PII October/November 2014 Issue by Process Industry Informer

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER.

OCT/NOV 2014 Volume 10 No. 6

THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

How much does water really cost? See inside...

In this issue... • 9 Generic Editorial Articles • News & Events • Case Studies • Product Introductions • BPMA News

Feature wise we “oil the wheels”, alarm management, go remote, analyse the air, cost the water, go modern with SCADA, level the fluids and pressure control valves. To complement these there are a variety of interesting case studies, industry news and product introductions and updates to keep you aware of “who’s doing what and what’s new” from a range of process industry suppliers.

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

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CONTENTS

EDITORIAL FEATURES Alarm Management Systems 14

News & Events 4-8

Fluids & Liquids Handling inc. Pumps & Valves 29-32

Applications 9-12

Water & Wastewater 35

Process Lubrication 18

Health & Safety 15

Process Measurement & Instrumentation 40-41

Modern SCADA Systems 33

Remote Data Monitoring 17

Process Analytics 20

The Real Cost of Water 34 Analysers 15

Network Communications 42

Spectrometry 16

Insulation Materials & Cable Stripping 45

Size Reduction 16

Industrial Air Coolers 45

Lubrication 19

Heat Transfer & Energy 45

Materials Handling 19

Product & Services Directory 46-47

The Many Ways to Measure Fluid Level 37-39 Getting the most from Control Valves 43 Sophisticated New Gas Detection Technology 44

BPMA News from The British Pump Manufacturing Association 21-28

Editor Phil Black philblack@piimag.com Publisher/Advertising Manager Peter Ullmann peterullmann@piimag.com Digital Marketing Manager Guy Ullmann guyullmann@piimag.com Supplements Manager David Harling davidharling@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.

NEWS & EVENTS

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CROWCON MAKES A MOVE FOR THE BETTER Key Facts: • Larger premises at 40,000 sq. feet • 40% bigger customer training capacity • Increased customer focus with new demonstration area • Larger manufacturing space to meet increased demand • Full service calibration lab Crowcon, the gas detection specialist, announces a move to larger and better premises in order to meet growing customer demand, reaffirming Crowcon as the industry’s safety partner. This new facility, which became fully operational on 18th August and is being officially inaugurated on 5th September, improves customer access to Crowcon’s knowledge and expertise in gas detection. The move from Abingdon to brand new premises in Milton Park was largely driven by the need for enhanced customer training facilities. Crowcon has a long history of providing expert face-to-face training for its customers. With 40% more capacity at the new site, it can now serve a greater number of training delegates in a flexible, modern and comfortable environment. The training centre is complemented by a comprehensive demonstration area clearly displaying Crowcon’s full range of gas detection and safety products. A new larger production area allows for increased manufacturing output to meet growing demand for Crowcon products. This is coupled with a modernised full-service and calibration laboratory to improve our service to existing customers. “Whichever way we look at it, the move to bigger and more modern premises could not have come at a better time for us,” says Mike Ophield, Managing Director of Crowcon. “Our customer focus drive, increased manufacturing capability with improvements in all aspects of supplying and supporting our safety products has been delivered in one move.”

Mike added, “After over two years of planning, I am really delighted to see this facility come to life. As we are an international company, we are fortunate that Milton Park is both a hub for science and innovation and an excellent location with great transport links. Other key considerations for us were retention of our highly skilled workforce and continued commitment to local employment. As Milton Park is only 5 miles from our old location, we are pleased to have achieved this.” The move underlines Crowcon’s growth, commitment and pedigree - having over 40 years in gas detection, listening to customer needs and developing innovative solutions to satisfy that need. The new, larger and improved facilities ensures Crowcon remains at the forefront of gas detection, by sharing knowledge with customers to certify the highest safety standards are met industry-wide. For further information, please contact: Crowcon Detection Instruments, Abingdon, Oxon Tel: +44 1235 557700 E-mail: fiona.macrae@crowcon.com Web: www.crowcon.com

BABCOCK WANSON, WITH ADEME’S SUPPORT, LEADS PROJECT ON THE BURNERS OF TOMORROW Babcock Wanson, a provider of products and services for boiler houses and other process heating needs, is leading the new DEMOXYA research project which aims to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency of burners. DEMOXYA stands for ‘DEveloppement et déMOnstration de brûleurs à très faibles émissions d’oXYdes d’Azote’ (Development and demonstration of burners with very low nitrogen oxide emissions). It has been awarded funding by ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, as part of a call for projects in support of Research & Development programmes that are aimed at improving air quality both indoors and outdoors. Babcock Wanson has a strong range which is one of the best-performing on the market, and is already working on the burners of tomorrow. It is thus investing for the future by launching the DEMOXYA research project in collaboration with the Pprime Institute and Bertin Technologies. Babcock Wanson and Bertin Technologies are subsidiaries of the CNIM Group. Numerous industrial firms have already expressed their interest in this project, and they are regularly kept up to date on its progress. GRDF, which is the market leader in supplying gas to industry, has even joined the project management committee. At the end of this 30-month programme, Babcock Wanson will have a range of micro-modulating burners with unprecedented performance in terms of energy and the environment. For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson on 020 89537111 or info@babcock-wanson.co.uk or go to www.babcock-wanson.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

NEWS & EVENTS

AUSTRALASIAN CUSTOMERS QUEUE FOR WYMA’S NEW VEGE-POLISHER™ The NEW Wyma Vege-Polisher™ was made available to growers in New Zealand and Australia earlier this October during a launch at their head office and manufacturing facility in Hornby, Christchurch. The demand for the new root vegetable polishing machine will keep the engineering and manufacturing firm busy well into the new year. Subsequent to the launch, a handful of Australian customers are revisiting their carrot processing plant layouts in order to integrate one to two more polishers into their production lines, while a local Canterbury farmer is looking at a complete new potato washing, polishing, sizing and packing line. Download the Key Features Here: http://www.processindustryinformer.com/ download/Wyma-V4-Vege-Polisher_Key-Features.pdf Customers were pleased to see a good emphasis the design team had placed on labour efficiencies, hygiene and safety standards as well as data traceability (machine running hours, water usage etc) – as this is the way they are being driven by their buyers (supermarkets). The side doors have been re-shaped to remove catch points and minimise risks for food waste accumulation. Consequently, the internal wash area can be easily hosed down and debris is guided to the recycle base underneath the machine. The side doors and drive guards have been completely re-designed to provide full access without the need for tools, reducing cleaning and maintenance time. The new automated touch screen machine control (also able to be remote controlled via smart phone, tablet or desktop) ensures precision farming goes beyond just harvesting equipment into processing machinery. Automation features include drive torque measurements, favourite settings, data logging, service and cleaning reminders, automatic brush reversal and rinse cycles to prolong the life of the bristles, and connectivity to the Wyma After-Sales Team for online service and technical assistance. Peter Knotts, Engineering Manager at Wyma explained, “It’s pleasing to be delivering new features that you know the customer has specifically asked for.” Wyma’s Research and Development Team worked extensively with their existing customers in Europe, The Americas and Australasia to establish a specific design brief for the new machine. The new machine is now being shipped offshore, one to USA and one to Europe, in time for global trade shows in early 2015. American growers and packers will have their first opportunity to view the new Vege-Polisher™ at Potato Expo in Orlando, 7 to 9 January 2015, whereas the European market will see the new features for the first time at Fruit Logistica, Berlin, 4 to 6 February. Wyma design, manufacture, distribute, install and service post-harvest vegetable equipment in over 35 countries. Their customer base mainly consists of root vegetable farmers, however they also supply processing equipment for a range of other produce including walnuts, cherries, brocolli and pumpkins. 97% of sales are exported with 50% into the European market. Wyma has two offices, one in New Zealand and one in the Czech Republic. Territory managers are domiciled in New Zealand, Australia, UK, Czech Republic, Germany and most recently China. Dealer/ agent networks are also established throughout the world. For enquiries contact: Sophie Black New Products Release Manager E-mail: sophie.b@wymasolutions.com Web: www.wymasolutions.com 27 Foremans Road, Hornby, Christchurch 8042 New Zealand Tel: +64 03 344 7861 Fax: +64 3 344 6407

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

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NEWS & EVENTS

EMERSON LAUNCHES RELIABILITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICE TO CONFRONT EXPENSIVE DOWNTIME LOSSES IN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS ESTABLISHMENTS Peter Ullmann reports. At a recent press conference in London, Emerson announced that they are now going to tackle the costly downtime losses in industrial process facilities, to be more precise in the priority sectors of oil and gas, chemical, refining & power. They are approaching what is probably the greatest cause of excess operational cost and unrealised profit for the process industries. It seems a good idea, let’s face it down time results in high cost loss of production time which in turn upsets customers and not unusually the loss of customer supplies and/or services. So what are Emerson talking about and on what basis do they believe that there is good reason to move in this direction. Well, according to their calculations these 24/7 operations, which routinely suffer 5 to 7 per cent unplanned downtime losses due to poor maintenance practices can, with reliable management consultancy, turn these losses into profit – how?? By reducing scheduled and unscheduled downtime according to Solomon Associates, a leading benchmarking company in the process industries that tracks companies’ performance based on reliability and maintenance metrics. Solomon Associates say that this can save 50% or more maintenance spend – Um! Sceptical? No not really because the obvious answer as SA know, is optimisation - increased condition monitoring and analysis-based maintenance activities. It’s logic, programmes based on consistent regular systems and equipment maintenance embracing all aspects of the plant such as health & safety, energy saving, environmental compliance etc, ensures that unplanned downtime is less likely – therefore increasing production and reducing costs. Until 6 months or so ago, Emerson did not have the resources to move into this area, I’m not saying that they don’t offer maintenance systems to their customers, of course they do, but they did not have an in house established global consultancy. Nor am I saying that making this move was a “knee jerk” decision, because of course it wasn’t – it’s not the way Emerson operate. In order to expand their portfolio of reliability-focused services they acquired a leading management consulting firm with 28 years of experience improving reliability in industrial manufacturing, namely Management Resources Group, Inc.(MRG). Robert DiStefano – the founder and former CEO of this company now heads up this new division of Emerson. Emerson says that this strategy now compliments its existing lifecycle services (mentioned earlier). As well as their leadership in ‘pervasive sensing’ which

provides manufacturers with more operational insight through greater sensor-based coverage of their plants and assets. Robert DiStefano explained that if a company is not a top-quarter performer, it is losing millions in revenue and spending millions on unnecessary maintenance costs, every pound, euro or dollar goes straight to the bottom line – it’s money lost and shareholders don’t like that… As an example of the benefits Robert took a programme that MRG undertook for Corbion, interestingly a global food and biochemical company with plants in many countries. Having implemented standardised best practices of reliability over several years (4-6) and reduced its total maintenance costs by one third – impressive, profits are up and increases in capacity and production increased.

Assets look good on the end of year figures – maintenance costs don’t… Steve Sonnenberg, president of Emerson Process Management says “Chief executives are seeing the need to better manage physical assets for improved profitability and suggests that with the right strategy, the typical billion dollar USD plant can save 12 million dollars or more annually in maintenance costs – not including the corresponding operational and production benefits from reduced downtime. Extended across a corporation’s network of facilities and soon reliability becomes the number one strategic lever for a safer, more profitable enterprise” There can be no argument that on the face of it that this is the way for the industry to go, saving time and money and improved performance is what every process plant desires – especially in the boardroom and of course among the shareholders – but how does this sit with the process engineering teams!!!! Will they have more involvement with the directors and in decisions, will there be enough support from the shareholders, 4 – 6 years of cash going out could, if there are hiccups along the way, increase the time scale and increase the costs – could this be a risk factor? Without naming the company Robert DiStefano told me that a multimillion global company pulled out of a

potential contract due to the length of time involved and the cost commitment of 30 million dollars. Emerson have their initial target markets among the obvious “high rollers”, it makes sense, they have the greater need and have the deepest pockets, but interestingly the “case study” that Robert DiStefano gave as an example that is mentioned earlier is a Food and bio-chemical company – so perhaps Emerson also have smaller “fish to fry”… and why not as Robert says “Our approach is to help companies dramatically reduce downtime and enhance safety and compliance, increasing the stature and reputation of a company and ultimately provide better value for shareholders”. So ultimately could it be more the merrier?

Why have Emerson made this move? Simply because it makes sense – maintenance (and I use the term intentionally) is BIG business, call it what you want it is the most important consideration for any process industry plant, a failure can be catastrophic. But there is more to this than might meet the eye! Emerson, just like their competitors have realised that process manufacturers no longer accept the annual introduction of the “new” version DCS, economics have the final word these days, so where do suppliers go? The all important maintenance schedule – make it more sophisticated, make it profitable, make it more attractive to the boardroom and yes, the shareholders. So nowadays it’s ASSET MANAGEMENT and make no mistake this is a new Business division for Emerson and for them and their shareholders and those of their customers who are seen to be investing for the future, it makes them more attractive to Wall Street and the London Stock Exchange etc... When investing large sums of money over 4 – 6 years before any real return is achieved, doesn’t necessarily suit all UK companies, they are in many instance traditionally cautious, investors here like to see real profit shown on the end of year figures, the US market is more adventurous and richer – it could have influence over Emerson’s UK approach to existing and potential customers. It could be that universally Emerson have stolen a march over their competitors – time will tell, but surely there will be reaction – let battle begin.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

APPLICATIONS

VERDERFLEX Maximising the PERISTALTIC AD mixing process PUMPS leads to success REPLACES MAG DRIVE PUMPS IN WATER TREATMENT Verderflex provided a cost effective solution to a Swiss airport that had been experiencing significant problems with their water softening treatment. The local water supply required treatment to prevent scaling in the pipework.

The Challenge The existing treatment system required a salt solution to be dosed from a storage tank close to the pumps over a 350m pipe-run to the water supply. The piping system had a series of valves and pipes which were not sealed correctly when they were installed and the pipe work contained a large proportion of air. Consequently, although the magdrive pumps which were transferring the solution were of good quality, intermittent use meant they ran dry, leading to bearing failure. These mag drive pumps had to be replaced every 3 months, resulting in plant downtime and high maintenance costs. Due to the scale of the airport’s construction and layout, it was not possible to install new pipe work and valves and a far more robust pumping solution was required which would not only dose the solution accurately, but also one that required less maintenance when compared to a mag drive centrifugal pump.

The Solution Verderflex’s local distributor recommended a Verderflex Dura 35 peristaltic hose pump for this application. A peristaltic pump consists of a hose, which is housed in a casing and squeezed by a flexible hose, the pump can run dry and certainly tolerate air in the pipes. The pump itself was sized to run slowly, so as to increase the hose life. The estimated running time of less than 1200 hours per year with one year between hose changes was considered extremely favourable. The Verderflex Dura brand is well established in the water and wastewater industry for the delivery of abrasive and corrosive solutions such as lime chemical, sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide.

The continuing drive for efficiency in the AD (Anaerobic Digestion Process) is often a source of comment and opinion, although it is widely acknowledged that regardless of the technologies being used, the efficiency of the mixing process is fundamental to the success of the process. The reality for today’s AD operators is that in addition to achieving higher gas yields reducing foaming and minimising maintenance issues, they now need to fully maximise the sustainability benefits of their AD process plant, which means that each part of the AD process is subject to ever closer scrutiny. Huntingdon based SYSTEM MIX LTD in conjunction with P&M Pumps, who market the Rotamix System incorporating the Vaughan chopper pump, are an established supplier of digester mixing systems to all of the UK’s waste water companies over the past 20 years and more recently to numerous private sector food waste AD plants. One example of the success of the Rotamix System is at Southern Water where currently over 90% of their total digester volume (82007m3) is being mixed using the

NIPLAST TANKS TAKE IT LYING DOWN Niplast has designed and fabricated two 22800l/143bbl storage tanks for Suretank Ltd, worldleading manufacturer of CCUs for the offshore oil and gas industry, to store sodium bromide and hydrochloric acid. Commissioned in polypropylene rather than steel, due to the highly corrosive nature of these chemicals, the tanks were designed to be transported horizontally within a purpose built mild steel frame featuring a flanged bolted base and polypropylene lined cradle. Upon arrival both tanks will remain in their steel frames, but lifted into the vertical before being put into use. Thus designers had to consider transportation loads, acceleration factors and the axial and circumferential thermal expansion of the tank whilst remaining in the steel frames. The Niplast Tanks were designed and constructed to CEN standard BS EN 12573, with a 50 degrees Centigrade working temperature and a 20 year design life. For more information contact Niplast, Stockport, Cheshire Tel: 0044 (0)161 477 6777 E-mail: info@niplast.com Web: www.niplast.com

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

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Rotamix System. The basis of the success of these plants depends on a durable mixing technology supported by reliable Vaughan Chopper Pumps. Andy Parr, Director of System Mix underlines the reasons for the success of System Mix by explaining the mixing process: “It is crucial to the AD process that suitable pre-conditioning of solids is carried-out prior to digestion and our system has been proven to be one of the most effective in achieving this. The Vaughan pump prevents re-accumulation of fibrous and fatty material in the digester and this means that material continues to pass through the nozzles. This in turn ensures that digestate is adequately conditioned and actually benefits all post-digestion equipment”. He concluded, “As many AD operators now need to maximise the sustainable credentials of their plant and equipment even further, we are confident that the benefits of our mixing systems are becoming even more important”. For more information contact System Mix Ltd, Sawtry, Huntingdon Tel: +44 (0) 1487 830123 E-mail: matt@pumpmix.co.uk Web: www.pumpmix.co.uk

Riley Surface World assists Irish sheet metal company with its expansion into paint and powder coating Founded in 1946, McAree Engineering is one of Ireland’s leading outsource sheet metal fabrication companies and has built a solid reputation for quality service. Services include laser cutting, folding, punching and fabrication and the company has achieved ISO 9001 quality accreditation. Recently they introduced spray painting and powder coating to its production processes in order to expand the business into production of finished or part-finished components as well as sheet metal production. Having achieved ICOR accreditation for paint finishing, the company decided to invest in a state-of-the-art shot blasting, spray painting and spray baking facility from Riley Surface World. The equipment selected had all been declared surplus to requirements by a UK- based utility vehicle manufacturer. The equipment is to be commissioned in McAree’s new purposedesigned paint and powder coating building alongside their existing factory in Ballinode. Once fully operational, the new facility will provide extra services to existing sheet metal customers, as well as attracting new sub-contract projects from Ireland, the UK and the rest of Europe. According to project manager, Vincent McAree, the company enjoyed excellent value for money by purchasing such high quality, pre-owned equipment from Riley Surface World. He was also impressed by the first-class customer service shown by the Riley support team in enabling the purchase and transfer of the items from the UK to Ireland and is confident that the investment made will pay dividends in potential new business to be won in the near future. For more information contact Riley Industries Ltd, Aldridge, West Midlands. Tel: +44 (0) 1922 45 8000 Fax: +44 (0) 1922 45 8001 E-mail: info@rileysurfaceworld.co.uk Web: www.rileysurfaceworld.co.uk

APPLICATIONS BENEFITS OF ON-LINE REPORTING BENEFITS SYSTEM SPECIALIST HIRE FIRM Specialist Hires Ltd, trading as Envirogard operates from six depots in the UK and they hire out equipment to industrial contractors who are providing services including waste management, pollution control, cleansing, recycling. Equipment hired includes ventilation, vacuum, air cleaning units, decontamination, safety showers and test and monitoring equipment. Due to the specialised and regulated nature of the markets in which their customers operate, Envirogard tend to supply equipment only to contractors who hold accreditations or licences issued by regulated authorities, such as the HSE. As a multi-site company, it’s essential that communication between their various depots runs smoothly and efficiently. For over 20 years Envirogard had used the manual T Cards system which works well with each of the 6 depots keeping an up-to-date status of the equipment available in stock. However, they wanted a facility whereby each depot could easily and quickly view the status of equipment and stock on-line for all the other depots without the need for numerous ‘phone calls between depots. Now, thanks to the implementation of a new on-line workflow management system supplied by T Cards Online, they are reaping the benefits of streamlined operations with enhanced communication and up-tothe-minute stock control.

