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        <title>[PCN Europe] Application</title>
        <description><![CDATA[[PCN Europe] Application]]></description>
        <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/index.html</link>
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            <title>[PCN Europe] Application</title>
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            <title>Bulk truck loaders used by mining company</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/bulk-truck-loaders/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Rio Tinto Borax, world leader in borate technology, continues to invest in Dino bulk truck loaders from Van Beek in Drunen, the Netherlands. They have been using these bulk truck loaders for 15 years! Borax is a mining company in borates (naturally occurring minerals) and part of the Rio Tinto group. The name Borax has been derived from the mineral of the same name, which was already known in ancient times and used for the production of glass.Mr. Cees de Graauw, Global Project Manager, explains that “For 15 years Borax has been one of Van Beek’s most satisfied customers. We bought our first Dino for Borax Rotterdam in 1995. Some years later I was looking for a trans-shipment solution in Asia, and I could have bought a machine in Taiwan or Korea, but ultimately I decided I wanted the quality of Van Beek’s machines. And that has proved to be an excellent decision, because our machines are still working!”“In 1998 we invested in a Dino for Korea, and in a further two Dinos for Taiwan and following that in another two Dinos for Brasil. Sometimes we ship one of our Dinos back home to have it completely overhauled by Van Beek and then deploy it again elsewhere. This is how we sent one reconditioned Dino from Brasil to Germany and one from Korea to Russia.” “In 2002 we designed a twin-Dino together with Van Beek for Korea. This can be used for two different products, which means we do not have to switch or clean the Dino. At the moment we are busy reconditioning a Dino that has come from Brasil for a plant in France.” “In the course of the years we have made several adjustments and added features. An excellent example is a complete new Dino for our plant in Taiwan, equipped with a magnet, sampler and clod crusher. This machine is going to be used to load the borax, a raw material for the glass industry, so a high-quality application. During the transport of borax in sea containers, soft clods form at the bottom of the container, caused by the pressure. This is not very satisfactory for our customer. In order to guarantee an optimal result in supplying our customer with the borax, the clods are broken up by the Dino whilst loading from the sea container to the silo trucks. Thinking through and designing the adjustments to the Dino to make it completely customer specific, and on top of that the quality aspect, makes us opt for Van Beek!”The Dino bulk truck loader mentioned by Mr. De Graauw is a DS300 type. That is to say, made of steel, equipped with loading bellows, a lid on the loading funnel and a capacity of 40m3/hour. The clod breaker for breaking up the borax material is located in the loading funnel. The magnet and the sampler can be found in the outlet. The magnet filters out the shards of steel from the product. The sampler can be used both manually and automatically to measure the quality of the product. This ensures that the borax product is filtered and checked immediately before it enters the silo truck. An industrial hoover is used to maintain a partial vacuum of the system for dust-free loading. The Dino DS300 fully complies with all CE standards, health and safety laws, ARAB (Netherlands safety regulation) and TUV (Netherlands commodities Act). Edited by: Constanze Schmitz]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:06:23 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Energy efficiency in wastewater treatment for ever-increasing requirements</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/energy-efficiency-in-wastewater-treatment/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The requirements for wastewater plant operators are ever-increasing: with strict legislative guidelines to adhere to and the need for economical plant management, operators have never had to be more careful when dealing with resources. In Austria, investment in the regulation system and its integration into the existing central process management system (PMSX) is often too high for many small and medium-sized sewage plants. To combat this, Endress+Hauser has developed a controller that can be integrated in the PMSX, a cost-effective stand-alone solution for smaller plants. 
The first step for successful process improvement is to carry out a detailed study of current energy consumption in order to determine the optimization potential. By evaluating energy usage and associated costs for all key processes in a wastewater plant, the basis for a sound plant optimization strategy can be formed. 
The priority for every wastewater treatment plant manager is to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in terms of discharge quality. The legislative situation differs considerably from country to country. In Austria, fixed predefined discharge values (average values) are applied, whilst in Germany plant operators can declare the lower value achieved and thus save on wastewater charges. 
The test installation in Eisenstadt, Austria, showed that the control philosophy ensured plant efficiency and regulation compliance. Even in situations with unexpected high loads, it was possible to react quickly and effectively. With the controller solution installed, extreme ammonium loads were eliminated much quicker than previously. Although some events required additional energy for the quick and safe ammonium degradation, compliance was assured. During times of low load, energy requirements reduced in line with reduced aeration times. Efficiency was also increased using SMS or email alerts to warn operators of potential problems.
The investment in ammonium/nitrate regulation pays off in several ways: the processes can be traced online, an overview of process changes in the aeration basin can be obtained; and using control solutions, plant efficiency is significantly increased and the biology/energy balance optimized.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:03:51 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Custom-built, infrared system helps produce high performance pipelines</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/custom-built-infrared-system/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A custom-built, infrared system from has helped the Barrier Group to develop a high performance, thermal insulation system for submarine pipelines, which offers significant advantages over conventional systems. 
The high power infrared system is used to cure adhesive to ensure that a polypropylene material, which imparts impact resistance, corrosion protection and additional thermal insulation, can be efficiently applied to an innovative insulation shell around a conventional steel pipe. This results in reduced lay tension, together with significant improvements in pipe-laying productivity.
The Barrier Group has established a well-earned global reputation for providing corrosion protection coatings for steelwork and pipelines in the oil and gas sector. It has now diversified into areas such as passive fire protection, metal spraying, powder coatings and subsea insulation. One result of this has been the development of the patented Bubbletherm system, where a conventional steel pipe is enclosed with epoxy syntactic insulation and the whole assembly is further insulated and protected with a wrapping of a proprietary polypropylene material.
Subsea pipelines are used to carry oil and oil/gas mixes from subsea wellheads to onshore refineries or offshore processing platforms. Oil discharges from wellheads at temperatures, typically, between 80ºC and 160ºC. To prevent wax and hydrate formation, which could restrict oil flow, it is important that the oil does not cool significantly in the ambient subsea temperatures. Consequently, pipe insulation is vital. Conventionally, this achieved by pipe-in-pipe manufacture, where the annular space between the inner and outer pipes is filled with lightweight insulation material. This kind of pipe is expensive to produce and because it uses two individual steel pipes, it is also heavy. As a result, a reel pipelaying vessel can only carry a restricted tonnage, which, in turn, restricts the length of pipe it can lay before returning to port for re-loading. With the Bubbletherm pipe, which is cheaper to produce than competitive pipe, it is now possible to lay pipe with reduced reload cycles and with lower levels of tension. When the pipe is laid from a “S” lay vessel, it is possible to lay 20km of pipe in 11 days compared with the 45 days of its pipe-in-pipe counterpart.
An important step in the manufacture of the new pipeline system is the application of the polypropylene protective wrap.&nbsp; This is carried out as a continuous process, where the wrap is overlapped to provide a three ply coating. The infrared system comprises five modules, with a total of 24, QRC short wave emitters delivering a total power of 50.4kW. The first module is used to provide rapid activation of the adhesive on the wrap, while the second module heats the top of the wrap to maintain flexibility. The third module provides additional heat before the wrap is brought into contact with the insulation and the final two modules apply heat to the insulation as it is rotated to ensure that hot adhesive is not applied to a cold surface. Precise temperature control is provided by optical pyrometers for modules 1, 3 and 5.
The QRC emitters used in this application provide high energy short wave radiation rapidly and responsively. They feature a new quartz reflective coating with a special nano-and micro-structure, which provides the reflector with very high diffusion characteristics to ensure the stability of process parameters, such as temperature and coating homogeneity. As Dave Robinson, adhesives consultant at Barrier, explains, “The high power and the response of the infrared emitters are vital to the curing process. The Heraeus units are capable of bringing the adhesive very rapidly to its working temperature and, just as importantly, they can switch off very quickly, so that there is no damage to the wrap material.”]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:45:00 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Potato processing line updated and reinstalled updated and reinstalled</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/potato-processing-line-updated-and-reinstalled/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The peeling and processing line at at McCain’s potato specialities production plant at Wombourne, in the UK has been updated, and reinstalled in a more flexible and efficient layout.
Moving food production equipment requires a host of organisational skills; as well as planning, purchasing, fabrication, pipework, wiring, installation and commissioning expertise. It’s not an everyday operation at large food processing sites, so, when faced with a project of some magnitude, it made sense for McCain to outsource the task to a specialist company; one with wide experience of planning the logistics and installation processes involved.
What set the project apart from normal outsourcing operations was that skilled personnel from Deritend H&amp;K form a permanent part of the maintenance team at the Wombourne plant. The majority of Deritend H&amp;K’s operational personnel have been working on this site for several years; consequently, they know the people and the equipment inside-out. According to Joe Fellows, who heads-up the Deritend H&amp;K team at McCain, and also oversees a similar team at Cadburys: “This is the key to ensuring work is completed smoothly and on time.”
The Wombourne plant is responsible for manufacturing ranges of McCain’s well known frozen potato products, such as Smiles and Hash Browns. The objective of the production update at the plant was twofold: to increase the efficiency of the entire preparation operation, and, more importantly, to add flexibility, enabling faster changeovers and a leaner production flow.
The potato preparation process starts with potatoes arriving either from local farms - direct from the field, when in season; or at other times of the year, from McCain’s own local warehouse.
Different potato varieties are used for different products; the company is proud of the fact that the majority of potatoes it uses are grown from McCain’s own seed stock by local farmers; not only does this make sense, logistically, but it makes sense environmentally, too.
