When placing your votes for the 2012 Flow Control Innovation Awards, you will be entered into a random drawing to win an iPad. Visit the Innovation Awards poll on the Flow Control Facebook page to place your votes now.
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VOTING CLOSED: Voting for the 2012 Innovation Awards is now closed. Winners will be notified individually and announced in the September 2012 issue of Flow Control magazine. Thank you for your participation.
The following technologies represent the final nominees for the 2012 Flow Control Innovation Awards program. Nominees include novel technology solutions for fluid handling applications in the categories of fluid measurement, control and containment. Please review the technology summaries provided below, and visit the Innovation Awards poll on the Flow Control Facebook page to place your votes. All voters will be entered into a random drawing to win an Apple iPad. Flow Control Innovation Awards winners will be announced in the September issue, with extended case studies/application stories on each of the winning technologies featured in the October issue.
MEASUREMENT
ML One Primary Gas Flow Calibrator
Bios International’s ML One measures gas flowrates from 5-50,000 SCCM with an accuracy of 0.15 percent. The ML One can measure almost any gas, inert or corrosive. The operating temperature range is 15 C to 30 C, and the gas pressure range is 14 to 16 PSIA. The ML One can be placed on a cart and moved to allow highly accurate gas flow measurements in factory applications. Operation of the ML One is intuitive and simple—a typical gas flow measurement only requires the user to connect the gas flow and touch “Measure” on the screen followed by “Start.”
The ML One is based on proven technology of measuring the flowrate of a gas by displacing a piston in a tube. Gas flowrate is determined by the speed of piston displacement, the gas pressure, and the gas temperature. Previous instruments use a piston in a vertical tube with the gas flow lifting the piston. The ML One design literally takes this concept and lays it on its side with horizontal tubes. A very light low-friction piston was engineered for the horizontal tube, and valves now alternate the gas flow direction through the tube. As gas flows, optical sensors measure the piston oscillation across the tube. The result is substantial improvements in measurement accuracy, portability, reduced pressure changes during readings, more than twice the reading speed, and improved reliability.
Application Note: The ML One was recently used by a semiconductor manufacturer that required accurate flowrate measurements for ammonia gas. Other instruments were not able to accurately measure the flowrate of ammonia due to its reactive nature. Using the ML One, the user was able to accurately measure this gas, which previous to this instrument was very difficult if not impossible to perform accurately in a production setting.
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When a sampler fails, it has to be withdrawn from the flowing pipeline. This means shutting down the pipeline or using a special extractor to extract the sampler while the pipeline is under pressure. The removal of the sample probe is therefore very expensive and time consuming. Compounding the issue, when a sampler fails there is no representative sample for the supplier or customer to base the net value of the quality of the product. This can also mean an expensive loss by not knowing the true value of the product being transported, sold or purchased. As such, it is very important that the sampler is reliable and provides a consistent representative sample.
Testimonial: “[The] Jiskoot Sever Duty Crude Oil Sampler has been deployed on our Enbridge Athabasca pipeline. As of March 16, 2012, this unit has been in service for over 275 days, handled over 780 back-to-back batch transfers comprising in excess of 2.72 million operations. During this time the sampler has been subjected to over 70 batches of severe condensate and over 95 batches of heavy crude. The sampler handles crude/condensates with density ranging from 720 km/m3 to 950 kg/m3, batches average temperature from -2.3 C to over 50 C, temperature between batches to as much as a 41.5 C difference.
“The sampler is still maintaining the expected sample ‘grab’ repeatability and no leakage has been noted. I am extremely impressed with the performance to date, and I am very thankful to Mr. Gary Potten, Mr. Don Hammill and Mr. Mark Jiskoot for spearheading this work group and allowing me to participate.”—Allen Wong, Measurement Investigation Specialist, Enbridge Pipelines Inc.
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Emerson Process Management’s Daniel 3812 liquid ultrasonic flowmeter is designed to provide high-accuracy measurement for many non-custody transfer applications in the petrochemical, oil, water, and wastewater industries. Designed for reliable measurement, minimal maintenance, and ease of operation, the 3812 flowmeter is a cost-effective metering solution.
