Process Industry Informer Mar/Apr 2014 Edition

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER.

MAR/APR 2014 Volume 10 No. 2

THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

It’s our

20th anniversary

and time to celebrate...

In this issue...

• • • • • •

9 Editorial Articles News & Events Product Introductions Pump Industry Award Winners In the “Hot Seat” and newly introduced - JOBS

Keeping clean with steam to being plant efficient, going with the “flow” reliably and protection from process risks or communicating with your electric motor, how to avoid fighting fire to cooling down or considering small-scale DCS’s for pilot plants there is plenty worth turning the pages for…

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

ASCO Numatics. Experts providing engineered actuator control systems for any puzzle you can throw at us.

Backed by our extensive experience in developing the world’s leading range of solenoid valves, our skilled engineers can design tailor-made actuator control systems, suitable for even the most challenging conditions. Systems can be designed to include SIL certified products and redundancy, and all use the industry-proven instrumentation range. Next time you need a reliable system to withstand extreme conditions, call Jonas Hagberg on +46 (0)33 204 170, e-mail ascoab@emerson.com or visit our process site at www.asconumatics.eu

The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. The ASCO logo is a registered trademark of ASCO Valve Inc. Š 2013 ASCO. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS Editorial Comment 5

EDITORIAL FEATURES Clean Steam – Is it right for you? 12

Overhead Handling Systems 30

Optimising Operational Efficiency in the Food Industry 14

News & Events 6-7

Grip Couplings 32

Applications 9-13

Analysers 32

Network Communications 15

Solids Handling & Processing 32-34

How selecting the right flow-meter helps to minimise energy costs 19 HAZOP studies also offer protection against new risks 20/21 In the “Hot” seat 22 Is your electric motor trying to tell you something? 24

Compressors 15

Enclosures 37

Fire dangers won’t affect you plant – will it!!!! 31

Instrumentation 16-18

Health & Safety 37 & 39

On-site process cooling 35 Operational advantages of small-scale

Calibration 18

Rotation Monitoring Systems 39

DCS pilot plants 36 EEMUA 191: Alarm management

Metallic Touch Switches 23

Jobs 41

for control systems 38

Fluids & Liquids Handling inc. Pumps & Valves 24-30

Product & Services Directory 43

Process Industry Marketing 42

All about JOBS 40

Size Reduction 30

Editor Phil Black philblack@piimag.com Publisher/Advertising Manager Peter Ullmann peterullmann@piimag.com Digital Marketing Manager Guy Ullmann guyullmann@piimag.com Supplements Manager James Green jamesgreen@piimag.com Office Manager Diane Lawrence dianelawrence@piimag.com

Art Direction Vikki Woods, Riverprint 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

All product announcements published in Process Industry Informer are paid for. All copy submitted for publication in Process Industry Informer must be legal and must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice and is accepted for publication, or not, at the publishers’ absolute discretion. When deemed necessary all copy may be edited and classified at the publishers’ discretion.

All material contained in Process Industry Informer is published in good faith, but it is emphasised that the publishers do not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any advertisement or message published (nor is any kind of warranty expressed or implied by such publication) and that the publishers specifically disclaim all and any liability to advertisers, readers and user of any kind for loss or damage of

any nature whatsoever and however arising, whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause, and whether on the part of the publishers of Process Industry Informer, or their servants or agents, or any other person.

Although it is the intention of the publishers in general to run copy as supplied by advertisers, advertorial item headings, which are not charged for, will be selected by the Editor, and other minor changes may be made, at the Editor’s discretion, for the sake of clarity, to avoid offence, for legal reasons or to ensure conformity to house style. Copy supplied over length will be cut to the amount paid for. Units and abbreviations will be standardised in accordance with house style.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers.

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FROM

1994 AND ONGOING FROM 2014

With this issue we celebrate our 20th anniversary serving the manufacturing process industries and over the space of time we have arrived to a very different media world says editor Phil Black.

It is said that time & tide wait for no man and so is the case, but I have to add that being in publishing and always working â&#x20AC;&#x153;aheadâ&#x20AC;? of time additionally takes its toll.

Looking back to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;good old daysâ&#x20AC;? we may reflect on them occasionally, but it is in the past and today we only look forward, although the speed of change within the publishing industry is hard to keep up with, let alone work ahead of, that is what we aim to achieve and with the online services that we have introduced in recent months proves the point.

In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirement for everything to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;instantâ&#x20AC;? with the help of numerous cups of real coffee, not instant, we will maintain our development programme with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technological needs but not to the detriment of the printed magazine, thankfully you our readers still appreciate the information that it provides.

It is with enormous gratitude that virtually from our first issue when we were known as Process Products, our readers have by their suggestions and thirst for editorial information, be it through generic articles or product introductions, helped us to our position as a leading process industry magazine and additionally propelled us into the digital world.

Clearly there are considerable advantages over the printed word, particularly

with the endless availability of space and the speed of bringing information to engineers in the process industries, however there is a downside with the abundance of unsolicited material that we all receive and then have to waste important time â&#x20AC;&#x153;sorting the wheat from the chaffâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that is where the published product holds its own.

Earlier I mentioned the digital services that we now offer and these range from our all embracing and daily updated website (www.piimag.com), our on-line directory and news service PROCESS118 and we have launched the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st Process Industry Magazine as a dedicated magazine app for iTunes Newsstand... which will very shortly be available on all tablets, and most recently our we introduced our Job Board https://www. processindustryinformer.com/Jobs - Who knows where digital media will takes us, but wherever that is you can be sure that we will be there.

It is great to have you and your predecessors as our readers, without you there would be no purpose so a big thanks â&#x20AC;&#x153;for being with usâ&#x20AC;? and please do let us hear from you whenever the feeling takes you and you can e-mail me at philblack@piimag.com.

On the subject of â&#x20AC;&#x153;thanksâ&#x20AC;? may I just thank all of those who over the years have placed advertising & â&#x20AC;&#x153;advertorialâ&#x20AC;? with us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without you we would not still be publishing or moving ahead so positively in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital world.

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

5

NEWS & EVENTS

Sponsored by

TWI Accreditation ELGA ENGINEERS KEEP TAKING For All Niplast THE TABLETS Welders The skills of all Niplast’s qualified welders have been recognised with The Welding Institute’s (TWI) accreditation.

The company was approached by TWI to review how the recognised qualification could offer new business opportunities, particularly in the offshore wind industry sector.

Fabrication Technicians, Lee Dervan and Mark Richardson successfully completed the assessment following a hot gas and extrusion welding qualification programme to BS EN 13067, for welding polypropylene and polyethylene.

The team’s acknowledged skills in welding thermoplastic sheet and pipe offer customers guaranteed quality assurance and further confidence in the manufacture of Niplast Storage Tanks.

One of the longest serving, leading plastic tank manufacturers, Niplast Tanks are manufactured to BS EN 12573 and DVS 2205, to a maximum capacity of c.150,000 litres. Niplast offer a number of generic liquid handling products, for a variety of sectors, in addition to their bulk storage tanks.

For more information contact Simpson Thomson Filtration, Stockport, Cheshire Tel: 0161 477 6777 E-mail: info@niplast.com Web: www.niplast.com

JASIC - THE EMERGING POWER IN INVERTER TECHNOLOGY Wilkinson Star is delighted to announce the launch of the exclusive JASIC Pro series of inverter welding equipment into the UK and Ireland.

The striking introductory range offers products of the highest quality and innovation in the MIG/MAG, TIG and MMA processes. The JASIC range is designed for simple operation featuring highly advanced electronics and has been developed and manufactured by JASIC Technology Co, one of the fastest growing welding manufacturers in the world today.

The JASIC range is manufactured to, and complies with all the stringent quality and safety standards, including, EN60974-1, CE, RoHS, CCC, C-TICK and CSA. Further peace of mind for the buyer, is the product’s 5 year warranty – the first of it’s kind in the welding industry.

The JASIC Pro Series 5 year warranty is supported by our experienced team of technical staff. This competitively priced product is readily available through Wilkinson Star’s extensive UK and Irish distribution network.

For more information contact Wilkinson Star Ltd, Worsley, Manchester Tel: 0161 793 8127 E-mail: tina@wilkinsonstar.com Web: www.wilkinsonstar.com Web: www.wilkinson-welding-acadamy.com

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ELGA Process Water introduces a new level of service

ELGA Process Water, a Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Company, has equipped all its service engineers with tablet PCs as part of its new AQUAConnect intelligent service management system.

With AQUAConnect, customers benefit from quicker, more efficient plant servicing with any potential issues identified early, reducing the risk of plant downtime.

At the end of a service visit, the service engineer’s report, complete with calibration certificates, operational recommendations and supporting documentation, is delivered immediately to the customer’s inbox in a PDF format.

AQUAConnect’s 3G connectivity allows the service engineer instant access to plant details, present and historical performance trends and previous service reports, as well as health and safety documentation, technical information and advice. All of which enables the service engineers to do their jobs without interruptions and time spent searching for information, and benefiting the customer with an instant comprehensive service report.

If you are already one of ELGA Process Water’s AQUAService customers you will be able to see AQUAConnect in action at your next service engineer’s visit.

Visit www.elgaprocesswater.co.uk/aquaconnect for more information about AQUAConnect AQUAService, and other water treatment solutions.

For more information contact ELGA Process Water, Marlow, Bucks Tel: + 44 (0) 1628 897000 E-mail: sales.uk@veoliawater.com Web: www.elgaprocesswater.co.uk

Why Switching To A Virtual Office Can Be Cheaper And Greener For Engineering SME’s Switching to a virtual office has proved to be a smart move for spray nozzle specialists BETE LTD saving them around £50,000 a year by encouraging staff to work from home and has resulted in the company being shortlisted for The Guardian Newspaper - Small Business Award.

Whilst working from home is commonplace for people in many different business sectors, the recent significant leaps in communications technology brings even more advantages to the option of working from a fully functioning and connected ‘home office’.

Betes’ spray nozzles have a diverse range of applications, from putting out fires, processing food, humidifying wine warehouses they have been used in space, the Arctic and in the depths of the ocean. The company has a 60 year history but thanks to recent leaps in technology it works more effectively, saving money in the process. It has reaped the financial and environmental benefits of switching to a virtual office allowing staff to work remotely while maintaining the same high reputation.

The usual choice for an expanding small business is to buy or lease expensive offices with the associated overheads.

Marketing director Ivan Zytynski, whose father founded the company as a home-based business, estimates that the average UK office worker costs up to £4,000 a year in terms of office space, based on an employee using 13.5sq m. He comments, “As the business expanded we decided to take a different approach, rather than buying or committing to office space, we decided to create a virtual office, with employees connecting in via a VPN (virtual private network) to a server”.

Using a cloud-based system has increased its IT costs but the company says the benefits far outweigh the outlay on traditional office based server infrastructure.

For more information contact BETE Ltd, Lewes, East Sussex Tel: +44 (0) 1273 400092 E-mail: ivan@beteuk.com Web: www.bete.co.uk

RUSSELL FINEX LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITES PROVIDING CUSTOMERS A RICHER INSIGHT INTO THEIR EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Russell Finex, global sieving and filtration specialists, are pleased to announce the launch of their new websites. The new websites boast a cleaner design, streamlined content and enhanced navigation, providing users with quick and easy access to the information they require.

Key features

• Enhanced navigation – providing users with the quickest path to the information they require and machine recommendations based on customers unique requirements • Improved visuals –product photos, demonstration videos and product animations provide a greater understanding of how each product works. The website is also mobile and tablet friendly, providing greater accessibility to all users.

• Extended product and after sales information – providing detailed information on the extensive range of aftermarket products including spare parts, meshing and other services • Quick contact – clearer access to contact information and an interactive map showing local representation

Available in 13 languages the launch of the new multi-lingual website reflects the importance of Russell Finex’s growing global customer base. Ray Singh, Managing Director, comments “The new website launch reflects our international growth strategy as we continue to grow and increase our market presence. It is important for our customers, no matter where they are, to be able to readily access information on our products and services in their local language”. Singh continues “The new website will provide a more informative experience with clearer information for customers, partners and the media”.

The websites will be updated on a regular basis with news of new product launches, case studies, demonstration videos, events and business activity, ensuring users are constantly kept up to date.

For those interested in these updates, please sign up to our newsletter at www.russellfinex.com where you will receive a monthly electronic newsletter detailing our latest developments.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

NEWS & EVENTS

Sponsored by

NEW APPLICATION GUIDES EXPLAIN HOW TO BOOST POWER PLANT EFFICIENCY A series of new application guides is now available from ABB explaining how to optimise boiler chemistry and steam quality in power generation applications. Produced as part of the launch of the latest products in ABB’s Navigator analyser range, the guides explain how to control some of the main parameters that affect steam generation efficiency.

Each guide focuses on a particular parameter. Optimising power plant performance through silica monitoring explains how ABB’s Navigator 600 Silica analyser can help control silica formation and the key points around the steam loop where monitoring should be carried out.

The other three guides focus on the parameters covered by ABB’s new Navigator 500 range including versions for monitoring dissolved oxygen, hydrazine and sodium.

All four guides are available on request. To obtain a copy, please email moreinstrumentation@gb.abb.com, providing details of which guide or guides you would like to receive.

ASCO Numatics tackles process automation skills shortage

Riley holds online auction of miscellaneous process support equipment Riley Surface World is holding an online auction of a substantial selection of miscellaneous process industry support equipment from a global leader in the production of surface finished aluminium coil, as used in light diffusers and other similar products.

Most of the lots are palletised for ease of purchase and transportation, and include: water and acid transfer pumps, manual and motorised valves, ume control and mist abatement devices, water softening equipment, filters, Ecotech acid purification plant, vibratory finishing media and cable trays To register and start bidding, visit: http://www.rileysurfaceworld. co.uk/auctions.asp. For further information, please call Helen Wilkinson on 01922 749284 or email: helen@rileysurfaceworld. co.uk For technical and product information contact Michael Riley, Riley Surface World, Aldridge, West Midlands Tel: +44 (0) 1922 45 8000 Fax: +44 (0) 1922 45 8001 E-mail: michael@rileysurfaceworld.co.uk Web: www.Rileysurfaceworld.co.uk

Selection of pumps

Quantity of vibration finishing media

Strategic project management whitepaper launched ASCO Numatics has launched a new whitepaper that describes how OEM’s and end users can tackle their resource and skills shortages in the process automation area: “Outsource to thrive: how strategic project management in 2014 can assist on the path to growth.” The paper offers valuable insights for the engineering industry, including effective strategies to meet economic imperatives while retaining essential levels of engineering expertise and quality.

“The skills shortage represents one of the greatest challenges to growth across Europe,” says John Weet, Marketing Manager for the ASCO and Numatics range of fluid automation products. “The engineering industry is at the heart of the impending crisis – and is already fighting to retain margins in the face of increasing regulatory and financial pressures.”

The whitepaper explores potential solutions to this widespread problem – including assessing the pros and cons of reducing spend on components, and the merits of outsourcing.

“When it comes to specifying components, cheap substitutions can only be relied upon to be a false economy,” warns John. “Fortunately, outsourcing or partoutsourcing to trusted suppliers can bring peace of mind alongside compelling time and cost efficiencies – not to mention freeing up precious internal resource.

Pre-assembled parts enable businesses to focus skilled staff on project delivery and meeting deadlines.”

ASCO Numatics provides engineered solutions to its customers, to meet the increasing demand for complete valve control and fluid automation systems.

By allowing customers to specify complex valve controls and fluid automation systems – including a combination of one or more products and third party equipment fully assembled, certified and ready for use – ASCO Numatics is able to provide a faster, easier and cheaper approach to many in-house system builds.

The paper can be downloaded here: https://www.asconumatics.eu/news-events/whitepapers.html

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

AISI 316L stainless steel for all wetted parts Quick strip, easy-to-clean and designed for CIP(clean-in-place)

AB13-613

For more information contact ASCO Numatics, Skelmersdale, Lancs.

Tel: 01695 713600

Can handle capacities from 1 to 550 m3/hour at heads up to 155 metres

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The 2014 Pump Industry Awards The 2014 PI Awards held in association with the BPMA, once again achieved its goal in bringing together the entire pump industry for a celebration of business and professional excellence.

Sponsored by some of the leading brands in the pumps sector including World Pumps, Tomlinson Hall & Co, SPP Pumps, AESSEAL, WEG Electric Motors, Process Industry Informer, KSB, John Crane & ABB plus leading industry publications Process Industry Informer and World Pumps the 2014 event has been heralded as ‘the best PI Awards yet.’

Held at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth on Thursday 27th March the gala awards evening was attended by over 220 pump industry professionals who raised over £2,000 for WaterAid, the BPMA’s chosen charity.

Entertainment was provided by Jeff Probyn, the ex England and British Lions rugby player who recounted numerous tales from his playing days and as always the evening encouraged a great deal of networking in a competitive but friendly atmosphere, where the 2014 winners were revealed by celebrity compère, ITV Presenter Helen Fospero.

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

On the night, six companies and two individuals were awarded, and a fantastic night was had by all!

• Technical Innovation – Products Sponsored by: World Pumps Winner: KSB SALINO® Pressure Center

KSB’s SALINO® Pressure Center revolutionises and reduces the cost of seawater desalination. The four main components of a Reverse-Osmosis system; high-pressure pump, energy recovery, booster and motor – are replaced with a single compact unit. As a result, it has the best energy efficiency and lowest life cycle costs in its class. KSB is the first manufacturer to supply this type of compact system for RO processes and is ideal for small and medium-sized systems.

• Technical Innovation – Projects Sponsored by: Tomlinson Hall & Co Winner: Wilo UK for Palm Papers Newsprint Factory

Palm Papers has recently built a new plant in Kings Lynn for its work in the UK and Ireland. It’s one of the world’s largest and most efficient newsprint paper mills producing 400,000 tonnes of newsprint a year. The total pump infrastructure in the building has been supplied by Wilo. Heating, cooling, water supply, sanitation.

This integrated pumping system delivers lower bills and lower maintenance costs along with lower life cycle costs.

• Environmental Contribution of the Year Sponsored by: SPP Pumps Winner: Xylem Water Solutions UK for Veolia Water

Xylem Water Solutions worked in partnership with Veolia Water to deliver an engineering solution with benefits of 25% combined savings (£239K Per Annum).

Ongoing blockages were causing pump failures: Experts from Xylem re-engineered one of the pump lines (560kw) with a tandem set of Flygt N3400 250kw pumps.

The self-cleaning N-technology of the Flygt N-Pumps reduced blockages to virtually zero, achieving sustained station performance. Veolia’s environmental risk was reduced dramatically and sustained efficiency was achieved.

