VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
New products for high-pressure environments:
Plate thickness doubled to 1.5 millimetres p. 14
NEW NANOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF TOMORROW’S HEATING AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS
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Dear partner, VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
Publisher Vahterus Oy
Editor in Chief Sari Kes채l채
Lay-out Mainostoimisto Tekokuu
Interviews Raija Herrala
Press
VAHTERUS & 2013 2013 was a year of success for Vahterus. The annual turnover of the group exceeded 30 million euros for the first time in company history. As for the profitability of our operations, we managed to escape the grips of recession and our results will settle at least at a normal acceptable level for the mechanical engineering industry. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement when we compare the current figures to those of the previous decade. We managed to complete construction and production technology investments which were enormous by our standards. We believe that these investments will prepare us for the future and improve the quality of our products. The lesson to take home from last year is the fact that you, dear clients, still count on Vahterus. Our order book doubled last year. This enables us to strengthen our cooperation, which in turn allows us to better meet your demands. In conclusion, the number 13 and the year 2013 were our lucky numbers in more ways than one. This is a solid foundation for our future operations.
Euraprint
On the cover Jacob Ask Hansen Danish Technological Institute
Vahterus Oy Pruukintie 7 FI-23600 Kalanti FINLAND Tel.: + 358 2 840 70 sales@vahterus.com
Vahterus Americas, LLC PO Box 77264 Charlotte NC 28271 USA Tel.: +1 704 846 5050 sales.americas@vahterus.com
Vahterus Deutschland GmbH Magnolienweg 26 63741 Aschaffenburg GERMANY Tel.: +49 6021 181 700 webmaster@vahterus.de
Vahterus Heat Exchangers Shanghai Co. Ltd Room 816, Enterprise Square Mei Yuan Road 228, Zha Bei District 200070 Shanghai CHINA Tel.: +86 21 638 00848*113 sales_china@vahterus.com
Vahterus (UK) Ltd 12-14 Derby Road Melbourne Derbyshire DE73 8FE UK Tel.: +44 1332 863175 vahterus.uk@vahterus.com More news and articles can be found at www.vahterus.com 2
VAHTERUS & RESEARCH I assure you, dear readers, that without continuous and extensive product development efforts, Vahterus would cease to exist. As a manufacturer of heat exchangers, we are expected to be highly knowledgeable about the theoretical and practical aspects of technology and development. The basis for all of this is our thorough knowledge of heat exchange processes and fluid technology principles. Our clients will notice very quickly if our knowledge is not up to date. To increase our knowledge base and to improve our practical skills, we are constructing an extensive evaporator-condenser measuring laboratory next to the power plant of TSE Energia, our valued partner, in Naantali in southwest Finland. This laboratory allows us to verify theoretical formulas by field-testing them using full power and flow velocities. The laboratory will be completed this summer. While heat exchange is the core of our operations, we also need diverse knowledge of sales, marketing, design, pressure vessels, classifications, materials, deep drawing, welding, assembling and painting, as well as good command of financial matters and contracts, both in theory and in practice. This list is rather long, so it is understandable that it also requires massive investments. Vahterus focuses solely on the PSHE and PRHE heat exchangers that we develop. This means that our area of expertise is strong, more defined and easier to manage. It is important to us that all of our basic know-how is in our own hands. In order to ensure that our personnel are adequately trained and qualified, we need each staff member to actively improve their skills, but this is not enough without constant encouragement and support from the company. This is something that we want to invest in here at Vahterus. In this magazine, we shed light on some of our research projects.
VAHTERUS & BALANCE I believe that the most important aspect of our everyday life is taking care of our health and well-being. Life is easier when our bodies and minds are in good condition. This is something that we can all achieve by making the right decisions. All Vahterus employees had their physical condition assessed recently, and the results were given to the employees. The assessment yielded positive results as it noticeably encouraged some employees to start taking better care of themselves. I, too, was inspired to action by the assessment and my running trips have become more frequent in the past few months. The second most important matter that affects the quality of life is our relationships with our friends and family. Their support helps us get through life’s ups and downs. Our job is only the third most important aspect of our lives. I therefore believe that, if the two most important aspects of life are in order, work is easier and the company will flourish. That’s why I encourage everybody to take control of their lives and to keep in mind that, although work is important, it is not the most important aspect of our lives. I wish you all a lovely summer. Together we succeed!
Mauri Kontu
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MADE BY VACKAFINNAR
SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES SOUTHWEST FINLAND HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF INTERNATIONALITY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY. IN THESE PAGES WE WILL TELL MORE ABOUT PRESENT PHENOMENA, COMPANIES AND INNOVATIONS OF THIS REGION.
DEKRA’S
INSPECTIONS GO BELOW THE SURFACE Pressurised equipment requires inspections at various stages of the manufacturing process and flexible inspections are an integral part of smooth, undisrupted production. At Vahterus, inspections are carried out by the company’s own inspectors as well as the accredited inspectors of an independent inspecting company DEKRA Industrial.
