Process Industry Informer July 2017

www.processindustryinformer.com

JULY 2017 Volume 13 No.4

THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

POWERING VENTILATION QUALITY page 27

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

CONTENTS

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

FEATURED ARTICLES

PRODUCT SECTIONS 4 News & Events

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN DURKAN

5-6 Applications

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7 Process Control 12-13 Health & Safety

PROCESS OPTIMIZATION: BIG DATA SHINES LIGHT ON CONTROLLER PERFORMANCE

LEARN THE SYSTEM: UNDERSTANDING HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEMS SAVES TIME & MONEY

15 Heat Transfer & Energy 17-19 Fluids & Liquids (incl. Pumps & Valves) 22 Process Measurement &

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FOOD INDUSTRY PUMPS ARE NOT JUST FOR LIQUIDS

23 Test & Measurement 29 Testing & Analysers

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31 Maintenance

31 Weighing

27

Directory

A WATER POLLUTION WAKE UP CALL

EDITOR Phil Black: philblack@piimag.com PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING MANAGER Peter Ullmann: peterullmann@piimag.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Guy Ullmann: guyullmann@piimag.com SUPPLEMENTS MANAGER David Harling: davidharling@piimag.com OFFICE MANAGER Diane Ullmann: dianeullmann@piimag.com ART DIRECTION Talita Soncini talita@piimag.com

30 Printed By Bishops Printers Ltd Advertisement & Editorial Offices Process Industry Informer, Passfield Business Centre, Lynchborough Road, Passfield, Liphook, Hants, GU30 7SB Tel: 01428 751188 Fax: 01428 751199 Email: info@piimag.com Web: www.piimag.com Subscriptions UK £25 | EIRE £35 Overseas prices on application © Process Industry Informer

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TACKLING ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE

33 SHAPA 49 Products & Suppliers

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INDUSTRIAL DIGITISATION, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES & THE BENEFITS OF PROCESS DEMONSTRATORS UNIAXIAL POWDER TESTING EVOLVES

31 Storage Tanks 31 All Weather Doors

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MANAGING PROCESS EQUIPMENT DESIGNS & MARKET TRENDS WITH CAD

Instrumentation 26 Drives & Controls

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BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

All product announcements published in Process Industry Informer are paid for. All copy submitted for publication in Process Industry Informer must be legal and must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice and is accepted for publication, or not, at the publishers’ absolute discretion. When deemed necessary all copy may be edited and classified at the publishers’ discretion. All material contained in Process Industry Informer is published in good faith, but it is emphasised that the publishers do not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any advertisement or message published (nor is any kind of warranty expressed or implied by such publication) and that the publishers specifically disclaim all and any liability to advertisers, readers and user of any kind for loss or damage of any nature

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Copy supplied over length will be cut to the amount paid for. Units and abbreviations will be standardised in accordance with house style.

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NEWS & EVENTS ABB NAMED MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR AT MOTION CONTROL INDUSTRY AWARDS ABB has won Manufacturer of the Year at the Motion Control Industry (MCI) awards.

The award recognises ABB’s commitment to developing variable speed drive and electric motor technologies and services that save energy, improve productivity and reduce plant downtime across all motor-driven applications in all industries.

ABB is at the forefront of technologies like the synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) - a motor design that operates with a VSD and uses a cageless rotor to reduce losses by up to 40 percent, is significantly quieter than traditional motor technology, yet has a similar price point. Another innovation is the ABB Ability Smart Sensor for low voltage motors which offers a low cost way to monitor the condition of most low voltage motors.

The award win is the second in as many months for ABB, which recently won Supplier of the Year at the Pump Industry Awards.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire, Tel: 01925 741517 E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com | Web: www.abb.co.uk

NEW FOOD EXTRUSION COURSE IN EUROPE

NEW CASTELL MD WANTS TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF CHANGE

Australia and Switzerland may not have much in common – but the physics of extrusion is the sameacross Europe as “down under”.

Australian company FoodStream, working with extrusion expert Dennis Forte, has been presenting extrusion and related training programs in the Australian region for 20 years. Annual courses in Aquafeed Extrusion (and recently Petfood Extrusion) have been presented in Norway since 2015, with excellent feedback from participants.

FoodStream is working with Hes-So in Switzerland to provide a Food Extrusion short course from 27 to 29 September.

Course organiser and co-presenter Gordon Young commented “Accessing the excellent pilot plant facility at Hes-So for a demonstration is a major advantage.”

The 3-day program covers the principles of extrusion, the design of extrusion processes, and how the formulation interacts with the process. A link to this course is available from www.fie.com. au/events.

The course presenters have also published two text books “Food & Feed Extrusion Technology: An Applied Approach to Extrusion Theory” and a specialised text “The Design of Food Extrusion Dies”.

These books are available separately from www.fie.com.au/ books, or from major booksellers.

Neil Webster plans investment to fuel growth and NPD New Castell managing director Neil Webster wants the company to capitalise on its standing in the industrial safety sector by injecting a sense of urgency into how it operates.

“Castell has huge credibility as a brand,” said Neil. “It’s time we took that authority and upped the pace in everything we do: how we communicate with customers, how we develop new products and how we increase our global footprint.

We’ve got a significant investment plan for the business which will fuel our growth, whether that’s systems-led or directed into NPD. We want to maintain and increase our reputation as the go-to partner for our customers, both for knowledge and solutions.”

Neil joins Castell from TALIS Group, a manufacturer of valves for the water industry. He brings extensive experience of the automation, process control, hazardous area and lighting industries.

For more information contact Neil Webster, Castell Safety International Ltd, 217 Kingsbury Road, London Tel: +44 (0)20 8200 1200 E-mail: pr@castell.com | Web: www.castell.com

SINOPEC & LINDE SIGN €145 MILLION JOINT VENTURE TO STRENGTHEN AIR GASES SUPPLY IN CHINA

· The agreement is the sixth consecutive joint venture in the long-term partnership. · These three additional air separation plants will double Linde’s production capacity of air gases in the Ningbo cluster and will be connected to its existing pipeline supply network across Ningbo.

SINOPEC, the biggest integrated refining and chemical company in China, and The Linde Group, a world-leading industrial gases and engineering company, today announced that they have established a EUR 145 million joint venture to supply vital industrial gases to local customers from key industries such as petrochemical, steel and electronics, within the Ningbo Chemical Industrial Zone in China’s Zhejiang province.

SINOPEC Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company (ZRCC) and Linde will each hold a 50% stake in the newly formed Ningbo Linde-ZRCC Gases Company Ltd (Linde-ZRCC), the sixth consecutive joint venture between the companies..

Sanjiv Lamba, Member of the Executive Board, Linde AG and Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific, said, “Linde is excited about the growth opportunities in China and further strengthening of our partnership with SINOPEC. Today’s Linde-ZRCC agreement underscores not only the trusted long-term partnership Linde has with SINOPEC, but also highlights the advantage of world-class technology and operating expertise that Linde brings to our customers.

Linde remains fully committed to supporting our customers in China in their growth aspiration. This year alone, we have signed multiple projects for major investments across China, which represents a significant part of Linde’s strategy for growth in Asia.”

For more information, see The Linde Group online at www.linde.com

HIMA APPOINTS STEFAN BASENACH AS HEAD OF THE NEW PROCESS BUSINESS UNIT HIMA Paul Hildebrandt has appointed Stefan Basenach as head of the new Process business unit, effective from 1 May 2017. With the creation of a separate business unit for the process industry, safety expert HIMA aims to focus their business strategy on stronger global growth and closer customer contact. An international project team will facilitate access to new markets and intensify cooperation with new and existing customers.

Stefan Basenach studied Engineering Cybernetics at the University of Stuttgart. After receiving his engineering degree, he worked at the Swiss automation corporation ABB for 24 years. He started there as an engineer for power plant control systems and subsequently worked in various local and global management positions. His last position at ABB was EPC Business Manager, with responsibility for substations in the EMEA region. “I am pleased to help HIMA in advancing its role as a leading independent manufacturer of smart safety solutions in the process industry. With a strong and enthusiastic team, we intend to maintain our global growth course”, says Basenach.

The newly created position bundles worldwide responsibility for one of HIMA’s most important business areas with a single point of contact. Stefan Basenach reports directly to Sankar Ramakrishnan, CEO of the HIMA Group who says ‘.Stefan will play a decisive role in the development of our company and the expansion of our activities in the process industry.”

For more information about HIMA please visit: www.hima.com 04

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

APPLICATIONS BABCOCK WANSON THERMAL FLUID HEATER FORMS PART OF EXHAUST AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEM A Babcock Wanson TPC 200B Thermal Fluid Heater has been installed at Bridgnorth Aluminium Ltd as a key component in its exhaust air purification system. Bridgnorth Aluminium Ltd is the UK’s only manufacturer of lithographic aluminium strip with a purpose built, state of the art rolling mill and stretch levelling line in its Shropshire site. The company is focussed on maintaining a clean alloy system with its high purity aluminium alloy product range, which requires considerable technical knowledge of the process requirements.

As part of a planned expansion, they recently purchased a refurbished rolling mill. As with all rolling mills that use oil as a coolant and lubricant, amounts of oil are emitted in their exhaust. In line with best practice, they have installed an Achenbach AIRPURE® exhaust air purification system to separate and recover hydrocarbons from the mill exhaust – in this case tetracene. Babcock Wanson’s TPC 200B Thermal Fluid system forms an integral part of this process, heating the exhaust air to enable the AIRPURE® system to recover virtually all rolling oil. Babcock Wanson not only supplied the new TPC 200B thermal fluid system, but was also involved in laying out the pipework and connections to the heat exchangers.

Peter Shrimpton, Engineering Projects Manager at Bridgnorth Aluminium Ltd, comments on the TPC 200B Thermal Fluid Heater: “the original manufacturers of the rolling mill equipment recommended that we use a thermal fluid system as part of the exhaust air purification system. We hadn’t used this before and were unfamiliar with Babcock Wanson, but we’ve had no problems with it whatsoever; you simply switch it on and it works – simple as that! The service we have received from Babcock Wanson has also been great.”

For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson on 020 8953 7111 or info@babcock-wanson.co.uk or go to www.babcock-wanson.co.uk

GEA TO INSTALL ITS FIRST CRAFT-STAR™ SKID-MOUNTED BREWING SYSTEM IN THE UK

NON-CONTACTING FLOW MEASUREMENT IN MILWAUKEE DEEP TUNNEL SYSTEM

Düsseldorf (Germany) London Bermondsey-based craft brewer Fourpure Brewing Co. is to install the new GEA CRAFTSTAR™ skid mounted brewing system from GEA as part of a GBP 2 million growth project that will see its production capacity increase by 400 % to 14 million pints (eight million litres) a year.

The GEA brewing technology will reduce the time it takes for Fourpure to brew each batch of beer allowing it to improve quality control while significantly expanding production to meet demand. With the contract signed in the beginning of May 2017 and the equipment being fully installed end of summer, this is GEA’s first reference site for CRAFT-STAR™ in the UK. The Fourpure brewery, headed up by brothers Dan and Tom Lowe, has been a pioneer and innovator in the craft beer sector; last year it invested GBP 1.4 million on a canning and packaging line to can its entire core range of beers. This new project with GEA will allow Fourpure to make the best possible use of its current site while expanding production to meet the future demands of its retail customers. It will also allow the brewery to experiment with new recipes using the GEA equipment, laying the foundations for when the next expansion comes along, which are planned for early 2019. Four-vessel GEA CRAFT-STAR™ allow for seven brews a day. The base frame of the CRAFT-STAR™ holds all related pumps, valves and components as well as the power cabinets. Manual valves are conveniently operated from the front.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Fourpure,” said John Aitken, Head of Beverage/Food and Dairy sales for GEA in the UK. “We spoke to a number of suppliers, however the professionalism of the team and the capabilities of the CRAFTSTAR™ system, ultimately made working with GEA an easy decision,” said Dan Low founder of Fourpure Brewing Co. Fourpure, started in 2013, currently produces an impressive range of beers including their flagship Pils Lager, APA and Session IPA. For more information contact John Aitken, Head of Beverage/Food/Dairy Sales GEA UK. Phone: +44 1925 251908 | E-mail: john.aitken@gea.com

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) serves a population of 1.1 million on the shores of Lake Michigan. Since 1994, MMSD has stored storm water in deep tunnels, preventing more than 100 billion gallons of pollution. Pulsar Process Measurement have supplied Ultra 3 non-contacting ultrasonic measurement devices to monitor flow rates on “approach channels” 70 to 120 feet underground.

Measurement of flow rates within the approach channels is crucial to controlling the overall system. MMSD needed to identify an intrinsically safe instrument that would be very reliable in the field. Flow rates in the channels can be very high so Pulsar’s maintenance-free non-contacting approach offered a perfect solution.

Twelve Pulsar Ultra 3 non-contacting controllers with dB series ultrasonic transducers were purchased in the first phase, all supplied with integral IS barriers. Even deep underground, a significant temperature gradient meant that Pulsar’s in-built temperature compensation features were important.

Pulsar staff and the experienced local rep, Rick Klosner of Berg-Johnson Associates, supported MMSD in software setup and configuration of the Ultra 3 units.

The success of this first phase has led to a further order. MMSD’s principal contractor have reported that they have had zero issues with Pulsar’s equipment and are pleased with its ease-of-use.

For more information contact Pulsar Process Measurement,

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

E-mail: samanthayoung@pulsar-pm.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1684 891 371

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APPLICATIONS THE CASE FOR KEEPING COOL & REDUCING COSTS, WITHOUT TRADITIONAL AIR CONDITIONING A Derbyshire electronics firm is no longer counting the costs of keeping cool, after installing an evaporative cooling system that allows them to keep servicing clients in the face of sweltering temperatures.

Kingfield required cooling to reduce internal temperatures from more than 30°C in the summer (even when the outside temperature was 15 degrees lower). The micro-electronics manufacturer decided to install five Breezair TBS580 Evaporative Coolers and the inside temperature dropped to more comfortable working conditions of 20°C. While the aim was to reduce the heat load within the factory, the management quickly realized that the product’s ability to reach the right level of relative humidity had other very significant impacts on their operations. In fact, higher humidity in the air minimized electrostatic discharge during manufacture, which lessened component failure during assembly.

“We are glad we discovered an efficient cooling system such Breezair, which helped us improve the working conditions inside the plant, reducing running costs at the same time,” said Mr Darren Dooley, Production Manager at Kingfield. “We are keen to grow our business and install more electronic assembly machines: if this happens and we need to install additional coolers, we will be sure to opt for Breezair.”

Evaporative cooling is fast becoming the most efficient option when cooling large areas. Air conditioning is not such a viable option, because in warehouses or industrial plants, the capital and running costs would be extremely prohibitive. Mr Sam Peli, General Manager Sales Europe, Africa and Middle East of Seeley International, the manufacturer of Breezair, explains: “Most industries with high heat loads, such as printing, ceramics, glass, rubber or electronics, have no cooling system installed, and this impacts on the workers’ morale, productivity, and health.

For more information about Seeley International and its products contact Seeley International: Tel: +39 0575 97189 | E-mail: cpiattelli@seeleyinternational.com | Web: www.seeleyinternational.com

QUORN DELIVER HEALTHY CARBON CKF SYSTEMS LEADS THE WAY IN THE DESIGN AND SAVINGS THANKS TO VEOLIA BUILD OF CENTRAL PALLETISING SYSTEMS

Global resource management company, Veolia, is helping Quorn Foods advance their sustainability goals by delivering energy using combined heat and power, CHP, technology. As the first global brand in their sector to achieve Carbon Trust certification of its carbon footprint figures, Quorn Foods will now be able to guarantee the energy needs of the production facilities and reduce carbon emissions by a further 3,100 tonnes per year.

With the focus on further reducing the carbon footprint, Veolia will design and install a 2MWe CHP unit and combination boiler that will provide low carbon electricity, hot water and steam to the production facility at Stokesley, North Yorkshire. Quorn, part of the Monde Nissin Corporation, is the UK’s number one meat free brand with sales of around £150m, and increasing the energy efficiency is part of a £30m investment to boost production and drive growth.

The CHP will deliver around 13GWh of electricity each year which will take pressure off the local electricity infrastructure and provide stable energy costs that are less susceptible to energy market price changes. Also included in the contract is a 10 year operation and maintenance service, provided by the nationwide service teams and this will guarantee availability on a 24/7 basis.

Commenting on this latest CHP application, Gavin Graveson, Veolia’s COO Public and Commercial said, “By integrating our CHP technology into their plant Quorn are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability, and we look forward to helping them achieve even greater carbon savings. Cogeneration systems make a real difference in delivering the energy needed to maintain modern production facilities, and this will add to over 70MWe of Veolia CHP which annually save over 158,000 tonnes of CO 2 emissions for UK industry “ For more information visit www.veolia.co.uk.

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CKF Systems Ltd, a leading UK provider of Central Palletising Systems operating primarily within the food, pharmaceutical and automotive industries providing automated solutions across almost every aspect of the production cycle with the design, build and installation.

Typical examples of recent systems were with Cadbury in Sheffield, where CKF designed and installed a new palletising system incorporating three robot-palletising cells, each comprised of an ABB IRB660 robot with a vacuum gripper together with a pallet handling system including pallet dispensers and high speed stretch wrappers therby providing Cadbury with fast, flexible palletising capabilities and productivity has vastly improved. CKF was also appointed by one of the world’s most popular snack brands to improve the versatility of its production plant and increase line speeds. The project’s objective was to deliver its current eleven production lines, housed in two separate factories, into a centralised palletising system, capable of handling the full range of pallet types and stacking patterns.“It was a 12 month programme with real complexity and we worked to a very strict timetable and alongside the existing operation to ensure no loss in production,” explains Kevin Staines, Sales Director, CKF Systems Ltd. At the Banbury manufacturing plant of Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products, CKF was commissioned to design, build and install an integrated robotic central palletising solution. The new system provides greater flexibility and reliability, utilises limited floor area, simplifies operational procedures and reduces maintenance costs. “We are delighted by the initial results and the mindset shown by CKF,” explains Barry Callebaut Chief Engineer, Mike Parkins. “CKF understands our business and the very high standards we demand. The new line fits perfectly with the company’s long term capacity-increase model. It’s easy to operate, requires minimal maintenance and reinforces the company’s commitment to improving health and safety. We now have a system that is faster, more robust, requires minimal maintenance and meets all of the business investment expectations. At CKF we are able to take full responsibility of everything from the end of line conveying through to a centralised location including the installation of a full robotic system,” concludes Kevin Staines. “It can include stretch wrapping of pallets, labelling if required, double stacking prior to despatch and the moving of product through to the departure bays. We work across a range of industries where the challenges of central palletising invariably have a high degree of complexity.”

For more information contact via E-mail: Kevin.Staines@ckf.co.uk or Tel: 01452 728753. Alternatively visit www.ckf.co.uk.

AUMA’S CONTINUOUSLY MODULATING DAMPER ACTUATION FOR MAJOR GREEK POWER STATION Nearly two hundred AUMA electric actuators have been supplied to Greece’s largest power station, the 1600MW Agios Dimitrios.

Supplied by AUMA UK via leading specialist manufacturer Damper Technology Limited (DTL), Sipos SEVEN HiMod variable speed actuators for continuously modulating duty are controlling dampers of various configurations that are being installed as part of the refurbishment of four of the giant plant’s flue gas heat recovery systems.

The Sipos SEVEN HiMod meets the EN15714-2 continuous modulation standard with accuracy in positioning of 0.1-0.2% of the total travel so demanding applications requiring high positioning accuracy can be undertaken. The Sipos SEVEN actuator family offers a range of features, that includes variable speed operation and both Profibus and HART communications.

AUMA UK have worked closely with DTL, and also supply both quarter and multi-turn actuators to them for applications all over the world. As Philip Layland, DTL’s sales manager, put it ‘We have a great working relationship with AUMA UK, and we value the fact that, as a worldwide business ourselves, we can count on world-wide support.’

AUMA and DTL recently held a full-day seminar to share an in-depth understanding of the full range of products and services on offer on both sides, including AUMA UK’s ACE (AUMA Certified Engineering) programme, through which in-company technicians can gain the skills to efficiently install and commission AUMA actuators.

For more information contact Auma Actuators Ltd, Clevedon, North Somerset.

Tel: +44 (0) 1275 871141| Email: mail@auma.co.uk Web: www.auma.com PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

PROCESS CONTROL LATEST PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER DRAMATICALLY REDUCES PROCESS PLANT INTEGRATION COSTS ControlEdge™ PLC provides powerful enhancements to integration with Experion® Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) today announced the newest release of its ControlEdge™ Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This release, combined with Honeywell’s Experion® distributed control system (DCS), provides a significant reduction in integration efforts and project costs as well as increased security and availability through enhanced cyber security for industrial facilities.

The PLC is used in a variety of balance of plant applications, such as equipment and device level control. It is part of the ControlEdge next generation family of controllers offering unprecedented, secure connectivity through all levels of process and business operations.

Experion and ControlEdge PLC leverage a common Human Machine Interface (HMI) platform, provide faster field device commissioning, and improve device diagnostics.

Aside from greatly reducing integration costs when combined with Experion, ControlEdge PLC minimizes downtime through unified support, further decreases risk through embedded cyber security, and lowers total cost of ownership through an extended system lifecycle.

The PLC is being offered to end users, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies, particularly those in global refining, oil and gas, power, chemical, water management industries, and infrastructure applications.