The potatoes arrive at the new washing plant having been graded and most of the loose soil removed; some stones still remain, however. The first part of the process is a pre-wash, which feeds into the de-stoning section where the potatoes are floated around a slow moving water centrifuge that allows the stones to sink, removing them from the process. The potatoes are then scrubbed clean and fed into bunkers, which, in-turn, feed the processing line.
The machinery that performs this entire operation was installed, wired and piped by Deritend H&amp;K, under the close supervision of Project Manager, Jim Crooks, and his project team from the McCain Central Engineering department in Scarborough, and John Timmins, Wombourne Site Engineering Manager.
Deritend H&amp;K used a permanent on- site workshop for wiring and structural fabrication, such as walkways and pipework in anodised steel and stainless. The rest of the engineering work was completed at the specially- equipped Deritend H&amp;K workshop in West Bromwich. The machine moving aspects of the job were also undertaken by the Deritend H&amp;K team. The team took ultimate responsibility for completion of the work, on schedule, and for ensuring that it did not disrupt the ongoing operation of the plant during the three- month changeover period.The cleaning process is a closed system, and is extremely efficient at minimising water usage. The overall control of the system is based upon a factory PLC system, which was interfaced to the washing plant by Deritend H&amp;K, who also sourced and installed all the valve assemblies, pumps and conveyors, and completed all the associated cabling and commissioning; effectively a turn-key operation.The second stage of potato preparation involves the potatoes being pumped from the bunkers into the peeling and steaming room. All the equipment in this large area was moved by Deritend H&amp;K, working closely with the McCain project team set-up to manage the suppliers and the final integration.
Discussions were also held with the management team to keep the overall goals and objectives of the project at the forefront of the work being undertaken.The machine movement carried out within the plant required the fabrication of walkways, and the moving and installation of pumps, augers, conveyors and pipework, in addition to all the cabling requirements. All of the work was completed to food- grade washdown specifications, something the team is very aware of since food production sites represent a significant part of Deritend H&amp;K’s national work base.
Two other aspects of the project that were essential to smooth and efficient running were safety and training. Deritend H&amp;K took on the role of principle contractor with responsibility for the co-ordination of CDM safety regulation criteria, in conjunction with the McCain Group Safety Engineer. This required strict protocols to be applied to the physical conditions on the site, and the process of informing and updating associated contractors; these included civil engineers, construction companies and other involved parties.
Regular safety briefings were carried out throughout the project at key intervals where plant layout and conditions were changed. Comments from senior staff stated that: “The safety briefings, training and induction were very well done”. The completeness and confidence with which the project was delivered serve to underline the effectiveness of keeping specialist suppliers involved at high-turnover production sites such as McCain Wombourne. It is safe to say that upon completion and final sign-off, in August of this year, it was ‘all smiles’ at McCain, thanks to Deritend H&amp;K.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:41:22 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>In-situ oxygen sensors for inertization processes</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/in-situ-oxygen-measurement/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[When handling potentially explosive substances in your manufacturing process, limiting the level of oxygen is the method of choice for ensuring safety. For continuous and direct, in-situ oxygen measurement, Mettler Toledo’s InPro 6850i G sensors offer an industry-proven and reliable solution, with the added upside of a minimized inert gas bill through accurate oxygen control.
Having vapors of flammable liquids or dusts exposed to air in a tank or vessel can be a major safety hazard. This is why a limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) must be determined for each particular application. Keeping the vessel safely below the predefined LOC level often relies on injecting additional inert gas to reduce the oxygen to nitrogen ratio to an acceptable level, adding a safety factor of usually a few % oxygen. 
The purging usually is done by letting nitrogen flush either continuously or when a specific, fixed overpressure level is reached. Both techniques however are indirect and rely on assumptions on what the effective oxygen to nitrogen ratio in the vessel effectively is, and maintaining this ratio throughout all the process states of filling and emptying the vessel. So, in order to keep the vessel safe at all stages, very often too much nitrogen is consumed.
With a measurement system based on the InPro 6850i G amperometric oxygen, the true oxygen concentration in the vessel can be measured in-line, continuously. By controlling oxygen, nitrogen purging can be contained and inert gas consumption optimized. The amperometric oxygen sensors convince through their excellent price/performance ratio, and their minimized maintenance time of only two minutes.
The InPro 6850i G sensor features Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) technology for better measurement reliability and predictive maintenance. Digital ISM sensors monitor their own status in real time for early signs of wear and preempt maintenance requirements.
Benefits: 
True in-line oxygen measurement, direct oxygen determination in the vessel improves process safetyEfficient operation, continuous oxygen measurement in the vessel helps to keep inert gas consumption to a minimumEasy maintenance, two-minute membrane exchange can be done at the measurement pointFast, easy calibration, one-point calibration in air requires no specialist skills or expensive calibration gasesPredictive maintenance, ISM technology for enhanced reliability and advanced maintenance]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:21:41 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Material characterization for bioplastics production</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/material-characterization/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[NatureWorks is a global leader in the bioplastics industry, is using a variety of material characterization tools from Malvern Instruments to accelerate product development and achieve market leading quality standards. NatureWorks is a leading supplier, under the trade name Ingeo, of polylactic acid, a high performance polymer with a carbon footprint significantly lower than conventional petroleum-based alternatives. Data generated using the Viscotek TDAmax, Malvern’s advanced triple detector gel permeation chromatography (GPC) system, and the Rosand RH-7, a floorstanding capillary rheometer, enable the company to tailor the polymer to meet the exacting demands of the polymer processing community. In addition, a Viscotek dilute solution viscosity system provides sensitive quality control.Ingeo is used commercially in the production of extruded and thermoformed containers, fibers and non-wovens, films, and extrusion and emulsion coatings. In many cases it is processed - extruded, blown and injection molded - using conventional equipment with only minor modification. While this simplifies the displacement of traditional polymers in established markets it demands tight control of polymer properties.“Both the Rosand and TDAmax have specific features that are of significant value to us,” comments Jed Randall, research scientist at NatureWorks. “We use the Rosand (our second) to assess the effect of additives and molecular structure on extrusion properties such as die swell, melt fracture and shear thinning behaviour. The melt haul-off device is especially useful as it gives a direct measure of melt strength, a key variable for fiber production and melt processing. With the TDAmax we measure absolute molecular weight and the degree of branching in the polymer, an important control parameter.”The Viscotek TDAmax has an integrated triple detector array that includes a revolutionary low angle light scattering (LALS) detector and a four-capillary differential viscometer. It measures absolute molecular weight, and intrinsic viscosity data, which together quantify branching and molecular size. The Rosand RH7 is a twin-bore floor standing capillary rheometer with unsurpassed performance in terms of speed control, accuracy and dynamic operating range. The haul-off device is an attachment to the rheometer that is used to measure the melt strength and to simulate fiber drawing and blow molding processes.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:21:41 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Avoiding production losses using a variable speed drive</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/avoiding-production-losses/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Kemira Chemicals of Bradford makes special polymers for use in the water treatment industries. During the manufacturing process the polymers go through a chemical reaction on a continuously moving conveyor belt. During this part of the process, it is desirable that the polymers do not come into contact with the conveyor belt as this creates process problems.To prevent this occurring, a roll of polythene sheeting is unwound and laid on top of the conveyor allowing continuous reaction of the polymers. At the end of the line the polymers are granulated and the polythene sheet is recovered using a re-reeler - a cardboard core onto which the polythene is wound as it comes off the tail end of the conveyor. It is driven by a geared motor unit and controlled via a variable speed drive.Kemira was having trouble with its existing drive, which had become obsolete and difficult to programme. Steve Sanderson, Manufacturing Improvement Engineer for Kemira, says: “It is vital to keep a constant torque to give a slow winding speed. Because the old drive was not easy to program, it was difficult to set the torque correctly. This caused the polythene to stick to the belt and split leading to a potential loss of production of some €1,800 per hour, so it was essential we solved the problem.”The company asked ABB Drives Alliance member Halcyon Drives to provide a solution. Halcyon provided an industrial drive set up in torque control mode. Chris Davies, Service Manager for Halcyon Drives, says: “The conveyor goes very slowly, so the polythene winder also needs to go very slowly. Using the drive in torque control mode prevents the polythene tearing when it is being wound onto the reel. “When the reel is full, it is taken off and a new reel is put on. Because the tension is released, the reel can run away at speed. The advantage of the ABB drive is its adaptive programming, which acts as an in-built PLC. It detects when the reel is over speeding and switches back into speed control to control this. When the new reel is in place, it switches back to torque control to maintain the correct torque and tension for the process.”