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Matti Järvinen, Regional Manager of DEKRA Industrial Oy, has been working with Vahterus since the company started, back when DEKRA was still operating as Polartest Oy. DEKRA is a German company and the fifth largest international inspection company, employing approximately 30,000 people. A couple
VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
of years ago, DEKRA further strengthened its position in the market by acquiring the Finnish company Polartest Oy, which had started out as a nuclear industry inspector. The company has had an office in the Vahterus premises since the beginning of the 21st century. Vahterus also has its own radiation-safe research facility for radiological tests as well as a development laboratory for developing X-ray films. Technical Director Paavo Pitkänen emphasises the significance of quality products to Vahterus. Having an independent inspection company work within the production plant is one way of ensuring high quality and reliability. The number of inspections has increased because more and more heat exchangers are being delivered to demanding sites in the oil, gas and chemical industries.
“When a third party conducts the inspection there is no room for uncertainty. We can be certain that the products meet the quality and other criteria,” explains Järvinen. There are six to eight DEKRA inspectors working in Kalanti in two shifts. Whenever heat exchangers are being manufactured, licensed DEKRA inspectors are present. The number of inspectors varies according to requirements and qualified inspectors are not easy to find. In Finland, they are primarily trained by the Ammatinedistämislaitos AEL, Finland’s leading provider of technical training whereas the SFS-EN standard compliant personnel certification is provided by Inspecta. Mastering the various processes requires plenty of training. Competence tests are renewed every ten years unless changes in
eyesight or other physical factors prevent it. Requirements in other countries and on other continents that differ from the SFS-EN standard require their own testing. The inspection varies slightly depending on whether the process, equipment or personnel must comply with ASME, for example. Then there are the various demands of the oil, gas and chemical industries which must also be taken into account. All non-destructive tests are performed at the Kalanti facility but DEKRA can also perform impact testing and other destructive testing in its accredited DT laboratory in Turku.
EVERYTHING STARTS WITH THE SURFACE INSPECTION OF WELDED SEAMS According to Järvinen, visual inspection is at the core of everything. Surface inspection methods are just as important as using ultrasound, for example, to inspect the structures beneath seams or plate material. A crack as small as one thousandth of a millimetre is a flaw which will become significant when the piece of equipment is placed under long-term stress. It is a weak spot that will spread over time. “This is why all cracks must be spotted and eliminated”, emphasises Järvinen. The inspector records all defects and the products go back for repair. Then the piece is inspected again to check that the repair was successful. Järvinen stresses that every repair is always followed by an inspection. The volume of the welded seams can be examined by X-ray and ultrasound methods. DEKRA also provides Vahterus with magnetic particle inspections and penetrant testing. The basic inspection methods have not changed much over the years. However, mechanisation makes working in cramped spaces easier and digitalisation will soon change the archiving and use of documents. The Vahterus archive holds the inspection documents and X-ray films for all tested heat exchangers from over 20 years. In the future, digitalisation will make archiving and sharing documents with clients all over the world considerably easier. Pitkänen and Järvinen are both very pleased with the long-standing relationship between the two companies which has included the radiation-safe facilities Vahterus had built for inspection purposes. Not many industrial facilities in Finland have them. “Vahterus has never wanted, nor suggested, that we cut corners. Quite the contrary: everything is done to a T,” says Järvinen.
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Vahterus&World
FROM AROUND THE GLOBE Americas Following a record year of Sales in the Americas in 2013, 2014 has started slowly in the USA, not helped by the weather! However, as summer arrives, we see much brighter signs. Although the ‘chill’ may have slowed business in the USA during January and February, the cold remains our friend, as Refrigeration continues to provide the backbone of our business. We have scored notable successes in projects destined for two very high profile companies – Pepsi and Kraft – in recent times. Both companies, for various facilities throughout the USA, are specifying the use of Vahterus PSHE and the good news is traveling fast. For Pepsi, during 2013, we secured contracts for their facilities in Colorado, Florida and Missouri, through KHS based in Wisconsin; which has been followed by another project in February 2014 for their plant in Knoxville, Tennessee. This one is being executed by Colonial Webb, and has been
A Chilly Start to 2014 in the USA secured with the help of our representative MidAtlantic Refrigeration. With Kraft, we have seen similar trends. Following a plant audit at their facility in Champaign, IL, during early 2013, a constant stream of evaporators and Combined exchangers have been supplied to that facility and another in Springfield, Missouri. Many strategic and major opportunities are observed in other sectors with some major investments being made in the USA at this time. Two notably exciting projects for Vahterus are with BP and Sasol. BP is reinitiating their activities for the Mad Dog II facility in the Gulf of Mexico, and Sasol is making a major investment in Lake Charles, LA. Through our direct activities in the USA and via collaboration with our representative network, we hope to make good progress in these investments in our region.
So, for now, back to business and I look forward to updating you in the near future on our activities in the Americas. Dr. Jonathan Pascoe, Precident, Vahterus Americas, LLC.
