Nexam Chemical has introduced a new multifunctional additive with intended use as chain extender and crosslinker. Nexamite PBO is also an effective compatibiliser and acid scavenger in the manufacture of virgin polymer blends, engineering plastics and recycling of mixed plastics.

Added values using Nexamite PBO are:

* Improved hydrolytic and thermal stability;

* Allows for the use of low viscosity polymers;

* Enables for upgrading of spent and recycled material;

* Allows for controlled branching and crosslinking degree;

* Makes possible for the compatibilisation of polymer blends.

Nexamite PBO technology improves melt viscosity, hydrolytic stability and heat resistance, which is useful in a variety of industries. The chemical, physical and mechanical properties, along with the ease of formulating better performing materials provides opportunities to use the solution in a wide range of plastic materials and manufacturing processes.

“Both the end customers and material developers will benefit from Nexamite PBO’s strong performance in many application areas” says Daniel Röme, director business development & innovation at Nexam Chemical.

Spraylat International has been developing and manufacturing in-house liquid applied, protective maskants, named Protectapeel in the UK since 1992. The range of liquid maskants are designed for use during chemical milling or etching, and are available as water-based, solvent-based or UV cure maskants. These maskants have been used in the aerospace and engineering sector for over 22 years, and have been supplied to companies such as Standex, Mold Tech, GKN and BAE Systems.

Protectapeel is a liquid applied, temporary maskant that is easily applied by spray, dip or roller and is suitable for most metals including titanium and aluminium. Once dry the maskant forms a skin tight bond with the surface, providing protection from acid attack – allowing detailed and specific areas to be chemically milled immediately and precisely. When required, Protectapeel maskants are simply removed by hand peeling, revealing precisely etched surfaces. Advantages of Protectapeel liquid maskant:

•    Excellent acid resistance
•    Good adhesion properties
•    Removed by hand peeling
•    Simply cut to shape
•    Formulated and manufactured in the UK
•    No pull-back, acid creep or loss of adhesion at the cut edge

Spraylat International is committed to designing, manufacturing and providing environmentally smart water-based maskants. With increased pressure on companies to be more environmentally friendly, the need for water-based maskants has increased. However, water-based maskants have been associated with having a much longer drying time than solvent-based maskants. Microwave technology can help make the switch from solvent-based to water-based maskants; microwave dryers can also reduce the drying time from several hours to less than 15 minutes.

Investment in energy-efficient equipment makes sound business and environmental sense, along with the Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme (brought to users by Carbon Trust Implementation Services and Siemens Financial services) it has never been easier to reduce energy costs. Energy Efficiency Financing helps users save money, reduce energy waste and become greener. In addition, 100% of the capital cost of the microwave dryer can be offset against corporation tax, meaning the equipment should pay for itself. Advantages include:

•    80% less energy used
•    75% fewer carbon emissions
•    80% less drying time
•    Increased manufacturing efficiency and throughput
•    Off-set 100% of the capital cost against corporation tax
•    Reduced Co2 emissions

The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology is internationally recognised for its expertise in fields associated with bulk particulate handling and in the science and practical application of technologies to deliver improved process efficiencies. Its mission is to help industry to get powders and bulk materials to behave predictably through processes.

Industry sectors benefiting from its services range widely and include power generation, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, foods, plastics, paper, minerals and cosmetics. Its clients are predominantly based in the UK, although many European and overseas companies take advantage of the independent and bespoke nature of its work.

The centre has developed a portfolio of services over nearly four decades of interaction with industry, trade associations and professional bodies. It offers consultancy services to industry, conduct industrially focused research related to bulk solids handling issues and offer specialist short courses targeted at industry professionals. 

The centre is situated at the University of Greenwich's Medway Campus in Kent, where we are part of the Faculty of Engineering & Science. The location offers excellent transport links within the UK and EU enabling the centre to provide a prompt and flexible response to site visit requests and client meetings.