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• Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by: AESSEAL Winner: SPP Pumps

SPP exists to supply engineered pumping solutions focused on markets where application knowledge, service and expertise add value. In our markets we have more technical expertise, experience and approvals than our competitors. We are organised on product/market lines with specialist engineers dealing directly with customers. All products are supported by teams of professional Service Engineers, a network of Service Centres and approved parts service. SPP provide the complete service from design through to aftersales support.

• Distributor of the Year Sponsored by: WEG Electric Motors Winner: Tomlinson Hall & Co

Tomlinson Hall are shortlisted for Distributor of the Year for the eighth consecutive year, an acknowledgement of the Teessidebased distributors’ technical experience and knowledge combined with speed and quality of service to facilitate the production of customised solutions for their worldwide clients. They have continued to extend both their geographical market and number of OEM’s for whom they act without losing the attention to detail that has been the foundation of their success.

• Supplier of the Year Sponsored by: Process Industry Informer Winner: ABB

ABB is one of a few companies that can provide variable-speed drives and electric motors, perfectly matched for pumping systems. Part of ABB’s R&D investment has resulted in a dedicated pump-specific drive, the ACQ810, the UK’s largest range of electric motors and the world’s first IE4 synchronous reluctance motor and drive package. About one-quarter of ABB’s drives are used in pumps; the energy savings from these drives amount to an estimated 11 billion kWh per year.

• Engineer of the Year Sponsored by: KSB Winner: Jamie Lightly, SPP Pumps

Due to his leadership skills overseeing many projects, his hard working and reliable nature, and the enthusiasm with which he takes on extra roles to improve his company’s overall productivity.

Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsored by: BPMA Winner: John Veness, ITT Goulds Pumps

Due to his full participation in BPMA activities through the BPMA Technical Committee, BPMA Council and his two terms as the BPMA President. Currently a Director of BPMA, Chairman of the Europump Marketing Commission, member of the Europump Council and as such a very active in supporting and directing BPMA activities. John has been extremely influential in the pump industry for almost half a century!

For further information about the Pump Industry Awards, and to view the photo gallery of this year’s event please visit the website at http://pumpindustryawards.com. If you are interested in sponsoring, nominating and/or attending the 2015 event please contact Andrew Castle on andrew@touchwavemedia.co.uk.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

APPLICATIONS

BALCAS REVOLUTIONISES TOMATIN DISTILLERY WITH BIOMASS STEAM SOLUTION Inverness based Tomatin Distillery is the first distillery in Scotland to install an environmentally efficient wood pellet fuelled steam boiler for use in its production process. Fuelled by locally produced brites wood pellets, this new 4MW biomass steam boiler solution provided by Balcas, is enabling Tomatin doing so significantly reducing its carbon emissions.

In this industry-leading move, Tomatin has experienced an immediate reduction of its annual carbon output by over 4,000 tonnes - the equivalent of taking 1,200 family cars off the road. The installation and wood pellets used to fuel the boiler are both supplied

by Balcas from their Invergordon facility, based only 35 miles from the distillery. Balcas manufacture their premium quality wood pellets, called brites, at their pellet mill in Invergordon using renewable energy which is generated from the onsite combined heat and power (CHP) plant. This process makes brites one of the lowest carbon wood pellets available on the market.

Reducing greenhouse gas emission and increasing the use of efforts to make manufacturing more sustainable and support a low carbon economy. The shift from heavy fuel oil to biomass is critical to achieving this objective and many distilleries are thought to be unique Balcas solution.

Graham Eunson, Distillery Manager, Tomatin, pioneered the project and commented: “As members of the Scotch Whisky Association we are fully committed, along with the other members, to reducing our carbon output by 80% by 2050. The shift to brites fuel means we are on the verge of achieving that now; 37 years ahead of the target. As well as the carbon reduction, there was also a clear financial saving offered by Balcas, with the Renewable Heat Incentive providing additional funding for the next twenty years. In addition to these savings, the solution proposed by Balcas was also much more compact than others we had reviewed and the use of pellets meant we had a local and reliable source of fuel. We are delighted to now be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland, and to have been the first to have completed the installation.”

Neil Holland, Balcas brites Sales and Marketing Director said: “We are delighted to have provided this integrated heat solution to Tomatin, which has resulted in instant and significant carbon savings for the distillery. Our Technical team has been assisting customers for many years, so we know a lot of the pitfalls of implementing this type of project. By ensuring that our boiler and silo solution is of our premium quality brites (wood pellets), the project has been relatively straight forward. Given that the RHI is for the next twenty years we believe that having a world class solution for the supply of steam in an industrial or commercial setting backed with the security of supply of fuel for the next twenty years has, and will be, a decisive factor for many customers in this marketplace.”

The new 4MW wood pellet fuelled steam boiler at Tomatin is the largest of its kind in Scotland and possibly the UK – and was no mean feat to install. Just one of the challenges facing the team was the fact that the main Perth to Inverness railway line runs across the entrance road to the distillery, so a major operation was carried out involving the closure of the railway in order to have the two pellet silos and the very heavy boiler itself lifted over it using a 500 tonne Facebook page. Even with these added technical challenges, the boiler produced steam only 8 months after Tomatin agreed the deal with Balcas. Visit www.brites.eu for more information, or contact enquiries@brites.eu.

Tomatin at a glance…

• Up to 90,000 tonnes of CO2 saved by the distillery over the course of the contract • Security of fuel supply from the largest wood pellet manufacturer in GB and Ireland the project • Customer isolated long term from the price • Experienced engineering team to deliver a 4MW installation in 6 to 8 months including planning permission

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

9

APPLICATIONS RUGGEDISED PLCS WILL BOOST PROCESSING UPTIME AT LAPLAND GOLD MINE ABB is upgrading the automation system at Agnico Eagle’s gold mine in Lapland, with eight of its latest ruggedised PLCs for controlling equipment in harsh conditions and extreme climates. The PLCs will control the sedimentation process of the concentrating mill.

A number of items of plant equipment came from other vendors, including PLCs. These were normal industrial grade types, but housed in freezeprotected cabinets located outdoors. Since installation this facility has suffered a number of process stoppages because of the environment at the mine - which includes very wet and humid conditions and winter temperatures as low as -40 degrees C. ABB proposed a solution based on the XC PLC. It has built-in protection against a very wide variety of threats posed by harsh environmental and operating conditions including high and low temperatures, high humidity, low air pressure, salt mist and hazardous gases, and vibration and shock.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Daresbury Park, Warrington Tel: 01925 741 111 Fax: 01925 741 212 E-mail: energy@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.com/plc

Babcock Wanson Heaters used in New Brewery Wort Boiler Babcock Wanson’s TPC1000B Thermal Fluid Heater has been incorporated into a new Wort Boiler by Microdat, a process and packaging specialist for the brewing, beverage and food industries. The first Wort Boiler of this type has been installed into Wye Valley Brewery in Herefordshire.

Whilst thermal fluid heaters are used extensively across a wide range of industries, this is the first time they have been applied to the brewery sector, which has traditionally used steam as the heating method of choice. Unlike steam boilers, thermal fluid heating systems are compact, easy to use and offer substantial savings in total energy costs.

A fully automatic coil type, multi-pass thermal fluid heater complete with integrated burner, control system and safety devices, the TPC1000B provides optimal distribution of the heat, high fluid velocity in the exchange tubes and continuous flow monitoring to ensure long thermal fluid and system life and the highest level of safety.

Other benefits over steam heating systems include no change of state of the fluid, so no condensate and therefore no flash steam or blow down losses. With lower energy input demand also comes lower total exhaust emissions, so there are also environmental benefits.

For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson, Borehamwood, Herts. Tel: 020 8953 7111 E-mail: info@babcock-wanson.co.uk Web: www.babcock-wanson.co.uk

LARGEST BARTON SILO CONTRACT COMMISSIONED BY CARR’S FLOUR SCOTLAND Barton Fabrications has completed its largest ever silo installation project. As part of a multi-million pound investment to automate and upgrade its Kirkcaldy site, 26 aluminium silos have been commissioned

by Carr’s Flour Scotland. The silos supplied range in size from 12 to 100 tonnes and are up to 19 metres tall.

Barton’s silos are used for a number of different applications at the Kirkcaldy plant, including flour storage, out-loading and ingredient containment.

Commenting on the benefits of Barton Fabrications’ products and service, Tim Hall, Operations Director at Carr’s Flour Scotland said: “Barton Fabrications’ reputation for build quality and installation expertise were key reasons in the selection of the company to manufacture and install the silos at our Kirkcaldy site.

“Apart from Barton’s established track record and technical competency, the company has been easy to deal with, highly responsive and

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extremely flexible in accommodating programme adjustments.”

The majority of the storage vessels include Barton’s half penthouse design: this provides indoor housing protection for operators during filter maintenance and easy venting for explosion panels which are part of the silos ATEX compliant design. A number of special features have also been incorporated into the plant including measures to avoid condensation and a unique double door arrangement fitted to twelve finished flour storage silos. This provides easy access for maintenance to the motors and discharge equipment located at the base of the silos.

For more details on Barton Fabrications’ silo solutions, contact Barton Fabrications Ltd, Portishead, Bristol Tel: +44 (0) 1275 845901 E-mail: sales@bartonfabs.co.uk Web: www.bartonfabs.co.uk

LCM Systems Take Delivery Of New 1500 Tonne Calibration Test Machine LCM Systems, a specialist manufacturer of load measurement and instrumentation systems has recently installed a custom designed 1500 tonne calibration machine at its manufacturing facility in Newport, on the Isle of Wight.

The addition of this machine to their calibration facilities means that all load cells, shackles and pins with capacities up to 1500 tonnes in compression, and 150 tonnes in tension, can be calibrated in-house.

For customers, this means that prices can be reduced and faster delivery times for large capacity load cells guaranteed.

Also, as many of LCM Systems’ load cells are used in safety critical applications, all calibrations are traceable to national standards and accurate to 0.1% of rated load.

Having the ability to carry out calibrations up to 1500 tonnes is also rather unique, as apart from The National Physical Laboratory, there is only one other calibration machine in the UK capable of testing load cells with such high capacities.

For more information contact LCM Systems Ltd, Newport, Isle of Wight. PO30 5GY. Tel: +44 (0)1983 249264 Fax: +44 1983 249266 E-mail: info@lcmsystems.com http://www.lcmsystems. com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lcmsystems

ATLANTIC PLASTICS CUTS 20 PERCENT ENERGY COSTS WITH ABB DRIVE Atlantic Plastics, Bridgend, a manufacturer of water fittings and valves is saving 20 percent of the energy costs of a large injection moulding machine, following the fitting of an ABB variable-speed drive.

ABB authorised value provider APDS showed that the existing direct-on-line installation used 25.3 kW. APDS installed a trial drive at the site to measure the actual demand required and match the flow to this demand. This drive drew 10.5 kW, giving an average hourly saving of £1.28 in electricity costs.

APDS gradually reduced the flow on the “on load” and “off load” parts of the cycle. The drive was set up to run at two separate speeds which were selected automatically by the drive monitoring the torque demand on the motor. When this dropped off, indicating the end of the pressurising cycle, the speed of the motor was reduced to 42 Hz using the relay built into the drive.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire Tel: 01925 741 111 Fax: 01925 741 212 E-mail: energy@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.co.uk/energy

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

APPLICATIONS Maintaining a smooth flow of biscuits at McVities A Digital-Flo industrial water heater package from Armstrong is helping maintain food production standards at United Biscuits in Glasgow. Consisting of a plate and frame heat exchanger with steam PRV station, expansion vessel, pressurisation set, pumps and the ‘Brain’ digital temperature control valve, the system is essential to deliver malt and syrup perfectly for the mixing stage in the manufacturing process.

The plant produces 45,000 tonnes per annum of Mcvities Go Ahead, Rich Tea and Hob Nobs and to sustain the integrity of the recipe and control production flow, the ingredients must be delivered at a constant ±1°C. Too hot and the mixture is runny, too cold and it will not flow smoothly. Both situations could lead to hold ups and inconsistencies in the colour, taste and texture of the finished biscuit.

“The previous method was proving inadequate. McVities project engineer Michael McEwan explains, “Our existing system involved heated oil transferred to the jackets surrounding the malt and syrup pipeline. Problems were evident – maintaining a constant temperature from the heated oil, having to heat the oil used unnecessary energy, oil storage and the additional risk of contamination which was a concern for both our health and safety people and customers such as major supermarkets.”

McVities already produces excess steam from other processes in the factory so there is no initial heating cost for the steam delivered to the heat exchanger. The sensitive ‘Brain Digital Temperature Control Valve’ controls the temperature of the ingredients at a constant 21°C whatever the ambient temperature.

McEwan explains further: “In all aspects the Digital-Flo system has produced everything that Armstrong promised from the outset. It delivers consistency, which is vital to maintain the speed and quality of our highly automated biscuit production. It is easy to maintain, has no storage requirements and no risk of contamination. As there is no pre-heating required of any material it has made a considerable contribution to our energy saving. Furthermore it has passed the most stringent testing from both our own internal audits and the external audits of our customers.”

For more information please contact Armstrong International S.A, Manchester Business Park, Manchester Tel: 0161 266 2279 or visit Web: www.armstronginternational.com

Purifying Wastewater With Verderflex Peristaltic Industrial Tube Pumps The Challenge A leading multi-national electronics company with numerous plants across South Korea has for many years been using Metering pumps for dosing Aluminium Sulphate in their wastewater treatment facilities.

The plant engineers approached the local Verderflex distributor Dong-Il Ent Co Ltd, looking for a solution to the following problems: • Inconsistent dosing of Aluminium Sulphate when tank levels were low • Unscheduled maintenance periods • High maintenance costs

Verderflex Solution

After consultation with the customer and site visits, 8 x Rapide R2S Peristaltic tube pumps were selected to replace the existing Metering pumps.

The pumps currently operate at flow rates ranging from 78ml/min to 1080 ml/min with discharge pressures up to 1.5 bar.

Result

The end user now experiences predictable maintenance patterns, whereby the service period has been increased from 600 hrs to 1000 hrs. This has reduced the process downtime that was experienced before with the metering pumps and has brought a significant reduction in the maintenance costs.

Jason Bang, Dong-Il Ent Co Ltd, Sales Manager “the customer is very happy with the simplistic operation & maintenance of the pumps. The ease in which the tube can be changed using the ski-boot clamp of the Rapide R2S, compared to the labour heavy and complicated maintenance of the Metering pumps is just one of the many reasons the end user decided to go for Verderflex Rapide pumps”.

Verderflex is a leading manufacturer of industrial peristaltic tube pumps. Verderflex range of peristaltic pumps has been developed according to the latest technology and subject to continuous quality control.

For more information contact Verderflex, Verder Ltd, Castleford, West Yorkshire. Tel: +44 (0) 1924 221020 E-mail: info@verderflex.com or visit www.verderflex.com

HARTING Ha-VIS eCon switches Versatile modules.

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tion here Find all product informa

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ARTING.co.uk

The exible solution for strong network infrastructures.

HARTING‘s Ha-VIS eCon switches o er solutions for the exible con guration of Ethernet infrastructures, while more than 200 variants ensure solutions perfectly adapted to customers’ requirements. Thanks to the compact design and the diverse port con gurations, they can be individually integrated into virtually any application. And consequently they t perfectly into existing networks and switch cabinets.

Ha-VIS eCon switches also o er a convincingly strong performance. With transfer rates of up to 1000 Mbit/s, supply to connected remote devices via PoE+, and cient energy management, they ful l the complex demands of state-of-the-art Ethernet networks.

For more information, phone +44 (0) 1604 827500 or send an e-mail to gb@HARTING.com www.HARTING.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

11

Clean steam

By Francisco Pedrosa – Product Manager, Clean Steam, Spirax Sarco

– is it right for you?

Steam has many industrial uses, but is your steam the right grade? We look at the different steam types and how they are used in various processes to give the right product quality.

Steam is a widely used commodity throughout industry, used for heat transfer cleaning, and sterilising in many processes. However not all stem is the same. Standard plant steam is a convenient and cost efficient way for moving heat around a huge variety of processes and applications, from petrochemical sites to pharmaceutical plants.

Yet there’s a growing recognition that plant steam is simply not clean enough for some applications. While this has long been understood in pharmaceutical production, healthcare and electronics, demand for clean steam is now on the rise in other industries.

The most obvious is food and drink, where improved hygiene naturally promotes greater food safety. However, the quality of other products may sometimes benefit from the use of clean steam to prevent contamination, even where there is no regulatory requirement relating to steam quality. In fact, any process that has steam coming into direct contact with the product has some potential to benefit from a switch to clean steam, although sectors such as pharmaceuticals and healthcare will undoubtedly remain the biggest users.

Food and drink industries getting the clean steam message Food and drink are the sectors where the trend towards clean steam is undergoing the biggest shift. This is partly because manufacturers want to improve quality, expensive product wastage and even product recalls with the associated damage to their reputation. It’s also partly because of pressure from customers such as the major supermarkets, who have their own responsibility to ensure the safety and quality of the products they sell.

There is no specific legislation governing the quality of steam in food and drink applications. However, manufacturers are legally bound to ensure the quality of the final product by identifying potential hazards and controlling them. The situation is more clear-cut in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, where clean steam has a long-established track record.

Pharmaceutical operators should be working to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines, while healthcare providers in the UK operate sterilisation facilities according to the latest guidance from the Department of Health.

Filtered steam Filtered or culinary steam is plant steam that has passed through a filter, typically 5 microns. This removes 95% of all particles larger than 2 microns. A pre-filter (typically 25 microns) is placed upstream of any 5 micron filter to prevent rapid blinding (blocking) of the main culinary filter.

Clean steam Clean steam is different because it relies on a secondary generator and tightly controlled feed water quality to eliminate many of the potential issues of lower grade steams. It’s critical to start with the right water quality. Raw water is not adequate and will require pre-treatment.

Reverse osmosis (RO), deionised/ demineralised (DI) and continuous electrodeionised (CEDI) water are all good possibilities. They all remove the need for chemical treatment by removing most of the particulates, inorganics and dissolved solids at the pre-treatment stage.

Clean steam is often used in applications such as sterilisation not only to eliminate contaminants, but also to ensure the quality control of critical attributes such as dryness, superheat and production of non-condensable gases, all of which could adversely affect the process and equipment.

Pure steam

While there is no consumer or patient health imperative to use clean steam in the electronics industry, the tiny scale and extreme fragility of electronic components demand the highest standards of hygiene during the production process in order to maintain product quality.

Pure steam must be pure, dry and pyrogen-free. When it condenses it must be pure enough to be injected into the human body with no ill effects. Again, a supply of highly purified feed water is essential, using the same principles as for clean steam.

Because you’ll find most pure steam being used in pharmaceutical applications, all the equipment and processes should meet cGMP guidelines as enforced and regulated by national agencies such as the US FDA and Pharmacopoeia.

Four grades of industrial steam

Why use cleaner steam?