UK UK
Lunch is on us
2013 ended up being a good year in the UK office with sales up by around 50% and 2014 is looking like there will be further growth. We have now fully implemented M Files into our day to day operation and use this to ensure we keep track of new and existing contacts and offers. There are also some interesting new projects that are at early developmental stages which we are looking to introduce PSHE into, such as a company developing a ship based “inert gas production” system for use in gas carrying vessels, a project to improve efficiency in gas turbine technology using a new turbo expander mounted directly onto a Vahterus plate and shell and also a company with a new gas to liquid process. So we are predicting an exciting year ahead. One activity that has helped this growth is a programme of Lunch and Learn events. We run these in clients premises usually over lunch time, they provide the room and we buy the lunch! It gives us a great opportunity to present Vahterus Plate and shell technology, talk about the advantages of the technology and discuss case studies and examples.
The audience are either new graduates or senior technical staff or in some cases a mixture of both and it’s a great way to gain contacts and discuss new projects. We have found many times that even people with some knowledge of plate and shell see some new way in which PSHE can be used. We are now looking to extend this into basic training on heat exchanger design and selection and are in the early stages of developing a training programme, this was a project we have been discussing for some time, but over the past few months it has been something that has been requested by some of our clients. Training and lunch and learn events do not give immediate returns, however, they do go a long way to build Vahterus brand awareness and develop a wider contact base and in the longer term this gives access to a wider range of new and exciting opportunities.
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Who said there is no such thing as a free lunch ! Paul Button, Sales Manager, Vahterus UK Ltd.
VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
China
Made in China
China has woken up after Spring festival and the year of Horse has started with full speed ahead. If the speed of growth in China is the same than last year (13% increase in retail sales), there will be again big opportunities for Vahterus to make growing business in China. Vahterus is taking its share of this enormous market by operating an assembly factor in Zhangjiagang and sales office in Shanghai. After first year manufacturing operations, the employees have become familiar with Vahterus products and the manufacturing procedures. With great support from the Finnish factory, manufacturing skills are on high level and the factory has successfully delivered units not only to steam and refrigeration use but also to demanding process and chemical sector applications. Independent from the manufacturing country, quality is our top priority as it has always been for Vahterus. During year 2014 Vahterus Zhangjiagang is studying to exceeds its product range beyond the Chinese pressure vessel design code GB. Units with ASME design and materials will be
the next step to take for the factory. Demand of the ASME design code is strong in multinational chemical companies located in China, but also in rest of Asia. Zhangjiagang factory has a solid ground to start the production of ASME units both at design and manufacturing point of views and we wish the China made ASME units to be available for customers during year 2014. Vahterus China sales activities continue to follow Vahterus global targets: customized products for Energy, Refrigeration and Chemical & Process sectors. China is having the same technical trends that are witnessed all over the world: demand of high energy efficiency, increasing use of liquefied gases and growing use of natural refrigerants to mention a few. Vahterus has long experience with natural refrigerants and liquefied gases. Technical know-how of processes and needs of heat exchangers on those applications is on high level. It is said that the speed of China put more years on population than in western countries. Fortunately we have a young and
Germany
Grüße aus Deutschland!
Our team in Germany was too busy working hard at the end of last year, so unfortunately their messages did not make it into the previous Hot&Cold magazine. Our apologies. However, the year was extremely successful and the result was the best the German sister company has seen since it was founded in the late 90s. Our team in Germany consists of our long-term employees Daniela Amrhein and Sven Wohlgemuth as well as a group of their Finnish colleagues. Daniela Amrhein works in the refrigeration industry sales department and manages the office as an authorised signatory. Sven Wohlgemuth is the key account manager responsible for clients from the chemical, processing and energy industries. He has visited many of our clients and in the process he has become one of our best-placed employees for assessing the clients’ heat exchange needs. Daniela and Sven’s perseverance has helped the company to succeed, as the year 2013 demonstrates. This success is the result of skilled and prompt customer service and the strengthened cooperation between the Finnish sales department and other departments. The economy in Germany has been gradually growing and especially its export industry
is strong. German machinery and equipment manufacturers export their products all over the world, and in 2013 the country enjoyed a strong current account surplus. Vahterus products are also often part of the assemblies exported from Germany. Vahterus products have been granted different local pressure vessel certifications, such as the ASME U-Stamp, GOST, SELO and KGS, which has made it easier for us to sell our products to German systems integrators. One such company is Borsig Membrane Technology GmbH which uses our products in their gas recovery and separation units used in the petrochemical industry among others. Propylene gas or other hydrocarbon compounds, which in the past were flared or released into the atmosphere, can be recovered in their units, with Vahterus products playing a major role. There have been numerous other significant and environmentally beneficial plant and machinery units that have utilised our Plate&Shell products in Germany in the past few years. These units include industrial refrigeration apparatuses that use natural cooling agents and refrigeration systems that utilise absorption cooling technology, which was featured in Hot&Cold last autumn. We’ve had a strong start to this year, so at
committed team at steering Vahterus China activities to right directions in future. Valtteri Haavisto, Operations Manager, Vahterus Heat Exchangers Zhangjiagang Co.