“We are a big user of ABB drives,” says Sanderson, “and use them throughout our plant. We continue to use ABB and Halcyon Drives because we get excellent support from them.”Edited by: Constanze Schmitz]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:21:41 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Vial and ampoule filling lines offer productivity and efficiency while meeting cleanroom standards</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/vial-and-ampoule-filling-lines/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[When hameln pharma decided to build a new sterile facility factory to increase their production capacity in Hameln, Germany, they started looking for a reliable supplier of vial and ampoule filling lines who offered a short delivery time as well as compact design, energy efficiency and less training time for operators.Hameln pharma, part of Hameln Group, has been focusing on the development, production and distribution of pharmaceuticals for over 50 years. Specialising in the contract manufacturing of parenteral medicines predominately used in hospitals and intensive care in more than 70 countries worldwide, hameln pharma has worked with Bosch Packaging Technology for many years. Currently, the oldest Bosch ampoule line still in use was purchased in 1985. In 2006, hameln pharma decided to build a new sterile facility factory to increase the production capacity in Hameln, Germany. Within that new facility additional filling lines were planned to be installed so they started looking for a reliable supplier of vial and ampoule filling lines who offered the benefit of a short delivery time. Other critical process parameters in choosing the lines included compact design, energy efficiency and less training time for operators. After making comparisons, hameln pharma decided on Bosch. In November 2006, hameln pharma ordered a vial filling line equipped with a universal washing machine, drying and sterilising tunnel, filling and closing machine and capping machine, and Bosch delivered within 12 months. During this time, in April 2007, hameln pharma ordered another ampoule filling line equipped with a universal washing machine, drying and sterilising tunnel, filling and sealing machine and colour coding machine. This time Bosch was able to deliver in December 2007, an even shorter delivery time than for the previous order. The most important features of the vial and ampoule lines are the U-Shape with wall installation, and the inclusion of Restricted Access Barrier Systems (RABS) and Cleaning-In-Place and Sterilizing-In-Place (CIP/SIP). To achieve maximum production efficiency, the vial and ampoule lines are set up in a U-shape with wall installation in order to greatly reduce the space required in the highest cleanroom class. The cleanroom class zone grade A can be kept smaller when using wall installed machinery, and maintenance measures inside the filling and closing machines can be partially carried out from cleanroom zone grade D, which reduces the contamination risk in zone grade B during maintenance or in case of repairs. Another benefit of U-shape with wall installation is increasing the employee’s productivity. There is less movement needed for the operators in the cleanroom, especially between different cleanroom zones, increasing productivity and efficiency. The complete monitoring of the actual filling process in cleanroom class A can be done by the employee who remains in the neighbouring class B cleanroom. “We met with Bosch extensively at machine manufacturing sites in Crailsheim and at Hameln to discuss our needs during the project planning, and we are very satisfied with Bosch’s fast delivery of vial and ampoule filling lines with our required U-shape and wall installation. This helps us to increase productivity and efficiency while meeting the cleanroom standards.” says Dr. Simone Dahlmanns, Operations Director from hameln pharma.RABS further reduces the risk of contamination in cleanroom zone grade A since most of the production process can be carried out with the doors closed. Additionally, the filling machines are equipped with CIP/SIP equipment which further reduces the risk of contamination. With the U-shape vial and ampoule lines with RABS, hameln pharma will expand their production capacity to handle a broader variety of container formats, batch sizes, potencies, formulations and product types. The efficient and flexible sterile facility has won the 2009 Facility of the Year Award for Operational Excellence.“We have always trusted the reliability of the machines and service provided by Bosch. Their quick response time in answering questions, replying to our urgent requests and supplying solutions for special needs was critical to the success of this project. The lines from Bosch have created a positive experience for us based on the reliability of the machines. Furthermore, the modular build of the machines allow for lower storage levels of spare parts in Hameln, and in urgent cases, Bosch can deliver critical parts within 24 hours,” says Dr. Simone Dahlmanns, Operations Director from hameln pharma.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:54:12 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Safety Lifecycle Management from planning to operation</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/safety-lifecycle-management/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Process plants with safety functions are required to comply with the applicable safety standards IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 for functional safety. They build the base for planning and operation of the plant. Safety Lifecycle Management accompanies the complete lifecycle of the plant.The standards specify and describe the steps that must be performed for assessing and planning a process plant with risk potential. The complete lifecycle of the plant is analyzed here. The lifecycle is subdivided into three phases: analysis, implementation and operation phase. Different persons are included in the different phases, and their interests differ. All those involved, however, usually aim to keep the costs as low as possible, especially the investment costs (Capex, Capital Expenditure) and the operating costs (Opex, Operational Expenditure).It is extremely important to identify the potential for savings and to obtain the right support from the systems and tools used. When the complete lifecycle of the plant is analyzed, as in the standard, potential for savings can be found in every phase.Possible savings1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Safety requirement specification (SRS)2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Implementation of the safety requirements3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Acceptance test for the safety functions4.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Plant operation5.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Plant modificationsSafety requirementsDuring the analysis phase, a hazard and risk assessment is performed. The protection levels are also determined and the safety tasks are assigned. The safety requirements are defined and described during the analysis phase and this forms the basis for planning, engineering and acceptance testing of the plant. A wide range of different people must be able to base their work on this specification. The requirements must therefore be recorded in a simple, clearly comprehensible form. A familiar descriptive format is the Cause &amp; Effect method. This method was defined by the American Petroleum Institute and is used in a wide range of different sectors. The objective of this method is to describe the safety functions in a simple manner for all those involved. This saves time at the definition stage, because there is no unnecessary discussion between participants.Siemens uses this method and provides a tool, the Simatic Safety Matrix, which can be used in this early phase to describe the safety requirements and functions. The Cause &amp; Effect method in the form of a configuration language is ideally suited to bridge the semantic gap between process engineering and programming, because dependencies can be clearly organized and displayed graphically. ImplementationThe safety requirements specification is then transferred to the planning engineers who must implement the safety requirements and safety functions. This emphasizes how important it is to have a simple descriptive format; otherwise call-backs and discussions are necessary and this would cause delays in the implementation. It also takes time to implement the functions in the safety PLC with its specific programming language. The functions must be implemented in this specific programming language of the automation system.There are a considerable possible savings if the Safety Matrix was already used for the safety requirement specification SRS to describe the safety functions, because the implementation is practically done already. Only the connection of the Cause &amp; Effects to the IO-level of the Siemens automation system must be done then.Any pre-processing that is necessary can be simply included in the Safety Matrix and automatically documented. The relevant function blocks can be directly integrated in the Safety Matrix from a user-defined library of safety functions and templates.Acceptance test of the safety functionsSafety functions are usually verified by appropriate licensed bodies or authorities. These experts generally have little or no knowledge of the programming languages used in modern safety-related controls systems. Typical languages involve function blocks, ladder logics or structured text. This means that the description differs from the implementation. The auditor has the difficulty to verify the realized programming with original safety requirement specification. He needs to understand both. This increases the required time significantly. Use of the Cause &amp; Effect in this phase of the project also has a positive effect. Due to the clearly comprehensible format, the functions can be understood easily and quickly. When the Safety Matrix is used, description and implementation are almost identical. Using the viewer of the Safety Matrix, the functions and their mode of operation can be monitored and traced on-screen and on-line. The Safety Matrix viewer is seamlessly integrated in the PCS 7 process control system from Siemens. In this way, Causes can be simulated and the corresponding Effects can be verified easily. This accelerates the function and software verification. As a result acceptance tests can be conducted much more effectively.Plant handling and normal operation Other aspects are important for handling and operation of the plant. Plant operation depends on quick and easy user guidance. This means that the plant operator is informed about deviations in the process quickly and clearly, and is able to react accordingly. This is particularly important in the case of safety functions, because these will ultimately result in plant shutdown if there is no early notification and intervention. The operator must be able to recognize the alarm and localize the cause. The operator must be guided directly to the cause.Using the Safety Matrix for example, pre-alarms can be generated directly from the matrix. The matrix can be configured such that when it is opened, the relevant cause is displayed with the associated effects in the plant display. The plant operator can then see at a glance the sensor of a 2-out-of-3 voting group of sensors that deviates and can directly initiate suitable measures to secure production. This could be simulation of the relevant sensor for the repair time or, if necessary, intervention in the process if the user's authorization level is sufficiently high.The Safety Matrix, with its integrated maintenance functions, can also provide support for checking the functionality of the sensor. By activating the maintenance override switch the sensor can be replaced or tested independently from the process. The integrated maintenance functions allows the operator to see the current value at the input module and the active value in the process even during the test on the sensor, regardless of whether it is a single sensor or part of a voting group. Plant shutdowns and emergency stops can be avoided in this way. An optimized solution can be obtained by integrating the safety sensors with pre-alarms into the Asset Management system.Plant modificationsPlant modifications also have to pass through all phases of the safety lifecycle management and must be performed according to the requirements of the IEC 61511. The modification needs to be analyzed and the safety requirement specification needs to be extended by the new safety function, implementation and commissioning will follow.All the points explained above also apply to modification. The Cause &amp; Effect method and therefore the Simatic Safety Matrix can demonstrate their strengths. The modifications implemented are automatically documented by the Simatic Safety Matrix. The changes can be verified, so only acceptance and function testing of the changes is required.SummaryUse of the Cause &amp; Effect method is beneficial in every phase of the safety lifecycle and therefore has a positive effect on the investment costs (Capex) and the operating costs (Opex).Advantages of the Cause &amp; Effect method&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Clear and simple definition and description of the safety functions&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Uniform understanding of all those involved regarding the safety functionsAdditional benefits when using the Simatic Safety Matrix&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Quick and easy implementation&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;No programming know-how necessary&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Integration of complex calculations through pre-processing&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Pre-alarms with settable repeat cycle&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Optimized operator guidance, cause or effect related displays&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Matrix of SOE (Sequence of Event) display with first-out alarm&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Simulation and bypass&#61656;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Automatic change documentation.With the Simatic Safety Matrix, Siemens offers an optimized solution for safety applications starting at the analysis phase. By