There are four grades of steam commonly used in industry today, from basic plant steam, through filtered (culinary) steam, clean steam and pure steam. While plant steam is great for heat transfer applications in industries such as petrochemicals or pulp and paper, many food companies already use filtered steam, or even the clean steam favoured by hospital sterilisation departments and life science labs.

Pure steam is the highest grade option and is required in pharmaceutical and biotech applications.

Plant steam Plant steam is the starting point for most steam users. It can certainly be used anywhere it doesn’t come into direct contact with the process or product. If it is used directly, users should consider whether the quality and purity of the steam are fit for purpose or whether any possible contaminants could present a problem.

Contaminants can be chemical, physical or microbiological.

The most common source of chemical contamination in plant steam arises from incorrect treatment of feed water, which is typically treated with chemicals to prevent a range of problems such as corrosion or the build-up of scaly deposits.

Although effective water treatment should minimise problems such as scale and corrosion if carried out correctly, plant steam may still carry solid contaminants, such as flakes of rust or residual scale from inside the boiler and steam distribution system. Of course, the temperature and pressure of steam kills common microbial hazards such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli, though dead microbial debris, known as pyrogens, can still cause a health hazard.

12

In industries such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare and electronics, the patient safety, regulatory and product quality requirements make the decision to use high purity steam extremely clear-cut. Quite simply, it’s an essential prerequisite for a successful operation.

On the other hand, some operators in the food and drink industries still view the use of clean steam as discretionary because of the lack of concrete regulatory requirements.

However, it can be crucial in helping manufacturers to demonstrate that they are applying an effective food safety regime according to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. This is increasingly a requirement from major retailers who, along with manufacturers, are responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of the products they sell.

A recommended approach to applying HACCP involves the following steps: 1. Determine quality of raw boiler feed water 2. Determine levels and types of dosing chemicals 3. Identify other potential sources of contamination arising from the use of an inappropriate grade of steam 4. Assess any risks associated with ‘product’ contamination, for example potential health hazards 5. Devise and adopt an effective steam quality testing regime 6. Adopt best practice in the design, maintenance and testing of the steam system to ensure that the correct quality of steam reaches the process.

Far from steam being all the same, we can see that there are a variety of options for the steam user to get the right grade to suit their needs. Clean steam generators are supplied with Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) certification to ensure it is manufactured in accordance with hospital sterilization regulations.

A vendor that can also supply services such as steam quality testing and training on clean steam systems will help ensure that your steam installation is operated with the minimum of costs while maximising quality and productivity.

Spirax Sarco Ltd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Can be contacted via: Tel: 01242 521361 E-mail: WebEnquiries@SpiraxSarco.com Web: www.SpiraxSarco.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

APPLICATIONS

A CHANGE OF PUMP BOOSTS CHOCOLATE CRUMB PRODUCTION Making the decision to change pumps on existing processing lines can be a difficult decision to take.

When the existing pumps have been in place for several years and are constantly giving problems, finding the right supplier capable of offering the most appropriate pump type can make the decision easier.

At Meadow Foodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Holme on Spalding Moor plant in Yorkshire, the chocolate crumb production lines had for many years relied upon five rotary lobe pumps for transferring the mix of cocoa and condensed milk which makes up the crumb from process tanks to driers. The problem was that the pumps were constantly breaking down due to excess back pressure on the mechanical seals, and being obsolete the repairs and maintenance were becoming costly and irritating. Typically, pulling out the pumps and refurbishing them was taking around 14 hours, and spares had to be kept in reserve.

Chocolate crumb is a difficult product to pump as it is thick and highly viscous at its production temperature of 40°C and it becomes even more challenging when it cools as it tends to solidify. This in turn puts great back pressure on the pumps. Should there be any pump break downs remedial action has to be taken to avoid the crumb solidifying. Given the experience with Waukesha Universal 1 series pumps in other parts of the plant, AxFlow were asked for advice.

After examining the application and nature of the pumped medium, a decision was taken in 2012 to remove the old pumps and replace them with Waukesha 130U1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fitted with double O-ring greased packed seals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our decision was to supply the pumps with motors, gear boxes and mountings suitable for hygienic applications,â&#x20AC;? says AxFlowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brendan Orange. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meadow Foods have told us that the motors are saving energy and that the reliability of the pumps is excellent and none have needed to be touched since their installation some 18 months ago. In fact maintenance has been reduced substantially and now is largely confined to checking oil levels.

For more information contact AxFlow Ltd, Ealing, London.

Tel: 020 8579 2111 E-mail: info@axflow.co.uk Web: www.axflow.co.uk One of AxFlowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Waukesha 130Universal 1pumps fitted with double O-ring greased packed seals.

Highly efficient hot water generation and control from Armstrong Flo-DirectÂŽ All stainless steel â&#x20AC;&#x153;Complete Thermal Exchangeâ&#x20AC;? gas fired water heater. t PG BMM UIF FOFSHZ JO UIF HBT JT USBOTGFSSFE UP UIF XBUFS t 4BNF FÄ?DJFODZ XIBUFWFS UIF EFNBOE t $PNQBDU BOE MPX NBJOUFOBODF t *NQSPWFE $02 FNJTTJPOT t 3FTJTUBOU UP TDBMJOH t %SJOLJOH XBUFS DPNQMJBOU

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13

OPTIMISING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN THE FOOD PRODUCTION SECTOR

by Ian Ritchie, Brammer UK In any manufacturing process, optimising operational efficiency is a key driver of business competitiveness. This is especially so in the food production industry where any downtime can mean that ingredients perish and production can be lost.

The availability, performance and output of an individual machine or production line are key factors affecting operational efficiency, but these variables can be heavily impacted by breakdown or process issues.

breakdowns - a best-inclass strategy focuses on proactive, condition-based maintenance management.

The key to maximising operational efficiency, therefore, is to ensure that production plant performance is optimised. A key enabler to the achievement of this goal is the adoption of an appropriate maintenance and asset management strategy that will extend product life and reduce plant downtime.

This will go a long way in helping avoid asset failure and fixing potential production asset problems before they create unscheduled downtime.

In particular, the optimal selection and maintenance of drive systems for process equipment such as pumps and valves, impacts positively on both operational efficiency and reduced energy consumption – both of which are key to maintaining competitiveness.

Making effective asset maintenance decisions requires employees to have the right data at the right time and in the right format. This may include adopting condition monitoring techniques such as vibration analysis, thermographics, oil sampling and acoustic analysis to help monitor plant performance.

The costs of incorrect drive and motor specification The importance of getting this decision right is brought home clearly by figures showing that, electric motors and drives frequently account for more than two thirds of power consumption in industry. Yet many motors are unnecessarily oversized for the machines they drive. The annual energy consumption cost of running a motor can be up to ten times its purchase cost. A 10kW motor operating at 87 per cent efficiency could cost £1,500 more over its lifetime than one that is just 5 per cent more efficient.

Meanwhile, in any application where the pump is not required to work constantly at full speed, energy efficiency can be further increased through the specification of a variable speed drive (VSD), which can reduce energy consumption by up to 50%.

The energy saving and process improvement benefits of variable speed drives (VSDs) are well proven across a range of manufacturing applications and they can also help to increase the life of mechanical drive train components, which benefit from a smoother start-up.

As well as driving pumps, in the food industry, VSDs are commonly used in applications such as on extraction fans to control oven temperatures.

One typical pump application in the sector saw a pump being driven by a 21kW motor operating at 90 per cent demand and costing £12,532 per year to run.

The introduction of a VSD reduced the annual energy consumption by more than £3,000.

A successful spares sourcing strategy should always focus on total cost of ownership, rather than initial purchase cost, with factors such as component lifespan, criticality, reliability, reduced maintenance and service intervals all informing the purchasing decision.

Ultimately, the strategy should concentrate on ensuring the most common and machine-specific spares are always available. Wherever possible, stock value and stock-keeping units held should be minimised, with supplier numbers minimised to reduce inventory and working capital tied up in maintenance spares as well as the transactional costs associated with maintaining duplicate suppliers of the same component.

While for many this requires a significant evolution in maintenance strategy and execution, its impact is being widely proven in safeguarding production schedules, adding new efficiencies, reducing maintenance costs, improving spares management and even lowering energy consumption.

Precision alignment of components, for example, is proven to create energy savings of up to 5 per cent, while properly aligned machinery is also more reliable. A variety of laser alignment tools are available for this task.

The importance of a rigorous lubrication and sealing regime cannot be overestimated and the actual product specified is often as important as when, and how well, it is applied. All lubricants have a specified effective temperature range outside which they cannot be guaranteed to perform to the required standard. Using the wrong product will almost certainly impact negatively on machine performance , as will incorrect application or the use of insufficient quantities of lubricant, which will increase friction and rolling resistance, reducing energy efficiency while increasing the risk of premature component failure. Optimising this element of the maintenance programme can reduce energy usage by up to 2 per cent.

Meanwhile, scheduled maintenance to a motor or compressor whose energy usage has been identified as exceeding the level expected can help identify contributing factors and allow implementation of corrective action - reducing energy usage and future asset downtime. This illustrates clearly how energy consumption data can be highly valuable in informing operational decision-making and contributing to OEE.

The rapid payback achievable means there is often a strong business case for replacing inefficient or failing motors and drive systems.

Whatever maintenance approach is adopted, its goals and metrics should be closely aligned with those of production and procurement teams to ensure a consistent, collaborative approach to spares purchasing and management.

Developments in maintenance strategy

Best practice in spares management

Instead of a reactive approach – with plant run to failure, often supported with high engineering stock levels and characterised by unreliable performance and frequent

Maintenance spares management also contributes significantly to improving overall efficiency, helping maintain production continuity and avoiding downtime.

14

The strategy should also focus on engineering spares standardisation, which can significantly reduce inventory and cash tied up in stock, while ensuring a consistent component standard is used across the asset base.

The benefits of outsourcing Purchasing spares for production equipment maintenance and repair is often complex, time and resource-consuming. Well managed, however, it can generate major cost savings through demand reduction, reduced inventory, production and maintenance improvements.

Where the procurement and spares management process is large-scale or complicated, there is much to be said for outsourcing part or all of it to a specialist MRO partner. This partner should offer procurement and supply chain management expertise, combined with value-adding services like condition monitoring, energy audits, drive system design and lubrication programmes. This enhanced support can free valuable in-house procurement, production and maintenance capacity to focus on improvement projects to increase production output and efficiency.

Outsourcing some, or all, MRO spares management functions is consistently proven to reduce total acquisition costs and working capital, while the right partner can also add value to the engineering team to support plant uptime and production output optimisation.

In the current economic climate, with capital investment restrained, and plant asset life therefore extended, an effective maintenance strategy is key to improved manufacturing plant reliability and higher operational and financial performance.

Whether a company’s focus is on short term cost savings or on positioning the company for the long term, investment in new, more energy efficient, equipment and correct management of those assets will help to reduce costs, increase production uptime and productivity and enhance business competitiveness.

Brammer UK Ltd, Wythenshawe, Manchester Can be contacted on: Tel: 08447 36 36 65 Web: www.brammer.co.uk For further information visit www.brammeruk.com.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS

High-Temperature Connectors Function In Environments Up To 200°C HARTING has introduced a new high-temperature connector family, the Han® HighTemp Series, which enables the reliable transmission of signals and power at temperatures up to 200°C in industrial environments.

The design of the Han® HighTemp Series is based on HARTING’s well-established Han® B and Han® E series with the addition of high-quality temperatureresistant materials and heat-resistant design applied to all components such as contacts, insulating materials, housing, seals and grounding elements. During development, the resistance of these components was verified in HARTING’s in-house testing laboratory.

The basic structure of the Han® HighTemp connector consists of a bulkhead-mounted housing and a cable-side hood. The aluminium die-cast hoods and housings feature a highly compressed surface with excellent non-stick properties. It also has a special non-stick coating on the bulkhead-side seal which allows easy handling without significant sticking.

The rugged contact inserts use LCP (liquid crystal polymer) injection moulding to deliver outstanding temperature resistance coupled with excellent mechanical stability. The temperature-resistant contacts, for either screw or crimp termination, ensure reliable connections with minimal contact resistance even at extreme temperatures.

High-temperature connectors offer significant savings in equipment design, manufacture and maintenance by removing the need to enclose machine parts which are exposed to high temperatures and clearing the way to modular plug-in designs. The resulting lower wiring complexity results in reduced maintenance costs, fewer outages and minimal down times.

IF YOU NEED A METERING OR FLOW MEASUREMENT SOLUTION FOR YOUR PROJECT: Heat & Energy Meters LPHW, DHW, Chilled or Potable Water Meters Standard in-line or clamp-on Fixed or portable

Visit

For more information please contact Harting Limited, Northampton, Northamptonshire Tel: +44 (0) 1604 827500 Fax: (0) +44 1604 706777 E-mail: gb@harting.com Web: www.harting.co.uk

www.micronicsflowmeters.com

COMPRESSORS

01628 810456

OIL-FREE COMPRESSED AIR WITH MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY The water-cooled screw compressors in BOGE’s new SO series use state-of-the-art technology to produce oil-free compressed air for sensitive applications. Their intelligent design and innovative cooling principle give them an edge in everyday use, providing a reliable supply of oil-free compressed air with lower energy costs, and reducing maintenance costs to a minimum.

Thanks to the absolutely oil-free compression principle, BOGE’s new SO series is ideal for generating oil-free compressed air in particularly sensitive areas of production, such as the pharmaceutical, food and drink, and semiconductor industries. BOGE has now thoroughly reworked the water-cooled screw compressors in their 45 to 90 kW range. The results speak for themselves - the new screw compressors use up to 8% less energy while still generating up to 6% more compressed air. And this is not all compressors in the SO series are also up to three decibels quieter in operation. BOGE has designed all compressors in this range with IE3 premium efficiency class motors, thereby saving energy right from the very first minute of operation, and ensuring longterm generation of a sustainable, cost-optimised supply of compressed air.

Efficient and maintenance-friendly All components are easily accessible and are ideally positioned in the compressor’s cooling air stream. The new SO series has a small footprint, as the side doors can be removed and so only require minimal clearance at the sides.

Dynamic variable speed control for efficient operation All 45 - 90 kW rated models in the SO series are also available with frequency control to perfectly match compressed air output to the actual demand at any time.

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For more information contact: BOGE Compressors Brighouse, West Yorkshire Tel: +44 14 84-719921 Fax: +44 (0) 1484 712516 E-mail: m.heeley@boge.com Web: www.boge.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

15

INSTRUMENTATION

Non-intrusive flow measurement in harsh, corrosive environments You can look hard and long for the right level and pressure instrumentation ...

The FLUXUS F705 and G705 ultrasonic liquid and gas clamp-on flow meters allow for an inherently precise bi-directional, highly dynamic flow measurement of volume and mass flow rates of virtually any gaseous and liquid media – even at wet gas applications (up to a Liquid Volume Fraction of 5%) or liquid media carrying high contents of solids.

With the transmitter being ATEX, IECEx Zone 2 and FM Class I, Div. 2 certified FLUXUS F/G705 ultrasonic clamp-on – transducers for ATEX, IECEX Zone 1 gas and liquid flow me and FM Class I, Div. 1 are available - it is also the ideal flow meter for hazardous areas. Moreover, with its stainless steel enclosure (316L / 1.4404) it is highly corrosion resistant and especially suited for applications Offshore.

For more information contact FLEXIM Instruments Asia Pte Ltd, TT International Tradepark, Singapore. Tel: +65 67 94 53 25 Fax: +65 68 62 28 36 E-mail: salessg@flexim.com Web: www.flexim.com

... or find it quickly.

The easy is better principle from VEGA. VEGA has thought through the “easy is better” principle right down to the last detail.

The instrument platform plics® solves any measuring task related to level and pressure, and has been doing so for 10 years.

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www.vega.com/plics

16

Honeywell Expands Portfolio Of Pressure Switches With Three New Series Providing Long Life, High Productivity And Reliable Switching · Up to 2 Million Life Cycle Rating · IP67 Sealing Rating Allows for use in Harsh Environments · Platform Design Lowers Total Cost of Ownership and Implementation Expenses · Global Supply Chain Expertise Provides Fast Delivery Honeywell announces the addition of three new series to its pressure switch portfolio: the HP Series, HE Series and LE Series. The new Pressure Switches from Honeywell Sensing and Control provide high burst pressure ranges, a long life cycle rating and IP67 sealing, enhancing durability and reliability.

Pressure switches are often installed into challenging applications with wide operating ranges and specific switching requirements. High burst pressure and up to 2 million life cycle ratings allow the switch to operate and survive in demanding applications and ensure long life and reliable switching. These features can help to protect critical systems, reduce OEM warranty costs and enduser downtime. Pressure switches are also often exposed to harsh environmental conditions and washing applications which can result in damaging water ingress. Honeywell’s pressure switches include IP67 sealing to improve durability

and prevent water ingress from causing the switch to fail.

A comprehensive selection of ports, electrical terminations and compatibility with a variety of media allow for use in most customer applications, simplifying the design-in process, eliminating tooling costs and reducing manufacturing and labour costs.

The pressure switches provide a wide temperature range of -40 °C to 120 °C [-40 °F to 248 °F], and accuracy of up to ±2%. The electromechanical gauge pressure on/off switches are available with either single pole single throw normally open or normally closed circuitry, or single pole double throw circuitry. They are available for use in a wide variety of applications in the industrial and transportation industries.

For more news and information on HoneywellSensing and Control, please visit http.sensing.honeywell.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

INSTRUMENTATION

IMPROVED PADDLE FLOW SWITCH LAUNCHED GHM Honsberg has made a number of improvements to the popular CRG paddle flow switch, designed to improve ease of installation and setting procedures.

The CRG now comes with a transparent housing cover making the micro-switch operation visible without the need to open the enclosure and exposing ‘live’ electrical contacts.

The cable gland position has been moved from the top lid of the enclosure to the base improving accessibility and safety when making electrical connections and setting the switch point.

For more information contact OEM Automatic Ltd, Whetstone, Leics. Tel: 0116 284 9900 Web: www.oem.co.uk

In-Situ’ SENSOR DISPLAY The PM1000 plug-on display from ESI simply fits between the pressure transmitter and connecting plug and is powered from the 4-20mA current loop signal of the transmitter.

No additional power source is required.

Ideal for system commission, development, fault finding and applications where an in-situ’ display is desired.

Indication range -999 to 9999 Suitable for all transmitters with 4-20mA output

Compatible for any Form A connector EN175301-803 Bright LED display Set point option Simple installation For more information contact OEM Automatic Ltd, Whetstone, Leics.

Tel: 0116 284 9900 Web: www.oem.co.uk

SOLIDS AND LIQUID LEVEL MEASUREMENT The SCV capacitive level probe from Valco is a versatile product that can measure and control the level in both solids and liquid storage tanks.