the moment it looks like our good momentum form last year will continue. We showcased some interesting new products at the WTTExpo trade fair in Karlsruhe in April, and in the autumn we will attend the traditional Chilventa refrigeration trade fair in Nuremberg. We hope to meet you there! Mit freundlichen Grüßen Marko Rantala, Business Manager, Vahterus Oy
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Vahterus&Us
QUALITY THROUGH PEOPLE “You don’t see these every week, or even every month, but I do come across these more often than before,” says assembler Kalevi Tyni, referring to the 10-tonne heat exchanger standing on the floor of the assembly unit. The ‘niner’, or size 9 exchanger, is on its way to a district heating plant in Norway. Kalevi Tyni and his working partner Sami Mattila received the 4,900kg stack yesterday. “If everything goes as planned, it should be ready to go today at the end of our shift,” Tyni estimates. At the assembly unit, the complete and tested plate stack, is equipped with rubber parts, then flow guides, or, in this case, web plates. The next step is the shell. The shell will be lowered around the “niner” with a
boats, as well as turned and bended iron. For five years he was one of the entrepreneurs in a small business. For the past nine years, Tyni has worked as an assembler at Vahterus. “I was already in my fifties when I came to ask for work from Paavo Pitkänen. I thought it was unlikely that I would get a job at that age, but Paavo said that I could have a go at it and see if it works out,” Tyni says. And of course it did. After all, Tyni already had over 30 years of experience at that point. Back then, Vahterus heat exchangers were manufactured with half the personnel and in much smaller premises compared to today. Over the time Kalevi Tyni has worked for the company, several new facilities have been built and they have all eventually proven too
a mechanic was needed, for example, to replace a stack. These trips were unforgettable. For example, in South Africa, the heat exchanger was used for blowing cool air in a mine that was 3 km deep. Kalevi Tyni has enjoyed his time at Vahterus. He has seen a whole range of jobs in his lifetime but the thing he enjoys most about assembly work is the versatile and varied nature of the work. “Each time I pick up a new exchanger blueprint, I see something different. This makes my work interesting. There is a whole range of rubber parts and flow guides, steam exchangers, different metal sheets and structural differences,” he lists. Tyni has assembled heat exchangers both
A metal worker with over 40 years of experience Kalevi Tyni, mechanic
hoist because the shell is made of 40mm steel and weighs several tonnes. Kalevi Tyni has over 40 years of experience in metal. He graduated from the Raisio vocational school at the age of 18 and has since worked at a shipyard, serviced winches, switches and breaks on passenger ships and manufactured winches for life
small. The assembly unit is already at its third plant, and they are already starting to feel cramped again. In addition to working in Kalanti, Tyni has been on a few installation trips further afield. He joined the Vahterus team on their trip to South Africa, Egypt, America and Korea when
Kalevi Tyni 8
alone and with a partner and ranging from the small size 2 exchanger all the way to the largest size 14. When the assembler has extensive experience, he is able to see if some details in the blueprint do not quite match. “We often have discussions with the design engineers on how to assemble the exchanger so that it is definitely going to work. I always need to be thinking what I’m doing and look at the drawings critically,” Kalevi Tyni explains. Tyni feels that the design engineers listen to what he has to say. Each morning, Kalevi Tyni drives 60km to work from the small island community of Kustavi. He used to be an ardent fisher but this pastime now takes a back seat because he has plenty of jobs to do around his house, which was built in 1890s. “That’s all the hobby I need,” he laughs. “I do like jogging and going for walks too.” His son and daughter are both grown up have families of their own. “I like spending time with my grandchildren. That means bustling around, kicking a ball and things like that,” Tyni lists. His eldest grandchild is five and the youngest is only one year old.
VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
Developing the production process is a neverending task. When one target is reached, another one is already in sight. “We are constantly thinking about the future. We aim to recognise areas that are in need of development and tackle them,” says Matti Kontu, describing his job as the Production Manager at Vahterus. The production division of Vahterus has been busy handling volumes of orders that are
addition to our current recruitment needs, we are also constantly preparing for future labour needs and a strong increase in production volume,” Kontu explains.
A new control system is on its way Vahterus is in the process of rebuilding its control system as a part of the development process. This procurement, which has been in the pipeline for about a year, is pending the final procurement decision. The system was chosen out of ten can-
lives in the village of Vahterus. In his free time Ahjokivi enjoys repairing old cars, especially Opels from the 1960s and 70s. The name ‘Ahjokivi’ refers to village smith, which was the occupation of Ahjokivi’s grandfather, great-grandfather and perhaps even earlier generations. “My father was a mechanical engineer and so am I, so this is obviously a condition that runs in the family,” Ahjokivi jokes.
Developing production rises to the challenge of increasing orders Matti Kontu, Production Manager & Pertti Ahjokivi, Production Engineer increasing at an exceptional rate. The orders are predominantly large-scale heat exchangers. The number of orders completed in the first quarter of this year was 40% higher than last year’s figure from the same quarter. This welcome challenge has been tackled in numerous different ways. In the autumn, the production staff worked longer shifts, more employees were recruited, new machinery acquired, and some of the sheet metal production staff switched to working in three shifts. “The entire order and shipment chain is working hard to ensure that the heat exchangers ordered by the clients are shipped promptly,” according to Matti Kontu and Production Engineer Pertti Ahjokivi. Kontu and Ahjokivi are responsible for the whole manufacturing chain, which covers receiving the order, shipping the finished heat exchanger and everything in between. Ahjokivi plans and monitors the order cycle from one step to the next, while Kontu is responsible for managing the production staff and tools and for ensuring that everything runs smoothly. The rapid expansion of the order volume has required flexibility. “We had a few exceptionally extensive projects in the autumn, but luckily the staff were willing to take on the challenge. For a couple of months we worked in ten-hour shifts and the production was running from four in the morning until midnight,” says Kontu, describing the hectic autumn.