using the tool, uniform and integrated description, implementation and display of the safety functions is ensured. The operation and alarm concepts provide optimum support for the plant operator with operating the plant, and reduce downtimes. ]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:41:26 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Plant management &amp; maintenance for the process industry</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/plant-management-maintenance/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The cost pressure in the process industry is high. Companies have to run their plants with maximum efficiency. This is not just a question of avoiding expensive downtimes, but also of identifying less obvious cost drivers. In the everyday practice of plant management and maintenance there are many of these less obvious cost drivers, but frequently ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems with maintenance modules do not offer sufficient support in identifying optimization potential. Nor do they provide enough scheduling assistance for maintenance engineers – although it is in the optimization of work organization, combined with more operational safety and reliability, that many saving potentials can be found. A businessman’s view of plant management and maintenance naturally differs from that of a maintenance engineer. Whereas the former is more interested in the economic angle, for the latter it is organizational process planning which occupies the foreground. Particularly in large firms, maintenance orders are also drawn up using ERP systems. However, not only are these systems generally inflexible, they also generate tasks for the engineer or foreman responsible for maintenance organization, which have little to do with his core competences. Instead of actually planning and carrying out maintenance work, he has to busy himself with a whole lot of system-related work. For the actual planning of maintenance work, ERP systems, which are very statically structured, have little support to offer. This is equally true for general planning (of what maintenance work needs to be carried out, and when) and for the planning of safety-relevant inspections. Since in most cases no support is provided in coping with unplanned maintenance work either, engineers have to improvise each time an unexpected event occurs, if it is too urgent to wait till the next planning date. Optimal workflows, ideal deployment of personnel, machines and resources cannot be attained with systems of this kind. Scheduling Made Easy Tools which are specially designed with plant and maintenance planning in mind, such as GS Service can give relief here. They are explicitly adapted to the requirements of maintenance planners. They can be used very simply to plan both regular and spontaneous maintenance work. For this purpose, the whole plant is represented as a system of objects. An object may be a whole building, a part of a plant such as e.g. a boiler, or one individual component, e.g. a pump. The structure of the objects to be managed can be hierarchically plotted, to any depth. The system also stores other information: employees, together with their competences and their working hours; rules for dealing with spontaneous maintenance tasks; the working materials, tools and spare parts needed for specific tasks. Additionally, the resource, device and tool administration gives an overview of the status of all equipment and tools required for maintenance work.&nbsp;Keeping an Overview – at All Times For management purposes, a plant operator wants to know at all times what tasks are upcoming, but also which of the assignments that have been carried out. To be able to plan sensibly, managers need to know which regular maintenance tasks have to be performed, and when. It has to be possible to coordinate the status of the plant with its maintenance requirements so that, for instance, certain maintenance tasks can be carried out exactly at a time when a machine is not producing. Also essential for reasonable planning is a clear view of which inspection dates are overdue, and which can be put back without endangering plant availability. Moreover, there is a legal requirement for complete documentation of all maintenance and plant management measures when examining liability for failures and accidents. Another important aspect of plant management is cost and budget management. How much time and money will specific maintenance jobs require? Here, a cost center can be assigned to each object. In this way, costs that have arisen over a freely selectable period of time can be classified by cost center, object or other criteria. Various Standard Reports enable factually-based, up-to-date statements on all relevant areas such as plant history, order situation and cost structure to be accessed at any time. As well as the Standard Reports, however, individual requests can also be submitted. The manifold possible combinations of a wide range of evaluations not only enable statements to be made about the present status of the plant – they also help to identify trends, thus allowing users to ‘look into the future’. Flexible, Thanks to Mobile DevicesIn many factories, paper lists are still printed out for the planning of maintenance work and distributed. If this arrangement is interfered with by spontaneous maintenance tasks, these can only be integrated into the current workflow with a great loss of effectiveness. However, with a planning system it is very simple to ascertain which worker is the vicinity of the unexpected trouble spot. If maintenance workers receive their lists electronically, for instance on a PDA (personal digital assistant), the person responsible for the scheduling of maintenance work can simply and flexibly assign tasks. Measured values and changes can be entered directly in the PDA, and if necessary transmitted to the system straight away, e.g. by WLAN. This not only saves time but enhances the quality of the data, as the deciphering and typing of handwritten information is always inherently error-prone. All plant data are substantially more up-to-date and there is also the additional benefit of greater legal security, as at any time it is possible to trace who performed a repair, the nature of the repair, and when it was carried out. &nbsp;Further Benefits IncludedFor maintenance to function smoothly, the necessary spare parts have to be there. In most cases, no system is used to support spare parts management. To be sure of reserves in an emergency, spare parts are acquired on the “more is better” principle. Thus quantities of expensive spare parts which are not going to be needed accumulate in store. Here, too, appropriate inventory administration functions embedded in a plant management and maintenance system can help. For one thing, they give an instant overview of the spare parts that are actually there. For another, spare parts procurement can be approached quite differently in combination with a plannable maintenance management system. Conclusions Software tools for plant management and maintenance help to identify hidden costs and optimize processes. They not only cut down maintenance costs but also increase plant availability. Systems like GS Service can be used as a ‘stand-alone’ solution or linked with external systems such as e.g. SAP, distributed control systems and geo-information systems. In this way, all the data necessary for the smooth operation of a plant are centrally available. The use of mobile devices considerably enhances maintenance flexibility, while also substantially improving data quality. Classic areas of application are to be found in the broad field of process technology. However, since plants of all kinds can be mapped with this system, more exotic fields of application can be envisaged. Purchasing a system of this kind is cost-effective even for small and medium-sized firms. Generally a return on investment can be expected within two years at latest; after that, the system saves money all the time. ]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:24:29 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Valve actuators control flow in water treatment plant</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/valve-actuators-control-flow/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[At Welsh Water’s water treatment plant at Cwellyn intelligent electric valve actuators have been installed to control the flow through a new state-of-the-art extension to the works.Welsh Water’s new plant at Cwellyn has been designed and built by Black &amp; Veatch Ltd, one of Welsh Water’s Asset Management Alliance partners for water supply capital investment schemes. The new treatment regime is designed to clarify the water before it enters the existing works in order to deal with changing raw water conditions and consistently meet all water quality standards. IQT direct drive quarter-turn intelligent electric actuators have been installed to operate butterfly valves controlling the flow of water throughout the new treatment plant. Patrice Nadouce, mechanical engineer for Black &amp; Veatch at Cwellyn, explained that Rotork was selected following a competitive bidding process. The selection criteria included value for money, reliability, low cost of ownership and operator familiarity. All the IQT actuators are Profibus DP-enabled and linked to an existing distributed control system (DCS) on five two-wire bus networks. The operation of the plant is supervised by a SCADA system designed by Oasis Engineering Ltd.Water from Llyn Cwellyn, some two kilometres distant, gravitates to the new treatment plant at a rate of up to 850 m3/hour. The flow initially passes through inlet static mixers where coagulant is dosed to maximise the performance of the DAF (dissolved air flotation) process. The flow is divided into three identical DAF streams, which consist of one Flocculator followed by one DAF cell where particles in suspension are floated to the surface to form a sludge blanket. The clarified water is then filtered through first stage RGF (rapid gravity filtration) before being pumped to the existing treatment works through Ultra-Violet disinfection to deactivate cryptosporidium.The actuators, including some modulating units, control all valve operations including the inlet works flow control, automatic desludging of the DAF cells, automatic backwashing of the RGF plant and the plant treating the effluent created by the clarification and filtration processes. The successful completion of the upgrade project at Cwellyn will safeguard the drinking water quality for 70,000 Dwr Cymru Welsh Water customers in the Caernarfon area.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:30:57 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Mixing system installed in sewage treatment works</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/mixing-system-installed/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Anglian Water ,UK, achieves over €45,000 per year of savings by installing two mixing systems for handling secondary sludge at their Colchester sewage treatment works. In August 2009 System Mix were commissioned to supply STM (Small Tank Mixing) pumped mixing systems for both secondary sludge tanks at Anglian Water’s Colchester sewage treatment works (STW). These tanks measure 30 x 15.2 metres have a depth of 2.5 metres and a flat floor with a 1.5% fall. The STM systems replaced four submersible mixers which were constantly failing. Due to this existing poor mixing process continuing problems were evident. For example, the formation of large islands of deposition within the tanks which reduced storage capacity created ever-increasing cleanout costs, but most importantly resulted in inconsistent sludge being fed to the centrifuges. In addition to the poor mixing, maintenance and safety issues had to be addressed each time the submersible mixers needed to be lifted. Each STM system was of bespoke design and consisted of a series of six nozzles in each tank with a Vaughan HE6U chopper pump and motor, auto-self priming tank, associated pipework and valves. To date, Anglian Water Engineers at Colchester STW remain delighted with the performance of the new mixer systems and report that there has been a big reduction in polymer superfloc C498 usage compared to what was previously required with the submersible mixers. Sludge feeding the centrifuges used to be very inconsistent (thick &amp; thin) but after a homogenous mix with the new systems the sludge now retains a more consistent character.Taking a closer look at the cost-savings these are the figures calculated cover a time period up to August 2009. In January 2009 the site was using one 750kg bag of polymer per week, at a cost of €1,800 per bag. In August 2009 a minimum of 50% was being saved in polymer usage, one bag for every two weeks, with the potential for further savings if optimized for longer resulting in a saving of €45,800 per year minimum. Furthermore, another benefit was a reduction in anti-foam chemical usage to the centrifuges thanks to a fully homogenised and improved quality sludge feed to the centrifuges, providing further savings. Before the new mixing systems were installed site operatives at Colchester STW would spend approximately one to two hours per day operating a series of valves to control the sludge to the centrifuges. This operation is no longer required, as the systems are fully automated requiring no attention, giving further cost savings and time for the site operatives to carry out other duties on site. The chopper pumps operating on the mixing systems do require a simple inspection adjustment check every six months, which is a one man operation on site and should take approximately one hour per visit to complete. The mixing systems will have been in operation for two years in January 2011 and the only maintenance costs required to date have been to replace a bearing in one of the drive motors. Colchester STW do not envisage any other costs for at least another two years and this should give a pay-back period, covering the cost to supply and install the mixing systems, of around 2-3 years.