Its experts have between them over 100 years of experience of solving problems in the flow and processing of powders, granules and lump materials, in all industries from pharmaceuticals and food to mining and chemicals; from biomass waste and recycling to household goods and pet foods. They concentrate on the needs of the industry and share their knowledge through the provision of technical research papers, articles and editorials through the media and at conference and exhibitions where they often present papers or hold workshops.

The centre’s industrial-scale pilot plant is available to test a processing step, or mock up a whole handling process or logistics chain, at full scale or near full scale. 

The Quantitech stands at AQE 2015 in Telford, the air quality and emissions show, will feature three different technologies for measuring individual organic compounds. This is extremely important because VOCs mostly exist in a mixture of more than one organic compound, so measurements can be misleading unless the individual compounds are speciated.

Firstly, AQE2015 will provide the first UK opportunity for potential users to see the new FROG-4000, a rugged, portable PID GC capable of analysing trace levels of individual VOCs in air, soil and water. This technology enables fast on-site analysis in a range of environmental, health and safety applications, which is a major benefit because samples containing volatiles are notoriously difficult to transport.

Secondly, Quantitech will demonstrate an innovative portable gas chromatograph toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS). The TRIDION-9 combines a high speed GC with a miniaturised TMS in a lightweight, field-portable instrument, designed to rapidly detect an enormous variety of chemical compounds in liquid, solid or gaseous samples.

At the event, Quantitech will also be running a workshop outlining the identification and quantification of individual VOCs in applications such as contaminated land, pollution incidents, fenceline monitoring and environmental impact assessments. This workshop will include practical demonstrations of both the FROG-4000 and the TRIDION-9.

Finally, portable Gasmet FTIR analysers will be on display, offering simultaneous analysis of multiple compounds. The Gasmet product line includes online stack and process monitoring heated FTIR systems, portable heated FTIR analysers and an ambient FTIR gas analyser, the Gasmet DX4040. Application stories for these analysers will be detailed in a free Workshop entitled: ‘FTIR applications in this world and beyond?’.

The German companyPamas develops, manufactures and distributes Automatic Particle Counters for fluid contamination control. The product range includes measuring instruments for long-term condition monitoring of liquids such as hydraulic or lubricating oil and for contamination analysis of particulate matter in water, pharmaceutical suspensions and many other fluids.

Designed specifically for stationary online measurement of dark fluids, Pamas has developed a new particle counter: the Pamas S50DP. With its integrated dilution system, this online particle counter automatically dilutes dark sample fluids prior to measurement and thus reduces the sample’s turbidity level.

Fluid cleanliness (e.g. of oil, water or fuel) can be monitored through optical particle counting. An automatic particle counter detects and measures particulate contaminants in the fluid. Optical particle counters work with the help of light. In optical measurement proceedings, the light beams through the liquid.

The electromagnetic waves may be deflected or absorbed when meeting the particles in the measuring cell. The light effect on the particles is analysed with the help of a previously calibrated optical electronic hardware. The measuring result provides information on the number of particles per millilitre and on the size of each single particle.

This technique has its limitations. For example, in case of dark fluids, the sensor’s laser beam is not able to penetrate the medium. To enable particle counting of dark fluids, the sample fluid’s absorption needs to be reduced before analysis. The optical particle counting technique is also difficult to use if the level of contamination greatly exceeds the sensor’s maximum particle concentration level, if the fluid contains undissolved additives or if the sample’s viscosity is too high for an accurate measurement. In such cases, sample dilution with solvents helps to achieve reliable measuring results.

For batch and bottle sampling, the dilution agent can simply be added manually. However, if operating fluids are analysed online, an online particle counter is directly integrated as a fixed installation into the system (e.g. hydraulic/lubricating oil system or fuel tank). The sample liquid is drawn from the system via a bypass line and analysed directly online during operation.

To enable continuous condition monitoring of difficult fluids such as the above mentioned ones, Pamas has developed a new online particle counter: The Pamas S50DP online particle counter has an automatic dilution system that adds a programmable amount of solvent online to the difficult sample. The system’s inner structural design ensures that the solvent and sample fluid are thoroughly mixed. This helps to get a good homogeneity of the mixture and hence accurate, repeatable measuring results.