All of the level product range from Valco possess a high degree of customisation and the SCV is no exception.

Conductive and non-conductive materials can be measured and probe lengths up to 1000mm in Brass or Stainless Steel housings are available.

For more information contact OEM Automatic Ltd, Whetstone, Leics.

Tel: 0116 284 9900 Web: www.oem.co.uk

Available on iPhone and Android devices Coriolis Flow Control Precise Direct Mass Flow Control of Pump Systems gives proven COST Savings With On Board PID Electronics ensures control of virtually any pump technology Optional: ATEX Rated for Zones 1 & 2 Independent of Fluid Properties

On Board CORI-FILLTM firmware eliminates need for a Batch Controller Alarm Functionality to Protect both the Process & Pump Self Learning with Fast Response and Stable Control

Innovation - Experience - Responsibility

Bronkhorst (UK) Ltd - T 01223 833222 - I www.bronkhorst.co.uk - E sales@bronkhorst.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

17

INSTRUMENTATION

CALIBRATION

HIGHLY ACCURATE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT FOR DEMANDING CLIMATE CONTROL

NEW FLUKE TEMPERATURE CALIBRATORS AND PRESSURE CALIBRATION MODULES

New humidity and temperature transmitter from E+E Elektronik The new EE210 transmitter from E+E Elektronik has been developed for highly accurate measurement of relative humidity and temperature in demanding climate control applications. Excellent temperature compensation ensures outstanding accuracy over the entire temperature working range.

Besides relative humidity and temperature, EE210 calculates further physical quantities such as dew point temperature, absolute humidity and mixing ratio.

Two of the measured and calculated values are available on the freely configurable analogue voltage or current outputs.

The combination of completely encapsulated measurement electronics inside the sensing probe and HCT01 humidity sensor with E+E proprietary protective coating enables the use of the EE210 even under harsh and aggressive environmental conditions.

The innovative enclosure of the EE210

provides outstanding protection against contamination. Thanks to the external mounting holes the housing remains closed during installation and so the electronics is protected from construction site pollution or mechanical damage.

At the same time the installation costs are minimized.

Up to three individually selectable measurement values can be shown simultaneously on the optional display. The smooth cover surface avoids accumulation of dust in protruding edges.

EE210 transmitters are available for wall or duct mounting.

Typical applications are agriculture (stables, incubators, hatchers, green houses), storage rooms, cooling chambers or indoor pools.

For more information contact E+E Elektronik Ges.m.b.H, Engerwitzdorf, Austria Tel: 0043 (0) 7235 605-217 Fax: 0043 (0) 7235 605-8 E-mail: Johannes.Fraundorfer@epluse.at Web: www.epluse.com

Fluke has introduced two new highaccuracy Temperature Calibrators, the Fluke 712B and 714B, plus the new Fluke 750P series of Pressure Calibration Modules. The 712B RTD Temperature Calibrator offers simulation and measurement of 13 different RTD sensor types plus resistance, the 714B TC Temperature Calibrator offers simulation and measurement of 17 different thermocouple sensor types plus mV, while the 750P Series offers 48 pressure calibration modules.

The rugged 712B and 714B Temperature Calibrators are designed as easy-touse, high accuracy instruments and come with a magnetic hanging strap, as well as a 3 year warranty. They can source/simulate temperature sensors to apply to process instruments, indicators, chart recorders etc. Offering dual inputs and bright, dual-reading, backlit displays, they provide easy interpretation of measurements. The temperature calibrators measure 4mA

to 20mA signals while simultaneously sourcing a temperature signal. They offer configurable 0% and 100% source settings for quick 25% linearity checks, and a linear output ramp and 25% step auto ramp based on 0% and 100% settings.

For more information contact Fluke (U.K.) Ltd., Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6JB Tel: 0207 942 0700 Fax: 01603 256 606 E-mail: industrial@uk.fluke.nl Web: www.fluke.co.uk

Stainless Steel housed Ultrasonic Clamp-On Flowmeter

FLUXUSŽ F/G 705 for Liquids and Gases Highly accurate and reliable bidirectional gas and liquid flow measurement over a wide turndown ratio Extremly rugged and corrosion resistant stainless steel housing for the harshest environments - including Offshore (ATEX / IECEx and FM approved) Very cost efficient: - No pipe work - No process shut-downs - Virtually no maintenance Highly zero point stable, drift free and independent of pipe size, material, line pressure and the medium Oil & Gas exploration and processing I Refineries (up to 400 °C and beyond) IOil & Gas Storage & Transport I Chemical industries

www.flexim.co.uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

How selecting the right flowmeter can help you minimise your annual energy costs The rate of fluid flow constitutes an important measurement in the processing industries.

Selecting an appropriate technology for a flow measurement application can therefore be a daunting task. With such a wide variety of technologies on offer, it can be difficult to find the best one for a particular application. Les Slocombe of ABB Measurement Products UK, explains how finding the flowmeter that can make the biggest contribution to minimising energy costs can help narrow the selection.

The extensive choice of flow technology options on offer can make selecting the correct flowmeter for an application a bewildering task. A broad range of factors can influence flowmeter selection, of which cost is just one.

Flowmeter technologies – narrowing down the choice The pie chart shown below indicates the variety of flowmeter technologies available and their representation in the processing industries.

Of the technologies shown, Anemometer 5% electromagnetic, vortex, Ultrasonic 7% turbine, ultrasonic, and anemometer, all actTurbine 8% ually measure the flow velocity of the fluid in Positive the pipe. Multiplying Displacement 9% the measured average velocity by the crosssectional area of the Direct Mass 18% meter or pipe will give the value for volumetric flow rates.

Vortex 4% Differential Pressure 29%

Magnetic 20%

Flowmeters based on differential pressure – orifice plates, nozzles, wedges, Venturis, and Pitot tubes – introduce a restriction in the flow. The unrecoverable pressure loss caused by the restriction is a measure of the volumetric flow rate.

Positive displacement flowmeters are true volumetric flow devices, measuring the actual fluid volume that passes through a meter body with no concern for velocity. These flowmeters capture a specific volume of fluid and pass it to the outlet. The fluid pressure moves the mechanism that empties one chamber as another fills.

If the application requires a measure of the mass flow rate, volumetric flowmeters must be supplemented with additional information, such as fluid density, pressure, and/or temperature. Some multivariable flowmeters and transmitters incorporate an additional sensor to provide this information. On the other hand, Coriolis flowmeters (and thermal probes for gas) directly measure mass flow rate. With a current market share of around 18 percent, they are steadily finding their way into an increasing range of applications.

The table below shows the applicability of certain flowmeter technologies to various liquid and gas conditions. Green Magnetic Liquids Conductive Non conductive High solids Pulsating flow High viscosity

Gases Dry/clean Moist Corrosive Contaminated Steam

Vortex / Swirl

Thermal Mass

Coriolis

DP Orifice

Wedge

indicates the technology will generally work while red rules it out. Yellow indicates that the flowmeter technology may sometimes work provided that certain conditions are met.

Obviously more than one technology can apply for a given set of fluid conditions.

Where this occurs, the next step in narrowing down the selection choice is to calculate which one is likely to be able to help you save the most energy.

Why minimize energy?

Many flowmeter technologies introduce pressure loss into a system. Pressure losses equate to energy losses and costs.

Valves, pipe friction, reducers, expanders, and measuring devices such as flowmeters all increase the Permanent Pressure Loss (PPL) in the system.

Some flowmeters require upstream reducers downstream expanders to operate properly.

and

the energy by the local electricity cost (£/kwh) and the number of operating hours in a year (8,760 total hours per year). The examples below assume a cost / kilowatt hour of £0.16, which is close to the UK national average (in 2012).

Actual costs will of course differ by residential, commercial, and industrial end uses.

Nitrogen, water, and steam serve as representative gases and liquids for a great many materials common to chemical plants. Below are calculations of the savings possible for an orifice, averaging Pitot, vortex, and magmeter (liquids only) flowmeters using these gases and fluids as examples.

Example 1. Nitrogen gas • • • •

4-inch line Normal flow: 1500 SCFM Pressure: 50 psig Flow at 50 psig (64.7 psia) = 1500 / [64.7 / 14.7] = 341 CFM • ME: 70 percent

For new processes, engineers often consider PPL when designing a system because it’s important PPL in H2O Power (Watts) in sizing the pump (liquids), compressor Technology 54 2173.8 (gases), or boiler (steam) to meet process Orifice Ave. Pitot 2.8 112.7 conditions and to deliver the desired Vortex 27.2 1094.4 pressure and/or flow. For operating Orifice beta = 0.65 for all the examples processes, PPL leads directly to the need for compensating energy, which can equate to significant Example 2. Liquid water increased annual operating costs. By minimizing pressure • 4-inch line losses in a process, engineers can cut the need for top-up • Average flow: 26.74 CFM pumping or compression as well as environmental impact.

• ME: 70 percent In the case of steam boilers, which are expensive, the ability to retrofit existing flowmeters with those having low pressure losses can boost the effective boiler capacity.

By selecting flowmeters with low pressure losses, engineers can:

Technology Orifice Ave. Pitot Vortex Magmeter

PPL in H2O 64.1 7.5 25.6 0

Power (Watts) 202.3 23.7 80.8 0

70% ME Watts 3104 160 1563

Annual $ cost 2719.10 140.16 1369.19

70% ME Watts 288 33 115 0

Annual $ cost 252.29 28.91 100.74 0

- Reduce pumping/compressing cost - Increase capacity - Minimize compressor, pump or boiler size.

Example 3. Steam

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Obviously a process system may have several flowmeters and other pressure reduction devices served by a pump, compressor, or boiler, leading to much higher costs than indicated here. However, even where this is the case, lowering the Permanent Pressure Loss can still make a significant contribution to helping lower electricity bills by minimising the pump and / or compressor size or work.

Lowering PPL can also be a low-cost method of expanding steam boiler capacities.

• 4-inch line • Density = 0.1495 lbs per cubic foot = 6.68 cu ft/lb The amount of pressure lost in a flowmeter depends on • Flow = 125 lbs/min * 6.68 cu ft/lb) = 835 CFM three factors: the fluid density, the square of the fluid velocity • percent Boiler efficiency: 90 percent Boiler efficiency: 90 (Vf)2, and the degree of obstruction to fluid flow, (Kmeter). The following list Technology PPL in H2O Power (Watts) 90% Eff Watts Annual $ cost roughly ranks the magnitude of the Orifice 83.7 8247 9163 8026.78 5.23 515.3 572.6 501.60 Kmeter factor for various flowmeters, Ave. Pitot Vortex 47.12 4643 5159 4519.28 from greatest pressure loss to lowest.

Coriolis Orifice/Nozzle Turbine Vortex Venturi Averaging Pitot tube Electromagnetic/Ultrasonic (negligible PPL)

Replacing an orifice plate with an averaging Pitot tube, for example, can reduce the permanent pressure loss (energy requirement) by a factor of 20. Averaging Pitot tubes offer minimal irrecoverable pressure losses as well as being inexpensive and simple to install.

Examples of energy usage Calculation of energy usage per unit of time depends on the product of the permanent pressure loss (PPL) and the volumetric flow rate Q divided by the mechanical efficiency (ME) of the system in decimal.

Incorporating units of measurement, specifically makeup power in watts, PPL in inches of water, and Q in cubic feet per minute (CFM), the equation thus becomes Power = (0.118 PPL * Q) / ME. The system VA mechanical efficiency ME is the product of the decimal efficiencies of the electric motor and that of the pump or compressor. Boilers also have an associated system efficiency. The following analyses assume a system efficiency of 0.70 for nitrogen and water and 0.90 for the boiler. Lower system efficiencies obviously require more power to make up for the pressure losses in the process.

The annual cost can then be calculated by multiplying

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

Summary With flowmeters normally being selected on their ability to provide accurate and reliable measurement, it can be easy to overlook the potential impact of the meter itself on the efficiency of a process line. With the competitiveness of UK industrial companies currently being hampered by high energy costs, any step that can be taken to minimise energy consumption could provide a valuable first step towards enhanced profitability.

ABB Measurement Products UK, Warrington, Cheshire Can be contacted via: Tel: 0870 600 6122 E-mail: moreinstrumentation@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.co.uk/measurement

19

HAZOP studies als Organisations in the chemical and process industries boast a high level of safety. The HAZOP study has ensured reliable identification of process risks for decades, contributing greatly to the safety situation. As the conventional, fully qualitative approach has been coming up against its limits, the HAZOP study has been complemented by modern risk-management methods, making it ready for new challenges.

The HAZOP study provides organisations with a well-structured and systematic approach to investigating potential hazards and the resulting risks. HAZOP stands for Hazard and Operability. The method revolves around a facilitated discussion with internal and external experts from an array of disciplines and departments. In a direct face-to-face exchange, process engineers, safety engineers, technicians etc. address safety-relevant aspects and possible solutions intensively at all levels.

The basic principle of the HAZOP method The HAZOP study is based on the fact that incidents are triggered by unplanned deviations from target operating parameters. Given this, the method aims to find out which steps in the production process are particularly vulnerable to critical deviations and determine the possible causes. To do so, the systems and processes under analysis are first divided up into individual functional units.

Their target functions are defined using relevant parameters such as pressure, temperature, volume etc. A number of guide words are applied to the target function and facilitate the identification of safety-relevant deviations. These guide words support a targeted and constructive discussion.

Once possible deviations have been identified, the method names the possible causes of these deviations. The possible consequences of the deviations are assessed and discussed. Once this is completed, the HAZOP study focuses on preventive actions that help to avert critical deviations or mitigate their consequences. In the last step of the HAZOP study, the identified malfunctions, causes, consequences and counter-measures and the arguments and comments made by the experts are documented in a report.

However, modern, increasingly complex production processes involve new risks that bring new challenges for the traditional HAZOP study, which focuses largely on qualitative risk assessment. The experts assess whether a certain event must be classified as hazardous or not, based on their experience and technical know-how and on the basis of recognised codes, standards and applicable law.

However, increasingly short innovation cycles in fields such as materials and operating fluids or in process control systems give rise to new risks, which can no longer be appropriately recorded by means of traditional methods. In these cases, experts cannot fall back on empirical information within the scope of analysis. It is in the nature of things that innovative procedures and the state of the art only become gradually reflected in standards and laws after they have become established in practice. However, sustainable methods for hazard analysis must also be able to meet these perpetual new challenges.

Adding probabilistic and quantitative approaches Experts and study leaders of TÜV SÜD Chemie Service have had good experience with the extended HAZOP study. The extended HAZOP study combines the HAZOP method with modern risk management tools. Using probabilistic and quantitative methods, the safety relevance of an event can be described on the basis of specific parameters. A comparison with evidence-based statistics, for example, enables the probability of occurrence and the consequences to be calculated (info box 1).

Using these methods, the experts can prepare statistical models of the plants and systems under analysis in which the failure probabilities of the individual components are set in relation to each other. This approach enables the failure probability for the entire plant or system to be determined. This probability and the possible consequences result in a risk rating. Comparison of the risk rating with the company-specific risk matrix reveals whether a risk can be tolerated or whether corrective actions must be taken.

The experience and the expertise of all experts involved and the skills of the study leader play a key role for the success of the HAZOP study. The study leader stimulates the creativity that is necessary to develop and examine various scenarios, and structures the discussion in a targeted and efficient manner. As the HAZOP technique can be used not only to analyse technical and operational processes but also Info box 1: for comparison against the state of the art and regulatory Differences between qualitative, acts and standards, experts using the method should quantitative and probabilistic methods also have in-depth knowledge and expertise in the field of standards, directives and laws (e.g. the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health or the AirQualitative risk Quantitative Pollution Control Act).

New challenges for risk analysis The HAZOP study has been used for hazard assessment for roughly forty years. Engineers at a British chemical company introduced the method in 1977 in a publication, “A Guide to Hazard and Operability Studies”. This guide marked the response to the fast growth of the process industry during the 1970s and the associated rise in the number of accidents. The incident in Seveso near Milan, a chemical accident which resulted in the release of highly toxic dioxins, had a major impact on the resulting public discussion. Since that time, the HAZOP study has successfully minimised process risks in the chemical and other industries.

20

risk

assessment

assessment

Probabilistic risk assessment

Decisions based on

Decisions based on

Decisions based on

- empirical evidence - technical expertise - intuition

- analytical models - defined parameters - comparison with limit values

- stochastic models - average values - distribution function of results

This means: risk assessment is not exact, but influenced by personal experience; accepted as “common sense”

This means: risk assessment is exact but may be contested, as the baseline values are often not generally accepted or cannot be specifically defined

This means: risk assessment is very realistic but requires comprehensive data records and highly complex mathematical models

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

so offer protection against new risks

By Rainer Semmler, TÜV SÜD Chemie Service

Comprehensive probabilistic and quantitative methods have the disadvantage of being very costly and complex. However, they can be simplified specifically for use in a HAZOP study. After all, the use of general statistical values for failure probability is normally sufficient in an examination of events. Risk research has shown that human errors occur at a range of 10-1 to 10-2 per year unless special precautions are taken. Mechanical components, by contrast, have an annual error rate of approx. 10-3, and electrical and electronic components of 10-3 to 10-4.

In this manner, risk can be quantified efficiently and with sufficient accuracy.

This also facilitates the development and selection of corrective actions, as lower risk ratings help to indicate and decide which measures are particularly suitable for risk minimisation.

Caption Fig. 1 (Diagram):

The HAZOP study’s traditional, purely qualitative approach fails to identify and cover the risks that may be hidden by modern and innovative processes, methods and systems, or when it comes to determining residual risk based on existing or planned measures (for example, when it comes to distinguishing whether measure A or B is more suitable to reduce the risk). When the analysis technique is combined with modern quantitative and probabilistic riskmanagement methods, it regains its long-established quality. These methods ensure that HAZOP participants take a broader view and also consider hazards and risks for which no empirical values, standards and laws are yet available.

By delivering solid statistics, data and facts, they thus provide an important basis for decision-making by the experts. Similarly, an extended HAZOP analysis also provides the necessary evidence of compliance with the state of the art.

Over past decades, the production volume in the global process industry has increased continuously (capacity, without mechanical manufacturing). The rise in production volume has been accompanied by an increase in the number of chemical accidents (accidents with severe consequences, excluding nuclear technology in this case). This category includes incidents with more than 10 fatalities or up to 100 victims of severe injury that cause significant but transient environmental impacts. The number of disastrous accidents, by contrast, has remained on the same low level for decades. Disastrous accidents involve more than 100 fatalities or leave several hundreds of people severely injured and cause significant, long-term environmental pollution. The diagram is based on various publicly accessible data sources. However, some of these sources were strongly influenced by contemporary attitudes. Virtually no valid data are available from the period of the “Cold War” (1940 – 1980), for example. Given this, the presentation does not claim to be complete, but serves to illustrate a general trend.

