jobs and increasing production by 17%.

AESSEAL MD Chris Rea said: “To be given a Lifetime Achievement Award by my peers is a tremendous honour and one which came completely out of the blue. I’ve always considered the success of AESSEAL to be the result of a team effort involving everyone from our top engineers to our newest apprentices.

Our new machinery can only add to our efficiency, reliability and award-winning customer service but the investment doesn’t stop there – we’re now working on future investment plans for the rest of 2018 and beyond.”

For more information contact AESSEAL Plc, Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Tel: 01709 369 966 E-mail: marketing@aesseal.com | Web: www.aesseal.com 04

NEW HOSE CATALOGUE Dixon Group Europe Ltd are pleased to launch their new Hose Catalogue.

As a specialist supplier of industrial hose and hose assemblies, Dixon are amongst a handful of companies certified to the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/ EU to manufacture flexible hose assemblies.

The new catalogue serves to promote the basic hose offer but Dixon are driven to providing ‘the Right Connection’ in meeting specific hose requirements across all industries.

Dixon’s extensive hose range now includes Heat Traced, Hot Water Thermal and Duplex hose assemblies as part of the standard range along with a range of metallic, rubber, composite, silicone, PVC and PTFE hose assemblies which can be custom made to exact requirements with a range of accessories.

Their strength in technical service, support and advice ensure the correct specification of bespoke hose assemblies and couplings.

For a copy of the hose catalogue please email marketing@dixoneurope.co.uk

AXION URGES GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR ECONOMY POLICY TO SUPPORT UK MANUFACTURERS Sustainability and circular economy principles should be at the heart of Government policy to encourage UK manufacturers to incorporate more recycled content in new goods, conserve raw material resources and promote locally-made goods.

That’s the view of Keith Freegard, Director of Axion Polymers speaking at the first-ever Made in Britain (MiB) workshop focused on marketing in the Circular Economy (CE).

Keith commented: “Demand creation for recycled products is important if we are to create a circular economy based on efficient recovery and reuse of our existing finite resources, such as plastics. The technology is there to recycle these materials and there are multiple benefits to using recycled polymers from secure, locallysourced UK supply chains with stable pricing. It’s also a brilliant carbon-saving story!”

Held at Axion’s end-of-life vehicle recycling facility in Manchester, the March event attracted more than 30 manufacturer and entrepreneur members keen to learn more about trading sustainably and supporting a more sustainable future in Britain.

Speakers also included Jane Gardner, Axion’s Head of Consulting Services on supporting business growth and development towards a circular economy; Malcolm Marnold from the Department for International Trade and Steve Poppit from Craemer UK who highlighted how their wheelie bin recycling scheme demonstrated circular economy principles.

Attendees also toured Axion’s facility, the Shredder Waste Advanced Process Plant (SWAPP) where resources are extracted from shredded scrap vehicles. Recovered materials include high-quality recycled polymers that can be used in new plastic goods, from automotive components to construction products.

For more information, contact Axion Polymers on Tel: 0161 737 6124 or visit | Web: www.axiongroup.co.uk | E-mail: info@axionpolymers

WRAS APPROVAL GRANTED FOR MAG FLOW METERS M1000, M2000 and M5000 ranges from Badger Meter are now WRAS approved for measuring potable water to comply with the requirements of the United Kingdom Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations and Scottish Water Byelaws.

WRAS approval is also accepted in other countries throughout the world as a safety standard.

The purpose of WRAS is to contribute to the protection of public health by preventing contamination of public water supplies and encouraging the efficient use of water by promoting and facilitating compliance. WRAS represents the UK water supply industry as one voice on the Water Fittings Regulations and contributes to the development of relevant guidance, codes of practice and standards.

Bell Flow Systems promotes all three of the approved models, which are manufactured by Badger Meter USA and act as their exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom.

The low cost M1000 range, available for water measurement in sizes up to DN200 with a large selection of options including: power, outputs, liner materials and electrodes. The higher accuracy M2000 Mag meter range available for water measurement in sizes up to DN600 (WRAS approved to DN200) available with internal data logger and a large selection of options including: power, outputs, liner materials and electrodes. The M5000 range of battery powered mag flow meters, available for water measurement in sizes up to DN600 (WRAS approved to DN200) with options including MID/OIML custody transfer approvals, meter verification tool and various power, output and connection options For more information contact Bell Flow Systems, Buckingham, Bucks.

Tel: 01280 817304 | E-mail: sales@bellflowsystems.co.uk | Web: www.bellflowsystems.co.uk PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

NEWS & EVENTS Global Heat Transfer Expert Announces Major Plans In Light Of MCPD In a move that sees the company fully embrace the requirements of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD), Fulton has announced a series of plans – including a review of its product portfolio – to strengthen its position as a leading global provider of heat transfer solutions.

Realising the implications the MCPD will have on its fuel-fired steam boiler portfolio, Fulton went back to the drawing board and, by adopting a new ‘PURE Technology’ initiative, the VSRT – the world’s first Vertical Spiral Ribbed Tubeless steam boiler – emerged and features a design that is durable and long-lasting; and boasts higher efficiencies and reduces NOx emissions to levels that exceed the requirements of the MCPD. And while the requirements of the MCPD do not apply to some of its smaller models, Fulton’s new VSRT range has been designed to not only meet, but exceed the requirements set out by the new directive.

The time, effort and resources committed into the development of the VSRT has led to Fulton review and strategically rationalise its product offering. This, coupled with the effects of the MCPD, means that Fulton will now be concentrating its efforts on the VSRT and its range of electric steam boilers, ancillary equipment and skid-mounted solutions. It also means that, having pioneered the design more than 70 years ago, the company will cease manufacturing vertical tubeless steam boilers – including its renowned J Series – in the UK. Commenting, Fulton managing director Carl Knight says: “Unfortunately, and like other UK-based manufacturers, ceasing to produce reverse-flame and standard vertical tubeless steam boilers in the UK has implications for our workforce and we have already entered into a consultation process with employees. “While regrettable, this is no reflection on our UK-based employees or the performance of the Bristol facility, it is born from the need to consolidate activities amongst Fulton’s other Global manufacturing facilities to achieve operational and organisational efficiencies.” says Carl.

He goes on to say that ceasing to manufacture in the UK has been a very difficult decision to make. The J Series has been the mainstay of the company for a long time, but with the introduction of the MCPD, Fulton has, like many other manufacturers, had to revise and rationalise its product offering to ensure the future of the company, which will remain a strategic player as it looks to promote the VSRT to new and existing global markets, including those in Europe, the Middle East and other export markets.

Looking to the future, Carl Knight adds that Fulton UK will be importing VSRT boilers from Fulton USA, with both companies having worked closely to ensure that the all-new steam boiler is constructed to meet the requirements of the PED and to obtain all other approvals necessary for the UK and export markets. This approach leverages significant manufacturing investments already made in the US, as well as the volume-based economies of scale achieved in the US production facility.

The VSRT holds enormous potential for Fulton. “The VSRT is the world’s first fully-wetted, refractory-free, tubeless steam boiler. It is market-leading in all value attributes and leapfrogs the competition in the critical aspects of energy efficiency, emissions, footprint, reliability and durability. In the USA, market response to the VSRT has been overwhelming and, with more than 15 patents pending, is expected to provide Fulton with a global leadership position in steam boilers for decades to come.” says Carl.

For more information contact Fulton on Tel: 0117 972 3322 | E-mail: sales@fulton.co.uk | Web: www.fulton.co.uk

HANSFORD SENSORS EXTENDS SPONSORSHIP OF BTCC STAR TOM INGRAM Ingram enjoyed his most successful BTCC period to date in 2017, finishing a stunning season of racing in third place.

The three-time Ginetta champion secured a win in last season’s opener at Brands Hatch, before adding triumphs at Donington, Knockhill and Silverstone to clinch the Independent Drivers’ Trophy.

“We’ve been sponsoring Tom since his early Ginetta days and are proud to continue that support as he now aims to clinch the BTCC title. 2017 was Tom’s best season to date in the BTCC and if his performances then are anything to go by, the new season could well be his year!” said Chris Hansford, Managing Director of Ingram’s main sponsor, Hansford Sensors, the leading global manufacturer of high performance industrial accelerometers, is continuing its sponsorship of British Touring Car Championship racing driver Tom Ingram and the Speedworks Motorsport team for the fifth year in a row.

For more information contact Hansford Sensors Ltd, High Wycombe, Bucks.

Tel: 0845 680 1957 | Web: www.hansfordsensors.com.

ULTRAVALVE CEMENTS LONG STANDING MONDEO RELATIONSHIP WITH SIGNIFICANT SUPPLIER TERRITORY EXTENSION Ultravalve has celebrated 25 years as an exclusive distributor for Italian valve specialist Mondeo, by being awarded an extension to its sole supplier territory.

The Midlands-based process and RPZ valve supplier; which is owned by valve and actuator company Bonomi, will now handle Mondeo sales for the whole of Ireland, in addition to supplying the UK and Scotland as it has for the last quarter century.

Comments Ultravalve managing director, Bill Brach: “Extending Ultravalve’s exclusive territory into Ireland cements what is already a strong and proven partnership between our two companies.

“There is strong demand for the type of high quality Stainless Steel Manifolds and WRAS approved where many food producers and drug manufacturers are located.”

Thomas Brach, who is undertaking a four year sales and management graduate trainee programme with the Bonomi group, will be handling sales of Mondeo products into the new Irish territory.

For further information, please contact: Bonomi (UK) Limited, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Lee Hargrave Tel: 024 7635 4535 E-mail: sales@bonomi.co.uk Web: www.bonomi.co.uk

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APPLICATIONS WHY DO FLOWHIRE TRUST KATRONIC FOR THEIR CLAMP-ON FLOWMETER FLEET? Yorkshire-based Flowhire are, as the name suggests, specialists in flow measurement rental services for liquids, steam and gas. They support process industries as diverse as paper and pulp, brewing, oil and gas and engine development with a wide range of equipment, from mag flow meters through to more complex vortex and Coriolis installations. They also maintain a fleet of sixteen non-invasive Katronic clamp-on portable ultrasonic flow meters.

Flowhire director Matt Bancroft recalls meeting Katronic MD Andrew Sutton at a Flow Day in the early 2000’s; “We talked about the benefits of introducing a new range of ultrasonic clamp on meters, and following that chat we started looking seriously at Katronic equipment.” Flowhire bought their first KATFlow unit in 2003. Bancroft went on, “We have Katronic flowmeters that have racked up 150 hires and over 200 weeks of service. The control units and transducers are both very robust. We’ve continued to add to the fleet, and the only failure we’ve ever had was the one that was dropped from an oil rig into the North Sea. I think we can forgive that one!”

For Flowhire, though, the robust reliability of Katronic systems is only part of the story. According to Matt Bancroft, “We have a fleet of around 450 flow meters here, and they are being supplied to a vast range of sites with a real mix of experience. Where Katronic flowmeters really score is the straightforward and intuitive set up.” Flowhire take a consultative approach to their business, and have a permanent calibration rig to check pre-configured equipment before it is sent out.

KATFlow 200 hand-held flowmeters form the majority of the fleet, but they also supply KATFlow 230, which allow two transducers to be connected, and KATFlow 210 for remote applications needing an extended battery life. An interesting application for a twin transducer system is in HVAC and Facilities Management, where flow and return within a heating system is logged along with temperature to measure heat used and help optimise energy usage.

For more information contact Katronic Technologies Ltd., Coventry, Warks.

Tel: +44 (0)2476 714111 | E-mail: info@katronic.com | Web: www.katronic.com

SYSTEM MIX HITTING THE TARGET FOR MORE AD OPERATORS

Maximising the benefits of renewable energy continues to be the focus for all of the UK’s water supply companies in addition to many private sector companies who have invested in the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Mixing is an essential part of the AD process and SYSTEM MIX Ltd who market the highly effective Rotamix Dual Zone Mixing System, are delighted to be making a significant contribution to the operational success of many of the UK’s on-site AD process systems.

A great example is there is now DUAL ZONE MIXING installed in all of Anglian Water’s STC (Sludge Treatment Centres) which includes both their traditional digesters and also their THP (Thermal Hydrolysis Plant) systems. This is a total of 8 major treatment centres which now handle all of the sludge from around the ‘normal’ Anglian Water waste treatment works and equates to between 8 and 9 tanks per site, all with multiple pumps.

Another System Mix success story is that they can lay claim to mixing all of Southern Water’s anaerobic digesters spanning from Dover across to Southampton.

Why the Mixing Process is Important As an established supplier of digester mixing systems to many of the UK’s water companies in addition to many other private sector AD plants, System Mix are able to demonstrate that the basis of the success of these plants depends on a durable mixing technology supported by reliable Vaughan Chopper Pumps.

Andy Parr, Director of System Mix said “As many AD operators now need to maximise the sustainable credentials of their plant and equipment even further, we are confident that the benefits of our mixing systems are becoming even more important as proven by our successes with Anglian and Southern Water”.

For further information on SYSTEM MIX contact: Andy Parr, System Mix Ltd, Sawtry, Huntingdon.

Tel: +44 (0) 1487 830123.

Email: andy@pumpmix.co.uk | Web: www.pumpmix.co.uk 06

PFEIFFER VACUUM SUPPLIES VACUUM SOLUTIONS FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND MOST POWERFUL PARTICLE ACCELERATOR •Long-standing partnership between CERN and Pfeiffer Vacuum •Vacuum technology for probing the fundamental structure of the universe •HiPace turbopumps for the Large Hadron Collider Pfeiffer Vacuum has received yet another major order for turbopumps and turbo pumping stations from CERN. CERN is situated in Geneva on the Franco-Swiss border and is the largest center for particle physics research in the world. Its main business is fundamental physics – finding out what the universe is made of and researching the basic constituents of matter. The particle accelerator LHC (Large Hadron Collider) has a circumference of some 27 kilometers and is used for colliding proton and ion beams at nearly the speed of light. The accelerated particles travel in beam lines, which require ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. These beam lines are preevacuated with turbo pumping stations. Furthermore, turbopumps with a very high compression ratio for light gases are then responsible for generating the insulation vacuum. The insulation vacuum is necessary for the operation of the superconducting magnets at a temperature of -271 °C. Andreas Schopphoff, Head of R&D Market Segment: “The cooperation between CERN and Pfeiffer Vacuum is based on many years of working together in a spirit of trust. We are very proud that CERN has chosen Pfeiffer Vacuum products again for its future projects. Since the pumps’ application is one that has never been realized before, the technical requirements for this project are especially high. The new order is for HiPace turbopumps and HiCube turbo pumping stations that meet those high demands.”

Arthur Pfeiffer GmbH developed the turbopump in 1958 with the objective of generating a hydrocarbon-free vacuum. Today, turbopumps from Pfeiffer Vacuum are considered the epitome of cutting-edge technology, dependability and ultra-high performance. At the time, CERN was one of the first customers to buy this innovative technology and has continued to be a major user of Pfeiffer Vacuum products to this day. Generating the vacuum inside the LHC, measuring it and analyzing the partial pressure requires comprehensive vacuum technology, a major part of which is being supplied by Pfeiffer Vacuum.

For more information contact Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH, 35614 Asslar - Germany Tel: 49 6441 802-1223 | E-mail: Sabine.Neubrand@pfeiffer-vacuum.de | Web: www.pfeiffer-vacuum.com.

BEKA GIVES SAFFRON GLOVEBOXES A HAND Saffron scientific equipment Ltd who are specialists in the design, development and manufacture of Gloveboxes, are using BEKA Advisor A90 universal process panel meters to display critical containment pressures.

Each meter has a multicolour negative liquid crystal display, with the display colour linked to the meter’s alarm status providing very conspicuous multiple alarm warnings. Although Advisor A90 meters are easy to configure and calibrate on-site, they are supplied pre-calibrated to Saffron’s requirement including a printed slide-in scale card showing the units of measurement which significantly reduces commissioning time.