The Pamas S50DP online particle counter is well suited for the analysis of fuel containing free water: without prior dilution, free water in fuel would lead to false measurements. The diluting agent increases water solubility in the sample, so the water drops are no longer detected.

Another application example are highly contaminated liquids. Without prior dilution, the coincidence error quote of such sample fluids would be too high due to particle over concentration.

Rohrback Cosasco Systems has introduced the new ISA100 Microcor Wireless Transmitter (MWT-3905). The MWT will be the first corrosion monitoring instrument to integrate with a Yokogawa or any other ISA100 wireless systems. Multiple MWTs can be combined with wireless extenders to form a network of up to 500 devices. ISA100 gives users the flexibility of choosing either star or mesh network topologies. RCS ISA100 devices have an effective wireless range of 1500ft (450m), providing a large and reliable network coverage area.

The MWT uses high resolution metal loss measurement providing 18 bit resolution, and is the industry's most widely used technology capable of operating in any process environment. The wireless corrosion monitoring transmitters can be deployed in hazardous area locations (Class 1, Zone 1) with temperatures ranging from -40°C to +70°C. The power module has a typical life of three years and is hazardous location certified to allow change out in the hazardous area.

The STH and STQ Duplex Metering Pumps from Fluid Metering Inc are suitable for precision mixing, diluting, and proportional metering for OEM medical, analytical and industrial instrumentation.

FMI’s OEM Duplex Metering Pumps consist of two FMI valveless pump heads direct coupled to a single variable stepper motor drive.

The displacement of each pump head is independently adjustable, and a variety of pump head sizes can be used in combinations to achieve dispensing ratios from 1:1 up to 500:1 from microlitres to litres.

Fluid Metering’s OEM Duplex Metering Pumps feature FMI’s CeramPump valveless piston pumping technology and are the valveless-syringe alternative to conventional syringe pumps. The CeramPump has only one moving part in the fluid path, a sapphire-hard ceramic piston, which accomplishes both pumping and valving functions, without valves.

The result is a unique valveless pump design which eliminates multiple syringes, valves, actuators, and drivers required by conventional syringe pumps for continuous fluid dispensing and metering. By eliminating valves and utilising ceramic internals, FMI OEM Duplex Pumps will dispense millions of maintenance-free cycles at ±1% precision without recalibration.

In addition, the FMI pump has unidirectional continuous flow, utilising two separate ports for input and output. Throughput of the FMI CeramPump is increased over syringe designs which both fill and dispense through the same single port.

Aluminium powder coating specialist, France Alu Color, has reduced its costs for chemicals and further improved the reliability and safety of its surface treatment processes thanks to the adoption of Qdos dosing/meteringpumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG).

At the company’s plant in Marcilloles, some 50km south of Lyon, France, Alu Color coats around 1,850,000m² (5000 tonnes) of aluminium every year, which equates to around 8500m² per day. The plant has one of the most modern vertical powder coating lines in France and operates under the Qualicoat product certification scheme, demonstrating both its quality and environmental credentials.

Clearly there is little margin for downtime at this fast-moving process plant, where the powder coating operation comprises surface preparation, chemical conversion, application and baking. And yet, one year ago, the Head of Chemicals, was experiencing problems with acid etching and chemical conversion after the dosing pumps in place at the time became repeatedly clogged.

In short, problems were being experienced relating to siphoning, clogged valves, and a lack of necessary precision to dose the injected chemicals. The only way to keep production moving was to regularly maintain the pumps, with all the time, costs and safety issues (due to potential chemical contact) this incurs. As a consequence, the company contacted Watson-Marlow, which recommended a trial of its Qdos30 model, a move that was to pay dividends immediately.

Qdos were installed pumps on the vertical powder coating line to dose specific chemicals at three essential points in the surface treatment process. This brought about a radical change because the siphoning problems ceased, meaning there were no longer any issues relating to excessive chemical consumption.