Commenting on their experiences in using the T Cards online system over a 6 month period, Gary Sheppard, Contracts Manager at Envirogard’s Ashford base said, “The new system allows us to see at-a-glance the status of any piece of equipment at any location, so we can reserve the equipment we need in other depots, quickly and easily”. For more information contact T Cards, West Malling, Kent Tel: +44 (0) 1732 871417 E-mail: philip@tcardsdirect.com Web: www.tcardsonline.com

SPIROFLOW’S ROBUST HANDLING EQUIPMENT BUILT TO SURVIVE STORMY SEAS Spiroflow Ltd has helped a major petroleum company make substantial savings on its shipping costs, by manufacturing and supplying handling and conveying equipment for operation on a gas rig located in a region renowned for extreme weather conditions. The bespoke project, in collaboration with one of the biggest suppliers to the offshore industry in the world, was for a bulk bag discharger with a hopper, hoist and flexible screw conveyor that were sturdy enough to withstand the most ferocious weather, which could also be operated remotely from the mainland for up to seven days in the event that gas rig workers had to be vacated from the platform because of typhoon warnings. Spiroflow was contracted to design and build a bulk bag discharger large and robust enough to withstand the elements and safely hold an accumulation of material from the process (which cannot be described due to contractual reasons) so that it could be conveyed safely without human intervention during any time of extremely dangerous weather conditions. Specialist engineers at Spiroflow took into account the wind loadings to ensure the safety of the heavy duty structure housing the equipment, as the rig was located in an area of the Asia Pacific region where stormy weather is the norm. It also had to strictly conform to safety regulations for working in an explosive atmosphere. Full design, assembly and testing was carried out in Clitheroe before the system was dismantled, shipped to China and reassembled on the dock before being lifted on to a barge for transportation to the gas rig where it was eventually installed and commissioned – all work carried out by a team of Spiroflow engineers. The company has also agreed an annual service contract with Spiroflow. Spiroflow’s head of engineering, Chris Brennan, said: “This project presented interesting challenges and required the application of cutting-edge technology. We had to take into consideration structural calculations needed for a typhoon area as well as the movement of the platform caused by the waves. We had to work closely with the

customer and end user so our engineers were living on the rig for the duration. We think the end result is of huge benefit to the offshore industry – potentially saving millions in shipping costs - and a major breakthrough in this important sector for us.” Bulk Bag Dischargers from Spiroflow can be supplied for materials from a wide variety of industries including food, chemicals, minerals and pharmaceuticals as well as the oil and gas sector. They provide an air-tight operation which empties product with the minimum of residue. Flexible Screw Conveyors can be made for conveying in any direction from horizontal to vertical. They can also be routed around fixed obstacles and equipment. Spiroflow’s conveyor system inherently ensures material is constantly being remixed by action of the rotating auger feeder, which effectively eliminates the risk of product segregation. Spiroflow’s world-leading products for conveying and bulk handling are designed and built to USDA standard and meet regulatory requirements for transporting and handling materials in potentially hazardous and explosive conditions, such as offshore platforms. In addition to bulk bag dischargers and flexible screw conveyors, Spiroflow manufactures: bin activators, Aero Mechanical Conveyors, Tubular Cable and Chain Drag Conveyors, Vacuum Conveyors, 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. For more information contact Spiroflow Ltd, Clitheroe, Lancashire. Tel: +44 (0) 1200 422525 Fax: +44 (0) 1200 429165 E-mail: sales@spiroflow.com or visit Web: www.spiroflow.com

Yokogawa wins control system order for a waste-toenergy facility in Cornwall Yokogawa France S.A.S. has won an order from VINCI Environment UK to supply control systems and safety instrumented systems for a waste-toenergy facility that is being built for SITA Cornwall Ltd. in the UK. VINCI Environment UK is a Group company of VINCI Construction, France’s leading construction company. This facility, the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre, is being built in St. Dennis, which is located in the centre of the county of Cornwall in southwest England. Scheduled to start operation in 2016, it will be capable of handling 240,000 tons of residual waste per year, and will generate sufficient electricity to power around 21,000 homes. For the control of the boilers and all auxiliary facilities at this plant, Yokogawa will supply the CENTUM(R) VP integrated production control system and the ProSafe(R)-RS safety instrumented system. In addition to being responsible for the engineering of the facility’s automation systems, Yokogawa France will support both the installation and commissioning of these systems In this capacity it will work closely with VINCI Environment UK, which is the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company for this project. In 2011 Yokogawa also received an order from VINCI Environnement to supply control systems for VERNEA, one of the most innovative waste treatment facilities, which was built in central France for SITA (Suez Environnement Group). The systems delivered for that project have been working with no problems. In the UK and other European countries, strict regulations on the landfill disposal of waste materials are being introduced to protect the environment. As an alternative, many waste-to-energy plants are being built. Yokogawa has a solid track record in this field, having delivered more than 140 control systems for waste treatment facilities in Japan and other countries. The Cornwall project is Yokogawa’s fourth control system order for a waste-to-energy facility in the UK. By exploiting its engineering experience in this field, Yokogawa aims to expand its waste treatment facility control business worldwide, with a focus on Europe, and thereby help to build a sustainable society. For further information please contact: European Industrial Automation, Yokogawa Europe BV, Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 88 464 1191 Fax: +31 88 464 1107 E-mail: info@nl.yokogawa.com Web: http://www.yokogawa.com/eu

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

APPLICATIONS COST SAVINGS BY DOSING RAW MATERIALS AT LOW FLOW RATES Bronkhorst has become firmly established as the market leader in low flow gas & liquid measurement and control by selecting the correct technology and methodology from their broad product repertoire to not only meet any given application, but to exceed expectation. One of the company’s greatest strengths is its competence with Coriolis measurement techniques and, more specifically, its patented Mini-Cori flow sensor. By using this core technology, together with their knowledge and experience, Bronkhorst have assisted many of their customers by increasing their product quality whilst reducing costs and optimizing process improvement. An example of such improvement can be seen below. Existing application and process: A customer within the field of specialist chemicals was unaware that low to ultra-low flow control was possible and so was taking a vital raw ingredient, mixing it with water to create a carrier volume, and then metering and dosing it into the main product flow. This process added cost to the production method and, as the dilution step added variability to the concentration of the additive, product quality was often compromised with a resulting additional cost of re-work to the rejected product. Furthermore, the final process step saw the bulk material being heated and stirred to evaporate the added water to reduce volume and increase concentration. The energy requirement to do so was significant and the operational stock-holding was high. Further complications were added by the need for the “dosing system” to handle multiple additive doses with stringent cleaning needed between batches resulting in yet more wastage and high additional cost.

Bronkhorst solution: following several months of close cooperation and collaboration the joint team were able to establish that the concentrated raw ingredient should be added via a highly accurate low flow Coriolis Flow Meter directly coupled and controlling a precision pump. This solution ensured that the costly addition and removal of the water could be eliminated and that very close tolerances on the dosage rate, and hence final product quality, could be maintained. The inclusion of multiple synchronous injection points eliminated the costly clean-down process and the reduction of working process volume also reduced the stock holding inventory further reducing operational costs. Re-producable product quality has been increased, productivity has been increased, wastage has been reduced, energy consumption has been reduced and operational costs dramatically reduced . Although currently configured for control via the client DCS the Bronkhorst Coriolis Meter can, if needed, be “paired” with the main process line flow meter to act in master/slave mode. Standard on-board firmware can be utilized to immediately match the required dosage rate to any variability within the main flow line. This facility eliminates any time lag in process response and further enhances the very tight tolerances on product quality.

A host of secondary benefits have also been utilized within the solution. The density of the concentrated natural raw ingredient is measured, recorded and trended thereby allowing tracking of the natural innate variability and further finetuning the control process. The pump steering signal is utilized for condition monitoring and as a preventative maintenance tool. This, together with dry-running protection, will ensure less emergency breakdown and catastrophic down-time. Technical specification: accuracy of +/-0.2% Reading, the instrument is certified to ATEX Zones 1 and 2, on-board PID control is standard, as is over-run protection and a self-learning function, the turn-down ratio is 2000:1, flow rates down to 0.1 grams per hour have been easily achieved and the physical size (“the smallest Coriolis instrument in the world”) has proven to be perfect for multiple injection points within a confined space. This particular customer preferred gear pumps but the Coriolis system can be integrated with virtually any pump technology, control valves or indeed shut-off valves should the application demand it. For more information on the Mini Coriolis instrument please contact us; Bronkhorst UK Ltd E-mail: sales@bronkhorst.co.uk Tel: 01223 833222

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Flexible power supply directly over Ethernet connections. Ha-VIS eCon switches are now even more powerful: In addition to data transfer, the IEEE PoE+ standard allows simultaneous energy transfer over an Ethernet cable. Up to four remote devices can each be supplied with 34.2 watts — from IP telephones to camera systems to WLAN access points or RFID readers. Switch models with integrated voltage converter can be supplied directly with 24 V instead of the usual 54 V. And, thanks to intelligent energy management, Ha-VIS eCon switches with PoE+ reduce wiring eﬀort, while cutting energy costs at the same time. For more information, phone +44 (0) 1604 827500 or send an e-mail to gb@HARTING.com www.HARTING.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

APPLICATIONS

ANDREWS CREATES TEMPORARY CHILLED

STORE FOR CONFECTIONERY MANUFACTURER The combination of an Andrew’s chiller and a number of air handling units proved to be the most viable options for creating a temporary chilled storage environment in a new warehouse for a specialist UK chocolate manufacturer. This application called upon the skills of Specialist Hire Division of Andrews Sykes to supply and install a totally integrated temporary cooling system. Engineers from Andrews Sykes Specialist Hire team calculated that to achieve the required low temperature would require two 550kW chillers feeding eight 150kW air handling units. Each of the AHU is capable of delivering up to 20,160m3/h and they were strategically positioned to afford optimum air flow around the warehouse. During installation engineers from the Specialist Hire Division sited the chiller and 2 x 800kVA generators as close as possible to the warehouse without restricting warehouse access and all internal pipework was specifically positioned to avoid disruption to warehouse staff as they went about their daily routine. Andrews Sykes’ Specialist Hire Division operates with some of the most advanced equipment and has one of the largest fleet of chillers and air handling units. The extensive chillers range includes high capacity fluid chillers capable of delivering up to 750kW of normal cooling duty whilst individual AHU have a nominal cooling capacity of 600kW.

In providing short-term solutions for organisation looking to either supplement the work of an existing chiller installation or as a temporary replacement engineers, Andrews Chiller Hire will carry out a site survey to clearly understand the requirements and how best to achieve the required outcome. By providing 24/7, 365 day access to specialist engineering staff and with a nationwide network of more than 24 depots Andrews Sykes Specialist Hire Division is always to provide an extremely prompt response – normally with less than 4hr. In an emergency situation a customer faces the possibility of losing many thousands of pounds through downtime or waste product. The ideal scenario is to preplan where possible as was the case with this chocolate manufacturer, realising that their new warehouse would require a short-term chiller solution. In dealing with Andrews Sykes the chocolate manu-

Eastbourne Hospital hits emissions reduction Two Spirax Sarco EasiHeat™ packaged steam-to-hot-water solutions are providing heating and hot water at Eastbourne District General Hospital’s new Endoscopy Unit, while also helping to meet NHS emissions guidelines. Spirax Sarco also provided expertise to support the project’s design and specification. The new building housing the Endoscopy Unit must be in line with the NHS’s target of 80% reduction in CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions by 2050, from a 1990 baseline. Decentralised gas-fired hot water boilers would not have met the emissions requirements, so instead the EasiHeats were specified, using plant steam from the hospital’s existing boiler house. “By involving Spirax Sarco in the project’s design and specification phase, we were able to save substantial costs by installing just two EasiHeats. That’s because the EasiHeats’ plate heat exchanger design will allow us to simply add more plates into the frame to expand capacity as demand rises, avoiding the need to buy two extra units,” says Mr Paul Gardiner, Estates Officer at Eastbourne District General Hospital. The hospital was confident in the reliability and operational cost-saving capabilities of EasiHeats, having previously deployed them to replace calorifiers in the main hospital plant room to eliminate temperature control problems and reduce maintenance. Calorifiers are pressure vessels that must be stripped down regularly for insurance inspections, a task that typically takes several days. EasiHeats do not need to meet this requirement, saving substantial maintenance costs.

facturer was assured of receiving a totally selfcontained system, in addition to the normal hire equipment for which Andrews is renowned for this installation is supplied the 2 x 800kVa generators and a 6,000 litre bunded fuel tank. Prior to the warehouse going operational, and during the early weeks of storage, the Andrews system was live, warm air in the warehouse drawn in the AHU, circulated over ‘cold’ coils which caused a drop in temperature, the much cooler air blasted back into warehouse. This continuous cyclic process repeats to maintain set temperature. Short-term hire for the new warehouse is indicative of the many successes Andrews Sykes Specialist Hire Division solves all year round, particularly when food manufacturers ramp up productivity to cope with increased seasonal demand, where they have to ensure adequate preservation of raw materials and some will also need additional temporary chilled storage. For more information contact Andrews Sykes Hire Limited, Tyburn Road, Birmingham Tel: +44 (0)1902 328725 E-mail: shdinternalsales@andrews-sykes.com Web: www.andrews-sykes.com

Nadcap Aerospace accreditation brings boost in business for Keighley Laboratories The Nadcap programme is recognised as the world’s premier quality audit scheme for special processes in the aerospace and defence industry. With this level of accreditation, a company can effectively gain access to worldwide suppliers of the aerospace and defence industries, with more than half of approved organisations reporting that Nadcap has helped to increase sales and gain new business, according to programme administrators PRI. That is certainly true of Yorkshire metallurgical specialist Keighley Laboratories, whose Technical Services division was awarded world-class Nadcap accreditation for a Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL) last year, in the process achieving coveted Merit Status for a superior audit performance. As a result of this achievement and a consequent uplift in its worldwide industry profile, the division recorded an increase in sales in excess of 30%, with orders coming from as far afield as China and the United Arab Emirates as well as from the length and breadth of the UK. One of the few Nadcap accredited MTL facilities in the UK, Keighley Labs has been successfully

assessed for the evaluation of aerospace welds, micro and macro metallography, microindentation hardness procedures, mechanical test specimen preparations, and tensile, impact and bend testing and this particularly confirms the company’s international status as a centre of excellence for weld testing and inspection service. Running alongside its UKAS certification to many commercial standards and specifications and Civil Aviation Authority Chapter A8-10 approval of its in-house weld specimen supervisors has enabled Keighley Labs to win metal tensile testing contracts within the UK nuclear industry, along with an influx of work from other quality-minded sectors as well as introducing further quality improvements to its own internal processes. For further information contact Keighley Laboratories Limited, Keighley, West Yorkshire. Tel: 01535 664211 E-mail: lstott@keighleylabs.co.uk Web: www.keighleylabs.co.uk

For more information contact Spirax Sarco, Cheltenham, Glos. Tel: 01242 521361 E-mail: ukenquiries@spiraxsarco.com Web: www.SpiraxSarco.com/uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7: Building on its strengths When was SIMATIC PCS 7 introduced to the UK and how has it evolved? SIMATIC PCS 7 first came to the UK in 1996. It has been enhanced subsequently as a result of advances in technology and the key drivers within the process industry sector such as industrial IT security, network-based communications, safety and human factors. Safety Integrated was introduced at the turn of the century based upon the concept of being able to use standard and failsafe components rated to SIL 3 over the same communications network. The Safety Matrix was then introduced just over ten years ago and remains to this day a unique offering in the process safety market, providing high levels of integration between the cause and effects based programming package and the plant operator interface.

For over 18 years, Siemens Industry’s SIMATIC PCS 7 has led the way as the distributed control system (DCS) of choice for UK process industries. As one of the world’s leading process automation platforms it is much more than a traditional DCS. It offers the combination of a unique and scalable architecture, powerful engineering tools and a wide range of additional functions including alarm management, process safety and asset management. On the eve of the release of its latest version, PCS 7 V8.1, Steve Leech, Product Manager – Process Automation at Siemens outlines how SIMATIC PCS 7 has evolved and highlights some of the key features and benefits that make it the preeminent control system of its generation.

Other industry-leading developments in the intervening years have included the availability of SIMATIC Batch, Advanced Process Control, Defence in Depth Security and Advanced Process Library. They have all been enthusiastically embraced by the current UK installer base. What are the key benefits that SIMATIC PCS 7 can deliver to users? SIMATIC PCS 7 offers a number of unique features and benefits for the process industries. It is entirely scalable so is suitable for pilot plant applications through to multi-server, fully redundant systems covering many thousands of IO. Such scalability is supported by highly flexible characteristics which see the system used in many wide-ranging applications across different sectors. Integration also forms a pivotal role for SIMATIC PCS 7. Vertically from the perspective of sensors and instrumentation in the field, right through to MES and ERP systems, as well as horizontally across a process plant to connect together key operational areas. The system’s intrinsic high level of both operator interaction and diagnostic and maintenance information has been cited by many users as among the many SIMATIC PCS 7 benefits. HMI and operator communications allow informed decisions to be made without delay, while the available diagnostics data underpins plant efficiencies, predictive maintenance strategies and overall plant optimisation. Finally, the Integrated Safety feature allows the use of standard and safety-related hardware in the same configuration using standard network protocols such as Profibus, while Integrated Advanced Process Control can take process optimisation to a whole new level. Describe some of the applications and process sectors that are typical SIMATIC PCS 7 users. We have a well established installed customer base across the UK. The key sectors include chemical, pharmaceutical & life sciences, oil & gas, power, food & beverage, pulp & paper, aggregates, biomass, utilities and glass. In terms of application, these are again wide-ranging, but currently include primary pharmaceutical production, turbine control, safety instrumented systems, S88 Batch compliant production, tank farm control, hazardous waste treatment, brewing, chemical cracking, sewage treatment, waste and clean water control and gas generation. Such diversity is testimony to the highly flexible and innovative nature of SIMATIC PCS 7. What are the future plans for SIMATIC PCS 7 and how will it continue to innovate? Innovation remains at the heart of all developments for the SIMATIC PCS 7 platform. The recent introduction of the CPU410 is a prime example of this as it now provides one scalable hardware platform. We are very excited about the forthcoming release of V8.1 which will bring with it a number of developments in key areas such as engineering and operation. In engineering, enhanced tools will help increase plant productivity and collaboration, while the digital plant tool will drive the integration of plant design, automation

engineering and quality improvements through simulation and emulation. From an operational perspective, the Advanced Process Library and Advanced Process Graphics packages will enhance the user experience through improved ergonomics and transparency, while a customisable HMI and a state-of-the-art alarm management system will support an even better user capability. Other technology leaps to be found in V8.1 will include enhancements to Profinet-based communications; a single, scalable controller platform based on the CPU410, the introduction of an ET200SP Profinet-based IO system and enhanced diagnostics which are built into Profibus PA network products. The continual development of SIMATIC PCS 7 since 1996 ensures it has remained the premier choice for the process sector in the UK. The additional features and benefits available with V8.1 only strengthen this position further. We look forward to another successful 18 years. WHAT THE MARKET SAYS ABOUT SIMATIC PCS 7 PLAXICA: “A key objective was to secure enhanced data collection capability to gather process intelligence. We can now look at trends and how our processes react to change. SIMATIC PCS 7 gives us this capability.” BIOMASS POWER: “In a rapidly changing marketplace and with power plants expected to be operational for up to 25 years, we now have the assurance that by using SIMATIC PCS 7 we are in many ways future-proofing our plants with a standardised approach to the automated control system. This will ensure consistency of technology development and access to subsequent upgrades and service support for the foreseeable future.” FUCHS LUBRICANTS: “Since the expansion of the SIMATIC PCS 7 system we have been able to see real progress in a number of key areas. We are achieving a significant first time pass rate for the finished products which has increased from 85% to 97%. This means a drop in failure rates to just 3% and that adds up to significantly lower levels of waste product having to be thrown away and substantial cost savings in terms of raw material consumption. In addition, our knowledge of the process is now far more in-depth, as the data we can extract from the control system informs us exactly of the type of key and highly accurate information we require to ensure product consistency and drive improvements to our efficiencies.” BOOTH WELSH AUTOMATION: “Booth Welsh Automation has successfully delivered Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 projects over the last 15 years. In our experience the main benefits are the flexibility, scalability, reliability and long term support of the product from Siemens. This has allowed us to deploy SIMATIC PCS 7, with a great degree of confidence, in numerous industry sectors with varying degrees of complexity. “The relationship with Siemens has allowed us to have a solid partnership, which ensures we maximise the technology capability of the platform and are up-to-date with all the latest innovations and advances. The overall end result is that the client receives a proven solution, delivered competitively and using latest technology.” QSI: “As an integrator, having the right tools and backing is an essential part of any project. SIMATIC PCS 7 offers an unparalleled level of in-built functionality, and with the Solution Partner program, we can be confident that, for any of the challenges we encounter on a project, we will always have the full support and co-operation of Siemens. We have used SIMATIC PCS 7 on a number of complex and fast track projects, and have always found that the productivity tools within SIMATIC PCS 7 offer real benefits in the delivery of our total solution.” www.siemens.com/processautomation

Alarm management systems: the benefits of third party software When it comes to selecting an enterprise-wide alarm management system, businesses should consider the pros and cons of a third party specific alarm management tool over a DCS vendor’s offering, says Jason Cook, Product Manager at MAC Solutions. Most process industries, particularly oil & gas, nuclear, utilities, power generation, pharmaceuticals, and Top Tier COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards) sites should view their alarm management system as a critical, integral part of their production or manufacturing facility. The UK’s Health & Safety Executive states “Alarm handling (or alarm management) is an issue for any site or process where there is claimed reliance on human response to an alarm in order to control major accident hazards.” And will use EEMUA 191 as its guidelines. Since its establishment in 1991, EEMUA 191 has become the globally accepted standard for good practice alarm management. To establish an alarm management system based on these guidelines or to ascertain if a current system is operating effectively and within the guidelines, alarm data must be collected and analysed on a continuous basis. Just collecting this data can be a challenge in itself. Bringing this data into a usable format for Control Room Operators and reporting on this data to Alarm Managers are two critical functions. There are many alarm management systems available on the market – some from third party, specific alarm management vendors such as ProcessVue from MAC Solutions, whilst other alarm management systems are offered as add-on modules by developers of Distributed Control Systems (DCS). Before committing to one particular vendor, users must consider the benefits of choosing a third party alarm management system over a DCS vendor’s offering.

Connectivity Connectivity between the alarm management system, the DCS and other plant-wide safety systems such as Fire & Gas (F&G), Emergency Shutdown (ESD), Building Management Systems (BMS) and Metering (e.g. flow control meters, valves, etc.) is an important factor to consider. Whilst a DCS will only monitor alarms and events that the system itself generates, a specific third party alarm management tool is not restricted in this manner and provides full connectivity – and therefore a complete picture – of what is happening across all these plant-wide systems. A third party alarm management system provides open connectivity between multiple, disparate plant safety systems, collecting alarm and event data from these systems and putting this information into a common format (language) and a single coherent message for Operators and other business users. The software architecture should be designed to enable

interfacing with almost any plant control system, bringing all data into a standard configurable format. This allows simple Operator SOE (Sequence of Event) display and high level KPI reporting and analysis. A good alarm management system should therefore provide features such as advanced KPI reporting based on EEMUA 191 guidelines; alarm rationalisation tools (locating ‘bad actors’ and ‘nuisance alarms’); Sequence of Event and real time display; alarm system benchmarking; alarm and event analysis; and alarm and event archiving.

No computing load on the DCS The primary function of a DCS is to control the plant. Therefore, computing power should always take priority for this function. However, a DCS with an integrated alarm management module could become heavily loaded by multiple users requesting alarm and event KPIs, sucking valuable computing power away from the primary function of the DCS.

Easy access to data Within process plants there are typically three network communications levels: the process control network; engineering network; and business network. For security purposes, it is considered good practice not to allow access to data more than one level up or down the networks. A DCS is typically located on the process control network and so providing access at the business level for managers becomes difficult or restricted at best. With a third party alarm management system, access and security is less of an issue as the system is not installed on the DCS, but can sit at any network level, typically at the engineering level, providing users with access to the sequence of events and KPI reports across the business as well as at plant control level.

Can store significantly more data Some plants require thousands of alarms to be monitored on a daily basis. The 100% reliability of a third party alarm management system ensures that data from all safetycritical plant is logged continuously, enabling engineers to identify the cause of a plant upset, including the SOEs leading up to this. A third party alarm management system therefore provides significantly more data than a DCS integrated alarm management system. The primary function of a DCS is plant control and so storage and computing power are used for that purpose, with alarm management often a secondary thought. A third party alarm management tool can provide years and years of alarm and event data without impacting on the DCS at all.

Easy to maintain Third party alarm management systems are generally easier to maintain and keep up-todate. The developer is more likely to keep the software bug-free and to provide more frequent software updates than a DCS vendor. This is important and ensures that the software is always based on the latest industry standards or best practice guidelines (e.g. EEMUA 191 Rev 3). With a DCS vendor’s alarm management add-on module, a DCS software upgrade may be required for what should be a relatively simple alarm management system update or bug fix.

Vendor commitment Generally, a third party development house is more likely to be committed to their product, which is their lifeblood. This means the product will be more fully featured compared to a DCS vendor offering that is typically an afterthought or bolt-on module that performs the bare minimum and is designed to just ‘tick a box’.