More know-how Since the beginning of this year, Vahterus has already recruited 15 new employees to work in different stages of production. However, it is difficult to fill all the vacancies quickly, especially when it comes to welding pressure equipment, which is a challenging job. “Once the decision to recruit new staff members has been made, it takes about six months until the new recruits are able to work independently,” Ahjokivi says. To help meet the demand for skilled workers, Vahterus has cooperated with Länsirannikon koulutus Oy Winnova and other educational institutes. Some of the 14 most recent recruits are already working, while the rest will start working later. Increases in the exchanger sizes and the number of plates are a particular strain on the plate pack production in charge of the plate packs. “In order to meet the increased demand, some stages of plate pack production have started to work in three shifts, which is very unusual for us. In
didates, and like all the machinery and equipment used by Vahterus, the control system has to be meticulously adjusted to meet the demands of the Vahterus production system. The old control system produces data on a weekly basis, whereas the new system is expected to produce daily data about the load, to monitor the manufacturing processes in real time, and to anticipate alerts when there is reason to assume that something unexpected might happen. The new automatic control system will make it considerably easier to monitor the 800 individual orders in different stages of production that are processed at the factory every day. According to Ahjokivi, roughly half of the lead time of a heat exchanger is spent on making final manufacturing plans and having them approved by the client. Material orders can also take their time. The other half of the lead time consists of the actual processing of the materials and parts in different stages of the production cycle. “The client can speed up the progress of their order by carefully studying the plans we have provided them with. When we receive all the comments and enquiries from the client at once, we don’t have to waste time on having multiple different documents confirmed,” Kontu and Ahjokivi explain.
From Kalanti to China Matti Kontu is also following in his forefathers’ footsteps. Like his father, Kontu has a Master’s degree in energy technology. He started working as a production manager at Vahterus in autumn 2013, after spending 18 moths in China setting up a Vahterus assembly plant. “It was an extremely interesting project. We started with an empty warehouse, and in the end our hard work paid off, allowing us to start the manufacturing process,” Kontu says. Matti Kontu was just six years old when Vahterus was founded. When he was old enough, he got a summer job working at Vahterus. Kontu has not kept a record of the duties he has had and the hours he has worked, but he has gained experience in plate pack production, sales, product development and factory expansion projects, to name a few. Kontu’s list of hobbies is equally impressive; it ranges from skiing and running to a host of ball games. “I try to exercise five times a week. In the spring, I entered the Karhu relay race with the Vahterus team. The race started in Rauma and the finish line was in Pori,” Kontu says. In addition to sports, Kontu enjoys spending his free time farming and hunting.
The descendant of village smiths Production engineer Per tti Ahjokivi has been working at Vahterus for two years. Before joining Vahterus, Ahjokivi was an entrepreneur and a production manager for a boiler manufacturing company. He has worked as a mechanical engineer for over 20 years and
Pertti Ahjokivi
Matti Kontu 9
Photo source: Inspecta
VAHTERUS AND INSPECTA SIGNED AN EXTENSIVE SERVICE AGREEMENT Vahterus has signed an agreement for testing, inspection and certification services with Inspecta. The company confirms and supports its partners’ quality and reliability in industrial process and is a known quality insurer in Finland. Vahterus’ new service partner Inspecta’s business is based on creating and supporting safety, reliability and sustainable development. Inspecta provides inspection, testing and certification services as well as consulting and training for industry, infrastructure, real estate and public administration in Northern Europe. These services will also be in Vahterus’ use from now on. The wide-ranging supply covers i.a.
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pressure vessel inspections and designs approvals according to PED and ASME standards. In addition, Inspecta Certification will carry out assessments of Vahterus’ management systems for quality, environmental, occupational health and safety according to the applying ISO standards. “We wanted a partner who can support us with both American ASME as well as European ISO standards. The agreement facilitates cost savings while the same supplier is able to offer us pressure equipment inspections as well as certification services. Not many service providers can deliver all of these. Our choice was also partly influ-
enced by Inspecta’s strong position as a domestic service provider and because of our common history with Inspecta Sweden, “explains Vahterus’ technology leader Paavo Pitkänen. “Vahterus is familiar to us as an innovative industrial company. Our country organization in Sweden has acted as the notified body for the company’s pressure equipment for over 15 years. We are delighted with the extension of the partnership to Finland, and are excited to start cooperation,” says Inspecta Finland’s sales representative Erkki Saarnio.