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:25:00 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>High performance valve improves availability at combined heat and power plant</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/high-performance-valve-improves-availability/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A high performance rotary valve improves backwash flow control in the water-treatment system at E.ON’s CHP plant The resulting elimination of filter media losses and subsequent downtime has enabled E.ON to reduce costs and improve availability as it provides steam for two local soda-ash plants.The E.ON combined heat and power (CHP) facility in Northwich, is one of the largest of its type in the UK, generating 130MW of electricity for local residents and capable of supplying approximately 500 tonnes of steam every hour for two nearby soda-ash (sodium carbonate) production plants in Winnington and Lostock. Make-up boiler feed water is obtained from the River Dane, cooled and pre-treated to remove any algae or silt, then passed through one of six filters before being sent to a holding tank. The filters are cleaned by air scouring and backwashing to remove any material blinding the filter. The facility has had problems controlling this backwash flow. The original butterfly valve used in this process could not provide a steady flow rate, causing media to be lost through the filters. As a result the filter media had to be replaced or refilled at an average cost of €4,300 a year. The downtime for this maintenance also affected the plant’s ability to meet its steam requirements. E.ON installed an eight-inch Fisher Control-Disk rotary valve to replace the original butterfly valve. The new valve has dramatically improved backwash flow control without compromising capacity at peak demand. Since it was installed, the plant has not lost any filter media or experienced any downtime due to water filter problems. The improved performance reflects the valve's unique disk profile and true equal-percentage characteristics that enable it to adapt to changing process conditions and to provide control over a wide range. The valve provides between 15% and 70% travel without compromising capacity. This performance represents a significant improvement compared to standard butterfly valve designs that offer 25% to 50% of travel. Neil Price, Improvement and Performance Coordinator, E.ON, said, “The Fisher Control-Disk valve not only controls the backwash flow rate more accurately, but also it delivers, when 100% open, a flow rate adequate to meet the water plant demands, without restrictions. Its performance and reliability led to savings of €4,300 a year and enabled us to improve our customer service.”]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:11:15 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Leak detection in refrigeration plants using IR absorption-based sensors</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/leak-detection-in-refrigeration-plants/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The discussion on global warming largely focuses on fossil fuels and the related CO2 production. However, other substances also have a significant effect on global warming. A typical example is the coolants used in refrigeration plants. To prevent their release into the atmosphere calls for an effective and reliable leak detection system. By: Michael Maier, Sales Director, smartGAS GmbHRefrigeration plants and devices are virtually indispensible today. In addition to the air conditioning systems used in a wide range of buildings, refrigeration systems are also found in applications as diverse as breweries, ice rings and foodstuffs logistics. Up to the start of the 90s, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were commonly used as coolants in such applications. However, due to damage these substances cause to the ozone layer, they have since been banned for use in refrigeration plants, with few exceptions. Even the chlorine-free HFCs commonly used today are not entirely problem-free-for example, the widespread tetrafluoroethane, R134a, has a greenhouse effect, and also contributes to global warming.Although compared to CO2 emissions, for instance released by burning fossil fuels, the quantities of coolants released into the atmosphere is considerably less, their specific greenhouse effect (effect per unit quantity) is significantly greater. Greenhouse effect is expressed as the so-called GWP (Global Warming Potential), set at 1 for CO2. GWP values for refrigerants currently in common use are approximately 2,000 - 4,000: R134a has a GWP of 1,300. In other words, when 1 kg of this refrigerant escapes into the atmosphere it is the equivalent of 1.3 tonnes CO2. Large refrigeration plants, such as those referred to above, can contain several tonnes of refrigerant, and a corresponding potential danger to the environment.In recent years, in recognition of the potential environmental risk posed by certain refrigerants, their use is restricted by both European and national legislation (Chemikalien-Ozonschichtverordnung and EU Regulations 2037/2000 and 842/2006). CFCs and partially halogenated CFCs may only be used in exceptional circumstances-for instance when already present in existing plants. Even plants using chlorine-free refrigerants are still subject to strict regulation. Such plants have to be checked for ‘tightness’ by certified personnel. The check interval depends on the amount of refrigerant used. Plants using between 3-30 kg of refrigerant must be checked annually. For plants operating with 30-300 kg, the check interval is 6 months and for plants using more than 300 kg refrigerant this interval is shortened to 3 months. However, the check interval for larger plants can be increased if a detection system capable of detecting a refrigerant leak and setting off the corresponding alarm is installed. The installation of such an alarm system can halve the costs incurred by mandatory inspections, and represents a relatively rapid return on investment. Hans Maile Gaswarnanlagen GmbH offers such leakage detection systems. This medium-sized company has specialized in gas warning systems for a wide range of sectors and applications, including personnel, property and environmental protection. They specialize in the development and implementation of customer-specific solutions. By using the latest technology, Maile’s commitment to continuous quality improvement offers their customers the very best solutions. The detection systems for refrigerants (e.g. R134a and others) use sensor modules from smartGAS Mikrosensorik based on infrared absorption technology.Infrared sensors enjoy a number of decisive advantages compared to other measurement and detection processes. These sensors use the property of gases that they absorb infrared light at specific wavelengths. In other words, since wavelength is characteristic for each gas, the sensor is very selective and shows little cross-sensitivity to other gases. IR sensors also tend to suffer much less from ‘ageing’ than conventional electrochemical and catalytic sensors. With this technology it is possible to reliably detect and measure a wide a range of gases-including refrigerants such as R134a.smartGAS offers IR absorption-based sensors as OEM modules, which&nbsp; consist of a high performance IR radiation source, an interference filter for wavelength selection and a dual detector. The evaluation electronics are accessible via standard interfaces (4...20 mA, 0...2.5 V) and a serial RS485 interface. The entire sensor is hardly larger than a matchbox and can be easily integrated into virtually most applications. According to Joachim Benz, C.E.O. of Hans Maile Gaswarnanlegen GmbH, IR-based sensors represent a real alternative to the conventional sensors commonly used to today. “The working life of sensors we used in the past is considerably less,” remarked Joachim Benz, highlighting an important disadvantage of the older technologies. “Not infrequently older sensors needed to be exchanged during inspection checks. Also, the reliability of sensors generally used to date is poorer than that of IR sensors. “For example, false alarms can be triggered when solvents are used in the vicinity of sensors,” explained Joachim Benz. “And this can cost money if the service technicians have to be called out to check the system.” The C.E.O.‘s remarks highlight one of the important advantages of the new smartGAS IR sensors. The high selectivity of the detection method virtual excludes the chance of cross-sensitivity to other gases. Although to date, IR gas sensors were relatively more expensive, their high reliability pays for itself very quickly. ]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:11:15 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Water leak detection technology reduces water loss and costs</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/water-leak-detection-technology/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Veolia Water, a major water and wastewater management company, has been making use of recent developments in water leak detection technology to effectively manage water networks at an increased efficiency and lower cost. Permalog+ noise loggers have been employed by the company in a ‘lift and shift’ method to quickly, easily and accurately find and repair leaks.
Permalog+ noise loggers are small devices deployed at points around the water network, where they monitor the noise levels on the pipes themselves. Changes and distinctive patterns in sound indicate the presence of leaks, often including ones that would otherwise go completely undetected. Mounted directly onto the pipes by a strong magnet, and battery-powered, the Permalog+ units can continuously monitor the section of piping around them for tell-tale signs of a leak. Once found, various telemetry and communication methods are available to alert leak detection operatives either immediately or at a specified time.In a typical usage scenario, the data will either be collected or sent back to a central database, where each logger’s location is displayed on a map with either a green flag for ‘all clear’ or a red flag to indicate a leak. Each logger’s serial number, noise level and noise spread (the leak ‘signature’) is displayed alongside them on the map.
Veolia Water has 9 Noise Logger Technicians to carry out ‘lift and shift’ operations, with an average of over 80 individual Permalog+ units deployed and retrieved by each technician every day. The ‘lift and shift’ temporary installation method allows the use of a smaller number of units to cover a large area, effectively ‘auditing’ the network for leaks. As an alternative to a permanent installation, where the loggers would sit waiting and monitoring for new leaks in order to address them immediately, ‘lift and shift’ deployment actively searches for leaks throughout the network in a ‘sweeping’ pattern.
Leakage Teams will deploy loggers throughout the next targeted area (typically divided by District Metered Area), where they will remain overnight. The following day, the loggers are collected by the team, with a centralised record being made of where there are leaks and where the system is clear. These loggers can then be deployed to a new area, and so a rolling, sweeping search for leaks quickly progresses throughout the network.
In contrast to a ‘permanent’ deployment pattern, Permalog+s for use in a ‘lift and shift’ operation will be either pre-programmed at the factory or by the user with specially designed software to only transmit their recorded data when an operative swipes them with a magnet. There is no radio interference from other loggers nearby (stored in the car, for example), and the data is kept both secure and easily compartmentalised. This is obviously useful when the same loggers will eventually be deployed in many different locations – the fundamental point of the ‘lift and shift’ method.