The 3812 ultrasonic flowmeter measures liquid products with a high accuracy of +/-0.3 percent and repeatability of +/-0.1 percent due to sophisticated algorithms and the configuration of its measuring paths.
Innovative electronics combined with advanced digital signal processing make the 3812 less sensitive to changes in the flow profile, solids or entrained air, which results in accurate and stable measurement.
The 3812 utilizes two mid-radius, parallel-plane measurement paths and allows a high degree of immunity to disturbed flow profiles. It offers all the advantages of transit time and inline ultrasonic flowmeters. Ultrasonic flow measurement is independent of conductivity, temperature, density and pressure.
Application Note: The 3812 ultrasonic flowmeter was used in the Mangala Development Pipeline project, which is the world’s longest continuously heated and insulated pipeline and will have access to 75 percent of India’s refining capacity. This pipeline spans 680 km and provides oil to multiple refineries throughout India, including Reliance refinery, currently the largest refinery in the world.
The pipeline operators chose to install Daniel 3812 meter at the tank farm; one meter at each tank outlet for accurate storage measurement and to ensure the pump’s minimum recycle flow is maintained. With its unobstructed flow tube combined with no internal moving parts, the 3812 inhibits material build-up that would impact measurement accuracy and has no restrictions that would cause pressure drop or blockage in the flow of crude, thus minimizing pump size and energy costs. “The non-intrusiveness of this technology really helps,” said the General Manager of Pipeline Operations. “Other factors include reliability in terms of the way it has been performing; we are quite happy.”
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With the Prosonic Flow B200, it is now possible—using precisely measured sound velocity and an integrated temperature sensor—to simultaneously measure the methane content directly in the pipe and calculate related parameters, such as calorific value and energy flow, without the need for additional devices. This feature opens up completely new perspectives:
• Continuous, around-the-clock monitoring of gas quantity and quality
• Fast and targeted reaction in case of interference in the fermentation process
• Efficient process control and energy balancing by calculating additional characteristic values, such as corrected volume flow, methane fraction flow, calorific value, Wobbe index (indicates the quality of fuel gas), energy flow (e.g., BTUs).
Application Note: Traditionally in biogas, digester gas, landfill gas, and coal bed methane applications, thermal mass flowmeters are used. Wet gas causes erratic 20–30 percent spikes in readings, and in severe cases the spikes are even worse, and the meter becomes unusable. Changing gas composition is also an issue, particularly a change in “energy gas” content, and a 1 percent change in methane if uncompensated, approximates a 0.7 percent error in calculated volume flowrate. With thermal mass meters, a separate analyzer is required in these applications if methane content measurement is needed. Today with the B200, wet gas is no problem. Variations in gas composition have no effect on the measurement. Most unique to this device is its ability to continuously compute methane content with no additional inputs required.
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Testimonial: “The F608 and G608 go where other portable devices can’t,” says Craig McLaren. He is one of the first who was able to call the ATEX-certified portable flowmeter his own. As an engineer at JWF Instrumentation, McLaren says he is impressed with the possibilities offered by the all-round device. He works offshore at least once a week on one of the many oil and gas production platforms in the North Sea and only ever brings hand luggage with him in the helicopter. Since offshore conditions in the North Sea are rarely very comfortable, he particularly appreciates the extremely sturdy and practice-oriented design of all the FLUXUS components.
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KROHNE’s VISCOLINE is a patented instrument that allows the measurement of viscosity inline. Viscosity is a critical variable for the control of several industrial processes. Knowing real-time viscosity and controlling an industrial process accordingly increases productivity and optimizes the quality of finished products. The VISCOLINE can be used in the food and beverage industry, as well as in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, oil, and chemical industries.
It has always been difficult to measure the viscosity of non-Newtonian fluids, because their viscosity depends on the precise flow conditions occurring at the measurement. The same fluids flowing at two different flowrates in a pipe give two different viscosity measurements.