ControlEdge PLC provides an IIoT-ready open platform that uses OPC Unified Architecture (UA) as a communication protocol and enables users to better leverage data across their assets.

Honeywell’s IIoT portfolio of technologies is bundled in Honeywell Connected Plant, which combines Honeywell’s unmatched industrial expertise, software and cloud technologies to make customers’ operations more reliable, profitable and secure than ever before possible.

To learn more about Honeywell Connected Plant, go to www.hwll.co/lloT

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

HONEYWELL INTRODUCES REAL-TIME SCADA AS A SECURE AND SCALABLE SERVICE Experion® Elevate provides a cloud-based solution that minimizes hardware, software and maintenance requirements Honeywell (NYSE: HON) Process Solutions (HPS) recently announced the launch of Experion®Elevate, a real-time process supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) solution delivered as a secure and scalable service. Experion Elevate allows for predictable costs, easy upgrades, and continual support. It is a member of Honeywell’s suite of cloud-enabled solutions for operations technology and information technology (OT/IT). HPS made the announcement at its annual Honeywell Users Group symposium.

Today’s industrial organizations seek to leverage operational expenditures (OPEX) over capital expenditures (CAPEX) wherever possible, reducing the concern of purchase, installation, hosting and maintenance of hardware and software on premises. Smallto mid-sized companies may have limited capital, but want long-term use of the SCADA solution as well as flexibility in deployment, service and support and upgrades they may not otherwise pay for.

“By choosing Experion Elevate, process industry companies can take their performance to a new level with visibility of field assets from a central monitoring site and/or mobile locations,” said John Rudolph, vice president and general manager, HPS Projects and Automation Solutions. “They can be sure their SCADA implementation will be robust, reliable and secure because their system is running on ours. Users can depend on Honeywell’s experience and vision for any size solution.”

To learn more about Honeywell’s Experion Elevate, visit www.honeywellprocess.com/ elevate

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FEATURED ARTICLE

An Interview with

John Durkan Sustainability & Environmental Manager ABP Food Group following the BlueTech Forum ABP Food Group, which is headquartered in Ireland, has built up an impressive business strategy across multiple sectors including meat, protein, renewable energy and pet food. Following the BlueTech Forum held in Dublin in early June, sustainability and environmental manager John Durkan explains how cost-efficiency and sustainable practice is at the forefront of business operations.

O

ne of Europe’s largest food processing companies, ABP realised it needed to fully understand the multiple ways water is managed at all its facilities if it was to achieve cost saving through resource efficiency. Water is crucial to ABP’s business and through its Doing More With Less programme, the company aims to reduce water by 50% and energy by 40% by 2020.

“Water is a critical ingredient and resource in our processes,” says John Durkan, sustainability and environmental manager at ABP. “It’s a commodity and it can be very expensive.

We have to pretreat it, soften it, chlorinate it and store it. All of that is cost and it’s important that we identify and understand those costs.

Then we need water at different temperatures - 45 o C, 65 o C and 95 o C - so we need to ensure that we understand the cost of generating that heat in terms of fossil fuel consumption and the impact on CO 2 emissions. So we’ve integrated that carbon dioxide metric and the water metric to come up with the cost of water.

A lot of the water we obtain in Ireland is from aquifers, a groundwater resource. All too often we see difficulties in getting the quantities of water we want, so our 2020 target is about doing more with less.”

SITE CERTIFICATION ABP has used the European Water Stewardship (EWS) scheme to certify and assess each site, looking at groundwater extraction, water monitoring and management, wastewater treatment, reuse and discharge. Its plant in Cahir, Tipperary, was awarded the Gold Standard in 2015 and best practice was rolled out to all nine sites in Ireland, which all achieved the independently verified certification in 2017.

“The EWS signifies to us the need to have a roadmap to develop a good water strategy forour business,” says Durkan. “We are going through a climate change phenomenon in Europe, even in Ireland which has heavy rainfall.

Reducing the burden of water abstraction and wastewater discharge on the environment is critical because water is going to become a resource that is much more difficult to source in the long-term. Back in 2008, when we started looking at 08

technologies for water, the Holy Grail was rainwater harvesting, which is very dependent on one thing – the size of the tank and roof area you use. However, rainfall isn’t consistent and it isn’t clean,” he explains. “You need massive tanks to collect the rainwater and it falls on a roof that’s contaminated.

Instead we looked at treated wastewater coming out of our wastewater treatment facilities, because we have a steady stream coming out on a regular basis, at the time that it’s needed. You have it 12 hours every day during production and five days-a- week all year around.”

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES John Durkan says ABP has spent a lot of time looking at technologies to further improve wastewater quality, including ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO).

“We have a number of sites in Ireland and the UK where we super-treat wastewater to apotable standard and recycle significant quantities of water back into non-processing areas forreuse. We haven’t jumped the whole way back into process areas because there’s still a perception issue.

We have wastewater that’s treated to a very high standard, that is now potable, but there is still the perception that it’s wastewater. You put already-treated wastewater through RO, which polishes it totally, but explaining that to a retailer or consumer is difficult.

It’s only when you come to site to see the wastewater process that you realise how advanced and safe the technology is. To demonstrate the result of our RO water treatment to retailers, we brought them to the plant and offered them a glass of water straight from the RO process.

We have to have very clear and distinct uses for that reused water. Currently we use it to clean the lairage (cattle pens), cattle transport vehicles, to wash down contaminated yards, for use in amenities and in cooling towers.”

CONTINUOUS MONITORING Durkan says monitoring and measuring water consumption at each plant is essential in meeting efficiency targets, with key performance indicators (KPIs) set for every meter. The data is collected centrally and displayed on an internal dashboard.

“We interrogate that data,” he explains. “We have online continuous monitoring so we understand fully where and what is being used and alarm and highlight where it is being used in excess.”

He goes further, “When we talk about reductions in resource consumption there are two mainways to achieve that: there is the continuous improvement way, where you make small incremental changes to improve performance on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Then there are the capital investment programmes which give us a quantum leap forward in terms of water reduction and efficiency. We have invested heavily to change strategy and have developed a design philosophy that will deliver those reductions.”

SUSTAINABILITY ETHOS ABP is constantly on the lookout for technologies that sit within its sustainability ethos. One example is the creation of closed-loop cooking oil recycling, operating from a purpose-built plant in Liverpool as ABP Olleco.

Used cooking oil (UCO) is collected from over 50,000 catering establishments and restaurants.

It is refined by Olleco and used as a raw material for biodiesel manufacture at the Liverpool site.

This biodiesel fuels many distribution vehicles for the very same restaurants and catering establishments. The scale of the operation makes ABP the largest collector of bio-oil in the British Isles.

“We feel it is incumbent on ABP to deliver sustainable growth within the food industry and within the beef industry, Durkan says, “and we will put in place practices that would improve performance and efficiency.

It’s all about management and people, starting with our plants, leading right up to the retailers. It is important to manage all processes and practices and ensure our targets are met and our vision maintained.”

John Durkan took a key role in BlueTech Forum, which takes place in Dublin, Ireland on 6-7 June 2017. He will hosted a roundtable on End-user innovation needs, one of 14 chaired Water Technology Roundtables held at the event. Companies that took part in this session include Anglian Water, Nestle, L’Oreal, MetsaBoard and Microsoft. The US Environmental Protection Agency is also in attendance.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

FEATURED ARTICLE

PROCESS OPTIMIZATION: BIG DATA SHINES LIGHT ON CONTROLLER PERFORMANCE

by Damien Munrow & Peter Thomas A MODEL TECHNOLOGY FOR BIG DATA OPPORTUNITIES An engineer working at a corn milling production plant receives his daily report on specific opportunities to optimise the facility’s regulatory control systems. The facility is one of dozens owned and operated by this world-class manufacturer, and it relies on 100s of PID controllers to maintain safe, profitable control. Thousands of data sets generated daily by the plant are automatically captured before being modelled and having their results aggregated.

After reviewing the analysis and recommendations the same engineer keys in new tuning parameters for a few underperforming PID controllers and moves on to his next task. As simple as that – notification and assessment, implementation and improvement. Free to move on.

seemingly hidden within the data can reveal when a PID controller’s tuning parameters no longer suit a process’ changing dynamics or when a valve starts to operate near its constraints.

These characteristics are the precursors to inefficiency, quality defects, and equipment failure.

While the shift from good control to poor control is often gradual the impact on production can be immediate. With so many loops and so many competing priorities it’s often difficult for production staff to know which valve requires attention and which control loop needs adjustment.

“The cause-and-effect relationship between the CO and PV serves as the basis for modelling process dynamics and calculating controller tuning parameters.”

The ability to actively capture and model everyday output changes was first introduced over a decade ago. Early monitoring technologies sought to capitalise on these events as they routinely occur at/production facilities. From manual output changes to automated adjustments of a controller’s Set Point, these everyday modifications to a loop’s Controller Output (CO) caused a response by the associated Process Variable (PV). The cause-and- effect relationship between the CO and PV serves as the basis for modelling process dynamics and calculating controller tuning parameters. Unfortunately common complexities in the process data such as noise and oscillations limited the success of early monitoring technologies. As a result a relatively small portion of the available data sets could be modelled with accuracy.

These early offerings relied on the same modelling methods utilised by traditional tuning software. Output changes needed to both start and end at a steady state in order for an accurate model to be calculated.

Figure 1 – Engineering staff are now capitalizing on innovative process monitoring and diagnostic technologies to help them maintain safe.

From Food & Beverage and Pulp & Paper to Chemicals and Oil & Gas enhancements to controller performance monitoring technologies are increasingly coming to the aid of manufacturers across the process industries. They’re leveraging innovative modelling capabilities that easily cope with the highly variable dynamics that are typical of manufacturing environments.

They’re automating advanced analysis of existing process data and everyday output changes.

They’re empowering engineers to optimise production on the fly and to realize meaningful gains in performance. And they’re helping to resolve mechanical issues that otherwise hamper a manufacturer’s supply chain. This is how Big Data is supposed to work.

REALIZING NEW VALUE FROM EVERYDAY EVENTS

Figure 2 - Select CLPM solutions automatically capture both closedloop Set Point changes and open-loop output changes, calculating models of the associated process dynamics. Aggregated modelling data offers a comprehensive view of a PID control loop’s behaviour across different operating ranges and facilitates the selection of suitable tuning parameters.

Loop monitoring technologies have been around since the start of the new Millennium. They actively monitor PID controller performance using a facility’s existing process data. Details

Accurately modelling process dynamics is at the core of PID controller tuning and optimisation.

The challenge of noisy, oscillatory conditions was finally overcome in 2009. That was the year

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

that a proprietary method was first introduced for addressing the steady-state requirement.

Called the Non- Steady State (NSS) Modelling Innovation it eliminated the need to both begin and end the bump tests performed during tuning sessions in a steady-state condition. More recently the NSS Modelling Innovation has been adapted for use in conjunction with plant-wide monitoring technologies. It capitalises on the enormous amounts of process data routinely captured and stored within a plant’s data historian. This new capability was introduced in 2013 and its value as an advanced diagnostic and optimisation utility have been impressive.

Indeed, the results confirm that Big Data can drive big paybacks.

adjustments to the extraction plant’s regulatory control systems and steadily improved the process’ ability to unearth ‘black gold’. Alerts and reports kept production staff aware of opportunities to optimise were uncovered. Details of each model fit and associated analysis appeared with a simple click on the CLPM solution’s user interface along with new tuning recommendations. From fast responding pressure and flow loops to slower temperature controllers, solutions like Control Station’s PlantESP supplied all that the engineering team needed. Most importantly, no additional bump tests were required to realize the gains in both performance and production. The company’s SAGD operations are setting the pace for efficiency among producers in the region.

MINING MODELS FOR BLACK GOLD

THE CONTINUOUS MARCH TOWARD OPTIMIZATION

An oil extraction company is among numerous manufacturers that have realised significant value from control loop performance monitoring (CLPM) technologies and the dynamic process modeling feature available in select CLPM solutions. Each of the company’s facilities successfully produces over 30,000 barrels of crude oil daily by applying a specialised technique called steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). The process addresses complexities that are unique to the bitumen found in the oil sands – a composite of crude oil, partially consolidated sandstone, and loose sand. Nearly 1,000 control loops are used at each location to regulate the complexities of the SAGD oil extraction processes. During one 4- month period a total of 323,612 models were accurately calculated using the facility’s volatile process data and the CLPM technology. That’s an average of 3 models per loop each day. For each facility that equates to almost 1 million models per year with individual models providing valuable insight into the associated processes’ ever changing dynamics. In aggregate the models reflect a broad range of operational conditions. What’s more, they provide all that’s needed to tune PIDs for optimal performance.

CLPM solutions are among a growing portfolio of technologies that link IT and OT and improve a manufacturer’s operational effectiveness. Whereas many Big Data technologies applied to manufacturing focus narrowly on the reliability of key production assets, CLPM solutions cast a wider and complimentary net by targeting the performance at a facility’s expansive network of regulatory control systems. From increases in output and quality to decreases in energy consumption and waste, the financial gains associated with improved regulatory control have been shown to impact a plant’s top- and bottom-line performance. A recent case study involving the deployment of CLPM technology at an automotive parts manufacturer documented a 13.5% increase in production capacity. Those gains were made possible by identifying dynamic process behavior that unnecessarily extended production cycle time and by correcting the issues with adjustments to the facility’s regulatory controllers. Such improvement potential is sure to be of interest to those process manufacturers who view continuous improvement as the foundation of their competitive advantage. Whether value comes in the form of increased throughput, reduced downtime, or just a simpler means of maintaining safe operations, Big Data is empowering manufacturers to march steadily forward.

Innovation has a long history of driving down the costs of both production and distribution.

Whereas control technologies such as the PLC and DCS helped to automate production processes, today’s Big Data solutions are equipping manufacturers with the insights needed to optimise the broader supply chain. They’re revealing the cause and effect of harmful variability, and they’re improving a manufacturer’s ability to meet the lead times so critical to efficient distribution. Even the lowly PID controller has captured the attention of Big Data. Indeed, web-enabled technologies like CLPM are accelerating the digitisation of supply networks – an increasingly complex and global network that’s on- demand and always-on. This empowers manufacturers to squeeze additional value from the production resources within their control.

“While it’s common for practitioners to limit the number of models when tuning due to the time and impact of traditional step tests, dynamic process modelling provides an abundance of with zero negative impact.”

Practitioners familiar with both modelling a process’ dynamics and tuning PID controllers appreciate the benefits of multiple tests and the time that’s typically involved. Indeed, most industrial processes demonstrate some degree of non-linear behaviour – they act differently as they transition across operating ranges. As such tests performed above and below a control loop’s normal operating range help to reveal the underlying dynamics and to calculate model parameters that account for the full range of behaviour. These tests can involve extensive amounts of time which is a resource few practitioners have in abundance, and they are in addition to the other output changes that occur daily at a typical production facility. The incorporation of advanced and automated modeling capabilities within CLPM solutions represents a meaningful step forward.

Dynamic process modelling is a Big Data utility that facilitates continuous, plant-wide optimisation.

In addition to modelling everyday output changes select CLPM solutions aggregate the resulting data and analyse the results on an individual loop basis. With aggregated data these technologies empower engineering staff to determine which results correspond with a process’ normal range of operation. Other relevant controller details such as the existing tuning parameters can be made available thru a plant’s existing data historian. Access to that information can be used to simulate the controller’s performance, contrasting its findings with the performance of existing tuning parameters and providing recommendations that align with requirements for loop responsiveness.

While it’s common for practitioners to limit the number of models when tuning due to the time and impact of traditional step tests, dynamic process modeling provides an abundance of insight with zero negative impact.

Figure 4 – CLPM solutions provide manufacturers with actionable information, facilitating the shift from automation to optimization.

By equipping manufacturers with greater insight into the means of production, these Big Data solutions are helping to streamline the global supply chain.

Figure 3 - PlantESP’s dynamic process modelling feature aggregates process model data and recommends PID tuning parameters. Shown above is the trend from a SAGD plant. The control loop’s performance can be seen to improve dramatically based on use of recommended tuning parameters that were generated based on 110 different model fits.

Using the treasure trove of process models and analysis staff made regular, incremental JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

By leveraging existing data, performing advanced analytics, and connecting management more closely to the supply chain CLPM solutions offer transformational value. That is the promise of Big Data. Whether value comes in the form of increased throughput, reduced downtime, or just a simpler means of maintaining safe operations, Big Data is empowering manufacturers to march steadily forward. Alert and assess, implement and improve. Free to move on.

About the Authors: Damien Munroe is General Manager of Control Station Limited located in Roscrea, Ireland (damien.munroe@controlstation.com).

Peter Thomas, C.Eng. is Managing Director of Control Specialists Limited headquartered in Warrington,United Kingdom (peter.thomas@controlspecialists.co.uk).

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HEALTH & SAFETY MARTINDALE ELECTRIC HAS SAFETY ALL LOCKED UP WITH NEW KITS Martindale Electric – UK market leader in safe isolation – is pleased to announce the arrival of its latest range of comprehensive lock out kits, which have been designed to suit the needs of installers and maintenance teams working in a range of environments.

The new kits starting with the LOKKITBASE and extending to the LOKKITPRO, enable circuits to be locked off once de-energised, ensuring safe maintenance schedule and compliance with the Electricity at Work Regulations.

The new LOKKITBASE and LOKKIT2PLUS kits both include standard miniature circuit breaker (MCB) locking off devices and the miniature LOK10 and LOK11 for when access is limited and there is not enough space for a conventional lock. The kits include a PAD10R padlock with a unique key plus a marker pen and tags to ensure immediate and clear identification of circuits, work areas and personnel. For added safety, each lock is supplied with just one key, to ensure a circuit cannot be inadvertently unlocked by another user.

The new lock out kits from Martindale Electric makes it easy to ensure all types of circuits can be de-energised and properly isolated prior to maintenance of plant and equipment, preventing potentially fatal accidents and enabling compliance with HSG85.

For more information, please contact Martindale Electric on Tel: 01923 441717 or visit: www. www.martindale-electric.co.uk

PROFI-ENABLED INTERLOCK GATE SWITCH FROM FORTRESS MORE THAN A MATCH FOR BRICK, BLOCK & TILE MANUFACTURING PLANTS

ALUMINUM FRAME DUST IGNITION NEW CIP SYSTEM FEATURE OFFERS PROTECTION & INCREASED SAFETY ‘STERILISING ON THE MOVE’ MOTORS RANGE EXTENDED Suncombe – the world leading ABB’s range of fully-certified aluminum motors for dust ignition and increased safety protection is now extended with frame sizes 160 up to 280.

The aluminum range for explosive atmospheres now includes low voltage motors in frame size from 71 up to 280 (0.25 to 79 kW), offering an alternative to the cast iron range in these frame sizes. The aluminum frame offers a lightweight alternative for many applications such as grain handling installations where there is a risk of combustible dust. The motor’s smooth surface prevents dust accumulating on the frame, thereby making it easier to clean, resulting in lower costs and improved safety.

The products are certified according to the European ATEX directive 2014/34/EU, and the global IECEx system. The certificates include protection types Ex tb for zone 21 installations where combustible dust is likely to occur, and Ex tc for zone 22 installations where combustible dust only occurs in abnormal conditions.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire Tel: 01925 741517 | E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.com

hygienic process engineers, has launched a Sterilising version of its well-established MobileCIP™ range of portable Clean In Place System primarily used in the BioPharma sector. MobileCIP/ SIP™ has been developed to carry out Sterilise in Place (SIP) directly after Cleaning in Place. The MobileCIP/SIP™ incorporates an advanced control system built to GAMP guidelines, with 21CFR part11 compliance.

Using standard SIP setting of 121.11°C for 30 minutes, the control system allows configuration of f0 (Steam Sterilization Lethality) sterilising parameters. It complies with ASME BPE standard (Bioprocessing Equipment).

Cleaning of vessels, reactors, fermenters, mixers, fillers, pipelines and other process equipment is possible. The MobileCIP™ units are a ready to use, plug-in solution and include up to 100 configurable recipes to clean both existing and future equipment.

Helping to minimise validation and qualification, the new systems include a full validation package including risk assessment, design, manufacture, testing and qualification protocols.

For more information contact Suncombe, Enfield, Middlesex Tel: +44(0) 208 443 3454 | E-Mail: mail@suncombe.com Web:

www.suncombe.com

FITTING SAFETY SWITCHES TO MACHINE GUARDING Configuring a mounting plate for an interlock is easy with Fortress Interlock’s new Eazi-fit mounting system, which allows any amGardpro interlock safety switch to be easily fitted to machine guarding suitable for both hinged and sliding guards, the robust Eazi-fit is easy to select using Fortress’ unique online configurator, which provides 2D and 3D images and models, together with part numbers to simplify ordering.

There are two configuration options: 1. Need to configure a new interlock If you configure a new amGardpro interlock switch using the online configurator and choose to add a mounting plate, the configurator will automatically select the appropriate plate, which is then pre-fitted to the interlock for easy installation.

2. Already have an interlock but need a mounting plate If you already have an amGardpro interlock switch but need a mounting plate, it is easy to select one using the online configurator, which will automatically select the appropriate Eazi-fit combination.

The die cast mounting plates are extremely robust and can withstand a force of 10KN. They can accommodate all amGardpro configurations and are ideal for indoor or outdoor use. Available in a choice of colours, the plates are pre-fitted to the interlock when ordered together, or can be ordered separately.