The Permalog+ units and system incorporate several recent technological innovations by Halma Water Management to make them more efficient and easier to use than ever before. The loggers can be pre-programmed, and can automatically record each deployed unit’s serial number and location by GPS tracking. This means that deployment is very quick, and there is no longer a danger of misplacing loggers – or the maps of where they are – which of course means that retrieval is easy too.
The Permalog+ version can also utilise the extended logging functionality of Aqualog. This records noise levels at set intervals over a longer time period of up to 29 days. This allows easy trending analysis and graphical representation of the data, providing for more detailed leak analysis and definite confirmation. User-configured or preset alarm threshold settings can be applied for different pipe types and diameters.
Veolia Water has had excellent results from this operation, finding leaks with great speed and ease, leading to reduced costs from resources. The new GPS mapping technology tracks and makes visible the effort being applied by the one-man teams, and has resulted in a higher deployment rate than previously seen. It also gave the company an audit trail of loggers, ensuring accountability and precise location tracking.
With over 80 loggers per technician per day being deployed and collected, the speed of the activity means that detection time can be reduced when compared to other, more traditional leak-finding technologies and methods. A recent Veolia project that involved targeting 15 DMAs, covering some 28,000 properties, took only 32 days to sweep, and 96 leaks were detected. Because time lost is water lost, the speed of the search and therefore the swiftness of the response is key to minimising waste and reducing Non-Revenue Water levels. Certainly, given the right application, noise loggers in the ‘Lift and Shift’ mode provide an excellent return on the investments of both time and funds. The fact that the Permalog+ system is very accurate in terms of both location and detection, as well as sensitive enough to find even ‘hidden’ leaks, makes it a powerful and effective tool in the ever more important fight against water loss.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:11:15 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Safeguarding against static electricity in flammable or combustible atmospheres</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/safeguarding-against-the/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Any person responsible for the safety of employees, colleagues, plant equipment and plant property, needs to determine if their manufacturing or handling processes have the potential to discharge static sparks into flammable or combustible atmospheres.
Electrostatics is a detailed subject area that, for most of us, appears to be a black art accessible only to academics and experienced process safety consultants. Because static ignition hazards occur at the “nuclear level”, it is naturally difficult to visualise how, and why, static electricity is a hazard in industries where flammable and combustible products are regularly processed. There are so many variables that have a role to play in electrostatics, it is almost impossible to predict the net effects of these parameters, in a hazardous prevention context, without feeling the need to conduct controlled tests to determine if a specific process could produce incendive electrostatic discharges. 
If you consider that a walking a cross a carpet can generate up to 35,000 volts (35 KV) on a person wearing insulating footwear, it is easy to see how normal, everyday processes can generate potentials well in excess of 10,000 volts (10 KV). For a small object like a bucket, which has a typical capacitance of 20 pico-farads, the total energy available for discharge at 10 KV is 1mJ. This is higher than most flammable vapour minimum ignition energies (MIE’s). Scaling up, the MIE available on a human, at 10 KV, would be 10mJ. In powder conveying operations voltages of the order of 1000 KV can easily be generated on parts of the conveying system. Road tankers undergoing loading can reach MIE levels of 2250 mJ.
Complicating matters further, ignitable electrostatic discharges can occur in many forms ranging from spark discharges, propagating brush discharges, bulking brush discharges, to corona discharges. The effort required to assess, determine and combine these variables into a cohesive audit of a potential hazard is, by no means, easy.
Standards for static grounding control: Fortunately, there are several internationally recognised standards that provide guidance on ways to limit electrostatic hazards enabling those of us responsible for worker health and safety minimise the risk of incendive static discharges. Hazardous area operators who can demonstrate compliance with these standards will go a long way to providing a safe working environment and preventing the ignition of ignitable atmospheres. The most comprehensive standards are:
NFPA 77: Recommended Practice on Static Electricity (2007).Cenelec CLC/TR 50404: Code of practice for the avoidance of hazards due to static electricity (2003).American Petroleum Institute API RP 2003: Protection against Ignitions Arising out of Static, Lightning and Stray Currents (2008).API RP 2219: Safe Operation of Vacuum Trucks in Petroleum Service (2005).
The standards, particularly NFPA 77 and CLC/TR: 50404, describe a range of processes where static charges can be generated including flow in pipes and hoses; loading &amp; unloading of road tankers; railcar loading &amp; unloading; filling and dispensing portable tanks, drums and containers; storage tank filling and cleaning; mixing, blending and agitation operations; the conveying of powders and other operations. The API RP 2003 standard focuses on road tanker (tank-truck) loading and railcar filling operations, storage tank filling and general operations involving petroleum products. API 2219 provides detailed guidance on protecting vacuum trucks from electrostatic hazards.
The standards outline what factors can be identified and controlled to limit electrostatic hazards and these controls typically depend on: 
•Preventing the accumulation of static charges on material, people and equipment. 
•Finding ways to limit the generation of static charges. 
Controlling the generation of static charges is linked to finding ways of minimising the relative velocity of materials, be that flow velocities of liquids in a pipe or the RPM of a mixing process. Still, even lower velocities can separate enough charges to set up the right conditions for an electrostatic discharge. NFPA 77 (5.1.10) states that the transfer of just one electron in 500,000 atoms is required to generate voltages with enough energy to ignite flammable atmospheres. 
Effective grounding and bonding is presented in the standards as the primary means of protection from electrostatic hazards and is the most straight forward, secure and cost-effective means of ensuring static hazards are managed and controlled correctly. Eliminating the accumulation of static charges will eliminate the static hazard.
Where the rate of charge generation exceeds rate of charge dissipation =&gt; Charge Accumulation =&gt; Static Hazard 
Grounding and Bonding - what are the key benchmarks?The ground (earth) has an infinite capacity to absorb charges and “grounding” (earthing) is the act of connecting a body to an electrode (or other buried structure) that has a verified contact resistance to the ground. Grounding provides a path for static charges to rapidly flow to ground, reducing the voltage of the object to zero and thereby eliminating the presence of an ignition source. 
The general acceptable maximum resistance to ground is 25 ohms in the U.S and 10 ohms across Europe. “Bonding” connects objects so that they are at the same electrical potential preventing discharges when they are positioned in close proximity to each other. If bonding is carried out, it is preferable to ensure that one of the bonded objects is connected to ground, thereby ensuring all parts of the bonded system are at zero electrical potential. 
Given that grounding is the primary source of static hazard prevention it is important to understand what parameters can be indentified as providing a satisfactory level of protection. The key to static hazard protection is ensuring that the path between the charged object and the static ground is of a sufficient quality to dissipate the static charges safely and rapidly to ground. 
The majority of plant equipment at risk of static charge accumulation is made of metal. Metals are excellent conductors and the natural resistive properties of metals ranging from copper through to steel means that electrical resistance to the transfer of charges from the body is low, provided that the body has good contact with ground. If the metal body is not grounded, this positive characteristic can quickly become a negative as isolated metal conductors are the primary source of static spark ignition hazards.
To illustrate, a 50 m length (164 feet) of 2 mm diameter steel cable, in good condition, should have an overall resistance approximating to 7.2 ohms over its entire length.
The maximum value of resistance present in metal circuits, which includes the body at risk of static charge accumulation, should be equal to or less than 10 ohms and is the benchmark value of resistance recommended by all four standards. If a resistance of 10 ohms or more is detected then there is a likelihood that the grounding cable has been compromised and should be checked for corrosion or breakages.
Therefore it is important to ensure that the static dissipative path, the path that channels the charging current to ground, is 10 ohms or less, and stays that way for the duration of the process.
Audit your processes:Figure 6.1.2 in NFPA 77 provides a decision tree flow chart which helps define a simple and effective way to establish whether or not objects or products should be grounded. It shows that the first step is to determine if there “is the potential to create an ignitable mixture”. If there is a potential for this to occur the next step states “bond and ground all conductive equipment”. There are further steps that query whether or not “electrostatic energy” can be generated and accumulate. 
As stated earlier, the process of determining these factors can be time consuming and require the expertise of process safety consultants. Very often, it is more cost-effective to ground the object, particularly if it is made of conductive metal, when it is known that materials with different properties come into contact with each other (leads to the separation of charges). In order to provide a basic audit of processes NFPA 77 lists the following scenarios where charge can be generated:
Does process include?• Flow of material?• Agitation or atomization?• Powders or solids?• Interaction with personnel?• Filtration?• Settling?• Bubbles rising?
If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes”, the next question to be asked is, can charge accumulate?
Does process include?• Insulated equipment?• Insulating materials?• Isolated conductive equipment?• Interaction with personnel?• Nonconductive liquids?• Mists or clouds?
When the answer to these questions is “Yes”, it states that the potential MIE should be calculated to determine if it exceeds the MIE of the atmosphere present. This will probably be the hardest thing to calculate so the best advice is to ground the equipment as there may not be an opportunity to modify the material being processed or the equipment, through which it is pumped, conveyed or handled.
What the standards say:
Road tankers (Tank Trucks):NFPA 77, CLC TR: 50404 and API RP 2003 recommend that the first procedure in road tanker material transfer operations is to ground the tanker prior to any other operation being carried out by the driver. Interlocking static grounding systems, with ground status indicators, should also be specified so that if the road tanker is not protected from static discharges due to incorrect grounding, the system will not permit the flow of product thereby eliminating the generation of electrostatic charges. The static grounding system should monitor the resistance in the grounding circuit ensuring it does not rise above 10 ohms. CLC TR: 50404 specifies 10 ohms or 100 ohms as being suitable for convenience in monitoring, however 10 ohms would be the established standard for large companies with a good track record in static control safety.