The VISCOLINE can be used for a variety of Newtonian or Non-Newtonian liquids. No mechanical modification is required for accurate measurements of different fluids, and the device uses patented technology based on mixing principles applied to pipes. Bulk viscosity is measured on a whole flow section, which is re-homogenized by the action of static mixers.
Application Note: A large well-known brewer was looking for a way to detect the specific point at which the transition from yeast to beer takes place during the transfer after fermentation. A sanitary two-inch VISCOLINE was installed on the main line, just below the main transfer pump. A solenoid valve was also installed to automatically dispatch yeast to recycling and beer to filtration, based on viscosity reading in real-time. Concentrated yeast is much more viscous than beer, so it measures at very high levels, and this is directed to the recycling operation. When the measurement drops down, it is beer, which goes directly to filtration. This completely circumvents the centrifuge process, thereby saving time and beer. The brewery saved about three hours per operation per batch. All told, it has cut more than $100,000 worth of beer loss each year.
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The main difference with this process is that it allows the customer to perform calibration verification on the flowmeter within minutes. In the past, the customer had to send the flowmeter back to the factory for annual calibrations, or they would have had to hire a contractor to remove the meter to conduct third-party verification. The Sage method not only verifies calibration for the entire flow range, but also eliminates errors that are attributed to sensors that become contaminated. The product offers a digital method of driving the flow sensors, resulting in enhanced signal stability, improved temperature compensation, greater sensitivity to flow changes, and improved resolution. As a result, a stable zero flow (0 SCFM) can be used as a check point to verifying the meter’s accuracy.
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Siemens’s SITRANS FUT1010 is an ultrasonic flowmeter for applications within the liquid and gas hydrocarbon industries. With the newly developed TransLoc mounting system, the transducers are permanently mounted on the outside of the sensor, providing custody-transfer accuracy while eliminating any contact with the medium. In addition to the meter, a flow system can be ordered and calibrated as a complete meter run, including upstream and downstream pipe sections along with a flow conditioner.
What makes the SITRANS FUT1010 innovative is its ability to measure the flow of gas or liquid hydrocarbons using non-intrusive ultrasonic transducers, and the fact that it is the first flowmeter of its kind to offer custody-transfer accuracy. This meter offers many advantages over traditional inline meters, including:
• The TransLoc system allows proper and secure mounting of the transducers while protecting them from harsh environments. With an IP65 enclosure rating and the use of dry couplant, high performance with minimal maintenance is guaranteed.
• The flowmeter is capable of measuring almost any hydrocarbon liquid at viscosities up to 2800 CST, as compared to the typical 300 CSTt limit of inline meters.
• The flowmeter’s non-intrusive nature allows for pigging without removal of the transducers.
• Cavity build-up (ranging from carbon to paraffins) will not occur.
• Pressure rating is eliminated and leak points are reduced. The only pressure-limiting factor of the SITRANS FUT1010 is the rating of the pipe itself.
• WideBeam ultrasonic technology from Siemens allows the meter to measure liquid and gas hydrocarbons with high percentages of entrained air, suspended solids and wet gas ranging from 10–12 percent, compared to inline transducers, which are typically limited to 3–5 percent.
• The SITRANS FUT1010 for liquid hydrocarbons can measure liquid interface and output API.
• The SITRANS FUT1010 is available with two, three or four paths and is suitable for installation in Zone 1 and hazardous areas.
Application Note: An Oklahoma refinery recently required a flowmeter for a finished jet fuel line leaving the refinery site. When the local Siemens representative visited the site, it was determined that there simply would not be enough straight run of pipe to install the Siemens clamp-on check meter/interface detector that the customer was already using elsewhere. Therefore, two SITRANS FUT1010 ultrasonic flowmeters were installed instead. Given the high accuracy of the meter, it was well-suited for the customer’s pipeline monitoring tasks.