Example:

The author:

There is an uncontrolled release of a certain quantity of a dangerous substance.

Does this event have to be classified as dangerous?

Rainer Semmler is a notified expert under Art. 29a BImSchG at TÜV SÜD Chemie Service GmbH

Conclusion

Qualitative assessment: The uncontrolled release is/is not to be classified as a dangerous event.

Quantitative assessment: Assuming a Gaussian (normal) distribution in the affected area, a concentration X or dose Y will result at the hypothetical place under examination. A comparison with the accepted limit values shows whether the event must be assessed as dangerous or not.

Probabilistic assessment: The possible incidents, resulting sources of uncontrolled release and the likely conditions of dispersion (e.g. long-term weather statistics) will be used to calculate the likely dispersion in the affected area at a concentration X or a dose Y at the hypothetical place under examination.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

TÜV SÜD Chemie Service GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Can be contact via: Tel: +49 69 305-27739 Fax: +49 69 314-980 www.tuev-sued.de/chemieservice

21

The best bits from In the Hot Seat To read these in full subscribe to our new Interactive version of PII available on iTunes Newsstand - download via the QR Code

Likes: Middlesbrough FC, Rock climbing, Cricket (especially when Australia are winning)

to make it and became an apprentice diesel fitter instead.

Colin Simpson

you’ll never do a day’s work in your life” rings true.

Chris Horsley

Dislikes: Falling whilst rock climbing, Polystyrene, People who don’t indicate at roundabouts

What is the most successful product your company has launched & why was it so successful?

What has been the most unusual project your company has undertaken?

Best & worst business decision you have made Best: Relocating to our present facility in 2006 and coordinating our business proposition to Crane to become UK distributor for their DEPA AODD and ELRO peristaltic pumps.

Colin Simpson Worst: The worst would be employing perfectionists - they take ages to complete projects!

Anne McIntosh

What has been the most important advancement in technology for your business?

The advancement of steam boiler controls including the launch of our own system in advance of BG01 (Guidance on Safe Operation of Boilers) Level 3, for fully unmanned boiler houses.

Chris Horsely

What was the first ‘proper’ job you ever had?

I wanted to be a professional footballer and turned down an apprenticeship at ICI before I came to accept that I wasn’t going

Get involved!

22

The UltraTEV+. This is a handheld device for the non-intrusive detection of partial discharge in electrical assets. It has been hugely successful world wide as it is easy to use and will identify assets at risk of failure, allowing preventative action to be taken, improving the performance of the network and the safety of personnel.

Anne McIntosh

What can’t money buy?

Experienced staff. We spend a great deal of time and effort training our staff on the range of bespoke products and services we offer.

Chris Horsley

Best advice you have ever been given and what advice would you give to aspiring engineers?

“Make sure a project pays for both parties – both the supplier and the customer need to be satisfied with the outcome, both in terms of the work undertaken and the financial implications. Find an engineering subject that is truly of interest to you as you could be in that field for a very long time! The phrase “find a job you love and

Measuring the height of compacted solid waste in a sewage plant.

Graeme Hughes

What has been the most embarrassing moment at work?

Aaah, I still cringe! One of my first site visits with the then Sales Director to a food factory – I leant over and dropped a plastic conversion rule (similar to a slide rule) into a vat of boiling oil. It melted and ended up coating someone’s crisps!

Colin Simpson

If you were invited to appear on Mastermind what would be your specialist subject and why?

New South Wales Rugby League 19802000.

Graeme Hughes

In 140 characters tell people why they should ‘Tweet’ or ‘Like’ this post Work’s a serious business as people’s jobs and lifestyles depend on it, but you have to keep a sense of humour.

Colin Simpson

Would you like to take part in our ‘In the Hot Seat’ or ‘Top 10 Tips’? We would love to hear from you – Please email guyullmann@piimag.com or call 01428 751188

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

METALISED TOUCH SWITCHES

NEW METAL ON GLASS CAPACITIVE TOUCH SWITCHES

• • • •

launched at Southern Manufacturing 2014 Noritake Itron has introduced custom designed metallised touch switches whereby customers can create their own unique patterns with a high-gloss metallic finish which is hard wearing and without risk of degradation due to humidity or temperature extremes.

The photo lithographic etching process results in a precise pattern as small as 10um width on the reverse side of the glass. The metallisation prevents non-illuminated areas from light bleed or viewing angle deviation as seen in plastic technologies.

Noritake Itron can supply touch panels and complete module solutions with evaluation products available for purchase on the web.

Glass panel thickness ranges from 0.7mm to 4mm and up to 15inch screen diagonal with reverse bonded flexi-circuit termination. A combination of outer touch switches around a TFT screen is then a viable solution.

Modules can incorporate intelligent high-brightness multi-colour LED backlights with the touch control circuit interfacing via a serial link to a host or individual switched outputs which are suitable for relay or direct peripheral control.

The Touch Switches are available in various finishes including gold, black, white, reflective (mirror) and transparent.

Applications include vending and beverage machines, sanitary-ware, medical, transportation, and food processing equipment.

Single operator NO tools required 4 Minute change-over Easy access “external” seals

1” to 100” Blinds 150 to 2500 ANSI

Marven House, 1 Field Road, Reading RG1 6AP England Tel: (0118) 950 3707 Fax: (0118) 950 4066 International Dialling: (44-118 + Tel/Fax No.) Email: info@mvfh.co.uk • www.mvfh.co.uk

ONIS “Quick-Action” Lineblind

For further details, contact: ITRON (UK) LTD, Tel: +44 (0)1493 601144 Fax: +44(0)1493 600343 E-mail: sales@noritake-itron.com Web: www.itrontft.com

Making light work of a heavy maintenance process...

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

23

Is your electric motor trying to tell you something?

Plant and maintenance engineers often seem to have an intuitive nose for trouble, so are able to predict pending problems with machinery and take pre-emptive action to prevent them. It is not the result of magical powers, rather of long experience with plant and machinery. Bill Bertram of motor maker Marathon Electric explains how different motor sounds can be interpreted.

If you walk around a piece of plant that is running, you will hear it making a noise. If you listen carefully you will be able to pick out individual elements within the overall sound. For instance, you may be able to hear a fan whirring, a pump thumping and a conveyor rumbling.

It is not surprising then that an experienced plant engineer will be able to pick out individual electric motors and come to know their specific ‘sound signatures’. If a motor’s sound starts to change, this may be an indication of a problem, so the astute plant engineer will take the time to investigate and may thus nip a potentially major breakdown in the bud.

There are two main classes of extraneous noise in motors – mechanical and electrical. The most likely mechanical causes of noise are worn bearings, moving parts rubbing together or colliding, a bent shaft, and a loose or missing screw or other minor part. The type of noise may well indicate the problem, and the relevant part of the motor can be inspected and repaired if necessary.

The most likely electrical causes of noise are the loss of one of the three phases leading to a phase imbalance (three-phase motors only), or harmonics caused by the use of an inverter. Again, the character of the noise may suggest the problem; the solution may be simple, but could also be a bit more complicated.

Motor sound signature analysis is in fact a highly developed field of study, but it is generally only viable to apply in very special situations, such as the main drive motor on a nuclear submarine and the enormous pumping motors used in deep shaft mines. In major industrial applications, such as power stations, the similar discipline of vibration analysis is sometimes used as a way of monitoring the ‘health’ of large motors. But in most cases motor noise is assessed intuitively by engineers familiar with the plant on a day-to-day basis.

Cause and effect Common causes of damage to a motor include physical impact, electrical or mechanical overload and poor maintenance. Probably the most common of all is

24

a blow that damages the relatively fragile fan cover and causes it to impact the fan. While damage to the cover will be immediately apparent, a fan blade may also be broken or bent or the fan’s mounting or shaft may suffer. A simple visual inspection will show all of these problems apart from a slight bend in the shaft, which will probably lead to a whirring or humming noise in operation.

A larger impact could bend the main shaft, damage the bearings, dislodge a minor part or even damage the casing. Most of these could involve a major repair or even require the scrapping of the motor.

The motor’s central drive shaft can also be bent if it is subject to excessive load: perhaps a crane trying to lift an overly heavy object or a conveyor motor continuing to run even though there is a physical blockage on the conveyor. It is worth noting that drive shafts often experience their load as being asymmetric, i.e. they are subject to a constant bending moment.

A slightly misaligned or bent motor shaft will produce a humming sound. A similar noise can be created if there is a minor fault in the transmission equipment attached to the motor shaft. The latter can be confirmed by disconnecting the motor shaft from the load and turning it on. If the noise disappears, the fault is not in the motor.

If the noise is still present, there is a second test to do.

Turn the motor on, then off; if the motor stops turning instantly, the problem is almost definitely electrical, not mechanical. A burning smell or carbon deposits indicate a failed connection, which may be easily repaired. It is possible that one of the coils of the rotor has failed (become unwound or disconnected), causing the electromagnetic field to become asymmetric and creating rotor wobble. If one of the coils feels loosely packed, a rewind is probably required.

Rewinds will nearly always need to be undertaken by a professional, as will replacement of damaged shafts and worn bearings. Many other repairs could be completed in-house, although it may make more sense economically to simply replace the motor.

It is increasingly common to use a motor in conjunction

with an inverter or variable-speed drive. A drive can be used to reduce energy consumption by running the motor at a slower speed (energy savings are often very considerable), or to provide an extra level of operational control (for instance a motor driving a centrifuge could be set up to have three set speeds, two rates of acceleration and two rates of deceleration).

However, it should be noted that an inverter may increase both the electrical and mechanical stresses in a motor, so increased maintenance and monitoring could be required.

Conclusion Industrial electric motors are robust and reliable pieces of equipment, which require remarkably little maintenance during their working lives. There are many, many examples of a motor giving sterling service for literally decades, especially if they are regularly inspected and minor problems are addressed promptly.

Maintenance generally consists of cleaning, lubricating, checking the mountings and load alignments, checking the running temperature (and ensuring free air circulation), listening/feeling for vibrations and checking electrical connections.

Common minor repairs may include tightening screws and bolts, redoing electrical connections and fitting a new cooling fan and/or cowl. Larger repairs include replacing worn bearings and rewinding coils, which may be better done by a specialist contractor.

One of the best ways to check on a motor is to get to know its sound signature and to listen to it regularly. It is not only a simple thing to do, but it becomes almost intuitive to a dedicated plant engineer, and it is probably the best early warning system available!

Regal UK/Rotor (UK) Ltd, Wellingborough, Northhamptonshire Can be contacted via: Tel: +44 (0) 1933 230900 Fax: +44 (0) 1933 220069 E-mail: lucie.hodkova@rotor.co.uk Web: www.rotor.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES Technical information is available from: jbj Techniques ELIKA® HELICAL GEAR PUMPS the new low noise, low pulsation gear pump reduces noise level by an average of 15 dBA. Including group 2, 3 and modular pumps For more information contact JBJ Techniques Ltd Limited (technical office,) Redhill, Surrey.

Tel: 01737 767493 E-mail: info@jbj.co.uk Web.jbj.co.uk/ELIKA_gearpumps.html

The recently introduced Marzocchi helical gear pump, the Elika®, is proofing to be a worthwhile investment to many of our customers with demand increasing beyond what was first anticipated. Being far quieter and more efficient than standard external gear pumps, the particular shape of the patented Elika® helical profile eliminates the phenomenon of air encapsulation typical of normal gear pumps, curing the source of the main cause of noise and vibrations The structure of the pump minimizes the internal leakage, maximizing the volumetric efficiency under all conditions. This feature makes the Elika® suitable for work operations with low speed and high pressure.

Internal leakage, laminating from outlet to inlet and overheating the pump components, is virtually eliminated in the Elika® pump range.

Comparing the characteristics of the Elika® range to other volumetric pumps, it can be seen that, due to the wide rotational speed range, large working pressure and viscosity bands, the Elika® helical gear pump is suitable for a wide range of applications.

ELI2 is the first series in the ELIKA® range and includes pumps with displacement from 7 to 35 cm3/rev.

Maximum operating pressures up to 300 bar. The helical gear ensures the continuity of motion despite the low number of teeth. The low number of teeth and shape of the profile significantly reduces pressureoscillations and vibrations during operation transmitted to the other components, reducing the noise of the hydraulic system. Axial forces induced by the helical teeth are optimally balanced in all operating conditions by the axial compensation system integrated in the pump cover.

Specific compensation areas into flange and cover, insulated by special gaskets reinforced with anti-extrusion, allow for free axial and radial movement of the bushings, which is proportional to pump operating pressure. In this way, internal leakage is dramatically reduced, ensuring very good volumetric and mechanical pump performances, as well as proper lubrication of moving parts.

The ELIKA® gear pump reduces the noise level by an average of 15 dBA compared with a conventional external gear pump.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

SFC Launches Flexidrive II COMPACT TURBINE Remote Valve Operator With PUMPS FOR SMOOTH, New Counter Mechanism LONG LIFE PERFORMANCE Smith Flow Control confirms the launch of FlexiDrive II, a dependable, versatile and cost effective remote valve operator.

The FlexiDrive II includes a new fully integrated counter mechanism, failsafe even in the most aggressive of environments. The counter mechanism displays valve position (open/ closed), providing the operator with a clear indication of valve status.

Smith Flow Control’s FlexiDrive II valve operator can be applied to any handwheel operated valve, including lever operated valves (quarter turns) in oil, gas or petrochemical processing plants to make them constantly accessible and safe, regardless of location.

The FlexiDrive II system allows the user to operate a valve in a place of safety/ convenience. It is adaptable to any conventional valve with no modification requirements. A patented, flexible, linear drive cable effectively delivers rotary torque for distances up to 30 metres. The system can be passed through and around walls, bulkheads and floors, and is completely sealed and lubricated for maintenance-free, continuous loop operation.

FlexiDrive II is constructed from corrosion-resistant, 316 Stainless Steel and can be submerged into flooded pits. It is designed to withstand temperatures from -30 to 175 degrees Celsius and is delivered as a complete sealed unit.

FlexiDrive II is a unique solution to remote valve operation and removes issues associated with valve access in potentially hazardous areas.

For more information contact Smith Flow Control Ltd, Witham, Essex Tel: on +44 (0)1376 517901 E-mail: sales@smithflowcontrol.com Web: www.smithflowcontrol.com

The Serious Pipe* *No side splitting comedy guaranteed High-volume manufacture means high-quality pipework that’s reliable, flexible and easy-to-maintain but costs less than custom-built sheetmetal ductwork.

Jacob (UK) Ltd T: +44 (0) 1694 722841 E: sales@jacob-uk.com W: Jacob-uk.com

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When pumping applications present the challenges of low flows at high pressures, very low NPSH for high temperatures or low vapour pressure liquids, the smooth and balanced performance of MTH regenerative turbine pumps will be appreciated.

Available from fluids handling specialists PUMP ENGINEERING, the MTH range of pumps is ideally suited to applications such as boiler feed, high pressure cooling, refrigeration and CIP process. These compact pumps, which are available in direct drive, bareshaft, magnetic drive and canned rotor options, can replace multistage pumps, generating high heads in only a single stage. This design allows the pump to handle hot liquids, refrigerants, liquefied gases and liquids with entrained air, for example gas dissolution systems, where the pump will self-vent carrying air bubbles with the fluid to the discharge port.

The regenerative turbine pump is characterised by its unique impeller, which has a large number of blades machined into both sides of its periphery. Fluid enters the impeller at its outside diameter and is accelerated as it passes from blade to blade exiting the pump, at the same radius as the inlet. The row of blades located on each side of the impeller minimizes axial thrust; in effect, it is two impellers in one, operating within identical channels on the casing and the cover which allows the impeller to float freely and find its own equilibrium.

Another important advantage of the regenerative turbine pump is its ability to generate a very steeply rising head curve between minimum and maximum flow ensuring accurate flow control and very stable operation.

The standard range of MTH pumps includes models which cover capacities from 1 to 500 lit/min and pressures up to 70 bar. Construction materials include iron, bronze and 316 stainless steel For more information contact Pump Engineering Ltd,Littlehampton, West Sussex.

Tel: +44 (0) 1903 E-mail: sales@pumpeng.co.uk Web: www.pumpeng.co.uk

AUMA App Advances Data Downloads A new AUMA Support App enables rapid download of actuator documentation.

Designed to make life easier for on-site engineers, a Data Matrix code on each actuator can be scanned using a smartphone to obtain support materials.

Adopted in industrial valve automation applications, AUMA actuators are individually tailored to meet the specific requirement of each installation. As a result, documentation including wiring diagrams, technical data sheets and inspection certificates is unique for every device.

Designed for convenience in the field, the AUMA App is used to scan the order number on the actuator’s name plate to download required documents. Material will continue to be available via the company’s website www.auma.com The free AUMA Support App is available for download and runs on Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for version IOS6.1 or higher.

AUMA - leading manufacturer and global supplier of modular electric actuators

A new smartphone App from AUMA gives easy download access to actuator documents

QR code direct link to the AUMA Support App in the Apple Store

For more information contact AUMA Riester GmbH, Müllheim, Germany Tel: +49 7631 809-0 Fax: +49 7631 809-1250 E-mail: Riester@auma.com Web: www.auma.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

Valve & Positioner Package for Challenging Applications Challenging fluids handling applications, such as those in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries where systems are required to operate under severe operating conditions, are ideal situations for SAMSON CONTROLSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Type 3291 valve, Type 3730-6 valve positioners.

These well established, field-proven devices have recently been enhanced to include the benefits of the proven V-port plug and clamped-in seat features along with smooth interior valve surfaces which help to prevent the build-up of deposits and therefore reduce the potential for the valves to be affected by clogging.

This modular valve and positioner package is extremely versatile and is designed for easy servicing as it can be disassembled and assembled using standard tools. Also, accessories such as flow dividers, perforated plugs, insulating sections, bellows seals, positioners, limit switches and solenoid valves can all be easily mounted.

The type 3730-6 positioner with HARTÂŽ communication is a further development of the successful Series 3730 positioners. The standard version is supplied with the proven EXPERTplus valve diagnostics that allow the entire operating cycle of control valves used in throttling or on/off service to be monitored.

Another feature is partial stroke testing (PST) that provides information on whether shut-off valves function properly on demand and can be started by hand or automatically.

Diagnostic data can be read much faster thanks to the improved HART communication and emergency shutdown is guaranteed in accordance with IEC 61508 up to SIL 3 which eliminates the need for an additional solenoid valve.

Further details and product literature is available from: John Middleton, Samson Controls Ltd; Redhill, Surrey Tel: 01737 766391 Fax: 01737 765472 E-mail: Sales@samsoncontrols.co.uk Web: www.samsoncontrols.co.uk

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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

Why Use Dura 5 & Dura 7 HPLV High Pressure Low Volume Dosing Pumps?