Railcars (Tank cars):API RP 2003 and NFPA 77 identify parts of the railcar that could become isolated from the railway tracks. Non-conductive wear pads and bearings can be located between the container and the chassis and it is recommended that the container is grounded prior to, and during, the material transfer process. This will prevent the accumulation of static charges on the container and eliminate the risk of discharges from the container to the fill pipe, and discharges to people or other grounded bodies. 
Vacuum Trucks:API 2219 provides guidance on the protection of vacuum trucks when they are used to suck up flammable or combustible products. Examples include waste collection during storage tank cleaning operations and the suction of combustible powders from dust collection chambers. Of the many recommendations outlined in API 2219, the most relevant instruction is to fully ground the truck by connecting it to “a designated, proven ground source”, before commencing with transfer operations. The “ground source” describes an object with a low resistance connection to ground (ground). The standard also states the importance of confirming that the connection resistance between the truck and the designated grounding point is less than 10 ohms and that this resistance should be verified with the use of an ohmmeter (or some other type of measurement device). 
Portable containers:When portable metal containers like IBCs and drums are being filled or dispensed from the advice in all standards is to ground and bond all of the filling system and the receiving vessels. 
There is some guidance in the standards regarding the use of plastic lined containers. NFPA 77 states that a metal container, with a plastic of lining of 2mm, or less, can be treated as a metal drum. CLC TR: 50404 contains a table with the maximum recommended lining thicknesses and emphasises the importance of ensuring that their interaction with conductive objects does not promote high energy propagating brush discharges. In general, filling insulating plastic containers is not recommended, particularly if the liquid or powder is highly resistive. If a conductive liquid is being processed it may be possible to dissipate charges using a conductive dip tube, however, the use of dip tubes carry extra precautionary measures.
People:As highlighted earlier, people, through regular movement, can generate large potential differences on their bodies and the accumulation of static charges should be minimised so that operators do not discharge sparks in the presence of ignitable atmospheres. The advice in the standards is to ensure hazardous area floors are conductive and that operator’s working in these areas should be wearing static dissipative shoes to prevent charge accumulation on their body. 
FIBCs:CLC TR: 50404 provides the clearest guidance in respect of resistance values that should be maintained when filling or discharging from FIBC Type C bags. NFPA 77 states that the bag should be grounded but does not specify a maximum resistance value.&nbsp; 
Type D bags are designed to dissipate charges from bags through “low energy” corona discharges. The potential drawback, however, is that the bag could induce charges on surrounding conductive objects. 
Summary:Identifying electrostatic hazards can be a daunting prospect for those of us responsible for ensuring our colleagues, employees, equipment and property are fully protected from electrostatic ignition hazards. There are many factors that can contribute to the presence of a static hazard but if the examples of grounding and bonding protection outlined above can be followed, the majority of processes at risk of static discharge will be controlled and accounted for. 
When an audit of a process or procedure has identified an electrostatic ignition hazard, it is important to specify grounding and bonding systems that can demonstrate compliance with the standards. Where possible, static grounding instruments that can demonstrate resistance levels recommended by the standards will ensure companies are protected from this ever-present and hazardous source of ignition.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:11:15 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Decentralized energy supply for sugar manufacturer</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/decentralized-energy-supply/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Gas gensets for decentralized energy supply are deployed in the natural gas, biogas, landfill gas, sewage gas, mine gas, and other special gas segments. The project of CSM Suiker in the Netherlands is an unusual reference for such a container plant. 
CSM Suiker, which is situated near Groningen, is one of the Netherlands’ largest sugar manufacturers and is specialized in the development of sugar-based products for the domestic market. For the production site, a CHP container with a TCG 2020 V16 from MWM was installed along with a 400V low-voltage generator. The container is used for parallel operation and isolated operation with zero-input control. Apart from the gas genset and the container, the product scope comprises a TEM control, an exhaust gas heat exchanger and sound absorber, a steam generator (980 kg/h steam / 180°C), the switchgear (HAS/GLF), and a dual gas train. What is special about this container system is its ability to switch between natural gas and biogas while the engine is down, while maintaining the same electrical output of 1,560kW.
The TEM system effectively controls not only the engine, but also the entire plant including the heat from cogeneration. Temperature monitoring for each cylinder and anti-knock control ensure optimum fuel utilization and maximum power output even if the gas composition should fluctuate.
For the operator, one of the most important aspects was that all components are tuned to each other in the best way possible and are perfectly aligned with the special requirements of this application. With standardized dimensions of 3x3x11-12 m (WxHxL) for the MWM container including the genset, peripherals, and switchgear, the entire unit is not only extremely maintenance-friendly, but also ensures easy transportation and quick setup on site. 
Furthermore, the container is heat and sound-insulated, and the slim, smooth wall design enables maximum utilization of the interior space. The comprehensive offer of the MWM container comprises a time-saving maintenance concept, low-maintenance design, long maintenance intervals, and a global service and logistics network. The satisfied operator has already placed another order with MWM.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:37:25 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Helium treatment plant for critical leak-testing</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/helium-treatment-plant/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Helium is used for leak-testing critical and safety-relevant components. At the air conditioning and heat pump manufacturer Daikin an integrated helium treatment plant improves the efficiency of this complex procedure.
Depending on the type of application, various methods can be used to detect leaks that have been caused e.g. by material defects, improper processing or assembly – from simple water dip tests via differential pressure testing to leak tests with various test gases. Helium is a commonly used inert gas, as it offers a multitude of advantages. It exists only to a low extent in ambient air and can be evidenced easily. Helium is also non-toxic and odourless and does not react with other materials. It’s most important feature however is the small atomic radius that allows quick tests and detecting even the smallest leaks.
These features are also used by Daikin. Since its establishment more than 80 years ago, the Japanese company has become one of the world’s leading suppliers of advanced air conditioning technology. The company’s European business operations are managed from Ostend in Belgium since 1973. Likewise, one of the company’s largest production site for cooling and heating units is located in Ostend. 
Leak tests have always been a key aspect of the Belgian production site’s quality assurance.The operation of air conditioning equipment involves the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases that can have a significantly higher impact on the climate than CO2 when escaping into the atmosphere. The systems manufactured by Daikin are therefore subject to particularly demanding leak tightness requirements; a.o. required by law.
All units are controlled through a test gas procedure in the context of a comprehensive test in order to avoid any and all leaks. “Each test sample is subject to the test gas. In case of an undesired gas leakage the component is considered to be defective”, Davy Van Rossem, Daikin Europe N.V., explains the test process principle. What sounds simple, can only be put into practise with highly-sensitive test technology. The test body is led into a test chamber for testing and connected to a test gas pipe. The actual leak check is performed by a leak testing unit which registers escaping gas molecules up to the ppm (parts per million) size range. During this local test procedure, an employee moves the test probe along the test unit in order to detect and localise eventual leaks.
R22 (difluorochloromethane) was previously used as test gas. Meanwhile, this coolant gas has been banned across Europe due to its environmental impact. Daikin has replaced R22 with helium. In order to control the costs due to the extremely expensive inert gas the test method has been enhanced by a helium recovering unit: The precious gas is recovered nearly completely and reused. The gas experts of Witten-based WITT-Gasetechnik provide the technological core of this plant.
Christian Schmitz, Product Manager at WITT, explains the new process: “The test plant with integrated helium recovery/treatment now features a closed-loop operation. WITT gas mixers help to generate a mixture consisting of 20% helium and 80% nitrogen, which is densified by compressors and led with a pressure of up to 42 bar into the component to be tested. Subsequently to the test, the used gas is captured, cleaned and led into a balloon with a capacity of up to 40m³, which serves as a buffer storage. We then use our analysis system to measure the remaining helium content in the balloon and add helium as required. Once the optimal mixture has been re-established, the gas is fed back into the test circuit – fully automatically.”
The mixing ratio must remain constant during all phases of the test procedure in order to make a final assessment concerning eventual leaks. State-of-the-art sensor systems are used to ensure that this requirement is met. The helium percentage is determined by using a measuring cell operating according to the thermal conductivity principle. A paramagnetic measuring cell is used for the oxygen analysis.
The process accuracy and the interaction of the components are the main technological challenges. For the Daikin project, WITT has combined its proven individual solutions for analysing, mixing and dosing gases in a complex overall solution that features high precision and reliability and represents state-of-the-art technology.
A total of 19 test lines for various device sizes have been integrated into the test plant. Around 100m³ of gas per hour pass through the system circuit. Nearly 2000 units are leak-tested daily and delivered by the Daikin Europe N.V. site in Belgium. Each unit is tested twice which means about 4000 tests a day.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:52:54 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Solidification and granulation of melts with steel belt coolers</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/solidification-and-granulation-of-melts/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Rare are those industries that don’t make use granulated products at some stage, be they food additives or emulsifiers, speciality resins or waxes, or other melts that have been solidified for ease of handling or dosing.
Seventy five years ago this year, Sandvik launched the world’s first steel belt cooler, designed for the solidification of resin/wax products and sulphur mixtures.
Since then, many thousands of steel belts have been produced for cooling and solidification applications involving a genuine A to Z of products: from antioxidants, bitumen and calcium chloride all the way to zinc stearate. They deliver high capacity sulphur granulation at oil refineries around the world; they are used for foodstuffs as diverse as chocolate and chewing gum base; and they provide reliable service in aggressive environments such as fertilizer plants.