Based in Knaresborough North Yorkshire, Saffron’s technical director Andrew Lees said that BEKA Advisor A90 meters were chosen because they are easy to install and have a wide range of features including multiple latching alarms, colour change displays, and the ability to re-transmit a 4-20mA signal. Saffron’s bespoke gloveboxes and containment systems are widely installed in process and nuclear industries in addition to research laboratories for the storage, handling and processing of hazardous and toxic substances.

For further Advisor meter information please visit Web: www.beka.co.uk/advisor.html or phone the BEKA sales office on Tel: 01462 438301.

Saffron can be contacted at: Email: sales@saffron-uk.com or on Tel: 01423 798218 PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

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This was the 18th year of the Pump Industry Awards and as usual it was a great success with near two hundred excited pump industry related ‘ladies & gentlemen’ attending. Needless to say, the atmosphere was buoyant as the awards ceremony drew near, with friendly revelry as each category was announced and which contender would take the spoil. This year’s Pump Industry Awards Gala Dinner was held, as it did in the previous two years, at the welcoming Crowne Plaza Hotel at Heythrop Park on the fringe of the beautiful Cotswolds, a perfect place for such an event.

As mentioned earlier, the awards ceremony was of course the feature of the evening and was hosted by Andrea Byrne, who presents ITV’s ‘Wales at Six’ and ‘Wales This Week’. The Pump Awards are held by Touchwave Media and in association with the BPMA and sponsored by Process Industry Informer, WILO, Siemens, SPP, Tomlinson Hall, WEG and World Pumps.

The eight winners were presented with their trophies & certificates to the ‘cheers & jeers’ whilst the finalists were awarded their certificates on the stage.

The after dinner entertainment was from the fantastic SKYE, a brilliant violin & singing trio of young ladies who, quite rightly enjoyed their raving cheers and lasting applause.

Finally, there was the usual Charity Raffle to raise money for WaterAid, which this year raised a magnificent best ever amount from the Pump Awards of £3950.

For further information about the Pump Awards or you are interested in sponsoring, nominating and/or attending the 2019 event contact Andrew Castle at Andrew@touchwavemedia.co.uk

Meet the Winners The awards focus on key areas of manufacture and supply, innovation and achievement, energy saving, engineering excellence, customer care and employee motivation.

Technical Innovation – Products Sponsored by: Process Industry Informer Winner: WILO - UK Ceram-Teflon Coatings

Wilo metallurgists together with Teflon (Dupont) have successfully engineered a unique composite coating displaying the properties of both the CERAM-CT coating – (WRAS and KWT approved) the TEFLON – with its excellent non-stick characteristics used in domestic & industrial uses. The CERAMTeflon out performs non-coated and CERAM coated pumps in troublesome applications. With a significant reduction in Ochre deposits, pumps can continue to perform in line with design characteristics for significantly longer.

Technical Innovation – Projects Sponsored by: WILO Winner: XYLEM WATER SOLUTIONS - Foss Barrier Project

Foss Barrier Pumping Station Upgrade - The Scheme increases the pumping capacity of the asset from 32M3/s to 52M3/s with no civil modifications. The existing pump columns and discharge facility were re-used incorporating replacement Xylem PL7125 axial flow pumps having a significantly increased capacity. To fully utilise the increased capacity. Low Harmonic VSD’s have been incorporated that enhances the process efficiency and minimises energy use of the systems.

Environmental Contribution of the Year Sponsored by: SPP Pumps Winner: DANFOS – Danfos Drives for its contribution to Aarhus Water Project

Danfos Drives’ has supplied 290 VSDs to the world’s first energy-neutral water and wastewater management system. The energy used for wastewater transport, water treatment and distribution in 2016 was 7.2 million kWh, so the project now creates an energy surplus.

Supplier of the Year Sponsored by: Tomlinson Hall & Co Winner: abb ABB is committed to developing technologies and services that save energy, reducing downtime and increasing the resilience of pump systems across all industries. It is especially dedicated to helping pump operators to harness the opportunities offered by the Internet of Things (IoT), which it is achieving with products such as its dedicated water & wastewater variable speed drive, the ACQ580.This is a truly digital drive that enables, for the first time, rapid field support through services such as remote assistance, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

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Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by: siemens Winner: KSB Established in 1871, KSB has shaped the future of fluid handling for almost 150 years. Now one of the largest pump manufacturers in the world, this global manufacturing company is well known for its pumps, valves and automation equipment. KSB consistently strives to achieve greater benefits for customers and now takes on the production of the future; leading the way in industry 4.0 Digitization and Intelligent Network Solutions.

Distributor of the Year Sponsored by: WEG Winner: CLYDE ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS Clyde Associated Engineers have been servicing Scottish Industry since 1952 and have a reputation for selling added value pumping solutions to the most challenging applications. Service levels & Long term partnerships with Flowserve, NOV, Mono Pumps, Alfa Laval are our biggest strength. Quality counts, Clyde are the first engineering company in Scotland accredited to the ISO9001:2015 standard. With a drive to grow CAE purchased their own pipework fabrication Division in 2004.

Engineer of the Year Sponsored by: World Pumps Winner: Luke Gardner, Grundfos Pumps Portsmouth Aqua, had a vision to create simple to operate world class products, delivering safe drinking water. Our nomination, Luke Gardner of Grundfos, far exceeded our expectation of a supplier’s capacity to provide an engineering solution, the solution realised through Luke and Grundfos ensured our product provides clean drinking water for humanitarian aid, wash water for agriculture farming and hospitals to mention a few applications and with an emphasis of using the least amount of power and wasted water. Through Luke an Grundfos we will provide a vastly in demand resource without excessive detriment to others.

JUDGES SPECIAL AWARD This was awarded DANFOS for the holistic approach to energy conservation and efficiency across the entire Aarhus Water Project.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

APPLICATIONS Anglian Water successfully trials Arvia technology • UK utility pilots tertiary treatment combining oxidation and adsorption •Effective removal rates achieved for a number of substances investigated •Opportunity to compare the Arvia process to others on the market Trials of an advanced tertiary water and wastewater treatment system have proven its effectiveness in removing several trace substances from wastewater final effluent.

A laboratory-scale version of Arvia Technology’s Nyex treatment system was initially tested in partnership with Anglian Water at Arvia’s in-house facility. The capabilities proven by Arvia’s Nyex 1-20a resulted in the project being scaled-up, with the construction of a Nyex 7-50a pilot system on the site of 16,000 population equivalent wastewater treatment plant owned and operated by Anglian Water.

The onsite trial aimed to assess the system’s performance in treating a sidestream of real effluent containing a range of 60 selected trace substances over a 12-month period in 2016-17. Anglian Water carried out analysis on water samples pre- and post- treatment throughout the demonstration period.

As part of the UK water industry’s undertaking to achieve tighter water quality targets, a UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) collaborative programme of work is underway. The Chemicals Investigation Programme 2 is being led by the water utilities and environmental regulators and seeks to investigate the sources of trace substances, where they occur and their removal from final wastewater effluents. One part of the investigation was to assess - at pilot and full scale - technologies capable of removing trace substances such as pharmaceuticals and natural hormones. Anglian Water took the opportunity to trial Arvia’s Nyex process alongside water companies trialing a variety of other technologies.

Targeted solution Arvia chief executive Mike Lodge said: “Nyex treatment offers a targeted and cost-effective solution against persistent micropollutants in wastewater – which is an increasingly important issue for utilities.” Arvia’s Nyex treatment systems combine adsorption with advanced oxidation in a single, scalable unit. Trace organics are concentrated on the surface of Arvia’s proprietary media, which is non-porous with high electrical conductivity.

This patented adsorbent media allows for targeted and continuous oxidation.

Unlike granular activated carbon, Nyex media is effectively regenerated in situ and the process can continue without interruption or replacement.

Results are achieved without chemical dosing or the generation of sludge, reducing costs in terms of transport of chemicals and specialist waste disposal. Mike Lodge says, “Nyex has fully demonstrated its usefulness for the removal of micropollutants in tertiary treatment. Results from the technology trials have already been used to cost a range of full-size systems from 2,000 to 500,000 PE as part of the utility’s preparations for PR19 - the regulatory price controls for water companies in England and Wales which come into play in 2020.”

Water industry partnerships Arvia co-founder Nigel Brown said: “Arvia is continuing to build partnerships with utilities and industrial companies and we are delighted with the success of this project. Our technology is practical, cost-efficient and scientifically sound. There are no internal moving parts and although electricity is part of the process, it uses comparatively little energy.”

For more information go to: www.arviatechnology.com

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featured article

Understanding

functional safety How well do you understand the term functional safety? Could you describe why there are international standards that specifically deal with functional safety, which parts of these standards apply to engineering or management activities and what measures are required to ensure compliance?

Leading process engineering firm BPE, which is award-winning for its work in the realm of process safety, has been researching the subject to ensure its clients are ahead of the curve. Its associate, Peter Stabler, has written a whitepaper looking at the key questions engineers have to answer when it comes to functional safety and how manufacturers can ensure they stay on the right side of regulations. Here, he shares insight from the BPE whitepaper.

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he immediate problem is the risk of falling foul of safety regulators. Although complying with functional safety standards is not a legal requirement, they are widely regarded by regulators as representing “best practice”. In the UK, safety legislation is generally not prescriptive, but rather requires process plant operators to employ best practice in managing the safety of their operations. Consequently, the HSE increasingly requires evidence that best practice has indeed been adopted in UK-­- based process facilities. Demonstrating compliance with both engineering and management aspects of functional safety standards provides unambiguous, documented and auditable evidence of this.

There is, however, a more positive motivation for businesses to seek compliance with functional safety standards - they represent best practice for a reason. Companies that comply with the standards benefit from a comprehensive, “joined-­- up” and cutting-edge approach to the management of safety. The reason for this is that the standards incorporate more than narrow engineering guidance.

Equally important are the management practices that must be implemented to ensure both initial and ongoing compliance.

In this regard, functional safety standards have much in common with quality standards – they require compliant companies to specify and adopt a systematic, and auditable management approach. Put another way, compliance requires implementation of a “management system” that regulates the full lifecycle of safety instrumented systems. In parallel with engineering tasks relating to the specification, design, installation and verification of safety instrumented systems, management activities must be undertaken to ensure, for example, the adequacy of suppliers, the’ competence of personnel and the documentation of tasks undertaken. Achieving and maintaining compliance with functional safety standards helps businesses ensure not only the safety of their operations, but also that they are managing their operations effectively.

Managing risk in the chemical process industries The IEC 61508:2010 functional safety standard defines safety as “freedom from unacceptable risk”. This definition implies that compliance with the standard requires both an understanding of current levels of risk and a determination as to whether or not these risks are acceptable. In the chemical process industries, plant owners need to systematically appraise risk for their process operations and to define criteria for the acceptability of these risks.

Engineering risk is defined as the product of the frequency of occurrence of a hazardous event, and the consequences associated with the event. Risk levels can therefore be mitigated by reducing either the frequency of a hazardous event occurring, or by

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minimising any consequences should it occur.

Of course, well-engineered process plants are designed to minimise risk through the adoption of Good Engineering Practice (GEP).

Designers may incorporate a number of independent protection layers to reduce the frequency or consequences of hazardous events. Examples of such protection layers could be pressure release valves (incorporating the appropriate treatment of vented gasses), the plant’s process control system or physical barriers such as bunds that reduce the spread of spillages.

These traditional measures of controlling risk are just as valid today as they have always been. Functional safety standards acknowledge such risk reduction measures, and allow process plant owners to take credit for associated reductions in risk. Formal techniques, such as a Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), have been developed to enable a systematic appraisal of existing protection layers and to quantify the risk reductions that they confer. The protection layers that are typically considered in a LOPA are shown below.

instrumented safety system, a safety integrity level (SIL) loop, an automated protection system or a safety-related system. For the remainder of this paper, we will continue to use the term “safety instrumented system”, or “SIS”.

The IEC 61508:2010 standard defines functional safety as “part of the overall safety relating to the’ process and its process control system that depends on the correct functioning of safety instrumented systems and other risk reduction measures”. The emphasis is on the “correct functioning of a safety instrumented system” - once credit has been taken for other risk reduction measures. (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: SIS and other protection layers

Figure 1: Protection layers considered in a LOPA After existing protection layers have been taken into account, further reductions in risk may be achieved through the implementation of safety instrumented systems. IEC 61508:2010 and related functional safety standards have been designed specifically to ensure that such systems (and component devices) are both engineered and managed correctly throughout their full lifecycle. Compliance with the standards ensures that the level of risk reduction claimed for a safety instrumented system is actually realised in practice.

Functional safety & safety instrumented systems Industry practitioners variously refer to the combination of a sensor, logic controller and final element (possibly an actuated valve, or a motor starter) as a safety instrumented system, an

In order to achieve functional safety, a safety instrumented system must work as designed, and with a high probability of success.

Put another way, functional safety means that, once all existing protection layers have been accounted for, the additional risk reduction factor required from the SIS is actually realized.

Functional safety is thus the primary objective in specifying, designing, installing and maintaining an SIS. To achieve an acceptable level of functional safety, both the engineering and management of the SIS must comply with the standards throughout its lifecycle.

It is also important to emphasise that compliance with IEC 61508:2010 and related standards is only required if the claimed risk reduction of an SIS is equal to or greater than a factor of 10. Indeed, the standards are based on the concept of order of magnitude reductions in risk claimed for safety instrumented systems. Each order of magnitude reduction is referred to as a “safety integrity level: or “SIL”. Functional safety standards require increasingly stringent engineering and management processes as SIL levels increase.

Safety instrumented systems are not process control systems Safety instrumented systems are distinct from process control systems. They are designed to provide a “final protection layer” to prevent harm to people or the environment in the event of the occurrence of a hazardous event. A safety instrumented system

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

Figure 3: The safety lifecycle (IEC 61511:2003) is distinct from a process control system in that it is required to operate with a high and predictable probability of success at infrequent intervals. In contrast, process control systems are designed to operate continually in order to keep process variables within pre-defined ranges.

Safety instrumented systems sit “on top” of the process plant and its associated process control system– only coming into action when they are required to do so in response to a hazardous event in order to prevent an accident occurring. The intermittent nature of demands placed on safety instrumented systems requires that they are maintained and undergo testing at regular intervals.

This is a key feature of the requirements of the standards. Safety instrumented systems must work as intended when they are needed – with a high probability of success. Functional safety standards provide a framework for quantifying, and justifying, the probability that an SIS will work as intended when required.

As discussed earlier, process control systems may also provide a protection layer for the prevention of harm. However, they may not be used as a SIS and the risk reduction factor claimed must not exceed 10.

The safety lifecycle A key feature of functional safety standards is the concept of a safety lifecycle for safety instrumented systems. (See Figure 3).

The concept of the safety lifecycle came about following numerous studies of SIS failures that resulted in accidents. One authoritative study by the HSE* showed that poor specification of the SIS was the root cause of 44% of failures experienced by such systems. A further 21% were caused by changes after commissioning.

The concept of the safety lifecycle therefore addresses both engineering and management issues relating to safety instrumented systems. Management of the SIS safety lifecycle is crucial in order to ensure that safety instrumented systems are not only designed and installed where needed, but also that they achieve the required levels of functional safety over the entire safety lifecycle from specification to decommissioning.

applied in full at all stages of the SIS safety lifecycle and across the SIS supply chain. They touch every person, every company and every activity associated with the implementation of a SIS. Functional safety management activities are described in one of the few prescriptive parts of the’ standards: IEC61508:2010 Part 1, Section 6. Although only three pages in length, this section seems to cause a great deal of consternation.