Another advantage for France Alu Color is that dosing is now precise regardless of whatever flow rate is selected between 0.1 ml/min and 30 l/hr. Furthermore, Qdos pumps do not have any valves, so the clogging problems that previously resulted from impurities in the chemicals, are a thing of the past.

The Qdos30 can be emptied easily and thanks to the design of the ReNu pumphead, the pumped liquid remains sealed within. In addition, there is even an alarm system that sounds if the tube within the pumphead fails. This means that the operator never comes into contact with the chemicals, ensuring complete safety.

Other benefits of using Qdos technology cited by France Alu Color include a dramatic reduction in maintenance times and, due to precise dosing, the production of far less waste.

After using the pumps for one year, France Alu Color reports it has only changed a single pumphead. In fact, so pleased is the company with its Qdos pumps that one is now dosing flocculant on the effluent treatment plant. Today, France Alu Color has eight Qdos30 dosing pumps across two facilities.

The Metra-Batch from Titan Enterprises has been designed to provide precise batch control, blending or bottle/tank filling of chemicals, food ingredients, beverages, fuels and solvents.

Ruggedly constructed the Metra-Batch flow controller can be configured as a plant or panel mounted unit offering two-stage batch control and automatic over-run compensation.

The eight-digit batch display is selectable to count either up or down, in engineering units, or can show the current flow rate, or total product consumption on a password protected accumulator, as well as number of batches delivered. The unit can transmit totaliser and rate of flow data for remote monitoring. Simple PIN-protected flow-chart programming with English prompts guide the user through the entire setup routine.

Several Metra-Batch units may be used in conjunction with each other with lock out and networking enunciation giving the user full operating data. Weather-proofed to P67 (NEMA 4X) standards the controllers robust housing is purposed designed to suit harsh industrial environments. 

Bredel Hose Pumps has added two new models to its APEX range of seal-less, valve-less hose pumps. Widening the APEX performance envelope to 6,200 litres/hour at pressures of up to 8 bar, the new APEX28 and APEX35 pumps offer significant capex and opex savings compared to other pump technologies in chemically aggressive or abrasive applications.

Recent international product trials across a range of applications have put the new APEX models to the test in process-critical abrasive slurry transfer operations. User feedback has demonstrated that, when compared with existing pump technologies such as air-operated diaphragm pumps and progressive cavity pumps, the new APEX models can extend the time between scheduled maintenance intervals dramatically.

The most notable feedback relates to significant reductions in abrasive wear on the previous pumps. For example, one of the trials undertaken in the USA showed that, while the user’s existing air-operated diaphragm pumps need to be maintained every 7 or 10 days, the APEX35 ran continuously for over three months without maintenance. Additionally, there was no requirement for compressed air which equated to another significant saving.

The results in the USA were not in isolation: a brine dosing application in Germany showed that during the first six months of the trial, the APEX35 required no maintenance whatsoever and the operator made huge savings over the downtime previously experienced each month with a progressive cavity pump.

Agitator bead mills are used for grinding and dispersing a wide variety of products, such as paints and lacquers, functional coatings, ceramics, plant protection products, foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

These products have diverse characteristics, such as rheological properties, temperature limits, particle size and particle size distribution for example. Therefore, the optimal processing of these products requires different methods of operation, specific energies and energy densities in the agitator bead mill, which can be realised using different versions of the machine with disks or pegged agitators.

Depending on the product group and product properties, different types of agitator bead mills of different sizes and drive performance are used, so until now the use of a universal agitator bead mill has not been practical.

NETZSCH-Feinmahltechnik GmbH has now developed the new ALPHA modular machine platform. Compared with earlier-generation machines, this series is designed such that different grinding systems can be mounted on the same base platform as appropriate for a defined drive capacity.

The advanced DISCUS disk grinding system is used here primarily for dispersion applications in multi-pass operation. The ZETA system with optimised grinding media separation is used mainly for operation in the circulation or multi-passage mode. As the third grinding system, the new MACRO peg system facilitates the highest power input in passage operation.