So what is it about the stainless steel belt that makes it so well suited to these and dozens of other solidification applications? In order to understand this, we need to look at the cooling/solidification process that is at the heart of all these systems.
The basic principle of every Sandvik steel belt-based cooling system is the same, irrespective of the feed method or additional up- or downstream equipment supplied. A molten product is delivered onto a continuously running steel belt. As the belt travels along the process line, cold water is sprayed against its underside and the heat of the melt product is transferred, via the steel belt, to the water. The product remains untouched and the cooling water is simply collected in tanks, recooled and recirculated. The rapid but controlled transfer of heat results in solidification of the product, which is then discharged at the end of the line.
The use of stainless steel as a belt material, with its inherently hard, flat and smooth surface, also ensures clean discharge of the end product and easy cleaning. Other qualities include strength and flexibility, good resistance to extremes of temperature and the ability to handle abrasive or corrosive materials. Taking an indirect approach to solidification also has the environmental benefit of eliminating any possibility of cross contamination between process product and cooling media.
Single belt cooling in flake formThis core technology provides the foundation on which a whole range of melt granulation systems are built. The most widely used is the single belt cooler, which can be tailored to particular process requirements. The technology that determines the form of the end product is the feeding device and several options are available to handle products with viscosities from 1 to 100,000 mPas. 
One example is the flaking process, an economical solution for high capacity production of bulk materials. The melt is applied to the steel belt (retaining strips of Neoprene or rubber prevent the product from spilling over the edges of the steel belt) and solidifies in an even layer. At the discharge end, a crusher breaks the solid product layer into small irregular flakes. 
Double belt solutions An alternative method of granulation in the form of flakes is the double belt system, which offers increased efficiency through the addition of an upper belt. This, like the lower belt, is cooled by means of chilled water but in this instance it’s removed for re-chilling by suction pump rather than gravity.
The double belt system is ideally suited to high capacity operations or installations where floor space is limited. It can be used to solidify difficult products, including certain types of resin that are prone to curling away from a single steel belt. And it can also handle thicker products, achieving a uniform temperature through the whole section.
Rotoform pastillationWhile providing a simple and economical solution, flakes are not necessarily an ideal form for bulk handling or high density storage. For applications where these factors are important, Sandvik’s Rotoform process has proved an effective solution for almost 30 years.
In this system, the liquid product is fed to a heated cylindrical stator around which turns a perforated shell, synchronised to the speed of the belt. This set up delivers the product onto the belt in the form of droplets. As with the flaking system, the heat released during solidification is transferred by the stainless steel belt to the cooling water sprayed underneath; the solidified pastilles are then discharged at the end of the process line and transported away for weighing/bagging or bulk storage.
Solidification in this form offers a number of important benefits both to the processor and to those who subsequently reuse the product. Its uniformity of shape and size (determined by the diameter of the holes in the rotating shell and hence adjustable by simply switching shells) makes it free-flowing for easy handling, while its high bulk density is a major advantage in terms of storage and transportation.
Environmentally-friendly processingOne area in which ease of handling is an extremely important factor is the sulphur now extracted in huge volumes as part of the modern oil and gas refining process. In its liquid form, sulphur is expensive both to store and to transport so it has to be solidified and the Rotoform process – including a recently developed high capacity model – has become the system of choice at many refineries.
Alongside the quality of end product, determined to be ‘Premium’ by the industry standard SUDIC (Sulphur Development Institute of Canada) test, another major reason for the success of the Rotoform process in this particular field are its environmental advantages. 
As well as the complete lack of contact between product and water already covered, the short residence time on the cooling belt means that very little vapour or gas can get into the atmosphere and emissions are well within the limits of international laws. And the low friability of this product form means it’s virtually dust free, enabling safe outdoor storage and transportation.
Specialist systems for different granulation applicationsWhile the basic principle of the Rotoform process has remained unchanged since it was introduced in the early 1980s, developments driven by the needs of different industries and process requirements have seen the creation of an entire family of systems.
This includes models capable of handling melts that need to be fed at temperatures of up to 320ºC; systems for handling abrasive, sedimenting and corrosive products and a ‘high hygiene’ version with the easy-to-clean properties required by the food industry. 
The same basic technology can also be used to overcome the challenge of so-called subcooling melts, products such as certain agrochemicals, stabilizers and plastic additives which lack the nuclei necessary for crystallisation and solidification, remaining liquid even when cooled down to below their melting point.
Such is the versatility of steel belt-based granulation, particularly pastillation, that new applications continue to be developed all the time, a recent example being the pastillation of fertilizer urea, a breakthrough that is proving to be anything from 30% to 60% less costly in initial investment terms than existing systems on the market.
For 75 years now, the steel belt has formed the basis on which thousands of cooling and solidification systems have been built, and it is a technology that shows no signs of ageing.
Written by: Ulrich Nanz, Sales Manager of Sandvik Process Systems]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:19:06 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Modular automation system for zone 1 blending system</title>
            <link>http://www.pcne.eu/content/applications/pcn/modular-automation-system/index.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The ex-proof AirLINE Ex 8650 modular electrical and pneumatic automation system from Bürkert, working in conjunction with modules from the intrinsically safe Siemens SIMATIC ET 200iSPTM system, has provided the solution in a recent North Sea project for Jiskoot an internationally recognised manufacturer and supplier of Zone 1 control, sampling and blending systems to the oil and gas industry.Jiskoot, part of Cameron’s Measurement Systems Division, has over 30 years experience in the design, manufacture and supply of customised turnkey sampling systems to the global oil and gas sector. The company’s success in the sector is evidenced by the fact that over 60% of the world's crude oil is either valued on the basis of, or handled by, Jiskoot equipment.In one of Jiskoot’s recent projects, the company required an electro-pneumatic actuation system for a sophisticated and compact gas sampling system that it was manufacturing. The skid was destined for use in the North Sea, controlling 3 gas samplers in a highly automated system for use on offshore oil rig. Maintainability and space were premium requirements.
The control solution for the skid needed to be able to interface and communicate with a PROFIBUS DP network, and be suitable for use within an ATEX Zone 1 Area. This zoning requirement meant that Jiskoot required a single supplier to provide the control solution - as an integrated system in a stainless steel control panel - which would then be certified for use in the hazardous area.The requirement for single source responsibility was also important due to the location of the oil platform, in a remote area of the North Sea. This placed a premium on equipment conformity and reliability, as getting spares and/or personnel to site could be difficult, depending upon the prevailing weather conditions.Until recently, Jiskoot’s requirement for a control cabinet that combined electrical and pneumatic devices for use in Zone 1/21 could not have been satisfied. This was due to the risk of corrosion of electrical parts, which could subsequently cause an explosion. However, Burkert’s development of its AirLINE Ex 8650 system meant that a new solution was available to Jiskoot. The AirLINE Ex 8650 system delivers substantial reductions in cabinet space, wiring, documentation and validation by combining EExia solenoid valves with modules from the intrinsically safe SIMATIC ET 200iSPTM system, and Fieldbus communications, providing users with a complete ATEX certified unit for use in zone 1/21.The EX 8650-based solution allowed Jiskoot to collect all of the control signals generated on the sampling skid into one place within the hazardous area, and then seamlessly communicate this information back to a Siemens S7 315 PLC located in a safe area. The use of a pneumatic manifold with integrated Siemens I/O reduced the amount of wiring required and tubing on the skid; and because the PLC and remote I/O were from the same manufacturer, this ensured that there were no communication problems between the hazardous location panel and main control centre.The system is housed in a stainless steel control panel with the ET200iSP distributed I/O system consisting of 17 off 3/2 solenoid pilot valves, 32 -off channels of digital input (from proximity switches) and 11- off channels of 4:20mA HART input for 2-wire transmitters.The control panel collects the digital signals generated from position feedback switches on process valves, analogue input control signals generated by external pressure transmitters, temperature transmitter signals, position transmitters located on the sample collection cylinders to provide performance feedback and alarming and for the valve position confirmation, as well as sending pneumatic signals to the 17 process valves located on the skid. These signals are then fed back to a Siemens S7 315 PLC provided by Jiskoot’s client, which is sited in a safe area and acts as the Profibus DP system master. The S7 315 communicates with the ET200iSP module on the front end of the 8650 Valve + I/O assembly and also the Stahl ET316 Touch screen located in the door of the Jiskoot panel located in the door of the Jiskoot panel.“We are delighted that such as prestigious project has allowed us to demonstrate the benefits that our integrated AirLINE EX 8560 system can provide in harsh, hazardous offshore applications, the integration provided a more dependable, maintainable and compact design that saved considerably on labour during design and building of this system” said Tony Brennan of Burkert UK. “In many applications offshore, customers go for traditional solutions, but we have demonstrated with this application, the real cost saving advantages of adopting new technologies that are fit for purpose.”Burkert’s AirLINE Ex 8650 unit is fully Ex certified, it can, therefore, be used in explosion-hazard areas with gas or dust atmospheres. The system is particularly suited to decentralised process control tasks concerning fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and oil and gas; and it can be employed anywhere where solvents, alcohol or lacquers are utilised. It can even be installed for direct factory automation: e.g. for the automatic filling of solvents, alcohol or lacquers. In these application areas, the new system is unique, as it is the only compact electro-pneumatic automation solution allowing integration of EExia pneumatic valves without additional wiring.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:00:57 +0100</pubDate>
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