• High Pressure Low Volume Dosing: The Dura 5 & Dura 7 deliver stable sub-litre per hour flows at either 5 or 8 Bar in a rugged hose pump format.

• Care Free Pumping of Off Gassing Liquids: Municipalities regularly use Sodium Hypochlorite (“Hypo”) to disinfect drinking water and the food industry uses Hypo to prevent bacterial contamination.

When pumped, Hypo off gases, vapour locking a diaphragm pump’s chamber resulting in additional degassing valves. Often pumps are set to “over-dose” to compensate for the loss of performance leading to increased chemical usage. Hose pumps are a well proven solution and also address the associated crystallisation issues.

• Eliminate Abrasive Wear Costs: Lime or Kalkmilch is a very common pH adjustment chemical, used in water treatment, industrial waste remediation and process acidity control. Lime’s fine particles are highly abrasive and cause severe stator and valve wear resulting in high pump ownership costs. Verderflex has many years experience solving this pumping problem and peristaltic pumps are accepted as the proven valve free solution to pump lime, the Dura 5 & 7 now bring this proven performance to lower flow rates.

• Reduce Chemical Usage: Peristaltic pumps have a gentle, low shear pumping action that maintain particle size and reduce the flocculation chemical volumes. In contrast, traditional solutions often shear flocculent particles increasing chemical use and result in higher operating costs. The Dura 5 and 7 now bring these benefits to lower chemical low flow rates.

• Kill Clogging Costs: Viscosity variations cause metering pumps to clog up requiring maintenance intervention.

The Dura 5 & 7 use re-enforced hoses to generate powerful suction eliminating both the performance variability caused by minor viscosity fluctuations and the consequential clogging maintenance costs.

Additionally, the truly reversible Dura 5 & 7 allow pumps to run backward and clear blockages unlike

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non-symmetrical tube pumps where flow rates change with pumping direction.

Crystallisation: Many reagents crystallise when the metered chemical flows are interrupted coating the seats result in a loss of performance whereas the abrasion resistant Dura 5 & 7 pumps maintain flow rates.

No Tube Re-tensioning: Some peristaltic pumps use continuous lengths of non re-enforced tubes which require re-tensioning after initial installation. The long life heavy duty Dura 5 & 7 hoses are fit and forget.

True Dry Priming: Dura 5 and Dura 7 dry prime to 9.5m of water compared to sub 5m wet-primed lifts associated with diaphragm pumps. The Dura 5 and 7 now eliminate the need for pre-wetting and priming in lower volume chemical feed systems.

Halt Dry Running Problems: Progressing cavity pumps cannot tolerate any interruption in their liquid feed lines or the result is costly burnt stators and downtime. The Dura 5 & 7’s hoses are lubricated from the outside and bring care-free, operator proof pumping to lower flow rates.

No Ancillary Equipment: Conventional metering solutions need back pressure, foot & degassing valves. The Dura 5 and 7 fixed occlusion rotors simplify installations and eliminate additional parts by maintaining a separation between supply and discharge lines.

Stable Liquid Delivery: Many metering pumps lose accuracy when flow rates or system pressures change, however, the powerful restitution of the Dura 5 & 7 hoses give consistent dosing accuracy even under varying operating conditions.

Superior Secondary Containment: The pumped liquid is totally contained inside the Dura 5 & 7’s high pressure hose and each hose is totally contained inside the pump casing. This results in superior secondary containment, allows pre-spillage detection and may eliminate special spillage bunds.

• High Margin of Safety and Secure Clamping: The heart of the Dura 5 & 7 is the re-enforced hose with a burst pressure in excess of 80 Bar (1150 PSI) unlike non-re-enforced tubes that can easily burst and rely on crimped connections unlike the Dura 5 and 7’s high compression taper fit clamping system.

• Superior Viscous Performance: Diaphragm dosing pumps require customers to use more complex special liquid ends for 200 CPS liquids and non-re-enforced tubing’s recovery limits tube pumps operating speeds.

The powerful restitution of the Dura 5 and Dura 7‘s re-enforced hoses give problem free pumping of 1000 CPS plus liquids and eliminate flow fluctuations without requiring additional parts.

• Maintenance Simplicity: Only the easy to change hose is in contact with the pumped liquid. Downtime is minimised dramatically with infrequent servicing and hose lives in the thousands of hours. Simple on site changeovers can be made by semi-skilled staff, lowering the total metering solution ownership cost.

• Simple User Controls: Hose pumps need no complex local keypads. Dura 5 & 7 pumps can be remotely controlled by inverters eliminating operator confusion and maintaining control system simplicity. These inverters can be the familiar site standard brand further simplifying the control system support requirements.

• Scalable Performance: The Dura 5 and 7 have the same common casing and mounting frames as the Dura 10. Should system demands change, flow rates are easily scaled up on site or down by replacing the hose and a few standard components.

For more information contact Verderflex, Verder Limited, Castleford, West Yorkshire. Tel: +44 (0)1924 221 020 Fax: +44 (0)113 222 0291 E-mail: info@verderflex.com Web: verderflex.com

Smith Flow Control Introduces CSF STEAM WATER Torkdrive To Prevent Plant MIXER FOR SAFE, SIMPLE WASHDOWN Shut-Down And Protect Plant Assets Providing a reliable source of hot water, delivered at the correct temperature and pressure makes the CSF Steam Water Mixer the safe and easy-to-use device for most cleaning, or wash down applications in just about every industry, especially in all food and beverage manufacturing processes.

Available through PUMP ENGINEERING, the Steam Water Mixer is versatile, effective and very easy-to-use in most industrial and process environments. These rugged and reliable mixers are constructed from stainless steel and are capable of delivering water up to a maximum temperature of 95ºC at volumes up to 10,000 lit/hour.

They are simple to install because existing steam and cold water supplies can be utilized.

Also, running costs are minimal because the design of the mixer ensures that all the heat energy in the steam is transferred to the water.

Further details are available from: Chris Newberry, Pump Engineering Ltd, Littlehampton, West Sussex Tel: 01903 730900 Fax: 01903 730234 E-mail: sales@pumpeng.co.uk Web: www.pumpeng.co.uk

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Smith Flow Control launches TorkDrive, a device that can be mounted to either the valve input handwheel or directly to the valve input shaft to safeguard the valve from excessive torque.

TorkDrive has two distinct benefits. It prevents valve damage, thus reducing the need for expensive plant shutdown and valve replacement (through overtorque) and provides vital info-rmation regarding site maintenance requirements.

TorkDrive can increase valve life as it prevents the operator from applying excessive force when closing the valve, protecting the valve seat. TorkDrive controls the torque applied when operating a valve, ensuring that the same force is used regardless of the strength of the operator.

TorkDrive can be incorporated seamlessly into plant maintenance systems and schedules.

TorkDrive is set to a predetermined maximum torque and, if during the operation cycle of the valve, the operating torque increases above the

maximum limit, the TorkDrive will slip, indicating an irregular valve condition. This will alert the operator to report the valve status to Site Maintenance, rather than continue to apply force to the valve.

Additionally it boasts a compact design, weighing less than 4kg, despite an all-mechanical construction. It is a completely maintenance free device, made from 316 Stainless Steel and is suitable for oil refineries, power plants, paper mills, water plants and chemical processing facilities and withstands temperatures from -56°C to +100°C, with a torque setting range from 80Nm – 500Nm. Furthermore it can be installed directly to manually operated valves, and benefits from IP65 protection.

For more information contact Smith Flow Control Ltd, Witham, Essex Tel: +44 (0)1376 517901 Fax: +44 (0)1376 519720 E-mail: sales@smithflowcontrol.com Web: www.smithflowcontrol.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

Pump Monitoring

We can monitor your pumps to check theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working correctly.

By carrying out regular checks we can foresee problems, plan maintenance work and by doing so liberate you from pump failures and process stoppages.

By monitoring your pumps we can also prolong the life of your pumps, optimise their performance and therefore minimize your power usage.

All part of fluidity.nonstop, our promise to keep your process running.

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

‘ONE-NUT’ ease of maintenance and electronic rupture protection secure 3-A accreditation for new Flotronic pump Specialist air-operated doublediaphragm pump manufacturer, Flotronic Pumps Limited, have secured 3-A accreditation for their brand new ‘H’ series pump.

Among a number of critical design features, Flotronic’s innovative ‘ONE-NUT design, which allows rapid pump disassembly and straightforward cleaning in place, was crucial to the success of the ‘H’ series’ 3-A application. The ‘H’ series’ electronic rather than pneumatic rupture protection system was also a deciding factor.

3-A Sanitary Standards Inc is an independent not-for-profit corporation dedicated to advancing hygienic equipment design for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. It sets high standards for cleanability of equipment as well as for the provenance of the parts and raw materials used and the pump’s ability to shutdown immediately to avoid contamination in the event of a problem.

“Ease of cleaning and robust rupture protection and associated alarm systems are vital for 3-A accreditation,” says Flotronic Chief Engineer, Peter Wheal. “We were confident that our ‘ONE-NUT’ design would completely satisfy 3-A cleaning and maintenance demands.

“We also knew that we needed to find a cost-effective alternative to our pneumatic rupture protection system,”

says Peter. “The result is an electrical unit connected to sensors in the pump’s air domes. The presence of any leakage is immediately detected avoiding the need for any secondary chamber, with a control unit shutting the pump down when activated.”

Flotronic designed the ‘H’ Series not only to meet 3-A’s stringent criteria but also with the US market particularly in mind. Meeting the high standards demanded by 3-A is a requirement of many US companies, especially those in the food processing industry.

For more information contact Flotronic Pumps Ltd, Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Tel: 01444 881871 E-mail: sales@flotronicpumps.co.uk Web: www.flotronicpumps.co.uk

SIZE REDUCTION DURABLE ROLLER CRUSHER NOW FULLY CONTROLLABLE USING PLC TECHNOLOGY FOR REMOTE MONITORING Glen Creston - ‘Leaders in Size Reduction’ have improved the design and function of their Roller Crusher It can be supplied with a new control box with PLC which allows remote monitoring and control of the crusher in process applications.

The largest single shaft unit is now 800mm long by 500mm wide internally and designed for crushing lump coal up to 250mm. High temperature versions are available for crushing power station ash at up to 250 degrees centigrade This rugged, slow-running mill is equipped with either a single or double roller shafts fitted with crushing cams which rotate between crushing and stripping combs.

Different shaped crushing elements are available depending on material.

This machine is particularly suitable for de-agglomeration of materials from sacks or silos, pre-crushing softer minerals and for granulating coarse lumpy, caked or compacted materials.

Features include: • Robust construction • Minimal maintenance • Compact design allows retro-fitting into existing

process lines.

• Parts easily removed for maintenance/repair Suitable for: • Pigments and Resin • Food and Pharmaceutical • Coal • Waste materials and Ash • Minerals

OPERATING PRINCIPLE /CONSTRUCTION

The wear resistant steel crushing cams are mounted on the roller shaft in staggered positions, accurately spaced so that they pass between the crushing and stripping combs which are mounted laterally on opposite sides of the inner housing.

The roller Crusher Mill is only one machine from our range of laboratory and pilot scale/light industrial equipment.

From our Jaw crusher, for primary sample breakage

prior to further processing, to the McCrone Mill, which will grind to analytical fineness, these machines can cope with a wide range of materials from rocks to edible grains For preparation of larger laboratory samples or for light industrial applications, Glen Creston offers a range of machines that can cope with higher throughputs whilst still producing reasonable particle sizes.

Glen Creston also manufactures special machines for sample processing production needs. These machines are designed for processing anything from small samples to larger scale continuous flows for industrial applications.

For more information contact Glen Creston, London.

Tel: +44 (0) 208 545 9140 E-mail: enquiries@glencreston.com Web: www.glencreston.com

OVERHEAD HANDLING SYSTEMS NEW DEMAG KBK ALULINE LIGHT CRANE SYSTEM • Improved smooth running characteristics • Ergonomic handling of loads up to 2,000 kg • Designed for versatile crane and handling systems Terex Material Handling has completely redesigned the Demag KBK Aluline light crane system to create a versatile and ergonomic modular lifting and moving solution.

Reduced rolling resistance enables operators to move loads weighing up to 2,000 kg, by hand, with minimum physical effort.

Six profile sections in four sizes The new light crane system comprises hollow section aluminium profiles, in four sizes, which deliver improved rigidity and a higher load capacity. In addition, all profile sections benefit from lateral slots, which are compatible with the ITEM system, making it an ideal platform for the addition of other industry standard accessories for bespoke solutions.

The two larger KBK Aluline profile sections are available with optional integrated conductor lines, eliminating trailing cables, for improved functionality and a clean, modern appearance. The spectrum of applications for the light crane system ranges from small workshops to complex interlinked material flow applications, including

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semi-automated production operations. The system is particularly suited to the automotive industry, where high cycle times and precise positioning on production lines are prerequisites.

The smooth operation of the KBK Aluline system, with low load dead weight, reduces operator fatigue whilst meeting demands for operational efficiency and safety and as an overhead handling system, KBK Aluline makes it possible to create almost any size of suspension crane or monorail system.

For information about Terex equipment. Please visit websites at www.demagcranes.de and www.terex.com for further information.

For more information contact Demag Cranes & Components Ltd, Banbury, Oxfordshire Tel: 01295 676100 Fax enquiries to: 01295 271408 E-mail enquiries to: bnb-help@demagcranes.com Web: www.demagcranes.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

Fire dangers won’t affect your plant – will it!!!!!

Manufacturing plants’ vulnerability to fire ensures that safety, detection and preventive measures should never be compromised. Yet, fires still occur with alarming regularity and often terrible outcomes.

Process Industry Informer takes a closer look at the situation and what can be done.

Simon Jenkins, product manager of FireVu, has long been acutely aware of the dangers posed by manufacturing processes discusses the issues and possible solutions with special reference to the food processing industry.

Manufacturing environments possess inherently high risk processes making the threat of major fires a constant possibility. Fire prevention measures, as outlined by the Health and Safety Executive, reduce risks. Early fire detection can present special challenges, but the results of not addressing early stage fire situations quickly and adequately have serious repercussions. Questions are still being asked in Parliament after one particular fire in 2010 cost the local community 150 jobs and caused extensive environmental damage.

Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Plant in Dehui in north east China was held up as the very model of economic progress by local officials up until June last year. Its lack of health and safety procedures led to a gruesome event that unnerved the Beijing Government when a catastrophic fire engulfed the plant and led to a horrific 120 fatalities. An ammonia leak was cited as a possible cause.

While we might expect countries striving for economic growth at the expense of safety procedures to experience such catastrophes as awful as that seems, such examples are far from confined to less developed countries.

A food processing plant in Nebraska just a few weeks ago, in January, suffered two fatalities and many injuries after an explosion led to fire and debris trapping workers. The business had had 35 workplace safety law violations in the last 40 years.

Closer to home in July 2010, a fire engulfed a Suffolk based meat manufacturing facility in Lowestoft. Wessex Foods supplied meat products for 500 UK Burger King outlets - suspected chemical cannisters were to blame for the explosion. Over the course of ten days more than 100 firefighters, with two air support units, worked to control and finally extinguish the fire. More than 50 million litres of water were used.

Firefighters worked to ensure water courses were not contaminated and that local buildings, including a petrol station remained unaffected. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service stated the design of the building had given crews some difficulty: the insulated rooms were prone to burning.

The results were brutal for the business and local community.

150 staff lost their jobs, 700 tonnes of burnt meat had to be cleared and 350,000 tonnes of CO2 was released.

• Finely sprayed oils, mixing with potable flammable solvents such as ethanol or sterilisation techniques such as high temperature drying or spraying with hydrogen peroxide solutions • Flammable gas fuels for ovens, flammable liquids and vapours (spirit based flavourings and cooking/coating oils).

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 assesses workplace dangers for fire and explosion hazard identification, and methods of prevention or mitigation. DSEAR requires all workplaces where substances that could give rise to fire or explosion are handled or stored must be fully assessed and protected.

The full list can be found on the HSE website http://www. hse.gov.uk/food/dustexplosion.htm

Fire detection technology Manufacturing processes present complex and sometimes harsh environments to operate in for systems. Chemical industries for instance have their own and similar issues.

Early fire detection needs to have robust, resilient, effective and tailored solutions for the plants they protect.

The following three technologies are often used for early detection of potential fire danger.

Infrared Detection Infrared detectors (IR) are simply transducers of radiant energy, converting radiant energy in the IR into a measurable form.

Essentially it detects danger by looking for smoke patterns, often at points that might be particularly vulnerable to fire risk.

Rather than waiting for a signal to trigger specific sensors, VSD can offer early warnings by cameras pointing at the subject space and looking for changes in variables.

Problems arising from smoke stratifying and not reaching detection equipment are eliminated. It can also survey large open sites.

Detecting IR energy emitted by objects takes away reliance on visible light and so obscured conditions should not affect its effectiveness although thick smoke is an issue as is oil and grease.

Most IR detectors are designed to ignore constant background IR radiation, which is present, focusing on the modulated part of the radiation.

When exposed to modulated non-flame IR radiation, IR detectors become more prone to false alarms.

Operator verification ensures appropriate action is taken, minimising false alarms of already under pressure fire services.

Aspirating Smoke Detectors Aspirating Smoke Detectors (ASDs) work by assessing the presence of smoke particles suspended in air that have been drawn through sample holes in a pipe network into a detection chamber.

The dangers inherent in manufacture processing

ASD is highly sensitive, often detecting smoke before it is visible to the human eye, which is particularly valuable in slow growth fires or where a fire develops in inaccessible or obscured locations.

• Ovens and conveyor belts driven by motors and pumps • Flammable hydraulic fluids, which power the ovens and conveyor belts. These often span multiple pieces of high value plants’ kit or pass between several rooms. The risk of a serious fire with the ability to spread across the entire plant is ever present.

• Dusts prone to combustion including: flour, custard powder, instant coffee, sugar, dried milk, potato powder and soup powder

Video Smoke Detection (VSD) is a proven technology in terms of what it can deliver.

Ignition energies vary with different substances and for similar substances with differing moisture content and particle size. A low energy static discharge from a synthetic fibre jumper can trigger an ignition as can a fixed flame from a gas fired boiler.

The political backlash has pushed for the implementation of mandatory fire suppression measures, the local MP claims that sprinklers could have prevented the fire in Parliament in February.

The sources of danger are as diverse as the manufacturing sector, the food processing industry has its own specific danger points:

Video Smoke Detection

However, the sensitivity to distinguish between smoke and dust in early stage fires can be compromised, the size of dust and smoke particles can be similar.

There are technological approaches to reduce nuisance alarms, but compensatory technology may impact the sensitivity of a smoke detector and early warning reliability.

Future integration of ASD with intelligent detection systems, including remote monitoring and verification will improve its effectiveness.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

If a complex has areas that could trigger alerts from signals that might resemble smoke, such as dirt from recycling plants, then such areas can be isolated. This allows safety staff to concentrate on the key danger areas.