For more information contact Fortress Interlocks Ltd, Tel: +44 (0)1902 349000 |Email: sales@fortressinterlocks.com Web: www.fortressinterlocks.com 12

Brick, block and tile manufacturing plants are notorious for their dusty, arduous environments and high-vibration machinery. This plays havoc with traditional safety interlocks, routinely causing tripping faults.

To overcome this problem, Fortress Interlocks has developed its PROFI-enabled amGardpro interlock gate switch with builtin machine control technology, built to withstand the most strenuous conditions. With a locking force of 10,000N, the PROFIenabled switch eliminates virtually all nuisance tripping faults, making amGardpro the most robust networked safety interlock on the market.

PROFINET is the world’s most advanced industrial Ethernet system for transporting data in real time between control devices (such as PLCs) and field devices (such as safety gate switches).

Using PROFI-enabled amGardpro gate switches allowed a customer of Fortress which manufactures roof tiles to reduce the wiring for each interlock unit, significantly reducing design, engineering, commissioning and maintenance costs and virtually eliminating tripping faults.

The amGardpro is designed to protect personnel from inadvertent machine restart. Every gate switch at the tile manufacturer is fitted with a safety key which must be taken by any worker who enters the guarded machinery. The machinery cannot be restarted until the safety key has been returned to its original position outside the hazardous area. If access for multiple personnel is required, the interlock is fitted with a lock-out clip enabling operators to attach a padlock to the gate switch for Lock-out Tag-out purposes.

Connecting Fortress safety gate switches to a PROFINET network provided an unprecedented level of diagnostic coverage for the tile manufacturer. Engineers could use standard internet browsers to access diagnostic displays which provided accurate topology views of the network for rapid fault location.

This form of fault detection drastically decreased the level of production downtime, while allowing authorised personnel to access network displays remotely, meaning engineers could diagnose system faults without being on site. The amGardpro PROFINET switches have helped the roof tile manufacturer to make significant improvements in the way the plant is controlled, monitored and managed.

For more information contact Fortress Interlocks Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1902 349000 |Email: sales@fortressinterlocks.com Web: www.fortressinterlocks.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

HEALTH & SAFETY SPA 2 PROGRAMMABLE LIMIT ALARM TRIPS FROM MOORE INDUSTRIES NOW AVAILABLE WITH NEW ALARM FEATURES & SOFTWARE The SPA 2 has a reliable reputation as a standalone alarm trip providing High or Low Limit Process Alarms while monitoring industrial processes and warns of unwanted process conditions, provides emergency shutdown or simply executes on/off control.

The SPA 2 now offers versatile new alarm options that allow the user to set up more specific alarm functions.

The Band Alarm feature combines the High and the Low Trip Alarms into one alarm to warn of a process that has left its normal operating conditions. Alternatively the Band Alarm may be configured with a single setpoint and deviation setting.

The Stuck Input Alarm monitors the input with respect to time and trips when that input hasn’t changed by a user-selected rate (Delta) over a user selected time period (Delta Time). The rateof- change (ROC) alarm has been updated and now includes alarming on a PV (Process Variable) that is rising, falling or moving in either direction too fast. The Fault alarm now includes: Input Saturation to identify when the input signal exceeds 110% of calibrated input range, an Out-ofRange alarm, and broken wire alarm. The new copy alarm setting allows the user to duplicate the exact setting of any other alarm. The SPA 2 provides users the ability to setup the alarm using on-board controls or the company’s free updated PC Configuration Software. An updated SPA 2 manual is available combining both the TRPG and HLPRG models into a single manual.

The new SPA 2 has the same reliability and quality expected from Moore Industries with the same great features including the ability to accept input signals from transmitters, temperature sensors, resistance and potentiometer devices, and direct millivolt sources. The SPA 2 features industrybest 20-bit input resolution; long-term stability (5 years); and a metal, RFI-resistant, DIN-mount housing. A large, five- digit process and status readout shows the process variable, the output, or toggles between the two in selectable engineering units.

For more information contact Moore Industries, Crawley, West Sussex visit Web: www.miinet.com.

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

FULLY OPTIMISED CIP SYSEMS DESIGNED, BUILT AND COMMISSIONED BY AXIUM PROCESS Clean-in-Place Systems (CIP) are now an essential part of most hygienic manufacturing processes and designing the optimum CIP System for a given application will ultimately depend upon a comprehensive understanding of the product being purged and cleaned, plant operating parameters, flows, temperatures and pressures in order to get the best results and enhance production processes.

Axium Process specialises in the design and fabrication of fully automated CIP skids, complete with control panel, PLC and software. Each System is developed by a dedicated project engineer who works closely with the customer to ensure that their requirements are fully complied with in terms of design, procurement and manufacturing stages.

Every aspect of the plant’s design is fully optimised to enhance plant hygiene and production efficiencies. Axium’s engineers have extensive process expertise across a wide range of industries and applications with specialist knowledge in determining materials compatibility when sourcing process equipment and fittings. Selecting the most suitable pump for specific CIP duties and the CIP solutions being used is essential if maximum production efficiencies and minimal downtime are to be achieved. All systems are delivered complete with a range of suitable connections to fully integrate into customers’ existing processes.

The company operates its own electropolishing facility so can provide electro-polished surface finishes for high-end companies such as those operating in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries.

Each Axium CIP system is supplied with a comprehensive Installation & Operating Manual, together with a full materials traceability dossier.

For more information contact: Axium Process Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1792 883 882 | Fax: +44 (0) 1792 886 049 Email: info@axiumprocess.com | Web: www.axiumprocess.com

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FEATURED ARTICLE

LEARN THE SYSTEM UNDERSTANDING HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEMS SAVES TIME & MONEY T h e r e are some paintings that reveal more detail the longer you look at them.

At glance you may see a countryside landscape, then you spot that the scene makes a face. Optical illusions both confuse and intrigue, but other objects or systems can also be more detailed than they first appear. If manufacturers look in more detail at their heat transfer systems, they may find problems they could prevent.

In this article, Dave Dyer, technical sales engineer at heat transfer specialist Global Heat Transfer, discusses how a detailed understanding of a heat transfer fluid system can help manufacturers maintain efficiency and prevent costly downtime.

T

hermal fluid systems are used to provide indirect heat in production in a number of industry sectors including pharmaceuticals, food and chemical processing. Thermal fluid systems transport thermal fluid through a production line to perform actions such as processing chemicals, deriving electricity or cooking food. Many manufacturers run their plants using this system to optimise productivity.

Manufacturers must ensure their plants run safely and efficiently to meet equipment regulations. However, in many ways, regulatory compliance is only a minimum in terms of safety checks and maintenance. Plant managers can inspect their systems to prevent system problems with proactive and early maintenance.

In order to do so, manufacturers can draw from their understanding of the system.

The better the operator’s understanding of the system, the more able they are to spot issues early and prevent, costly downtime.

The plant manager is not the only person that needs to understand the ins and outs of the system though. Staff should be trained across the board, to ensure that there is always a mem14

ber of staff on site that is capable of tackling any problems.

To avoid problems that cause safety hazards and system failure, everyone in a manufacturing plant should know the specifics of the systems they work with. Staff training should include the ins and outs of the system in how it functions and the best practice for plant maintenance to optimise productivity and prevent issues. Starting up and shutting down a heat transfer system, for example, are fundamental skills needed to ensure efficient production.

THE INS AND OUTS The main function of a heat transfer system is to distribute heat around a facility, and to a specific area of the production line. The heating process begins at the main heater, which is comprised of a burner and coil which is cited inside the heater.

The burner heats the coil containing the heat transfer fluid. A pump circulates the fluid through the system and controls the pressure. An expansion tank holds any excess oil so that the correct amount of oil is in the system at any one time. This main circuit of the system allows the fluid to travel around the plant efficiently, but more components are needed to ensure the system is safe and stable to use. One of the most overlooked pieces of equipment in the system is the gasket, which connects flanges that seal the system containing the fluid. At any sign of gasket failure, the heat transfer system must be shut down to prevent hazards and to isolate the issue. Automatic valves are also in the system to regulate temperature and adapt to the product specifications.

SYSTEM INSTALLATION When the system is first installed, manufacturers must consider that some components are designed to perform functions specific to a new system. During installation, a strainer is added to catch debris, as anything from metal shavings to bolts can get into the system during construction. General practice for engineers is to remove the strainer after the system has been up and running for around 5 working days. When the strainer is not removed, problems can arise if there is a carbon build up in the system This will cause flow issues.

SAFETY A clean working environment aids productivity and keeps workers safe. In some cases, there is a lack of general housekeeping of heat transfer systems. Manufacturers can improve plant effi-

ciency by cleaning and fixing leakages immediately as well as using the correct equipment based on temperature and other environmental factors. Leaving oil spills unattended or using plastic equipment can be a health and safety hazard.

As well as protecting workers through cleanliness, purchasing and maintaining safety equipment can improve the efficiency of the heat transfer system. Spray guards are used around flanges and known potential leak points, causing the oil to coalesce back to a liquid and rendering it non-hazardous. This makes the leak safe but visible so manufacturers can solve the issue.

Maintaining insulation across the heat transfer system is important as any human contact with exposed equipment may cause serious injury. Using a range of safety protocols can benefit the system operator, meaning they are more equipped to operate the system and manage the risks in the long term.

RISK MANAGEMENT Though a system is only required to have one major and one minor service in a year, plant managers have a lot to gain from proactive maintenance and checks. Many inspections can be done visually, by a simple walk around check. Maintenance staff should proactively check the system as frequently as possible to look for wear and tear, leaks or other changes.

In order to know what to look for during visual checks, staff should be aware of which parts of the system will need the most maintenance. Workers should monitor the heater daily to ensure that it works efficiently. Monitoring gauges is the principal way to monitor efficiency and discover problems within the system. Another visual cue of a problem in the system would be pipes shaking or slower systems from dust build-up in the vents.

Noticing these problems early on can reduce the risk of downtime as parts can be cleaned, fixed or replaced accordingly.

Some visual checks denote external issues, yet visual cues such as inconsistent heating of final products, may be an internal maintenance issue. A lack of representative routine testing and analysis of oil and proactive maintenance can lead to the fluid degrading and carbon forming in the system which may cause the heating fluid, such as Global Heat Transfer’s Thermocare, can reassure manufacturers that it is not the fluid that has caused production issues.

Looking at a heat transfer system alone does not always tell manufacturers how the system in their plant works. Just like an optical illusion, more details are revealed after studying each component. With knowledgeable, trained staff and preventative maintenance, manufacturers can optimise productivity of their heat transfer system, creating satisfaction for workers just like when you spot both hidden images in an illusion.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

HEAT TRANSFER & ENERGY NEW BABCOCK WANSON PREMIUM RANGE - HIGH SPECIFICATION STEAM BOILERS AT AN “OFF THE SHELF” PRICE AND DELIVERY Babcock Wanson has launched its new Premium Range of fire tube steam boilers designed to provide customers with a boiler that meets the very latest safety and operational guidelines at an “off the shelf” price and with shortest practicable delivery time.

The new Premium Range is based around Babcock Wanson’s NBWB and BWD fire tube boilers that use their latest generation of burners for exceptional quality and performance. Natural gas fired fully modulating burners are fitted to the majority of the range covering outputs from 250 to 6000 kg/h with a 12-15 barg design pressure, making them ideal for the majority of process steam users.

Premium Range boilers are highly competitively priced and are aimed at the steam user who wants fully automated control with the minimum of boiler house manning. Supplied complete with all standard boiler mountings including options of automatic TDS control and timed bottom blowdown, the Premium Range boiler meets the requirements of modern industry without the need for expensive up-front engineering.

With the exception of the two smallest sizes, all Premium Range boilers are fitted with the Babcock Wanson BW3DAYS unattended boiler operating system. This system can be set at commissioning for daily or three day checks depending on a risk assessment of the customer’s steam process and their degree of monitoring of the water treatment system employed - all in accordance with the latest BG01 Guidelines.

For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson on Tel: 020 8953 7111 or info@babcock-wanson.co.uk or go to www.babcock-wanson.co.uk

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

THE ROLE OF CAD IN MECHANICAL AND PROCESS DESIGN – A PERFECT MARRIAGE? The industrial art of CAD has been proven an invaluable tool for product development and optimization in engineering design. It can be used to bridge the gap between conceptual and practical design where new ideas incorporating the latest developments can be analysed.

In the process industries, it is sought to be used in conjunction with fluid flow simulation to help bring together elements of mechanical and process design with a common goal; to reliably predict the performance of fluid mixing equipment.

Euromixers Ltd, a leading UK manufacturer of industrial fluid mixers, have succeeded in employing this concept to their jacketed heat exchangers for mixer dimensioning and design. The proficient use of CAD combined with an expert understanding of fluid dynamics has allowed for sophisticated heat exchanger design notably for the treatment of high viscosity liquids.

In principle, it works via the product flow’s increased radial then linear velocity, generated by the spiral-shaped mixer elements, which creates rapid refreshment and mixing of product at the inner wall of the process tube. The seamlessly soldered connection of the elements to the wall also creates additional heat transfer area, resulting in a 20 - 100% improvement in heat transfer compared to conventional heat exchangers. This is just one of the design features enhanced by the utilization of 3D CAD software.

For more information, please visit their website: www.euromixers.co.uk If you would like to request a quotation, please contact a member of their team to discuss or you can email your enquiry to: sales@euromixers.co.uk

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FEATURED ARTICLE

MANAGING PROCESS EQUIPMENT DESIGNS & MARKET TRENDS WITH CAD

By Usha B. Trivedi, a Technical Writer at TrueCADD - Gujarat, India

H e a t exchangers find the largest application in various verticals of process industry, be it food processing, chemical processing, pulp and paper, HVACR, power generation or any other.

Heat exchangers are probably one of those equipments that have undergone constant fundamental changes in designs and forms since the evolution.

Due to changes in this one component, the entire market of processing industry is experiencing transition. In an era of changes, 2D CAD drafting and 3D CAD modelling of heat exchanger designs accommodate innovations and keep fabricators tuned at the market demands frequency.

IMPROMPTU RISE IN DEMANDS OF HEAT EXCHANGERS IN VARIOUS GEOGRAPHIES Almost all the technologically advanced nations have seen a sharp rise in demand, hence the increase in the capacity of heat exchangers.

Market demands of heat exchangers in terms of manufacturing and innovative designs have grown significantly in the recent past. It isn’t stopping and it will continue to grow, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and India will demand the most. Let us take a look at some of the market trends across the globe.

As we report, the heat exchanger market is expected to reach USD 19.14 Billion. The forecast for CAGR during the period of 2016-2021 is projected at 8.2%. This market is expected to grow at a rapid pace, similar to it did in the past.

Europe is the largest market for heat exchangers, and also a global leader in terms of demand as well as the best heat exchangers produced and designed. This grandiose dominance of the continent is seen mainly due to the increased replacement demand for heat exchangers. Sweden, Denmark and Germany are the leaders in Europe

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as well as international markets, manufacturing heat exchangers for processing industry.

It is not only the nations which are technologically advanced and economically powerful who are demanding enhanced designs, there is also an increasing numbers of heat exchangers being manufactured elsewhere. The emerging markets like China in the APEC region are also reinforcing and understanding the need of innovation forced because of the demands in China, Japan and India. Entirely Asia- Pacific region as a whole areshowning a market growth of 13.90% CAGR for year 2015-2020.

SPONTANEOUS RISE IN INNOVATIONS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF HEAT EXCHANGERS In addition to these areas the heat exchanger market has also seen an uptrend in specific types of heat exchanger. Among all types of heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers are the most commonly used kind on an international platform across process equipment industry. The reason behind this is their characteristic of the large ratio of heat transfer, weight, ratio of area to volume etc. Besides, building authorities are demanding shell and tube type heat exchangers to meet HVAC requirements across facilities, adds to its increased demand and supply.

The Asia-pacific region, with the aforementioned CAGR, has become the fastest growing heat exchanger market place for plate and frame type of heat exchanger. The numbers show diverse and vivid applications of the type across various industries such as chemical, food and beverages along with oil and gas – the richest industry in terms of Returns on Investments [ROIs]. This increasing number of demands in the region is putting heat exchanger design engineers under rigorous pressure to develop an extremely strong base of plate and frame design development and thereby reduce the imports.

Until now, a variety of anti-corrosion materials are being used for tubes fabrication in shell and tube type heat exchanger. But with recent developments in technology, Tantalum, a corrosion resistant material, has found its applications in shell and tub kind of heat exchanger inside the tubes in either vertical & horizontal types.

WHAT DOES THE SUDDEN RISE IN HEAT EXCHANGER DEMANDS AND INNOVATION SUGGEST? Upon analyzing the aforementioned statistics and market conditions worldwide, fabricators and design engineers are compelled to look out for a solution to tackle the increased demand. The solution to reduce frequent replacement and tackle rising demands lie in the designing of equipment according to internationally accepted standards such as ANSI. It is a common practice for fabricators to adhere to the final product to ASME standards for “U” certification and NBIC for “R”

certification that makes them stay ahead in the markets. 2D CAD design drafts and 3D CAD modelling allows channelizing the efforts made by design engineers by accounting for all the said guidelines of international standards. CAD design solutions empower design engineers to keep a track of what they are designing by giving a holistic view of the entire equipment with part assembly and animation videos in 3D.

ONE STOP SOLUTION FOR REDUCING FREQUENT REPLACEMENTS Heat exchangers, like any other industrial equipment is a device that is an amalgamation of several smaller components, performance and designs of which, directly impact the final output. While designing heat exchangers as a unit, design engineers need to effectively prepare design drafts and develop models for components such as tube, channel partition plates, baffles; barrels, tie rods, flanges, bellows, etc. CAD modelling of these heat exchanger components in CAD platform serves as a stepping stone for engineering analysis and heat transfer study. CAD modelling is thus revolutionizing the means of understanding design intent for manufacturers on the shop floor and easing the assembly process with animation videos.

Furthermore, when the aim is to reduce frequent replacement, appropriate fabrication isn’t the only fix. They also need to replace faulty systems with innovative design solutions. Howbeit, incorporation of innovation traces its roots back to CAD models for performing CFD analysis such as thermal analysis, structural analysis, heat transfer, pressure drop analysis, etc.

FOR VALIDATION. HEAT EXCHANGER PRODUCTION COST ESTIMATION – CAN CAD ASSIST? In addition to designs, when demands are high, and replacements are frequent, what a manufacturer is concerned about is determining the entire cost of heat exchanger production. Manufacturers insist on getting a nearly rough cost of fabricating the entire heat exchanger unit, from start to assembly that include labour charges and cost of material. When these costs are known to manufacturers in advance, they are empowered to set the exact market price and respond to quotes early.

Bill of Materials (BOM) and BOQs extracted from 2D drafts of the equipment allows manufacturers to make informed and timely decisions about the order quantity. Seeing such a wide variety of offerings of CAD drafting and modelling solutions for process engineering equipment and changing market demands, manufacturers are shifting their core focus on full-proofing of designs.

CAD technology allows designer to valid their designs before setting out the models to fabrication shop floor and empower manufacturers to perform better in volatile markets.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

incl. Pumps & Valves

WMFTG COMPLETES PROCESS PUMP RANGE FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS With the addition of two larger models, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) has now completed its range of process pumps for industrial, environmental and food industry applications. The existing 530 model is joined by the 630 and 730, which feature an enhanced operator and control system interface, and a bright colour display. With no valves or seals in the product stream and an unrivaled flow turndown, Watson-Marlow 530, 630, and 730 peristaltic pumps play an increasingly important role for the reliable metering of aggressive and shearsensitive fluids without contamination. The pumped fluid is totally contained within the tube, providing complete isolation of the fluid.

Backed by a five year warranty, the new pumps offer users the complete confidence needed in harsh industrial applications.

Reduce downtime WMFTG’s latest process pumps are designed to reduce downtime, optimise metering and offer the ultimate in process flexibility – one range of pumps for all flow demands. Flow range extends from microlitre up to 55 L/min with the 730. Both the new 630 and 730 are available with four drive options and two pumpheads for single channel flows. The 630 offers a precise 2650:1 speed control range, which is increased to 3600:1 on the 730.

Impressive accuracy and process integrity is assured via a new, simple-to-use HMI requiring minimal key presses to reduce the opportunity for costly mistakes. Furthermore, users and process engineers will benefit from enhanced process security with the addition of a 3-level PIN lock. The pumps are self-contained and easily configurable, so there is no need for separate variable frequency drives or complex control devices. Control options include manual, remote, analogue and RS485 digital communications, along with integrated PROFIBUS networking capabilities.

Applications Watson-Marlow process pumps are preferred in many industries where reliable metering of aggressive chemicals is required. For example, the process pumps range are widely used in water and wastewater treatment for metering sodium hypochlorite and other common disinfection chemicals - resulting in reduced maintenance and the elimination of vapor lock.

The 530, 650, and 730 pumps are proven to outperform other technologies with a superior flow range and easy integration into a user’s control system to reduce chemical costs and improve the process. A typical diaphragm metering pump has a flow control range of 100:1, in comparison with 3600:1 from a WMFTG process pump.

Food and beverage manufacturers also rely on these pumps to maintain product integrity throughout production. The 530, 630 and 730 pumps ensure the safe dosing, metering and transfer of colours, flavours, finings and additives along with a low-shear, gentle action.