More cost effective With a third party alarm management system, typically the cost of a full installation is less than a DCS vendor alternative. Although the individual cost of the alarm management system may be well hidden within the total cost of the DCS package, the costs of any technical support and software maintenance for the alarm management system will need to be carefully considered. Typically, a third party developer will charge less than half that of a DCS vendor alternative.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

HEALTH & SAFETY STATIC GROUNDING FOR PROCESS PLANT & EQUIPMENT Newson Gale has launched its next generation static grounding relay, the EarthRite® OMEGA II. Featuring ATEX, IECEx and cCSAus Intrinsically Safe certified circuits for the highest gas, vapour and dust groups the Earth-Rite® OMEGA II monitors the resistance of circuits designed to ground equipment that are subjected to electrostatic charging. The new DIN rail mountable relay caters for installations where dedicated grounding systems like the Earth-Rite® RTR or Earth-Rite® PLUS would not normally form part of an electrical contractor’s turnkey control panel project for an EX hazardous area installation. The Earth-Rite® OMEGA II features four adjustable resistance monitoring settings that can cater for the specific requirements of a wide range of static grounding applications. The resistance monitoring settings available for selection are 2 ohms, 4 ohms, 10 ohms and 600 ohms. By ensuring the grounding circuit has a low resistance path to a verified earth ground, the risk of an ignition caused by an electrostatic discharge is controlled to safe levels. The Earth-Rite® OMEGA II relay has a certified operating temperature range of -40° C to +60° C (-40° F to +140° F) and carries SIL 2 certification in accordance with the requirements of IEC 61508. It requires a 24 V DC power supply with up to four relays powered simultaneously by a single power supply. The relays are normally mounted in the non-hazardous area but can be mounted in a suitably certified Ex(d) flameproof enclosure located in the hazardous area. For more information please contact Newson Gale Ltd, Colwick Nottingham Tel: 0115 940 7500 Fax: 0115 940 7501 E-mail: groundit@newson-gale.co.uk Web: www.newson-gale.com

3M ENHANCES COVERALL RANGE As part of its ‘total solution’ in Personal Protective Equipment 3M, the diversified technology company, is enhancing its product offering by launching the 3M Protective Coverall 4532+. Made from a sophisticated five layer 52gsm SSMMS, the 3M protective Coverall 4532+ uses a specialist fabric treatment to increase the repellence to certain oils and solvents. Premium features include a soft, breathable yet robust fabric that maximises wearer mobility and comfort whilst delivering reliable, durable, industry-compliant protection. The product is CE certified to European Type five and six standards, EN 1073-2 Nuclear Particulate Protection and Antistatic to EN 1149-5. Available late 2014 the 3M protective Coverall 4532+ will replace the 3M Protective Coverall 4530+. For more information on the full range of protective coveralls from 3M visit www.3M.co.uk/coveralls

Pressure management experts to promote working in combination at Valve World 2014 Using rupture discs as secondary pressure relief to offer greater, more cost-effective explosion protection Most modern process plants now use safety relief valves to manage variations in pressure within their system and to prevent potential disastrous explosions caused by overpressurisation. Increasingly, engineers are using a rupture disc in combination with their traditional valve to enhance the pressure relief solution and achieve the most cost effective explosion protection. Using a rupture disc in addition to a valve means the system benefits from the unique advantages of each individual solution, whilst maintaining a reasonable cost. Process leakage into the atmosphere is kept to a minimum and valve life is extended by isolating corrosive fluids from internal valve parts. As secondary protection, discs also offer a back up in case of downtime and can enhance the SIL level of the system by adding layers of protection. For safety-critical applications,

“doubling up” in this way not only offers greater protection to the infrastructure of a process plant, but also to its people. As a leading manufacturer of rupture discs, explosion vents and associated detection systems, Elfab will be displaying its latest product developments at Valve World this year, aiming to further strengthen its wellestablished pressure intelligence brand. Key members of Elfab’s management team will be on the stand offering expert advice on using rupture discs to compliment your valve applications. If you would like more information, or would like to arrange a formal meeting during the Show, call +44 (0)191 293 1234 or email pr@elfab.com 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 E-mail: sales@elfab.com Web: www.elfab.com

ANALYSERS VERSION 5 SOFTWARE RELEASED FOR PARTICLE SIZER The new version 5 software has been released for the XO in-process particle size analysis range from Xoptix Ltd. This version launches a host of new features, which will be made available to all Xoptix customers. One very significant feature includes 21 CFR part 11 compliant, supporting their expansion into the pharmaceutical marketplace. Xoptix Limited have released a new software version for their XO particle sizer range, designed for process applications. One of the most significant additions is that the new version 5 software release is 21 CFR part 11 compliant, which could well be a clue as to the eagerly awaited new product launch recently at POWTECH 2014, held in Germany in October. The XO in-process particle sizer measures from 0.1 to 3000 micron in real-time. It’s backed by an R&D Team based at their Headquarters in Worcestershire, England, who continually evolve and develop the product range. The version 5 software release welcomes new flexible user functionality and additional alarm reporting, plus

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

historical data is made even easier to process. Richard Graves, Technical Director at Xoptix Limited explains “We’re looking forward to demonstrating the new version 5 software for our particle sizers at POWTECH at the end of the month. We’ve listened to our customers and all the new features are designed to enhance the user experience. Version 5 is a particular landmark for the company as it is 21 CFR part 11 compliant, allowing us to move into new markets that require more stringent regulations”. The XO range of particle sizers can be used for wet or dry applications and monitor in real-time, eliminating the need for laboratory analysis. It’s easy to use with a robust and stable unit, offering efficiency and cost savings to processes from day one. For more information regarding the new software release from Xoptix visit http://www.xoptix.co.uk/ E-mail: mail@xoptix.co.uk or call +44 1684 899345.

SPECTROMETRY

Ocean Optics introduces surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates Gold nanoparticle SERS substrates amplify Raman effects Ocean Optics has introduced a new substrate for Raman spectroscopy applications. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates are highly sensitive, stable and reliable, delivering precise trace-level Raman spectroscopy measurement in applications ranging from chemical and explosive agent detection, to authentication, contaminant screening and quality control in production environments and the laboratory. Using precisely controlled gold nanoparticles, Ocean Optics SERS substrates amplify very weak Raman signals by many orders of magnitude. The result is fast, repeatable SERS measurements for the identification

and quantification of SERS-active analytes. Detection at the parts per billion, and even parts per trillion, level are possible. Ocean Optics’ unique SERS substrate manufacturing method results in affordable mass production with high repeatability and customization options. Standard substrates are microscope slide format with a 5 mm diameter active area. Ocean Optics uses optical-grade borosilicate glass and high-performance silicone-based adhesive for compatibility with a wide range of solvents. Customized designs are available on demand with a choice of form factor such as swabs and coatings, as well as the ability to impart specificity to particular analytes. SERS substrates work reliably with the complete range of Ocean Optics Raman instruments, including the

IDRaman mini handheld Raman spectrometer. Ocean Optics is giving away free 3-packs of SERS substrates, while supplies last*. Samples can be requested at http://oceanoptics.com/sers-giveaway/. To learn more about SERS substrates, please contact an Ocean Optics Applications Scientist at info@oceanoptics.com. For more information contact Ocean Optics, Geograaf 24, 6921 EW Duiven, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)26 319 05 00 Fax: +31 (0)26 319 05 05 E-mail: info@oceanoptics.com Web: www.oceanoptics.com

New development kit for industrial spectral sensing Ocean Optics combines spectrometer, Raspberry Pi microcomputer and flexible software for out-of-the-box use Ocean Optics has introduced a new set of spectral sensing tools to deploy spectroscopy in new industrial and processing applications. The STS Developers Kit makes it possible to create a custom spectral measurement platform for production environments. The kit brings together Ocean Optics’ powerful STS spectrometer, a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, customizable software with Ethernet and wireless capabilities in a single package. Right

out of the box, the kit can be quickly configured for a variety of process and quality control measurements. Ethernet and WiFi connectivity, along with networking capability, mean spectroscopy can be deployed anywhere in the plant for measurements like reflected colour, irradiance, reaction endpoint control, or UV-Vis transmission. The STS Developers Kit takes advantage of the Raspberry Pi’s flexibility and adaptability to enable new uses for spectroscopy. Once connected to a WiFi network, the spectrometer can be controlled through phone, tablet, or computer web browser. The WiFi range is up to 150 m, and all data is securely stored to the onboard SD card. While it comes pre-loaded with this simple interface and is ready to use out of the box, the development platform makes it fast and easy to customize the kit to specific projects. The web scripting API enables quick development of custom scripts and applications, allowing the STS and Raspberry Pi to perform even more complex tasks. Ocean Optics SeaBreeze drivers communicate directly to the spectrometer via USB interface. A Daemon Service

software enables more autonomous functionality as well as coordination with other hardware such as switches or even controlling sampling accessories. The core of the kit is Ocean Optics’ STS microspectrometer. At less than 42 mm square and 24 mm high, the STS delivers maximum power in a small footprint. Its optical design and advanced CMOS detector elevate the STS to performance levels comparable to larger and more expensive spectrometers. Excellent linearity, high dynamic range, and wavelength accuracy ensure reproducible and repeatable results. In addition, high thermal stability performance and low baseline drift ensure that data stays accurate, even under changing environmental conditions. The STS Developers Kit offers the choice of three STS models: STS-UV (190-650 nm), STS-Vis (350-800 nm) and STS-NIR (650-1100 nm) For more information contact Ocean Optics, Geograaf 24, 6921 EW Duiven, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)26 319 05 00 Fax: +31 (0)26 319 05 05 E-mail: info@oceanoptics.com Web: www.oceanoptics.com

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

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

What can you risk not knowing? Imagine your television set didn’t have a remote control. Now imagine the TV was located at the opposite end of a huge manufacturing shop floor. Finally, imagine you had 100 TV screens that can only be operated manually. This is a nightmare-scenario process engineers would have to deal with on a daily basis, were it not for intelligent remote data access. Here, Jez Watson, managing director of CD Automation UK, explains how remote data access helps solve the top five challenges process engineers face. Remote monitoring is not new to the automation world. More than two decades ago, the first remote monitoring systems were installed using dial-up phone connections. Over the years, these early systems became more and more advanced and turned into hardwired Ethernet connections with higher speed and accuracy. Today’s technologies are taking everything one step further, turning into complex wireless networks and smart devices that allow remote monitoring and control.

loggers within the plant from anywhere in the world, using any device that has internet access, including smart phones, tablets and laptops. Data loggers can service remote analogue and binary inputs or outputs modules, measuring transducers, inverters, microcontrollers, recorders, display panels, HMI panels and pretty much any other device used in industry that has the option for communications. Data loggers with remote access, like Lumel’s SM61 product are used to monitor key information like temperature, flow or pressure across industries, including in the utilities, water and waste, pharmaceutical or manufacturing sectors. They are normally integrated in systems for monitoring and recording power network parameters. It is also common to find data loggers on temperature controllers. Remote data access saves time and costs by suppressing geographical distances; it provides a real-time, accurate picture of what is happening in the plant at any given time. Most importantly, remote data access gives production engineers and process managers the peace of mind that everything is running smoothly. Remote data access can solve the top five challenges process managers deal with on a daily basis: uncertainty, system security, lack of time, information and alarms.

No more uncertainty In critical processes and continuous production in particular, the ability to access production data at any time, from any place, is key. Critical and potentially dangerous situations could occur at any point, regardless of the time of day, number of staff present or whether the production manager is on the premises or not. This situation results in a state of constant anxiety for many process managers. Having safety measures in place is crucial, but the ability to check whether things are running smoothly at any given time, is priceless. Remote data access is the best way to monitor and manage operations on particularly large sites or when process engineers and managers are off-site. In manufacturing, even a few minutes or seconds of foresight can save downtime and costs. Data loggers with www server practically allows process managers to be in several places at the same time, which comes in very handy when the person in charge manages numerous sites or does a lot of travelling. By remotely accessing the data logger, managers can easily check if, for example, applications are starting and stopping or heating up and cooling down at specified times.

The rise of wireless and 4G technology goes beyond the consumer world, with its smart phones, Google Glass and virtual reality head sets. The installed base of the Internet of Things is estimated to reach 212 billion by 2020, including approximately 30 billion connected devices the same year. This is all fine and dandy for all technophiles and gadget lovers out there, but the digital shift has also completely reshaped the way industry operates. Over the last two decades, industrial companies have become significantly more efficient by integrating digital technologies and intelligent automation solutions into the manufacturing process. The most impressive part of the story is the hallucinatory speed at which technology is developing and unearthing hidden benefits that engineers wouldn’t have dared dream of just ten years ago.

Quick guide for remote data access The implementation of industrial automation solutions and advanced machines is normally motivated by three challenges: making the production line more efficient, safer and more flexible. One of the technologies that industry has found particularly useful when responding to these three challenges is remote data access. This feature allows designated personnel to access data stored by data

Saving precious time Process managers are always busy, which is why installing any new product should be as straight forward and as fast as possible. These data loggers can be installed without stopping the entire application, which saves downtime and can be fitted on a temperature controller, for example, simply by connecting the wires for RS-485 and applying power to them. These products can also be connected using wireless technology, to simplify the process even further. Remote data access is, by definition, meant to save the process manager a journey to the control point. To help save even more time, the capacity of these data loggers are particularly high and they can read up to 2500 values from up to 100 devices, each with 25

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

registers. As a result, all the information a process manager needs is stored in one place and can be easily accessed at any point, from any place and by several users simultaneously. The user-friendly application for data configuration allows the user to visualise data in a variety of ways, including synoptic maps, charts and tables in any web browser. The real time clock function also allows for accurate data collection and storage, even if power is lost for any reason.

Security Any data logger with remote access should have a strict security protocol in place. Reliable products assign a unique ID and password to each user, limiting the access to company information in the case of any nonauthorised personnel or external parties. The password is needed to visualise data, to make any changes using product software or Ethernet, and to send files through built-in FTP web servers. By reinforcing these security measures through staff training and a firm company policy on remote data access, any business can ensure it has all the benefits of the technology and none of the risks.

Real-time and historic information Another benefit of data acquisition modules is the availability of real-time and historic information, which can be used to monitor the efficiency of different applications. The historic data feature also allows process managers to analyse the state of the system before an alarm goes off. By correlating historic data, any process can be made more efficient and overall operations can be significantly improved. In the case of Lumel’s SM61, information is stored on the 1 GB flash memory. When the internal memory card is full, the data can be downloaded and saved or deleted by the FTP server.

Trustworthy alerts Even when process managers can remotely access realtime information, full peace of mind is rarely achieved unless there is also a trustworthy alert and alarm system in place to give them complete peace of mind: a realtime e-mail alert feature will allows designated users to instantly receive an e-mail alert when values go beyond parameters – for example, if equipment is overheating or not hot enough – and when alarms go off. Up to 25 alarms can be defined, depending on the nature and parameters of the application and in the instance of the SM61 all alarms are visible on the online portal and the system can send an e-mail and/or set relay for each alarm plus it has two relay outputs or two binary outputs. Remote data access has always been a necessity for industry. However, the increasing number of wireless connected devices like smart phones, tablets and intelligent automation solutions has created the perfect storm for remote data access to be adopted on a large scale across sectors. The cost of downtime in industry can be anything from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands of pounds per hour. With remote data access, if anything is unusual or goes wrong in the process, the right people are immediately notified so they can make an informed decision and take action. Unlike a missing TV remote control, which is slightly inconvenient, when it comes to industry, the question all companies should be asking themselves when considering the purchase of remote data access equipment is this: “Can we risk not knowing?”

FORGET ME NOT Dispelling the myth of ‘fit and forget’ auto lubricators by Mark Needham, Technical Manager, AVT Reliability With modern machinery constantly evolving, in terms of both complexity and sensitivity, plant managers face the ever-present challenge of updating maintenance practices while keeping pace with production demands. One of the most important aspects of any overall maintenance and reliability programme is the effective lubrication of rotating and moving parts whose efficiency is crucial to optimal uptime. ‘Fit and forget’ auto lubricators are often seen as a solution to this problem and, while they can free up lubrication engineers to deal with more complex tasks, truly ‘forgetting’ an autolube device can result in under- and over-greasing – a frequent cause of the very downtime they are intended to prevent.

Autolube models Drip-feed bottles – the simplest type of autolubes available – depend on gravity and can either provide a constant stream via a wick from the main reservoir, or a more closely controlled feed through a needle valve which is adjustable for different ambient temperatures and viscosities. Modern needle valve models can be fitted with a solenoid control valve or even a small pump unit for light oils, giving even greater control over the discharge rate of lubricants. An obvious drawback of an auto lubricator reliant on gravity is that oil will be continually expelled even when the machinery falls idle. So, while ideal for machinery which is constantly kept running, production lines which shut down periodically would require a lubrication engineer to manually close and reopen each drip-feed bottle as required – instantly dispelling the ‘fit and forget’ myth. Although drip-feed autolubes can be configured to suit different operating temperatures, they do not adjust automatically and, as a result, need to be altered manually. This is of particular importance in facilities manufacturing a variety of products where heating or cooking temperatures may fluctuate, or for outdoor machinery which is likely to be affected by external weather conditions. It may be deemed safe to relax monitoring of a drip-feed autolube device when ambient temperatures remain constant and cannot be affected by the external climate. However, individual pieces of machinery can experience increases in temperature due to malfunction, vibration or friction – problems which may be compounded if the autolube device overheats, adversely affecting the viscosity of the lubricant and, in turn, its effectiveness. Drip-feed autolubes should therefore be regularly inspected and maintained, even in facilities where the temperature is believed to be stable and not subject to change.

Powered autolubes Gas-powered autolubes are operated by a controlled chemical reaction between two substances which takes place inside a hermetically-sealed chamber to prevent the escape of both the chemicals and the gas which the reaction creates. The gas fills a chamber which, as it expands, pushes against a diaphragm or piston, forcing out the lubricant at a pre-determined flow rate. As with drip-feed lubricators, temperature plays an important role in correct functioning as a rise in ambient temperature will speed up the reaction, while a decrease will slow it down. Any prolonged change will negatively affect the rate of reaction and therefore the discharge rate of lubricant. If temperatures regularly fluctuate, so too will the flow rate, meaning manual adjustments must be made as necessary (and if possible) rather than fitting and forgetting.

Most gas-powered auto lubricators feature a pressure relief valve to counteract blockages in the bearing or lube line which may be caused by resistance to lubricant flow or any deviations from the recommended PSI level. While this prevents overpressurisation, it usually means lubricant is released from the autolube before it reaches the bearing or component – potentially damaging the equipment and resulting in contamination or replacement. Each device should therefore be inspected for changes in pressure and potential blockages before the pressure relief valve needs to open. Looking for potential autolube blockages before the valve releases lubricant helps to reduce the costly downtime associated with replacing bearings. Additionally, to prevent recurrence, the cause of a change in pressure should be fully investigated. It is important not to move gas-powered lubricators until they need replacing, as any movement or loosening can result in a loss of internal pressure which would halt the flow of lubricant. Accidental movement through pipework vibration, slippage of supporting steelwork or simply an incorrect installation can all cause unwanted movement, rendering the autolube inoperable and the component unlubricated. For applications requiring a faster and controlled flow rate, battery-operated autolubes are a useful option. Here, a battery powers a motor or pump to expel the lubricant at high pressure. Unlike drip-feed or gaspowered autolubes, which cannot be halted, batteryoperated autolubes can be switched off as required making them suitable for infrequently or intermittently used machinery. Additionally, the drive and lubricant units are separate and can be replaced individually if required, making a battery-operated device more cost-effective than gas-powered alternatives which are generally single-use. Electronic autolubes allow more sophisticated control over the device, as lubrication rates can be set based on a number of factors including runtime hours or machine cycles. Battery-operated autolubes can also be offered as multi-point systems, where one device can supply multiple components with lubrication thanks to a series of internal pistons operating sequentially to provide progressive distribution. While this cuts down on the number of autolubes required, it does pose a risk to a greater number of bearings as, if there is a blockage at any point, the entire device will cease operation. Here again, regular visual inspection is essential to identify blockages, while periodic maintenance can help prevent them forming. The majority of models of autolube, whether dripfeed, gas-powered or battery-operated, feature a clear chamber or at least a window by which the volume of

lubricant inside can be checked. By cross-referencing the amount of lubricant remaining with the expected discharge rate, engineers should be able to tell if too little or too much lubricant is being delivered to the component and adjust accordingly. However, visual inspection is not always sufficient, especially if the autolube device is not kept clean or the window is small. An obscured view can hide bubbles, congealed contents or incorrect viscosity, as well as dirt particles. These can distort the reading as well as putting the machinery at risk of under- or over-lubrication, or damage due to contaminants suspended in the lubricant. Samples of the lubricant should therefore be taken to ensure cleanliness and correct viscosity as these cannot always be determined by sight alone.

Best practice When installing an autolube device, the following should therefore be taken into consideration: • Fit the device in a location where it can be viewed and monitored easily • Ensure the discharge frequencies are calculated correctly and applied on installation • Make sure that any installation pipework used does not exceed the maximum length recommended by the autolube manufacturer, as too great a pressure drop will prevent the unit from functioning • Never fit an autolube unit in a position where it could be affected by vibration • Ensure all staff are aware of the role of the autolube device and do not adjust themselves without consulting the lubrication engineer • Establish a duty of care with all staff – they can and should report a problem with an autolube device • Set the correct schedules for regular inspection of the device, as well as replacement at the required intervals Auto lubricating devices of all varieties are often essential for the efficient operation of a modern production facility. However, the assumption that they will take care of themselves could prove costly. Regular monitoring and maintenance of each device is the only way to ensure a continuous and correct flow of lubricant to each bearing or component, and should be undertaken as part of an overall conditional-based monitoring and maintenance programme to ensure the health of the facility.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

LUBRICATION

Rocol extends metal detectability in food-grade lubricants packaging Food grade lubricants specialist ROCOL has added additional safety dimension to its FOODLUBE® product range with the introduction of DETEX® metal detectable caps on all grease cartridges. The move follows overwhelming customer approval for the introduction of DETEX actuators and caps on all ROCOL NSF registered FOODLUBE aerosols last year, and ROCOL says that by extending this to cover grease cartridges they can help maintenance engineers in food processing environments further reduce the risk of foreign object contamination. It means customers using popular FOODLUBE food grade greases, such as Extreme, Hi-Temp 2 and Ultra, can now benefit from the ability to detect cartridge caps should they accidentally become loose in food and drink processing areas. DETEX caps now also feature on cartridges for SAPPHIRE® Endure and PUROL™ Grease, too. Building on its long-standing NSF registration for FOODLUBE and its ISO 21469 certification, both of which offer crucial safety assurances about lubricant formulation, ROCOL’s decision to extend DETEX metal detectable caps across its range offers further benefits to customers in meeting HACCP requirements. The patent-pending DETEX caps are themselves manufactured from safe materials deemed

ACCURATE AND RELIABLE MONITORING OF MOISTURE IN INDUSTRIAL OILS

acceptable by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in food processing plants. ROCOL technical manager Bill Hopkins says: “We’re continuously working on customer-focused innovations and introducing DETEX caps to the top and bottom of our grease cartridges is a perfect example of this in action. It represents another important way in which we can help our food and drink processing customers avoid costly downtime, product recalls and the risk of reputational damage. And our corporate strength as part of the global ITW Group gives us privileged access to developments of this kind.” FOODLUBE products are available for a wide range of applications across processing plants in the food, drink and clean industries. Individual lubricants are all NSF H1 registered, which means they have been independently assessed and deemed safe for processing equipment used to produce food and drink for human consumption.