Safety operators can work on site or remotely. With high quality video, they can determine if an alert is a real fire risk and take appropriate action. Alerts can be studied after the event to improve safety.

Conclusion Manufacturing is not alone as an industry that suffers from major fires. The consequences of inadequate fire prevention and detection to workers, material and to the environment can lead to tragic consequences.

The DSEAR regulations in place acknowledge the dangers inherent in the manufacturing sector, give clear instructions and the hard penalties for failure to implement regulations.

The early fire detection solutions are there and while the fire danger persists, as it always will, then the benefits of tackling potentially catastrophic fires before they told hold are self-evident.

Fire Vu (AD Holdings), Daresbury, Warrington, Cheshire can be contacted via: Tel: 01928 706487 E-mail: enquiry@firevu.co.uk Web:www.firevu.co.uk

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GRIP COUPLINGS

SOLIDS HANDLING & PROCESSING

GRIP COUPLINGTM FOR Efficient Particle Capture?

ALL METAL PIPES – the Answer Shouldn’t be Blowing in the Wind

MV Fluids Handling’s Straub Grip Coupling simplifies pipework, design and installation over traditional pipe-joining techniques. Metal pipe from 3 /4in to 24in can be joined in minutes.

The Straub Coupling joins plain-end metal (black, cunifer, galv., or stainless) pipe with axial restraint and without the associated risks of ‘hot-work’, welding, or burden of expensive grooving/threading machines.

The slim-line coupling encases a patented sealing gasket that is progressively activated by the media pressure in the line, whether it be gas or liquid. Since Straub’s progressive seal encapsulates the line medium, ensuring no contact with the coupling’s metallic casing, it provides a cost-effective means of joining stainless or exotic alloy pipes in chemical applications. Straub’s unique patented design guarantees full re-usability performance in joining plain-end pipework in high maintenance applications, such as frequent blockages and eroding bends, without call for preparation (machining), pipe setting-up, or coded welders and other complicated procedures involving safety permits.

Increased coupling range now available from Ø26 to 609mm. Temperatures -30°C to +125°C in the range Ø26 to 60mm, and -30°C to +100°C up to Ø219mm, and beyond to 80°C. For more information contact MV Fluids Handling, Reading, Berks Tel: 0118 9503707 Fax: 0118 9504066 E-mail: straub@mvfh.co.uk Web: www.straub.co.uk

ANALYSERS

pH Measurement in Very Low Conductivity Waters Power plant cycle chemistry guidelines and standards specify narrow ranges of pH to minimise corrosion of highly valuable components. In addition, makeup water treatment systems using two-pass reverse osmosis optimise performance by careful control of pH between passes. In both of these applications, pH must be measured accurately under the difficult conditions of low conductivity.

Download METTLER TOLEDO’s application note: “pH Measurement in Low Conductivity Samples.”

This application note explains why some gel-filled electrodes are not suitable for high purity water. It also reveals how pressurised gel-filled electrodes provide more measurement stability.

METTLER TOLEDO Thornton’s pHure Sensor™ series features an internallypressurised gel electrolyte reference electrode. This produces similar results to a flowing junction reference but offers more convenient installation and maintenance.

Find out more about pH measurement in low conductivity samples by downloading a full copy of this application note at www.mt.com/uk-pHure-AN For more information on METTLER TOLEDO Process Analytics solutions for the Power industry, visit www.mt.com/ism-power or call 0116 234 5095

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The removal of particles from gas flows can be achieved through a variety of equipment types. A major challenge for many industries when a plant is subject to expansion or re-design, is that it is often the case that the dry particle filtration system is unlikely to be adequately assessed for its capability to operate with either higher transfer rates or radically different bulk particle properties.

Failure to take these factors into account can lead to an increased tendency for filter blinding or more frequent cleaning cycles.

In either case the end result can cause interruption to process efficiency and hence loss of profits.

The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology has developed a comprehensive suite of pilot plant scale equipment for evaluating filter performance and the effects of changes in bulk particulates on filter life.

For more information The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, Chatham Maritime, Kent.

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8331 8646 E-mail: Wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

BESPOKE PADDLE BLADE MIXERS FROM JR BOONE PERFECT FOR CLAN CERAMICS John R Boone have developed a bespoke mixer solution for investment casting specialists Clan Ceramics for their global ceramic core process and material supply business, including high-temperature, multi-stage mixing with vacuum processing.

In such a technical arena, the choice of machinery is critical. Clan needed a partner with whom they could work, and whom they could trust to supply equipment to fit their production lines globally.

JR Boone produced a horizontal paddle blade mixer (HPBM) for Clan. The mixing process is complex, forming a paste at high temperature (140ºC) over a number of stages, finally de aerating and discharging under vacuum to make sure that a homogenous, bubble-free ceramic material is produced for the casting process.

JR Boone produced a variation on their standard HPBM, incorporating an insulated jacket, heating system and a vacuum pump for the final part of the process.

John Morris, Clan’s Technical Director, said: ‘The amount of testing we were able to do with JR Boone helped tremendously. We have been able to reduce mixing time by 25%, for example. We also found that the profile of the Boone paddles means that, despite the very abrasive materials we use, they wear far less than other mixers we have tried; improving product quality and ultimately reducing cost.’

The Control System was designed specifically for Clan, with temperature, speed and time all being selectable and monitored parameters within the easily operated menu system on the HMI. Boone mixers are specified to third party manufacturers, so JR Boone have manufactured them to be as far as possible ‘plug and play’, easily installed and operated so that operators worldwide can produce the very high quality ceramic cores that have rightly built Clan Ceramics’ reputation.

For more information contact John R. Boone Limited, Congleton, Cheshire.

Tel: 01260 272894 Fax: 01260 281128 E-mail: sales@jrboone.com Web: www.jrboone.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

SOLIDS HANDLING & PROCESSING

Spare Centrifugal Sifter BULK BAG DISCHARGER Screens and Filter Bags WITH INTEGRAL Process Components Ltd (PCL) has its own in-house sewing facility where it manufactures and supplies a wide range of sifter screens for a number of centrifugal sifter machines, as well as filter bags.

New investment in sewing machinery and personnel has meant that Process Components Ltd has not only increased its production capacity and capabilities, but also offers its customers an improved level of service.

Benefits of working with Process Components Ltd; • Quality products produced from and OEM manufacturer • Competitive prices • Quick response to customer requirements • Process and application knowhow / expertise Nylon Screens PCL has a large and varied catalogue of screen dimensions and micron sizes that can be utilised to suit applications in many diverse industries. In addition, custom screen modifications can be requested. For example; • Sewn seam for oil based ingredients • Both ends of the screen can be ‘corded’ to allow easy mounting and fitting of the screen to the basket.

• Double skin screens offer increased screen longevity in fine sieving applications.

• Sifter screen aperture sizes are available from 53 – 5000 micron • FDA approved coloured nylon screens are available for efficient traceability and visible checks.

Filter Sock / Bags PCL is able to produce a range of Filter Socks / Bags for Centrifugal Sifters and Mixers in a range of materials to suit a wide variety of applications.

All PCL products are manufactured to customer specifications to ensure maximum filtration efficiency for each and every application requirement.

Engineering Capabilities In addition to the manufacture of spare parts for Centrifugal Sifters and Mixers. PCL engineers are available to provide CAD support in order to design non-standard customer specific filters and screen templates.

CONVEYOR

This Bulk-Out® Bulk Bag Unloader stops dust during untying, discharging, retying, collapsing and removing of bulk bags while increasing safety and promoting complete discharge.

A patented Spout-Lock™ clamp ring atop a pneumatically-actuated Tele-Tube™ telescoping tube allows quick, dust-tight connections, and maintains downward tension on the bag as it empties and elongates. Simultaneously, Flow-Flexer™ bag activators raise and lower opposite bottom edges of the bag to loosen compacted materials and promote complete discharge.

A patented Power-Cincher™ pneumaticallyactuated flow control valve cinches the bag spout concentrically for retying of partially-empty bags, while a Bag-Vac™ dust collector creates negative pressure within the sealed system to collapse empty bags, allowing dust-free retying and disconnection.Broad model range allows loading of bags with electric hoist and trolley (shown) or forklift.

Numerous options include integrated scale systems for loss-of-weight batching directly from bulk bags. Construction and finishes offered to food, dairy, pharmaceutical and industrial standards.

For more information contact Flexicon Europe Ltd, Whitstable, Kent Tel: +44 (0)1227 374710 E-mail: sales@flexicon.co.uk Web: www.flexicon.co.uk

Purity through innovation Global sieving and filtration specialists

For more information contact Process Components, Macclesfield, Cheshire Tel: +44 (0) 1625 412000 E-mail: sales@pro-components.com Web: www.pro-components.com www.mucon.com

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SOLIDS HANDLING & PROCESSING

SAFE HANDLING OF BIOMASS MATERIALS WITH SPIROFLOW Despite the recent hike in gas and electricity prices, fuelling the growing debate over the cost of green energy to the consumer, the drive towards environmentally-friendly power stations seems set to continue, with biomass-fired plants playing a key role in the switch from coal.

Energy companies see biomass as an alternative source of clean fuel that will help meet carbon reduction targets. However, the movement of biomass within power stations and factory environments requires high-quality conveying systems that meet statutory requirements for the safe and dust-free distribution of potentially hazardous materials.

Wood chip, sawdust, pellets and shavings are not easy to handle, they do not all flow freely and can be combustible. As with any potentially combustible component, stringent safety regulations are in place to eliminate or control the risks from explosive atmospheres in the workplace.

Spiroflow Ltd is a world-leading manufacturer of ATEX approved conveying and bulk handling systems that meet regulatory requirements for distributing potentially combustible materials using safe, dust-free and cost-effective methods.

Although ultimately it is the responsibility of biomass processors and power plants to ensure that the workplace is safe, Spiroflow is well aware of the potential dangers that can arise due to dusty atmospheres, and is quick to point out that the key safety ethos for all conveying, handling and weighing equipment should be explosion prevention.

Materials such as wood pellets and wood chips are also quite fragile and need totally

secure handling as they can easily degrade over long distances and complicated factory routes. Spiroflow’s ATEX compliant conveyors, bulk bag dischargers and fillers incorporate flow promotion devices to aid the movement of difficult materials with almost negligible degradation.

The company’s tubular drag conveyor, for example, offers total dust free handling and movement of products over distances of three to 60 metres at rates of up 120 tonnes per hour - depending on material and density - efficiently, cleanly and without the need for an air filtration system. Over the years this system has proven to be the most costeffective method for conveying difficult and temperature-sensitive materials.

It provides complete batch transfer of bulk products from single or multiple in-feed points to single or multiple discharge points, making it ideal for a wide range of materials.

Steve Taylor, Senior Applications Engineer at Spiroflow explained: “Our ATEX compliant tubular drag conveyor meets the strict regulatory demands for conveying biomass materials. Our knowledge of all the hazards associated with conveying potentially combustible materials is second to none.”

Spiroflow manufactures a range of Flexible Screw Conveyors, Aero Mechanical Conveyors, Tubular Cable and Chain Drag Conveyors, Vacuum Conveyors, Bulk Bag Dischargers, Bulk Bag Fillers, Ingredients Handling and Weighing Systems. The company’s technical and engineering expertise has led to it developing an international reputation for an unrivalled range of products with state-of-the-art control systems.

A cornerstone of the company’s success is its eagerness to design and develop bespoke equipment to meet the needs of individual customers.

For more information contact Spiroflow Ltd, Clitheroe, Lancs. Tel: +44 (0) 1200 422525 E-mail: ben.ayrton@spiroflow.com Web: www.spiroflow.com

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The winning formula to help you go for gold The Cogent Skills Store is now live and offers Gold Standard training covering technical competence, health & safety, business improvement and functional & behavioural skills. To claim your free Manual Handling e-learning module visit www.skillsstore.com

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

A Cooling Influence

By Carl Webb – Director of Andrews Chiller Hire

The food and beverage industry is one of the most reliant on the supply of chilled water across virtually every aspect of its processing facility, 1. keeping machinery at the optimum processing temperature 2. reducing product drying times in confectionery manufacture 3. maintain constant temperatures in the fermentation process 4. ensuring constant temperatures in final product finishing area 5. providing chilled storage areas.

that must also take into account ‘heat gains’ and ‘cooling losses’ from lengthy pipe runs, the greater the distance to the site inlet manifolds the larger the unit and subsequent higher costs.

Keeping the various aspects of plant at the required temperature is normally down to on-site process or industrial chillers which are designed for the most rugged environments and conditions unlike commercial or HVAC chillers and depending on plant requirements could represent a significant financial investment and be the single biggest energy user. However, benefits to be derived from this investment are increased productivity and improved product quality.

Air-cooled, fluid chillers are available from most hire companies, hire companies like them because they are easy to service which means customers are guaranteed to receive fully tested and maintained chillers which can be installed more quickly than water cooled machines, enabling the production process to return to normality.

Since this could represent a sizeable capital investment and is crucial to the plant’s operation 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week it is essential for regular maintenance and check-up services to ensure that it is always in a good and efficient operating condition.

During operation, the flow of the hot process water enters a chiller barrel (also known as the chiller evaporator) which also receives the systems cool low pressure mixture of liquid and vapour refrigerant, this absorbs the heat from the process liquid. This transfer of heat boils the liquid refrigerant in the chillers evaporator and the superheated vapour is pulled into the chiller’s compressor.

This compresses the refrigerant to a high temperature and pressure, high enough to allow the chillers condenser (a heat exchanger) to reject heat from the chillers refrigerant to the atmosphere, axial fans (propeller type) drawing outdoor air over a finned tube heat transfer surface (heat exchanger).

The On-Site Chiller Key to chiller efficiency is its heat transfer performance and this can be maintained if operators regularly clean the unit’s condenser and evaporator tubes.

While cleaning tubing in heat exchangers is laborious, doing so is a must in order to ensure high-efficiency performance. Another area of concern is the condition of the water used within the chiller, it should be treated properly to avoid issues such as scaling, corroding and biological growth. Closed water system chillers need a single chemical treatment of water whilst open systems require continuous and regular chemical water treatment.

Chiller failure could result in huge financial losses and reputation - production slows or at worst stops and, unnoticed it could result in an increase in rejected parts.

At such crucial moments on-site maintenance engineers are under extreme pressure to resolve the situation, it could be simply a stuck valve or a more serious incident where the plant delivering the constantly chilled water has developed a major problem that could remain unsolved for many days.

Whilst major repairs take place the prime alternative is chiller hire, unquestionably the right decision answer, and for maintenance engineers and production managers they will turn to specialist hire companies such as Andrews Chiller Hire with a nationwide network of hire depots and an experienced engineering team could mean your business is just hours away from being back into production.

Engineers from competent hire companies need to carry out a site survey, to identify the very best position to site a skid-mounted chiller, understand the cooling requirements and specify a chiller capacity

Air Cooled Chillers Air cooled chillers are the favoured HIRE unit both by the hire companies and the customer since they require less maintenance and more importantly they eliminate the need for a cooling tower.

Air cooled chillers absorb the heat from process water, which is transferred to the surrounding air,the water is then recirculated back into process. As a means of providing temporary chilling this design minimises the installation work involved allowing the chiller to become operational more quickly.

able to set wheels in motion that meant a temporary solution was in place with 12 hours, saving the power stations potential losses that could have amounted to many thousands of pounds.

This was key for plant managers at the nuclear plant thanks to the time-critical response to the situation presented by the power station.

The Operation

Since the efficiency of an air cooler chiller relies on expelling heat into the atmosphere correct position of the hired chiller is paramount. For any competent chiller hire company correct placement of the chiller should be second nature.

Many leading hire organisations will claim to provide 24/7, 365 day access to specialist engineering staff, there are just a few that can actually deliver on this promise and have a large nationwide network of depots that can respond promptly as in an emergency situation the customer faces the possibility of losing many thousands of pounds through machine downtime or waste product.

Choosing the right hire company can certainly pay dividends – quicker response to cooling problems, competent engineers, faster delivery – and above all temporary installation of the right chiller to enable the production process to re-start.

For example…

When one of the UK’s largest nuclear power stations started losing supply of its process cooling water a call went out immediately to us and despite it being a Sunday afternoon, engineers at the company were

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

Provision of uninterrupted chilled water is an essential element for processing cooling systems in the nuclear power industry and is one for which, if not recovered, can as mentioned above, have huge financial losses but also damaging high profile consequences should any of their processes go off line. On this occasion when a compressor on the primary cooling plant failed and a quick repair unlikely the plant management team looked towards a ‘fast fix’ by contacting us.

In this instance given the time frame and following specific discussion with the site’s engineers a standard chiller was modified to meet requirements, including supply of a recirculating pump set on the flow-side of the system and all associate pipe-runs.

In achieving this time critical solution, which by passed the fixed chillers and pumps, it resulted in a positive outcome and in that the nuclear plant lost no production shows just how important it is to “call in” specialist all year round 24/7 providers with the knowledge and engineering skills to meet such an emergency whether it be problems relating to chillers, boilers, air conditioning or pumps and not only in this example but in the chemicals, food & beverage and other process industries.

Andrews Sykes Hire Ltd, Birmingham, West Midlands Can be contacted on: Tel: +44 (0) 1902 328725 E-mail: shdinternalsales@andrews-sykes.com Web: www.andrews-sykes.com

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IN SUPPORT OF

INNOVATION Steve Leech from Siemens Industry says ambitious UK manufacturing businesses should seek out the clear strategic and operational advantages of small-scale distributed control system (DCS) pilot plants, as they look to turn potential innovative product and process concepts into commercial reality.

There have been plenty of headlines in recent years about the proactive stance the Government has taken to reinvigorate UK manufacturing prowess and revitalise an industrial base that for decades was the power behind Britain’s economic strength.

Years of underinvestment and the growth of the service sector led to a marked reduction in its contribution to the UK economy, a position now, thankfully, that is being reversed.

The creation of landmark and strategic initiatives such as the High Value Manufacturing Catapult under the auspices of the Technology Strategy Board, is once more putting British manufacturing success centre stage, and views the support of innovation as a key component for future UK industrial success. Its aims are important as outlined on its website: “The programme has political cross-party backing to ensure its longevity. It will enable the UK to address market needs in key areas, making the country more competitive on the global stage. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s long-term goal is to stimulate growth in the manufacturing sector and more than double the sector’s contribution to UK GDP. It will do this by helping accelerate new concepts to commercial reality and bridge the gap between early innovation, where the UK has traditionally been strong, and industrial-scale manufacturing, where real wealth is created and the UK is relatively uncompetitive.”