Tubing options The company’s long life and chemical resistant Marprene thermoplastic elastomer tubing is the ideal choice for industrial applications as it offers wide chemical compatibility and long life, along with low gas permeability. Where good suction and pressure capabilities are required in abrasive slurry applications, Depending on a user’s process needs, the pumps can feature LoadSure tube elements, which provide simple, error-free tube loading. Using the patented LoadSure D-connectors and easy-grip clutched rotor, the tube element can be changed in less than one minute without the need for special skills.

For more information contact Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, Tel: 01326 370370 or Web: www.wmftg.com

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING

BOOST PRODUCTIVITY WITH ANTI-SLOSHING TRANSPORT LIQUIDS FASTER WITHOUT SPILLS With B&Rs industrial transport system, it is now possible to transport liquids quickly with no spills. SuperTrak is the only system on the market to offer anti-sloshing technology. This technology suppresses the formation of oscillations on free surfaces to prevent liquids from spilling over container edges during transport.

No spills from open containers The term slosh is used to describe the behaviour of liquids in moving containers. Specially designed movement profiles prevent the development of positive feedback loops on the surface of the liquid so that it remains calm during transport. This minimizes downtime and increases productivity when handling open containers.

Higher production speeds Minimizing oscillations on the surface of liquids is particularly important in the packaging industry. The better you are able to control sloshing, the faster the products can be transported. B&R s sophisticated anti-sloshing technology also prevents the formation of air bubbles and foam. The downtime otherwise required to allow the liquid to settle is reduced drastically or eliminated entirely for a substantial improvement in packaging line productivity.

As the only system on the market, SuperTrak offers anti-sloshing technology that suppresses the formation of surface oscillations to prevent liquids from spilling during transport.

For more information contact B&R – Tel +43 7748 6586-0 | E-mail: press@br-automation.com | Web: www.br-automation.com

ENGINEERED FOR ENGINEERS The Grundfos for Engineers hub is specifically developed to keep our engineering partners with an interest in pump technology informed about the latest developments in the industry, as well as briefed on the wider subject of fully integrated pump systems.

One interesting aspect of this engineering platform allows visitors the opportunity to see and hear from many Grundfos product specialists who discuss a number of industry related topics.

The range of topics discussed is broad and covers areas such as heating systems and boiler feed; iSolutions – the Grundfos total systems approach – that offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on overall system efficiency; sensors are also in the spotlight as a topic as is the fact that through differential pressure, they can help reduce costs. This means there will be something just for you whether you are an engineer working within commercial building services, process industry applications or in water supply and/or treatment industries.

In addition to these interesting insights there are also a range of technical White Papers, case stories and access to engineering tools that will all help to keep you informed and up to date.

This is only a part of the wide range of information that is available at the touch of a button; check it out for yourself by visiting www.grundfos.co.uk/engineers

MEET THE GRUNDFOS PRODUCT CENTER Having ready access to useful information is something that is important to us all but isn’t always that attainable.

At Grundfos, we have been providing an increasingly sophisticated audience with various on- and off-line product selection support tools since 1984. These tools have evolved by speaking to customers and looking at best-in- class options from multiple disciplines.

Today the result is the Grundfos Product Center that allows you to begin your search journey from a number of starting points. For example, you can choose to search by family, pump design or application area.

Alternatively, you may want to start your search by viewing the replacement options for an older Grundfos or a competitor model. Another way to start your search is by application and to find your choice based on head, flow and application type. Certain pump choices need to be dictated by the liquid type to be pumped, so this is yet another point you can start from.

So, whether you need to select a pump by size, application, replacement or liquid, by making the Grundfos Product Center a favourite will be central to helping you to make up with the right choice.

Find out more at www.product-selection.grundfos.com we’ll be waiting for you.

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FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves HYDRA-CELL METERING PUMPS HOLD ALL THE ACES There are only two common pump types that purport to guarantee a fixed delivery volume over time and against varying back pressures… reciprocating diaphragm pumps and plunger pumps.

Traditional diaphragm pumps guarantee the volume but deliver it with high pulsation while plunger pumps offer a smoother flow but suffer seal wear that causes leaks and impairs volumetric accuracy over time.

Unique Hydra-Cell pumps offer the benefits of each type without the drawbacks. Having multiple diaphragms in a single pump head guarantees the volumetric accuracy of a conventional metering pump but with very low pulsation, removing the need for pulsation dampeners in many instances.

Hydra-Cell pumps are also more economical than traditional diaphragm metering pumps, in terms of acquisition, spare parts and energy costs. At a given flow and pressure, a traditional diaphragm pump with a 15kW motor can usually be replaced with a Hydra-Cell® metering pump with a 5kW motor. Having a compact footprint, a Hydra-Cell will also free up valuable real estate, so critical in many applications.

Unlike plunger pumps, Hydra-Cells have no dynamic seals and offer 100% containment of the pumped liquid. They have no seals through which hazardous fluids might escape or through which air could enter the system on the suction stroke to cause degradation or crystallisation of the pumped liquid.

Meeting or exceeding the performance requirements of API 675 and available with ATEX approval, Hydra-Cell pumps are fast becoming the pump of choice for metering and dosing.

For more information contact Wanner International, Fleet, Hampshire.

Tel +44 (0)1252 816847 |Email: NHerrington@wannerint.com | Web: www.hydra-cell.eu

NEWS FROM WANNER INTERNATIONAL - HYDRA-CELL PUMPS FOR GAS DRYING All raw natural gas is fully saturated with water vapour. Most producers use glycols, typically Triethylene Glycol (TEG), to remove this water vapour from the gas stream. This prevents the formation of hydrates that cause freezing and blocking of pipelines and valves, reduces system corrosion and produces gas that meets pipeline quality standards.

Pressures in excess of 150 bar may be necessary in order to inject these treatment chemicals into the gas stream in the absorber tower. Hydra-Cell pumps from Wanner are being used increasingly for this application thanks to their seal-less design, controllability, long term, low maintenance durability and ability to meet the pressure and flow rate requirements.

The triplex plunger pumps, commonly used in this application, invariably leak through the packing around the plunger, as well as suffering from sticking check valves.

Having no seals, cups or packings, Hydra-Cell pumps are by design leak-free and able to handle any solid hydrates formed within the pipe work without suffering damaging wear. Users enjoy reduced operational and maintenance costs as well as zero emissions It is essential that the TEG flow be controlled, as over circulation is energy inefficient and permits more hydrocarbons to be absorbed along with the water vapour. Hydra-Cell’s exceptional controllability enables the pump to match the TEG flow precisely to the requirements of the variable gas stream, saving energy while maximising the hydrocarbon content of the treated gas.

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

Your Right Connection For Hygienic Process Systems Valves

Fittings

Hose

Engineered Products

Fabrication

Tel: +44 (0)1772 323529 Email: sales@dixoneurope.co.uk www.dixoneurope.co.uk 18

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

FEATURED ARTICLE

FOOD INDUSTRY PUMPS ARE NOT JUST FOR LIQUIDS

By Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director, HRS Heat Exchangers

Moving products around during processing is an inherent need for most medium and largescale food manufacturers. The texture and viscosity of food is not only an important quality parameter, but it also influences how it behaves during production and processing. Therefore, it should influence the choice of handling and treatment equipment used in the manufacturing process.

T

he exact requirements obviously depend on many factors, including the nature of the product itself and the processes involved. However, they tend to fall into two types, those which can be pumped and transported in pipes and those which need to conveyed, usually by mechanical belts or similar systems.

Many problems can arise because the pumps used have not been specifically designed for the applications or conditions which they are being used for. It is also worth remembering that it is not just simple liquids which can be pumped. With the right equipment a range of products including powders, pastes and mixtures of liquids and solids can also be pumped through suitable pipe work and equipment. There are a number of advantages to this approach, in particular the ability to avoid contamination of products during processing, as well as being able to maintain processing temperatures, viscosity, etc.

ASSESSING DIFFICULT PRODUCTS One of the issues with pumping is the potential to damage product. This is particularly important when handling high value viscous products such as honey, treacle, custards and creams, where any loses of product can be financially damaging. The viscosity of different fluids can be affected, resulting in issues JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

such as runny or separated sauces or unwanted churning of dairy products. For materials containing solids, for example fruit mixtures, the wrong type of pump can easily damage the solid fraction reducing quality or, at worst, removing the very aspect of your product which you are trying to preserve in your product.

Although the physical and behavioural properties of many foods are well documented, in more complex cases it is necessary to fully understand the foodstuff to be handled in order to specify the right pump for both the product and the process. It may be possible to do this with simple measurements taken in situ, or laboratory analysis may be required. The temperature of the product is important as physical properties will vary with temperature. Viscosity is a measurement of resistance to flow and is therefore is an important consideration, and information on particle size is also required.

These could include anything from ground spices to whole fruits or pieces of meat, and everything in between. The chemical composition, for example is the material acidic, will also need to be known so that the most cost effective materials can be used to produce the pump. Amongst other things, the shear sensitivity of the fluid reflects how likely it is to be damaged by the impeller of the pump. The physical characteristics of some products will change after exposure to high shear stresses, and while this may be beneficial in some circumstances (such as turning cream into butter) but not others (for example when wanting to produce cream). Vapour pressure will also need to be considered to prevent issues such as flashing or cavitation.

As viscosity is a key part of the texture of food and drink, processing operations should not have an adverse effect on it.

Factors such as pumping, heating, cooling and passing through pipe work all have the potential to affect viscosity, with the exact effects depending both on the liquid itself and the way it is handled.

TYPES OF PUMP As well as being designed to handle your product, it needs to fulfil the normal requirements of food handling equipment, such as Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sterilise-in-Place (SIP).

Depending on the range of products handled and product complexity this may be required several times a day between production batches. There are many different types of sanitary pump which are suitable for use in the food industry, including rotary lobe, rotary piston, reciprocating positive displacement, progressing cavity, peristaltic hose and air-operated double

diaphragm designs. Problems arise not only because of the high costs of traditional pumps, but also because lobular pumps have low flow rates. In addition, using progressive cavity pumps can break the produce, while double diaphragm pumps result in a low pressure drop.

Centrifugal pumps are typically used for materials such as batters, oils and beverages. Common uses for positive displacement pumps include icing, dough, fruit fillings & purees, baby food, tomato paste & sauces, cream, cheese, dressings, mayonnaise, meat emulsions and many more. Over many years of providing solutions to difficult heat transfer challenges in the food industry showed us that pumping products without destroying their integrity is as important as developing heat exchange solutions which maintain product quality.

More recently, new purpose designed reciprocating positivedisplacement pumps have been developed to handle very delicate and viscous food stuffs without damage while working at high pressure in heavy duty applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Positive displacement pumps have an expanding cavity on the suction side of the pump and a decreasing cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pump as the cavity on the suction side expands and is forced out of the discharge side as the cavity collapses. These pumps feature a hygienic design which incorporates a separator fitted between the piston and the hydraulic chamber to ensure that there is no contact between the product chamber and the hydraulic oil. Once the pump is in operation, no part which comes into contact with oil comes into contact with the product.

With an adjustable flow, which can range from a minimum of 300 litres/hour to a maximum of 20,000litres/hour, and a high pressure drop of up to 30 bar, positive displacement pumps suitable for a wide range of high viscosity, shear sensitive and large particle containing fluids. Clap valves allow pumping of whole fruits or vegetables, and an Alternative piston pump with a pneumatic cylinder can be supplied for low pressure applications of less than 5 bar.

Whatever foodstuff you are looking to pump, understanding its viscosity properties is the first step to specifying a system which will not result in adverse effects on the quality of your product. The good news is that the processing and packaging part of the food chain is already the most efficient, accounting for just 4% of overall food losses according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation(FAO)1. However, there is always room for improvement and management processes and equipment design are the two biggest tools food manufactures have at their disposal.

19

FEATURED ARTICLE

INDUSTRIAL DIGITISATION, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES & THE BENEFITS OF PROCESS DEMONSTRATORS There has recently been a lot written about the Digitisation of Industry especially around the knotty subject of how we help manufacturing companies to adopt the new technology and extract the full potential benefit from it. A key aspect of this is the access to suitable funding to help companies innovate their products and processes.

I

n its consultations on industrial strategy, the UK government has indicated that it understands these issues and is looking for ways that industry and government can come together to jointly address these challenges - the so called sector deals.

Brexit will make this a still more challenging situation with significant existing EU funding mechanism, such as Horizon 2020, being thrown into doubt. Back-filling of the levels of funding that UK businesses have historically received through Horizon 2020, will not be a trivial issue for the UK. The Government Green Paper on Industrial Strategy talks of levels of R&D investment increasing by £2b per year through to 2020/1. It also identifies the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund as a new source of finance. This is being administered through the government’s innovation funding organisation, Innovate UK. “The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund was created to provide funding and support to UK businesses and researchers, part of the government’s £4.7 billion increase in research and development over the next 4 years. (1) ” The focus now has to be on how this money is allocated, accessed, and used. This should become clearer as the Industrial Strategy green paper is transformed into a white paper in the autumn. What we do know is that, in order to streamline the process, the UK’s research councils and Innovate UK are being merged together under a new organisation called UKRI in April 2018(2). In our own sector, there are three important initiatives with which you should be familiar; the Industrial Digitalisation Review , the Buildings, Industry and Energy Networks Sector Deal bid and the ElecTech council (formerly known as ESCO).

INDUSTRIAL DIGITALISATION REVIEW In its green paper on industrial strategy, the government identified five areas with the potential to become early Sector Deals – areas of focus for government and industry which have the potential to transform the UK’s industrial landscape. In each area, a prominent industry figure was asked to set up a review to look at the likely impact of the Sector Deal and to propose a partnership with government, based on what industry and government could do together – not just “asks” of government. One on these, the Industrial Digitalisation Review (IDR) is chaired by Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK and has strong involvement from senior industrialists and trade associations such as GAMBICA. It is tasked with: Engaging with large and small businesses alongside academics to see how the design,development and deployment of digital technologies can drive increased national productivity (3) .

This report is due to be completed by the end July 2017 in time for the government’s autumn spending review.

THE BUILDINGS, INDUSTRY AND ENERGY NETWORKS SECTOR DEAL BID Another potential sector deal, although not one of the five recognised in the first tranche by the

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By Sebastian Amos - BSc (Hons) CEng MInstMC, GAMBICA – Sector Head, Process Instrumentation & Control government, has been put together by a number of companies and nine trade associations, including GAMBICA in the area of Buildings, Industry and Energy Networks with the following key objectives and attributes: - Delivering products and services to facilitate key industry societal and Government objectives - Industry led with Government support - Achieving greater productivity across the UK - Meeting UK carbon emission target - Delivering the digitalisation of products and services - Increasing exports This is developing with support from BEIS so that it (a) has quality technical and commercial detail and (b) can be reduced to one slide of bullet points for ministers.

The objective, to understand the overall industrial strategy, review the ElectTech priorities/ (see below) and then make a case to government on how best to approach this based on a blend of industry investment and government support.

THE ELECTECH (FORMERLY ESCO) COUNCIL ESCO (4) , the Electronic Systems Challenges and Opportunities initiative was formed in 2014. With the aim of enhancing the profile of the twin key “horizontal” enabling technologies, electrical and electronic engineering. It was in response to the governments seeming fixation on a few vertical industries, Automotive, Aerospace etc., none of which could exist without strong contributions form ESCO’s sectors, whilst the government’s sentiment seems to be that “electronics was not something the UK was good at”.

Now branded more snappily as ElectTech, this group was originally founded by three trade associations (including Gambica) and now boast engagement from many of the major players in the in ElecTech sector and aims to represent the common care-abouts of this disparate and widely dispersed sector.

Its objective are to grow the contribution of the electrical and electronic industries in the UK to GDP by 1.7%, to increase jobs in manufacturing by 150,000 and to develop the UK as a centre for electronic systems – all by the end of the year 2020.

The process automation industry falls nicely within its remit and its main priority in this area is to deliver the benefits of Industry 4.0 (or Industrial Digitalisation, to use the current government parlance) to the UK’s manufacturing and process industries. It is very clear that the major barrier that

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

it faces in promoting the roll-out of digitalisation technology is a lack of knowledge about what it can offer companies, industry and an associated scepticism about the length of payback periods. ElecTech has been consistently lobbying for Industry 4.0 demonstrators in the UK for the last three years.

Albany Pumps

INDUSTRY 4.0 DEMONSTRATORS FOR THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES Demonstrators have been acknowledged as an effective way of increasing awareness of the potential of the digital technology industry. The Germans have used them effectively for several years already and, in 2015, Gambica and ESCO, as it then was, led a government delegation to the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry (the MTC) to promote the concept of UK demonstrators for Industry 4.0. The MTC is part of a network of seven UK High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres around the UK and now boasts the first Industry 4.0 demonstrator.

The MTC has played a key role in the development of Industry 4.0 so far in the UK, by housing the country’s first digital factory demonstrator. It is now vital that we continue to invest in these technologies and skills, and encourage uptake throughout the UK manufacturing sector (5) .

The Process Industry also has a Catapult Centre which is one of the seven mentioned above. This one is in Wilton, Redcar and is called the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI). Fittingly, this is on the base of the old ICI works and still retains much of the services equipment (Power, Water, Steam etc.). It was set-up in 2004 to facilitate innovation in the process industries (6) . Key to its existence, helping companies across the “Valley of Death” between innovation that has just passed the feasibility stage and the stage in its development where it can make some money for the company. Using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) terminology originally conceived by NASA in which levels 1-3 roughly represents university research and TRLs 6 – 10 represents the commercialised and mature product, the “Valley of Death” (VoD) is the area between TRLs 4 and 6 in which many companies founder in the Technology Readiness Levels. This is represented in the figure below.

A N E M P LOY E E O W N E D CO M PA N Y

A fresh approach from Albany Pumps

Albany Pumps makes a wide range of reliable and robust standard, customised and specialised positive displacement pumps. If you require an external gear pump, a twin screw pump or an internal lobe pump, we think you’ve found the right place: Fig 2. Technology Readiness Levels.

This “Innovation Phase” represents the boost provided by the CPI (and other Catapult Centres) to help companies to clear the VoD. Arguably this remit makes the UK’s Catapult Centres, like the CPI, ideal organisations to host technology demonstrators, where vendor- agnostic demonstrations of new technology, like Industry 4.0, can be attached to life-like or actual processes in order to demonstrate the benefits of the technology in a practical and easily understood way to industrialists, the public and politicians alike.

Gambica’s recent article on Industry 4.0 Applied to the Process Industries (7) attempts to outline the potential benefits of this technology to the process industries and the sort of things that a demonstrator might illustrate.

CONCLUSION Government and Industry are working together in several initiatives aimed at making progress in understanding the needs of the UK’s industrial base and turning this into an agreed industrial strategy. The 10 key elements of this strategy are laid out in the Green Paper.

Gambica and its members are actively engaged in several of these initiatives and are working towards showcasing digital technology and the benefits it offers. If you should wish to be involved in identifying products or solutions that can be showcased, do contact us.

We should not miss this opportunity to demonstrate active engagement of industry at a time when government is getting serious about manufacturing industry, arguably for the first time in 30 years.

References

(1) Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund-joint-research-and- innovation (2) UKRI Chief Executive: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/innovate-uk- welcomeappointment-of- ukri-chief- executive-designate (3) Industrial Digitisation Review - http://industrialdigitalisation.org.uk (4) ESCO Plan: http://www.esco.org.uk/download/ESCO-Annual- Report-2014.pdf (5) https://hvm.catapult.org.uk/news-events- gallery/news/from-industry- 4-0- to-digitisingmanufacturing-future- factory-conference- at-the- manufacturing-technology- centre/ (6) Innovation Phase: https://www.uk-cpi.com/about/the- innovation-phase (7) Industry 4.0 Applied to the Process Industries: http://www.gambica.org.uk/resourceLibrary/gambica-industry- 4-0- applied-to- the-process-industries-pdf.html

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

• 100+ years of experience and British manufacture • Employee ownership with a Trust to guarantee longevity • CNC production plant in Lydney, Gloucestershire • Service and repair centre in Bradford, West Yorkshire • Standards for every industry ATEX, CE, BSI, VdS and API • 100+ countries sold to worldwide • Over 10,000 proven application stories NEW

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Download your essential guide to Albany Pumps now: www.albany-pumps.co.uk

Contact Sales on +44 (0) 1594 842 275 sales@albany-pumps.co.uk www.albany-pumps.co.uk 21

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION NEW, iSONIC 4000 ULTRASONIC METER FROM BADGER SMART SENSOR FOR LOW VOLTAGE MOTORS ARRIVES METER USA IN THE UK Introducing the new iSonic 4000, a versatile ultrasonic flow meter for open channels and partially filled pipes as well as measuring volumetric contents of liquids in tanks.

Suitable for clean water and waste water applications the iSonic 4000 can be used in combination with weirs or flumes using one of its’ pre-programmed tables, or a 35 point calibration table may be used instead.

This model can display values and control applications with a selection of outputs and data-comms options, as well as recording readings to the internal data logger with a capacity for approximately 130,000 readings.

Data can be downloaded using the ‘Flow Meter Tool’ PC software which also allows the user to programme all parameters. The user PC can be connected via USB interface or Ethernet interface.

The programming menu, featured on the large graphic LCD display, offers a wide variety of primary flow element options such as flumes and weirs and displays the flow rate of partially filled pipes and open channels as well as linearized tank contents measurement options.