Compact Moisture in Oil Transmitter The EE364 in-line transmitter from E+E Elektronik measures moisture and temperature in transformer, lubricating, hydraulic or motor oils, and diesel fuel. This device can assist in planning condition-based maintenance operations to aid in avoiding equipment breakdown, leading to lowered costs. The EE364 can measure water activity (aw ) and oil temperature (T), and calculate water content (x in ppm). The readings are available on two 4-20 mA analog outputs and a Modbus RTU interface. The analog outputs can be scaled and configured by the user with the optional converter cable and free configuration software. The EE364 is pressure rated to 20 bar (290 psi) and features G 1/2” ISO or 1/2” NPT process connection threads. Its compact size and robust stainless steel IP65 enclosure allow for easy integration into demanding OEM applications and harsh environmental conditions.

Find out more about the FOODLUBE range at Rocol Ltd, Swillington, Leeds. Tel: +44 (0)113 232 26 00 Fax: +44 (0)113 232 27 40 E-mail: enquiries@rocol.com Web: www.rocol.com

MATERIALS HANDLING

Demag V-type – a new generation of industrial cranes • 17% less deadweight than cranes with box-section girders • Oscillation characteristics cut by up to 30% • Service life doubled to over 500,000 load changes Terex Material Handling has launched the new generation Demag V-type crane, which sets new standards in the industry. The V-type design uses less material, helping to reduce the depletion of raw materials. V-type girders weigh, on average, 17% less than comparable box-section profile girders. This reduced crane deadweight produces less wheel pressure, minimising the forces transmitted to the existing building structure and increasing the maximum load capacity. Consequently, the new Demag V-type crane provides architects with greater freedom in planning new factory buildings. The design is also suitable for companies, who wish to employ additional lifting equipment in existing assembly and production bays. The patent pending design, which features diaphragm joints, also cuts oscillation of the crane girder by up to 30%. “The new V-type girder is the result of our continuous development in the crane engineering sector”, explains Andreas Hambrock, Head of the Universal Cranes’ Business Line at Terex Material Handling. “The new crane is an ideal supplement to our existing range of rolled and box-section girders. Its special design allows sensitive loads to be transported safely and precisely for indoor and outdoor applications. The new single girder Demag V-type crane may be used for various crane types, including overhead travelling cranes, suspension cranes, portal cranes and wall mounted travelling cranes. For more information contact Demag Cranes & Components Ltd, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 1QZ Tel: 01295 676100 Fax: 01295 271408 E-mail: bnb-help@demagcranes.com Web: www.demagcranes.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

For more information contact E+E Elektronik GmbH, Langwiesen 7, A-4209 Engerwitzdorf Austria. Tel: +43 (0) 7235 605-0 Fax: +43 (0) 7235 605-8 E-mail: info@epluse.at Web: www.epluse.com

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PROCESS ANALYTICS IN AIR SEPARATION PLANTS The further treatment of primary and intermediate materials across industrial sectors such as chemicals and petrochemical, metals, semiconductor and the food sector often requires large amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. As the main constituents of ambient air, along with Argon, the ability to extract oxygen and nitrogen for such

use relies upon air separation technology in highly automated air separation plants. Bob Lane, Business Manager – Process Analytics, Siemens Industry, looks at the process of cryogenic air separation and the associated process analysis demands and solutions to ensure optimal operating efficiencies.

Air separation

comprising a high pressure and low pressure column (see figure 3). A liquid oxygen-rich crude feed is produced as bottom product of the high pressure column. In a countercurrent system a gas stream rises up the column while a liquid mixture flows down. High boiling liquid oxygen is formed from the rising gas stream by condensation while, from the liquid, lower boiling nitrogen is evaporated.

The composition of dry air is approximately by volume 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% argon, plus small amounts of noble gases, carbon dioxide, traces of hydrocarbons and other impurities. Oxygen, nitrogen and argon are required as industrial gases in significant quantities and crucially with a high degree of purity. To meet this demand from the industrial world, processes are continually being developed to produce these important gases via the separation of air. Whilst there are some differences in processes, all air separation plants operate one of two types of process technology, which are: • Air separation is undertaken at very low temperatures to liquefy the air and produce the desired products by subsequent distillation – cryogenic process – based on differences in boiling points • Air separation at higher pressure using absorption effects based on differences in specific properties of the gases (pressure swing absorption – PSA). This article deals with cryogenic air separation. All cryogenic air separation processes consist of a similar series of steps, whether they be large stand-alone plants or small compact units located directly on the end user’s site. While variations will reflect the desired product mix and individual customer priorities, in all cases process analysers are an essential technology to control and optimise the process.

CRYOGENIC AIR SEPARATION Cryogenic air separation processes use differences in boiling points of the components to separate air into the desired products. The three gases represent about 99% of dry ambient air; numerous process configurations exist caused by the demand of particular gas products and product mixes at various levels of purity. Nonetheless, all cryogenic separation processes comprise similar stages which are set out in figures 1 and 2. Fig 1

As a result, gaseous nitrogen is formed at the top of the column while liquid oxygen is produced at the bottom. By evaporating oxygen from the bottom and feeding fresh nitrogen at the top, the process is continued until the desired product purity is achieved. This continuous distillation process is called rectification. Pure nitrogen is finally removed from the overhead of the column. The oxygen-rich crude feed from the bottom of the high-pressure column becomes feed to the low-pressure column for final separation into pure oxygen and an oxygen containing nitrogen fraction that is withdrawn from the top of the column. The oxygen is then withdrawn from the bottom as product. Achievable purities depend on the amount of ambient air fed to the process and the number of separation trays of the columns. Argon is enriched in the middle part of the low pressure column. It can be withdrawn from this point and processed to pure argon in additional concentrating steps. • Analysis demands Two of the key drivers in air separation plant operation are to reduce production costs, including energy consumption and to ensure product quality. Process gas analysers are used throughout the process to generate the required data to underpin such operational efficiency goals. There are binding specifications for the composition of the desired end industrial gases with grades of purity up to 99.999% and process gas analysis is used to verify that the final products comply with the given specifications. Likewise, with energy costs dominating total production expenditure, they can only be kept under control through exact monitoring to ascertain whether the process is running as close as possible to its optimal operation conditions. This requires continuous and reliable process gas analysis of the process streams. Various process analytic solutions are available depending on requirements. They can range from a single analyser to a complete solution that can encompass planning and engineering to installation, commissioning and maintenance. The range and types of analysers required for the measurement points shown in figure 2 are as follows. Point

Description

Component Range

Feed to high pressure column

CO2 THC H2O

0 - 10ppm 0 - 10ppm

Infra-red Flame ionisation

Circle gas nitrogen

0 - 21%

Paramagnetic

Low pressure column liquid phase

O2 CO2 THC

98% - 100% 0 - 10ppm 0 - 300ppm

Paramagnetic Infra-red Flame ionisation

Feed to low pressure column

0 - 50%

Paramagnetic

Liquid nitrogen

O2 CO2 H2O

0 - 10ppm 0 - 10ppm

Zirconium dioxide Infra-red

Liquid oxygen

O2 CH4, C2H4 C2H6, C3H8

98% - 100% Low ppm Low ppm

Paramagnetic Gas chromatograph Gas chromatograph

Gaseous oxygen

O2 THC CO2 H2O

98% - 100% Trace Trace

Paramagnetic Flame ionisation Infra-red

Gaseous nitrogen

O2 THC H2O

0 - 10ppm 0 - 10ppm

Zirconium dioxide Flame ionisation

High purity argon and krypton

H2, O2, N2 CH4, CO

Ultra trace (ppb) Gas chromatograph Ultra trace (ppb) Gas chromatograph

Process air feed before main condenser

CH4, C2H4 C2H6, C3H8

Low ppm Low ppm

Gas chromatograph Gas chromatograph

Process air before molecular sieve

CO2

0 - 10ppm

Infra-red

Fig 2

• Filtering, compressing and purifying ambient air Ambient air is sucked in through a filter and compressed to approximately 6 bar. Then by passing the air stream through a cooler and a mole sieve, contaminants including water vapour, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons are removed from the process stream. The compressed and purified air is then cooled in stages to very low temperature through heat exchange and refrigeration processes in the main heat exchanger, which is located in an insulated container named a cold box. Heat exchange occurs in counter current against other streams such as product and waste nitrogen leaving the distillation columns. Products are then warmed almost to ambient temperature while the process air is cooled close to liquefaction temperature. Final cooling is achieved by expanding the feed in an expansion engine. • Rectification (Separation) Separation of air into its components is performed in a two-column rectification system

Suitable analyser type

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

NEWS

OCT/NOV 2014

Time & Tide etc… So another year is nearing its end, the government tells us that the economy is holding up and the “good ship” UK is sailing happily into 2015 – there may be rough seas ahead though, it’s called an

Motors | Automation | Energy | Transmission & Distribution | Coatings

When you are prepared, the future holds no fears.

election!!! Hopefully, whichever party/s will be governing us for the next 5 years will do so to our best advantage. As for the BPMA those that “govern” have as always done a great job, no doubt that it has been hectic at times but the changes made this year have been as smooth as silk. Membership

continues

develop and the latest “joiner” is Fluid Performance Solutions Ltd who helps clients maximise Energy

Efficiency

and

Asset

Reliability and you can read all about them inside.

Coming events… The AGM takes place on November

20th

London

courtesy of Collyer Bristow LLP and I understand that there will be a good attendance – the more the merrier, it is sure to be a lively event. March 19th sees the annual Pump Industry Awards Gala Dinner held at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth and to book your seat/s or cast your votes just log on to www.pumpindustryawards. com/galadinner/

Information relating to individual members announcements or advertisements should be made directly to the relevant company or by completing the enquiry form positioned on the back page and faxing it back to the number shown.

Water, waste water Meeting the IE2 efficiency standard for electric motors is now mandatory, with new IE3 legislation coming in to force January 2015. WEG have had a range of IE3 rated motors for many years and already have a complete range of IE4 rated motors which have been available since January 2013. All of these motors are available as WIMES compliant.

IE5 ?! Watch this space...

www.weg.net

NEWS BYTES   First new nuclear power station in a generation has moved an important step closer The first new nuclear power station in a generation has moved an important step closer, as the European Commission announced that it has approved the Hinkley Point C State aid case. New nuclear power stations like Hinkley will be vital in the next decade for Britain’s energy security as most of the country’s existing nuclear stations are due to close before 2023. New nuclear power stations will also be key to cutting the carbon emissions from Britain’s electricity industry in the UK’s future low carbon energy mix. Hinkley will generate a stable source of clean power to nearly 6 million homes once it is up and running, and will provide 25,000 jobs during construction. UK companies could benefit from getting more than 50% of the work, and thousands of jobs are expected to go to local people.

 MAINTEC 2015

THE UK’S LEADING SHOW FOR THE MAINTENANCE, PLANT AND ASSET MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY

Now celebrating its 40th year, Maintec 2015 is the UK’s leading show for maintenance, plant and asset management, and will return to the NEC, Birmingham from 24-26 March 2015 at which BPMA will be taking a stand in the dedicated pump sector. Save the date now to make sure you see hundreds of leading exhibitors, the chance to network with thousands of your industry peers, and to hear from inspirational speakers in our 3 day seminar programme. Maintec continues to be THE industry event for visitors to see the latest technology providing cost-cutting solutions, increasing productivity and higher ROI for their business.

 BPMA Pumping Fundamentals Training New schedule for 2015: Module 001 Part 1: 23 February 1 June 24 August 23 November

New

Module 001 Part 2: 24 February 2 June 25 August 24 November

Member

Fluid Performance Solutions Limited based in Stirlingshire joins us as our newest member. 2

The State aid case included both the proposed Contract for Difference, which provides the developer with an increased price certainty for the electricity generated by the plant, and the proposed UK Guarantee for the project, which will help unlock debt finance. Last October’s agreement in principle with EDF, the developer, remains in place, and there has been further agreement to strengthen arrangements for benefits to be shared with consumers if the project comes in under budget, or if the project’s return exceeds a certain level. This ensures that consumers won’t pay more than they have to whilst providing a reasonable return for the investors. The Government and EDF are continuing to work together to finalise the Hinkley project, including the full terms of the Contract for Difference and the financing arrangements for the project, which includes support from the UK Guarantee. UK Guarantees are designed to facilitate the development of infrastructure that would otherwise find it difficult to obtain finance due to the current state of capital markets.

 BPMA member

helpline - Don’t put business problems on hold! In today’s challenging climate, it’s more important than ever for employers to protect and develop their business in a legally compliant way. Getting the right advice and information is important, which is why we offer access to the Croner Business Support Helpline as a benefit of your membership subscription.

With over 60 years’ experience, Croner (part of Wolters Kluwer UK Limited) is the leading provider of compliance solutions to UK businesses. Croner employs specialists, all having professional backgrounds and qualifications therefore members can benefit from their extensive knowledge and practical experience in their respective fields. The advice Croner provide is ‘solution based’ rather than legal jargon and always up to date and relevant. Advice and guidance will be provided in UK Law and practice in the following areas: • Health and Safety, • Employment Law and Personnel, • Tax, VAT, PAYE, NIC, & Payroll, • Commercial legal matters, as per the attached list Whilst the advice is restricted to telephone advice and the consultants are unable to draft or review any contracts, leases or letters; the vast majority of queries can be managed over the telephone. Where matters are more complicated the advice line can be useful for guidance as to whether or not an issue is worthwhile pursuing and if so how and where representation can be sought. All members receive a scheme number with their annual membership certificate. Quote this number when you call for support: Available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Call 0844 561 8133.

NEWS BYTES   Stronger supply chains could

boost economy by £30bn - CBI

Potential for 500,000 new jobs across Britain’s regions 20th October 2014 Targeted action to revitalise domestic supply chains could inject £30 billion into the economy by 2025, creating more than half a million jobs across the United Kingdom, according to a new CBI report. Pulling Together recommends ways to kick start the UK’s supply chains, and solutions to reinvigorate Britain’s industrial strategy. Based on new research carried out by A.T. Kearney, the global management consultancy firm, the report reveals underinvestment in research and development (R&D), a growing skills crisis and weakened foundation industries that are key to advanced manufacturing - such as plastics, metals and chemicals. To tackle these issues, the CBI is urging the Government and business to act together to strengthen supply chains, focusing on innovation, better quality products, and excellent customer service. Among the measures the UK’s leading business group is calling for are: • Setting a long-term target for public and private sector spending on R&D to rise to 3% of GDP • Widening the R&D tax credit to support the later stages of the commercialisation and manufacture of innovative British products • Doubling spending on the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, over the course of the next parliament • Financially incentivising science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees, and ensuring more graduates take up jobs in these sectors • Creating a national materials strategy, as part of our industrial strategy, to protect and enhance critical supply chain sub-sectors. Katja Hall, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: “The molten metals of manufacturing have long coursed through the veins of our economy. Optimism within industry is now rising at a strong rate, and investment intentions are on the up. “But it’s time for some fresh thinking. We need to see a bold strategy that breathes new life into our supply chains, and makes the UK the destination of choice for manufacturing high value products. This could provide a £30bn boost to the economy, and create half a million extra jobs. “The scale of the challenge is sizeable - our competitors are powering ahead, with France outstripping our research & development (R&D) investment by 40%. At the same time, only 3% of our graduates end up in engineering or technology jobs. “We need policies which focus on creating long-term value - from increasing R&D spending to establishing a UK-wide materials strategy - to enable industry to play to its strengths and compete effectively on the world stage. “This renaissance in British manufacturing will make it a byword for innovation and quality.”

 New

Charles Davis, Strategic Operations Partner at A.T. Kearney, said: “After years of decline the UK industrial base has stabilised and, with the correct industrial strategy, we can and should look for growth. This will be vital to the long term health of the UK. “As the challenges of global supply chains become better understood, companies are beginning to look beyond the headline cost to the true value. Winning will be through supply chains that drive revenue, not just striving to be the lowest cost. This report shows that the most important factor in supply chain location decisions was service/innovation scoring 36%, with total cost next at 30%. While innovation should be the catalyst, at the same time we also need to ensure the skilled resources and correct environment are in place. “This is a challenge that A.T. Kearney is increasingly seeing beyond the UK – other countries and regions in Western Europe are looking at similar trends as they seek to reinvigorate their industrial bases. As the UK is starting from behind the OECD average for R&D spending, we need to move fast if we are to win.” Other solutions to strengthen the UK’s supply chains set out in the report include: Grasping the urgency of the growing skills crisis As supply chains bear the brunt of skills shortages, the CBI is calling for action to: • Double the number of STEM graduates, and triple STEM apprentices • Ramp up female participation in manufacturing, with Davies-style targets • Reform the immigration system by raising the Tier 2 skilled visa cap • Better align skills funding with the UK’s industrial strategy. Moving from being “open for business” to “hungry for business” To create a more dynamic business environment, and better respond to rapidly emerging opportunities, we must: • Ensure the tax system encourages long-term investment, particularly in small and medium-sized businesses • Establish an annual ‘benchmarking’ review to ensure the UK’s energy and logistics costs are globally competitive • Monitor and tackle ‘red areas’ which hold back businesses’ operations, such as getting electricity set up and registering property. Understanding the importance of value, not just cost Public sector procurement decisions cannot be based purely on narrow definitions of value for money, but must take into account their wider impact, on society, communities and the economy. • The Government should carry out a review in 2017 to gauge how effectively public bodies are considering social value in procurement activities. Pulling Together: Strengthening the UK’s supply chains was launched at the CBI’s Industrial Strategy Breakfast, attended by Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Matthew Hancock, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, and Chuka Umunna, Shadow Business Secretary.

Training Courses

In collaboration with AMRC, BPMA are promoting two exclusive courses for members:

Pump Metallurgy for non-metallurgists 14 April (Sheffield) 15 April (Milton Keynes) 16 April (West Midlands)

Combating Corrosion 12 May (Sheffield 13 May (Milton Keynes) 14 May (West Midlands)

Should you wish to attend please contact AMRC Training on 0114 22 4446 or email info@amrctraining.co.uk or book on-line at www.amrctraining.co.uk 3

NEWS BYTES   Pump Industry Awards A night not to miss Since 2000, the Pump Industry Awards has been recognising the best performing companies and people for their achievements and positive contributions. In 2015, PIA is proud to be leading the call again in championing those responsible for pioneering new frontiers, inspiring others and achieving growth in challenging markets. We hope you’ll join us in this unique opportunity to network, exchange ideas and celebrate with the industry’s best and brightest. We are inviting you to put forward nominations to help acknowledge the most inspiring people and companies in the pump industry today. Being selected as a finalist, or even winning an award, will attract attention from the industry and the press, recognising the nominee for outstanding achievement.

Visit: www.pumpindustryawards.com

Energy auditing WEG and KSB supply motors – performance and pumps to Water-link optimisation – project in Belgium consulting, now at your finger tips Fluid Performance Solutions Limited (FPS) has recently been established by David White, who has exceptional Service and Technical experience within the Pumping Industry as well as accredited with being a Certified Pump System Auditor (CPSA) from the BPMA. FPS focuses on three main areas of expertise, which are: 1. Pump Energy Auditing to ISO 14414 2. Performance Optimisation 3. Consulting / Commissioning services. FPS conducts Energy Auditing to ISO 14414, an industry standard for independently auditing pumping stations specifically introduced to comply with legislation. Energy Audits identify energy and operational saving opportunities, which helps to reduce Energy & Operational costs. Taking into consideration pump efficiencies, system curves and the control philosophy, it helps you to understand the existing system performance which results in the development of individual action plans, enhancing the performance of the site. Full energy audits may not be cost effective on smaller assets but basic performance checks and data analysis of the test results using the ISO 14414 procedures can usually result in significant cost savings by reducing unplanned site visits, pump repairs and energy consumption. Performance Optimisation is all about having the correct control philosophy in a pumping station and the right configuration of equipment. FPS can identify areas of opportunity to reduce energy and operational issues, followed up with a full commissioning and web based condition monitoring service, ensuring Sustained Performance is achieved. FPS can also engage in consultation where high energy use or operational costs are a growing concern. The consultation service also helps clients to comply with government legislation under the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). FPS can help implement individual plans to allow compliance by energy audits and monitoring solutions. This would include data capture, analysis and Performance Reporting of high energy or critical use assets. This reporting procedure can either be integrated into the client’s existing IT system or configured to a bespoke web-based solution, depending on budget constraints and IT integration challenges. In summary, FPS helps clients maximise Energy Efficiency and Asset Reliability, resulting in Energy Savings and Improved Reliability of assets. More details on FPS can be found on www.fluidperformancesolutions.co.uk

The Water-link project in Belgium, delivers nearly 190 million m3 annually. As part of the project, a new drinking water pipeline has been laid to water company TMVW in Buggenhout, Belgium. Critical to the pipeline are six high-efficiency WEG W22 motors which have been integrated into pumps supplied by KSB. Antwerp Water Works (AWW) began working with TMVW on the Water-link project in 2010. AWW produces drinking water and the company has a large number of industrial customers, whereas TMVA has a largescale distribution network with considerable expertise in the sewerage sector. Together they are supplying high quality water throughout Northern Belgium. To improve water supplies, AWW decided to invest in its production centre in Walem. The first phase, which started in September 2012 and was completed in September 2013, was the construction of a new pumping-station. The station is designed to boost the flow rate from Walem to TMVW to a peak capacity of 165,000m3 per day. To achieve this, it required six new pumps in the station. The tender to supply the equipment was won by KSB who has supplied Omega drinking-water pumps, which include motors, for this project. The pumps are large and can achieve a capacity of 6,815m3 easily, and each pump is fitted with a motor with an output power of 315 kW. Jan Van Laer is involved in the project on behalf of KSB. “Price obviously had a key role to play when awarding the order, but the client also gave careful consideration to long-term costs and performance. KSB surveyed the market to meet the requirements set by Water-link, and choose WEG W22 motors for their high-efficiency and reliable high performance operation. That is why they asked us to choose energy-efficient IE3 motors rather than standard motors.” KSB surveyed the market to meet the requirements set by Water-link, and choose WEG W22 motors for their high-efficiency and reliable high performance operation. Jan Van Laer continues “It was also important to be able to control the motor

frequency. We have previously worked with WEG and have been delighted with the performance of their equipment. In the past, we were mainly involved in industrial projects and this is the first time we have joined forces on a project in the drinking water sector. We were impressed with the price, performance and flexibility of supply,” WEG is a progressive company with a broad product range of equipment. Legislation has been in place since June 2011 which dictates that standard electrical motors between 0.75 and 375 kW must comply with higher efficiency levels (IE2), and they are required to meet the IE3 standard after 1st January 2015. However, WEG already has a product range with a standard squirrel-cage induction motor, that meets the yet to be implemented IE4 regulations. The pumps integrated into the project by KSB are Omega drinking-water pumps. Jan Van Laer continues: “Longitudinal, single-stage centrifugal pumps deliver high levels of performance in transporting water. They are characterised by their versatility and the facility for realising high energy savings, and are ideally suited to pumping clean, unpurified, wastewater and seawater. The pump has low resistance, which results in reduced energy consumption and life cycle costs.” “The generously dimensioned components and smooth performance give excellent and durable operation, and the low-maintenance design ensures short downtimes. CFD-optimised graphs guarantee high performance levels and very favourable net positive suction head values”. A second phase of construction will now take place in Walem, with a new production unit which has a capacity of 150,000m3 per day being built. The new production process replaces the original pipeline and comprises a flotation, double-layer filtration, active carbon filtration followed by UVdisinfection, enabling AWW to have sufficient production capacity to supply its partners with high-quality water. For more information about WEG visit www.weg.net/uk or for KSB visit www.ksb.com