Examples of management activities that are required in order to ensure functional safety include: • Enunciation of a comprehensive policy and strategy for achieving functional safety; • Clear allocation of responsibilities to responsible persons; • Ensuring and managing the competency of responsible persons; • Appropriate management of communications; • Appropriate management of suppliers; • Appropriate follow up and resolution of recommendations; • Hazardous incident reporting and analysis; and • Appropriate management of documentation.

Beware “hidden” safety instrumented systems The ultimate responsibility for compliance with functional safety standards lies with the end user – the entity that owns and relies upon the safety instrumented system. The end user must not only ensure that safety instrumented systems are operated in compliance with functional safety standards, but that they are correctly specified, designed and installed prior to operation. This

Figure 4: Compliance requires consideration of both the safety lifecycle and the supply chain

demands a holistic view incorporating not only the safety lifecycle of such systems but also stringent management of the supply chain involved in the creation of such systems. (See Figure 4).

Safety instrumented systems can find their way into a process plant without the end user even being aware of it. End users should beware of safety instrumented systems that come with packaged equipment such as mills, centrifuges, inertion systems, boilers, burners, vacuum pumps or nitrogen generators. How many of these come with level transmitters, temperature transmitters or oxygen analysers? What is the SIS protecting against, and what would the consequences be should the SIS fail when needed?

Safety instruments systems may also appear on a site unannounced as part of an ATEX compliant equipment package. ATEX equipment suppliers may use temperature transmitters to ensure that the surface temperature of pump casings or bearings, for example, do not exceed the stated threshold temperature required for the particular ATEX certification. The equipment supplier is responsible for ensuring their equipment is suitable for the specified ATEX area classification, but it is the end user that assumes responsibility for ensuring that any safety instrumented systems are fit for purpose, actually have the required performance characteristics and are maintained and managed correctly ­- and it is the end user that is liable if they fail to do so.

Finding the right solution Functional safety standards are here to stay, and demonstration of compliance with the standards will continue to be essential in order to demonstrate “best practice” in process plant safety. End users understand this, but frequently lack the knowledge and resources required to ensure that their operations comply. Non-compliance not only incurs the risk of falling foul of safety regulators, but also represents a lost opportunity to implement a cutting-­- edge approach to the management of safety.

Requirements for compliance with functional safety standards vary depending on the relevant safety lifecycle stage(s) and also the position that a company occupies in the supply chain. A well- designed functional safety management system specifies the requirements for compliance based on these principles.

Many companies have taken measures to comply with functional safety standards, however all too often a lack of understanding of what is required (or not required) frustrates these efforts.

Managers should ask themselves whether they are certain that compliance is (or is not) required. If compliance is required, is it actually being achieved - and how can this be demonstrated?

Relying on an incomplete understanding of functional safety standards is no longer an acceptable option.

Management activities & functional safety Most managers will understand and be familiar with engineering aspects of functional safety. Terms such as “HAZOP”, “Commissioning Plan” and even “FMEDA” and “LOPA” are part and parcel of the language of modern process plant design and operations. How many managers, however, are familiar with the management activities that are also required in order to achieve functional safety?

Functional safety management activities are an absolute requirement for compliance with the standards. They must be

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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HEALTH & SAFETY NEW ROCOL GREASE BOOSTS EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE Lubricants specialist ROCOL has launched a brand new anti-seize and assembly grease to help food and drink processers reduce machine disassembly time, avoid damage to costly components and extend equipment life.

Developed specifically for food and drink processing facilities, the new FOODLUBE AntiSeize grease prevents galling and seizure of joints and fasteners. It retains its consistency and doesn’t set firm even in high temperature or humid environments, making it particularly effective for use in areas where regular washdowns, controlled machine assembly or easy dismantling are required.

FOODLUBE Anti-Seize is optimised for use on stainless steel, commonly used in the food industry due to its corrosion resistance, and it is also compatible with a variety of metals, which allows for the rationalisation of assembly products.

The high performance product is the latest addition to ROCOL’s Kosher certified, NSF and ISO21469 registered FOODLUBE range Purpose designed for use in food, beverage, confectionery, meat and dairy processing and packing facilities, bakeries, breweries and canning plants, FOODLUBE Anti Seize is suitable for use on joints, threaded fasteners, fixings, screws, bolts, nuts and washers.

A single 500g tin will lubricate up to 1000 fasteners, making it cost effective and economical in use, further contributing to reduced lubrication costs.

FOODLUBE Anti-Seize is available at Acorn.

For more information about the product visit www.rocol.com/articles/view/78.

process control NEW EMERSON COMBUSTION CONTROL ANALYSER FOR SMALL AND MIDSIZE BOILER USERS HELPS MEET ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS Rosemount™ CX1100 in-situ oxygen analyser is first industrial-quality system to be “right-sized” for commercial and light industrial boiler market To improve energy efficiency and meet environmental regulatory requirements for small and midsize boiler markets, Emerson introduces the Rosemount CX1100 in-situ oxygen analyser, the first high-performance, zirconia cell-based combustion control system designed for these users. The new system offers the ease of use, economy, and simplified maintenance they require for flue gas measurement.

It features the same sensor reliability found in large industrial technology, but the system is built to the requirements of boilers used in such applications as food and beverage, manufacturing, commercial, and municipal.

With increasing environmental requirements, users of light industrial and commercial boilers are faced with escalating compliance demands that increase the need for measurement and control of the fuel-air ratio, which optimises energy efficiency and reduces emissions. Many small to midsize boiler users currently do not measure oxygen in combustion flue gas, leaving themselves open to regulatory as well as energy inefficiency problems. With the Rosemount CX1100, it is now economically feasible to bring high quality and repeatable zirconia technology to these markets. With the addition of the Rosemount CX1100, Emerson now offers the full range of boiler combustion technology from smaller commercial boilers to high temperature, multimeasurement hazardous approval applications.

Additional information on the Rosemount CX1100 can be found at Web: www.Emerson.com/RosemountCX1100.

FILTRATION & SEPARATION AXIUM PROCESS’ MEMBRANE FILTRATION SYSTEMS ARE “ON THE MOVE”

Thermal Mass Flow Meters/Controllers, Vortex, Ultrasonic

Gas, Steam and Liquid applications

www.sierrainstruments.com - +44 (0)7752 799063 Martin Rowe UK sales manager - m_rowe@sierrainstruments.com

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Axium Process design and manufacture Containerised Membrane Filtration Systems that offer a highly flexible and cost effective solution for processing liquid products and effluents, along with separation and recovery of valuable compounds.

Axium’s Containerised Systems offer a bespoke solution to suit specific site parameters and conditions, providing flexibility of location, easy transportation and low cost installation benefits. Planning Permission is not usually required and Civils are usually minimal.

Utilising microfiltration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membrane filtration technology, Axium’s Systems are supplied fully configured for ease and speed of deployment. The equipment needs minimal intervention and can be manual or fully automatic in operation using state of the art PLC control with live data logging and remote access.

Membrane filtration has applications in almost every industry as a precision technique to control liquid processing operations, reduce costs, produce or recover product, save energy and recycle water. Physical separation is achieved without chemicals and delivers a consistent, stable output ideal for quality sensitive processes. Axium Process is one of the UK’s leading hygienic process system manufacturers specialising in crossflow filtration and separation technology.

For further information please contact Axium Process Ltd, Hendy, Swansea Tel: +44 (0) 1792 883 882 Email: info@axiumprocess.com | Web: www.axiumprocess.com PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

featured article

INTEGRAL HIGH EFFICIENCY ECONOMISERS: why aren’t more companies reaping the benefits?

Chris Horsley, Managing Director of Babcock Wanson asks why more companies aren’t reaping the benefits of thermal fluid heating systems with integral economisers.

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conomisers for Steam Generators have been around for many years and virtually all boiler makers offer them. Economisers for thermal fluid heating systems, on the other hand, are a different matter; few manufacturers offer them as they are more difficult to integrate into the process and even fewer still are able to provide integral economisers.

With thermal fluid systems becoming an increasingly popular process heating method because of their very high overall process efficiency, ease of use and compact nature, it’s a wonder why more manufacturers don’t provide them and why more customers don’t demand them. If a customer has opted for a suitably sized thermal fluid heating system because of its energy and cost saving factors, then buying one with an integral economiser would seem to be a no brainer; after all, they provide added savings from recovering and reusing what would otherwise be waste heat.

In case you are unfamiliar with the concept of economisers, they are essentially heat exchange devices that extract the residual heat from the exhaust gas generated by the combustion process. Often, that recovered heat is fed back in to the process; in the case of Steam Boilers to preheat the feed water, thus lowering overall fuel consumption and ultimately resulting in reduced operating costs and lower total exhaust emissions.

But what about when higher process fluid temperatures are required?

For thermal fluid systems, return fluid economisers are not really practical due to the high fluid temperatures involved.

Systems do exist which work to recover heat to an external heat sink, but there is always the challenge of matching the heat load of the slave system to that recovered from the Thermal Fluid Heater. This is not always an easy task and it often results in having to dump valuable recovered energy when the needs of the two systems do not match up all the time. As a result, a different approach needs to be taken.

One such approach has been to create an integral, double, combustion air pre- heater. The standard pre heated jacket, which is fitted to the majority of thermal fluid heaters, is bolstered with an additional shell and tube type heat recovery APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

device built into the actual case of the heater. It enables even more heat to be recovered from the flue gases by heating the combustion air, which reduces the amount of energy required to take it from ambient to normal combustion temperature. This can mean a flue gas temperature of circa 200°C, whilst still heating the thermal fluid to 300°C. This novel design allows 5-6% energy recovery with no operator involvement or further heat sink required – it’s an entirely selfcontained solution. However, extra floor space is needed – up to 50% over thermal fluid heaters without economisers – but as the systems are so compact in the first place, this shouldn’t be an issue for most facilities.

Take a thermal fluid system with a 1000kW load as an example.

To reach the heat load absorbed by the process using a standard heater you would need around 1300kW gross heat input, which allows for energy loss from chimneys etc. Having a high surface integral economiser fitted in that heater will reduce the energy input demand by circa 65kW/h.

Over a single year, assuming the heater is working 60-70% of the time, this could equate to anywhere between 340,000 – 400,000 kWh. Translating that to monetary value, if we assume a gas cost of 0.02p per kWh gross, we can easily see a saving of circa £7000 per year and that’s just on the smaller heaters. In terms of payback period, one to two years is average, although for larger heaters the payback is even quicker; just a single year on a 2000-3000kW heater.

Keep in mind also that with an integral economiser there is no water or other intermediary fluid required, so no water treatment and no risk of corrosion. The inbuilt preheater works on clean combustion air and high velocity flue gas, so is virtually maintenance free and will provide very high performance for the life of the heater.

As you can see, economisers quickly pay for themselves. They have grown in popularity over recent years to reflect changes in the political and social landscape where energy saving has made it on to the agenda. Rather ironically, when fuel was at its peak price economisers were rarely specified in a system!

As mentioned, economisers can work with both steam and thermal fluid heating systems In the case of Steam Generators, the economiser is fitted on the flue box and the recovered heat is mainly used to preheat

the feed water. The harder the Generator works, the greater amount of heat recovered. It’s very simple to use, with no operator intervention necessary and no heat sink required.

It’s also very easy to retro fit to any manufacturer’s boiler.

The only considerations are fuel source, so consider one that permits dual fuel operation with both gas and light oil whilst greatly extending periods between cleaning due to the nonfouling fins of the extended heating surface.

To show the benefit of thermal fluid heating systems with integral economisers in real settings, let us look at a client of ours. Formica - a leading provider of branded, designed surfacing solutions – has fitted one of our EPC 1500ES fully automatic coil type, multi-pass Thermal Fluid Heater with an integral exhaust gas to combustion air economiser at its North Shields site to heat a newly installed oven used in the manufacturing process.

During commissioning, with an outlet thermal fluid temperature of 287°C, the flue gas was cooled to 200°C giving a combustion efficiency of 90-91 %. However, in subsequent operating tests under production loads and with a lower outlet thermal fluid temperature of 251°C, flue gas temperature was only 127°C and combustion efficiency increased to 94%.

This high level of efficiency under working conditions really reduces the overall fuel consumption below that normally anticipated when high temperature fluids are required for process heating applications.

Similarly, Total UK Ltd has installed two 2500kW EPC ES Thermal Fluid Heaters at its Preston based Bitumen Division to improve operating costs and cut emissions. They are being used to heat the bitumen to a constant 180°C to maintain its fluid state, enabling it to be pumped to where it needs to go, and the key benefits already reaped include a reduction in fuel costs from greater efficiency plus a reduction in stack emissions. With lower energy input demand also comes lower total exhaust emissions, so there are also environmental benefits.

So, with the efficiency improvements and energy savings that are readily achievable by using a thermal fluid heating system with integral economisers, and with a remarkably short payback period, the question remains: why aren’t more companies reaping the benefits of this proven technology?

Let’s hope that’s not a question we’ll be continuing to ask for the foreseeable future.

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featured article

A CLOSER LOOK AT

MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE STRATEGIES

By Phil Taylor - Associate Consultant, MCP Consulting Group Ltd.

How much do you know about CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management Software) or EAM (Enterprise Asset Management)?

Maybe you have an existing system which nobody likes or possibly you are working with spreadsheets and paper and feel there must be a better way to manage maintenance within your company. Whatever your situation, you are likely to be working in one of the many maintenance departments that doesn’t have a clear picture of how to ensure CMMS/EAM software use is deployed and developed to maximise its potential benefit!

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here are many systems available today ranging in price from free to exorbitant and although most are perfectly capable of providing the functionality required for most maintenance operations many are damned as ‘bad systems’ with the most common reason cited for failure being a lack of “user- friendliness”. In truth, failed systems are generally caused by poor implementations and poor implementations stem from a lack of a clear maintenance software strategy.

The general structure of these systems has not changed significantly since their development from paper-based T-card systems over 30 years ago.

This structure normally includes the following elements or modules: - Equipment - Spare/replacement parts stock - PPM (Planned Preventive Maintenance) - Staff/contract resources - Work order or job card planning/scheduling - History However the information and processes which make up the life 14

blood of maintenance departments the world over include far more than these six elements. For example consider: - Procurement - Energy isolation management - Condition monitoring - Task Risk Assessment - Reliability Centred Maintenance - Permits to Work - Safety incident recording - Shift log - Technical manuals - Technical drawings - KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) - Reporting - Contract management - Budget management - Instrument calibration - COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) There are CMMS/EAM system suppliers who include some of the above in their offerings either as fully integrated functions or as modular additions which may or may not be integrated.

More often than not however a maintenance department’s approach is to implement a basic CMMS and when additional functionality is required seek it from a specialist supplier, usually one which has had no involvement in the original CMMS supply or implementation.

A better approach is to develop a Maintenance Management Software Strategy. This can either be done at the outset for a new facility or as part of a strategic review for existing operations.

So what needs to be considered for such a strategy? First and foremost a software strategy must be aligned to a strategy for managing maintenance. There are many definitions of “Strategy” e.g. Johnson and Scholes in their book “Exploring Corporate Strategy” which gives the following: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations”.

A maintenance management strategy will therefore consider how the department should operate in order to provide the business with a level of OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) to meet long term business objectives at the lowest cost associated with acceptable levels of safety and environmental impact.

As there are many books and articles on developing maintenance

management strategies this article will concentrate solely on the issues surrounding software selection and implementation strategy.

Why use software?

Answering this question can help in developing a strategy. If we understand the ways in which software can be of benefit this can help quantify the value its use can add to an operation.

Maintenance of equipment requires experienced staff. Usually there is a premium to be paid for skilled technicians and they are employed to perform technical tasks such as carrying out preventive maintenance or repairing equipment which has broken down. Productivity can be as low as 50% with contributing factors including: 1. Searching for technical information or drawings 2. Single skilled technician waiting for a colleague with additional skill 3. Awaiting spare parts 4. Awaiting authorisation 5. Travelling to/from work site 6. Information management (updating computer records, drawings etc.)