The ergonomic design of the machine stand was a primary consideration during the development phase. The ALPHA has a self-supporting grinding chamber, which ensures good accessibility to the grinding area during operation and maintenance. The clear, straightforward design with integrated hoses and pipes results in easy operation and prevents contamination. At the same time, this means that considerably less effort is required for cleaning.

An additional highlight is the ALPHA CART, a service cart that facilitates removal of the grinding tank and the emptying of grinding media. Standardisation means that one cart can be used for several machines

The Eisele INOXLINE is a complete assortment of stainless steel connections for compressed air, vacuum, gases, liquids and cooling water.

The products include threaded connections with no dead zones or joints, which are designed according to stringent hygiene requirements and for easy cleaning. They are suitable for circuits with sensitive substances or frequent changing of media.

Series 17 of the Eisele INOXLINE includes push-in connectors with a release sleeve and one seal. All connections are manufactured from stainless steel 1.4301/1.4307. This material offers excellent protection against corrosion and high chemical resistance, for example against many acidic liquids. The push-in connections feature high-quality FPM seals as standard equipment. On request they can also be equipped with FDA-compliant seals to fulfil special hygiene requirements. On the side with the screw-in threads, the push-in connectors are sealed with an enclosed O-ring.

The dead zone-free threaded connection implemented by Eisele in series 1600/3600 is patented and has a user-friendly design. The 3800 series low dead zone connections enable even faster mounting.

For these connections, adaptation of the hose is not necessary. These connectors are joint-free and provide a high-quality solution for applications that do not have to fulfil the most stringent requirements.

Both series are designed for use with liquid media. While product purity is decisive for paints and lacquers, hygienic aspects are central in the case of foods and pharmaceuticals. In all cases, easy and extremely thorough cleaning of the media circuit is necessary, to enable fast changing of media.

With the harsh, cold winter months fast approaching, Andy Cruse of ERIKS pump division, is advising businesses to prepare and maintain pumping equipment now, to enhance productivity and ensure business continuity.

“It’s imperative that businesses see the warmer summer months as a prime opportunity to perform any maintenance on their heating pumps to ensure they will operate efficiently when needed.

“The summer months are an ideal time for facility managers to run pump checks and complete any necessary repairs, rather than waiting with baited breath as they switch them back on during the winter months.

“In fact, 95% of the cost of running a water pump is energy. However, with up to 60% of pumps in plant rooms and pumping operations being obsolete, energy wastage from ineffective heating systems, with spares almost impossible to source, is a cause of unnecessary expenditure in industrial facilities. It is therefore vital to ensure that pumping equipment is working efficiently before they are put into full time use during the colder weather.”

Andy continues: “Having a proactive maintenance schedule in place during the summer month’s helps operations get back up and running much more quickly during the winter, while avoiding unnecessary and costly repairs.

“Factory managers should invest in a comprehensive audit that looks at the pumps, tests their performance and uses data logging to identify current energy use. After looking at operating hours, usage and motor size, the auditor can then identify the highest and lowest energy users, allowing those in charge to make an informed decision about which pumps to focus any maintenance works on initially.

“It’s also important to remember that if the decision is made that a pump requires replacement, there are key areas to consider over and above the age of the equipment. With an effective asset management programme and evaluation process in place, end users can make informed decisions about pump repair or replacement in terms of system efficiency and whole life costs, as well as the suitability of the site and operation for replacement.”

Huber has expanded the Unistat series with new models, which are equipped with particularly strong pumps. The new Unistats with the added ‘P’ (for pressure) have circulating pumps with high pressure.

Significantly fewer applications have narrow cross sections by design and therefore high pressure drops. They therefore also allow (and require) higher pump pressures. Circulating pumps with a high discharge pressure are sensible in such cases – but in such cases only. This does not require controlling and reduction of the circulation pressure as these systems require the best possible circulation volume for an optimum heat transfer too. Typical applications are found in flow-through chemistry and in the semicon industry.