Scottish How to improve pump reliability crime campus wins awards AESSEAL® is pleased to announce the release of its FREE series of weekly videos on mechanical seals and pump reliability. The videos are aimed at anyone who is interested in improving the reliability of their pumping equipment, increasing mean time between failures, reducing operational costs and increasing profitability. The videos are presented by Chris Dean the Group Technical Training Officer for AESSEAL®. Chris has over 35 years of mechanical engineering experience, in industries ranging from pulp and paper through to nuclear reprocessing. This experience has seen Chris develop relationships with distributors, end users and pump repair houses throughout the world. The videos cover the following topics

A new £75m Scottish Crime Campus in Lanarkshire has continued to win both acclaim and awards from many different sources since it’s formal opening by HRH Princess Royal last summer. This new crime-fighting hub combines various agencies, including the police, forensics, customs and the prosecution service. It has a remit to spearhead Scotland’s approach to tackle head-on organised crime and terrorism. Housed in a new 4-storey building occupying 22,500 sq. m. of floor space every aspect of the new building was carefully planned and designed. This included the M&E system that Grundfos Pumps worked in association with Vaughan Engineering to ensure that this aspect also met the highest standards and demands. Selecting only the most energy efficient pumps from the Grundfos portfolio, the new building has been fitted with state-of-the-art pumps. These include models from the award winning MAGNA3 circulator range, TPED in-line twin head pumps as well as a Hydro MPC-E booster set and pressurisation equipment. With criminals becoming ever more sophisticated the stand that needs to be taken to deal with them must also reflect this. This new building is a great example of how a combined leading edge approach in all aspects can deliver a solution that is fit for purpose from both a practical and sustainable perspective. For more information or Literature request contact Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Tel: 01525 850000 E-mail: grundfosuk@grundfos.com Web: www.grundfos.co.uk

• What mechanical seals need for a long life • How oversized pumps can kill mechanical seals • How production pressures impact on mechanical seal life • How to stop mechanical seals prematurely failing • How to reduce your pump downtime Sign up today at the following address, and see how you can improve your pump reliability. http://sealselection.com/pump-reliability

Meet the family the fast way. All our Eta pumps at a glance.

Eta keeps the world on the move Our Eta pump family keeps the world on the move. And there are plenty of big reasons: the highly efficient top-class hydraulic system. Dozens of sizes, materials and drives in almost any combination. And service that puts rivals in the shade. After millions of great pumps, the new generation is here. So discover what Eta can now do for you. www.ksb.com/eta-en • KSB Limited • 2 Cotton Way • Loughborough • Leicestershire • LE11 5TF • 01509 231872 • www.ksb.co.uk

Etanorm

Etaline

Etabloc

Etanorm SYT

Our technology. Your success. Pumps Valves Service n

NOV Mono focusses the spotlight on Universal Parts offering Following last year’s acquisition of Robbins and Myers, NOV Mono has revealed that over the past nine years, sales of its range of Universal Parts for progressing cavity (PC) pumps have increased by a huge margin of 122%. “The dramatic growth in sales has been impressive by any standards,” comments Simon Lambert, MonoTM Commercial Director - UK, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. “It also underlines

the increasing value which customers place on having quick and reliable access to high quality, proven parts for their PC pumps.” Mono’s precision-made Universal Parts are suitable for most other brands of PC pumps, and the range contains a wide variety of components that help keep customers’ plants and processes up and running at peak efficiency. “Customers are increasingly demanding a spares solution

Pumps & Circulators

Our pumps are ErP compliant in accordance with the legislation for both glanded and glandless circulators. We cover a wide range of circulators including our new Magneta self regulating pumps.

Cold Water Booster Sets

The comprehensive ExeFlexx range has full WRAS approval. Approval Number 1312078

Cat 5 sets include the HydroTech85 and Hydroboost 210. Many other breaktank packages, both Cat 5 and potable, are available.

Pressurisation Equipment

GaardPress Pressurisation Sets cover everything from Wall Mounted ECO sets to bespoke Spill Units. Suitable for any system, large or small, we have Pressurisation equipment to match any requirement.

Waste Water Range

Smedegaard, as part of the KSB group, offer the companies own proven and comprehensive range of building services submersible drainage pumps. The range available provides a complete solution for the pumping of clean, dirty or semi-dirty waters. Our submersible pump ranges covers products for drainage and water supply applications as well as centrifugal sewage pumps, tubular casing and vertical immersion pumps, submerged propeller units, submersible borehole pumps, submersible motor pumps and a solid separation system.

Smedegaard Pumps Ltd 10 Beech Business Park • Bristol Road Bridgwater • Somerset • UK • TA6 4FF Tel. +44 (0)1278 458 686 • Fax +44 (0)1278 452 454 info@smedegaard.co.uk • www.smedegaard.co.uk

E-mail: info@smedegaard.co.uk

that offers quality, reliability and easy availability, and the growing popularity of our Universal Parts range shows that it offers exactly that,” adds Simon Lambert. As the global leader in progressing cavity pump technology, NOV Mono’s Universal Parts range includes precisionengineered parts which fit most PC pump brands, and which also carry warranties. These are engineered and manufactured to exacting standards, thoroughly tested to ensure outstanding performance, and designed to help global process industries improve their production, reliability and profitability levels “With comprehensive stocks in various strategic global locations we can also offer fast turnaround times, and that helps customers minimize downtime and keep their operations moving,” adds Simon. “This rapid response also cuts down the need for customers to hold their own inventory.” For certain product ranges, Mono can also provide fullyassembled rotating units which include a rotor, stator, joint kit, coupling rod, plug-in shaft and mechanical seal or gland packing. These price-competitive units eliminate the need for on-site assembly and also limit installation time. To find out more about Universal Parts, please contact +44 (0)161 214 2255, or visit www.bigonup.com

Available on iPhone and Android devices

Pumping up the pressure Sundyne HMD Kontro Introduces New High Pressure Sealless Pumps Enjoying an enviable reputation for providing pumps to suit high pressure applications, Sundyne HMD Kontro has launched the new HPGSP magnetic drive sealless pump, the top end pump in its high pressure range. Capable of easily handling system pressures up to 185 bar and higher, dependent upon temperature extremes, HMD Kontro HPGSP pumps are exceptionally versatile yet safe and secure. With no seals, the pumps have no leaks, less maintenance, reduced downtime and offer substantial cost savings. The HPGSP range comprises pumps based on the HMD Kontro GS drive, built to API 685 specification, suitable for heavy-duty applications. The separate mounted design is available in eleven hydraulic sizes and two basic frame sizes to suit power requirements. Standard materials of construction are S-81 and S5, D-1j and D-2j. Other variations are available on request. The performance parameters for the HPGSP include: head up to 150 metres / 700 feet, flow up to 290 m3/hour / 1500 gpm, temperatures: -100 to +260 DegC / -100 to +500 DegF and pressure: 185 bar / 2700 Psi Sundyne HMD Kontro sealless pumps are designed to comply with the requirements of API 685 specifications for magnetic drive, sealless end suction, centrifugal pumps required by the oil, gas, petroleum and heavy chemical industries. HMD Kontro has been building sealless magnetic drive pump units for the oil and gas industry since 1983. With increasing demands for the safety and welfare of personnel, plus the environment, its sealless pumps are playing an ever greater part in maintaining these goals. Improved magnet drive technology has enabled more efficient and powerful pumps to be built, including high pressure units such as the HPGSP, thus increasing the application scope for this technology. A copy of the new brochure for the HPGSP can be downloaded from the Sundyne HMD Kontro website at www.sundyne.com/ hmdkontro. For further information, please contact Vince Lee on +44 1323 45200 or by e-mail to vlee@hmdpumps.com

Three Good Reasons To Choose a John Crane A Series Coupling ZERO MAINTENANCE No relative moving parts hence no lubrication or routine maintenance required

SAFE TO OPERATE Elastomeric insert is retained if failure occurs and there is no metal to metal contact

INSERT REPLACEMENT Can be replaced without moving the associated machines

Rely on John Crane for lower cost of ownership, guaranteed reliability and improved productivity. To learn more, please contact us at: John Crane UK Ltd, 31 Nash Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1SS. Tel: 0161-872-2484 Email: enquiries@johncrane.co.uk

www.johncrane.com E-mail: enquiries@johncrane.co.uk

The Wilo Way: Intelligent and efficient solutions you can count on.

Water Management by Wilo – that’s more than innovative technology and long-term expertise. The Wilo Way rather means making your working life easier by providing you with one-stop solutions from a single partner. This gives you a high degree of transparency and control throughout all stages of your project. That is how we live our promise “Pioneering for You”. So how can Wilo support you? www.wilo.com/WaterManagement T: +44(0)1283 523000 E:sales@wilo.co.uk

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E-mail: sales@wilo.co.uk

Wilo-EMU Megaprop

Wilo-SCP

Wilo-EMU KM

16.10.2014 18:10:01

Cat Pumps launches “Wash-Saver” for hygiene and sanitation cleaning systems Cat Pumps has introduced an energy-saving high pressure pump package for centralised hygiene and sanitation cleaning systems. Called “Wash-Saver”, the package utilises a sophisticated variable frequency drive (VFD) and returns typically 85% mechanical energy efficiency irrespective of operating speed. This compares favourably with other solutions, particularly rotary pitot-type tube pumps which typically operate at less than 40% mechanical efficiency and must run at very high speeds between 4,500 and 5,500 rpm just to achieve 60 bar. The Wash-Saver concept uses a feedback signal to the VFD to control the pump speed. The pump, drive motor, accessories and VFD panel come fully assembled, tested and pre-configured at Cat Pumps’ UK facility, to match individual end-users’ requirements. The option of a pre-piped water header tank is also available, and installation into existing centralised highpressure pipe system is an uncomplicated procedure. The control panel can readily be incorporated into a factory automation system or linked into a local area network. Cat Pumps’ Wash-Saver only uses as little water as required, as the pump only runs when washdown guns and lances are activated. As the pump remains fully primed and pressurised even when in

BPMA News Enquiry Form Oct/Nov 2014 For more information about any item in this issue enter the relevant enquiry letters in the boxes below, then add the requested personal and company details and fax back to 01428 751199.

idle mode, water is delivered at the required pressure and flow as soon as any wash-down gun is activated. Thus, it is not necessary to keep high pressure water recirculating and the pump running constantly at high speed. This capability saves energy and reduces wear on the pump and its components. As each additional gun is opened, the pump speed ramps up rapidly in response to the increased demand, then gently slows down when no longer required. As a result, each operator will not notice any drop-off in cleaning performance when co-workers activate adjacent guns. When left in idle mode for longer periods of time, the control stops the pump completely, another energy-saving benefit, yet the system still responds instantly when any wash-down gun is activated. Finally, built-in protection against dry-running should there be any disruption to the water supply, as well as automatic detection of both minor and major pipework leaks, comes as standard. The Wash-Saver concept can be applied to any of Cat Pumps’ reciprocating high pressure positive displacement triplex plunger pumps, enabling individual configuration to any size of wash-down plant. “Most large food processing and production sites have a centralised hygiene or sanitation cleaning system, many of which feature one or more high pressure pumps feeding a distributed array of wash-down guns and lances,” comments Cat Pumps’ general manager Brian Hubbard. “Using high pressure water demonstrates several advantages over chemical-based cleaning, not least of which are the effective removal of deposits and simpler wastewater disposal. With many users moving to pressures below 60 bar, the objection against airborne aerosols has also been largely addressed.” Lime-scale build-up which can throw the rotor out of balance and lead to premature seal and bearings failure on a pitot-type rotary pump is never a problem with a Cat Pumps reciprocating pump as all the rotating parts are outside the liquid chamber. Cat Pumps products are designed to be serviced on site, in-situ and this capability together with readily available spare parts in stock in the UK, contributes further reduces overall running costs. According to Brian Hubbard, the capital investment in a Cat Pumps Wash-Saver package could be recouped in less than 24

months through energy cost savings, reduced repair and maintenance expense and improved up-time. For more information contact Cat Pumps (UK), Church Crookham, Hampshire. Tel: 01252 622031 E-mail: sales@catpumps.co.uk Web: catpumps.co.uk

2014 a year of sporting greats Mr/Mrs etc:........ Initials:..... Surname:.................................. Job Title:............................................................................ Company:.......................................................................... Address.............................................................................. .......................................................................................... ................................County:................Postcode:.............. Tel:.......................................Fax:........................................ Email:................................................................................. Main Business Activity:....................................................... Estimated No. of Employees at this address:......................

For further information relating to the BPMA please contact British Pump Manufacturers Association, National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich B70 6PY, UK Tel: 0121 601 6350 Fax: 0121 601 6373 E-mail: enquiry@bpma.org.uk or visit our website: www.bpma.org.uk The BPMA takes no responsibility for the statements, claims or opinions expressed in this Newsletter

BPMA wishes to thank all members who supported this issue of BPMA News

In recent years Grundfos have consistently proved themselves as the pump supplier of choice when it comes to major sporting events and 2014 was no different. Take Sochi for example where Grundfos pumps supplied all the various requirements and demonstrated their expertise by delivering 400 pumps/pumping system to the various direct and indirect venues for the winter games. We all know that football isn’t just a game in Brazil but a national obsession. Within the 12 new and upgraded world class stadia that hosted the world cup fully kitted out with Grundfos solutions, the rest of world got to join the party. Scotland has had a busy year and in July when 6,500 athletes and officials from 71 countries that make up the commonwealth community converged on Glasgow to participate in the commonwealth games, Grundfos was once again there playing a very active role. With many years’ experience of successfully delivering landmark projects in Scotland, the Grundfos team were proud to be associated with so many of the new and existing sports centres. Legacy is a word much bandied about in recent times and the true outcome will not be known for some time. However we do know that the Grundfos name will be closely associated with iconic venues around the world, for many years to come. For more information or Literature request contact Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Tel: 01525 850000 E-mail: grundfosuk@grundfos.com Web: www.grundfos.co.uk E-mail: goulds.axminster@itt.com

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

CREVICE-FREE Hydra-Cell T-Series pumps VALVES FOR ASEPTIC have lowest life-cycle costs APPLICATIONS Eliminating traps and crevices in process systems used for aseptic applications is an important requirement in helping to minimise the risks of bacteria growth, for example in control valves. Control valve specialists SAMSON CONTROLS offer a range of aseptic valves which incorporate the important features of smooth, crevicefree surfaces and are manufactured to quality assurance systems certified to ISO 9001, whilst also meeting stringent FDA requirements. For example, their type 3347 control valve has polished steel parts to ensure the highest purity for the process medium, special PTFE bushing along with an additional steam line connection that is used to meet very stringent purity requirements preventing bacteria from spreading at the actuator stem guide. Another example is the Type 3249 valve which is equipped with an EPDM diaphragm and a back-up safety packing box to ensure total protection against bacteria spreading and prevent product leakage. These sealing systems, which constitute the main components of the valve construction, have been thoroughly developed and designed to ensure a long and reliable service life. Process applications which involve pasty, fibrous or highly viscous products are best controlled by Samson’s Type 3345 cavity-free valve body which features a diaphragm available in rubber, nitrile, butyl or PTFE and which acts both as a seal and a valve plug These valves can be easily installed into the process line as they are available with various connections including hygienic couplings, flanges and clamp connections according to ISO 2852 and welding ends. For more information or product literature contact Samson Controls Ltd, Redhill, Surrey Tel: +44 (0) 1737 766391 E-mail: Sales@samsoncontrols.co.uk Web: www.samsoncontrols.co.uk

COMPACT, QUICKCHANGE HOSE PUMP A new, compact peristaltic pump which enables quick-change hose replacement in seconds without the need for tools has been introduced by liquids handling specialists PUMP ENGINEERING. The Ponndorf P Delta pump features a simple, one handle operation which disconnects / reconnects the pump head to enable quick hose replacement as well as fast and effective cleaning. The combination of its non-contact, low-pulsation operation and fast hose replacement makes the Ponndorf P Delta pump an ideal choice for applications involving delicate or shear sensitive fluids, such as in the food, brewing, paint, pigments and printing industries where quick-changes of ingredients, additives or inks may be required. The compact Ponndorf P Delta is self-priming can run dry safely and self-prime from up to 8 metres. It requires only a small footprint, so can be integrated into applications where space is very limited. Standard 3 roller models or 4 roller models for smoother flow are available for handling flows up to 975 lit /hour with a maximum pressure of 4 bar. Hose materials are available to suit a range of applications including natural rubber and white food grade Ponnprene as approved by the FDA.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

For more information contact Wanner International, Fleet, Hants. Tel: +44 (0)1252 816847 E-mail: NHerrington@wannerint.com Web: www.hydra-cell.eu

Compact, Quick Change

HOSE PUMP The Ponndorf P Delta peristaltic pump with simple one handle hose-change ensures fast hose replacement in seconds for fast, effective cleaning.

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Non-contact low pulsation operation Ideal for delicate, shear sensitive liquids Self-priming and can run dry Flows up to 975 lit/hr

Pick the perfect pump – from Pump Engineering TEL: 01903 730900 sales@pumpeng.co.uk www.pumpeng.co.uk

AB14-790

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

Originally conceived to handle severe pumping applications in the oil and gas industries, Hydra-Cell® T¬-Series pumps from Wanner International are claimed to have the lowest Lifecycle Cost (LCC) of any high pressure pump in their class. With options available that meet the requirements of API 674, Hydra-Cell T-Series seal-less pumps feature hydraulically balanced, multiple diaphragms in a single pump head. They are designed to replace packed triplex plunger pumps and their associated problems. They provide zero leakage, can run dry indefinitely without causing damage to the pump and can pump abrasive fluids effectively. Costly seal maintenance is eliminated and because the plungers in the Hydra-Cell pumps never come into contact with the pumped liquid, hence they have a far longer service life than those in plunger pumps. Having no dynamic seals, they can also accommodate the hot liquids that damage the packings and seals in other pumps. In Hydra-Cell T-Series pumps the crank oil and process liquid are completely separated by the diaphragms, eliminating oil contamination and the need for frequent oil changes. The T8045 version is able to deliver liquid flows up to 170 litre/min at 207 bar, whereas the T8030 is rated at 345 bar and 98 litre/min, with API 674 options available for both. The pumps’ unique design offers lower costs of ownership and maintenance, and longer life than their packed plunger pump counterparts; all adding up to lowest Life-cycle Cost (LCC).

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES ROBUST THERMOPLASTIC PUMPS RESIST AGGRESSIVE CHEMICALS The new range of ARBO thermoplastic mechanically sealed centrifugal pumps are available in a choice of polypropylene, polyethylene, PVDF and PTFE so they resist the effects of aggressive chemicals which can cause corrosion problems for metallic pumps.

By manufacturing all wetted parts out of solid block without the need for injection moulding eliminates the potential for stress-cracking. Furthermore, the combination of tough, non-metallic materials and stress relieving production methods provides outstanding chemical and temperature resistance to ensure safe and reliable pumping, even in the most challenging applications. As well as offering excellent chemical and corrosion resistance, ARBO pumps can handle solid particles up to 3mm, ensuring extended pump operation in the event of process upset. Introduced in the UK by pumping specialists MICHAEL SMITH ENGINEERS these compact, yet robust pumps are designed to handle flows up to 500m /hr, heads to 90 metres and are available in close, or long coupled designs. In close-coupled configuration ARBO pumps can be specified in either horizontal or vertical mounting options. The close coupled design is a more compact choice as the pump shaft is fixed directly to the motor shaft. A separate bearing housing and flexible coupling are not required which means a significant reduction in wearing parts and also eliminates the potential for motor alignment issues. Typical applications for ARBO thermoplastic mechanically sealed centrifugal pumps include pumping acids in anodising plants, circulating aggressive chemicals in pickling lines, tanker unloading of ferric salts in the water industry, pumping chemicals and untreated effluent in electronics manufacturing, demineralised water circulation in food industry applications, coolant circulation in power plants, sea water circulation in aquaria and any application where metallic pumps will either suffer from corrosion or can cause contamination. For more information contact Michael Smith Engineers Ltd, Woking, Surrey. Tel: FREEPHONE: 0800 316 7891 Fax: 01483 723110 E-mail: Info@michael-smith-engineers.co.uk Web: www.michael-smith-engineers.co.uk/ products/arbo-pumps

Hydra-Cell

AXFLOW INTRODUCES excels in zero NEW PUMP liquid discharge FROM BLACKMER The addition of super duplex stainless steel to the range of liquid head materials available now enables Hydra-Cell G15 pumps to manage the tough-to-handle waste waters processed in ‘zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems. As water becomes an ever more expensive commodity, industrial, oil, chemical and petrochemical companies are increasingly turning to ZLD systems, minimizing wastewater discharge and maximising water recovery. Frequently these wastewaters have high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and many contain particulate matter that can cause severe wear in pumps with tight tolerances and rapidly degrade seals. Having no tight tolerances and no dynamic seals to wear, Hydra-Cell pumps are proving to be ideal for this application. Many of these waste streams have a high chloride content, which causes rapid corrosion, even within stainless steel pumps. Because of the way the HydraCell pump is designed, it has only been necessary to incorporate 2507 Super Duplex liquid ends (manifolds and valve plates) in order to overcome this potential corrosion problem. A plunger or piston pump would require substantial modification of many components in order to overcome such a corrosion threat. Hydra-Cell pumps meet the pressure requirements of membrane filtration systems and concentrators while requiring little in the way of maintenance.

