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Date Published:
01 February 2018

Volume 6, Issue 1


Protecting equipment from hostile environments

Feature
How to prolong the operational lives ofpumps beyond expectations with polymetric materials. Pumps are at the heart of any fluid handlingsystem and the second most commonpiece of machinery used in general industry.Heavy use of pumps coupled with thedetrimental effects of erosion and corrosioncan deteriorate efficiency over yearsof service, resulting in increased energycosts. In-service... [read more]

How to manage stormwater conveyance assets

Feature
This water NGO explains how to keep essential infrastructure in shape. Asset management is a valuable toolfor utilities to understand all levels ofinfrastructure assets throughout theorganisation and identify acceptablelevels of risk. Traditionally, assetmanagement accounts for pipes,junctions/chambers, and pumps, butthis can also be applied to stormwaterinfrastructure assets which act... [read more]

Robots vs water wastage

Feature
Water is becoming an increasingly valuable resource, and with that, leakdetection is becoming an increasingly sophisticated industry. The most recentanswers to the problem of leakage are two tetherless robots, both developedby university researchers in the United States: PipeGuard and PipeFish.Below are interviews with the inventors of these robots, who think theyhave a key role to play in the... [read more]

Eye in the sky: seeing leaks from space

Feature
This Israeli company is using technology designed to find extra-terrestriallife to help save water. In June 2017, Yorkshire Water approached Utilis and its partner, Suez, to trial a satellite-based leak detection system. The utilityprovides 1.24 billion litres of drinking water daily, a service on this scale requires efficiency. Technology in the leak detectionsector is becoming increasingly... [read more]

Listening to the pipes

Feature
Fears overscarcity and worninfrastructureare increasing.Technologies thatsupply accurate andactionable informationare in high demandas the prolific need toreplace ageing pipesbecomes apparent. With increased focus on resource securityglobally and increased awarenessof ageing water infrastructure, watermanagement technology has developedsignificantly. In the UK alone, Water UK,a trade association... [read more]

New production processes, new opportunities for the pump industry

Feature
Emerging techniquesin laser welding and 3Dprinting are expandingwhat’s possible. Since the end of the 19th century, industryhas focused on products that can bemass-produced. Whether classic transferlines or automated machining centreswere used, the parameters were alwaysthe same: It was not worth investing inexpensive automated systems unless thesewere justified by large lot sizes. The... [read more]

Your plant is telling you what's wrong. Are you listening?

Feature
Applying automation diagnostics for predictive safety management. Automation technology developed forindustrial applications is continuouslybeing improved to achieve enduserrequirements for efficiencyand safety around the world.

Cartridge seals: standard for a reason

Feature
Originally developedfor hazardousenvironments, thecartridge seal isseeing widespreaduse beyond itsoriginal purpose.Ease of maintenanceand repair, improvedrefurbishmentcycles and betterperformance areall things that areswaying operators. More than two decades ago, the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) published its first682 international standard. The standardis based on the accumulated... [read more]

The future of pumps according to Atlas Copco

Feature
Wim Moors and Antonio Titomanliofrom Atlas Copco talk about what tolook out for when buying a pump andwhat the next steps are for the industry. “We’re seeing real growth in the pump industry, for that reason wehave focused on productivity in terms of efficiency and quality,”says Moors.

Optimising pumps for extreme slurry

Feature
How to move from a conveyor to a pipeline system for best performance. Ethanol fuel is produced from corn,sugar cane, sugar beets, molasses,starch or cellulose with the predominantprimary product being corn. Ethanol hasbecome an attractive energy alternativeas the demand for environmentallyrenewable resources has increased.

Extracting more oil for less

Feature
New synthetic water treatment media shows big potential to reduce costs oftreating produced water from polymer flooding. Continuing oil and gas market pricing pressures keepexploration and production (E&P) operators looking for newways to extract more oil from existing reserves for less. Typically,they have used enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniquesto tap the majority of oil in a reservoir... [read more]