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Spirax Sarco’s VLM10 Inline Vortex Flowmeter is designed for mass, volumetric, and energy flow measurement on steam, liquid, and gas applications in sizes one inch to 12 inches. It combines an inline vortex meter, a built-in flow computer, and an integral temperature sensor, giving users an elegant all-in-one solution for their metering needs.
The VLM10 is precise and reliable with a steam or gas mass flow accuracy of +/-1.5 percent of range over a wide 20-to-1 flow range. The fully welded, no gasket design, ensures safe measurement of steam and allows the sensors and RTD to be removed without having to shut down the line first. The built-in Web server allows customers to monitor flow and meter health through the Internet. Digital communication delivers information on-demand using Modbus RTU, BACnet MS/TP, and Modbus TCP/IP technology with standard analog and pulse outputs.
The VLM10 is available in a range of connections and pressure ranges. It can monitor flow and the meter’s health through its integral Web interface. Previously users would need to go to the meter to view the meter’s health, now it can be done from the user’s PC. Flow can also be monitored through a company’s network by simply attaching an Ethernet cable to the meter.
Application Note: A manufacturer in the North East was looking to decentralize their steam system and install a boiler for each of their product lines. It was believed the customer would have to install a 25,000-pound boiler on one product line to meet the steam demand. After the VLM10 was installed on the steam line from the boiler, it was determined that a 15,000 pound boiler would meet the manufacturer’s steam needs.
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The innovative GP21 uses a 22-picosecond resolution time-to-digital converter to make measurements, as compared to the traditional analog methods used for ultrasonic flowmetering. The analog switches used to control the ultrasonic transducers are built into the GP21 along with a chopper stabilized comparator, featuring an offset drift of less than 20 millivolts. The GP21 even includes the fire-pulse generator used to drive the ultrasonic transducers, further reducing external components. The GP21 interfaces easily to popular microcontrollers over the SPI interface, making communications with the part exceptionally easy. There is an evaluation kit for the GP21 that allows customers to perform initial evaluation of the part using their PC and a LabView-based interface to control the part and change operating parameters over the PC USB interface. This interface allows complete control of all the GP21 registers and runs on Windows XP and Windows 7.
Application Note: The GP21 has enabled customers to develop very small, cost-effective flowmeters and heat meters that are in use in locations around the world. These flow and heat meters are used in utility billing applications. They are battery-powered and wireless and offer superior performance in harsh environments, such as water containing excessive mineral content. The low current consumption enables superior battery life, which dramatically cuts maintenance costs from meter replacement and battery replacement. Installations using energy harvesting have been realized, thus further reducing maintenance costs from battery replacement. The high resolution has enabled very small compact flowmeters that can fit in virtually any location, an important consideration when retrofitting installations that didn’t implement measurement in the past, such as locations in China.
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Other capabilities of the Model 3000 Flow Conditioner are:
• Creates ideal conditions for accurate flow measurement, reducing flowmeter error
• Provides fully developed velocity profile within eight diameters
• Creates minimal headloss—two-thirds less than other conditioners
• Eliminates swirl induced by out-of-plane pipe bends
• Saves space with short installed length.
This flow conditioner was tested and developed at Alden Research Laboratory using FLUENT CFD software.
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CONTROL
ASCO ¼-Inch NPT 316L Low Power Harsh Environment Valves
ASCO’s ¼-inch NPT 316L Harsh Environment Valves are available with 0.55 or 1.30 watt coils, as well as in high flow and quick exhaust constructions, with pressure ratings ranging from 0 to 150 PSI, and flow capacity ranging from 0.08 to 1.4 Cv.
The valves are made out of 316L stainless steel material for maximum corrosion-resistance and are specifically designed for use in harsh and hazardous locations, including control panels in offshore applications such as oil platforms where the environment is extremely hot, humid, and corrosive.