AxFlow has added Blackmer’s new XLW4A wearresistant sliding vane pump to the Blackmer range of pumps for which it has exclusive distribution throughout the UK. The XLW4A is a 4” ported pump that has been field tested for almost two years handling an abrasive detergent/soap and has performed flawlessly. The Blackmer XLW range of ductile iron sliding vane pumps have a proven record in handling abrasive fluids including oxide primers, inks, paints and adhesives. The range has also been used successfully on vertical and horizontal bead mills, solvent recovery, tank bottom recirculation, heat transfer supply, enhanced oil recovery as well as crude and hot oil transfer. The hardened internal parts deliver long life and excellent wear resistance, allowing the pump to be used on applications with suspended abrasive particles up to 250 microns with a 25% concentration. The Blackmer XLW4A delivers a flow rate of 719 litres/ min at a working pressure of up to 24.1bar. With a speed of 350rpm, this new pump is capable of handling fluids with a viscosity of 4,250 cSt at temperatures up to 149oC. To tie in with the introduction of the XLW4A, AxFlow has produced a new Blackmer Range brochure covering its sliding vane pumps, centrifugal pumps and reciprocating gas compressors.

For more information contact: Wanner International, Fleet, Hants. Tel: +44 (0)1252 816847 E-mail: NHerrington@wannerint.com Web: www.hydra-cell.eu

For more information please contact AxFlow Ltd, Ealing, London. Tel: 0208 579 2111 E-mail: info@axflow.co.uk Web: www.axflow.co.uk

New Grundfos Product Center – replacement made easy There are many benefits to the newly launched Grundfos Product Center that has been specifically designed and developed to make choosing the best pump solution as easy as possible. One such benefit is a simple to use replacement tool, that on entering basic details about an older pump model from Grundfos or from a wide range of competitor pump suppliers, will deliver a number of alternative. Simply log onto www.grundfos.co.uk and click onto the Product Center portal, then select the REPLACEMENT option on the home page. You then simply enter the name of the old pump into the Quick Search field. Alternatively, can you enter the pump’s name and other data into the Classic Search field instead. Where available, the Product Center will display three replacement pump options for you to choose from: • the option with the lowest purchase price • the option with the lowest energy consumption • the option with the lowest total lifecycle costs. Additional requirements, such as fluid type, lifecycle costs and evaluation criteria provide additional filtering options and will ensure the best pump replacement choice is right there, at your fingertips -24/7. For more information contact Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Tel: 01525 850000 E-mail: grundfosuk@grundfos.com Web: www.grundfos.co.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

Multipump control solution The VACON® 100 FLOW is an AC drive specifically designed to improve flow control for multi-pump applications in which several pumps are used in place of a single one. Multiple pump solutions are desirable to lighten the load by spreading it across several pumps, thus providing greater energy efficiency and system redundancy – if one pump fails, the others can take up the additional load. For operations in which demand fluctuates throughout the course of the day, such as a municipal water system providing peak water consumption in the morning and minimal usage at night, the VACON 100 FLOW offers unsurpassed control of flow and pressure for a maximum of eight pumps (or fans) without the need for an external controller — communication between drives is provided by integrated RS-485. The VACON 100 FLOW AC Drive is equipped with built-in Ethernet as standard,

eliminating any additional options or gateways needed to communicate with process automation. This also provides access for commissioning and maintenance through “VACON Live” and makes local or remote monitoring possible. The VACON 100 FLOW offers three multi-pump control solutions: single drive multi-pump, multi-drive multi-master and multi-drive multi-follower. For single-drive installations, one AC drive controls a lead pump. If demand exceeds the capabilities of the pump, additional fixed-speed pumps are brought online directly or with a soft starter. The VACON 100 FLOW allows the user to choose between fixed setups and solutions in order for the lead and auxiliary pumps to alternate roles to equalize wear and tear. In multi-master mode, each pump is controlled by its own AC drive. The integrated RS-485 interface allows

the drives to communicate without the need for any external controller. As demand increases, the leading drive increases its speed until the capacity is exceeded, at which point the excess load is transferred to the next drive in the series. This method ensures pumps start and stop smoothly, and reduces the need for additional control wiring, motor protection relay and contactors. Multi-follower mode is similar to multi-master except that as demand increases and the lead drive’s capacity is exceeded, additional drives running in parallel are brought into operation. This ensures that all pumps run at the same operating speed, reducing noise and general stress, thus improving reliability. The VACON 100 FLOW is available in a number of frame sizes with either UL Type 1 (IP21) or UL Type 12 (IP54) approved enclosures, covering the power range of 0.75 HP (0.55 kW) to 250 HP (160 kW), and a voltage range of 230 V to 500 V. For more information, visit www.vacon.com or call 001 877.822.6606.

Available on iPhone and Android devices

20% 20% More performance

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Verderflex Dura 55 Flow: max. 15.3 m3/h Pmax: 16 bar Verderflex Tel.: +44(0)1924 221020 info@verderflex.com

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING INC. PUMPS & VALVES

Booster sets welcomed to Boss range BSS Industrial, supplier of heating and pipeline solutions, has

including potable water supplies. Supplied fully-assembled to

added a range of one and two pump BOSS™ Booster Sets to its

ensure ease of installation, BOSS™ Booster Sets have a compact

industry-leading, own-brand range of products.

design, produce minimal noise and provide constant pressure

The BOSS™ Booster Set range (with WRAS approved pumps and

using an inverter with duty assist and duty stand by modes.

components) are suitable for a wide variety of system requirements,

Ed Kendall, Project Category Manager at BSS Industrial,

said: “This is a valuable addition to the BOSS range of products. The complete BOSS™ Booster Set range is stocked at our Magna Park National Distribution Centre, meaning we can provide unrivalled availability whilst our AMS Pumps team can commission the set for customers. Combined, this means we can provide a product and service package to make customers lives as simple as possible.” The range consists of six, one pump variable speed booster sets and six, two pump variable speed sets for duty ranges between 0.4l/s and 7l/s. For more information on BSS Industrial and to find your nearest trade counter, please visit www.bssindustrial.co.uk or call 0116 262 3232. Follow BSS on twitter @ BSSIndustrial

Available on iPhone and Android devices

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Modern SCADA systems help the process industry optimise field operations By Aaron Boettcher, Sr. Manager SCADA Systems Marketing, Emerson Process Management

SCADA has come a long way from the days of dial-up modems and RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) that were little more than data collection and relay boxes. But at its core, the modern SCADA system still solves a key problem of asset owners with remote assets: maintaining visibility into, and supervisory control of, critical operations representing significant financial investment. Moving beyond traditional data gathering, the SCADA system of today is becoming much more than that. Today’s SCADA system offers asset owners a platform for applications to control and optimise their operations, and enables them to improve reliability and safety of their processes by delivering critical diagnostic and health information. This information enables proactive instead of reactive maintenance practices, reducing process downtime. In the near future, as the era of `Big Data’ dawns on the SCADA world, delivering true process intelligence from the vast amounts of new data types being gathered with value-added applications, will become even more critical.

SCADA systems are generally recognised to have progressed through three distinct phases of evolution with a fourth on the horizon. Early in the evolution of SCADA systems, the primary paradigm in computing was that of the mainframe system, and SCADA systems of that era have been generally described as monolithic. In these earlySCADA systems, the RTU was generally used only as the communications gathering point for the field, and served the sole purpose of relaying information back to the mainframe computer – generally over low-bandwidth serial radio networks or dial-up systems. Due to the limited nature of computing and communications technologies available at the time, RTU protocols were relatively simple and for the most part little supervisory control was exercised. These systems were usually limited to a single facility, and interoperability between hardware from one vendor and software from another, was virtually non-existent. Later, as processing power and networking technologies improved, the computing paradigm shifted to a distributed architecture with PCs becoming ubiquitous, and SCADA systems followed suit. SCADA system architectures became more layered and distributed. On larger systems with many hundreds of RTUs, the RTUs would feed data into field servers, sometimes called front end processors (FEPs), which would in turn be networked to the main host system. In this stage of evolution, RTUs and host systems started to extend functionality beyond basic data capture and reporting, and began to take on some simple control and alarming

features. SCADA systems became capable of monitoring larger operations over multiple sites, as the distributed nature of the architecture and the quickly declining cost of computing power enabled a more modular and easily scalable approach to SCADA systems. In the third stage of evolution, the current `Networked’ era, the modernisation of SCADA systems continued to be driven by the advancement of computing and networking technologies. The SCADA system architectures implemented in the Networked era continued to use the distributed model. SCADA vendors providing only the host software and project implementation services began to enter the market. Driven by users, SCADA software vendors began to place much more focus on moving away from the monolithic model of closed proprietary systems, to being able to gather data from a variety of RTUs, PLCs, and other end devices. It became possible for asset owners to mix and match controllers and hosts and to choose the best products for their specific needs. The trend towards openness and connectivity of disparate vendor devices and systems has continued in recent years through SCADA vendor support of the various incarnations of the originally named OLE for Process Control (now referred to as Open Platform Communications or OPC protocol). Perhaps the biggest advancement in this era in SCADA systems has been the adoption of Internet Protocol as the primary means of communication. IP networks have enabled SCADA systems to deliver much more intelligence about the process being monitored and controlled. RTU and PLC vendors embraced IP, and IP versions of both industry standard protocols such as MODBUS and vendor proprietary protocols were developed. In comparison to traditional serial networks, where generally only one RTU may be communicating to the host at one time, IP networks enable the host to gather data from multiple RTUs simultaneously, and more importantly, make it much easier and quicker to gather data on demand as needed. In combination with higher-bandwidth wireless wide area networks over IP radios, cellular and satellite, as well as high speed fibre communications backbones, SCADA systems are now capable of providing an order of magnitude more data, more operational intelligence, and more control of critical field processes than their previous incarnations.

Today SCADA systems are not “only but also…” During this modern era of SCADA systems, both RTU and SCADA software vendors have greatly expanded the capability of SCADA systems to not only monitor, but also to control and optimise critical operations through applications running on the SCADA platform, either within the RTU or on the host system. RTU vendors have adopted much of the functionality traditionally offered by PLCs, such as programming tools for IEC61131, but more importantly are also providing predeveloped, standardised configurable applications to optimise common processes. For example, Emerson’s SmartProcess Oil and Gas applications

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

suite offers several pre-configured RTU applications tailored to oil and gas production operations, for artificial lift monitoring and optimisation, surface control, and tank monitoring. RTU optimisation applications offer significant value to the end user because optimisation tools can be standardised across their dispersed operations for consistent results – avoiding reliance on regional integrators to develop point solutions that may deliver different, unpredictable results, and that may be based on different standards for support and ongoing development. Some SCADA software providers also feature tightly integrated or embedded applications that provide a variety of value added features to optimise operations at the full field or full pipeline level, or to monitor and proactively manage asset health. In pipeline implementations, the use of applications such as line pack for gas pipelines (to calculate the volume of gas stored in the pipeline system), or batch tracking for oil pipelines (to track the progress of liquids batches through the pipeline system), are common and expected by asset owners. Asset management and health monitoring capability is also becoming more tightly integrated with some SCADA platforms. Emerson, for example, has tightly integrated its asset management and health monitoring software (AMS Suite) with its SCADA software platform (OpenEnterpriseTM). This integration allows HART device diagnostic health data from the field to be tracked and reported by AMS Suite software, enabling more proactive device maintenance practices that ultimately lead to more efficient and more reliable operations.

And there is more to come… The future of SCADA shows promising possibilities. As has been the trend in the past, future improvements are likely to be closely tied to the continuing developments in information technology and networking. Cybersecurity, for example, has already become a key consideration in the design of SCADA systems and will continue to be a concern, especially as SCADA vendors are moving to web-based platforms and providing access to the SCADA system through mobile devices. In addition, most seem to agree that the process automation market and the information technology world in general is entering a new era commonly characterised by `Big Data’ enabled by ‘the internet of things’. With a vast increase in intelligent sensors monitoring both more assets than were previously monitored and monitoring more data points on existing assets, SCADA systems will be required to deliver orders of magnitude more data to the user. Connectivity and availability will continue to be important to SCADA users, but continued adoption of real-time condition monitoring and optimisation tools will be critical to deliver true process intelligence.

How much does water really cost? Sofia Figueiredo, Sustainability Manager at Veolia Water Technologies looks at water risk and the costs associated with it.

The UK water regulator has been increasing pressure on the food and drinks sector to be more efficient with water. In 2007, 54 companies across some 245 sites, including many large multi-nationals such as Coca-Cola, HJ Heinz, Mars, Mondelez, Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever, signed up to the voluntary Federation House Commitment, which set a target for the industry to reduce water consumption by 20% before 2020. The 2014 progress report currently shows a 15.6% reduction against the 2007 baseline, but the total consumption is still of the order of 33 million cubic metres per year, most of which is taken from municipal potable water supplies. Add to that the “virtual water” used for production of raw materials – vegetables, cereal crops, meat and so on – and you get the water footprint which measures how much “blue water” (that is available fresh water resource) is consumed in manufacturing a product. The often quoted 2,400 litres of water to produce a hamburger shows just how dependent the industry is on water. But what are the risks if water is not available and what more can the industry do to mitigate those risks? The World Economic Forum recognises water as the third highest global risk area after major systemic financial failure and structurally high unemployment. It has been reported that 68% of companies are already exposed to substantive water-related risks, a 15% increase since 2011. But only with appropriate investment can companies start mitigating this risk and improve the bottom line by reducing operational costs. Recent years have provided an insight into what may be to come: dry years with water restrictions followed by wet years with flooding, both contributing to poor harvests and problems with water resources. It’s not always that there isn’t enough water; it’s just in the wrong place at the wrong time. So what is the real picture? Let’s start with the economics. Currently mains water supply in UK can cost on average around £1.30/m3 but that’s only the start. Think about the capital investment in your factory water, storage and distribution systems, the chemicals and power needed for the water treatment plant and then add the costs of disposing of the water after it’s been used – as much as £3.00/m3 for sewer discharge – and you’re getting closer to the direct cost of water at about £4.30/m3.

to external problems like a burst supply pipe or pollution incident or failure of in-house water treatment plant. Increases in the price of water supply, wastewater discharge or the chemicals, energy and consumables used for in-house treatment are obvious financial risks. Regulatory risks include the results of failing to meet water quality or environmental standards imposed by regulators like the FSA or EA. That kind of non-compliance has repercussions far wider than the cost of any fines imposed, and these are reputational risks. So what can we do to help your company in reducing water related risks? Benchmarking against other factories is a good start and may point the way to reduce your water consumption. For example, a 2006 Dairy UK study found that the most water efficient milk dairies were using 0.5 litre of water per litre of milk, whilst the most profligate were using up to 2.5 l/l. A 2003 United Nations Environment Programme suggested a target water consumption of about 1 l/l. As well as benchmarking, providers such as Veolia’s RecoSolutions tool can help companies maximise reverse osmosis system recovery and also optimise boiler operations using on-line calculators. On-site treatment of wastewater reduces the cost of sewer discharge. For example, conventional biological treatment converts 80 - 90% of the wastewater COD into carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water and you can easily calculate the effect of this on sewer discharge costs using the Mogden formula. This can be by around £1.50/m3 and operating costs of the on-site treatment plant you can calculate the payback. Increasing the investment to install a membrane bioreactor (MBR) can achieve around 98 to 99% COD removal, making the treated effluent suitable for discharge to a river and eliminating sewer discharge costs all together. A little further investment in a reverse osmosis plant allows the treated effluent from an MBR to be improved to a quality rather better than that of mains water. The resulting permeate can be used to replace mains water for non-productcontact applications such as cleaning in place (CIP) and boiler or cooling tower make-up which, as the diagram shows, are the largest water consumption areas. Recycling not only reduces your water footprint, but the cost of this recycled water is usually much lower than that of mains water so there is a significant cost saving to be had.

But the ‘real’ true cost of water also needs to include the financial consequences to your business if there is a shortage or complete loss of water supply. And don’t forget the damage to your reputation if you fail to meet regulatory standards for water or effluent quality, or the implications of customer pressure in respect of environmental and sustainability issues. These risks can be difficult to assess and even more difficult to quantify in financial terms.

Beware the danger to the bottom line…

Water Consumption in the Food and Drink Industry

Developed by Veolia Water Technologies, the True Cost of Water is currently the only model that puts a monetary value on the impact of water risk on your future profitability. When decisions are being made on water strategy and water technology investment, it’s important to quantify the water risk and its potential impact on the bottom line. So the True Cost of Water combines traditional CAPEX and OPEX calculations with an analysis of water risks and their financial implications. The model puts costs against four risk categories: operational, financial, regulatory and reputational. Operational risks are those associated with the loss of water due

So recognising the True Cost of Water helps business decisionmakers to understand the importance of water risk and the benefits of investing in sustainable strategies such as water reuse and wastewater resource recovery. It means that return on investment is no longer simply based on current costs, but takes account of real risk-based costs. Water conservation is in everyone’s interest and sustainable water management is not only good for the company’s image, it can make a real difference to the bottom line. So water is no longer just the business of the Utilities Engineer, it is the business of the Finance Director and the CEO – in fact it’s the business of the business.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

WATER & WASTEWATER

i2O WATER NAMED AMONG WORLD’S TOP 100 CLEANTECH BUSINESSES • New technology and more installs boosts water savings by 135 million litres a day over last year • Southampton firm improving network resilience and efficiency for 66 utilities around world i2O Water, the Smart Pressure Management technology company, has been named among the world’s top 100 private companies working in clean technology after it more than doubled the amount of water it saves utility companies over the last year. Its technology is currently helping to save over 235 million litres of water every day, up from 100 million litres a day a year ago. Cleantech Group, a market intelligence and consulting firm, analysed the activities of more than 11,000 businesses around the world to compile its prestigious 2014 Global Cleantech list of privately held clean technology businesses it believes will make the most significant market impact over the next 10 years. Included in the list for the third year running, i2O Water has seen demand for its Smart Pressure Management technology – which analyses and adjusts waterpressure to reduce leakage and improve the resilience and efficiency of waterdistribution networks – continue to grow. It has now installed more than 1,900 systems for 66 water utilities in 22 countries worldwide, including many of the world’s driest and most challenging environments where water scarcity and intense heat make conserving water and improving the resilience of supply a life-saving necessity. 54 of its clients are located outside the UK. Adam Kingdon, co-founder of i2O Water, comments: “It is fantastic to be named amongst the world’s more dynamic clean technology firms once again. Over the last year we’ve introduced improved technology, grown our installed base and more than doubled the amount of water saved. With providers striving to achieve truly smartwater networks and wrestling with issues such as population growth, urbanisation and greater economic activity in areas where supply is already limited, there is major role for us to play improving network resilience and driving environmental and efficiency improvements around the world.” www.cleantech.com. Our mailing address is: Sea Glass PR, 14 All Saints’ Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2PA United Kingdom. Add us to your address book

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Water Analysis Equipment for Precise Results The recent WWEM Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring Conference & Exhibition provided an ideal platform for Lovibond (UK) to show their water testing equipment for water, wastewater and industrial benefit. An established supplier of testing equipment for industrial and environmental communities, the team is perfectly qualified to advise on all matters related to water quality. The Lovibond testing instruments and reagents offer rapid, consistent, precise monitoring for quality testing at every stage of the water cycle: Drinking; Waste; Process; and Industrial Water: with instruments analysing over 100 parameters from A-Z including, but not limited to: Alkalinity; pH; Chlorine; Chloride; TDS; Phosphate; Sulphite; BOD and COD, with bespoke kits for Boiler/Cooling water. For more information please contact The Tintometer Ltd, Amesbury, Wiltshire. Tel: +44 (0) 1980 664800 E-mail: water.sales@tintometer.com Web: www.lovibondwater.com

Is Energy Efficiency too much of a Hot Topic?

TRUST ARI Introducing ARI-ENCOsys® A complete solution for steam to water heat exchange

ARI-ENCOsys® can provide greater overall energy savings and lower operational costs when compared to traditional shell & tube exchangers through: 1. Reduced Heat Loss Extremely compact and efficient design ensures minimal heat loss 2. Improved Temperature Control Lower set point resulting in larger energy savings as the water flowing through the system is at a lower temperature 3. Thermal Efficiency By heating the secondary water and sub-cooling the condensate in the same plate heat exchanger substantial energy savings can be achieved 4. Operational Savings ARI-ENCOsys® rarely requires a bi-annual insurance inspection due to plate heat exchanger technology

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

FPAL

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ARI-ENCOsys® - a reliable, efficient and cost effective steam to water heat exchanger system. Designed to provide hot water instantaneously whatever the load conditions, up to 2100kW without the need for water storage.

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comprehensive range of components www.jbj.co.uk

fluid level indicators

Electrical, visual and combination styles available in single or double format with the capacity for multiple level indication on request. Right angle versions for side entry into reservoirs. Units are available with flame proof head to EEXD standard and are supplied with certification. Combinations of level and high temperature sensing are also available. Can be supplied with flying leads or DIN plug connection on request. Visual level gauges up to 2 metres in length with or without electrical contacts, bulls eye level gauges and viewing windows offer a versatile solution to monitoring fluid quality and volume within a reservoir. Satisfy both technical and economical requirements using the GTSF Level indicator unit with breather plug because it can be applied to a single hole obtaining three services: oil filling, vapour venting and level indication.

The LV series of visual level gauges provides various useful options. Available with integrated valves which interrupt the flow to the gauge and allow oil sampling to take place without opening the tank or breaking into any supply lines. Manufactured with glass fibre reinforced heads and acrylic tube as standard. (Polypropylene heads and “Pyrex” glass tubes for high temperatures or applications where aggressive fluids are present). Various options include integrated thermometer, low level warning signal, sliding contacts, electromagnetic control switch of minimum and maximum level. A comprehensive range of level gauges and indicators, filler breathers, filters, drain plugs and thermostats for use within many areas of industry manufactured using the most suitable and high quality materials, undergoing stringent inspection before delivery. Contact jbj Techniques technical office for help and advise and this fluid power accessories catalogue or visit www.jbj.co.uk/accessories.html for the on-line copy.

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01737 767493 jbj Techniques Limited is ISO certificated, committed to international coordination & unification of industrial standards.

info@jbj.co.uk - registered in England No: 1185469 -

www.jbj.co.uk A range of products ATEX certificated to directive 94/9/E requirements

A dozen ways to measure Fluid Level and how they work The more you know about fluid level sensors, from sight glasses to guided wave radar to lasers, the happier you will be with the technology you choose for your own application – explains Trevor Dunger, ABB’s level and pressure specialist. The demands of sophisticated automated processing systems, the need for ever-tighter process control and an increasingly stringent regulatory environment drive process engineers to seek more precise and reliable level measurement systems. Improved level measurement accuracy makes it possible to reduce chemical process variability, resulting in higher product quality, reduced cost and less waste. Regulations, especially those governing electronic records, set stringent requirements for accuracy, reliability and electronic reporting. The newer level measurement technologies help meet these requirements.