WORKING WITH AN EXPERIENCED PRODUCT DEVELOPER Martti Similä keeps a record of his joint projects with Vahterus on his computer in spreadsheets, which detail the dates and other aspects of every project. After a quick browse through the folders we find out that Similä first worked with Vahterus in 1994 – almost twenty years ago. When Similä first visited Vahterus, he was a trainer. After that he became an independent consultant and founded his own company called Credeltco. Cooperation between Similä and Vahterus has been close from the beginning. Similä, who has worked in product development for decades, was first assigned to examine the production division with a focus on different potentials for growth. In other words, Similä’s task was to determine the amount of resources, such as materials, investments, work and personnel, required for different production volumes. Similä has been working in a group led by Technical Director Paavo Pitkänen, who is responsible for the production technology and machinery of Vahterus Oy, and together they have made plans and calculations for new production machinery. “My main role has been to take part in the production technology development. I can recall Mauri [Kontu] calling me late one Saturday night form Frankfurt Airport to tell me about the first prototype: ‘Hey listen, I’ve come up with the perfect technique! We need to find out if it’s feasible. Can you come to Kalanti on Monday?’
It was a major breakthrough for us. Without it Vahterus would not be where it is today,” says Similä, describing the importance of Mauri’s idea. The construction of the required machinery began straight away. Vahterus employees were eager to put their knowhow to use, while Similä worked on calculating the need for resources. The plans were polished for patent application, parts were made in-house and ordered from other companies and important partners were sought and found. Similä mentions several industry veterans who have participated in the development of the machinery. Their new ideas and old tricks have helped shape Vahterus products through the years. Since the very beginning a considerable amount of the machinery and equipment used in Vahterus production has been developed and manufactured in-house so that it can be customised for Vahterus’ needs. This tradition is still alive and kicking, as demonstrated by the factory expansion and its laser cutting line completed in the autumn. The workshop has also employed Similä’s services. “Jukka Ahola has helped manufacture several pieces of machinery in this factory. We often brainstorm these ideas together. We’ve never made two identical copies of one product as we improve them each round,” Similä says. “Like when I came here today Jukka was there at the door asking me to come and take a look at one of his projects and tell him what I thought.”
Martti Similä started his career working for Finnish firearms manufacturer Sako Oy. He adopted project-oriented working methods while working as a young engineer at the construction site of an Imatran Voima nuclear power plant, and has since helped improve the economic efficiency of pulp production lines, among other projects. Similä organises training sessions where he and the participants go through production processes of large and small factories, and then come up with creative ideas for increasing productivity and lowering operation costs. These are also the key goals of the company, as the name Credeltco (CREative DEvelopment, Low Total COst) suggests. “I’ve worked on around 350 projects as an entrepreneur, and before that on about 200 projects under Melti Oy,” Similä calculates. “The number of the projects equals the number of the different products, machines or parts that I’ve worked on.” Similä uses value analysis as his tool of the trade. This system, which he has been using for decades, is based on a division scheme: the functions above the line are improved, while the costs below the line are systematically and gradually reduced. What has Vahterus gained from Similä and other seasoned consultants? “We provide our clients with the capacity to complete large projects, and examine their projects from an outsider’s perspective,” Similä sums up.
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VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
NEW NANOTECHNOLOGICAL approaches will significantly increase the energy efficiency of tomorrow’s heating and ventilation systems To minimise energy consumption, it is vital to secure new and innovative technological solutions to significantly improve the energy efficiency of current state-ofthe-art HVAC systems. New technologies will be brought into play in order to achieve a far more efficient heat transfer in heat exchangers. This will significantly reduce the energy consumed in modern heat exchangers for cooling and ventilation says Jacob Ask Hansen from the Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology at the Danish Technological Institute. To tackle this need for more energy efficient HVAC systems, the European Commission has launched the EnE-HVAC (Energy efficient heat exchangers for HVAC applications) project within the 7th Framework programme. Under the leadership of the Danish Technological Institute, the project will achieve significant energy savings in future HVAC systems via new and innovative technologies. These very ambitious goals can be achieved only by tackling the efficiencies in all parts of HVAC systems. The technologies used will address efficiency on both the air and liquid side of heat exchangers such as condensers/evaporators, as well as on heat recovery systems. Furthermore, this project will address the heat transport system to ensure
high efficiency throughout the HVAC system. To achieve these large energy savings, significant requirements are placed on the refrigerants used; to ensure the greatest possible environmental effects, there will be a significant focus on the use of “green” refrigerants avoiding HFC and CFC gasses throughout the project. To decrease the overall energy demand, it is vital to look for new and innovative technologies for increasing the efficiency of currently applied state-of-the-art HVAC systems. These new technologies are: • Nanostructured coatings including solgels and PVD coatings for increased heat transfer. • Nanotechnological coatings with antifreezing properties to limit over-icing of heat exchangers. • Nanofluids for improving heat transfer. The nanotechnological coatings will be applied on the air side of both air-air and liquid-air heat exchangers. Here, sol-gel coatings, which will significantly decrease ice formation and adhesion to heat exchanger fins, are being developed at two research institutes: the Danish Technological Institute and IK4 Tekniker (Spain). By avoiding ice formation or ice adhesion, de-icing cycles
Nanostructured heat exchanger plates