7. Sickness While the key to minimising time spent on item 1 is well organised data, the volume of data available these days is such that, no matter how well organised hard copy records are, software can still retrieve the information faster provided the level of organisation is similar or better.

Effective Maintenance Requires Effective Planning

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

Increasingly, companies are investing in multi-skilling maintenance technicians, which reduces inefficiencies from item 2. The point however is that good planning is essential in ensuring efficient use of staff. This also applies to item 5, travel time. Planning requires regular recalculations which can be undertaken more speedily with software than pen, paper and a calculator. Trial amendments to plans become far more practical when detailed calculations can be performed by a specially written algorithm.

Maintaining stock levels at a pre-determined level does not require software but computerisation can speed up repetitive processes such as processing stock requisitions and printing purchase orders. In addition, providing accurate stock requirement data has been entered into planned preventive maintenance tasks, computers can project stock utilisation levels much more accurately thereby allowing more of a ‘justin- time’ approach to stock control maintaining stock holding costs at a minimum.

Where permits to work are used, formal authorisation to proceed is a significant element in the process and, while this can be organised to minimise any delays for planned work, significant time can be spent searching for authorisers for unforeseen events such as breakdowns or changes to preauthorised schedules of work. While phones and pagers enable swift contact to be made, there is a need for an authorisation to be recorded in a way which can be audited at a later stage and time can be lost as requester and authoriser locate one another to ensure a signature is obtained. Some companies are now accepting electronic authorisation as an acceptable alternative to hand written signatures thus allowing time to be saved without reduction in safety.

As any maintenance software will require technician time to update data, it is essential that such time is kept to the minimum consistent with benefiting all concerned.

Finally, while a computer cannot prevent staff non-attendance due to sickness, it can help with reorganising depleted resources within short time frames.

To recap then, software generally helps save time by locating information quickly, performing routine tasks efficiently and executing complex calculations accurately and speedily.

These benefits need not only apply to technical staff productivity. Consider regular production of KPIs for example.

It can take clerical staff (and how often is this skilled technical staff?) significant time compiling statistics from manual records while with the correct software they can be produced updated automatically making them available on demand. If a new analysis of data is required this takes minutes rather than hours as data retrieval from modern databases is quick and simple.

So how does knowing the benefits of software help in producing a Maintenance Management Software Strategy? It’s unlikely that budgets will stretch to buying maintenance management software to cater for all the department’s needs in one go so some prioritisation will be required. The functions selected for early implementation will be those which fit with the maintenance management strategy and provide the biggest efficiency savings. A value analysis of this sort can only be produced with an understanding of the various cost-saving mechanisms offered by software in general.

Integration

source (normally used when modules are supplied by different suppliers)

Implementation Many managers underestimate the length of time needed to implement a software module properly. Implementation stages include: - Business Process Mapping - Data collection and database population - Software installation and configuration (only configuration if using SaaS) - Staff training - Trial runs - Go-live follow-up reviews The above assumes there are no software modifications included in the process as this would add specification production, time for software development, factory acceptance tests and site acceptance tests thereby lengthening the process considerably.

Depending on the complexity of the software and the nature of its effects on business processes implementation can take anywhere between a few months to a year or more. Data is a significant element and much depends on the level and quality of basic data needed and available to populate the database. A green field site relies heavily on data provided by construction contractors and/or equipment suppliers which often requires effort to check and ensure quality is good – the alternative is the more time consuming manual process. Upgrading an existing system however can be relatively quick in comparison so long as data quality is good, as extraction and import is a simple matter with problems restricted to compatible field sizes and

As a maintenance management software strategy will take a long term view, it is necessary t consider how later software modules will need to interact with existing or initial software solid reference points to tie information from different systems together for reporting purposes. Unless software modules scheduled for later implementation have been designed to integrate seamlessly with existing or initial software, integration is likely to be an expensive process and so benefits should be substantial or integration ruled out as a requirement.

Two main methods of integrating software Option 1 Integration by transferring data Option 2 Integration by using a single data APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

Staff Training, Practical as Well as Theoretical

data types.

Staff training should also not be underestimated. The success of all software implementations relies on staff involvement which in turn demands good communication and training in the lead up to software introduction. Even with good staff cooperation there will be a period of inconsistent use requiring management input to instil new ways of working until they become automatic.

Finally, never fall into the trap of thinking the project is over once the system is live. Software usually has many more features than can be sensibly implemented at a single stroke.

Some features will never be of any use to a particular operation but others will be good candidates for introduction once the system’s use has settled down over a period of time.

Producing a Maintenance Management Software Strategy There is an old saying maintenance engineers often refer to, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. The American Management Consultant Clark Crouch has adapted this slightly saying: “If it ain’t broke, break it, then fix it. Otherwise you may be destined to address tomorrows problems with yesterdays solutions.”

He is also credited with the drier but apposite: “Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future.”

Maintenance Management software modules can be highly productive tools or unjustifiably expensive burdens on a workforce. The difference between these two extremes is strategic planning. Strategic planning is not difficult. It requires effort to understand the subject in its broadest sense and the ability to think in overview rather than in detail. The key steps in producing a Maintenance Management Software Strategy are: - Identify how maintenance is currently being administered and managed - Describe a vision of how maintenance is to be administered and managed in the future - Know which maintenance disciplines can be helped by software - Understand how software can be of benefit - Determine if integration is appropriate and if so how much - Calculate the cost benefit of each module - Produce a prioritised list of software required - Assess the time required to implement each module - Determine the steps required to achieve the vision - Align the maintenance software strategy with the company’s maintenance strategy By considering each of these steps the strategy practically writes itself. It is as much about the journey as the destination and a strategy is only the first stage in changing things for the better but as the Chinese proverb says, “Even the longest journey begins with a single step”.

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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves AxFlow launches the next generation in mixing and heating technology

NEW FDA COMPLIANT AIR OPERATED DOUBLE DIAPHRAGM PUMPS

AxFlow is launching APV’s new and innovative Cavitator for heating and mixing liquids using the forces of cavitation in a controlled manner rather than heated surfaces, impellers and blades which are traditionally employed by such devices.

When cavitation b u b b l e s collapse they produce powerful shockwaves that can cut the process material into microscopic sizes.

This increases the surface contact area between the liquids, gases and/or solids being mixed and maximizes the efficiency of the procedure for processes such as hydration, emulsification and gas/liquid mixing.

This proven technique pioneered in the chemical and petrochemical industries, can heat liquids in seconds without the need for high temperature metal surfaces thereby eliminating scaling of equipment and scorching of product. The mixing characteristics are virtually shear-free making the Cavitator ideal for use with sensitive products.

AxFlow is the exclusive distributor of APV food industry components in the UK. For more information contact AxFlow Ltd, 820 Yeovil Rd, Slough Trading Estate, SL1 4JA. Tel: 01753 255600 | E-mail: Info@Axflow.co.uk | Web: www.AxFlow.co.uk

The Finish Thompson FTI AIR range of Air-Operated Double Diaphragm pumps (AODD) has been expanded following the introduction of new models in materials which are FDA compliant. Available from MICHAEL SMITH ENGINEERS these new pump options are made from Polypropylene and 316 Stainless Steel so they are ideal for food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic fluids handling applications.

The Polypropylene option has a simple, durable design with a smooth, easy clean finish with FDA compliant unfilled polypropylene wetted components and a choice of polypropylene or powder coated aluminium for the non-wetted parts. It has stainless steel fasteners and is available with threaded or ANSl/ DIN/ISO flanged connections which vary depending on pump size.

The FDA compliant metallic option features 316L stainless steel wetted compo- nents and a smooth satin finish to RA 200µ-in/5.1µm with tri-clamp connections and stainless steel hardware. The non-wetted parts are available in either powder coated aluminium or polypropylene. An ATEX certified option is also available on request.

Both models benefit from an integral, stall-free air valve that is simple, rugged and reliable and eliminates the need for a separate pilot valve, or mechanically operated pilot valve. The components for this include; a low friction slide valve on a ceramic plate to allow for long-life and superior sealing, a moulded Buna gasket which ensures total sealing and eliminates flat gasket tearing.

The simple and proven design places the emphasis on fewer moving parts, resulting in the all-important benefits of improved reliability, reduced downtime and lower running costs.

The FTI AIR range offers the important benefits of using AODD pumps. These include, simple installation, easy to operate and run, low maintenance and running costs, self-priming, portable, dry-running and the ability to handle abrasive, viscous and shear-sensitive liquids and even ‘dirty’ liquids with particles.

The pumps modular construction contributes toward simplified maintenance with individually replaceable, lower cost wearing parts which do not require special tools for fitting. Single piece flow assembly procedures means that every pump is built to the highest quality of specifications and every pump is tested with a three point test for vacuum, leakage and run ability.

For more information contact Michael Smith Engineers Ltd, Woking, Surrey Tel: FREEPHONE: 0800 316 7891 Email: Info@michael-smith-engineers.co.uk Web: www.michael-smith-engineers.co.uk

MEAN MACHINE

The right design for engineers

FOG, RAG, PLASTIC and any other solid or fibrous debris will cause blockages and disruption with costly downtime to all process streams from STRAWBERRIES to SEWAGE. There are many 'solids handling' pumps on the market today but only one MEAN MACHINE.

www.pumpmix.co.uk sales@pumpmix.co.uk Tel: 01487 830123 16

AB17-1029

The VAUGHAN chopper pump is the solution to a common pumping problem and has proved it for over 50 years

When Grundfos wanted to create an on-line hub for engineers, they knew the best place to start was by speaking to a number of specialist engineers, from different backgrounds, all of whom had one thing in common - their roles meant they needed to specify pumps.

Regardless of whether you are a commercial or industrial engineer or work within the wastewater segment, you will find information that has been specifically designed to work with you. The topics covered are as varied as: building in higher performance into both small and large projects; how to design water extraction in diverse conditions; a wide range of case studies from around the world; or can you opt to watch a video from different Grundfos product experts on a host of themes.

With direct links to the Grundfos Product Center (GPC) a pump selection tool that will help you to specify the ideal solution for both new and retrofit applications, or you can access some training support via the link from here to the on-line Grundfos Ecademy that is open to visit 24/7, you can choose what suits your specific needs.

Today our Grundfos for Engineers platform is continuing to evolve and it will always benefit from our listening to what engineers need to help support them. Perhaps this is why is has become a favourite with the thousands of engineers who visit the UK site.

Check it out for yourself by visiting www.grundfos.co.uk/engineers PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

incl. Pumps & Valves

Bredel pumps deliver 25% improvement to process uptime & contribute to reduced CO2 emissions at Italian organic waste recycling plant

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING Bifold’s Circuit Designer – Modular solutions with drag and drop system The Bifold Circuit Designer allows you to design a bespoke modular solution or tubed valve circuit comprising a series of valves in any order or orientation (where applicable) using a schematic drag and drop system. The completed system can then be bought as a modular solution or as a list of separate valves from Bifold.

• Design a circuit using drag and drop (new schematics added regularly).

• Organise and manage your projects in the Project Centre.

• View the modular solution code and description or a list of separate valves and fittings.

• Create a PDF schematic diagram and description for sending with a quote.

• View and print the Modular Solution Bill of Materials (BOM) or separate valves (BOM).

• For users with Solid Edge ST6 and above, create a 3D model and dimensional drawing for a Modular Solution.

• 3,500 + systems already configured.

• New users configuring systems every week.

Installation Download and run setup.exe from: https://www.bifold.co.uk/BifoldCircuitDesigner.aspx For more information, screenshots and Getting Started Guide, visit: Web: www.bifold.co.uk/BifoldCircuitDesigner.aspx

A total of seven Bredel 80 hose pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) have replaced competitor models on buffer tanks feeding the digester at a major Italian recycling plant.

The previous pumps were undersized when running at high speeds and subsequently demonstrated gearbox wear and hose life issues. However, these problems have been completely eliminated with the introduction of Bredel pumps. In fact, such has been their success that Bredel 65 pumps are now being considered for a further application.

Montello SpA is a market leader in sorting, recovery and recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging, as well as treatment, recovery and recycling of organic waste. At the company’s 350,000m2 plant near Bergamo, waste is used to produce biogas from an anaerobic digestion process that in turn generates electric and thermal energy, as well as high quality organic fertiliser.

Heavy-duty application The company uses pumps to feed the digester from buffer tanks. This is a high temperature and high flow (21m3/hr), 24/7 application. The sludge is viscous with high dry solids content (up to 60-70%), which can include sand – a highly abrasive constituent. Pressure is a further issue: for safety reasons involving the production of gas, the digesters are located far from the plant, so the discharges are up to 100 metres distant.

As a result of these challenges, Montello’s existing pumps and hoses were falling short of expectations in terms of process uptime and operational costs, particularly when running at elevated speeds. In search of a solution, the company turned to WMFTG, requesting a trial of two Bredel 80 pumps. The CSF Air-operated piston pumps are closed loop, speed controlled pump, running against a discharge pressure of 5.5 bar delivered an impressive process uptime by 25% using an NR (natural perfect for transferring thick, rubber) hoses. high viscosity liquids from tanks, With the new pumps and hoses in place, the customer now achieves a reliable drums and IBC’s. process that offers predictable gas generatio and known maintenance costs.

Today, seven Bredel 80 hose pumps are installed.

“This is a perfect example of the growing demand for pumps in waste recycling applications,” says Pietro Spagnolo, Sales Engineer at WMFTG. “Fermenting biowaste is the current focus of many recycling companies and energy producers in Europe, as the process provides significant reductions in CO2 emissions. The Montello plant alone achieves annual CO2 savings of around ● Pump creams, pastes, 90,000 tonnes. This is why the installed capacities in biogas plants fermenting municipal and industrial bio-waste will increase from 900 MW in 2014, to gels and syrups around 1,750 MW in 2023. We expect the number of plants in Europe to grow ● Quick-strip versions are easy from 800 to over 1,450 in this time, representing significant opportunities for to dismantle for cleaning Bredel hose pump technology.” ● Ideal for food, brewing and More potential pharmaceutical applications Montello is already looking at Bredel 65 pumps for further applications, this ● Choose from a range time on the pre-treatment prior to the buffer tanks. Here, flow is 10m3/hr, including models for and once again abrasion is proving a concern. The customer has spoken with experts at WMFTG, discussing the principal technology differences of Bredel flow rates up to 100 lit/min pumps, namely the use of direct-coupled technology versus the close-coupled and pressures up to 150 bar technology of the encumbant pumps. The next stage will be the acquisition of a single Bredel 65 pump for use in a long term trial against existing pumps.

Pick the perfect pump – From Pump Engineering For more information contact Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, Falmouth, Cornwall.

Tel: 01903 730900 Tel: 01326 370370 sales@pumpeng.co.uk E-mail: info@wmftg.co.uk www.pumpeng.co.uk Web: www.wmftg.com

PUMPING

AB15-909

Thick, viscous liquids?

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

17

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves Hydra-Cell Pumps at UTECH Europe 2018 Wanner International will be exhibiting its range of Hydra-Cell hydraulically balanced, seal-less diaphragm pumps, specifically developed to meet the needs of polyurethane production, on stand 142, Hall 8 at Utech Europe, 29 – 31 May in Maastricht.

The Company has added to its range of pumps for polyurethane manufacturing with the introduction of the Hydra-Cell Metering Solutions MT8 seal-less triplex metering pump. Designed to accommodate low flow rates from 0.227 to 30.28 lph and pressures up to 241 bar while exceeding API 675 performance standards, its multiple diaphragm design provides virtually pulse-free flow without the need for pulsation dampeners.

Pumps with dynamic seals are prone to premature seal and bearing wear caused by crystal particles in isocyanates and abrasive fillers used in many Polyols.