As standard, models include 4-20mA output and ModBus RTU, RS422, RS485 and Ethernet interfaces. Due to the unique features and IP67 protection rated aluminium housing, the iSonic 4000 is suitable for applications in harsh environments. Bell Flow Systems are the authorized UK agent for Badger Meter.

For more information contact Bell Flow Systems, Buckingham, Bucks.

Tel: 01280 817304 | E-mail: sales@bellflowsystems.co.uk | Web: www.bellflowsystems.co.uk

HART MULTIPLEXER SYSTEM BY GM INTERNATIONAL: 7,936 CHANNELS WITH 31 MODULES ONLY SIL 3 CERTIFIED The new HART Multiplexer System by GM International offers the possibility to drastically reduce the number of multiplexer modules, while maintaining a very high ability to control up to 7936 channels.

Through the integration of multiplexing units in the Termination Board (TB-D5001- HRT), the GMI HART System needs only one Modem 5700 to control 256 channels, allowing to manage up to 7936 channels utilizing only 31 modules.

Compared to the current state-of- the-art HART solutions available on the market today, which require 496 modules,the HART Multiplexer System by GM International drastically reduces the number of required multiplexer modules by465, and subsequently saving cost. The communication speed towards the system has also been greatly improved, reaching 115,200 bps, compared to the standard 38,400 bps of other systems on the market. The new HART Multiplexer System represents a real and smart innovation, and brings with it many other advantages.

In addition to ensuring the best performance of the system, it can also significantly reduce cost due to fewer components, cables, and spare parts, resulting in reduced need for storage. As with almost all systems and components by GM International, the HART System is certified for SIL 3 applications, in compliance with IEC 61508 and IEC 61511.

For further information contact Mattia Canovaro, GMI - Technology for Safety’ Tel.: +39 039 2325 038 E-mail: mattia.canovaro@gmintsrl.com Web: www.gmintsrl.com

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A device that cost efficiently monitors the condition of low voltage (LV) motors to increase their performance, efficiency, reliability and lifespan is now available in the UK. The ABB AbilityTM Smart Sensor for motors is a pocketsized device that is retrofitted to the frame of LV induction motors. Installation of the sensor module is made easy as no additional wiring is required. The sensors are available not only for motors made by ABB but also for non-ABB motors.

The device picks up data on vibration, temperature and other parameters. On-board algorithms, based on ABB’s decades of motor expertise, interpret these parameters and relays information about the motor’s health, via a smartphone and over the internet, to a secure, cloud-based server. By providing meaningful information on motor condition and performance, the service will enable users to plan their maintenance according to actual needs rather than on the basis of time intervals or operating hours alone. This can reduce downtime by up to 70 percent, extend motor lifetime by as much as 30 percent and cut energy consumption by up to 10 percent.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire Tel: +44 (0) 1925 741 111 | E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com | Web: www.abb.co.uk

TITAN ENTERPRISES REPORTS ON STRONG SALES, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER FEEDBACK & NEW DEVELOPMENTS FOR ITS ATRATO RANGE OF LOW FLOW ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS Managing Director - Trevor Forster commented “We now have several thousand Atrato units in use by customers worldwide ranging from sample-sensitive medical and pharmaceutical use right through to challenging off-shore as well as process and control applications. Just recently we were delighted that a leading global electronics and component supplies company chose to add several Atrato models to its catalogue”. He added “Typically customers, after trying an Atrato ultrasonic flowmeter, are so pleased with its outstanding performance and unmatched reliability that they order multiple units. We are constantly extending the operational capabilities and market leading performance of Atrato in response to customer requirements”.

Utilising patented technology that enables it to operate with excellent accuracy (+/- 1%) over very wide flow ranges and better than ±0.5% over typical mechanical flowmeter operating ranges, the Atrato range of inline flowmeters is a genuine breakthrough in flowmeter technology.

For more information visit www.flowmeters.co.uk or contact by Tel: +44-1935-812790 or E-mail: sales@flowmeters.com.uk PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

TEST & MEASUREMENT KEEP COOL AND GET ACCURATE RESULTS WITH HBM Now available from HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement – is the latest range of C Series Strain Gauges (SG’s), specifically developed to cope with modern temperatures (below 250 ° C) and minimise strain due to expansion.

Strain measurement at high temperature are among the most difficult issues for test engineers, as the basic strain gauge can often not distinguish between strain imposed by the intended mechanical process and expansion of the test material, due to its temperature coefficient of expansion.

As temperature changes during a measurement with strain gauges, this can have undesirable effects on the result.

With this in mind, the latest range of Strain Gauges from HBM has been specifically developed for high and low temperatures from -269° C to +250 ° C – and is available with various geometries and temperature adjustments.

Featuring good mechanical flexibility and optimum adaption to the material measured, the measuring grid of the latest C Series consists of a distinctive, chrome-nickel alloy on a polyimide foil and is ideal for structural tests at exceptional temperature conditions.

Also suitable for applications in research and development, the automotive industry, and power plants and superconductors, the latest C Series of Strain Gauges provides a flexible and cost effective solution for tests in both high and low temperature environments.

HBM has been a leader in Strain Gauges for over 60 years. HBM provides all the necessary accessories and components for the installation of Strain Gauges, for maximum convenience and also supports its customers with training and contract installation to ensure optimum operational usage.

For more information, please contact HBM on Tel: +44 (0) 208 515 6000 or visit www.hbm.com.

PW15iA HBM LOAD CELL OFFERS ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION TO AUTOMATED APPLICATIONS

HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement – is pleased to announce the arrival of its new PW15iA Digital load cell, which offers a flexible and cost-effective solution to a wide range automated applications.

The innovative PW15iA load cell from HBM is fully adaptable and features a range of integrated functions - which include a wide range of algorithms for check weighing, filling and batching – which eliminates the need to undertake these functions separately. This means that development times can be significantly reduced.

Compatible with industry standard dimensions (SP4M footprint), the new PW15iA load cell can also be quickly and easily integrated into existing systems, minimising costly downtime.

Featuring an OIML certificate for C3, and a maximum scale division of Y up to 10,000, the new PW15iA dramatically improves speed whilst reducing overall costs, thereby increasing profitability.

Designed to achieve a degree of IP68/IP69 protection, the PW15iA is an extremely robust load cell which is housed in stainless steel and is compatible with all cleaning agents and disinfectant agents.

Precise, durable and reliable, it can deal with malfunctions.

Suitable for a wide range of applications, including packaging machinery; automated batching and even underwater measurement applications.

For further information, contact HBM on Tel: +44 (0) 20 8515 6000 |Email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk or visit the HBM website at www.hbm.com JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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FEATURED ARTICLE

UNIAXIAL

POWDER TESTING

EVOLVES

by Dr Katrina Brockbank, Powder Technologist, Freeman Technology

Within industry, powders are widely recognised as being more of a challenge when compared to working with liquids or gases.

Powders are commonly associated with batch-to- batch variability, problems with storage and transportation, and inconsistent behaviour in unit operations.

or not reported atall if the data does not fit the model.

UNIAXIAL TESTING – SIMPLE, DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF UNCONFINED YIELD STRENGTH The recent introduction of a new uniaxial powder tester (Figure 1) overcomes limitations associated with biaxial shear cell instruments, by providing rapid, simple and direct measurement of fundamental flow properties.

T

his is not surprising, given that powders consist of solid particles, gases (usually air), and liquid (usually water), and their complex behaviour is determined by the interactions of each of these phases. Particle size, shape, density, surface texture, hardness, etc., as well as gas and moisture content, and other factors such as the influence of consolidation, shear rates, and temperature, mean that specifying a powder by physical properties of particles alone, will not accurately reflect the range of behaviours it may exhibit. It is essential that any powder characterisation techniques employed are also influenced by the range of factors that can affect behaviour.

This article examines the potential benefits of uniaxial shear testing for process industries in this context. It considers the parameters generated and reports the results of a study on a wide range of common industrial powders to assess the sensitivity and repeatability of a new uniaxial instrument.

BIAXIAL SHEAR CELL POWDER TESTING Biaxial shear testing provides reliable, assured measurement of powder properties to quantify how measily a static, consolidated powder transitions into flow. Compared with traditional techniques, such as angle of repose, flow through an orifice, and tapped density methods, it enables close control of test conditions to measure and compare the flowability of powders under moderate to high stress, such as those present during storage and some manufacturing processes.

Biaxial shear cell testing measures the force required to shear a consolidated powder plane relative to another, with the shear stress measured at a range of consolidation stresses. The data are used to construct a yield locus, and Mohr’s circle analysis can then be applied to determine parameters such as Major Principal Stress (MPS), Unconfined Yield Strength (UYS) and Flow Function (FF or ff c ).

A major limitation of this approach is the dependence on a mathematical model to derive these parameters, including UYS, which can lead to them being under- or over-reported, 24

Figure 1 - The Advanced Uniaxial Powder Tester (AUPT) provides rapid, simple and direct measurement of fundamental flow properties.

Uniaxial testing measures the force required to break or fracture a free-standing column of consolidated powder - the uniaxial Unconfined Yield Strength (uUYS) - as a function of the Major Principal Stress (MPS) imposed during consolidation. The directly measured uUYS values are analogous to the UYS extrapolated from biaxial shear cell data and provide a robust and reliable way to directly rank the flowability of powders. Freeflowing powders with much weaker tensile forces between the particles tend towards lower uUYS values while cohesive powders, with relatively strong inter-particulate forces, tend towards a higher uUYS. Uniaxial testing is not a new concept, but has not been widely adopted for several reasons: 1. For data to be reliable and repeatable, uniform density must be achieved throughout the powder column.

2. To ensure a consistent and representative fracture, an optimum height/diameter ratio for the consolidated powder column must be achieved for powders with varying levels of PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

compressibility.

3. The confining vessel must be removed with minimal impact on the consolidated column.

The Advanced Uniaxial Powder Tester, (AUPT – Freeman Technology, UK) overcomes these challenges by incorporating a number of technological advances: 1. A double-ended compaction system to ensure a more uniform stress field throughout the column.

2. A variable volume vessel to allow initial fill quantity to be adjusted depending on compressibility.

3. A low impact sleeve and easy removal mechanism.

The repeat tests on the 12 materials also demonstrate high levels of repeatability, as indicated by the error bars on individual data points. It is also worth noting that all materials, including the more free- flowing powders, were successfully consolidated to form free-standing columns.

The Compressibility profile for each powder also exhibits high repeatability (typically less than 5% RSD), suggesting that the uniaxial tester successfully achieves consistent consolidation throughout the column at various MPS levels (Figure 4). Although not shown, the Consolidated Bulk Density and H/D values also display the same high levels of repeatability.

The test takes several minutes to complete and involves filling the sleeve with powder and automatically consolidating it using a computer-driven vented piston to a defined normal stress (a)’ reducing the stress to zero and removing the sleeve (b); determining the fracture point of the column, as the piston is moved down again at a constant speed, to directly measure the uUYS (c) -

Figure 4 - Compressibility Percentage at MPS

Figure 2: Uniaxial testing involves the fracture of a consolidated powder column and directly measures uUYS.

REPEATABLE AND SENSITIVE RESULTS

The Compressibility profiles also illustrate that this single factor cannot be relied on solely to indicate flowability. For example, the Compressibility profiles for MCC and CMC 1 show little differentiation while their uUYS values are markedly different, reinforcing the perspective that flowability cannot be inferred from other properties Three of the sample powders were also tested by another user to assess reproducibility.

The high levels of repeatability demonstrated by both users in all tests performed, and the reproducibility of measurements between the users, is shown in Figure 5.

12 materials were evaluated using the new uniaxial powder tester (Figure 3). The materials were representative of a range of industries, including pharmaceutical, food, and chemical. Each sample was evaluated at 3 major principal stress (MPS) values, (20, 60 and 100 kPa) with 5 repeats performed at each stress level. Where materials did not form viable powder columns at these MPS values, alterative values were used. MPS hold times, and consolidation and failure speeds, were kept consistent across the range of tests.

Figure 5 – Comparison of uUYS values from test performance by different users

CONCLUSION

Figure 3 - Flow function curves of uniaxial Unconfined Yield Strength (uUYS) against Major Principal Stress (MPS)

Clear differences are shown in the Flow Function curves for the samples tested, with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) yielding the highest uUYS values throughout. It is also interesting to compare, for example, the results for Limestone and Detergent 2. Detergent 2 has a lower uUYS at lower MPS values but is significantly more sensitive to stress levels, generating higher uUYS values at 100 kPa and therefore likely to be problematic in high stress process environments such as large hoppers.

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

Until now, the potential benefits offered by uniaxial powder testing have been offset by the challenges of reliably constructing a uniformly-compacted, free-standing powder column. The emergence of the first commercial uniaxial powder tester addresses these challenges with the result being a simple but robust instrument that directly and rapidly measures uUYS. In comparison to other simple techniques, it offers high levels of repeatability, reproducibility and sensitivity, and provides efficient ranking of flowability across a diverse range of materials. These capabilities make it a viable option for the quality control and assurance of raw materials and finished products across industry and a valuable tool in troubleshooting manufacturing processes.

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DRIVES & CONTROLS NEW FEATURES MAKE GENERAL PURPOSE DRIVE SETUP AND INSTALLATION EASY Control Techniques has enhanced its range of Unidrive M general purpose variable speed drives.

The range, launched in June, now offers much improved setup and installation methods.

Parameter settings on the drives are more accessible; users will now find information relating to each parameter on the front of the unit, while the keypad has been laid out in a way that makes setup easy.

Control Techniques has also created a new resource to support the simplified setup and installation process, helping even inexperienced users get their drives up and running in minutes.

Visitors to www.drive-setup.com can now access a host of assets aimed at assisting first time users of Unidrive M101, M200 & M300. These include videos, step-by-step guides and support contacts, all in the same place.

The new resource supports Control Techniques’ ethos for its Unidrive M general purpose drives.

The drives are designed specifically to make setup as quick and easy as possible, even for users without specialist knowledge.

For simple automation processes like conveyors, fans and pumps, Unidrive M101 offers extremely quick setup and installation with an on-board potentiometer for extra control over parameters and settings.

Unidrive M200 offers greater flexibility for a wider range of applications, particularly those requiring remote control via fieldbus or Ethernet communications. Unidrive M300 further enhances the range’s capabilities by including on-board safety features like safe torque off. Each drive is among the smallest in its class, and can be fitted side by side to save even more space.

The drives have been created with ease of use in mind, and the supporting materials available at www.drive-setup.com make installing and setting each drive up simple and straightforward.

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WEG LAUNCHES NEW SSW900 SOFT STARTER SERIES The high-performance soft starters provide gentle starting and stopping of three-phase induction motors along with comprehensive motor protection.

WEG, a leading global manufacturer of motor and drive technology, has recently launched the SSW900 series of soft starters. These compact soft starters, which replace the current SSW06 soft starter series, are designed for industrial and commercial applications. As high-performance top-end devices with integrated PLC functionality, they provide fully programmable algorithms for regulating induction motors as well as fully flexible torque control.

The new series covers output currents from 10 A to 412 A in the wide voltage range of 220 to 575 V AC (three-phase) with four case sizes. Thanks to soft starting and integrated protection functions, the SSW900 ensures energy-efficient and reliable operation of electric motors. The device is suitable for a broad range of applications, including blowers and ventilation fans, axial, radial and centrifugal pumps, metering pumps, stirrers and mixers, conveyor belts, extruders, dryers and industrial ovens, turntables, and ball or hammer mills.

Johannes Schwenger, Head of Product Management Low Voltage and Medium Voltage Drive Systems Europe at WEG, comments: “The SSW900 series of soft starters expands our portfolio in an area which was previously not a focus of our activities in Europe. The new SSW900 devices are easy to use, and the integrated PLC allows the output torque to be adapted to the load and the start-up current to be kept as low as possible. Numerous protection functions are also integrated to ensure reliable operation of electric motors.”

The soft starter supports direct motor connection in wye or delta configuration, as well as wye/ delta switching with six motor leads. This allows the three motor phases to be wired directly to the three thyristor pairs of the SSW900. The LCD display and a new user interface simplify operation and make programming changes quick and easy for users.

The user interface language options include English, German, Portuguese and Spanish. Users can choose from Modbus RTU, Profibus DP, DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP and Profinet I/O industrial communication protocols for device connectivity.

For more information contact WEG (UK) Ltd via Tel: +44(0)1527 513800 Email: wegsales@wegelectricmotors.co.uk Web: www.old.weg.net/uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

FEATURED ARTICLE

TACKLING Businesses are constantly under pressure to be energy efficient and ensure they do not waste electricity.

However, while most of us know that this means more than simply turning off devices and equipment when not in use, many are not aware of the impact electrical interference has on efficiency and wasted power. Here, Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality specialist REO UK, explains how businesses can stay safe from interference.

P

ower quality is a term that many people use but few fully understand. Typically associated with a stable supply of mains electricity, power quality covers a range of problems, including the continuity of the supply of electricity, fluctuations and spikes in voltage and current, as well as transients or harmonic currents.

We are often warned of the dangers of electrical interference. As an increasing number of businesses become reliant on a constant power supply, it is becoming more important that power is stable and reliable.

However, electrical interference itself is a blanket term that refers to any power quality problem that negatively impacts and disrupts a power supply. In order for businesses to protect their systems adequately, they must first identify and understand the specific risks they face.

VOLTAGE SPIKES AND FLUCTUATIONS Every electrical engineer knows that voltage spikes are an often unpredictable and unavoidable nuisance. Spikes occur when there is a sudden, unexpected and substantial transient voltage that lasts for less than two nanoseconds. If lightning were to strike a power line or a data centre, for example, this would result in a high-voltage spike that interferes with power flow and can damage components.

However, spikes should not be confused with current fluctuations.

While spikes are brief leaps of voltage, fluctuations in power supplies include both surges and dips that last longer than three nanoseconds. Typically, these are deviations from the normal voltage range that are significantly smaller than spikes, often around five per cent higher or lower, but the impact they have is equally important to address.

The main impact of current fluctuations is that they adversely effect the performance of equipment connected to the power supply.

JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE

While most devices are designed to maintain operation within a specific range of nominal voltage, there are many industrial applications where this is not the case.

In security systems, for example, it is vital that the power supply is stable and reliable. If there were voltage surges or dips in a security systems’ power supply, there is a risk that the system would malfunction, even if only temporarily. Likewise, unstable voltages in medical environments lead to the risk of critical equipment failure.

In order to keep sensitive equipment fully functional and safe from current fluctuations, it is important that businesses use power filters in their systems. Filters provide an easy way of eliminating the harmful currents in order to regulate power supplies and prevent performance failures. Depending on the power filter used, it can also provide protection against other disruptive problems such as harmonic currents.

HARMONIC CURRENTS For years, power quality was a problem almost exclusively reserved for industrial applications. When manufacturers began using non-linear, switched, devices like variable speed drives (VSDs) to control the speed of a motor driving a conveyor belt, they had to pay attention to the effect these devices have on the mains supply.

Harmonic currents are an example of the effect these devices can have. Harmonic currents are significantly more troublesome for electrical engineers than fluctuations. They regularly occur when non-linear loads — such as a variable speed drive (VSD) used to control the speed of a motor — induce a non-sinusoidal current on the supplied load. This results in a higher amplitude current, which increases energy consumption and accelerates the rate of component degradation.

While harmonics have long been an issue across the electrical industry, it is becoming increasingly important that electrical engineers use technology to limit the impact of harmonics.

Widespread use of electronics, as well as a trend towards renewable energies, has meant that we have seen a higher number of nonlinear loads in recent years.

Harmonics are caused by non-linear electrical loads such as many switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) that are commonly used in power electronics including computers and chargers. An SMPS allows the device to be more lightweight and compact. Unfortunately, the process of high frequency switching causes harmonics.

In small doses, harmonics do not cause too much damage to systems. However, in large quantities, such as in data centres where many PCs are used simultaneously, harmonics cause distortion that can wreak havoc on electrical systems. In a best-case scenario, businesses will find that their energy costs will go up. The worst case is that key components in electrical systems, including the insulation of power transformers, can overheat and degrade quicker.

In HVAC applications, for example, poor power quality can damage HVAC components including heat exchangers, fans, pump motors, condensers and furnaces, reducing their lifespan and raising energy costs. Combined with the fact that most buildings, offices and residential and commercial facilities have some form of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) it is easy to see the scale of the problem of harmonic currents.

Likewise, parallel inverters that connect power lines from renewable energy sources to the main electrical grid are prone to harmonic resonance. While harmonics in plant environments can have adverse effects, the disruption to the power grid is more substantial and can result in anything from minor instability to blackouts.

Fortunately, engineers can address harmonics in a number of ways. The most cost- efficient of these is by using a passive filter to mitigate harmonics in a system to an acceptable level of total harmonic distortion (THD), typically under five per cent. This can lead to significantly reduced operating costs depending on the amount of harmonic currents in a power network.

In fact, REO UK recently set up an online energy saving calculator to help facilities managers and plant engineers identify the cost and energy savings of integrating a passive filter into their systems. This is a step forward in helping businesses realise the hidden costs of harmonic currents.

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI) Most electrical engineers are at least acutely aware that their systems should comply with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) directives, such as 2004/108/EC in the EU. The reason for this is that electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a big problem in power systems that, like harmonics, can lead to inconsistent power and damaged components.