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can be minimized or completely avoided, giving rise to significant energy savings. To ensure the best performance and applications, the Italian company LU-VE, and Danish companies Dansk Varmepumpe Industri and EXHAUSTO are included in the consortium to help develop and demonstrate the technologies. On the refrigerant side of liquid-air and liquid-liquid heat exchangers, there are two approaches for improving heat transfer. In boiling heat transfer, micro- and nanostructured surfaces have been developed at the Danish Technological Institute to achieve large increases in the boiling efficiencies of the refrigerants, thus allowing for a reduction in energy usage. Sol-gels developed at IK4 Tekniker are also be applied o n th e li quid side of the heat exchangers. By manipulating the polarity of these surf a ce s , t h e wetting capabilities and thus the heat transfer
During the project, these technologies will be brought all the way from lab-scale development through to largescale tests to demonstrations capabilities of both refrigerant and brine can be improved. Again relevant heat exchanger manufactures and developers are an integrated part of the project consortium. In collaboration with IK4 Tekniker and the Danish Technological Institute, Vahterus have produced plate and shell heat exchangers with specialised sol-gel coatings and nanostructures to enable enhanced heat transfer through heat exchangers. These heat exchangers are currently being tested for their enhanced capabilities for heat transfer in NH3 at Vahterus and for CO2 at the Danish Technological Institute. “Conducting real-size tests directly at the producers of the heat exchangers and the environment in which they are designed to run is of great importance not only to get a proper undertstanding of the direct effects of the nanotechnological coating, but also to evaluate the long-term stability of these in a production environment” says coordinator Jacob Ask Hansen from the Danish Technological Institute. A third approach to increasing the efficiency of the heat transfer is the use of Nano Diamonds from the Finnish company Carbodeon. Nano Diamonds have shown a great promise for increasing heat transfer in heat exchanger applications. Using singledigit Nano Diamonds developed at Carbodeon, we expect to achieve significant increases in the efficiency of the refrigerant with very small amounts of nanodiamonds. The addition of Nano Diamonds to refrigerants such as NH3 and CO2 can only be achieved through close collaboration with a company such as Carbodeon, as it has a significant degree of control over the functionalities of the Nano Diamonds and can thus tailor the diamonds to achieve the best possible results. To maximise the output of the project, ESI group, the German pioneer in digital simulation software for material physics in prototyping and manufacturing processes, is included in the project. The option of tailoring surfaces towards specific physical/ chemical properties will be assessed using ESI’s ACE+ Multiphysics suite of solvers.
Coupling nanophenomena with large-scale heat-transfer models and fine tuning the surface structures towards the desired goals will enable predictive modeling of surface effectiveness. The consortium behind this project consists of 8 European partners, all selected for their individual expertise within their fields. This includes 6 industry partners – one software developer specializing in simulation and modelling, ESI (www.esigroup.com), a producer and developer of Nano Diamond systems, Carbodeon (www.carbodeon.com) four producers of heat exchangers: LU-VE. (www.luve.it), EXHAUSTO (www.exhausto.dk), Dansk Varmepumpe Industri (www.jordvarme.dk). and Vahterus (www.vahterus.com) – as well as two research institutions, Danish Technological Institute ( www.dti.dk) and IK4 Tekniker (www.ik4.es). For additional information please contact Senior Consultant, Jacob Ask Hansen PhD, Danish Technological Institute; tel: +45 7220 2281, mail: jbha@dti.dk
Ice formation on Air fins from EXHAUSTO heat exchanger
Jacob Ask Hansen, Senior Consultant, PhD, Danish Technological Institute
Schematic overview of the components to optimize for 1: Anti-freezing/anti-ice surfaces 2: Improved condensation 3: Improved condensate drainage 4: Improved evaporation 5: Improved heat transfer 13
Vahterus Combined generating clean steam for VANILLA CREAM PRODUCTION New products for high-pressure environments with Tekes
PLATE THICKNESS DOUBLED TO 1.5 MILLIMETRES A four-year product development project funded by Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, is coming to an end at Vahterus this spring. During these four years, the emphasis has been on developing heat exchangers suitable for high-pressure environments as well as gas use. “We have taken the first steps; new products have been launched and the first models are on their way to the clients”, says Technology Director Paavo Pitkänen. The most significant result of the project is that heat exchangers of certain sizes can now be manufactured with plate material of double the original thickness. This has caused several changes in the production process, which is why there have been numerous partners involved. When the plate thickness increases to 1.5 millimetres, changes in welding and shell structure are also required. Tekes is a government-run agency specialising in developing Finnish technology. It supports companies, universities and research institutes in promoting innovations. “The project is coming to a close but the development process is on-going”, Pitkänen points out. “Development never stops.” The four-year project went hand in hand with the acquisition of a laser cutting line launched in the autumn. The laser cutter can cut the previous 0.7–0.8-millimetre plate material and the 1.5-millimetre strip, as well as acid-proof steel, refined steel and titanium. The plate sizes we can now cut from the 1.5-millimetre sheet are 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, meaning the diameter varies from 190 millimetres to 740 millimetres. New products and new production technology have been created during this project. We have achieved new strength in plate pressing, made improvements in welding processes and started designing tougher shell structures. Strength calculations and design software have been altered, and new structures have been designed in various different phases. “This has been a significant project for us because we have been able to carry out research and development with several different partners, such as universities. We have used external help in design, and been in contact with material manufacturers and welding equipment suppliers. This has been an extensive project in which various organisations and people have played major roles”, Pitkänen emphasises. “New pressure resistance characteristics are needed in refrigeration cycles where the introduction of transcritical carbon dioxide may increase the pressure to over 100 bar. We also operate in the oil and gas industry market, where pressure can pose significant challenges”, he continues. In conjunction with the Tekes project, Vahterus’ own laboratory has run product solution tests. Heat exchangers suitable for gas use were tested together with the Turku University of Applied Sciences in the form of two Master’s theses.