As with all Hydra-Cell pumps, the MT8 has no dynamic seals to wear and consequently ensures that potentially harmful chemicals are 100% contained.

The combination of multiple hydraulically balanced diaphragms and no dynamic seals means that flow rate delivery is extremely accurate consistent, even at pressure of 241 bar, giving a process with ultimate controllability and consistency.

Hydra-Cell’s multi diaphragm design ensures low shear delivery, so essential for pumping shear sensitive polymers. The range caters for all requirements up to 241 bar pressure and flow rates up to 11.3 litres per minute.

High pressure capabilities enable Hydra-Cell pumps to overcome the resistance of long lines in transfer applications and the outstanding performance accuracy makes them the ideal choice for additive dosing and blowing agent injection.

For more information contact Brenda Davis, Wanner International.

Tel +44 (0)1252 816847 Email: Brenda@wannerint.com | Web: www.hydra-cell.eu

BUSCH PRESENTS NEW SERIES OF DOLPHIN LIQUID RING VACUUM PUMPS Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems has now launched an entirely new series of liquid ring vacuum pumps. The new Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps have been completely redesigned but are based on proven liquid ring vacuum technology.

With these new vacuum pumps, Busch has been able to optimize an existing product that has become an established part of many industrial processes, resulting in the development of extremely powerful, yet energy-efficient vacuum generators.

Dolphin LM models are single-stage vacuum pumps for the rough vacuum range from atmospheric pressure to 130 hPa (mbar) ultimate pressure. Dolphin LT models are available in two-stage versions and cover the vacuum range from atmospheric pressure to 33 hPa (mbar). A total of 13 sizes are available so that a precisely coordinated solution can be found for any process. Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps have a modular design and integrated flow channels. This makes them extremely compact and eliminates the need for base frames. The IE3 energy-saving motor is directly flange-mounted. The new seal concept with mechanical shaft seals, made of Viton or PFC rubber depending on the pumping medium, ensures a long life cycle. The standard material for the impeller is stainless steel. A stainless steel version of the housing is available as an option.

Water or a fluid suitable for the process medium is normally used as the operating fluid. Ethylene glycol, mineral oils or organic solutions can also be used, as well as the fluids already used in the process. Dolphin LM/LT liquid ring vacuum pumps can be operated in simple circulatory systems, in open or closed liquid cycles. Their high vapour and particle tolerance makes the extremely robust vacuum generators exceptionally well-suited for removal/extraction of wet gases or vapours. They are thus predestined for use in processing technology, chemical and pharmaceutical processes, food technology applications, oil production and processing, plastic processing, wood impregnation and drying processes, and many other industrial applications.

Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps are available in sizes with pumping speeds of 80 to 900 cubic metres per hour. Versions for operation in potentially explosive environments are available in different ATEX-compliant versions and temperature classes.

Busch will present the new Dolphin LM/LT liquid ring vacuum pumps at ACHEMA in hall 8.0, stand no. B27.

For more information contact Busch UK Ltd, Telford, Shropshire Tel: 01952 677432 | E-mail: sales@busch.co.uk | Web: www.buschvacuum.com

Your Right Connection For Hygienic Process Systems Valves

Fittings

Hose

Engineered Products

Fabrication

Tel: +44 (0)1772 323529 Email: sales@dixoneurope.co.uk www.dixoneurope.co.uk 18

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

featured article

Four boiler contaminants that jeopardise power plant operation & maintenance

Optimum positioning of analytical instruments at key points throughout the water and steam cycle and water treatment plant on modern power stations can provide operators with a valuable insight into improving plant efficiency and cost effectiveness. Jon Penn of ABB Measurement & Analytics UK explains the benefits of balanced boiler chemistry and how key contaminants can be kept in check to ensure a safe and efficient process.

K

eeping key boiler water and steam contaminants in check can help to ensure a safe and efficient process. Power generation requires vast quantities of water to produce steam. Achieving well-balanced water chemistry can optimise the efficiency of steam raising and distribution.

The elevated temperatures and pressures inherent in power generation applications greatly increase the speed of chemical reactions taking place in a boiler. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) advises that to control deposition and corrosion in the boiler, plant operators should ensure effective monitoring of makeup water, condensate, feedwater and boiler water qualities.

The absence of adequate monitoring and control will almost certainly lead to both increased costs and more frequent component failures. Evidence shows that allowing boiler chemistry to vary from specified limits can result in expensive plant outages, potentially incurring costs of over $1,000,000 per day.

By measuring and monitoring not just the water in the boiler but also the steam distribution loop and other areas around a power plant, it is possible to obtain a better overview of current conditions. When incorporated into a planned preventative maintenance programme, this information can help to 20

substantially reduce the risk of unplanned outages.

Why should I measure boiler chemistry?

A key culprit behind many boiler failures is the accumulation of scale and corrosion brought about by contaminated water entering the boiler.

Even in a well-controlled regime, it is not possible to totally eliminate the presence of potential contaminants present in boiler feedwater. For example, in a 500 megawatt boiler, around 1,500 tons of water is boiled off per hour, equating to one million tons per month. Most of the resulting contaminants that are present in the water remain in the boiler. Close monitoring and control can determine the optimum time for boiler blowdown operations to bleed off a measure of the contaminated water. This helps to prevent precipitated scale deposits from thermally insulating the heat surfaces, which can decrease the rate of steam generation and reduce operating efficiency.

Extensive on-line chemical monitoring is now a very well established practice in the power industry. Online/ monitoring enables careful control of the water chemistry to achieve peak efficiency and minimise down time caused by excessive boiler corrosion or scaling.

Controlling contamination Online analysis of the key parameters that can affect boiler water and steam quality enables operators to achieve a continuous picture of conditions in and around the steam raising and distribution loop. The following is a breakdown of some of the key parameters that should be covered by online monitoring.

Dissolved oxygen Dissolved oxygen is a major cause of corrosion in steam systems. Oxygen contamination of steam condensate can lead to inefficient or improper feedwater aeration, air leakage at pump seals, receivers and flanges, leaking heat exchangers and ingress into systems that are under vacuum. It can also promote localised pitting corrosion, which can cause rapid failure of critical equipment in the steam system.

One way to control dissolved oxygen levels is by dosing boiler feedwater with oxygen scavenging chemicals, such as hydrazine. When these chemicals are used, operators can assess the efficiency of their dosing regime by measuring for

dissolved oxygen at the economiser or boiler inlet, with any fluctuations able to be addressed by increasing or reducing the dose quantities.

The dramatic variations in oxygen levels during the load cycle of a plant, combined with the different levels required for different boiler chemistry regimes, require an analyser that offers a fast response across both high and low dissolved oxygen concentrations.

Hydrazine As an oxygen scavenger, hydrazine is widely used to remove trace levels of dissolved oxygen in boiler feedwater, forming nitrogen and water. At high temperatures and pressures, it will also form ammonia, which increases the feedwater pH level, reducing the risk of acidic corrosion.

Hydrazine also reacts with soft haematite layers on the boiler tubes to create a hard protective magnetite layer which acts to protect the tubes from further corrosion.

Placing a hydrazine monitor at the feedwater inlet will help check that feedwater is being dosed with the correct amount of hydrazine. Too much hydrazine is both wasteful and costly, whilst too little will not be able to adequately control dissolved oxygen levels and will prevent adequate formation of magnetite. Typically, the most effective dosage of hydrazine is 3:1 parts hydrazine to the expected level of dissolved oxygen, which should result in a dissolved oxygen concentration level of five parts per billion.

Sodium As the sixth most abundant element on Earth, sodium is the root cause of many different types of corrosion in boilers, making it one of the most important parameters to measure in power plant applications. Traditionally, conductivity measurement was used to indicate the total dissolved solids. However, it lacks the sensitivity to measure sodium at low levels.

A particular problem with sodium is the cycle it undergoes during hydrolysis. During this process, sodium carbonate is turned into sodium hydroxide, which then attacks iron in the boiler. As iron dissolves, it forms sodium ferroate, which under hydrolysis regenerates into sodium hydroxide. Prolonged exposure to this cycle will put boiler components such as bends and joints under constant attack, causing them to become embrittled and increasing the risk of leaks and cracks.

If carried over in the steam, sodium can also build up on critical components as the steam condenses, including the steam turbine, where it can attack the turbine blades.

The importance of safeguarding against sodium means that operators should measure levels at key points in the steam PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

generation and distribution loops. Sample points should include the water treatment plant, the condenser extractor pump, the polishing plant outlet and the saturated and superheated steam distribution loops.

At the water treatment plant, monitoring for sodium can be used to help identify any sodium breakthrough from the cation exchange and mixed bed outlets caused by exhaustion of the ion exchange beds.

As sodium is a monovalent ion, it is much more likely to break through first, providing an early indicator of bed exhaustion. As such, monitoring for sodium also acts as a useful measure of bed efficiency as well as a precursor measurement for potential sodium contamination further down the line.

On-line measurement of sodium after the extraction pump provides a useful indicator of condenser leaks.

Operated under high vacuum, the condenser is prone to leaks that cause cooling water to become mixed with the condensate.

A key concern here is the ingress of chloride and sulphate, which occur mainly in the form of sodium chloride and sodium sulphate. As sodium monitors have 10 to 100 times the sensitivity of on-line chloride measurement techniques, measuring sodium levels provides a good way of detecting for the presence of chloride and sulphate.

Working in a similar way to water treatment plant, polishing plants can use sodium monitors to detect ion exchange bed exhaustion as well as for monitoring water quality. In some power stations, the polishing plant is incorporated into the main water treatment plant.

In high pressure boilers, any chemical contaminants present in the steam can quickly build up in the boiler drum and can be carried over in the steam to the turbine.

Monitoring for sodium in the saturated and superheated steam distribution loops helps to protect against corrosion and the formation of sodium salts on the superheater or turbines caused by steam carryover. By measuring the purity of the steam and comparing it to the measurements taken from the saturated steam before the superheater and condensate stages, operators can assess whether quality is being affected by issues such as deposition of sodium salts or condenser leaks. The same measurement can also be performed for OnceThrough boilers; however, as these have no separate superheaters, the sample is taken from the superheated steam before the turbine.

Silica Silica is a major culprit behind the build-up of hard and dense scale inside the boilers and turbines of power generation plants. It has a very low thermal conductivity and forms a dense porcelain-like scaling that cannot be removed even with acid. Even a 0.5mm build-up of silica can reduce thermal transfer by 28%, reducing efficiency, leading to hot spots and eventual rupturing, ultimately resulting in plant failure.

The only way to control silica build-up is through an effective monitoring regime. Like sodium, silica

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

should be measured at multiple points around the steam system, including the demineralization plant, boiler feedwater, boiler drums, superheater and condenser outlets.

Measuring silica in the steam from the boiler, either at the superheater or at the entrance to the turbine, gives a good indicator of overall steam purity. Provided that the silica concentration remains below 20 parts per billion, the level of scale deposition should be minimal.

Unlike many other potential contaminants, dissolved silica is only very weakly ionised, so it cannot be detected using a simple conductivity measurement but instead requires a dedicated monitor.

Other parameters that operators may also wish to monitor for include phosphate, ammonia and chloride, using’ sensors that offer quick response times, are temperature tolerant and require minimal maintenance.

Tips for online monitoring For the best return on investment, online monitoring systems must themselves be well-maintained and should use the latest developments in technology to ensure they deliver maximum benefits.

To cut the costs and maintenance effort, modern analysers for power plants should include: - Carefully designed wet sections - Remote management - Automatic calibration and cleaning - Diagnostic messaging Any programme aiming to maximise the efficiency of online monitoring systems should include using instruments that can respond quickly to changes in boiler chemistry and offer self-diagnostic capabilities where possible. The location of monitoring equipment is a vital factor in ensuring the best return on investment in a power plant.

Ideally, monitoring equipment should be situated in an environment that has less potential for damage, has easy access for maintenance and allows for enhanced measurement accuracy.

Incorporating digital communications technology, such as Ethernet, enables data to be relayed to a central control room, opening up the accessibility of the measurement data beyond the local operator.

Summary The ability to gauge maintenance frequency, coupled with enhanced life cycle costs, offers a golden opportunity to improve reliability of supply and minimize unscheduled disruptions.

21

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION ONLINE FLOWMETER SELECTION TOOL HELPS TAKE THE UNCERTAINTY OUT OF FLOW MEASUREMENT

NSF Accredited Flowmeters for Use with Food Products

ABB’s product selector assistant helps simplify flowmeter selection.

ABB has developed an online flowmeter selection tool to help users to quickly and easily find the right device for their application. Available at http://bit.ly/ABBflowselector, the tool provides a simple step-by-step guide to flowmeter selection and sizing, enabling users to narrow down the best solution from a wide range of available meter types and options. The tool is easy to use, with editable information boxes and dropdown menus presented in a series of stages to help users enter and select data.

The process begins with mandatory stages asking the user to specify their process conditions including temperature and pressure and details on the medium being measured. Depending on the medium selected, the tool automatically populates with data on presumed characteristics such as density, viscosity and conductivity, each of which can be adjusted if required. Three optional stages allow users to refine their search criteria by providing extra information on the characteristics of the medium, plus any specific details about the application and the installation conditions.

Once all this information has been entered, users are presented with a list of the recommended products based on their criteria. By selecting their preferred option from this list, users can then produce a basic configuration that can be saved and exported as a PDF, Excel or XML file and used as the basis of a specification. CAD files can also be downloaded for certain meter types.

The creation of the tool is part of ABB’s ongoing drive to help users to put in place the right measurement strategies that can transform the efficiency and performance of their processes. ”With a wide range of different flowmeters and options available, many users can become confused about which one will offer the best solution for their requirements,” says David Bowers for ABB Measurement & Analytics.

“By using our flowmeter selection tool, the process of finding and specifying the right flowmeter for an application is greatly simplified, turning a time-consuming process into a matter of minutes.”

For more information about ABB’s flow measurement portfolio, visit www.abb.com/measurement.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Stonehouse, Glos.

Tel: +44 (0) 1453 82661| Email: kim.thwaites@gb.abb.com | Web: www.abb.co.uk

Titan Enterprises has achieved certification under NSF/ANSI 169 as equipment for food products for their 800 Series turbine flowmeters and Beverage meter. This accreditation is especially important for manufacturers of food production and handling machinery who can now include an 800 Series or Beverage meter secure in the knowledge that it has met NSF-standards for food production.

NSF (www. nsf.org) are an independent, accredited organization, that test, audit and certify products to develop public health standards and certifications that help protect food, water, consumer products and the environment.

Trevor Forster, Managing Director of Titan Enterprises commented “Increasingly food and beverage manufacturers wishing to meter production flow are requiring the assurance of NSF certification that the flow measurement devices they choose are completely compatible with their products”.

As part of the NSF-certification process Titan Enterprises were required to submit samples of the 800 Series and Beverage meter to NSF for analysis. The detailed analysis by NSF included a technical review, a materials review, physical evaluation and a literature/marking evaluation.

The supply chain for materials and components used in the 800 Series and Beverage meters was traced and needed certification of each element. In addition, NSF carried out a pre-audit check of Titan Enterprises UK production facility and control systems. To maintain its NSF listing, Titan Enterprises, as will all NSF listed companies, will be subject to further unannounced audits.

The competitively priced 800 series turbine flowmeter is designed to give high performance over 6 flow ranges from 0.05 to 15 L/min. The devices totally non-metallic wetted components make the 800-seies flowmeter the ideal choice for the metering of food and beverage materials.

Titan Enterprises beverage flowmeter is designed specifically as a flow measurement solution for the drink dispensing industries including beer wines and spirits. They give high performance and competitive pricing with a flow range up to 10 litres per minute. They have totally non-metallic wetted components which makes them the ideal choice for the metering of food-based products.