EMI is a particularly big issue for the renewable sector. Most renewable energy is generated in DC form, which must then be converted to AC before it can be used in the electrical grid. This is done using inverters that work efficiently but lower the power quality.

This affects many critical components in devices, including the SMPS and transformer windings.

To improve power quality, EMC filters can be used to limit the interference. These low- pass filters are designed to stop the flow of EM noise and reflect it back at the original source. This requires the filters to be able to handle the power dissipation, so it is advisable that electrical engineers work closely with power quality specialists to ensure they choose the right solution.

The power quality problems we face in our electrical systems can appear daunting at first, but luckily, most can be easily addressed with the right equipment and planning. By keeping systems safe from interference, electrical engineers can ensure that all machinery and equipment stays cost-efficient and eco-friendly during use.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

A WATER POLLUTION WAKE UP CALL Thames Water’s recent £20.3m fine for polluting the environment represents a wakeup call not only for the UK’s municipal water industry but for any process industry which has wastewater as a by-product of its operation. Clwyd Jones, Business Development Manager, Siltbuster Process Solutions explains…

A

lthough the magnitude of the fines for pollution incidents have been going up following the introduction of new sentencing guidelines in 2014, the judgement against Thames Water established a new framework against which future fines will be set.

The 2014 Guidelines set out a standardised approach in which sentences for a pollution event are determined based on not only the significance of the incident but also the size of the company and the degree of corporate culpability. In particular, the Guidelines provide a culpability range from “low or no culpability” (for example where the incident was the result of accident or action of a rogue employee) through to “deliberate” where there was an intentional or flagrant breach of the law by those in position of responsibility.

The systemic failures identified by the Thames Water case led Judge Sheridan to conclude that these events must have been the result of the deliberate action by those in authority within the company. In giving his judgement, Judge Sheridan took the sentencing process a step further by applying the following principles: - It should not be cheaper to offend than to take appropriate precautions - Shareholders need to understand that the environment is to be treasured and protected, and not poisoned - Fines need to be sufficiently large to get that message across He then fined Thames Water accordingly.

IDENTIFYING THE WEAK SPOTS A key stage in contingency planning is identifying the weak spots in the production process.

Production spikes or new product lines The introduction of a new product line or a sharp increase in production - typical scenarios for seasonal businesses – can affect effluent characteristics and put compliance at risk. This is because, although these are typically planned events, the planning often doesn’t include considering the impact on effluent and its consequences. With proper planning, contingency measures could be implemented. These could include using additional, temporary treatment equipment which boosts capacity when needed.

For instance, for the sixth successive year we’ve provided Heineken’s Universal Beverages Ledbury (UBL) with a bespoke large-scale temporary Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system. This has enabled the beverage specialist to treat peak effluent flows during the site’s annual apple milling period.

UBL’s Ledbury plant in Herefordshire was the UK’s first large-scale beverage production facility, and is now a dedicated fruit and vegetable milling operation, capable of processing up to 15,000 tonnes per day. The apple milling period, which typically extends from late August to late November, pushes production to its peak, resulting in significantly higher levels of waste water with additional suspended solids and COD loading onto the site’s own large effluent treatment plant.

At other times of the year, the site’s existing advanced effluent treatment plant, which employs a combination of aerobic and anaerobic processes, can treat the flow and load generated from the site’s production activities. However, during the apple milling period, as the flow and load massively increase, so existing treatment processes need to be supplemented. So UBL has contingency planned, deploying two D100 packaged lamella DAF units and all the ancillary mixed reaction tanks, containerised dosing and pumping equipment to provide the necessary pre-treatment capacity when it is needed.

Other production changes

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PROCESS INDUSTRIES? Clearly the implications from this case are that all companies discharging water have little choice but to ensure they adopt best environmental practice. Those that don’t face the risk of incurring fines greater than the cost of complying. Furthermore, companies found guilty of an environmental breach could also be faced with indirect costs such as the loss of corporate credibility, local goodwill and potentially future business opportunities – not to mention the public relations costs incurred in trying to restore a damaged reputation.

In light of this, now could be the ideal moment for all process industries to review their wastewater treatment operations, identify scenarios which could threaten compliance and mitigate against them. In short - contingency plan.

Our own research suggests such a review could be long overdue. After all, 30% companies Siltbuster Process Solutions recently studied have had a significant wastewater treatment problem in the past year. Furthermore, 8% overall and 20% of single site operators stated that when the problem occurred, they continued to discharge, even when it threatened their compliance.

Contingency planning is clearly needed!

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There are many other un-planned events which can have a similar impact, such as spillages, out of specification product dumps and new hygiene regimes. All will impact on effluent characteristics and as such need to be part of a contingency plan.

It’s not just what comes down the pipe that can cause havoc. If a company has an on-site treatment facility to manage, problems can arise there too. So, it’s worth taking a critical look at all aspects of the treatment facility’s management. Identifying those which have potential to cause harm (or a breach of compliance), considering the potential severity of the harm and its likelihood – and PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

TESTING & ANALYSERS ACSOFT LAUNCHES ADVANCED SIGNAL ANALYSER FROM CRYSTAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MODAL TESTING & ANALYSIS

then agreeing measures.

Here are just some of the many aspects which may need to be considered.

Operators – your operator knows the plant inside out and is 100% reliable. But what happens when he is ill? Continuity of attention and ownership can make a vital difference. So, it’s important to have people in reserve and to invest time keeping them familiar with the plant and competent.

Critical Spares – the lead times that might apply for replacement of critical items could be a problem – so they need to be prioritised accordingly. Make sure spares inventories, if kept, are maintained and that items are re-ordered when used.

Sludge Disposal – most treatment plants generate a by-product; how secure is the disposal route?

What happens if it becomes unavailable, either temporarily or long term – what alternatives have you got and what is the cost impact?

Chemical Supply – what are the re-order levels and which are the most critical ones? How often have you come close to running out and what would happen if you did?

Loss of power and/or control – this not just confined to standby power generation. What if you had a catastrophic panel failure? How would the plant operate? Who is familiar with your PLC program - where are the backups? Could temporary starters be rigged up if needed? Who can support you with this? Can part of your effluent volume be tankered away if needs be – to where?

Who could do it – how much would it cost?

Pumping capacity – this could be lost due to loss of power or through mechanical failure. What happens if you lose that inlet pumping station or the recirculation feed to that critical high rate filter? How could you rig up a temporary diesel pump set? Where would flexible hoses be connected, what size pumps would be needed? Get your pump hire company involved so you’ll know what to ask for should a problem arise.

Company Expansion Part of contingency planning also needs to look at proposed company growth plans and their potential impact. This means sales and production functions recognising the close interplay between what they do. For instance, as part of such a review, Euro Quality Lambs, (EQL) recognised it needed to boost its wastewater treatment capacity at its abattoir in CravenArms, Shropshire.

EQL, is a lamb & sheep abattoir, with a capacity to process 15,000 carcasses a week and with onsite boning & further processing facilities. It produces a large variety of lamb products in terms of different weights, fat covers and breeds. Its ability to meet many demand specifications throughout Europe has given the company a strong export business, with customers in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. Improvements and additions to the abattoir’s operations meant that the company had scope to further increase its throughput, but ‘what if’ scenario planning told it that it first needed to upgrade its wastewater treatment to meet this increasing demand.

EQL was already using a DAF unit which performed well - removing 94% of suspended solids, 79% of settled COD and 96% of total phosphate. EQL asked us to advise on the best way to boost this wastewater treatment capacity in anticipation of its expanding business. We recommended a DAF D50 to replace the existing unit. The new DAF has a footprint of just 2.3m x 3.8m and yet this model can treat up to 50m 3 /hour of wastewater, therefore offering more treatment capacity for EQL.

CONCLUSION & RESOURCES As you can see, contingency planning involves a real mix of assessments. Some, such as seasonal production spikes or company growth are predictable vulnerabilities, whereas others may feel very hypothetical. But with all of them the risk is very real, and, as we’ve seen with Thames Water, the potential fines are high.

This isn’t a task to be put off. It’s an important part of good environmental practice – and is one which plant managers tell us is extremely valuable (and reassuring) once completed. Siltbuster helps companies develop contingency plans as part of its service. Following on from its highly successful CPD courses for the construction sector, Siltbuster will run Contingency Planning courses for effluent treatment for process industries from September. To find out more contact Clwyd Jones on 01600 772256 or visit www.Siltbuster.com JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

Touchscreen CoCo-80X offers quick, easy and accurate data recording and analysis for automotive, aerospace, aviation and military industries Reinforcing its position at the forefront of sound and vibration instrumentation and sensors, AcSoft Sound & Vibration has launched a handheld signal analyser from California-based Crystal Instruments. The new CoCo-80X is the latest touchscreen system for quick, easy and accurate data recording and analysis for the automotive, aerospace, aviation and military industries.

Capable of real time processing in the field, the rugged CoCo80X is a lightweight, battery-powered handheld instrument with unparalleled performance and accuracy. Combined with hard keys, the multi-point touch functionality touchscreen is designed for an intuitive user interface that provides a wide variety of analysis capabilities. The CoCo-80X also has an impressive range of connectivity choices including USB 2.0, 100Base-T Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, SD card, HDMI, CAN-Bus/serial port, stereo headphone, microphone jack and GPS. Available with 2, 4, 6 or 8 channels, each analogue input is serviced by two 24-bit ADCs and a DSP implementing patented cross-path calibration technology to achieve better than 150 dBFS dynamic range. AcSoft offers software packages for a variety of modal analysis applications including operating deflection shape (ODS) for the visualisation of the vibration pattern of a component or structure.

For more information contact AcSoft, Therleigh, Bedfordshire.

Tel: 01234 639550 E-mail: sales@acsoft.co.uk Web: www.acsoft.co.uk

GET STARTED WITH THE RIGHT PLASTICS-DRYING METHOD: NEW HALOGEN MOISTURE ANALYSIS APPLICATION GUIDE Halogen moisture analysis is an effective, fast, and ASTM-accepted test method to check the moisture content in plastic granulates. METTLER TOLEDO’s free drying-method collection helps to get fast, accurate and repeatable moisture results.

Acceptable moisture-analysis methods for plastic materials include determining water content with Karl Fischer titration or analyzing moisture content with a drying oven or moisture analyzer. However, Karl Fischer analysis requires chemicals and a drying oven can take several hours. A halogen moisture analyzer offers an easy, quick way to carry out moisture analysis—even for untrained operators.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has included halogen moisture analysis as a standard test method for moisture-content determination in plastics by loss in weight in designation D6980-12.

However, defining a drying method that fits the standard using a halogen moisture analyzer requires know-how and several test runs to find ideal method parameters.

To help find the right method for a sample, METTLER TOLEDO has published a free collection of plastic drying methods tested by METTLER TOLEDO application specialists. Moisture analyzer results are compared to the Karl Fischer titration reference values. In addition, both sample preparation tips and analysis method parameters are included. This allows manufacturers to get started with a halogen moisture analysis that delivers reliable and repeatable results and avoids waste due to bad production batches.

Accurate moisture analysis helps to provide trouble-free compounding and injection molding. The delivery of repeatable results in less time makes the METTLER TOLEDO HX204 halogen moisture analyzer an excellent choice for fast, accurate halogen moisture analysis for both in-process control and final quality-control.

Discover how easy it can be to determine the moisture content of plastics by downloading this free collection of pre-defined drying methods - https://goo.gl/sut8L4 For more information contact Branko Radovinovic, METTLER TOLEDO GmbH,Laboratory Weighing Im Langacher 44, 8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel: +41 44 944 22 11 Email: branko.radovinovic@mt.com 29

FEATURED ARTICLE

BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER

IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES Noise mitigation in refineries and chemical plants has been, and still is, a major concern for plant operators looking to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Although significant progress in understanding industrial noise and effective control has been made, the problem continues to present a challenge in the industry.

Robert Lomax, Sales Director of Wakefield Acoustics, explains how one chemical plant is already taking a proactive approach to implementing noise management and mitigation measures within its plant.

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ith noise control and environmental legislation becoming more stringent and employee health and safety remaining at the forefront of all processing practices, ensuring that noise is effectively mitigated has become a key concern for process plant operators across the chemical processing sector.

Controlling noise in chemical plants presents distinctive and complex noise and acoustical challenges, due to the large number of potential noise sources in-situ and the size of most facilities. The methods required to process or manufacture chemicals, typically on a large scale, employ a large spectrum of mechanical machinery which has the potential to emit excessive noise. Equipment such as centrifuge machines, mixers, high-pressure pumps and valves, as well as the associated pipework, can combine to generate noise that is potentially detrimental to the health of employees and disruptive to the local community.

There is a myriad of noise sources within a typical chemical plant.

Identifying key, major contributors to the excesses within the plant is fundamental to reducing the noise impact on site and the environmental impact of plant in the surrounding community. For a large chemical manufacturing plant operator, with a complex plant operation, the process of early identification and noise mitigation proved central to their drive for reduced on-site noise.

SOUND ADVICE FOR CHEMICAL PLANT Having undertaken a detailed noise survey across the production space, the company’s ESH department identified that a high level

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of noise was being experienced by operators across the entire workspace. The in-depth site analysis identified the Sedicanter, in particular, as the major source of noise within the facility. In fact, such were the levels of noise on site, that the entire facility had become a mandatory ear protection zone when the machinery was in operation, which should normally be regarded as a last resort.

Although hearing protection reduced the operators’ noise exposure, it also presented several operational issues, including the necessity for regular hearing assessments, instruction and training on noise, and the requirement to display signage in relevant high noise zones. Keen to lessen dependence upon ear defenders, and reduce employee noise exposure from the plant to as low a level as was reasonably practical, the client sought the expertise of noise control specialists Wakefield Acoustics to outline effective noise mitigation options.

The noise levels with the Sedicanter in operation were recorded at 91.3dBA at a distance of one metre, with readings of approximately 83dBA being experienced in other areas of the production space when the machine was in operation. The company was aware that, if left untreated, the noise levels emitted from such equipment could pose a significant risk of hearing damage for operators and maintenance personnel.

With this in mind, the client required that noise levels were reduced to 80dBA or less across all areas of the facility. The chemical plant manager also understood the importance of specifying a solution which would allow maintenance and servicing access throughout the bn lifetime of key machinery, to prevent problems arising, and enable staff to put faults right and ensure equipment is working effectively.

As with the majority of machinery of this type, careful consideration had to be given to the number of different paths in which noise emanated. In the case of the Sedicanter, noise originated in several areas including electric drive motors, hydraulic power packs, the cover to the rotating machine and the material outlet feeds. This being the case, a number of noise control options were considered, with the agreed outcome being a fully ventilated acoustic enclosure to house the entire plant.

SPECIALISED ACOUSTIC ENCLOSURES The acoustic enclosure was designed to house the entire machine, including associated power packs. An integrated ventilation system was installed to extract warm air generated by the machine, which was discharged into the main factory area. In order to avoid air recirculation, the inlet and outlet ventilation openings were installed at opposing corners of the enclosure.

As with many acoustic enclosures, maintenance and servicing access remained a major consideration during design and installation. In this instance, two double leaf access doors were incorporated into the enclosure structure to allow personnel

access for general maintenance. As the machine was serviced via an existing overhead maintenance beam, the acoustic enclosure was designed with a hinged end-wall panel section and two removable roof sections, permitting easy access to the main screw mechanism and other key components. All removable components were fabricated with lifting points and certified lifting eyes were supplied.

To support routine cleaning processes, which entailed equipment being regularly washed down, the enclosure was manufactured with a 304-grade stainless steel framework. The main acoustic panels were formed with a galvanised steel outer skin with a high specification powder paint finish, and were lined on the inside with 304-grade stainless steel perforated sheet to prevent corrosion.

Whilst the enclosure was designed to offer a high level of noise reduction, one of the company’s concerns was the ability to view the machinery during normal operation when stood externally to the booth. In order to overcome this, a number of vision panels were installed into the side walls of the enclosure, all designed to ensure the resultant noise criterion was achieved.

Through careful diagnosis and the implementation of the acoustic enclosure, noise levels across the chemical plant were reduced to 80dBA or below, in line with the company’s objectives, thus negating the requirement for hearing protection to be worn by operatives. What’s more, the plant’s staff were able to maintain effective access and maintenance schedules following the installation.

INDUSTRY RESPONSE To implement best practice and comply with the most recent noise legislation Chemical producers have turned to the noise mitigation technologies as a way to reduce on-site noise and protect employee health and safety. In the UK, the most recent noise legislation is under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, whereby the upper and lower daily noise exposure action levels have been reduced by 5 dB from 90 and 85 dB (A) in the previous directive to 85 and 80 dB (A) respectively.

Equally fundamental, the regulations move away from a focus of earlier legislation on assessment, quantification of exposure levels and consequent hearing protection, to a philosophy of controlling noise at source wherever possible. There is also an increased emphasis on controlling noise at source wherever possible, a sizeable shift from the focus of earlier legislation on assessment and quantification of exposure levels, and recommendations for hearing protection.

More and more operators across industry, therefore, are considering ways to utilise noise mitigation technologies throughout their facilities on a greater scale. Forward-thinking chemical plant operators are going a step further, looking to transform their operations by building a culture of early identification and proactive prevention of noise at source.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - JUNE / JULY 2017

MAINTENANCE DIGITAL MOBILE MAINTENANCE: REDUCE PRODUCTION LINE DOWNTIME AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY USING PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE Digital mobile maintenance is a technique for quickly and easily making production process productivity improvements for minimal investment through the application of digitalisation as part of an Industry 4.0 plant implementation programme.

Manufacturing maintenance specialists are already using tablet computers to directly access key machinery digital equipment histories, documents and PLC programs on site. However, they can also gain extra operational benefits by importing machine data directly from the PLC to the tablet. Such an approach can allow, for example, for the integration of additional predictive maintenance process instruction re-programming, extending the life of existing machines and preventing line breakdowns caused by catastrophic tooling failures.

This process improvement can be achieved by integrating HARTING’s MICA, a Modular Industrial Computing Architecture edge computer, which can communicate data between the different machine proprietary operating systems and directly forward it to an operator’s tablet device. MICA can also store and process the data in accordance with pre-determined operational maintenance limits, and consequently operators can arrange modification to PLC programming as appropriate, thus optimising processes and reducing machine downtime.

MICA is very compact, has a degree of protection rating of IP67 and can easily be located directly on the machine, which may be operating in harsh environmental conditions. Alternatively, a DIN rail mounting option is available for location within the machine’s control cabinet.

MICA enables integration of higher levels of intelligence into existing manufacturing plants for Smart Factory deployment.

For more information contact HARTING Ltd, Northampton Tel: Tel: +44 (0) 1604 827500 | Email: salesUK@HARTING.com | Web: www.harting.co.uk

ALL WEATHER DOORS STERTIL FAST-ACTION DOORS PROVIDE SWEET ACCESS SOLUTION One of the UK’s leading food and confectionery manufacturers relies upon a pair of Stertil FlexiEdge fast-action doors to provide access to a fork truck drivers training facility and a stores area within its manufacturing and distribution complex in York.

Stertil’s FlexiEdge range comprises 16 models including internal and external doors all-weather doors, cleanroom and freezer/coldroom doors plus emergency exit doors incorporating breakthrough curtains. Standard models are available in widths up to m11 metres and heights of 5.5 metres whilst bespoke and special sizes may be specified.

The door curtain is fully flexible with a soft bottom edge which self-adjusts to seal on an uneven floor and eliminates any possibility of causing injury to users. In addition, the incorporation of an infra-red photocell, fitted 300mm above floor level, supported by a bottom edge wireless detector ensures instant halting of all door movement in the event of sensing an obstruction.

For more information contact Stertil Door Products.

Tel: 0870 770 0471 | E-mail: info@stertil.co.uk |Web: www.stertil-dockproducts.co.uk JUNE / JULY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

STORAGE TANKS NEW ULTRA-TIGHT THIEF HATCH REDUCES STORAGE TANK EMISSIONS, CONSERVES TANK CONTENTS Emerson’s Enardo™ Model ES-665 offers users industry-leading performance to address emissions regulations Emerson Automation Solutions has introduced the Enardo ES-665 spring-loaded thief hatch for use on low-pressure storage tanks in oil and gas and other industries. Storage tanks can emit vapours to the environment, which has resulted in tighter regulations and the need for improved emissions control from storage tank devices.

To address this challenge, the ES-665 has been engineered with increased sealing forces, as well as with a tight and consistent fit of the sealing surfaces.

The resulting emissions performance of the Enardo ES665 thief hatch is an industry-leading 0.10 SCFH (standard cubic feet/hour) at 90 percent of setpoint*. The Enardo ES-665, along with Emerson’s other tight-sealing storage tank solutions, also helps conserve tank contents.

The ES-665 provides tank access as well as pressure and vacuum relief to accommodate tank pressure changes that occur under normal conditions. The ES665 also limits hatch emissions when pressure or vacuum relief is not required.

In addition to its ultra-tight emissions performance, the ES-665 includes an available centre assembly for improved performance of previously installed models, multiple relief settings and material options for application flexibility, and a latching and lockable lid for added security and safety.

For more information, visit www.enardo.com.