Key features include:
• Lower power consumption, 0.55 and 1.3 watts
• Maximum corrosion resistance with a 316L construction
• Global Approvals, CSA, UL, ATEX, CE
• Factory-sealed approvals under CSA, ATEX, IECEx
Innovation on this product can be highlighted in three particular areas:
1.Lower power consumption, 0.55 and 1.3 watts, with increased pressure ratings
• Up to 35% lower power consumption when compared to competition
• Lower power DC constructions suitable for solar panels and PLC/DCS applications
• Reduced wiring cost
• Reduced temperature rise
• Energy savings
• Increased battery life
2.One valve meets global approvals and certifications
• UL & CSA Approved for Class I Div 1, Groups C & D
• Types 1,2,3,4,4X,6, 6P,7
• ATEX/IECEx: II 2 G Ex d IIB T6 Gb
• CSA, ATEX, and IECEX approved with factory seal leads
• SIL 3 capable per IEC 61508, third-party certification
3.Valves do not require special filtration. Comply with ANSI/ISA 7.0.01, 1996 quality standard for instrument air defined as clean, dry air or inert gas with maximum particle size of 40 micrometers. Other products on the market require special more expensive filtration that reduces the particles size to 5 to 20 micrometers.
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Testimonial: “The 8681 Controls Tops have been performing great. The most durable, water-resistant and user friendly we have found,” says Dave Mamon, president of one of the largest food and beverage integrators in North America. “They do not have any system shut down error readings from faulty prox readings, which keeps the plant running. So this does help the process by giving back reliable feedback of valve positioning every time.”
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Chemineer RL-3 Impeller
Designed with a strong central hub and sturdy blades, the Chemineer RL-3 impeller is capable of handling the loads related to material and flow impingement to ensure reliable operation and long service life. The high axial flow Chemineer RL-3 impeller provides superior mixing performance in blending and solids-suspension applications.
Application Note: Anoxic Mixers are used in de-nitrification basins and have a tendency to build-up rags on the impeller and shaft in the process. The process involves the de-nitrification of waste streams through the use of bacteria, which breaks down the nitrate in the waste to use as an oxygen source (energy source). This breakdown of nitrate from the waste stream releases oxygen and nitrogen gas. The oxygen is consumed by the bacteria, and the nitrogen gas releases to the atmosphere. The waste stream then has acceptable nitrogen levels so the stream can be discharged into the environment.
The Anoxic Mixer is required to suspend solids, which include waste sludge and provide complete basin control to promote bacterial breakdown of nitrate so the nitrogen can escape as a gas. Another goal of the mixer is to prevent air (i.e., oxygen) incorporation from the liquid surface, therefore swirl or vortex formation on the liquid surface can be avoided.
The Anoxic basin may contain fibrous material, which was not screened out of the waste stream or has passed the grinders in the front end of the waste treatment plant. This fibrous material has been found to agglomerate on typical hydrofoil (i.e., high efficiency) impellers, which are typically used in such applications.
The replacement of the typical hydrofoil impeller with the Chemineer RL-3 Ragless Impeller will shed the fibrous material and prevent buildup and therefore mechanical issues with the mixer. The use of the Chemineer RL-3 maintains the strong axial flow pattern and performance of the agitator, which eliminates the swirl/vortex on the top surface and hence the incorporation of oxygen into the basin. This allows the bacteria to use nitrate as the primary source of energy and keeps the nitrogen levels in the effluent within permit levels.
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The valve’s aerodynamic, spherical-shaped cone ensures tight closing and 100-percent-leak-proof operation. The cone’s double bearing prevents it from tilting, even with rapid closing, and eliminates malfunctions.
Application Note: A process owner approached Georg Fischer looking for a solution, which would reduce the amount of wear and tear on his check valves. His goal was to not only extend the lifetime of the system, but also decrease maintenance. Georg Fischer saw this as the perfect opportunity to allow the user’s experiences to flow into the development process. Check valves, in particular, are subject to many wear factors: mechanical stress caused by high flow velocities, water hammer in the pipeline, and chemical attack on the valve components, such as elastomer seals.