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When Orkla Foods Sweden needed a steam generator skid for their new vanilla cream production line they contacted Spirax Sarco Sweden. Spirax delivered another steam generator skid for Orkla back in 2004. The steam generator delivered 2004 was a Vahterus Plate&Shell with a separate droplet separator. Orkla was very pleased with the steam generator which has been in operation for ten years without any issues. The task for the new unit was to generate 7 bar(g) dry clean steam using 8.2 bar(g) black steam and to sub-cool the condensate. To complete the task a steam generator with droplet separation and a condesate cooler/feed water pre-heater was needed. The challenge this time was the hight limitations for the skid. The combined model was the natural choise due to the space limitations. The steam generator delivered was a PSHE 6/5HH266/1/1Combined fully in stainless steel complete with pressure relief, level indicator, blowdown, inspection, sample and CIP connections. The condensate cooler 3HH-82/1/1 was instelled after the steam trap so it was designed to handle two phase flow. Use of Combined model made it possible to make the skid low enough. The steam generator skid have now been running since the beginning of this year.
Vahterus took part of the Karhuviesti-running event from Rauma to Pori.
Vahterus running-team: Matti Kontu, Tatu Laajalehto, Grigory Konkov, Anssi Myllymaa, Tuula Mäkiarvela, Jarno Ihala ja Mauri Kontu (not in the picture).
VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2014
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Researching heat recovery from exhaust gas Vahterus teamed up with the energy laboratory of Turku University of Applied Sciences to research the recovery of heat from exhaust gas. The aim of the joint project was to test the feasibility of using a new Vahterus heat exchanger to recover heat from the exhaust gas generated by a diesel engine. The final project report is nearly finished, and in addition, two students finished their engineering theses during the project. One of them looked at measuring the capacity of the new heat exchanger, while the other examined fouling and cleaning of the devices. The heat exchanger was tested in the Vahterus research laboratory using clean air and warm water. At the university’s laboratory the heat exchanger was connected to a diesel engine exhaust system. The motor was subjected to different loads and adjustments for a couple of months, which allowed the researchers to examine fouling of the heat exchanger and its impact on heat flux. Thanks to its welded assembly, the new heat exchanger is suitable for recovering heat from hot gas under demanding conditions.
Vahterus will join following exhibitions: ONS 2014 25.-28.8.2014, Stavanger, Norway Fjärrvärmemässan 2014 30.9.-2.10.2014, Jönköping, Sweden Chillventa 2014 14.-16.10.2014, Nürnberg, Germany. Energia 2014 28.-30.10.2014, Tampere, Finland.
Vahterus-people would like to thank all the visitors for your interest towards our company.
NEWS & EVENTS New steam laboratory at Naantali power plant Vahterus is setting up a portable steam laboratory to test heat exchangers. The l0-megawatt laboratory, which is to be completed at the end of this summer, will be located at a power plant run by Turun seudun energiantuotanto Oy in Naantali. The contract detailing the location of the laboratory and purchasing the steam needed by it was signed in early March. The power plant will generate enough power and energy needed to carry out tests with the laboratory. The steam laboratory will be a portable machine unit with laboratory equipment, adjustment and control systems and enough space to accommodate different heat exchangers. “Our goal is to increase the steam know-how of Vahterus and to develop heat exchanger products for steam applications,” explains Technical Director Paavo Pitkänen. Tests on the new machine unit are set to commence in August. Vahterus has, for example, reached an agreement with the Tampere University of Technology about having the research for at least one thesis conducted using the laboratory. Thousands of Vahterus heat exchanger units are used in various steam applications all over the world.
Fitness tests and trying out new sports
Focus on health and fitness Last February, a number of Vahterus employees took the opportunity offered by their employer to test their health and fitness. The measurements taken included body composition, stamina, grip strength and waistline, and the participants received a written report on their fitness. As a follow-up to the test, the leisure-time activities committee set up a trial project comprising nine different sports. During the spring, staff had the opportunity to try out new sports ranging from circuit training and water fitness to kettlebell and sauna yoga. According to a member of the com-
mittee Heidi Maikola, people have tried out sports with an open mind. “It would be fantastic if everyone found a sport that interests and motivates them in the long run!” she said.
Rewarded Welder Mika Laak sonen was rewarded for the excellent welding quality made during the past year.
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Vahterus Oy designs and manufactures fully welded Plate&Shell Heat Exchangers in Kalanti, Southwest Finland. Over 90% of the production is exported all over the world, mainly to energy technology, process and chemical industry and refrigeration industry. Vahterus’ turnover is 35 million euros and the number of personnel is 220. Subsidiaries Vahterus Americas, LLC Vahterus Deutschland GmbH Vahterus Heat Exchangers Shanghai Co., Ltd Vahterus UK Ltd www.vahterus.com