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Date Published:
02 November 2015

Volume 3, Issue 5


Pumps for panama

Feature
The Panama Canal Expansion Program (PCEP), the largest development project of the canal since its original construction, will double the waterway’s capacity and have a direct impact on economies of scale and international maritime trade. The Authority of the Panama Canal (ACP) began the PCEP in 2007, with an estimated cost of £3.4 billion (€4.8bln). Scheduled for completion in... [read more]

Under the bridge

Feature
As the first Severn Bridge in Wales approaches its 50th anniversary, the millions of drivers that cross it each year will be blissfully unaware of just how crucial the pumping operation is some 70m underground in the tunnel that connects a vital National Grid cable from England to Wales. Mentioning the Severn Bridge to most will bring to their mind images of the mighty construction that hosts... [read more]

Silence is golden

Feature
Langguth Chemie, based in Konigsbrunn, Germany, produces various types of cleaners, disinfectants, and detergents for commercial and industrial applications, as well as personal-care products like soaps, lotions, shower gels, and hand sanitisers. During these processes, Langguth Chemie has faced numerous challenges in attempting to optimise the cost-effectiveness of its production and... [read more]

The lobe, the vane

Feature
Throughout all areas of process engineering, there are applications where the transfer of fluids requires sensitive pumping action so as not to damage or change the structure of the media being handled. Typical applications include fluids that contain solids, display either high or low levels of viscosity, have high or low temperature levels, are non-lubricating, or could be made from ingredients... [read more]

Through the thick and thin

Feature
Knowing a fluid’s viscosity is essential for properly sizing piping and pumps. The viscosity of all fluids changes with temperature – the higher the temperature, the lower the viscosity. For Newtonian fluids, only temperature changes viscosity. However, non- Newtonian fluids’ viscosities also change for other reasons, and understanding them is critical for efficient pumping of... [read more]

The mighty micro

Feature
Today’s building design and architectural trends demand constant innovation in materials manufacture, especially for prestigious or high profile commercial projects. As a consequence, manufacturers are required to continually develop materials which meet the challenges of cutting-edge design and energy efficiency. A good example of this is the demand for specialist glass panels for cladding... [read more]

Ready for emergency

Feature
An extensive review of safety measures recommended by the MB Lal Committee in India, following an accidental fire at Indian Oil Corp.’s Jaipur Terminal, has resulted in the introduction of electrohydraulic failsafe actuators for critical tank farm emergency shutdown (ESD) applications. These valves, known as remote operated shut-off valves (ROSOV), now provide tank overfill protection at... [read more]

It's a cold, cold globe

Feature
Due to recent developments in the oil and gas industry, it has become increasingly important for valve companies to carry a robust, complete product line. As natural gas has become more abundant, it has become the primary feedstock in a majority of chemical, petrochemical, and refining processes, as well as a preferred choice for power generation. Natural gas is a cheaper feedstock for chemical,... [read more]

Get your crimp on

Feature
Crimping can be defined as joining two pieces of metal or other ductile material together by deforming one or both of them to hold the other. While crimping is most prevalent in electrical connections, it also has its place in fluid handling. The method can be used, for example, to connect pipe pieces or couplings to a hose. W.E. Couplings (W.E.), a coupling and fitting manufacturer based in... [read more]

The ABC of PVC

Feature
It was early in 1838 when Regnault, a French chemist working on the synthesis of chlorinated hydrocarbons – such as dichloromethane, polyvinylidene chloride, and vinyl chloride – noted the conversion of vinyl chloride to a ‘white powder’ when it was exposed to sunlight in sealed tubes. But it was the Baumann polymerisation of vinyl chloride in 1872 that can be considered... [read more]

Protecting components in abrasive and corrosive fluid environments

Feature
In all industries, problem solving, developments in technology, and challenging standard practices are key to improving production and performance. In environments where components are exposed to aggressive chemicals, friction and other factors can lead to corrosion, abrasion, and erosion, resulting in component failures and unscheduled downtime. Components such as valves, pumps, and seals can be... [read more]

An eye on oxygen

Feature
In generating electric power for several hundred thousand residents, businesses, and government facilities in the Southwestern US, a large multi-site electric utility takes great care to protect the steam boiler systems that drive its multiple turbine power generation units. The utility’s process engineers and plant teams closely monitor trace dissolved oxygen (DO2) and other corrosion... [read more]

Quit your foaming!

Feature
H. James Harrington, an American entrepreneur and author, once said: ‘Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.’ This principle is certainly true of the... [read more]

The humble flange

Feature
A flange, as defined by Collins dictionary, is ‘a projecting disc-shaped collar or rim on an object for locating or strengthening it or for attaching it to another object’. This benign description does not reflect the true importance flanges undertake within their daily working function. In an attempt to gain perspective in terms of an oil and gas or power and process project, piping... [read more]

Brushing the trouble away

Feature
The integrity of flanged connections is critical to the containment of fluids in a piping system. Loss of containment – whether in chemical lines, such as hydrocarbon and gas systems, or water distribution lines – will have significant environmental, operational, and commercial impact, and could pose a serious safety risk. Flanges present a unique corrosion protection challenge as... [read more]

Bearing failure: the causes and cure

Feature
Rolling element bearings are a key constituent part of virtually every rotating machine, including liquid pumps, and consequently represent a significant cost for manufacturers – in the UK alone, the bearings market is worth £1 billion (€1.4 billion) per year. Extracting the maximum working life from each component is therefore essential for engineers tasked with reducing costs... [read more]

A designer's primer on pneumatic sensors and switches

Feature
Pressure switches and pressure sensors are the unsung heroes of pneumatic actuation and control systems. Designed to operate accurately and reliably in harsh environments for years, or even decades at a time, the only attention they normally get happens on the extremely rare occasions when they fail. Smart designers know that paying close attention to these devices is necessary to ensure that the... [read more]

In the Khan's tent

Feature
Khan Shatyr is the tallest tensile structure in the world and the first shopping and entertainment centre to be built in the capital of Kazakhstan. Designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre is a focal point in the city of Astana. Turkish integration company Ontrol installed an extensive building management system (BMS) from Tridium and its... [read more]

The right level sensor for every job

Feature
From hydrostatic to optoelectronic to modern capacitive sensors, level sensor technology covers a wide range of options. But not all sensor systems are suitable for every job or application. Further, customisation and development support are among the determining decision factors for system designers and development engineers. Defining which method of level measurement is best suited to a given... [read more]