Huber expanded the Unistat series for these applications with new models, which are equipped with particularly strong pumps. The new Unistats with the added ‘P’ (for pressure) have circulating pumps with high pressure.

The cooling capacity data of Unistats are always provided at full pump speed. Often, this is not the case for other brands. That’s why cooling capacity data require closer inspection: The cooling machines must compensate more heat from the pump when the pump runs at full capacity. Between 200 and 900 watts less cooling capacity are available for the temperature control process if the cooling capacity data are not specified for the full pump capacity – and the end temperatures will no longer be achieved.

The distinct lack of information retention around pump performance, at the commissioning stage can be detrimental to future maintenance procedures, according to one of Europe’s leading industrial services companies.

ERIKS UK warns that not recording the performance of key pump areas, such as vibration, head, flow, current drawn and alignment, at the commissioning stage can hinder future maintenance practices as there is no operational benchmark for comparison.

Andy Cruse, of ERIKS pump division, comments: “Being able to benchmark pump performance from the commissioning stage of an installation is vital for a more effective and efficient maintenance programme.

“Recording information such as the basic performance, vibration and alignment at this initial phase allows for a future comparison to be made. Maintenance teams can analyse the recordings, comparing the pumps operational capabilities at the time of commissioning, helping to locate any potential issues and identify the appropriate solution quickly and simply.”

According to ERIKS UK, many in the industry need to enhance their approach towards maintenance. Not only are recordings not being taken at the commissioning stage, simple maintenance checks are also not being performed regularly enough throughout the lifespan of the equipment.

Andy continues: “Routine maintenance is very important and simple to complete, yet it isn’t always at the forefront of pump users minds. Maintenance is generally viewed as a reactive solution to an unexpected problem, but by recording valuable pump data and conducting frequent checks, it is possible to minimise machine downtime by predicting and treating underlying issues before they become a far bigger, and more costly issue.”

Understanding CPVC piping within industrial process water applications. By Sinikka Freidhof and Jorge Solorio

Traditionally, engineers and procurement professionals relied largely on steel and other higher alloys for industrial piping. However, current analysis reveals that in many applications, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) outperforms metallic systems with regards to corrosion resistance and is therefore more cost effective due to its extended lifetime. Yielding an overall lower installation cost, less maintenance and boasting a strong performance with a wide variety of chemicals, CPVC is a material that is gaining attention for being an alternative for metal piping in many end-use applications. CPVC offers numerous advantages that have improved the bottom line of industrial process water applications worldwide.

Corrosion resistance and lifetime

Corrosion is a common, ongoing problem in industrial environments. CPVC pipe and fittings demonstrate superior resistance to internal and external corrosion, eliminating process leaks, flow restrictions and premature pipe failure. Unlike metallic systems, CPVC industrial piping will not pit or scale, as it is inert to most mineral acids, bases, salts and aliphatic hydrocarbons. CPVC is formulated to stand up to many of the same aggressive chemicals that corrode steel, and it does so in temperature environments of up to 97°C.

In addition, external pipe coatings are not necessary because CPVC remains unaffected by even the most aggressive soil and air conditions. When installed outside and exposed to sunlight, specially formulated CPVC compounds with UV resistance exist. Should a portion of the piping need replacing, the plant’s own maintenance personnel can easily make the repair once they have received solvent-welding training. A CPVC piping system requires little or no maintenance when properly installed.

Due to CPVC piping having a Hazen Williams Factor of 150 – which remains the same throughout its lifetime – it has superior long-term hydraulic capabilities compared to metal piping, which experiences increased friction loss during the years of operation. As a consequence, the frequency of pipe replacements is reduced to a minimum (or even completely eliminated). The ‘smoothness’ of the pipe interior offers optimum flow rates allowing for smaller pumps and requiring less energy. The smooth inner surface resists scaling and fouling, thus minimising friction pressure losses in the fluid flow, granting an increased flow rate and possibly a smaller pipe diameter.

CPVC pipe systems have exceptional mechanical strength at the elevated temperatures at which industrial plants often operate. Most CPVC systems can be expected to maintain their pressure bearing capabilities for 50 years or more, providing long-lasting performance. These factors alone already lead to serious cost savings.