For further information please contact Titan Enterprises on Tel: +44-1935-812790 E-mail: sales@flowmeters.co.uk.

Web: www.flowmeters.co.uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

featured article

Hiring chemical dosing equipment could benefit your bottom line P r e c i s e , consistent and controllable c h e m i c a l dosing is a critical element of water and wastewater treatment, and it is often combined, along with other equipment, as part of the overall wastewater plant investment. Here, Kevin Wheeler, Managing Director of WES Group, explains how hiring, as opposed to investing, in dosing equipment might prove more operationally and financially beneficial.

W

ater and wastewater system operators depend on chemical dosing equipment to maintain the quality of production output and ensure compliance with environmental and safety standards. While most plant operators are likely to make significant investments in this equipment, is that capital purchase always justifiable? There is, of course, the option to hire – and there are strong cases for this on both capex and opex fronts. Let’s take opex first.

Even well maintained equipment can occasionally break down or fail in service. Hiring allows the early resumption of process operations, and gives staff more time to locate the problem, find a supplier and install replacement parts. Similarly, when the time comes for planned maintenance interventions or upgrades, a hired dosing system will avoid unscheduled downtime and ensure continuity of operations.

When testing and evaluating new processes, plant operators will be encouraged to explore new treatment strategies to ensure the safety and environmental integrity of these processes.

But what works in the lab doesn’t always deliver in the field.

Hiring a system for tests and field trials avoids money wasted on ineffective or inappropriate equipment. And in the event of

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

short term changes in demand or treatment requirements, the hiring option offers greater process flexibility, enabling a rapid and cost-effective adaptation of site capabilities.

Moreover, hired dosing equipment is engineered and tested by the provider, so is supplied ready to install; suppliers can also manage installation, commissioning and maintenance, to provide significant benefits where in-house capabilities are unavailable or overstretched.

On the capex front, some businesses face severe constraints on capital investment. Hiring a dosing system can significantly reduce the capital expenditure required when building or upgrading a process or effluent treatment system.

The hire option: What to look for While the short, medium or long-term hire of dosing equipment can be the optimum solution for many applications, the benefits of hire will only be realised if your chosen hiring provider has the appropriate equipment, capabilities and support infrastructure in place, and if they can bring those elements together into an offering that fully meets your operational needs and opex budgets.

Site- and process- specific chemical storage and dosing requirements can vary by several orders of magnitude, so your provider must have dosing system solutions to meet the full range of applications. This might be anything from compact, integrated systems that can be carried to site, to high-capacity, containerised systems that can be filled by drum, IBC or tanker.

These systems must be designed to integrate seamlessly into your existing operating procedures and supply chain.

Equipment intended for hire applications must be suitable for a wide spectrum of potential customer requirements. This kind of versatility needs to be engineered-in from the start. Check the quality of the hire fleet – does it include high specification pumps, valves and pipework that are fully compatible with the majority of chemical products used by industry? Will the pumps meet critical flow and pressure specifications? Does the hire equipment feature easy-to use integrated control systems that allow timings and dosage parameters to be easily set and adjusted? These are just some of the considerations that you must take into account before appointing a hire partner.

Hire equipment must be ready on time and often at short notice, especially in time-critical breakdown situations. This requires a provider with a large, readily available fleet of equipment

and the right logistics capabilities to deliver that equipment fast. Does your equipment hire team understand that getting processes up and running is your number one priority? Seek out a hire partner that can get equipment mobilised on a same-day basis and be in a fully working condition at your site within hours or days – not weeks.

Hire equipment must be easy to move, fast to install and straightforward to commission, so mind. Palletised or containerised systems simplify logistics, while robust, weatherproof enclosures maximise location flexibility. Does your hire company supply components that are pre-integrated and pre-tested, such as large tanks delivered with appropriate bunds and with filling equipment and safety systems already in place?

There’s nothing worse than receiving your hired equipment and finding that there is incompatibility between yours and the hirer’s equipment connections. The first duty of a responsible hire organisation is to ensure that this never happens. Check to see that your provider offers a broad range of pipework and connectors to make on-site integration simple and straightforward, whether the system needs to link to existing dosing lines or come complete with its own. Moreover, establish whether or not the controls are designed to operate independently or will need to link to existing sensors as well as the on- or off-site control systems.

Dosing equipment design, installation and maintenance is a specialised activity and hire customers should expect a comprehensive range of engineering and technical services from their providers to ensure they get all the support they need to select, install and manage their system. For example, does your provider offer equipment packages built to meet your technical specifications, or are they able to make recommendations based on a site survey?

The operators of water and wastewater treatment systems may opt to hire dosing equipment for many different applications and many different reasons. To meet their requirements, the equipment provider must be flexible and responsive, able to meet the lead times and hire periods the customer needs.

Dosing equipment design, installation and maintenance is a specialised activity, so it is important that the hire company is also able to offer their customers a comprehensive range of engineering and technical services to ensure they get all the support they need to select, install and manage the right system for their needs.

23

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION IMPROVE PROCESS AND MAINTENANCE RELIABILITY WITH SENSORS THAT LEARN™

A British firm has devised a device to save time & money for thousands of companies

Knowing exactly when to maintain, service or replace analytical sensors has historically been imprecise, and failure of these sensors in a process can lead to poor product quality, reagent wastage, or production downtime.

METTLER TOLEDO’s Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) technology removes measurement uncertainty, and allows sensor maintenance to be conducted in a safe environment. ISM not only increases process reliability and plant safety, it also significantly reduces the costs of operating a measurement system over its lifetime. Microprocessors embedded in all ISM sensors deliver robust digital signals, fast, error-free measurement point start up, and process-learnt diagnostics that inform operators when calibration, maintenance or replacement is required.

METTLER TOLEDO’s innovative Plug and Measure™ functionality means a pre-calibrated sensor can be stored, installed and ready to measure in under a minute. ISM sensors do not need time to acclimatise to a process, substantially reducing the time maintenance staff need to spend at measurement points. Our ISM Solutions include pH, dissolved and gas oxygen as well as conductivity, and for safety critical processes, a range of in-situ Tunable Diode Laser gas analysers combining exceptional ease of installation and use with high accuracy and reliability.

For more information contact Mettler Toledo Ltd, Leicester Tel: +44 (0) 116 234 5095 | Email enquire.mtuk@mt.com | Web: www.mt.com

Adding water to powder or granule mixes has long been done using pails or hosepipes. Time consuming, open to accident and operator error, there has never been a viable alternative.

Aquameter Ltd looks set to change that.

Their micro-controlled Abacus system delivers exact, pre-selected quantities of water from a single pipe -straight into the mixing vessel. This precise metering of the water means the operator can recreate batch consistency each time.

Operation is simple - the quantity of water required is programmed in, the RUN button pushed, and the water flows. A solenoid valve located in the water pipe closes the flow at the completion of the cycle - when the pre-set quantity has been reached.

The unit is already in use world wiide. Derek Baxter, International Projects Director with Filtrona International in Jarrow, says of the system: “We use the unit for metering water into a carbon-powder mix. Were it not for these units we would be using buckets of water, a line of hose, or a constantly changing mark on the tank - not that convenient.” He goes on: “With this thing we just dial new numbers in, and away we go - it’s obviously more accurate; using the meter than relying on staff to put it in by pail.”

For further information contact: John Morton, Aquameter limited Tel: 01 992 442 861 Email: john@aquameter.co.uk | Web: www.aquameter.co.uk

Heating for flowmeters in process applications Flowmeters handling viscous liquids face the issue of the liquid solidifying if the downstream process halts and stops liquid flow.

This can be addressed by using an external hot water or steam coil to supply heat energy into the flowmeter.

This solution offers a lack of thermal control and is not energy efficient.

To overcome this issue, Limpet Heating Co Ltd have

developed a heating system specifically for use with flowmeters. The patented AlphaLimpet is attached to the flowmeter with a profiled aluminium adapter block that transmits the heat generated by the AlphaLimpet into the flowmeter.

The heat output is accurate to ±0.8°C and is fully adjustable by the user, requiring only a power supply.

The benefits offered by the AlphaLimpet are: •no control panel is required.

•accurate temperature control.

•compact design.

•IP67 rating.

•low power consumption.

•low-cost protection of a valuable asset.

•Reduced downtime.

For more information contact: Marc Hayes Tel: +44 (0)7837 337570 Email: info@limpetheating.com Web: www.limpetheating.com 24

HEAT TRANSFER & ENERGY THE HEAT IS ON WITH THE NEW MARTINDALE DT SERIES THERMOMETERS From HVAC servicing to Legionella testing, two new models make it easy to take reliable temperature measurements wherever you are working. The DT173 single input and DT175 dual input K Type digital thermometers are new additions to Martindale Electric’s comprehensive thermometry range for contact and non-contact measurements and thermography.

Built for ease of use and performance, the new series of handheld digital thermometers from Martindale Electric provides users with a range of enhanced features to meet the latest demands for temperature measurement in industrial, commercial and public premises. Supplied with bead thermocouples as standard the new thermometers are also compatible with the full range of Martindale K Type probes including air, penetration, clamp and surface probes, ensuring simple measurement solutions for every application.

The two new high performance digital thermometers are supplied in a tough holster with built-in stand. The backlit display has large digits for easy viewing in all environments.

The Martindale DT175 is a dual input digital thermometer which allows users to take readings from two type K thermocouples at the same time, for example the input and output of heating equipment and other systems. When used with the handy differential mode, readings can be used to show the effectiveness of heating and cooling systems.

Both models can be used to record minimum, maximum and average values to identify extremes of temperature and a handy Hold functions to freeze the displayed value. Readings can be displayed in either Centigrade of Fahrenheit.

The new thermometers form part of the latest environmental range from Martindale Electric, which is designed to assess all the key parameters that contribute to the quality of the indoor built environment and ensure compliance with health & safety regulations.

For further information contact Martindale Electric on Tel: 01923 441717 | Web: www. www.martindale-electric.co.uk PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION Innovation within Flow Instrumentation Alicat Scientific is the Global market leader in laminar flow device / differential pressure based flow instrumentation for many differing markets across the world.

They help scientists and engineers solve flow problems. When fast, accurate readings are required Alicat have long-standing, proven solutions to immediately engineer into a process. Furthermore, however, their staff are scientists, their technical knowledge is second to none and this, when combined with an inquisitive nature, ensures that innovative solutions and rapid new developments can be specifically applied. They know that their customers are working on some of the greatest challenges of the day and they appreciate being part of the solution.

Alicat manufactures flow and pressure measurement/control instruments. The standard product line is fast, versatile, and tough. Alicat instruments make their customers jobs easier and reduce the number of instruments required. People love how easy they are to use and how fast they can be delivered. Equipment manufacturers however, often require even more refinements for their process.

OEM products are focused on customized solutions often with different form factors, communication protocols and unique features essential for high volume manufacturing. Since its foundation some 26 years ago the concept of constant innovation and product development has been pivotal to the remarkable success and planned growth of the Company. Specifically, areas such as bi-directional mass flow measurement, precision pressure control within dead-ended non-flowing applications, multiparameter measurement and control, true multi-gas capability and high turn- down have all benefitted from the dedication to innovation. Taking each of these innovations in turn: Bi-directional mass flow measurement. By the application of either a ‘positive’ or “negative” set-point signal, Alicat have enabled the possibility to control flows into a process in one direction first and then to switch into the opposite direction Alternatively, flows can be controlled into a closed process, and then vented without the need for additional bleed valves. Due to the inherently bi-directional nature of the Alicat sensor the flow is measured in both directions and a nett total provided if required.

Dual valve precise pressure control. Precise control of pressure reduction and pressure relief valves, from a single set-point signal ensures process pressure remains stable independent of other variables.

Such processes as head space pressure control, glass reactor protection and the elimination of costly outgassing through continuous bleed valves all benefit from this innovation. Alicat electronic pressure controllers provide responsive, stable control of absolute, gauge or differential pressures in dead-

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

ended processes. Multi-parameter measurement and control. Measurement of multiple parameters on the one instrument (mass flow, volumetric flow, temperature and pressure) enables the user to eliminate additional components within a system, the pipework/fittings required to install them, cables and electronic signal conditioning plus save time and money in so doing. All parameters are displayed on a single screen for easy monitoring of process gasses or liquids. Any of the measurement parameters can be enlarged in the centre position for reading at further distances from the instrument. All of the displayed process parameters are measured in real time, which allows you to look at the device display and quickly get an idea of how your process is operating. When a process begins to falter, this information can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to diagnose and repair the failure. All Alicat mass flow controllers can be changed to pressure controllers or volumetric controllers via digital interface or via the display. The user can monitor mass flow while controlling pressure or vice versa.

True multi-gas capability. Following continuous innovation and development over the years Alicat instruments are now pre-loaded with up to 130 full gas calibrations thereby eliminating the additional measurement uncertainty introduced by conversion factors. Complete NIST Ref Prop 9 gas properties data has been loaded for each of the gases ensuring that both the standard accuracy and optional high accuracy statements remain valid regardless of the gas with no additional uncertainties. The benefits to the user are significant. Instruments are no longer limited to just one application; once a certain project has been full-filled the MFC can be used again for a different project with different gases. Similarly, even within a certain project fewer instruments are required to meet the needs of multiple gases / multiple flow rates.

High turn-down. Turndown ratio is a measure of the useable range of an instrument, expressed as the full-scale range divided by the minimum point of measure. It indicates how much of the instrument range can produce accurate readings, which is very important when you want to measure or control a very wide flow range without having to change instruments. Alicat instruments have a turn-down of 200:1 as standard i.e. as low down as 1/200 th of the full scale, although with engineering collaboration this could be extended even further. As with multi-gas capability the benefits are again significant – fewer instruments are required to cover a wide measured flow regime and this results in cost savings for the user.

In conclusion, as a result of 26 years of experience, development and innovation a range of useful flow and pressure measurement and control devices has been established that, at their very core, have been designed to help the user and ultimately make their life and work easier. This innovation will never stand still and Alicat would welcome the opportunity to assist with any challenges you face and hopefully help solve the impossible !

For any comments please contact Andy Mangell on Tel +44 (0) 1953 609930 or E-mail andymangell@pctflow.com

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featured article

What is a reliability culture?

by Laurence Plant, Principal Consultant – ABB Ltd In order to achieve the highest performance standards an organization needs to develop a reliabilitycentred culture where everybody recognizes their personal responsibility to improve the processes, systems and working relationships, which the success of the organization depends on. It can be compared to the same attitude developed to safety, now embedded in the psyche of most operators.

What does a strong reliability culture look like?

There is no single view but some of the indicators of a strong reliability culture could be: - All employees are keen to participate in teams to improve processes in their area e.g. members of the purchasing department working to improve the efficiency of the tendering process or operations staff supporting equipment reliability improvement work; - Team members working to improve the relationships between their group and a department with whom they have to interact e.g. operations staff working with project team members to improve project definition or sign-off; and - Operators and technicians paying close attention to the condition of an equipment item by observing operating parameters such as temperature, pressure, sound, production rate and reporting any significant changes.

What are the benefits of a strong reliability culture?

The overall benefit of a strong reliability culture is improved performance and this can be realised in two main ways; through focusing on people and systems/processes across the entire business.

Within virtually all organizations, there is untapped potential among operating staff. Being on the front line means they can spot where improvements are needed in systems and processes, but rarely do they

feel empowered to suggest change. The opportunities for improving the reliability of equipment and production processes can be significant and is often a strong area of focus for operators. To achieve a step change toward a culture of reliability, however, requires that all parts of the organization are involved, not just the operating areas.

Case Study In 2013 an operator of a continuous production plant requested a reliability assessment be conducted on its site, which was achieving poor availability – averaging around 85% for the preceding few years.

World class levels for a continuous production plant should be around 10% higher.

The project was to identify where the biggest problems lay and to recommend what could be done to improve plant reliability. The findings are illustrated in the diagram 1.