Level measurement technology in transition The simplest and oldest industrial level measuring devices is of course, the sight glass. A manual approach to measurement, sight glasses have always had a number of limitations. The material used for transparency can suffer catastrophic failure, with ensuing environmental insult, hazardous conditions for personnel and or fire and explosion. Seals are prion to leak and build-up, if present, obscures the visible level. It can be stated without reservation that conventional sight glasses are the weakest link of any installation. They are therefore being rapidly replaced by more advanced technologies. Other level detection devices include those based on specific gravity, the physical property most commonly used to sense the level surface. A simple float having a specific gravity between that of the process fluid and headspace vapour will float at the surface, accurately following its rise and falls. Hydrostatic head measurements have also been widely used to infer level. When more complex physical principles are involved, emerging technologies often use computers to perform the calculations. This requires sending data in a machine readable format from the sensor to the control or monitoring system. Useful transducer output signal formats for computer automation are current loops, analog voltages and digital signals. Analog voltages are simple to set up and deal with, but may have serious noise and interference issues. 4-20mA current loops (where the loop current varies with the level measurement) are the most common output mechanism today. Current loops can carry signals over longer distances with less degradation. Digital signals coded in any of a number of protocols (eg, Foundation Fieldbus, HART, Honeywell DE, Profibus and RS-232) are the most robust, but the older technologies such as RS-232 can handle only limited distances. New wireless capabilities can be found in the latest transmitters’ signals, allowing them to be sent over tremendous distances with virtually no degradation. As for the more advanced measurement technologies (eg, ultrasonic, radar and laser), the more sophisticated digital encoding formats require digital computer intelligence to format the codes. Combining this requirement with the need for advanced communications capabilities and digital calibration schemes explains the trend towards embedding microprocessor based computers in virtually all level measurement products.

Established Level-Sensing Technologies Throughout this article we will assume the density of the vapour in the headspace (typically air) to be negligible compared with that of the process fluid. We will assume also that there is only one, uniform process fluid in the tank. Some of these technologies can be used for multilevel applications where two or more immiscible fluids share a vessel.

Floats Floats work on the simple principle of placing a buoyant object with a specific gravity intermediate between those of the process flu d and the headspace vapour into the tank, then attaching a mechanical device to read out its position. The float sinks to the bottom of

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

the headspace vapour and floats on top of the process fluid. While the float itself is a basic solution to the problem of locating a liquid’s surface, reading a float’s position (i.e., making an actual level measurement) is still problematic. Early float systems used mechanical components such as cables, tapes, pulleys, and gears to communicate level. Magnet-equipped floats are popular today. Early float level transmitters provided a simulated analog or discrete level measurement using a network of resistors and multiple reed switches, meaning that the transmitter’s output changes in discrete steps. Unlike continuous level measuring devices, they cannot discriminate level values between steps.

Hydrostatic Devices Displacers, bubblers, and differential pressure transmitters are all hydrostatic measurement devices. Any change in temperature will therefore cause a shift in the liquid’s specific gravity, as will changes in pressure that affect the specific gravity of the vapor over the liquid. Both result in reduced measurement accuracy. Displacers work on Archimedes’ principle. A column of solid material (the displacer) is suspended in the vessel. The displacer’s density is always greater than that of the process fluid (it will sink in the process fluid), and it must extend from the lowest level required to at least the highest level to be measured. As the process fluid level rises, the column displaces a volume of fluid equal to the column’s cross sectional area multiplied by the process fluid level on the displacer. A buoyant force equal to this displaced volume multiplied by the process fluid density pushes upward on the displacer, reducing the force needed to support it against the pull of gravity. The transducer, which is linked to the transmitter, monitors and relates this change in force to level. A bubbler-type level sensor is used in vessels that operate under atmospheric pressure. A dip tube having its open end near the vessel bottom carries a purge gas (typically air, although an inert gas such as dry nitrogen may be used when there is danger of contamination of or an oxidative reaction with the process fluid) into the tank. As gas flows down to the dip tube’s outlet, the pressure in the tube rises until it overcomes the hydrostatic pressure produced by the liquid level at the outlet. That pressure equals the process fluid’s density multiplied by its depth from the end of the dip tube to the surface and is monitored by a pressure transducer connected to the tube. A differential pressure (DP) level sensor measures the difference between total pressure at the bottom of the tank (hydrostatic head pressure of the fluid plus static pressure in the vessel) and the static or head pressure in the vessel. As with the bubbler, the hydrostatic pressure difference equals the process fluid demit)’ multiplied by the height of fluid in the vessel. A vent at the top keeps the headspace pressure equal to atmospheric pressure. In contrast to bubblers, DP sensors can be used in unvented (pressurized) vessels. All that is required is to connect the reference port (the low-pressure side) to a port in the vessel above the maximum fill level. Liquid purges or bubblers may still be required, depending on the process’s physical conditions and /or the transmitter’s location relative to the process connections.

Load Cells A load cell or strain gauge device is essentially a mechanical support member or bracket equipped with one or more sensors that detect small distortions in the support member. As the force on the load cell changes, the bracket flexes slightly, causing output signal changes. Calibrated load cells have been made with force capacities ranging from fractional ounces to tons. Continued overleaf...

A dozen ways to measure Flu To measure level, the load cell must be incorporated into the vessel’s support structure. As process fluid fills the vessel, the force on the load cell increases. Knowing the vessel’s geometry (specifically, its cross-sectional area) and the fluid’s specific gravity, it is a simple matter to convert the load cell’s known output into the fluid level. While load cells are advantageous in many applications because of their non-contact nature, they are expensive and the vessel support structure and connecting piping must be designed around the load cell’s requirements of a floating substructure. The total weight of the vessel, piping, and connecting structure supported by the vessel will be weighed by the load cell system in addition to the desired net or product weight. This total weight often creates a very poor turndown to the net weight, meaning that the net weight is a very small percentage of the total weight. Finally, the supporting structure’s growth, caused by uneven heating (e.g., morning to evening sunshine) may be reflected as level, as can side load, wind load, rigid piping, and binding from overturn prevention hardware (for bottom mounted load cells). In short, load cell weighing system requirements must be a paramount consideration throughout initial vessel support and piping design, or performance is quickly degraded.

either an insulated rod attached to the transmitter and the process fluid, or an uninsulated rod attached to the transmitter and either the vessel wall or a reference probe. As the fluid level rises and fills more of the space between the plates, the overall capacitance rises proportionately. An electronic circuit called a capacitance bridge measures the overall capacitance and provides a continuous level measurement.

Emerging Technologies Perhaps the most significant difference between earlier continuous liquid level measuring technologies and those now gaining favor is the use of time-of-flight (TOF) measurements to transduce the liquid level into a conventional output. These new devices typically operate by measuring the distance between the liquid level and a reference point at a sensor or transmitter near the top of the vessel. The systems typically generate a pulse wave at the reference point, which travels through either the vapor space or a conductor, reflects off the liquid surface, and returns to a pickup at the reference point. An electronic timing circuit measures the total travel time. Dividing the travel lime by twice the wave’s speed gives the distance to the surface of the liquid. The technologies differ mainly in the kind of pulse used to make the measurement. Ultrasound, microwaves (radar), and light all have proven useful.

Magnetic Level Gauges These gauges are the preferred replacement for sight glasses. They are similar to float devices, but they communicate the liquid surface location magnetically. The float, carrying a set of strong permanent magnets, rides in an auxiliary column (float chamber) attached to the vessel by means of two process connections. This column confines the float laterally so that it is always close to the chamber’s side wall. As the float rides up and down with the fluid level, a magnetized shuttle or bar graph indication moves with it, showing the position of the float and thereby providing the level indication. The system can work only if the auxiliary column and chamber walls are made of nonmagnetic material.

Magnetostrictive Level Transmitters The advantages of using a magnet containing a float to determine liquid level have already been established, and magnetorestriction is a proven technology for very precisely reading the float’s location. Instead of mechanical links, magnetostrictive transmitters use the speed of a torsional wave along a wire to find the float and report its position. In a magnetostrictive system, the float carries a series of permanent magnets. A sensor wire is connected to a piezoceramic sensor at the transmitter and a tension fixture is attached to the opposite end of the sensor tube. The tube either runs through a hole in the center of the float or is adjacent to the float outside of a nonmagnetic float chamber. To locate the float, the transmitter sends a short current pulse -down the sensor wire, setting up a magnetic field along its entire length. Simultaneously, a timing circuit is triggered ON. The field interacts immediately with the field generated by the magnets in

Many manufacturers provide float designs optimized for the specific gravity of the fluid being measured, whether butane, propane, oil, acid, water, or interfaces between two fluids, as well as a large selection of float materials. This means the gauges can handle high temperatures, high pressures, and corrosive fluids. Oversized float chambers and high buoyancy floats are available for applications where build-up is anticipated. Chambers, flanges, and process connections can be made from engineered plastics such as Kynar or exotic alloys such as Hastelloy C-Z76. Special chamber configurations can handle extreme conditions such as steam jacketing for liquid asphalt, oversized chambers for flashing applications, and cryogenic temperature designs for liquid nitrogen and refrigerants. Numerous metals and alloys such as titanium, Incoloy and Monel are available for varying combinations of high-temperature, high-pressure, low specific gravity, and corrosive fluid applications. Today’s magnetic level gauges can also be outfitted with magnetorestrictiveand guidedwave radar transmitters to allow the gauge’s local indication to be converted into 4-20 mA outputs that can be sent to a controller or control system.

Capacitance Transmitters These devices operate on the fact that process fluids generally have dielectric constants, e, significantly different from that of air, which is very close to 1.0. Oils have dielectric constants from 1.8 10 5. Pure glycol is 37; aqueous solutions are between 50 and 80. This technology requires a change in capacitance that varies with the liquid level, created by

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

uid Level and how they work the float. The overall effect is that during the brief time the current flows, a torsional force is produced in the wire, much like an ultrasonic vibration or wave. This force travels back to the piezoceramic sensor at a characteristic speed. When the sensor detects the torsional wave, it produces an electrical signal that notifies the timing circuit that the wave has arrived and stops the timing circuit. The timing circuit measures the time interval (TOF) between the start of the current pulse and the wave’s arrival. From this information, the float’s location is very precisely determined and presented as a level signal by the transmitter. Key advantages of this technology are that the signal speed is known and constant with process variables such as temperature and pressure, and the signal is not affected by foam, beam divergence, or false echoes. Another benefit is that the only moving part is the float that rides up and down with the fluid’s surface.

Ultrasonic Level Transmitters Ultrasonic level sensors measure the distance between the transducer and the surface using the time required for an ultrasound pulse to travel from a transducer to the liquid surface and back (TOF). These sensors use frequencies in the tens of kilohertz range; transit times are -6 ms/m. The speed of sound (340 m/s in air at 15°C, 1,115 fps at 60°F) depends on the mixture of gases in the headspace and their temperature. While the sensor temperature is compensated for (assuming that the sensor is at the same temperature as the air in the headspace), this technology is limited to atmospheric pressure measurements in air or nitrogen.

Laser Level Transmitters Designed for bulk solids, slurries, and opaque liquids such as dirty sumps, milk, and liquid styrene, lasers operate on a principle very similar to that of ultrasonic level sensors. Instead of using the speed of sound to find the level, however, they use the speed of light. A laser transmitter at the top of a vessel fires a short pulse of light down to the process liquid surface, which reflects it back to the detector. A timing circuit measures the elapsed time (TOF) and calculates the distance. The key is that lasers have virtually no beam spread (0.20 beam divergence) and no false echoes, and can be directed through spaces as small as 2 square inches. Lasers are very precise, even in vapor and foam. They are ideal for use in vessels with numerous obstructions and can measure distances up to 1500 ft. For high-temperature or high-pressure applications, such as in reactor vessels, lasers must be used in conjunction with specialized sight windows to isolate the transmitter from the process. These glass windows must pass the laser beam with minimal diffusion and attenuation and must contain the process conditions.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Radar Level Transmitters Through air radar systems beam microwaves downward from either a horn or a rod antenna at the top of a vessel. The signal reflects off the liquid surface back to the antenna, and a timing circuit calculates tile distance to the liquid level by measuring the round-trip time (TOF). The liquid’s di-electric constant, if low, can present measurement problems. The reason is that the amount of reflected energy at microwave (radar) frequencies is dependent on the dielectric constant of the liquid, and if Er is low, most of the radar’s energy enters or passes through. Water (Er = 80) produces an excellent reflection at the change or discontinuity in Er. In through-air radar systems, the radar waves suffer from the same beam divergence that afflicts ultrasonic transmitters. Internal piping, deposits on the antenna, and multiple reflections from tank build-up and obstructions can cause erroneous readings. To overcome these problems, complex algorithms using fuzzy logic must be incorporated into the transmitter. Transmitter setup can be tedious and changes in the process environment (build-up, etc.) can be problematic. Guided wave radar (GWR) systems can be the answer. A rigid probe or flexible cable antenna system guides the microwave down from the top of the tank to the liquid level and back to the transmitter. As with through-air radar, a change from a lower to a higher Er, causes the reflection. Guided wave radar is 20 times more efficient than through-air radar because the guide provides a more focused energy path. Different antenna configurations allow measurement down to Er =1.4 and lower. Moreover, these systems can be installed either vertically, or in some cases horizontally with the guide being bent up to 90° or angled and provide a clear measurement signal. GWR exhibits most of the advantages and few of the liabilities of ultrasound, laser, and open air radar systems. Radar’s wave speed is largely unaffected by vapor space gas composition, temperature, or pressure. It works in a vacuum with no recalibration needed, and can measure through most foam layers. Confining the wave to follow a probe or cable eliminates beam-spread problems and false echoes from tank walls and structures.

Summary General trends across different measurement technologies reflect market drivers. Refined digital electronics are making level sensors and other measurement devices more userfriendly, more reliable, easier to set up, and less expensive. Improved communication interfaces feed level measurement data into a company’s existing control and/or information system. Today’s level sensors in corporate an increasing variety of materials and alloys to combat harsh environments such as oils, acids, and extremes of temperature and pressure. New materials help process instruments fulfil specialized requirements as well, such as assemblies made of PTFE jacketed material for corrosive applications and electro-polished 316 stainless steel for cleanliness requirements. Probes made of these new materials allow contact transmitters to be used in virtually any application. The trend today is to replace mechanical and pressure-based measurement tools with systems that measure the distance to the fluid surface by a timing measurement. Magnetostrictive, ultrasonic, guided-wave radar, and laser transmitters are among the most versa tile technologies available. Such systems use the sharp change of some physical parameter (density, dielectric constant, and sonic or light reflection) at the process fluid surface to identify the level. These emerging technologies make use of the latest electronic techniques and incorporate embedded microprocessor-based digital computers for control, analysis, and communication functions.

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION

Flexible electronic differential pressure VEGABAR 80 includes electronic Differential Pressure as a standard option in all sensors in the range. No special field electronics enclosures or transducers, it only requires a standard device with a ‘slave’ electronics module in the other. Simply connect them together for your e-DP system. This means any two VEGABAR 80’s can be used, minimising cost, complexity and stocks. Mix housings: a level in a pressurised tank with a ‘submersible IP68’ sensor in a flooding bund with a standard housing on the top. Mix materials: a flush ceramic diaphragm on a filter with abrasive liquid and a recessed metal one after it. Select the sensor design: suspended, submersible ‘hydrostatic’ transmitters across screen differential in intake channels. The standard interconnecting distance is 25m, but can extend to over 100m. Connection sizes from 1⁄2” BSP/NPT (flush) upwards. The accreditation portfolio includes ATEX, SIL, FDA, EHEDGE, 3A and Marine. Communications: 4-20mA, HART, Profibus and Foundation Fieldbus. Nominal sensor pressure ranges from 50mbar up to 1000 Bar (same/similar ranges must be used to suit the e-D.P. application) temperature range -90 to +400 °C. Electronic DP has a host of advantages for the user, particularly over conventional ‘Remote capillary’ based DP systems; faster easier installation, higher accuracy in suited applications, no oil-filled capillaries, smaller connection sizes, better temperature performance, faster response, lower costs and easier maintenance. It is especially useful in lower pressure applications: filter monitoring, level differential and pressurised vessel levels. So what’s stopping you from changing the way you measure differential pressure? For more information contact VEGA Controls Ltd, Burgess Hill, West Sussex. Tel: +44 1444 870055 Fax: +44 1444 870080 E-mail: info.uk@vega.com

/hr 1000 kg r 100 kg/h r 10 kg/h 1 kg/hr 100 g/hr 10 g/hr 1 g/hr 0,1 g/hr

NEW HIGH ACCURACY TEMPERATURE CALIBRATORS AVAILABLE FROM GE Available in Dry Block and Liquid Bath Versions GE Measurement & Control announced new high performance temperature calibrators from the GE Druck family of products. The calibrators provide high accuracy, stable temperature reference to help achieve optimum operation of temperature sensors and instrumentation. The high performance calibrators are the latest additions to GE’s integrated calibration and communication solutions platform and are designed for use throughout the process, industrial, oil and gas, power generation, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and general engineering sectors. When used in conjunction with a multi-function calibrator, such as GE’s Genii, an instrument technician can cover more than 80 percent of all calibration tasks, including those relating to HART and Fieldbus devices, with just two portable instruments. The new series includes four, easy-to-use temperature calibrators: two Dry Blocks; and two Liquid Baths. The Dry Block calibrators cover a temperature range of -35ºC to 650ºC. They incorporate the latest metal block and electronic control technology to achieve accuracy to 0.2ºC with a stability of 0.05ºC and rapid heating and cooling to improve productivity. They offer a choice of precision-bored, interchangeable well inserts to accommodate a wide range of test devices. The Liquid Bath temperature calibrators cover a temperature range of -35ºC to 255ºC. They feature a large capacity bath to accept irregularly shaped or multiple devices. The large capacity bath can be removed to allow a new bath to be inserted if the heating fluid needs to be changed. The bath has a leak-proof cover for transportation. With a stability of 0.05ºC and accuracy to 0.1ºC, these versatile temperature calibrators are multifunctional and can be used as a black body source and as a Dry Block with interchangeable inserts. “These new high performance temperature calibrators offer true accuracy, without the need of a reference probe, as the accuracy specified takes into account all the sources of inaccuracy, which must often be considered additionally with competitive calibrators,” said Michael Shelton, product manager at GE. For further information contact GE Measurement & Control, Groby, Leicestershire. Tel: 0116 231 7100 or visit www.ge-mcs.com

mini CORI-FLOW Coriolis Flowmeters Clearly the SMALLEST in the WORLD

u Low Installation Costs u Increased Productivity u Improved ROI u Space Saving u Decreased Inventory or Spares Innovation - Experience - Responsibility

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

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PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION

New FPI-X Mag Flow Meter Measures Accurately In Swirl and Other Flow Disturbances Process and plant engineers contending with swirl and other flow disturbances in the line will find the new FPI-XTM Dual Sensor Electromagnetic Flow Meter from McCrometer delivers accurate and repeatable measurement under extreme flow conditions unachievable with other technologies. The McCrometer FPI-X flow meter reliably achieves ±0.5% accuracy under the most severe swirling flows. Designed for use in close proximity to cascading or multiple pump arrays, this meter delivers the advantage of accurate measurement where no flow meter previously could serve. Whether installed near pumps, valves, elbows, headers, or any other equipment that makes it impossible to create a symmetrical velocity flow profile in the pipe, the FPI-X will outperform traditional mag meters. The FPI-X mag meter provides measurement in difficult sites that otherwise require multiple meters in various locations, saving customers both money and installation time. The FPI-X also eliminates the expensive flow conditioners and piping modifications necessary with other meters. FPI-X is the latest product line extension from McCrometer, and is based on its patented and award winning FPI Mag meter technology. The FPI-X flow meter features a fieldproven dual sensor configuration designed with multiple electromagnetic coils installed throughout both sensors to produce a magnetic field across the complete cross sectional area of the pipe. Placing voltage sensors in two planes across the pipe compensates for differences in velocity caused by severe flow disturbances. More velocity sensors results in a more accurate measurement. Multi-point sensing technology makes this mag meter ideal in cramped, retrofit and new construction pumping stations or in any constrained space areas with limited straight pipe run availability. The sensor’s body is hermetically sealed and protected by NSF certified 3M fusion-bonded epoxy coating. With no moving parts, the FPI-X requires little to no maintenance for years of worry free operation. For more information contact Curt Worlund at McCrometer, Inc. 3255 W Stetson Ave, Hemet, CA 92545, USA. Tel: 001 970 568-8538 or +1-800-220-2279 (Toll Free) or visit Web: http://www.mccrometer.com

Rosemount® 5402 uses advanced software algorithms to overcome specific challenges of measuring levels of solids in vessels, bins and silos Emerson Process Management has released a version of its Rosemount 5400 series of non-contacting radar level transmitters aimed specifically at demanding bulk solids level measurement applications. The Rosemount 5402 high frequency 2-wire radar uses Rosemount Radar Master software and unique algorithms to overcome the specific challenges of solids level measurement in vessels, bins and silos, such as inclining or sloping surfaces, low dielectric properties and high filling rates. Inclining or sloping surfaces deflect energy away from the radar and can generate several small reflections. The Rosemount 5402 overcomes this by a new signal processing algorithm that has been developed to address this specific challenge. For applications involving dry solids with low dielectric properties that create very low reflections and thereby can result in an unstable level measurement, sensitivity is increased, noise cancelled out and echo strength increased. The measurement difficulties caused by high filling rates are met by increased sensitivity and echo traceability. 2-wire technology enables fast and cost effective installation by taking advantage of existing cabling, while still providing the same high levels of data and diagnostics that would normally require 4-wire connections. Innovations such as Dual Port Technology, which ensures a strong signal back to the transmitter, advanced surface tracking and condensation-resistant antennas make the Rosemount 5402 extremely reliable, even in the most demanding applications. User-friendly graphical interfaces with wizards and suggestions for application-specific configuration help users easily integrate the transmitter into new or existing control systems. This, in addition to reduced maintenance operation and advanced diagnostics, results in a quicker return on investment with overall improved uptime and enhanced safety. The Rosemount 5402 offers connectivity to a range of communications protocols including: HART®, FOUNDATION™ fieldbus, FISCO and Modbus. The device has ATEX, IECEx, FM, CSA, CRN, Inmetro, DIBt, GOST and NEPSI approvals.