Ease of installation

CPVC is lightweight (roughly one-eighth the weight of comparably sized steel piping) and because it can easily be solvent-welded, less complex tools are required. Installation and maintenance are simplified; therefore the overall labour time is reduced. CPVC pipe and fittings are installed using a simple two-step solvent-welding process, which joins pipe and fitting by chemical fusion. Of course it is also possible to join CPVC products through hot-gas, extrusion or mirror welding when fabricators install, for example, a CPVC storage tank.

 Additional safety

CPVC piping is safer to operate than metal systems as its thermal conductivity is lower. This not only reduces heat loss, but also keeps the overall surface temperature of the pipe lower, reducing the chance of burns to maintenance and operating personnel and minimises its contribution to the overall ambient temperature in the area of operation.

CPVC has a high flammability resistance as its limiting oxygen index is 60. It requires 60% of oxygen to be able to sustain a flame when burning. As our atmosphere only consists of 20 to 21% of oxygen, CPVC will not burn on its own and will not contribute to flashover. When tested according to EN 13501-1:2002 to determine its fire classification, CPVC achieves a rating of B-s1-d0 (low flammability, no smoke development, no burning drops).

CPVC industrial piping systems offer a range of benefits for industrial process water applications and can be safely used throughout nearly any industrial plant because of their corrosion resistance, long service life, temperature resistance, hydraulic capabilities and wide application range.

Although CPVC is resistant to a broad range of corrosive environments, it’s important to note that not all chemicals are compatible for use with CPVC. Lubrizol CPVC, the manufacturer of the compounds that Corzan Industrial Systems are made of, and its customers have tested hundreds of different chemicals to determine the system’s chemical resistance with Corzan pipes and fittings and have developed a chemical resistance programme to list the solutions that can be used with Corzan, providing installers confidence in the long-term performance of the system.

For more information, visit www.engineerlive.com/epe

Sinikka Freidhof & Jorge Solorio are with Lubrizol. 

Titan Enterprises reports on how agrochemical specialists - Stored Crop Conservation Limited has standardised on their 900 series and OG series flow meters to accurately record use of low volumes of regulated chemicals.

Hygiene and the elimination of pests and fungus is a major problem in the growth and storage of bulk crops in modern agriculture. From the preparation of the buildings used for the food production through to the silos containing the mass storage of products cleanliness is essential to ensure the quality of the produce.  Even when produce is being put into storage the application of various chemicals extends the life of the products.

Stored Crop Conservation Limited (SCCL) has produced a system of ‘fogging’ these spaces with a very fine mist which ensures the whole volume is coated with the appropriate chemical. The company has developed its own equipment and methods which ensure a much more even treatment than conventional methods.   These chemicals are often regulated substances and careful control of the application volume is critical.

For nearly 15 years the company has been using Titan flow meters for the recording of the amount of chemical used. On current generation SCCL machines the volume of dispensed chemicals is recorded using Titan 900 series mini-turbines flow meters.  These flow meters are coupled to a panel indicator recording total volume throughput on a re-settable display.  In this way the machine operator can check the desired dosage for an area against the actual volume of chemical used ensuring safe dispersal of these controlled chemicals. To ensure consistent reliable measurements, SCCL’s in-house calibration rigs utilise Titan's highly accurate oval gear (OG) flow meters.

Selmech Supplies Ltd has integrated the 800 Series flow meter from Titan Enterprises into its silage additive applicator systems to ensure precise dosing of these additives.

Addition of a preservative to forage crops is a common practice to prevent degradation but also to improve palatability for the animals that feed on them. Historically aggressive chemicals were added in fairly high volumes requiring very large fluid tanks or frequent refilling during harvesting.  Modern silage additives tend to be applied at ever lower levels but must be applied at a rate which very accurately matches the harvesting yield and conditions. To achieve successful results it is important the additive is applied at the correct dosing level. Too little and the desired result is not achieved, too much and expensive product is wasted.