One of the main problems contributing to the poor performance was the general attitude of staff. From virtually everybody connected with operations and maintenance it was felt that improving reliability was not their problem but the responsibility of purely the Site Reliability Leadership Team. Clearly, this small group alone had no chance of delivering all the reliability improvement work the site required.

It was recommended that to improve its reliability performance the site must develop a culture where everybody recognises they have a responsibility for plant reliability - just as they recognise very clearly their responsibility for safety.

Diagram 2: “Swiss cheese model” – the involvement of different groups in preventing equipment failures

Diagram 1: Operator scores for the different topics covered by the reliability assessment 26

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

First Steps Kotter’s 8-step Change Management Process [REF 01] is a good basis for any change process and was the model used in this case. Kotter’s 8 Step Process for Leading Change It was identified that the first steps to change the culture of this site must include: - The engagement of the Site Management Team; - The appointment of a Reliability Steering Team (RST); and - A clear “future” vision i.e. what must the new reliability culture deliver?

Reliability culture goal development beneath it

Not just another initiative People were naturally sceptical. They had seen many initiatives over the years and this felt the same. To demonstrate that working towards a “reliability culture” was more than simply another initiative the RST adopted a multi-faceted approach by making investments in some major reliability improvements and also embarking on a series of

site wide reliability-themed activities.

Specific improvements designed to enhance reliability began early in the process and included: - A programme to increase the availability of critical spares and improve the spares management process; - Major investment in new infrastructure for site areas that had been previously neglected; and - A programme to update the existing Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) which had become a major source of frustration.

Engagement activities

- Leadership - commitment to improve reliability via engagement, resources and empowerment; - Engagement - everyone resolutely following established good practices; and - Communication - open and constructive challenge of existing practices.

Engagement had always been a major issue on the site. In order to raise the profile of reliability and to get as many people involved as possible, a number of events and activities were held over the following 24 month period.

The first of these was a series of off-site reliability events, intended to involve everyone on-site. These were ambitious. Each event was programmed for a day and involved around 100 staff from varying functions and different parts of the site. Each event programme included; videos to show the progress of improvement team activities, input from the site manager, plus real and imaginary problem-solving exercises. These events have now become an annual opportunity to communicate and gather staff on the site to discuss reliability issues and potential solutions.

There has also been various smaller–scale reliability events organized such as: - A “5-whys” workshop where people were encouraged to carry out root cause analysis of a problem in their area and submit these to win small prizes; and - A reliability week where the ongoing reliability improvement activities were publicized and reliability themed merchandise such as T-shirts and coffee mugs were handed out.

In addition, a programme of reliability pow-wows has been set in motion where individual discussions are held with as many employees as possible to get their views on: reliability; issues with their job; the strength of their team; feedback on the reliability events etc. These discussions have enabled an ongoing assessment of the “climate” onsite.

Results This programme was never expected to have short term results however since it began the site has had a general and consistent improvement in its availability. While this improvement cannot be wholly attributed to the reliability culture development - a process that is still taking root – there is no question that since the programme started, the profile of reliability on-site has risen significantly and this surely has contributed - via people’s attitudes – to the improved plant performance.

There are some more directly related benefits of the reliability culture work. As a result of the focus on critical spares, a large expensive motor was purchased as a back-up to a pair of critical motors in service. The lead time for this motor was several months. Shortly after receipt on-site one of the existing motors failed catastrophically and the availability of this spare saved a very significant amount of production, far outweighing its cost.

To get everybody onsite feeling more directly involved in the condition of their surroundings, a regular programme of housekeeping improvement has been set up where employees help to tidy the site. Over the short period it has been running, the effects of this on the appearance of the site have been exceptional.

Key aspects of the vision were:

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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featured article

Best Practices:

Cooling Tower Reconstruction Extend tower lifespan by restoring thermal performance and structural integrity

By Stephen Andrew, Parts and Service Manager – EMEA, SPX Cooling Technologies.

After many years of operation, cooling towers may require more than routine maintenance and component replacement to achieve the thermal performance necessary to support plant processes. In addition to achieving proper thermal performance, plants also must address the permanence of the cooling tower.

Replacement of heat transfer media or other spot repairs in an older cooling tower will boost cooling capacity in the short-term, but unless structural integrity is also addressed, there will be no improvement in the longevity or structural stability of the cooling tower.

U

nlike small patchwork repairs, a successful cooling tower reconstruction project can demonstrate returns in both cooling capacity and structural integrity, thus extending the lifetime of the cooling tower. With these goals in mind, how can plant operators plan and execute a successful reconstruction project and avoid potential reconstruction pitfalls?

The following review of industry best practices, from planning to execution, will help ensure successful cooling tower reconstruction.

Determine Suitability of Reconstruction Occasionally, user requirements are limited to what might be termed “professional maintenance.” For example, the owner may want the cooling tower restored to operational dependability by replacing specific components, rather than auditing the entire tower’s performance and reconstructing as necessary. In these cases where the required restoration is relatively minor and improving the cooling capacity of the cooling tower isn’t critical, competent specialists in the field of maintenance and repair will normally be satisfactory.

Usually, however, the cooling tower’s structural, mechanical and operational integrity is a concern. In these situations, capital investment to reconstruct the cooling tower can yield substantial

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and almost immediate returns with the implementation of the latest technological developments in the industry. If reconstruction is specified, seek advice from representatives of companies with experience in the design, manufacture and construction of cooling towers.

Prepare for Reconstruction Regardless of what types of repair work are to be done, inspection and reconstruction personnel should be sufficiently trained in cooling tower access and should implement a full Job Safety Analysis (JSA) before accessing any cooling tower. Cooling towers have some inherent dangers such as high voltage power, fall hazards and trip hazards. JSAs should address all hazards that are specific to the cooling tower being inspected. The JSA should define appropriate mitigation plans for each hazard including items such as lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment and fall protection.

The scope of work for any reconstruction project should be defined by the findings and recommendations of an experienced cooling tower professional. Whether the tower reconstruction company is pre-selected based on prior experience, or the contract is awarded on the basis of competitive bidding, any reconstruction effort should begin with an inspection of the cooling tower by each of the bidders. A thorough inspection should identify: - deterioration in cooling tower structural elements; - clogging or damage to fill; - missing nozzles or leaking pipes; - wear and corrosion of mechanical components; - deterioration of ladders and guardrails; - condition of drift eliminators and louvers.

Although inspections will involve some cost, they are essential to the process. The results of the inspection will assist the parties in determining the scope of reconstruction.

After soliciting multiple bids and completing the cooling tower’s inspection, plant operators must be selective in choosing a reconstruction company. Here are some questions to consider when evaluating service providers.

- Are you confident their scope is comprehensive enough to achieve the goals of the project?

- Are the bids you are comparing truly “apples-to- apples” when considering price and scope?

- What is each company’s history and reputation in meeting outage schedules and completing projects on time, within budget and what is their overall quality of workmanship?

- How does their safety record compare to other bidders?

- Do they have an understanding of your required goals?

- Which manufacturer’s fill, nozzles, drift eliminators, fans, speed reducers and other components will be utilized, and are they

designed to work well together?

- Who is responsible for overall warranty?

- Do they offer maintenance services?

As the purchaser of reconstruction services, plant operators bear the responsibility of identifying the supplier that will best fulfill the project’s needs, based on the above questions. They should also obtain multiple references from each supplier in order to confirm their reputation in the industry.

After the inspection and selection of a service provider, the decision making continues. The operator must then outline what reconstruction is needed to achieve plant objectives without losing sight of capital budget plans. It can be key at this point to listen to various industry leadersfor guidance, as there may be new solutions that meet multiple demands of the project. For example, if a cooling tower’s fill is clogged or damaged beyond repair, there may be an opportunity to replace it with higher performing fill. A common reconstruction project where additional cooling capacity is sought involves replacing the original splash fill with PVC film fill (where water quality allows). In other cases, where the integrity of fill is sufficient and additional thermal performance is not sought, simply cleaning the fill may meet project goals.

Reconstruction also presents an excellent opportunity to upgrade the structural components of the cooling tower. Replacing wood with FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) is an excellent choice when the lifespan of the cooling tower is a top priority. For example, during reconstruction of a wood crossflow cooling tower at a coalpowered baseload plant, a customer may choose to make structural upgrades such as replacing a hot water deck, deck supports, walkways, crossflow pipe saddle supports and structural splice plates from wood to FRP, and changing the steel riser support beam from carbon steel to stainless steel.

Pre-test the Cooling Tower Even if a plant operator can produce the original design specifications of the cooling tower, additional steps must be taken to assess the success of a reconstruction project. Age and physical deterioration take their toll on the cooling tower’s capacity, so a performance test prior to reconstruction gives the plant operator a starting point to establish goals for capacity improvement, as well as a reference point for evaluating the final results.

The Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) has a published thermal test code, ATC-105, by which the performance accuracy of a cooling tower can be determined. However, because specialized instrumentation is required to determine precise water flow rates, air rates and temperatures, full- scale performance testing may require an outside agency’s assistance. A reputable cooling tower

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

company should have both the trained personnel and the instrumentation required to establish the cooling tower’s performance level. CTI can assist plant operators with identifying a reputable cooling tower testing agency to perform the recommended performance testing. The test may be costly, but will yield critically important knowledge by helping to establish the level of performance improvement and determine whether or not the supplier’s guarantee has been met.

Outline a Future Maintenance Schedule After reconstruction work is complete, plant operators should ask suppliers for detailed recommendations on scope and timing of maintenance of the newly reconstructed cooling tower. At a minimum, every cell of the cooling tower should receive an annual professional inspection of gearboxes, gearbox oil and seals, driveshafts, distribution water basins, fan cylinders, fans, fan tip clearance and pitch, fill, distribution piping and nozzles, ladders and other safety components. In doing so, operators protect the capital investment value of the cooling tower reconstruction and extend service life.

Considering the heavy demands placed on the cooling towers at many plants, proactive maintenance is essential to extending the length of time between repairs and reconstruction. Recent collapses of aged cooling towers across the industry highlight the extreme risks associated with lack of maintenance, including lost revenue, extraordinary costs and injury to personnel, while emphasizing the importance of proper inspections, testing and repairs. Remember that some cooling tower reconstruction companies provide proactive maintenance services, so operators can establish supplier relationships that extend from reconstruction to ongoing maintenance.

Additionally, as reconstruction ends and the tower’s lifecycle advances, plant operators will benefit from working with service providers that maintain stock of replacement components. Should a mechanical failure occur, ready access to components will ensure the cooling tower is back online quickly and unplanned outages, which could extend for weeks or months, are avoided.

Minor repairs and component replacements are sometimes not enough to address component and structural integrity challenges. When plant operators pursue long-term cooling objectives such as improved safety measures and proven inspection techniques, then careful selection of suppliers, a clear scope of work, pre- and post-testing, and planning for future maintenance will ensure cooling towers can successfully be reconstructed with returns in cooling capacity, structural integrity and increased longevity.

The Fastest Flow Controller in the World born in the lab, proven in the factory

Mass flow controllers and meters for dead-on, rock steady gas and liquid flows Used in burner control, chemical separation, sub-atmosphere coating—and so much more • 200:1 turndown ratio saves costs and connections • Over 100 gas calibrations on board means no K-Factor inaccuracies • Micro flow: 25 nµlpm—to high flow: 5000 nlpm • Multivariate digital reporting of pressures, temperatures, mass and volume flows • 50 ms high speed control response ensures spike-free processes Alicat distributor in UK:

Premier Control Technologies 01953 609 930 sales@pctflow.com

http://alicat.com APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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featured article

5 easy steps to make your production line more efficient

By Robin C Travis, Director of Renby Limited Manufacturing over the years has become a highly refined process.

Whether you are producing complex computer technology or constructing simple equipment on a large scale, there are techniques and technology that have been developed to help improve the process. In this piece, bulk materials handling experts Renby Ltd outline 5 easy steps you can take to make your production or assembly line more efficient.

1. Evaluate the line This should be your first port of call. Understanding how your production line currently works is necessary before you can start changing the way you work in any drastic way. Even the largest and most experienced manufacturers

mismanage orders or processes from time to time. However, it is important to gain as much information on how your production line works and ask yourself some questions.

- What areas are highly efficient?

- Which areas are not?

- How often do sections of the line break down?

It is worth investing some time into evaluating your weaknesses so that you can accurately address them. In single, large systems a failure at any point in the line can cause a production bottleneck and repercussions further down the line. Therefore, keeping a system running effectively requires a large amount of coordination between all the line’s parts.

2. Visible Work Instructions If your production line includes any human assembly or human interaction, printing out work instructions is a great quick win. It may sound simple but many employers either disregard or forget to provide visual cues for their staff on a production line. It ensures that people who were not involved in the designing of the product can easily participate in assembly.

3. Standardisation of Work This is often a common theme of highly productive manufacturing environments. Ensuring that many of your employees are trained or understand the basics of how other parts of the production line work can greatly improve your efficiency.

This does not mean that they must be experts in the highlyskilled areas of the factory; however, if there is an emergency or breakdown of the production line, having someone on site who can step in to keep the line moving is invaluable.

This standardisation of your work can mean the time spend where the production line is not profitable is greatly reduced, resulting in possibly thousands of pounds being saved.

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4. Effective Automation Replacing man-power with a machine is not always the wisest choice. The automation must be effective for your production line to be efficient. As an employer you want a return on investment, therefore you need to make sure each machine doesn’t need constant supervision or maintenance. This will free your staff up to perform value-adding work that cannot be carried out by a machine.

The value in your workforce is the people – their reasoning, logic and decision making. The automation should complement this and make sure they are free to maximise their potential and increase productivity in your manufacturing environment.

5. Be Supportive Finally, education and communication for your business is a sound investment to deliver long-term, lasting efficiency from your employees. It is important to help your team solve problems, answer their questions, share your expertise and motivate them to deliver exceptional results. Your mission as an employer is to help them fully harness their skills, abilities and potential.

Final Thoughts Ultimately, your goal is to create a habit of actively seeking out small wins that add up over time. Incremental gains that will make your production line more efficient.

It is worth remembering that before you make any of these changes ask yourself how much a solution is going to cost you. For example, a new multimillion-pound piece of machinery might improve your production line’s efficiency, but could the problem be solved by a cheaper alternative?

Is this increased efficiency giving you enough ROI? Don’t use precious capital until you’re forced to and make sure your actions are real and deliverable.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

SOLIDS HANDLING 15 Million Bags of Crisps Per Week Kolak Snack Foods is one of the leading UK crisp and snack producers employing more than 800 people and a turnover of circa £100 million operating from London NW10 in a 250 million square foot factory producing 15 million bags per week that also saw the acquisition of Berkshire foods Ltd; NC Snacks and Richmond Crisps plus being awarded the “Gold Award” for outstanding achievements in the business arena presented by Keith Vaz MP. In early 2017 UPM Conveyors were selected by Mark Kenny Deputy Head of Operations to design a system for automating the conveying of finished goods from the production area to packaging / despatch which involved elevating boxes from ground level to 4m height through a tunnel over a service road and declining to the packing area for palletising which incorporated a powered roller S Bend and custom engineered belt conveyors suitable for food production to comply with Health & Safety regulations and the system has a PLC control to allow operators in both the production and packaging areas to interface with each other including emergency pull cords and emergency stops.

Mark Kenny praised UPM for their cooperation with the installation as it was necessary to carry out certain aspects of the system over weekends to avoid any disruption to production and as a result of this relationship UPM are being considered for future projects in Kolak as the company continues their incredible growth.

For more information contact UPM Conveyors, Langley, Berkshire.

Web: www.upmconveyors.co.uk

NOT ALL METERING SCREW FEEDERS ARE THE SAME TRANTEC INTRODUCE MODULAR DESIGN We understand one Screw Feeder cannot always meet all customer’s requirements.