These experiences were incorporated in the development of the new check valve design. The valve cone was hydro-dynamically optimized. This minimized pressure loss and at the same time increased flow by 25 percent compared to the previous Georg Fischer check valve generation. With the new design, it is virtually impossible for the valve cone to jam since the cone is double guided. Process stability is therefore ensured.
Additionally, many of the valve features were verified and improved in the course of field testing. The result is a new generation of check valves that safely and reliably protect the pumps in the customer‘s water treatment process, even under extreme conditions. The valve was tested in this application for over 25,000 hours. More than 11,000 successfully completed test hours after the final design adjustment confirmed the safety, efficiency and profitability of the new valve. Parallel to the development work, a patent for the new design was applied for and granted in 2011.
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The heart of the MBV series is a patent-pending design that allows users to achieve various control configurations, with a very fine and sensitive needle for flow regulation and calibration, while also including a diverting option for shut-off or full-flow position, without loading or damaging the sensitive regulation needle. As can be seen in the diagram below, previous to this product users would mount a shutoff valve in series with a metering valve to control critical flows. This required additional tubing or piping segments as well as additional connection points, all of which are potential leak points. Ham-Let’s MBV eliminates these requirements and results in a more efficient flow control scheme with a smaller footprint.
The MBV series patent-pending design allows a basic and common configuration of metering/shutoff (Figure 1). Additional configurations offer a metering/full flow (Figure 2) and metering/shutoff/full flow (Figure 3). The MBV series is pressure-rated up to 2,000 PSIG (138barg) and temperature rated up to 3,00OF (138OC). Many different end connections are available (male and female taper threaded, Let-Lok double ferrule compression, and HTC face seal) in sizes ranging from 1/16 inch to 3/8 inch. A choice of three precision stem tapers enables manual metering control as low as Cv=0.0001 and as high as Cv=0.15. In addition, manual and optionally actuated diverting control is available.
The MBV series offers a major advancement over traditional instrumentation solutions since the MBV allows fine metering and shut-off control without requiring multiple devices in line. This eliminates tubing work and tube connections. In addition, the use of MBV reduces the system’s weight, internal dead volume, footprint, connectors, labor costs, troubleshooting costs, etc. A main application for this product has been controlling flow inputs to industrial analyzers.
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The solution uses the Foxboro Universal Fieldbus Module (FBM) 247, which fits into the standard base plate of the company’s I/A Series DCS. The modules are software programmable to manage most standard I/O combinations. Working from a networked I/A Series workstation from just about anywhere, a process engineer can configure signal protocols from a variety of measurement and signal devices, such as flowmeters, valves, and pressure and temperature transmitters located around a process plant.
Application Note: The flexibility of configuration ease within intelligent marshalling allows users to adapt to changing I/O requirements over time. For instance, in a piping network that is part of a cooling process in a pet food manufacturing operation, several flowmeters and a valve might have to be replaced. The new equipment would use different signal protocols than the old units and would traditionally require different I/O modules. Updating the I/O configuration for the control system is a relatively simple task with the Foxboro Universal FBM 247 modules. When the meters and the valve are changed out, the engineers need only reconfigure the I/O via software, in this example, from a workstation in the main control room. But it could just as easily be reconfigured from elsewhere in the plant.
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Moyno Max-Flow Annihilator Grinder Systems are engineered to meet specific conditions. These systems are built around the field-proven Moyno Annihilator Grinder. This high-quality, twin-shaft grinder with patented spacer cutters and patent-pending shrouded seal ensures that solids in the primary sludge stream are ground uniformly and efficiently.
The Moyno Max-Flow Annihilator Grinder System contains two or more Annihilator grinders mounted side-by-side in a stainless steel retrieval frame in the headworks of a waste treatment system. They can be installed in an in-line or a staggered or offset design to accommodate a variety of channel widths. The custom retrieval frame can also be constructed in a variety of lengths, with the most common being 5 feet to 25 feet, The retrieval frame can be mounted in a channel or to a wall.
The system has fewer maintenance issues. When maintenance is required, removing and replacing one grinder or one grinder cartridge is much easier and less costly than removing and replacing an entire drum screen grinder or its drum screens or grinder parts.