WEIGHING BULK BAG FILLER INTEGRATES NTEPCERTIFIED WEIGH SYSTEM TO ENABLE +/- .01% WEIGH ACCURACY Prevents Material Loss or Re-work Resulting from Over- or Under-filled Bags National Bulk Equipment, Inc. (NBE). NBE 3-A, USDA, FDA and BISSC-compliant bulk bag filling systems are engineered, fabricated, and constructed to speedinspections, simplify integration, and ensure qualification for start-up into food processing and packaging operations.

These NBE sanitary bulk bag filler systems also support process practice protocols where 3-A Accepted Practices or other cGMPs are necessary.

These NBE sanitary bulk bag filling systems include features such as 32 Ra surface finishes to simplify cleaning; tool-less, demountable assemblies to speed inspection; 3-A compliant components to aid in sanitary standards conformance; HEPA air filtration for sanitary bag inflation; and a structural framework leak test system to facilitate clean-in- place (CIP) procedures. These sanitary NBE bulk bag fillers also offer NTEP-certified weigh devices to assure certified weight accuracy to +/- .01%, to a 4,500 pound bag weight.

The integrated automation of NBE sanitary bulk bag fillers standardizes controls programming and expands controls functionality to include legacy systems. System-wide automation of process operations, diagnostics, and reporting are controlled through a single HMI. NBE integrated automation improves equipment performance, optimizes throughput, and increases operator safety.

Equipment overview video, viewable at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkBhOhVpTyA For more information contact National Bulk Equipment, Inc. Corporate Contact: Tim Wiersma, Holland, MI 49424 National Bulk Equipment, Inc. Phone: 001 616.399.2220 Phone: 001 616.738.7271 E-mail: timw@nbe-inc.com Web: www.nbe-inc.com

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Solids Handling & Processing Supplement June-July 2017

CHANGING TIMES

By Ian Birkinshaw, General Secretary – Solids Handling & Processing Association

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ith the General election behind us and a new stable government nearly in place for now the focus is again returning to the difficult negotiations ahead with the European Union on the terms of our future relationship with our closest neighbours.

Whether we will be in the single market, the customs union or striking out on our own with no deal in place only time will tell, however, one thing that you can be certain of in these uncertain times is the help and assistance that SHAPA gives to its members and the wider solids handling community.

There are signs that business is starting to bounce back from several years of slow growth especially for those exporting products and services throughout the world. New opportunities are opening for SHAPA members by being creative and flexible in searching out and responding to opportunities for trade. UK suppliers are quite rightly respected all over the world for the quality of their products and customer service, compared to the ‘low cost’ alternatives. While we can’t pretend, that price is not important, many surveys have shown that it is not the main criteria when customers are choosing their suppliers, relationships are still key to business success, whether this is just in the UK or throughout the world. To assist in this process SHAPA have recently launched a new paper on the cost of ownership which helps suppliers differentiate themselves from the low cost competition.

This new paper is just one of the many technical papers which are available on the SHAPA website just visit www.shapa.co.uk for more detailed information.

engineering plant and systems.

As we all know, engineers are in short supply these days and especially in the solids handling industry which is why SHAPA has joined forces with the Arkwright’s scholarships trust www. arkwright.org.uk to sponsor an engineering student through an Arkwright scholarship which aims to develop active future leaders within the engineering professions. The Arkwright foundation has been supporting students for over 25 years through their A Levels or Scottish Advanced Highers and encourages students to pursue engineering, computing or technical design at university or through a higher-level apprenticeship and to pursue careers in the field. successive year, the ever changing world of digital marketing coupled with the recent cyber-attacks ensure that this workshop is not to be missed. Next year will be our 10th consecutive year of the digital marketing workshop, where subjects including what’s new with Google and Bing along with LinkedIn and twitter will be discussed as well as new tools to ensure that your digital presence is attracting new and existing customers to your web site. Details will be available shortly on the SHAPA website so watch out for the announcements.

Later this year in November SHAPA are planning to run a Bulk Handling Course for non-Engineers, this course will run through the basics of bulk material handling for those who are new to the industry or do not have day to day involvement in

WORKING TOGETHER As with a hive of bees in the pursuit of efficiency no single individual or even company for that matter can be expert at everything, which is why a collective approach is adopted and promoted by SHAPA and its member companies. In order to professionally design and manufacture solids handling systems and equipment, a vast range of expertise is needed, this can be located on the SHAPA website at www.shapa.co.uk. SHAPA offers valuable resources to enable all members to widen their knowledge and experience though the support of continue...

TRAINING & CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Once again SHAPA is helping its membership by running courses and seminars on subjects that are relevant to them. An Atex and DSEAR workshop was recently held where speakers from renowned experts in the industry provided the attendees with new information, changes in the legislation and up to date case studies. It’s still surprising how after more than ten years of the legislation being placed on the statute book, the subject of Atex and DSEAR and its implications to customers, end users and the wider industry who use potentially explosive powders is still attracting large audiences to the workshops. To keep up to date and continue the transfer of knowledge on Atex and DSEAR a follow up workshop on the subject is planned for late 2018.

In addition to the Atex course the ever successful digital marketing workshop was held for the 9th

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

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its membership. Within any major processing enterprise, the supplier of each element of the material handling system can be both a supplier and a customer. Each supplier will need to know the characteristics, mass and volume flow of the material delivered to their part of the equipment, appropriate data about the discharge of their part of the system to the next part of the plant. Such communication is essential, which is why many SHAPA member companies are either suppliers to or customers of each other, often within the same project.

COMMUNICATING FOR SUCCESS This is just one facet of the SHAPA community that leads to profitable networking between members at the regular association general meetings. In fact, the high level of attendance at these gatherings is almost unique amongst engineering trade associations. Through their own enthusiasm and individual efforts members have willingly contributed to the success of SHAPA, secure in the fact that successful knowledge transfer will help their own companies as well as other members and little by little improve the quality and reliability of all projects offered to end user clients. It has been long been said that solids handling and processing is a black art – Perhaps this may have been true in the long distant past, but not now. The cooperative work of technical research institutions and associations such as SHAPA, through the commitment of skilled engineers and other professionals has ensured that knowledge based progress has prevailed.

SOLIDS HANDLING INDUSTRY AWARDS - CONTINUED SUCCESS In recognition of the successes from the within the SHAPA Membership, the SHAPA Solids Handling Industry Awards, were this year held at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

The venue proved to be a fitting location for this year’s awards as the museum is steeped in innovation and engineering excellence from steam powered engineering through to aviation and space travel.

The SHAPA awards this year comprised three categories including Innovation, Export, and SHAPA Company of the year. Yet again this year all the applications were of an exceptionally high standard showing how the SHAPA membership are pushing the boundaries in the pursuit of excellence.

The closely contested Innovation Award again went to Russell Finex for the second year running for their Russell AMPRO Sieve StationTM. This ingenious invention has been developed specially to handle the ever increasing demands of the 3D printing industry.

Perry of Oakley received the Exporter of the Year they demonstrated significant increases in their export revenues during 2016. This greatly contributed to the overall growth of the company in 2016. In addition, they also added the export territories of Serbia and the Netherlands while developing new areas in Southern Africa and Greece.

The SHAPA Company of the year award was presented to Vortex Global Ltd which has within the last ten years progressed from a start-up company in the UK with little or no market presence or brand recognition to a primary bulk solids component supplier throughout the UK, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The company has increased sales turnover significantly with the growth in the UK and branching out across the world. This success can be attributed to their business dedication and creating value through winwin relationships with their clients.

The association would like to take this opportunity to applaud all our winners and indeed all contenders who once again exhibited exemplary standards.

For more information about SHAPA membership or to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience, please visit www.shapa.co.uk or email info@ shapa.co.uk

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SACK TIPPING SIEVING STATION SUPPLIED WITH INTEGRATED DUST EXTRACTION SYSTEM Adept at handling a minimum of 3000kg/hour of flour via a 1000 micron screen whilst protecting the user from possible airborne dust particles, the Sievmaster Easilift 950 sieving station by Farleygreene now comes with its own optional localised extraction system for use when no central extraction point is within proximity.

The module features a pneumatically driven vacuum pump and filter which is also safe for use in an Atex environment. The modular nature of this and all our equipment allows our customers to pick all the elements they require to build their ultimate package.

Personalised designs are made to finesse units to customer’s exact need in terms of finish, materials and dimensional factors, which is a standard part of the FG design service for all projects.

All our products come with full validation documentation, traceability certificates conforming to EC1935/2004, user manuals, export packing and customs documentation appropriate to the delivery country.

For further information please contact: Farleygreene Ltd, Mapledurwell, Hampshire.

Tel: (01256) 474 547 Email: info@farleygreene.com Web: www.farleygreene.com

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONVEYING & HANDLING OF PARTICULATE SOLIDS (CHOPS) The International Conference on Conveying and Handling of Particulate Solids (CHoPS) is the 9th in a series, since it started in Tel-Aviv in 1994.

The previous eight conferences gave us excellent opportunities to get acquainted with each other and to share advanced information on solids handling.

The Conference theme is “Fusion of science and industry: from particle contacts to bulk behaviour”. It will focus on the emerging opportunities and challenges in solids handling technology, and the application of both these and established knowledge, in the process industries and the equipment manufacturing sector.

The scope will range from pharmaceuticals to mining and minerals, including food, chemicals, power generation, waste, environment and all other sectors that process powders and bulk solids. If you deal with particulates – you have to be at CHoPS, no other conference in the area is as large, as international, and as wide ranging in both industry and academic participation.

This is a unique forum to promote the exchange of technical and scientific information in the academic and industrial sectors in the fields of solids flow, mechanical behaviour of bulk materials, powder testing, segregation and mixing, modelling etc. It is also designed to foster business and collaboration opportunities around the world.

Registration is now open. Please visit www.chops2018.org to secure your place.

For enquiries please email the conference secretariat, Deborah ReedAspley deborah@constableandsmith.com We look forward to seeing you there!

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

JOHN R BOONE MIXERS KEEP AGROCHEMICAL BLENDS MOVING

BRITISH REMA APPOINTS JOHN ROBINSON AS NEW TECHNICAL SALES DIRECTOR

Leading British mixer and blender manufacturer JR Boone have supplied Exwold Technology in Teesside with three 4000 litre capacity low-shear mixers as par of a new installation that has expanded Exwold’s agrochemical production facility. Exwold selected JR Boone Horizontal Helical Blade Mixers (HHBM) for their reliability, value for money, quality and ease of cleaning.

Exwold is a contract manufacturer of agricultural and speciality chemicals with four sites in the North East employing more than a hundred people. They pride themselves on flexible and fast moving R&D with a speciality in water- dispersible granules (WDG).

A material that is to be converted to granules is inherently prone to agglomeration, and the challenge that Exwold MD Kevin Martin presented was to supply mixers that keep the material fluid, well separated and clog-free while it progresses through the process. Exwold considered several possible manufacturers, choosing John R Boone after tests showed that the very low speed ribbon agitators of the HHBM would maintain mix fluidity while putting very little work into the material. In this case the HHBM has a U shaped body and four helical blades that sweep the entire length of the mixer providing a very gentle yet thorough, end-to- end mixing action with very low product retention.

A pre-mix with approximately 3mm particle size is loaded into the first of the three JR Boone HHBM, which then feeds a reverse jet mill that reduces the particle size to micron dimensions. From there the powder is sent to two further JR Boone HHBM before going on to the extrusion press to be formed into granules. At all stages, it is critical that the mix is kept mobile, and presented to the discharge point consistently and completely. Exwold manufacture in campaigns that last several weeks and cleanliness between batches is vital. As Kevin Martin put it, “the Boone mixers offer easy access for inspection, easy access for cleaning and maintenance along with good quality and performance”. The low contact area design of the mixer body and minimum number of blades make cleaning simpler and quicker, and JR Boone also installed CIP equipment within each mixer to further reduce cleaning time. The new plant is now in full operation, producing granular products.

Powder processing specialist British Rema is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr John Robinson in the new role of Technical Sales Director, to lead the commercial function of its Process Equipment division. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Materials Engineering, John brings to the role over 25 years of senior technical, commercial and operational experience in the powder industry.

John spent much of his early career in innovation and technical leadership roles, working on the development of advanced powder products, particularly metal oxides. Having worked overseas for many years, John returned to the UK to serve in various senior positions including Commercial Manager of the Polishing Powders division of AMG Superalloys and subsequently its Chromium and Advanced Alloys metal powder processing function.

In his new role John will focus on the development and growth of the company’s core range of milling, classifying and blending systems as well as on its contract processing business.

This appointment continues to build British Rema’s in-house technical and scientific expertise as it responds to clients’ needs to develop processes and products in collaboration with powder specialists.

British Rema specialises in the milling, micronising, classification and blending of powders and is a leading supplier of powder processing equipment and contract processing services for the Chemical, Food, Metal Powders, Mineral, Pharmaceutical and Plastics industries.

For more information contact British Rema, Image Works, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Tel: 01246 269955 E-mail: sales@britishrema.com Web: www.britishrema.com

For more information contact JR Boone Limited, Congleton, Cheshire.

Tel: +44 (0)1260 272894 E-mail: sales@jrboone.com Web www.jrboone.com

June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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Guest Article

DUST

WHY IT’S AN ISSUE & WHAT THE PROCESSING INDUSTRY SHOULD BE DOING ABOUT IT…

By James Miller is general director at Dustcontrol UK – Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Dust affects a wide range of industries. From construction, to food, metalwork to ceramics; its pernicious impact is widespread. But dust suffers from an identity crisis.

Despite the ill effects of dust being far reaching, many fail to appreciate just how serious an issue dust can. The negatives are manifold. Its obvious side effects are the creation of a dirty working environment, hindrance to production efficiency, a lowering of staff morale, poorer product quality and an, often unnoticed, health and safety risk.

Some firms do attempt to address the situation, but unless they’ve enlisted professional help, most of these are not being as effective or efficient as possible in their approach.

If you walk into some processing facilities, there’s a chance you’ll see a profusion of cheap mobile dust extractors. These are often aligned haphazardly in the hope they’ll be enough to trap the dust and particulates created during the course of production. Managers of these facilities should be applauded for at least making an attempt to rectify dust-related issues.

But sometimes, this set up can cause more of a nuisance than any actual assistance in resolving the matter.

The mobile dust extractors used in these instances are often fitted with low quality filtration and are poorly maintained.

Personnel are often unwilling to take responsibility for keeping them clean and ensuring that they’re looked after. They also frequently constitute a health and safety risk, with leads and cables stretching across the production area. These not only pose the risk of tripping, but also make the area look untidy, which isn’t ideal during a client factory tour. There’s also often a lack of understanding on just how these extractors should be used, with many companies opting to use them after processing rather than during.

Mobile dust extractors might seem like an attractive short-term solution to workplace dust and the balance sheet, but they usually fail to achieve the desired results with running costs actually making them more detrimental in the longer term.

The best way for plants to address the issue of dust is to install centralised vacuum systems. These can fit into the building in question, and have a number of plug-in points running off them, avoiding the need for messy leads running everywhere.

The systems can run for 24 hours, and are even self-cleaning.

Lease finance for this type of equipment is becoming a much more common way of avoiding large Capex sign off and

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helping to manage cash flow.

The opportunity for source extraction is important here.

These systems are particularly useful to packaging within the processing industry, as card or paper is often cut at high speeds.

Source extraction systems capture the dust generated during these processes at the point where the paper is cut using bespoke extraction shrouds.

Implementing this set up can improve product quality and reduce downtime.

Central vacuum and source extraction systems are also energy efficient. Depending on the number of open outlets, the RPM of the vacuum producer can be optimised, generating just as much vacuum as needed. And when no outlets are open the vacuum automatically switches to a saving mode, thus reducing both carbon emissions and running costs.

What’s more, a centralised vacuum system can help solve any ‘product loss’ issues – where what’s coming out at the end of the production line is less than what’s being put in at the start. This is particularly useful for powder packing lines. The systems can show visibly what they’ve collected during the process, so if there are still serious ‘product loss’ issues these can be backed up with accurate data. Dust or product that it is removed during the extraction process can also be recycled where necessary.

The benefits of a centralised vacuum system are many.

Working in a cleaner environment will not only improve staff morale, it will also reduce the risk of potential health issues for employees. Dust extraction at source improves air quality, helping to tackle occupational asthma and other such respiratory illnesses. If we take the food processing industry as an example, engaging dust extraction equipment helps to negate the peril of something called ‘Baker’s Lung’, a form

of lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to allergens contained in many food-processing ingredients.

Another important point to consider is the fact many dusts are combustible. When a material, such as foodstuffs, is suspended in the air in a finely divided form, in the right concentration and in the right conditions, explosions can occur. If we take food processing as an example again, foodstuffs such as sugar, spice, starch, flour, feed and grain are amongst the materials that are most dangerous in the workplace. While these aren’t necessarily immediately regarded as explosive substances, the risk they can potentially pose if handled incorrectly is considerable, putting both workforce and equipment in peril.

Therefore, it’s imperative to do what you can to minimise the risks posed in environments where these materials are both in abundance and being processed in a way that causes dust to form. A centralised vacuum system is one of the key methods of doing so.

On a more business minded level, dust extraction will help to improve product quality as it removes dust from both the product and any associated packaging, whilst also reducing the need for maintenance, which allows valuable resources to be spent elsewhere.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

SN ENGINEERING ENSURES DUST COMPLIANCE

For further information &/or free site survey on dust free loading etc.. Contact : info@sneng.co.uk

BULKEX CONFERENCE – THE MUST-VISIT BULK HANDLING EVENT

We offer innovative sieving equipment technologies for all industry sectors. Our solutions can be used as a means of check sieving and designed to fit into new & existing production lines.

Our services include: > > > >

One week free trial 24 months warranty Full component traceability ATEX - Accredited as standard

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In just a few years, BULKEX has become a premier event in the bulk handling calendar. With a new format for 2017, this popular two-day conference is now incorporating a line-up of high profile speakers supported by an exhibition and awards dinner at a new venue.

Entitled Bulk Handling Today and Tomorrow, the 2017 conference – on Wednesday 18 th and Thursday 19 th October – enables professionals and organisations in the industry and allied sectors to meet in one place to discuss and hear about achievements and opportunities, challenges and solutions.

Technical emphasis The technical emphasis of BULKEX17 will deliver insights on topical issues and pending projects. The subjects covered will appeal to those from across the bulk materials industry as well as associated fields such as mining, ports, transport, power, cement and steel.

With the change in traditional markets that have served the industry for over 70 years BULKEX, together with its organisers the Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA), has given inspiration to many companies by pointing the way to the future.

Brexit, mining and biomass BULKEX17 is taking place at Eastwood Hall, a luxury country house near Nottingham. Delegates can choose from a one- or two-day ticket on either or both of the conference days. Included in the ticket price is lunch and unlimited refreshments.

During conference hours there will be a programme of eminent speakers on a range of topics such as Brexit, mining in South America and biomass.

Those attending will be able to take part in the Q&A sessions following the presentations and speak on a one-to- one basis with presenters during the day and at the awards dinner on the Wednesday evening.

Supporting exhibition In addition to the presentations, BULKEX17 will have more than fifty exhibition stands for delegates to visit and learn more about a broad range of products and services from a variety of bulk materials handling companies.

Exhibitors include: NordGear, Rota Val, Don Valley Engineering, Mucon, Martin Engineering, Conveyortech, Spirotech York, Siemens, The Wolfson Centre, LoadFast Systems, Materials Handling Products, DMN Westinghouse, Vortex Global, Flexco, Kingfisher Industrial, Rulmeca, Samson Materials Handling and ProSpare. Leading businesses in the sector, they are specialists in components supply, rollers and motorised pulleys, bespoke design and manufacture, belt conveyors, valves, screens, drive technology and a host of other materials handling disciplines.

MHEA Award The MHEA Awards were launched in 2016 as part of the annual dinner held on the first night of the event.

Such was their success that these awards have been repeated for 2017, with categories for innovation, project of the year, apprentice of the year and supplier of the year.

Entries for the MHEA awards can be made until 31 st July on the BULKEX website. Similarly, bookings for the awards dinner, overnight accommodation and registration for the conference can be made online.

For further information on delegate tickets, exhibiting, speakers or awards entries and dinner, visitbulkex.co.uk or call the BULKEX events team on Tel: 01787 226995.

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

THE WOLFSON CENTRE FOR BULK SOLIDS HANDLING TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO EXPAND ITS TEST FACILITIES The Wolfson Centre continues its policy of continually updating its range of analytical services for industry, through the purchase of a Turbula multi axis blender. Dr Berry said “this piece of equipment enables blends to be constructed from accurately measured ingredient proportions. This has the benefit of avoiding the sometimes challenging issue of undertaking laboratory measurements with supplied full blends that are not truly representative.”

Consultancy projects that depend upon representative test samples range from silo / hopper design, counter segregation strategies and investigations into lump formation. The blender will also be applied into the high level research activities at The Wolfson Centre, such as electrostatic charge generation, particle attrition and agglomeration studies.

For more details of the services offered by The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, please visit Web: www.bulksolids.com, contact us on Email: Wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk or call us on Tel: +44 (0)208 331 8646.

VORTEX LOADING SPOUTS GAIN ATEX CERTIFICATION IN EUROPE Vortex, a solids and bulk handling components company, announces its Loading Solutions product line has gained Zone 20 (internal) and Zone 21 (external) ATEX certification in the European Union.

Because ATEX certification is required for equipment sold through the European Union (EU), this certification allows Vortex to broaden its international reach and enter an established European market for loading spouts. As Zone 20 and Zone 21 are the highest ATEX ratings that can be achieved, Vortex Loading Solutions are compliant for use in even the most hazardous applications, making Vortex products a viable option for all industries.