Utilising the latest powder dosing technology, Trantec’s Metering Screw Feeders can be quickly configured to meet the demands of almost any application.

Our latest design to be offered is our M-Series Metering Screw Feeders, which have, at their roots, proven powder dosing technology, without compromise to quality or build, ensuring accurate metering at a constant volume of +1% to +2%, typically.

Although our ‘M-Series’ Metering Feeders are available as standard, cost-effective base models, Trantec offer quick and easy ‘add-on’ components, offering a variety of additional features and upgrades, including: •An option of motors •Specially designed Dry Running Shaft Seals •Quick-release / Easy-clean Features •Integrated Weighing Base & PLC Controls •Independently Driven Product Agitator and Auger Screw •A selection of stainless Polishes/Finishes We aim to meet each of our individual customer’s needs, giving advice on new, innovative features.

All accessories can be added to any of our base models, creating cost savings for our customers, offering a Taylor-made Solution at a sensible price.

For more information contact Gareth Harrison.

Tel: +44 (0)1282 777566 | Email: sales@trantec.info | Web: www.trantec.info

THE

PRESSURE IS ON! High Pressure Rotary Valve The DMN-WESTINGHOUSE HP valve with specially designed inlet is very suitable for handling granular formed products under a high pressure of maximum 3.5 bar g.

The valve has a very important advantage in air leakage: the special configuration of body, rotor and seals does not only protect product against degradation, it also does not allow any axial air leakage.

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE T +44 1249 818 400 | dmn@dmnuk.com

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

max 3.5 bar g

Features: • Special inlet for maximum protection against product degradation • High filling efficiency • Lowest air leakage through special seals • Robust construction • Easy assembly and disassembly

www.dmnwestinghouse.uk 31

condition monitoring

laser sensors

STAINLESS STEEL PROXIMITY PROBE HOLDERS FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENTS - ATEX / IECEx HAZARDOUS AREA APPLICATIONS

MINIATURE LASER SENSORS FOR PRECISE DETECTION OF SMALL OBJECTS & GAPS WITH IO-LINK INTEGRATION

Condition monitoring specialists SENSONICS have introduced the ECPHS Eddy Current Probe Holder which is designed for use with their range of API 670 compliant XPR04 Proximity Probes. Developed as a new option from their well proven Senturion X range, these reverse mount probes fitted in the holders, are used in machinery protection systems on the most critical of industrial machines. For example, on turbines, pumps, compressors and gearboxes for measuring relative shaft vibration / eccentricity, axial position / thrust pad wear, shaft speed and over speed and also as a phase reference 1 / rev marker.

They are also used in some very machine specific applications, including roddrop monitoring on reciprocating compressors and differential expansion measurements (including the mark-space technique) on large steam turbines.

The use of an Eddy Current Probe Holder allows probe and extension cable access externally to the machine enabling gap adjustment, or the ability to retract the probe for replacement. One of the main benefits of this is that it eliminates the need to disassemble the machine and the associated costs of additional labour and lost production.

Previously the probe holder’s connection head was manufactured in cast aluminium with a painted finish, so if used outside the traditional power generation market there may well have been corrosion issues. More importantly, it would be completely unacceptable in an ATEX Zone 0 location due to the aluminium content. Now manufactured in stainless steel including the connection head, the ECPHS probe holder can be used in the harshest of environments. For example, in the oil, gas and petrochem market, onshore or offshore as it’s now compliant with ATEX requirements, added to which there will no longer be the potential of corrosion preventing access to the smart probe position adjustment mechanism at a later date, after initial installation.

The first shipment of this improvement on our already proven product was supplied in December 2017 to a leading European Pump OEM for the protection of two Turbo Pumps and one Electro Pump which will be installed at a Methanol Plant in the Middle East.

A new range of miniature laser sensors which provide pinpoint accuracy for the detection of objects to within 0.1mm and with response times of less than 0.1 ms have been introduced by sensing and instrumentation specialists BAUMER LTD. The 0300 laser sensors with IO link will precisely detect very small gaps and objects, even when closely spaced so they are ideally suited to fast, or high throughput processes and applications.

The 0300 sensors will be ideally suited to applications such as; assembly and handling, packaging, pharmaceutical and food and beverage which often involve large volumes. Thanks to a laser beam which focuses to within and has an accuracy of 0.1mm, objects can be positioned with high precision and follow-up processes can be controlled precisely.

The main advantage of the sensors is their exact alignment thanks to the development by Baumer of qTarget a process whereby the light beam of the sensor is aligned by design to the fixing holes. This eliminates individual part tolerances and ensures that the entire sensor range has a light beam with consistent accuracy. Furthermore, Baumer has also developed qTeach™ a new and convenient, wearfree teach-in procedure which means the sensors can be commissioned just by touching them with any ferromagnetic tool. A blue LED light provides clear optical feedback and to prevent user errors qTeach locks automatically after 5 minutes. The combination of qTarget and qTeach ensures safe, reliable and fast commissioning of the sensor, whilst also eliminating the potential weak points associated with the pushbutton or potentiometer.

The 0300 range consists of 5 options and includes a SmartReflect option, the original light barrier design without the need for a reflector. Even reflecting objects with a size of just 0.5mm can be reliably detected within a sensing distance of 250mm. Stainless steel IP68 and IP69K options are also available which combine a rugged hygienic design for easy wash down suited to applications in packaging plants for food and pharmaceutical industries. IO-Link integration means the sensors are ready for Industry 4.0 allowing for quick and easy configuration for all applications using standard network components.

For more information contact: Sensonics Ltd, Berkhampsted, Herts.

Tel: +44 (0) 1442 876833 | Email: sales@sensonics.co.uk | Web: www.sensonics.co.uk

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For more information contact Baumer Ltd, Swindon, Wilts.

Tel: +44 1793 783839 E-mail: sales.uk@baumer.com Web: www.baumer.com/ch/en/

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - APRIL 2018

TEST & MEASUREMENT HBM LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE GUIDE TO STRAIN MEASUREMENT

NEW INTELLIGENT C16i LOAD CELL FROM HBM HAS ALL THE ANSWERS!

HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement – is pleased to announce the launch of its new Online Guide to Strain Measurement which contains a wealth of practical information and valuable tips from industry leading experts.

The new online portal, which looks at selection, installation, data acquisition, and analysis of electrical as well as optical strain gauges - namely those based on Fiber Bragg Grating technology (FBG) -, provides users with an easy and intuitive step-by-step guide.

Strain gauges have been around for almost 80 years and continue to be key assets for measuring fatigue and testing materials for productivity and safety reasons. However, when it comes to strain measurement, businesses and asset owners can sometimes feel intimidated due to a lack of information, or even information overload and might give up their attempts to learn more about this topic. The effects of this could jeopardise future decisions when it comes to choosing the right measuring instrument, which could in turn, lead to potential financial implications.

Featuring easy to find dedicated sections, the new online portal from HBM provides answers to some of the most talked about questions on strain measurement. For further reference, the guide also includes a list of links to relevant webinars and case studies to illustrate potential applications.

Featuring a comprehensive format, the new portal from HBM is regularly maintained to provide users with the most up to date information possible.

For further information, please contact HBM on Tel: +44 (0) 20 8515 6000 or via email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk or visit the HBM website at Web: www.hbm.com

Now available from HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement - is the new digital C16i load cell, which has been designed to simplify off-centre compression.

Following on from the successful C16a analogue cell from HBM, the C16i is designed to precisely measure heavy loads of up to 60 tonnes with an accuracy class of C3 and C4.

For ideal data transmission, measurement data is converted into a stable RS485 signal (4-wire) in the sensor, which enables users to directly communicate with each load cell in the system. In addition, the load cell is selfsufficient for optimal load introduction.

Manufactured in stainless steel with a protection class of IP68/69K, the robust C16i is suitable for a range of static weighing applications which include bridge and truck scales, or for the level measurement of industrial containers. A uniform design also means that existing scales can be easily and conveniently retrofitted.

Easy operation of a weighing system is a must, especially when it comes to vehicle scales with many loading operations every day. Compatible with the DIS2116 digital weighing indicator, users can quickly and easily change relevant settings, meaning electronic off-centre load compensation is performed easily and accurately at high reproducibility, which offers significant time and cost savings.

For further information, please contact HBM on Tel: +44 (0) 20 8515 6000 or via email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk or visit the HBM website at Web: www.hbm.com

calibration

valve control

The world’s first self-calibrating temperature probe

Bürkert’s new valve control heads provide networking options

The Endress+Hauser TrustSens TM371 temperature sensor features unique technology that provides fully automated inline self-calibration without process interruption.

The new sensor’s self-calibration function saves time and costs, and increases plant efficiency, as there is no need to stop production or remove the instrument to perform a calibration. By automating this time-consuming task, Trustsens can also help to reduce the risk of product wastage as instrument drift is quickly detected. Designed for use in hygienic and aseptic applications within the life sciences and food & beverage industries, Trustsens is also fully compliant with FDA and GMP regulations.

This unique sensor contains both an accurate PT100 temperature element and a separate, highly stable reference located at the probe tip. When the instrument observes 118°C, a temperature typically seen during SIP cleaning cycles as part of a cooling cycle, the measured temperature is compared against the neighbouring reference to check its accuracy.

At the same time, an audit-compliant calibration certificate is digitally produced and stored within the temperature probe, ready to be downloaded at any time across HART communication using the free Endress+Hauser Device care software or the more advanced Fieldcare software.

With capacity to store up to 350 entries, it is possible to access a long calibration history of your Trustsens instrument. Each calibration is traceable to the ITS-90 International Temperature Scale, and each Trustsens unit is supplied ex-works with a calibration certificate showing this calibration chain.

For more information on iTHERM TrustSens TM37x, visit www.endress.com/trustsens.

The implementation of two additional industrial network interfaces in Bürkert’s Type 8691 control head makes it a universal tool for communications between valves and higher-level automation systems.

From a practical point of view the push for Industry 4.0 is bringing a focus on data exchange within industrial processes, all part of creating a ‘smart factory’. The ability to communicate seamlessly down to component level is something Bürkert is enabling by adapting its range of ‘smart’ valve products to offer more network connectivity.

Bürkert’s new Type 8691 control head for example is now equipped with IO-Link and büS interfaces, in addition to the pre-existing fieldbus interface, AS-Interface, and DeviceNet. These enhanced communication capabilities help enable a shift towards more digitalised industrial processes by allowing packaged data to be gathered from the connected devices.

The Type 8691 control head is designed for decentralized automation of process valves. Their end position for example is registered by the control head through a position sensor. The range of valves that can be monitored is broad: they can be angle seat- (Type 2100), globe- (Type 2101), diaphragm(Type 2103) or hygienic process valves. As these different valves have the same actuators and control heads, replacements or modifications can be carried out easily.

Furthermore, the control head Type 8691 can withstand chemical exposure. The product is ATEX II Cat. 3G/D / IECEx approved. In addition, it is easy to clean, resistant to chemicals, intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water.

Another innovative feature of Bürkert’s control head is the coloured LEDs which clearly show the valve position status with good visibility in both light and dark environments. Easy setup allows operators to regulate the valves by simply pressing a button, instead of having to make the more traditional mechanical adjustments that can be destabilising and time-consuming. Manual regulations are reduced to a minimum, while the valve maintains its integrity as a self-contained unit.

For those looking to introduce this new control technology, the Bürkert solution can reduce installation and commissioning times as well as minimise operating costs and downtime. All these features make Type 8691 and the valve system suitable for use in hygienic processing in food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Allowing process industries to take a step closer to the smart-factory ideal.

For more information on Bürkert contact Helen Christopher, Marketing Manager: Email: helen.christopher@burkert.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1285 648720. | Web: www.burkert.co.uk

APRIL 2018 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

33

featured article

Could contracting help make Industry 4.0 a reality?

In this feature Jon Blaze, at Jonathan Lee Contract Recruitment, will explore how the use of specialised contractors can help businesses looking at implementing Industry 4.0.

I

ndustry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), has dominated the headlines over the past few years, with businesses increasingly looking to adopt technology such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence and remote monitoring of production lines to increase efficiency. In manufacturing industries such as pharmaceuticals, transportation, FMCG and utilities, this increased focus on digital technology, including the use of big data, is a key differentiator; helping to future proof businesses and improve overall equipment effectiveness and efficiency (OEEE) to provide a more technologically advanced offering to its customers and supply chain.

Concepts such as robotics and automation are increasingly becoming a reality, with collaborative research projects involving manufacturers, suppliers, universities and industry-focused manufacturing R&D centres helping to develop process and production systems. For example, a BAE Systems research project, led by Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and involving KUKA Systems UK to enable robots to accurately machine holes in composite aircraft components, has matured

into a production system and is on track to save millions of pounds in capital and operational costs over the coming years.

This is just a single example of how industries are to both advance capabilities, improve OEEE, whilst creating time and cost savings.

However, a recent study from the University of Warwick found that many businesses are failing to harness the full potential of 4IR. This is attributed to a range of factors including the lack of an integrated supply chain, the absence of products within the business capable of customisation and a deficit in advanced skills within the business. The creation and roll-out of a 4IR strategy is a large investment for any business and it is crucial that it is carefully considered and managed throughout.

Skills Gap It is becoming apparent that there is a large gap in the skills of existing staff and sourcing people capable of guiding a business through the adoption of new technologies. The skills shortage is not just limited to the areas of High Level Machine Intelligence (HLMI) and artificial intelligence (AI), but also impacts the talent who are best positioned to scope and apply Industry 4.0 concepts to a business.

Industry 4.0 concepts are not straight forward to comprehend let alone implement within a business. To fully understand all elements required in the application of 4IR is complex and is often best navigated by specialists with extensive experience in system integration, an in-depth knowledge of automation and robotics and/or a proven background in process implementation.

But demand for skilled engineers in the UK is substantial, with figures from Engineering UK concluding that at least 265,000 engineers will be needed each year until 2024. The additional challenge of finding and attaining highly skilled and, often, high value individuals to navigate and lead a business through 4IR can be considerable. For scoping, training, testing, implementation and a full roll-out of Industry 4.0 strategy, businesses should be considering a more agile approach.

Contracting Recent research conducted by Jonathan Lee Contract Recruitment showed a growth in preference for experienced professional contractors to undertake projects rather than full-time, permanent positions. This was particularly true for highly-skilled workers with specialist technical knowledge and significant breadth of experience.

Those surveyed reported they wanted greater flexibility with the projects they undertake and contracting could meet this need. From a company point of view, this makes workers more accessible to a broader range of companies looking for specialist knowledge – including related 4IR skills, if only for a short-term or project basis.

With the current shortage of skilled workers across a myriad of industries potentially one of the most constraining factors for the implementation of productivity improvement programmes and more specifically 4IR, companies have the opportunity to tap into this flexible, trained and experienced workforce to help bridge the skills gap. The trend for contract work is an excellent solution for the pressing skills problem regarding 4IR. Technological advances, automation, big data and Industry 4.0 are all driving change in manufacturing, and UK industry must adapt if it is to remain competitive in the future and on the world stage.

Contractors can help businesses to adapt their operations to new markets, with their sought-after expertise helping to bring clarity to decision making and help steer the strategic direction of a business. Their experience can make a difference within a relatively short space of time, at the same time as transferring knowledge and capabilities to the existing workforce.

The dynamic and fast-changing technological landscape makes the contract or interim option especially attractive as companies plan for uncertainty, look to adopt new technologies, deal with fastchanging market realities and strive to improve productivity. For businesses investing in 4IR processes and technologies, the use of contractors affords them flexibility to take on specialists, providing expert guidance and advice throughout the implementation stages. This can not only help future proof a business, but also negate the need to hire permanent staff for shorter term projects within the 12 to 18 month timeframe.

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