The easy is better principle for electronic differential pressure

e-DP - no oil-filled capillaries, lower maintenance, better performance. Easy selection: choose any VEGABAR 80 transmitter with the options you need for your application. Easy connection: select any two standard sensors, no special devices, cables or extra housings needed. Simple set up: just connect together and you are up and running. Fast delivery: 5 day build-time on 80% of the range. Change the way you measure pressure. www.vega.com/uk

For further information go to www.Rosemount.com/level

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NETWORK & COMMUNICATIONS

ETHERNET SWITCHES USE POE+ STANDARD TO PROVIDE MORE POWER FOR SYSTEM DEVICES

Stainless Steel housed Ultrasonic Clamp-On Flowmeter

FLUXUS® F/G 705 for Liquids and Gases p Highly accurate and reliable bidirectional gas and liquid flow measurement over a wide turndown ratio p Extremly rugged and corrosion resistant stainless steel housing for the harshest environments - including Offshore (ATEX / IECEx and FM approved)

HARTING is exploiting the Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard in its latest range of Ethernet switches to provide more power to connected system devices. PoE and its higher-power variant PoE+ are standards for the parallel transfer of power and data over twistedpair cable. The HARTING switches use the PoE+ standard (based on IEEE 802.3at) to offer power levels of up to 34.2 W, thereby significantly increasing the variety of potential applications. Up to four Ethernet Switch ports can be simultaneously deployed for the supply of power with HARTING’s Ha-VIS eCon models. The portfolio includes switches with a 54 V supply voltage and variants with integrated voltage converters. These allow the use of standard 24 V power supplies. These higher power levels mean that users benefit from greater flexibility in the connection of end devices and the extension of the network by saving on additional components such as power supplies – in addition to time, money and space savings with the cabling. Developed and optimised for applications in harsh industrial environments, the unmanaged Ha-VIS eCon Ethernet Switches enable the cost-effective extension of existing network infrastructures as well as the construction of new industrial networks. Thanks to their compact dimensions, the switches in the Ha-VIS eCon family are easy to fit into industrial installations. Users can select exactly the combination of power characteristics and port combinations that fits the application. For more information on Ethernet switches please contact HARTING Ltd, Northampton. Tel: +44 (0) 1604 827500 Fax: +44 (0) 1604 706777 E-mail: gb@harting.com Web: www.harting.co.uk

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p Very cost efficient: - No pipe work - No process shut-downs - Virtually no maintenance p Highly zero point stable, drift free and independent of pipe size, material, line pressure and the medium Oil & Gas exploration and processing Refineries (up to 400 °C and beyond) Oil & Gas Storage & Transport Chemical industries

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KOSO KENT INTROL LIMITED Armytage Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 1QF T +44 (0)1484 710311 E info@kentintrol.com www.kentintrol.com

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Getting the most from control valves Control valves are a crucial element in any system where fluid flow must be monitored and controlled. Andrew Prew - Market Development Manager at Spirax Sarco outlines the benefits of modern control valves and explains why a failing valve can actually be an opportunity to save costs. The onus is on steam plant owners and operators to run their plant as efficiently and cost effectively as possible in order to safeguard plant uptime, reduce maintenance costs, maintain process control and save energy by accurate temperature control. That means ensuring all components of the steam system work as efficiently as possible – and that includes control valves. Control valves are crucial elements in any system where fluid flow must be monitored and controlled. They are integral to many critical processes, from delivering a reliable and consistent supply of hot water for cleaning-in-place applications, to providing the right quality of steam to support processing facilities.

Choosing the right control valve It is estimated that more than 70% of existing valves are over-sized because steam load has either reduced since their installation or been overestimated. Arguably, it’s probably pretty easy to ignore this ‘problem’ if it doesn’t actually seem to be causing any difficulties. After all, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right? Well, not really. The reality is that failing to take action contributes to higher costs, energy inefficiency and poor process control. And it certainly won’t help your organisation to achieve its sustainability targets.

in place, problems can occur. And when they do, downtime, lost production and procurement costs can mount. Many conventional valves feature screw-in seats that often seize in place, meaning that if maintenance is required it is often necessary to remove the entire valve assembly from the pipeline, risking a further lengthy plant shutdown and associated costs. Steam plant operators and owners face a similar challenge when it comes to changing the duty of existing valves in response to changing system demands. Again, most valves have to be removed from pipework to have their capacity changed, leading to plant downtime and reduced productivity.

Taking control of control valves Replacing a failing valve with a modern, correctly-sized unit, whether as an emergency measure or during planned maintenance, will enable your organisation to save money, reduce energy consumption, improve system control and reduce lifetime cost of ownership. If replacing an oversized unit, a correctly-sized valve will not only be cheaper to buy and install, it will also be cheaper to run. An over-sized value will accelerate wear on the unit, increasing maintenance costs. Installing a control valve that is perfectly sized to match your process will also enable you to safeguard process control and maintain plant uptime. Fluid flow through control valves inevitably causes valves to vibrate. If a valve is over-sized, the vibrations tend to be greater and can even alter the valve’s position. Even a small change can have a large effect on flow, resulting in poor control performance.

Modern modular control valves feature ‘clampin-place seats that enable duty to be altered to match changing plant conditions and simplify maintenance

Modern control valves offer other benefits, too. Advanced models feature quick-change ‘clamp-in-place’ seats that enable the duty to be altered to match changing plant conditions while the valve is in situ, rather than the entire valve being replaced. The self-aligning ‘clamp-in-place’ seat also simplifies maintenance so no special tools are required and there is no need to take the valve out of the pipeline.

Immediate savings Installing a modern, correctly-sized control valve will save money, reduce energy consumption, improve system control and reduce lifetime cost of ownership

All steam-using organisations could benefit from reappraising the control valves in their current system to ensure they are correctly sized and also offer the greatest advantages in terms of process manageability, energy efficiency and cost savings.

Over-sized valves cost more to buy and install than smaller units and are also more expensive to run. Over-sizing will also ultimately lead to accelerated wear of the valve trim as the plug operates close to the seat for extended periods during valve operation, increasing maintenance costs.

Today’s control valves are designed to be easy to install and easy to use. Many models can be supplied ready-commissioned, enabling ‘plug and play’ functionality. Fast delivery and installation is particularly crucial to avoid the disruption of a lengthy shutdown that can result from a failing unit, so look for a vendor that can guarantee to deliver a control valve perfectly matched to your system within 48-hours.

There are other important considerations that also need to be taken into account regarding the selection and installation of control valves. Control valves are some of the hardest working plant within a steam system, often throttling energy several million times per year to maintain productivity. So it’s hardly surprising that even with the most stringent preventative maintenance procedures

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Once in place, steam users will start to reap the benefits immediately. So, the next time your organisation is due to upgrade its control valves, or if a control valve starts to fail, don’t think of it as a nuisance. Think of it as an opportunity to improve process control and save money.

Putting a freeze on gas leaks The food industry, worth £96.1 billion to the UK economy, operates thanks in huge part to refrigeration technology that relies on the use of refrigerant gases. Even small leaks of these gases can have major environmental and financial implications. Shaun Evers, managing director of Stonegate Instruments, gives the full story and explains why sophisticated new gas detection technology is to be welcomed. Energy consumption in the refrigeration sector costs British industry approximately £300 million each year with the average site energy bill for a cold store totalling £0.5million. According to the Institute of Refrigeration working with the Carbon Trust, a leak of just 1kg of refrigerant gases causes approximately the same environmental damage as driving a van 10,000 miles. They report that leaks of up to 30% of the charge during a year are not uncommon in commercial and industrial refrigeration. The commercial refrigeration equipment market is driven by a number of factors including changing food consumption trends, rising international food trade and the growth of supermarkets and fast food chains. Emerging markets in India and China are driving sales upwards and there are opportunities to be seized. Against this background, one of the industry’s key challenges is to develop more energyefficient commercial refrigeration equipment and to respond to the global call to cut emissions of damaging greenhouse.

Refrigeration in its infancy The world’s first working vapour-compression refrigeration system – a closed-cycle that could operate continuously - was built in 1834. In 1859 a gas absorption refrigeration system using gaseous ammonia dissolved in water was developed by French inventor Ferdinand Carré. From this point advancements continued rapidly with large commercial refrigerators soon in place, though these appliances were insecure and it was not uncommon for them to catch fire, explode or leak toxic gases. In spite of this, the first commercially successful refrigeration shipping voyage was made in 1882 when a ship from New Zealand, fitted with a compression refrigeration unit for meat shipment, sailed to London, changing the future of the food industry.Refrigeration became safer and available for domestic use thanks to the invention of synthetic refrigerants as chemical cooling agents in the 1930s but it wasn’t until 40 years later that these new substances were found to present a newly perceived environmental danger and a serious threat to the ozone layer.

Environmental cost Man-made fluorinated gases (F-gases) can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years and contribute to a global greenhouse effect. Equipment and appliances containing F-gases can have long lifetimes of up to 50 years. F-gases account for just 2% of the European Union’s overall greenhouse gas emissions but they have risen by 60% since 1990 in contrast with all other greenhouse gases, which have been reduced. As part of its policy to combat climate change, the EU passed legislation in 2006 to control F-gases and, in

2012, made a proposal to further cut emissions by two thirds of today’s levels by 2030. The EU’s roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050 envisages a reduction of emissions of over 70% by 2030 for the industry sectors that use Fgases, which includes refrigeration. Legislative regulations on ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), have been laid down with virgin HCFCs banned from 2010 and recycled or reclaimed fluids to be phased out by 2015. Substances used as substitute refrigerants such as perfluorocarbons (FCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have now also come under criticism. HFCs are among the most common F-gases which contain hydrogen, fluorine and carbon and are used in a multitude of applications including commercial refrigeration, industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. They were developed in the 1990s as a substitute for substances found to deplete the ozone layer. However, HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases with a global warming effect up to 23,000 times greater than CO2 and their emissions are growing fast. In 1997, FCs and HFCs were included in the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

F-gas legislation The refrigeration industry is one of five main industry sectors affected by EU F-gas legislation which aims to limit their release. Anyone manufacturing, supplying, using, installing or servicing equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases or ozone depleting substances must comply. Under these regulations there is a legal obligation to test systems for leaks once a year if the charge is between 3 and 30kg and twice a year for systems with more than 30kg. Systems containing over 300kg of HFC must have permanent fixed leak detectors. Leaks must be repaired and the system retested at the point of repair within one month. There is also a requirement to log refrigerant usage, leak tests and repairs. It is actually illegal to top up a system with refrigerant without first finding and repairing the leaks. Refrigerant gas leaks are not only intrinsically hazardous to the environment, but to the pocket. If a gas leak occurs, a cold store’s energy consumption will increase to maintain the equipment’s cooling capacity. It is estimated that £40 million per annum could be saved on energy costs in the cold storage industry if gas leaks were dealt with correctly. Leaks are expensive in terms of downtime, service costs, refrigerant, electricity and CO2 emissions. This can be counteracted by applying best practice in leak testing, servicing, maintenance and repair.

Leak detection No matter how good the manufacture, given time, vibration, temperature and environmental stress, tiny flaws in joint fittings, seams or welds are likely to become leaks. These could be at the tail end of a weld fracture or a microgroove between fittings. Leaks larger than 0.5oz a year can be detrimental to the operation of any refrigeration system. The most effective method of finding them is with an electronic detector able to identify a wide range of refrigerant gases including CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and CO2. Under European legislation, detectors must have a sensitivity of 5g/year and should be checked annually. For optimum reliability they should be checked after 25 hours’ use. Increasingly sophisticated gas detection systems are now available which can accommodate a large number of remote refrigerant sensors using a compact central monitor unit which displays the status of each sensor with coloured LEDs. These systems can accommodate logger functions that record one week of logs for all associated sensors – ideal, given EU legislation on reporting obligations. Gas detectors can offer both audible and visual alerts to warn personnel immediately should a gas leak occur. With best of these systems able to provide a payback of less than two years, installing one is a wise investment for companies who are becoming progressively more aware of the impact that refrigerant gas leaks are having on the environment and of the financial cost of the resulting waste of energy. New gas detection technology effectively addresses both the environmental issues surrounding the leak of gases and their commercial costs.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

INSULATION MATERIALS & CABLE STRIPPING

WEIDMÜLLER ACCELERATES WORK PROCESSES WITH “STRIPAX® ULTIMATE” STRIPPING TOOL Users of “stripax® Ultimate” and “AM 16” sheathing stripper can, for the first time, strip and dismantle halogen-free insulation materials and UL or UL-type cables with hard or smooth insulation quickly and easily. The new 3-stage partial stripping function of the “stripax® Ultimate” allows hard insulation materials to be perfectly prepped, even in small stripping lengths. With the unique set of blades of “stripax® Ultimate” you can process stranded and solid conductors from 0.14 mm2 to 4 mm2 (~AWG 26... 10) to a stripping length of 25 mm. Cables up to 6 mm2 in diameter can be cut with precision and ease. Weidmüller has designed the “stripax® Ultimate” as an automatic, i.e. self-adjusting

HEAT TRANSFER & ENERGY

stripping tool: the new 3-stage partial stripping function enables hard insulation materials to be perfectly prepped, even in small stripping lengths. The ergonomically designed, lightweight and compact tool (weighing 175 g and 190 mm long) has a foldable protective cover for the blades. Further information can be found at www.weidmuller.co.uk/uk/tools

INDUSTRIAL AIR COOLERS

Securing an ALFA LAVAL ARCTIGO – OPTIMAL DESIGN MADE REAL economical future for your Plant The Alfa Laval range of industrial air coolers

ARI-Armaturen boasts a wealth of knowledge and technical experience in energy management, of which many in the UK Food & Beverage industry are utilising in order to improve energy efficiency, resulting in huge savings for the future. Working with some of the biggest names in the Food and Beverage industry; ARI’s ENCOsys®, a steam plate heat exchanger, has been a major solution for companies looking for a heating system that will ensure an economical future for their site. ARI-Armaturen designed a reliable and efficient heating system, using a more modern method of using steam to generate hot water in a controlled way, which is much more resourceful than the traditional ‘shell and tube’ heat exchangers. Companies that have had ENCOsys® plate heat exchanger systems installed benefit from reduced heat loss from the equipment and improved temperature control as well as better thermal efficiency, all resulting in vast improvements to operating efficiency and energy savings. To find out how you could benefit from ENCOsys® or any other solution from ARI-Armaturen, call the UK sales office on 01684 275 752 or e-mail enquiries@ari-armaturen.com Alternatively, visit the ARI website at www.ari-armaturen.com

The new Alfa Laval Arctigo range of industrial air coolers turn innovative design into optimal solutions for a wide variety of applications. Based on a unique modular concept, every Arctigo air cooler is custom-built according to the specific requirements of the application to deliver optimal energy efficiency, reliability and convenience. Combining our experience with that of Helpman and Fincoil, Alfa Laval has created a unique fusion of knowledge and technology, introducing our new range of industrial air coolers. Arctigo air coolers are built with an application-led approach to create the optimal design for industrial applications: from freezing and storage in industrial premises, cooling in slaughter houses, fish and meat processing areas, to climate control in storage rooms for fresh food. The single discharge industrial air coolers are ideal for both cooling and freezing applications in medium to large cold rooms. The wide and deep Arctigo range is based on a modular concept with seven different coil block modules. The modules can be combined with different construction variants, fan types and several options. Configurator and customer support To make configuration user-friendly and convenient, AlfaSelect Air, a state-of-theart online selection software, offers separate modules for mechanical and thermal configuration, as well as instant access to selection and pricing of optional extras. It offers a fully sortable selection output, thanks to an interface that offers multiple language options. Alfa Laval customers receive local support worldwide. For more information contact Alfa Laval Ashbrook Simon/Hartley Ltd, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs. Tel: 01782 578650 E-mail: general.uk@alfalaval.com Web: www.alfalaval.com

“Be prepared”, as forecasters predict cold winter Carrier Rental Systems, the leading temporary heating and cooling specialist, is urging industry and building managers to be prepared following predictions of an unusually cold winter. Forecasters believe that a combination of reduced solar activity, limited artic sea-ice and a weak El Niño will result in bitterly cold conditions, catching industry and the public by surprise following a balmy end to the extended summer. In anticipation, and as part of its strategic growth plan, CRS has expanded its fleet of temporary heating plant, to ensure it is ready to meet expected high demand for emergency heating. It has doubled capacity at its Thorpe headquarters, and invested in a new fleet of high efficiency boilers, integratedheating packages, fanpowered systems and radiant heaters.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER October-November 2014

Marc White, CRS director, says: “Plant issues often come to light even with a gentle transition from Autumn to Winter. However, when intensely cold conditions arrive on the heels of an extended warm period, systems can go from standby to maximum capacity literally overnight, resulting in breakdowns and service outages that often prove costly and damaging for companies.” Temporary heating provided a way for companies to insure themselves against potentially damaging equipment outages, and also a means of topping up capacity when existing plant becomes maxed-out during prolonged cold conditions. For more details contact: Carrier Rental Systems on 0800 026 4717 E-mail: info@carrierrentalsystems.co.uk or visit www.carrierrentalsystems.co.uk

PRODUCT AND SERVICES DIRECTORY ABRASIVE RESISTANT LININGS

EXPLOSION PROTECTION

CONSULTING

The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Bulk Solids Short courses and consultancy for handling

Solutions Contact the experts +44 (0)20 8331 8646 bulksolids.com

AUTOMATED IRIS VALVES

LIQUID RING VACUUM PUMPS

Total Process Protection ■ Conventional Bursting Discs ■ Engineered Bursting Discs ■ Explosion Venting

One Thousand Pumps, One Distributor.

■ Flameless Venting ■ Explosion Suppression ■ Explosion Isolation

www.tomlinson-hall.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1642 379500 Email: enquiries@tomlinson-hall.co.uk

Fike UK, 35 Earl Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1PF, United Kingdom T: +44 (0) 1622 677081 E: info@fike.co.uk W: www.fike.co.uk

Tomlinson Hall & Co Ltd, TS23 4JA

MIXERS & BLENDERS

CONTINUOUS PARTICULATE EMISSION MONITORING FOR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND PROCESS CONTROL

MIXERS & CRUSHERS

FEEDERS

GENESIS

BIG BAG HANDLING

Spiroflow Wall Planner Ads_Layout 1 19/10/2011 09:11 Page 1

WHAT’S IN YOUR BULK BAGS IS YOUR BUSINESS...

PROCESS SOLUTIONS Providing solutions for the Plastics, Food, Chemical & Pharmaceutical industries including:

DISCHARGE AIDS

How you put it in or get it out is ours!

Bulk Bag Fillers

• Feeders - Screw, Belt, Vibratory • Volumetric & Gravimetric Systems • Fabric Internal Silos & Storage Hoppers • Refill Systems Unit 5, Springvale Business Centre, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 3HY Tel: 01270 766300 Fax: 01270 766302 E-mail: phil@genesisps.co.uk www.genesisps.co.uk

Bulk Bag Dischargers

MOTION SENSORS INDUSTRIAL DATACOMMS

www.spiroflow.com Tel: 01200 422525

BUTTERFLY VALVES

INDUSTRIAL DATACOMMS SOLUTIONS

KD420 Modbus Sensor Interface 4-20mA and DC voltage inputs Modbus RTU Slave registers with multiple data formats Modbus Master feature can write data to a Modbus Slave device

Modbus RS422 / 485

Modbus RS485 Slave

Master

4-20mA ±30V

DUST CONTROL

DUSTECH ENGINEERING LTD 162 Chiltern Drive, Surbiton, Surrey KT5 8LS Tel: 0208 399 9991 Fax: 0208 390 2004 www.dustechengineering.com explosionhazards_6x6b.pdf 1 30/10/2012 11:55:26

CONSULTING

EXPLOSION PROTECTION

CMY

KK Systems Ltd

01273 857185 01273 857186

Visit us online

www.kksystems.com

LEVEL MEASUREMENT

NYLON SCREENS & WEDGE WIRE BASKETS

PRODUCT AND SERVICES DIRECTORY PARTICLE ANALYSERS

PROCESS MEASUREMENT

Worldwide Level and Flow Solutions SM

A preferred partner in the global supply of level and flow control solutions

TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT

VACUUM CONVEYING

- Optris PI Series - Thermal Imaging - From Just £2,690 - Industrial Process & R&D Applications - Fast Moving Processes - Compact & IP67 Rated www.processparameters.co.uk/ thermal-imaging-camera

01628 778688

magnetrol.com • (0)1444 871313 • sales@magnetrol.co.uk

Hosokawa Wall Plan ad 55 x 60_Layout 1 17/10/20

PARTICLE SIZE REDUCTION

QUICK CONNECTOR SOLUTIONS

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

» WEH® QUICK CONNECTOR SOLUTIONS

WEIGHING SOLUTIONS

PRECIA-MOLEN UK LIMITED

Pressure-tight connections in SECONDS

Unit 30, Walkers Road, North Moons Moat Industrial Estate, Redditch, Worcs B98 9HE Tel: 01527 590300 Fax: 01527 590310 E-mail: sales@preciamolen.co.uk Web: preciamolen.com

» Simplified workflows » Reduced operating times » Increased productivity

s • Systems icroniser ills • M Delivering accurate and M s sher repeatable particle size reduction. • Cru Wet or dry milling equipment and systems for coarse grinding, medium and fine grinding and nano-milling.

www.hosokawa.co.uk • info@hmluk.hosokawa.com

PIPE COUPLINGS

WEH UK T: 01564-825100

enquiries@wehuk.co.uk

» www.weh.com

RISK ASSESSMENT

GexCon has a staff of highly qualified personnel, which can offer safety services for all types of installations. Including: · Expert Witness · Advanced CFD modelling · Hazardous area classifications and DSEAR risk assessments/compliance in accordance with DSEAR / ATEX 137

Tuf-Lok (UK) +44 (0) 1706 822512

www.tuflok.com

www.gexcon.com

01695 726565

TRAINING PIPEWORK SYSTEMS

SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Bulk Solids Short courses and consultancy for handling

Solutions Contact the experts +44 (0)20 8331 8646 bulksolids.com

PROCESS COOLING

NEED PROCESS COOLING? Chillers · Dry Coolers Cooling Towers · Chilled Air UK distributor for the new JACIR TOPAZ “Dry Cooler on Steroids”

0845 057 3097 appliedthermodynamics.co.uk

SLIDE GATE VALVES

ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS

To advertise here or within our editorial pages or on our website please call Peter or Guy on 01428 751188

•

Plate Heat Exchangers

Exclusively from

AxFlow Limited are pleased to announce that they have been appointed as the exclusive UK Distributor of APV Industrial Plate Heat Exchangers.

This includes the full range of gasketted Plate Heat Exchangers, Brazed Heat Exchangers and the fully welded, fully cleanable, gasket free Hybrid range. Please contact us for all new product and spares enquiries.

London 0208 579 2111 - Windsor 01344 886 633 Huddersfield 01484 543 649 - Durham 01325 327 322 - Aberdeen 01224 729 367 www.axflow.co.uk

email: info@axflow.co.uk