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The innovation of the RVM is in its small size, modular design, and simplicity. The manifold can be engineered to meet customer requirements in any application, including SIS, for instrument air directional control, saving installation costs and providing a simple, reliable and cost-effective solution. The manifold has just four visual indicators, each showing one of two possible colors. The color sequence of the four makes it easy for the operator to see that the unit is working properly or, if not, where the problem lies. Should a malfunction be detected, the operator can fix the problem without affecting the system.
Application Note: A plant producing nitrogen fertilizers and other related products used solenoid valves to direct air to the larger valves controlling the process. These solenoids were controlled from a panel that had to be installed at a distance from the operation because of its size and complexity. The RVM is small enough to be installed close to the process valve to which it is directing air, and the visual indicators make it quick and simple for operators to accurately evaluate its function. Now with the RVM in place the end-user has all the safety features required in their SIS, improved operator efficiency, faster installation times, and the ability to service the unit safely without interrupting the process.
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OmniSite improved the traditional alarm light by adding Cellular Telemetry to the circuitry and adding a low-voltage output to control the power switch remotely. The light still installs, acts and feels like the traditional alarm light and is applicable everywhere you would want an alarm light. SmarteLight gives operators peace of mind because they will get real-time alerts via text, email, or voice when an alarm is triggered. They don’t have to worry about seeing the light on the device, because our notification can alert them no matter where they are.
Application Note: Wastewater, water distribution and landfills all use water pumps in one form or another. To meet monitoring standards, these pump stations must at least have a visual alarm light. The OmniSite SmarteLight easily installs like a typical alarm light, but adds completely wireless cellular telemetry to the visual light to send real-time text, email and voice alerts to operators. In addition to wireless alerts, SmarteLight also gives operators access to an online dashboard to remotely power cycle their device and to see data and reports.
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Application Note: At one wastewater treatment plant, drying beds were utilized for open-air cake drying, and then the waste was hauled off in dump trucks to a local landfill. However, new environmental regulations were pushing for a better way to deal with waste. seepex helped replace this method of open-air cake dewatering and front-end loader disposal. The plant has installed a belt press machine that squeezes the solids to reduce the moisture content. The belt press is being fed by a seepex BN 30-6LT progressive-cavity pump. The dewatered remains have a solid content of 16-18 percent. The dewatered cake solids are doctored off of the belt and fall into the hopper of the seepex BTI 17-12 progressive cavity pump. When the cake reaches a certain level, the load cell system will register the increase, and it will tell the pump to turn on. The pump will increase or decrease production as needed; when the belt stops feeding the hopper, the pump will turn off.
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The SmartTrak 140 mass flow controller is a hybrid of two innovative technologies—Sierra’s SmartTrak 100 Series with its SmartTrak inherently linear Laminar Flow Element (LFE), sensor and digital electronics and our industry staple SideTrak 840’s low ΔP with its large flow coefficient (Cv) valve, which is a measure of how “easily” or efficiently flow goes through the valve. By combining these two technologies, the SmartTrak 140 boasts the smallest pressure drop in the industry and includes all the features of Sierra’s flagship SmartTrak 100 Series.
Application Note: Semiconductor manufacturers use ultra-high purity gas, which is very expensive, to blast the silicon wafers clean. To effectively clean the wafers, a very high-pressure gas is pressurized using ultra-clean compressors. To prepare this high pressure, ultra-pure gas is very expensive, so it’s critical to use the gas efficiently and effectively, not losing a single molecule in the process. Since gas flows from high-to-low pressure, the higher the pressure, the less pressure is lost in the system, which means the pressurized gas is more efficient and can clean more wafers. The SmartTrak 140, a mass flow controller with minimal pressure drop requirements, is ideal for these types of semiconductor applications. Because of this low pressure drop requirement, the SmartTrak 140 delivers highly pressurized, ultra-high pure gas to work on the tool with almost no gas pressure lost in the process, greatly increasing the efficiency of the process and lower costs of wasted gas.