To address this challenge, Selmech Supplies Ltd turned to Titan Enterprises to work with them to develop a new generation of semi-automated additive applicator able to precisely measure additive flow rates and adjust pump drive levels to maintain correct application levels.

Rob Sheppard, of Selmech Supplies, commented: " We chose to integrate the Titan Enterprises 800 Series flowmeter into our additive applicator systems because it offers a good cost / performance balance and most importantly is tolerant of the aggressive chemicals our customers sometimes use. To cover varying application ranges we use three different versions of the 800 flowmeter in our products. Each 800 Series flowmeter supplied has the same mechanical form factor and the same electrical output ensuring result consistency and reproducibility from applicator system to system - which is a huge benefit."

Operating over six flow ranges from 0.05 to 15 litres per minute, the Titan Enterprises 800 Series turbine flowmeter uses totally non-metallic wetted components which makes it suitable for the metering of aggressive chemicals in particular.

Developed as part of the German technology programme AUTONOMIK, a consortium of nine companies and research institutes, the RoboGasInspector provides a safer, more efficient and more reliable detection solution for gas leaks in industrial facilities.

Operators of industrial facilities including chemical plants, refineries and gas compression stations place great importance on the safety of their staff and their production facilities. Exercising the utmost care wherever toxic or explosive gases are used or manufactured is absolutely essential. Traditionally this has required preventive inspection programs where personnel perform time consuming routine inspection procedures on a daily basis.

Incorporating a FLIR GF320 optical gas imaging camera, the RoboGasInspector is able to perform inspection tasks in industrial facilities without having to access hazardous areas directly - and without requiring any human presence. The robotic system can be used for routine inspection of facilities or for targeted inspection of specific parts of plants. The independent mobility of the system was achieved using various navigation sensors, while maintaining the option of manual intervention via remote control at any time. The RoboGasInspector is also equipped with video and optical gas telemetry, which enables it to inspect system parts that were previously difficult to inspect due to restricted accessibility.

The RoboGasInspector consists of three modules: a chain-driven mobile platform, a navigation module and an inspection module. The chain-driven platform is equipped with an electric drive and conventional batteries.

The inspection module combines various metrological instruments on a pan-tilt unit, including a Remote Methane Leak Detector and a FLIR GF320 thermal imaging camera to visualize the gases. To ensure that the RoboGasInspector does not itself pose a risk, it is also equipped with a built-in gas sensor that shuts down the entire system from 10% of the lower explosion limit (LEL) onwards in order to prevent possible danger to a flammable atmosphere. 

Optical imaging with thermal imaging cameras such as the FLIR GF320 offers numerous advantages, as larger areas can be covered significantly faster than with conventional methods and detection also succeeds in sectors that are difficult to access with contact measuring devices. Leaks are shown as plumes of smoke in the thermal image. When a leak is found from a safe distance with the GF camera, a TVA can be used to quantify the gas concentration.

Explosions and fires from combustible materials are a known hazard and can give rise to serious injury – sometimes even fatality - as well having as the potential to cause extensive plant and buildings damage and substantial loss of production.

Legislation introduced in 2002 - the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) - rationalised workplace assessment for fire and explosion hazard identification, and methods of prevention or mitigation. DSEAR requires all workplaces where substances that could give rise to fire or explosion are handled or stored must be fully assessed and protected.

The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology is running its one day course Dust Explosions – How to Demonstrate DSEAR/ATEX Compliance on 6 April 2016 at their premises in Chatham, Kent.

This course gives an introduction to the subject and the simple measures that can be taken to reduce the hazard of a dust explosion. It includes a brief overview of current legislation and the safety precautions required to demonstrate compliance and provide a safe working environment for employees.

Course overview. You will learn:

* UK dust explosion statistics

* What is an explosion?

* Standard explosion tests

* Generic vs actual test data

* Hazardous area zoning – 20, 21 and 22

* Fundamentals of DSEAR risk assessment

* Explosion prevention and protection methods.

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