Manufacturers both large and small can now access the expertise and experience sitting within academia, research, industry and government as they seek to create, test, produce and commercialise new concepts and products. As it says, the Catapult helps to ‘bridge the gap’ between early innovation and industrial-scale manufacturing, prompting accelerated development and reduced the market risks for manufacturers.

Taking risks to capitalise on new ideas…

This type of supportive, inclusive and practical assistance can only be applauded if the many innovative concepts produced by talented UK manufacturers are to be ultimately realised and real wealth for the nation consequently created. In the process sector the work being undertaken by the Centre for Process Innovation in this area can only be admired.

Against a backdrop of encouraging and supporting innovation, it is also important that manufacturers looking to develop new ideas seek to capitalise about how to proceed. A case in point are the risks involved in, for example, moving from a testing or laboratory-based environment for a new process or product to one that can fully demonstrate full commercial and production viability.

Typically, companies in sectors such as the pharmaceutical, life science and chemical industries – especially start-ups or fledgling organisations – will time after time successfully develop promising concepts and processes, but fail in the key objective to scale up their offering from the laboratory to an industrial platform. They often hit a brick wall and, sadly, on occasion, a potentially innovative breakthrough falls by the wayside through a failure to move to the next stage of development. For such companies a tried and tested answer is available.

For a number of manufacturing operations the attractions associated with using a small-scale DCS pilot plant to aid the next development step towards commercialisation is proving to be highly beneficial. Many manufacturers can wrongly hold a perception that the creation of a ’pilot plant’ and the advantages of distributed control system technology (such as the Siemens’ PCS 7 solution), are expensive and unobtainable for them – in truth the opposite is true. Scalable pilot plants are both

36

straightforward to create and affordable to access and are increasingly being used to bridge the gap between testing and production.

A case in point…

The advantages pilot plant DCS solutions deliver are demonstrable. For all manufacturers the ability to collect, retain, interrogate and use data is a heavily significant factor in the leap from concept to manufacture. One company, Plaxica, a process engineering and technology licensing business based in the North East, sees real value in this area as it has embarked on a project to build its own pilot plant. Andy Langton, Senior Process Engineer for the company says: “As a relatively young company it is imperative that we are able to demonstrate to our potential customers that our process technology is sufficiently developed to warrant their investment. While it is possible to do this on a small scale at laboratory level, we desired to move to a larger scale unit and by having a DCS-based pilot plant it further portrays the robustness of our technology in an industrially relevant context to customers.

“Of particular importance was a key objective to secure an enhanced data collection capability to gather the necessary process intelligence to further develop and prove our process technology. Through the pilot plant we can now look at trends and how our processes react to change.”

Alongside the clear benefit of accurate and timely data collection, security and transfer through the development stages, the scalability of pilot plant technology also offers confidence and reassurance. This is particularly important for potential investors who seek answers that the new process systems can be scaled up and therefore become commercially cost effective. The successful implementation of pilot plant DCS can help achieve this, as well as laying a solid and proven foundation for the future without exposure to undue risk.

A combination of secure and accurate data collection, system scalability, lower risk and increased speed-to-market through strategic use of pilot plant technology, is enabling a number of entrepreneurial and innovative manufacturing operations to now make the critical move from testing in a lab to the reality of production feasibility.

Companies like Plaxica are embracing the opportunities offered by small-scale pilot plants, attracted by the operational functionality it can deliver, as well as the reduction of risk associated with getting process and products to market without delay.

It is only when an innovative idea becomes a commercial reality that true value is created. Using inexpensive and easy-to-create small-scale DCS pilot plant technology can bring that day forward.

As Andy Langton from Plaxica summarises: “We have generated a cost-effective and commercially scalable pilot plant allowing us to test our processes without the need to build at an intermediate scale prior to a first commercial scale facility. The small-scale DCS process plant was undertaken to move the company’s development to the next level. We are seeing significant commercial opportunities as a result of our ability to practically demonstrate our technology via the pilot plant.”

Siemens Industry, Princess Road, Manchester Can be contacted via: Tel: 0161 446 5000 E-mail: steve.leech@siemens.com Web: www.automation.siemens.comn

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

ENCLOSURES

RITTAL SE 8 FREE-STANDING ENCLOSURE FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS Rittal’s SE 8 enclosure range is now fit for extreme conditions with a new NEMA 4/4x protection category.

The SE 8 enclosure type has UL, cUL and NEMA 12 (IP55 equivalent) approvals as standard features, with protection class NEMA 12 as the default, sufficient for the majority of applications.

With the optional NEMA 4 (for steel enclosures) and NEMA 4x classifications (for stainless steel ones), which roughly correspond to IP 66, the enclosures offer increased defence against wind-driven dust, rain, splashed water and water jets, as well as from damage caused by external ice formation. Electrical and electronic equipment within the NEMA 4/4x enclosure is protected and can now also be used in extreme applications, thanks to the improved dust and water protection.

In order to achieve NEMA 4/4x classification, modifications to Rittal’s SE 8 range of enclosures has been made. The door and rear panel have been reinforced with a tubular door frame, integrated through a one-piece floor plate with an all-round seal in the base area of the enclosure.

Unlike baying suites with frames and removable side panels, the body of the SE 8 free-standing enclosure consists of two side panels and a roof which is made from one piece of sheet steel. The rear panel can be unscrewed for easy access to the enclosure.

For more information contact Rittal Ltd, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Tel: 01709 704000 E-mail: information@rittal.co.uk Web: www.rittal.co.uk

Rittal Toptherm New DTS Ec Fan-And- Hazardous Area Customised Filter Units Rittal offers a more energy efficient means of ventilating enclosures by supplying electronically commutated (EC) versions of the successful TopTherm fan-and-filter unit, in all but the very smallest size.

Using the same diagonal fan technology as the standard variant, Rittal’s TopTherm EC fan-and-filter unit provides improved performance against static pressure, offering a more constant air throughput and energy savings in excess of 60 percent over previous models. Compliance with ongoing energy efficiency guidelines can be met and exceeded by using EC motors. Intelligent control and fan status monitoring is available for larger units.

Direct monitoring of fan speed is via a tacho-signal output with a malfunction or failure signal, prompting immediate action, minimising the risk of component failure in the enclosure.

Infinitely variable speed control offers a means of conserving energy further by operating the fan at a speed determined by the demand for cooling. A programmable logic controller (PLC) may be used to control the fan motor, via a 0-10V DC or pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.

A sensor that controls the speed of the EC motor by comparison of the actual temperature with a fixed setpoint of 35 °C, will increase the fan speed to produce a cooling effect as the temperature approaches the setpoint, will soon be available from Rittal.

For more information contact Rittal Ltd, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Tel: 01709 704000 E-mail: information@rittal.co.uk Web: www.rittal.co.uk

Enclosures and Panels

Thomas & Betts’ DTS hazardous area Ex panels and enclosures provide protection against explosions occurring, or in the unlikely event of an explosion they will contain that explosion. The range includes junction boxes, instrumentation boxes, control boxes and stations that can be specified for use in different zones where gases and dust present a potential risk of explosion. Now, custom built Ex d panels and enclosures can also be manufactured and tested to user requirements, offering ATEX compliant protection.

Customised enclosures provide hazardous area protection for industries as diverse as oil and gas, chemical and pharmaceutical, food and beverage production, power generation as well as many other sectors. Applications include protection for motor starters, main breakers and measuring equipment.

Customisation can include a variety of components such as switches, contactors and relays. Typically, the EJB custom built panel range can be supplied in a range of different sizes and a wide choice of components. They are approved to EN 60079-0/1 and can be used for Ex d, IIB, II, Zone 1 and 2 applications, whilst also offering IP56 ingress protection.

The new customised panel and enclosure range, together with a full complement of accessories, are featured in the new Thomas & Betts Hazardous Areas Product Catalogue. It provides comprehensive technical data and ordering information for every product. It can be viewed and downloaded at www.tnb-hazardous.com For more information contact Thomas and Betts, Coleshill, Birmingham. Tel: +44 (0)1675 468 200 E-mail: kopex.info@tnb.com Web: www.tnb-hazardous.com

HEALTH & SAFETY

RUPTURE DISC FOR DUPLEX HOLDERS WILL HELP CUSTOMERS IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES

Elfab’s Opti-Gard™ now suitable for even wider range of applications

Pressure management specialist Elfab has launched a new version of its Opti-Gard™ rupture disc for use with duplex holders. Opti-Gard™ High-Strength Magnet (OPM) will typically benefit customers in the oil and gas industry and makes the Opti-Gard™ range suitable for an even wider range of applications.

The Opti-Gard™ system comprises a reverse-acting rupture disc, a single-design holder and Flo-Tel™, a non-invasive, ATEX-approved detector. The Flo-Tel™ sensor fits into the rupture disc holder while a magnet is attached to all Elfab rupture disc products. When the disc bursts, the magnet arcs away from the sensor and produces an open circuit signal. After functioning, only

the disc needs to be replaced, saving on both material costs and downtime.

Previously, Flo-Tel™ could not be supplied for applications requiring duplex holders, as duplex stainless steel is magnetic and prevented the detector from functioning correctly. OPM features a high-strength magnet, allowing its detection system to be used across a wider range of process conditions where duplex holders are required.

Flo-Tel™ offers a wide range of unique benefits to customers requiring notification of disc burst, being the only integral ATEX-approved detection system available on the market. Unlike traditional membrane detectors, FloTel™ is reusable and so only requires a one-off installation, saving significant costs associated with ongoing wiring.

Since it is isolated from downstream pressure fluctuations

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

or aggressive media, it will not cause unnecessary downtime through spurious “failure” indication.

Like the traditional Opti-Gard™ disc, OPM continues to offer some of the best performance specifications on the market for liquid, gas and vapour applications, featuring a three per cent tolerance and 95 per cent operating range.

Elfab offers a wide range of products and services to safety-critical industry sectors across the globe, and is constantly developing its product range to meet customer demands and strengthen its pressure intelligence brand.

Deborah Bevan, Elfab Ltd, Alder Road, North Shields, Tyne & Wear NE29 8SD, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)191 293 1234 Fax: +44 (0)191 293 1200 E-mail: pr@elfab.com Web: www.elfab.com

37

EEMUA 191:

Implications of Revision 3 on KPIs EEMUA 191 Revision 3 has revised requirements in terms of generating and representing KPIs. Alarm Management professionals and engineers responsible for control systems on process plants should therefore be aware of these changes and how to interpret them, says Bruce Nicolson, Senior Control Systems Engineer at Intelligent Plant.

On the 11th of September 2013 the 3rd Revision of EEMUA’s (Engineering Equipment & Materials Users’ Association) highly influential “Alarm Systems, a guide to Design, Management and Procurement” was released at a seminar in Manchester. This revision has revised requirements in terms of generating and representing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This article explores what those changes are and how the visualisations are affected.

Alarm Management professionals should be aware of these changes and how to interpret them. Users can verify the visualisations with a small set of their own data by visiting: http://www.intelligentplant.com/Pages/Distinguish.aspx or by using Intelligent Plant’s Alarm Analysis.

What is the problem?

Prior to the computing revolution industrial plants would be controlled from large panels fitted with gauges, switches and indicating lights. Often the lights (accompanied by an audible signal) would show an alarm condition, that is, a measured value, which has surpassed a limit and requires action to correct. These panels had limited space on which to place indicators, and there was a cost in adding new ones, therefore careful consideration would be made before additional indicators were added.

With the advent of computerised control systems the cost of adding alarms dropped effectively to zero; every analogue signal could have high and low alarms at the press of a few buttons. Unfortunately, full use was made of this new alarming capability and many unneeded alarms were created. This resulted in operators having to deal with a steady stream of irrelevant alarms even while the process was steady, and floods of alarms when the plant was upset, with important alarms being obscured.

target we are attempting to achieve.

The upset chart plots % time > 10 alarms per 10 minutes against the maximum alarm rate. 10 alarms per minutes is considered manageable for a short time and again, this should be our target.

Figure 2 – Upset State Performance Level This KPI is usually displayed in the KPI table, but there is now context as to what this means and how much it needs to change.

High alarm rates during Steady State are usually caused by “chattering” alarms; this is when alarms repeatedly annunciate because the measured variable is close to the alarm setting, either because the setting is inappropriate, or often, when it belongs to a piece of equipment that is currently shut down. De-bounce timers, filtering and deadband changes can often cure this type of alarm.

High Upset rates happen because most alarms settings are appropriate for normal running, and become inappropriate when there is a plant trip. Low flow, for example, is what we would expect on a pump that is stopped. Generally, logic is required to remove these expected alarms.

System Performance by State EEMUA 191 Rev 2 defined a grid used to determine an alarm system’s performance:

The same underlying alarm data is used for both pairs of grids. As well as an overall monthly average, daily values are plotted to give a feel for the range of behaviour that the system exhibits. We have used two charts instead of one to make the pattern of the daily values clearer. From the daily values chart in Figure 4, we can see the system performing well on the many days that have less than one alarm per operator per ten minutes, although there are couple of days where performance is poor and there are seven or eight.

There are now four levels of behaviour compared with the previous five, so for this data the classification goes from mostly robust to stable. This needs to be taken into account if comparing current performance with that documented in the past; it will only be meaningful if the past performance is measured in the same way.

We can also see that the terms “Robust”, “Stable”, “Reactive” and “Overloaded” used in the scatter chart are more or less synonymous with “Acceptable”, “Manageable”, “Over-demanding” and “Unacceptable” used in the Performance level chart.

The steady state scatter chart appears to follow a definite arc. This makes sense because as the average alarm rate rises, so will the % time above the target of 1 alarm per 10 minutes.

EEMUA 191 addresses the monitoring of these two alarm system states, as described below.

Performance Level by State From section 6.5.1: “As noted above, there are two separate alarm situations that define the overall performance of the system: • Plant in Steady State operation • Plant in Abnormal/Upset condition Mechanisms for improving performance in these two situations do differ and it is undoubtedly the abnormal situation that is the harder to address.”

Figure 3 – Performance State Scatter Charts In Rev 3 this grid has been considerably redefined to better cater for steady and upset behaviour:

“It is sensible therefore to consider performance levels relating to the KPIs for each situation separately”.

The Steady State is measured by the mean average alarm rate per 10 minutes, and displayed in a simple diagram where the alarm system state is indicated:

Figure 1 – Steady State Performance Level Similarly, the Upset State can be measured by taking the maximum 10-minute period per day and averaging it over the month:

38

Figure 4 – Revised Performance State Scatter Charts The Steady State chart plots % time > 1 alarm per 10 minutes against the average alarm rate. 1 alarm per 10 minutes is considered manageable and this should be the

It should also be noted that in the Upset chart, the first column can only have scatters along the bottom line. This is because the maximum alarm rate is less than the target of 10 alarms per 10 minutes, therefore there is 0% of time above 10 alarms per 10 minutes.

Conclusions EEMUA 191 rev 3 redefines both the calculation and visualisation of Alarm System KPIs to give more accurate results in a more useful format. Engineers responsible for control systems on process plants should be aware of these changes and apply them as soon as possible to their systems.

Intelligent Plant Ltd, Aberdeen, Scotland Can be contacted via: Tel: 01224 392153 E-mail: sales@intelligentplant.com Web: www.intelligentplant.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

HEALTH & SAFETY

Dependable Detection Of Refrigerant Gases With Crowcon’s F-Gas Detector Fluorinated (Freon) gases, which include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), are a family of manmade chemicals containing fluorine.

These ’F-gases’ are extremely powerful greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming – most are between 1,000 and 20,000 times more powerful than CO2 in

terms of their impact on the atmosphere.

Not only are F-gases harmful to the environment, they are also extremely toxic and represent a significant health risk if inhaled. SF6 also poses an asphyxiation risk as, once inhaled, it may be too heavy to expel from the lungs.

In EU, the use and emission of F-gases comes under Regulation 842/2006, which mandates leakage control and regular checks. Leakage checks must be carried out by certified personnel for all plant with equipment containing 3kg or more of F-gases. Frequency of leak checks depends on the amount of refrigerant charged. In addition, detailed records must be kept in a log book – failure to comply may lead to severe penalties.

Common uses of F-gases include: • Refrigeration and air conditioning systems • Heat pumps • Aerosols • Fire-fighting equipment • High voltage, gas-insulated switchgear There are also many industrial applications and effective monitoring and detection of these gases is essential. Crowcon’s F-Gas infrared detector is a fixed-point detector specially calibrated to detect a wide range of F-gases. Rugged and easy to install, it can be connected to any control system which accepts analogue signals. Together with Crowcon’s Gasmaster control panel and Xgard toxic gas detector, the F-Gas detector provides an effective gas leak detection package.

In addition to protecting personnel from toxic gas risks, installing the F-Gas detector also offers the following benefits: • Provides an early warning that the gas is leaking and thus maintains system efficiency and reduces potentially huge gas replacement costs • Enables the supplier and user to comply with the mandatory F-gas regulations • Helps to reduce the risk of leakage of powerful greenhouse gases into the environment Special features of the F-Gas detector include: • Superior IR sensor technology: LED indicators: Choice of signals: IP54 rated enclosure: More information about the EU regulations can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/managing-fluorinated-gases-and-ozone-depleting-substances http://www.fluorocarbons.org/

TWO-WAY RUPTURE DISC DELIVERS SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS Product covers both positive and negative pressure relief Pressure management specialist Elfab has developed a two-way rupture disc to prevent vessel damage under vacuum or from overpressure.

Customers who previously relied on separate rupture discs for positive and negative pressure relief can now use this disc alone to fulfil the same protective function via a single installation point. This allows customers to safeguard their application while significantly reducing costs.

Available in non-fragmenting composite or graphite designs, and compatible with liquid, gas and vapour, the two-way disc is suitable for most customer applications. Both disc designs feature Elfab’s unique non-invasive, ATEX-approved detection system, Flo-Tel™, making them the only bidirectional discs on the market to benefit from reusable burst detection. Instant burst indication is critical to many process applications while the detection system’s reusable nature enables customers to make further cost savings.

The composite design is supplied in stainless steel as standard but a wide range of other materials can also be provided. The graphite disc is non-torque sensitive and needs no holder, instead fitting directly between flanges. Both can be installed between a variety of flange arrangements, depending on specific application requirements.

For more information contact Elfab Ltd, North Shields, Tyne & Wear Tel: +44 (0)191 293 1234 Fax: +44 (0)191 293 1200 E-mail: pr@elfab.com Web: www.elfab.com

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The “ROTECH” have a choice of the simple single bolt end of shaft fixing or a wheel driven unit giving the user choice in rotation monitoring applications.

The IFM Speed monitors calculate the rotational speed by evaluating the pulses received from the “ROTECH”, this allows for example, reliable overspeed and standstill detection via the configurable extended functions available to the user.

If you need to monitor rotation simply and with added benefits built in as standard then visit our website for further details- www.rotechsystems.co.uk or scan the QR code shown in our advertisement opposite.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER March-April 2014

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