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The flushing process is optimized by offering a range of valve sizes to provide the correct velocity to pull or draw fresh water into a zone. This, coupled with the pressure-sustaining feature, scours and cleans pipes, which reduces corrosion and dramatically improves water quality. Each TAPS unit includes a water sampling port so that onsite clarity and testing can be easily seen and sampled without disrupting the process.
Testimonial: Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana. It not only caused damage to the water distribution system, but the loss of half the population means low usage, which lead to low velocities that resulted in the accumulation of ammonia and other sediments.
With water quality samples not up to par, the Parish bought 50 units of Singer’s Total Automatic Purging System (TAPS) and designed a weekly flush cycle to create a wave action to force flush 27 miles of the distribution system.
“Our distribution system has shown a marked improvement on most factors: improved chlorine residuals, lower Total Trihelomethane and Haloactic Acids values, plus reduced consumer complaints. Once the 50 units were installed, it took about three days to program them all.”—Jacob Groby, Superintendent of QC for St. Bernard Parish
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CONTAINMENT
There has been much advancement in drum unloader technology with the introduction of the SaniForce drum unloader. One important advancement is the creation of the inflatable wiper seal technology on the ram plate. After the ram plate and seal enter the drum, the user turns a dial, which inflates the seal to the appropriate pressure. The seal holds this pressure and gently scrapes the side of the drum as the ram plate moves from top to bottom. This is a main reason users can achieve greater than 99 percent evacuation rates; the inflatable seal prevents product “blowing by” the ram plate—something that a flat wiper seal cannot accomplish. Also, with this inflatable seal, the drum unloader can accommodate both straight-sided and tapered drums.
Application Note: A large manufacturer of skin ointments was looking for ways to improve their manufacturing process and keep it cost effective for consumers. The product also needed to meet the purity and safety standards of the United States FDA and the European Pharmacopeia, while ensuring compliance with the Code of Good Manufacturing Practice by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
The manufacturing group identified an opportunity in their facility to reduce manual labor in three areas of their manufacturing process: 1. Unloading pharmaceutical-grade petroleum jelly out of drums; 2. Unloading fruit paste out of drums; and 3. Transferring the final product (petroleum + fruit paste) from vats to containers.
To address the unloading of high-viscosity petroleum jelly and fruit paste out of drums, the company’s management team chose the Graco’s SaniForce 12-to-1 drum unloader because of the system’s FDA compliancy, the ability to efficiently transfer thick materials out of drums and the ability to achieve over a 99 percent evacuation rate. To transferring the final product out of vats to the packaging line, bare SaniForce 12-to-1 piston pumps were connected to the vats to pump the final product to the packaging area. The SaniForce drum unloader and pump installations contributed to a 40 percent increase in overall output in their facility.
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The Viega Smart Connect feature can be pressure tested up to 85 PSI, and ProPress systems help reduce installation time up to 60 percent without needing flame or heavy equipment. Viega ProPress systems can be installed without shutting down a system, practically eliminating downtime. In some instances, installers have been able to finish cut-ins over their lunch hour.
Application Note: The Viega ProPress system for stainless steel was installed in a store brand personal care product manufacturing facility. To reduce waste and complication with the transport system for its alcohol and peroxide lines, the installer updated the facility’s pipe system with Viega ProPress for stainless. This update eliminated the need to flush the transport lines between chemicals, saving the company $20,000 a month. Viega ProPress for stainless allowed the installers to pre-run all the pipe parallel to existing lines while production still ran. Viega ProPress also allowed the installers to integrate the new piping with existing elements of the system, including its own pumps. It would have cost $200,000 to complete the project using traditional methods of pipe joining, not including losses due to facility downtime. By installing Viega ProPress for stainless, the project cost only $60,000. Not a single connection leaked. And since Viega ProPress for stainless steel is flameless, it presented no safety hazard while installers joined connections around flammable chemicals. No fire watch was needed, and no burn permits were required.
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