View Issue Contents

The use and measurement of natural gas is growing as environmental concerns increase. Global warming and the world’s emission of fossil fuels has become such a critical issue worldwide that most countries are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and also search for renewable sources of energy. For many years coal and oil have been the dominant sources of energy in many countries.... While Asia, including China, does not have nearly the amount of oil and gas compared to the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East, it does have vast amounts of coal. Though coal is a relatively inexpensive source of energy, it is also one of the worst sources of pollution. Coal is made mainly of carbon, and burning it produces carbon dioxide. [read more]

The flow measurement of multipath transit time ultrasonic meters (USMs) is a vital function because USMs ultimately act as cash registers, measuring gas volume as it moves between businesses within a natural gas supply chain. It’s a high-risk process: the smallest measurement inaccuracy can lead to a substantial financial loss because of the high volume of gas flowing through a pipeline at... any given time. However, if measurement is undertaken effectively, it offers the lowest possible uncertainty for the most demanding operations, and can produce substantial savings. [read more]

The requirement for a port entry in buttweld valves in the LNG industry has become extremely common. The end user’s key objective is to align with regulatory requirements such as EN 1473 or NFPA 59A and comply with local regulation (especially for LNG terminals). For this reason, specifying valves with a lower amount of flange connections is critical and welding valve bodies to the pipe... appears to be an obvious solution. However, what happens when things go wrong? How can operators gain access to the key components and carry out maintenance? [read more]

Why would you choose to use mechanicalseals over gland packing? Why would you choose the more expensive option if you’re already coping with your currentmethod? Is it really any better?  Naturally there are advantages to both sealing methods but firstly let’s understandwhy gland packing is still popular. Quite simply gland/pump packing is a tried, tested and relatively... inexpensive method of sealing pumps and is the most widely used technique. In fact, it is the earliest form of pump sealing dating back hundreds of years. Originally, gland packing was made from old ropes and natural fibre products and packed around the shaft to physically stuff the gap to reduce any leaks. This is where the familiar term ‘stuffing box’ was derived from. [read more]

A major Romanian oil company approached OPW to provide an easy to install, reliable above ground fill point solution for a new build filling station including associated internal equipment (pipework and fill caps) that would perform for the life of the site. The oil retailer required an above ground remote fill sump which would allow safe and fast access to fuelling points for tanker drivers... while protecting against unauthorised access or water ingress from above or below ground. Four fill points and one vapour recovery were specified, with fill caps and an easy-install piping solution to run to fuel tanks. For safety, all items needed to be conductive to prevent static electricity build-up. [read more]

Through effective data analysis, both a university and an LNG plant have seen huge benefits. The collection, retention and analysis of data is everywhere, from supermarkets to election campaigns. The insights that can be gained from big data collections are hugely valuable to a multitude of industries, and that includes a host of fluid handling applications. Developments in technology and... software mean more data than ever before is available to plant engineers and operators, providing a massive quantity of information on the most minute of details. Taking advantage of this data can deliver enormous benefits in performance, in sustainability, and in saving money. [read more]

A Q&A with Ryan Spooner, Automation & Instrumentation Engineering manager for Singer Valve. Singer Valve is a global manufacturer of hydraulic operated water control valves. These control valves operate in applications such as upstream/downstream pressure control, flow control, altitude control and surge/ pump control in the municipal, industrial and fire industry. Singer Valve offers... these with both mechanical and electrical control options. We also have a UL certified panel building facility and produce all our own custom engineered control solutions right here in North America. [read more]

In a variety of applications across a number of industries, air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps provide reliable, high performance pumping. They have come to be known as the “work horse” of industry when it comes to handling and transferring fluids at relatively low flows and pressures. Above ground or below ground, onland or on sea, in normal or extreme conditions, the... versatility of AODD pumps ensures that processes keep moving. Key to safe and reliable operation of an AODD pump is correct configuration. This involves taking fluid characteristics into consideration, such as pH levels, abrasiveness, temperature and fluid density. It is also important to check chemical compatibility: manufacturers often provide guides on their websites to ensure pump materials are suitable for the fluid being transferred. These same websites often feature online pump selector tools to assist in configuring a pump in a matter of minutes, [read more]

A quick internet search of the term peristalsis will swiftly lead to a screenfull of images of the human digestive system. More than just being a biology lesson however, this gives an insight into a form of pump design that is popular in a range of applications involving some of the most complicated media. The US National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus website defines peristalsis as... “a series of wave-like muscle contractions that moves food to different processing stations in the digestive tract”. The same principle is also used in a peristaltic pump. As Dutch pump manufacturer and distributor Verder Group explains on its website: “The fluid is contained within a flexible hose or tube fitted inside the pump casing. The actual pumping principle is based on alternating compression and relaxation of the hose or tube, drawing content in and propelling product away from the pump." [read more]

Few components in plant and equipment engineering are as steeped in tradition as the pump, but how does this fit in with the age of digitalisation? Is it even possible to design a hydraulic element that is fit for Industry 4.0? KSB has been reconciling these two worlds successfully for some time now. KSB has always focused primarily on the optimisation of pumps – knowing the exact load... profile and tuning the pump to the operating point. This is borne out by the sheer number of different pump casings and materials used and the impeller adjustment options available. However, conditions can change during the life of a pump and it often happens that a pump no longer runs at the optimum operating point. This also applies to newly installed pumps. For years now, KSB experts have therefore been investigating how to optimise pumps more easily without using complex analytics or having to replace the pump. [read more]