Established on March 29, 2014, ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU is a revised law requiring equipment manufactures to design and construct equipment in a way that ensures a static dissipative path for material flow, thus reducing the source of ignition for use of equipment in explosive environments.

Complemented by ATEX Directive 99/92/EC, which is law enforced in the workplace, the purpose of the ATEX Directive is to ensure employee safety and protection when manufacturing in hazardous environments.

The Notified Body sourced to assist Vortex in gaining certification was the UK-based firm, SGS Baseefa. A certification process which took nearly one year to complete, SGS Baseefa was responsible for reviewing drawings and product standards, and for performing material testing, to ensure the Loading Solutions product line is mechanically and electrically compliant with ATEX Directive guidelines.

Vortex Loading Solutions are designed to capture fugitive dust, prevent material waste, ensure plant and environmental safety, and minimize maintenance and service expenses. Vortex loading spouts can also be designed for standard, abrasive and food-grade material handling, making them an ideal solution for any bulk solids application. Spout sleeves can be constructed from four material options – two of which have been ATEXcertified. Coupled with the spout’s four-cable pulley system and 10-year cable warranty, Vortex Loading Solutions are reliable for safety and functionality in any material handling application. Further, all Vortex products from the Quantum and Titan lines are also ATEX-certified, making Vortex one of the safest sourcing options for equipment used in hazardous manufacturing environments.

For more information contact Vortex, Darlington, County Durham.

Tel: +44 (0) 1325 728 577 Email: global@vortexglobal.com Web: www.vortexglobal.com

June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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BOXING CLEVER AT BARTON FABRICATIONS

ROTA VAL TO ATTEND BULKEX 2017

Please include the Photocaption under the image -Kevin Shaw: Warehouse Manager with moulded boxes and polypropylene feedstock silos Two 100 ton Barton Fabrications silos have been installed at the Really Useful Products Ltd’s new production facility in Castleford. The global company, which operates in thirteen countries, is experiencing increased demand for its plastic storage boxes manufactured in sizes ranging from 0.07 litres to 145 litres.

The two silos store essential polypropylene raw material feedstock used in the injection moulding process as part of the production of the polymeric boxes.

Commenting on the silo installation, Mike Pickles CEO of Really Useful Products Ltd said: “Growing demand has meant expansion, including building a new factory. We chose Barton Fabrication’s silos for our storage solution based on our past track record of using the company. As experts in their field, we knew Barton would deliver what was required. The installation process went very smoothly and we are very happy with the silos.”

Barton Fabrications is the UK’s largest supplier of aluminium silos: vessels and blenders are produced which are suitable for a wide range of both virgin and recycled plastic feedstock.

Really Useful Products’s storage boxes are an innovative range of containers manufactured by the company in the UK and USA - each box is supplied with a separate lid, which can be held securely in place by a locking member attached to the box itself.

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

Rota Val will be exhibiting at the Bulkex Show in Nottingham 18-19 th October.

Registration for tickets are available at www.bulkex.co.uk The event is organized by the Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA) and will also include a programme of eminent speakers.

At the show Rota Val will be launching a new range of ‘How To’ videos to help customers to overcome any common industry problems.

On show will also be the new website with demonstrations on the improved features.

To help customers work out what size valve they need, an app has been developed whic h when populated by industry, throughput and cleaning method, it will indicate what is needed.

For customers more aware of their requirements there is a search by industry, where the search results will show the options available.

There is a section clearly showing the accreditations that Rota Val have for their valves which include ATEX, ISO 9001 and the latest EHEDG certification which ensures that Rota Val can support food manufacturers with the strictest hygienic requirements to enable safe food production The product pages offer concise information which includes brochure downloads, ability to print the page or email the page to a colleague, the ATEX accreditation and a video in action where available.

For quick help and advice we have direct links to our engineers and customers can also keep up to date with recent news and social media links.

For more information contact Rota Val Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire Tel: +44 1249 651138 E-mail: sales@rotaval.co.uk Web: www.rotaval.co.uk

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PROTECTING DOWNFLOW BOOTH PERFORMANCE FOR SAFE OPERATION In the pharmaceutical industry the downflow booth is one of the most widely recognised means to protect workers when handling dusty materials or undertaking activities that generate airborne particles. Keeping workers safe from dusts and fumes that can damage their health is a legal requirement under Health and Safety at Work, COSHH regulations across all industries and the user friendly working environment offered by downflow booths as an alternative to cumbersome PPE, combined with the high levels of protection they can afford, has led to the adoption of this clean air technology across chemical, food, healthcare and other industries.

Matt Wilby, Maintenance and Commissioning Engineer at process containment specialist, Hosokawa Micron Ltd says, “However downflow booths can only fully protect those working in them if they are regularly monitored, inspected and maintained to preserve their installation performance levels and comply with safety regulations.”

Smoke tests verify containment and that airflow in the booth is flowing in the right direction and that it is not compromised by the placement of equipment and that smoke remains within the safe work line and none flows into the outside area which would indicate a risk to those in adjacent work zones and potential product contamination.

Where cleanroom or controlled area classification verification is required in accordance with BS EN ISO 14644-1:1999 airborne particle count testing is required. This is undertaken using light scattering instruments to determine clean zone cleanliness.

DOP testing of HEPA filters forms a part of the regulatory requirements and should be carried out by experts to ensure reliability. This test determines if your filters are performing to the standards acceptable for your operations. The test provides assurances for all parts of the filter including the seals and the housing. The statutory requirement for testing intervals is 14 months with the test carried out in accordance with BS EN ISO 14644-3:2005 or PD 6609:2007 by test engineers capable of identifying and resolving leakage problems.

MONITOR

A planned maintenance programme prevents equipment failure and production interruption whilst keeping your downflow booth safe to use. We recommend companies look at packages from OEMs which offer scheduled visits to undertake a full range of checks and tests to industry standards as well as full IQ/OQ recertification

Routine monitoring demonstrates the unit is performing to established, safe, commissioned standards. It provides invaluable historical data and enables prompt remedial action if required and forms an inclusive part of a scheduled programme designed to spot and handle deviations that may place operators at risk.

Daily visual checks such as checking for panel damage and failed lighting are a start point and can be done by the operator, who probably knows the unit better than anyone. Further routine checks should be carried out by a trained and competent technicians and include: - Checking manometer readings are in the correct range - Static pressure readings - Checking there is no visible leakage - Filter system check Keeping records is crucial in demonstrating that the system performs as it was designed. Failures detected or deviations identified should be logged, reported and acted upon.

Training of your maintenance team will be offered by your downflow booth manufacturer at equipment handover. Training should be geared to the performance levels, activities undertaken within the booth and tailored to accommodate specialist maintenance operations outside your in- house capability and scope.

SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

of your system. Compliance documentation provision is also an advisable option. Service intervals should be recommended by manufacturers, take into account HSE guidelines, ho your downflow booth is used, how much product passes through it and help determine the framework for a preventative and predictive maintenance schedule to meet your H&S obligations.

“For example a downflow booth operating on a 24/7, three shift dispensing line will require more frequent servicing than a booth which handles a few sample tests per week. Any remedial work deemed necessary would be carried out at this point by the service provider – including filter replacement.” explains Matt.

SPARES, REPLACEMENT PARTS & UPGRADES Manufacturers are able to help you manage your stock of spare parts to ensure minimal downtime and optimum performance of your downflow booth. At Hosokawa we offer a range of upgrades to lighting, containment screens, cooling packages etc. that can extend the operational life of your booth as your requirements change.’

Matt concludes, “Whist alarms and reports highlighting abnormal operations will be provided by your booth management system, the responsibility for compliance with regular Health and Safety audits remains with the company operating the booth. If something is not working as it should do not wait for a scheduled service call or H&S audit. Contact your maintenance service provider immediately.

Never let the problem escalate.”

INSPECTION ‘Run to fail’ is not an option with downflow booths and in order to maintain its performance a series of inspections or tests should be carried out by trained engineers at specified intervals determined at commissioning stage and detailed within your service manual for each downflow unit. Matt explains, “Qualified external engineers may be required to carry out these test, many of which require local isolation and specialist equipment including the wearing of PPE as Operator Exposure Levels may be compromised.”

June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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BELLA MIXER ON DISPLAY AT UPCOMING POWTECH SHOW The Bella fluidized zone mixer will be on display in Dynamic Air’s Stand # 3-204 at the upcoming Powtech Show in September. The Bella twin shaft paddle mixer by Dynamic Air achieves fast, highcapacity, low shear, precision mixing of either dry bulk solids or liquids with solids. Regardless of particle size, shape or density, materials are mixed with a fast, efficient, and gentle action with typical mixing times of 15 to 30 seconds. A weightless zone created by low-speed counter rotating paddles generates very low friction without shear. This makes it ideal for abrasive products and fragile products that cannot tolerate rough handling. Even flakes or spray-dried bodies remain intact The Bella mixer consists of twin drums which have two counterrotating agitators with specifically angled paddles. They overlap at the centre and completely sweep the entire bottom of both mixer drums and allow it to be started under full load (Figure 1). The material in the mixer moves in a horizontal counterclockwise direction at the perimeter while simultaneously moving both left and right in the center (Figure 2). The material in Zone B (Figure 1) is in its normal gravimetric state as it is being moved and disbursed.

In Zone A, a weightless zone is created which effectively lifts the ingredients to an almost weightless state allowing them to move freely and randomly, regardless of particle size and density. Thus the two zones’ interaction becomes highly efficient as every particle moves rapidly to a highly homogeneous mix, the key to the Bella Mixer mixing technology for fast, precise mixing.

The Bella mixer is available in stainless steel for food applications.

Custom sizes, finishes and materials of construction are available upon request.

Contact Dynamic Air Ltd. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Tel: +44-1908-622344 | E-mail: sales@dynamicair.co.uk Web: www.dynamicair.com

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

IFT 2017 - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR FOOD INGREDIENT EXTRUSION, FEEDING & PNEUMATIC CONVEYING At this year’s IFT Tech 2017, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas in the USA Coperion and Coperion K-Tron present the latest innovations and technologies for the food and pet food industry.

Exhibits on display included a gravimetric quick change feeder and a video demonstrating Coperion and Coperion K-Tron’s food process solutions, including the ZSK Mv PLUS Twin Screw Food Extruder – The ideal extrusion system for many types of food and pet food.

The ZSK Mv PLUS provides ideal conditions for the extrusion of many types of food and pet food products. The process section of the ZSK twin screw extruder consists of several barrels in which the corotating screws operate. The closely intermeshing screws with their tight self-wiping profile eliminate stagnant zones over the whole length of the process section. The effect of this is a constantly high conveying efficiency and perfect self-cleaning.

The modular design of the ZSK Mv PLUS and its unusual combination of free screw volume, screw speed and torque enable this twin screw extruder series to be individually configured for every application.

The complete portfolio includes a wide range of sizes, allowing customers to process any required throughput range from laboratory to production scale.

Quick Change Feeder – For handling large variety of products and a simple means of preventing contamination – Model K2ML-QC screw feeder with two interchangeable quick change modules on a D5 platform scale Coperion K-Tron’s T35/S60 Quick Change Feeder is specially designed for applications requiring the maximum possible material handling and changeover flexibility along with the convenience of easy cleaning capability. It enables a fast exchange of the feeding module which minimizes downtime and eliminates the risk of crosscontamination. The QC-Feeder is available in economical volumetric or high-performance loss-in-weight configurations.

For more information contact Coperion K-tron Great Britain Ltd, Stockport, Cheshire.

Tel: +44 (0) 161 209 4810 E-mail: info@coperionktron.com Web: www.coperionktron.com June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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HAD YOUR FILL OF DISCHARGING POWDERS UNCONTROLLABLY?

By Richard Farnish – Principal Research Fellow Department of Mechanical, Manufacturing & Design Engineering of University of Greenwich Filling fine powders into fixed volume packaging or containers can be a major headache. Whether the volume to be filled should hold a few milligrams, a sachet of tens of grams, sacks holding a few kilos, big bags holding up to a tonne or road tankers accepting 25 tonnes – the challenges are fundamentally very similar in obtaining a gravimetric fill in a system controlled by the receiving volume.

One of the main contradictions associated with dosing fine powders lies in an over reliance on aeration to initiate flow and to establish a ‘reliable’ discharge. It is notable that for processes that are required to fill blisters, such as in the pharmaceutical sector, the accuracy of the fill and subsequent dispersal characteristics (in inhalers) is beneficially enhanced in response to a engineered level of cohesion and compaction characteristics – which would not be achievable were the powder free-flowing. When processes scale up to sachets and beyond, an excessive cohesion is extremely undesirable for filling processes. In situations where powders or fines continuous ‘coarse’ materials need to be fed with a fair degree of accuracy, it is not only the reliability of flow that becomes important, but also the consistency and repeatability of the flow that is the key to minimal ‘give-away’ or spillage. An unfortunate effect of the over enthusiastic use of aeration is that although flow can be initiated quite readily, the resulting discharge is likely to be over dilated by the air that penetrates between the moving particles. Thus, two effects can occur simultaneously; Firstly the flux density of the stream of powder entering the fixed volume receptacle will be low (i.e. the incoming charge has an excessively high gas content) and secondly the velocity of the stream of particles is high and can entrain additional air. The net effect is that unless the bulk characteristics of the powder are such that rapid gas egress can occur, the charge of material is likely to be in very low bulk density form until the entrained gas is lost from the powder and exits the system through the filling point. Unfortunately, in the case fine powders, the expulsion of entrained gas from the powder can result in the deposition of dust on the sealing faces of the bag. In the event that the type of bag/sachet being filled is sealed by welding, the resulting closure efficiency can be significantly weakened, to the extent that sachets can burst open when transported to end users operating at significant elevations above sea level. Another mode of failure is when sacks are palletised fresh from the production line, in which case stack instability can result or, in some cases, rupturing of sacks due to applied pressure.

Aside from the issues of bag integrity, a more common concern lies in the variation of pack weight that results directly from the poorly controlled flow of powder – and in particular the inconsistency of ‘in-flight’ material (which is a major contributor to overall fill accuracy).

Clearly, the use of aeration in conjunction with fine powders addresses the inability of such materials to discharge from standard equipment types, but at the cost (literally in many cases) of fill variation and package integrity. A consideration of filling operations at the large quantity end of the spectrum, shows that the associated problems can have equally serious impacts.

For sachets, bags and sacks vibration is sometimes applied to the bag base or directly into the contents (via extended probes) to encourage bed settlement. This approach is not readily applicable to filling operations involving road or rail tankers, where the mass of the ‘container’ is substantial. Under such circumstances filling to obtain a

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required weight presents greater problems. Identical issues of low bulk density (due to air retention) can exist, which result in the volume of the wagon being occupied before the target weight is reached. Under such circumstances road tankers have the option to disconnect from the filling spout and drive a short distance within the plant to settle the load, disconnect from the spout and pressurise the wagon – followed by venting, or disconnect the tanker and tip the body (if a tipping type). All of these approaches can deliver varying levels of settlement but, of course, most of these options could not be applied to rail wagons. All of these approaches consume valuable driver tacho time and increase Health & Safety risks associated with increased vehicular movements on site or man access to loading hatches. In addition to poor time utilisation, over aerated material can flow rapidly enough to dislodge the filling spout before the level detector sensor can effectively shut down the flow of material from above – leading to spillage and local dust emissions.

Unstable ‘big bags’ days after filling with air retentive powder

The issue of dust emissions is of particular relevance where local dust handling systems are installed. In many cases such units tend to fall easy prey to ‘value engineering’ on plant projects, with the result that their operation is sometimes marginal even when first installed. Under sizing or poor choice of filter fabric, can often result in premature ‘blinding’ of the filters – which in turn limits the rate at which displaced air can leave the wagon during filling operations. This is a frequent cause of loading spouts disengaging during filling. The local response to this type of problem can often be to leave another of the filling hatches open to permit air (and dust) escape – causing major dust emission problems local to the loading bay.

The range of industries that are affected by poorly controlled flow of powders where good accuracy and consistency are sought is extremely wide. In response to these common problems, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology is developing a research rig to investigate in detail the response behaviour of powders

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement 13sp

to the interaction with gas. A particular avenue of work that is being pursued is that of monitoring and manipulating th interstitial gas pressures within a flowing powder.

Excessive dust emissions as a result of open filling hatch (in response to blinded local dust collector) The research aims to prove a technique for direct manipulation of particle packing to, in turn, influence the bulk properties of the flowing material. The objective of this approach is to deliver a densified flow of powder at the filling point and avoid the indiscriminate use of aeration to obtain discharge. Early experiments have shown that using as little as 4% volume air during flow can result in a ~30% increase in mass flow rate of the bulk solid when applied to the test apparatus. The key point here being that minimal air volumes can be used – which could have the knock on effect of reducing compressed air consumption and total air entrainment volumes.

The research rig at The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

IN SUMMARY Many industrial applications experience issues with spillage, dust emissions and filling accuracy when handling fine powders. Resorting to aeration to overcome the one problem (nonflowing) with others (dust egress, fill accuracy, etc.) if the design of the air introduction system or air volumes to be used have not been correctly considered and configured.

Developments and research in this field are continuing and will provide an improved basis for system optimisation for new and existing plant.

June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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HYGIENIC SCREENER UTILIZES INNOVATIVE CLAMPING SYSTEM FOR CONTAINED REMOVAL OF CONTACT PARTS

INGREDIENT BATCHING SYSTEMS CHOOSES DMNWESTINGHOUSE FOR DOSING RIGS

When processing hazardous materials and complying to ATEX regulations, containment is imperative. Not only does this protect the product from contamination, this also ensures operators are protected from exposure to the highly hazardous materials.

Due to the nature of the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, where product quality and hygiene are the absolute priority, it is necessary to use equipment that is easy to clean. This is often carried out in a contained environment. When a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer sought a solution for transferring API processing equipment to a containment isolator, an innovative solution was manufactured.

Previously, to clean equipment in this instance, operators would have to enter the production area wearing a ventilated protective suit to avoid potential contact or inhalation of the hazardous powders or dust. This, however, does not absolutely guarantee sanitation, as the equipment is still exposed to the surrounding environment, and contamination could be carried to other areas by the suit. To eliminate this risk, the manufacturer required a customized sifter, modified for easy cleaning in a containment isolator.

It was agreed that the most user-friendly solution would be a Russell Compact Sieve ® with an additional customized clamping system. This would allow transferral of all potentially hazardous contact parts to a containment isolator quickly and easily, with no risk of exposure to the operator.

As with all versions of this pharma sieve range, each component is easy to clean and re-assemble, meaning minimal production downtime. These compact vibratory screeners can fit easily into existing production lines and a wide range of sizes and options are available.

For more information contact Russell Finex Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 8818 2000 Website: www.russellfinex.com

Ingredient Batching Systems is renowned for its innovative systems for conveying powdered ingredients from silos and other storage facilities to processing vessels or packaging lines. However one of the company’s other products is a dosing rig which, in either mobile or static form, is being used by a range of different companies to deliver a highly accurate dose of hydrated lime to strategic points within an industrial chimney.

Legislation changes this year means that there will be even tighter controls for companies who burn a product as part of a process such as energy generation and cement manufacture. The Ingredient Batching System dosing rig has been designed to take over from fixed dosing systems when these systems are maintained or repaired.

At the heart of each dosing rig is a DMN-WESTINGHOUSE BL Series blowing seal type rotary valve which has been specifically geared in order to carefully meter lime doses. Blowing seal type rotary valves are ideal for this purpose as they take up considerably less space than a conventional rotary valve.

A total of six models make up the range which starts a 150mm capable of 2.5 litres per revolution and rises to a 350mm version with the potential of up to 58 litres per revolution. The BL range is available in cast iron and stainless steel for the mineral, chemical, power/biomass, food and pharmaceutical industries.

The BL range is extremely easy to maintain as it takes just a few minutes to remove the bolts holding the end covers in place.

For ease of maintenance, MZC support rails can be optionally installed in the factory which makes relocating the rotor back into the housing after inspection or cleaning a very simple operation. This also minimizes the risk of damaging the inside of the bore For more information please contact DMN UK Ltd, Calne, Wiltshire Tel: Bob Rogers on 01249 818401

EFFECTIVE, INNOVATIVE EXTRACTION Dust Control Systems Ltd specialises in providing dust and fume extraction solutions across many industries, including major projects in solids handling, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, vehicle manufacture, and the waste recycling sector.

Saving energy and increasing production efficiency, while ensuring a safe working environment, are key requirements of most processes and the company’s reputation has been built on its ability to provide the most suitable and cost-effective solution, whatever the project. DCS aim to improve their customers’ profitability by providing the best in current filter technology, significantly reducing energy usage with the Ecogate ® extraction optimisation system, and ensuring that expectations are met by focusing on system reliability.

The DCS commitment doesn’t end there, but extends through lifetime service programmes customised to meet customers’ specific needs. To assist companies with compliance on COSHH Regulations, DCS also offer comprehensive LEV(Local Exhaust Ventilation) testing and examination packages that include inspection and service to ensure extraction systems continue to comply with regulations.

For more information contact Dust Control Systems Ltd, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Tel: 0800 040 7116 | E-mail: sales@DCSlimited.co.uk or visit www.DCSlimited.co.uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER June - July 2017 - SHAPA Supplement 13sp

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