Process Heating articles from March 2008

Process Heating archives from March 2008

Prepare for the worst but ... expect the best--and get it.(Commentary)
March 1, 2008... The aphorism "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" is useful advice that we all hope we practice. After all, who really undertakes a new project or challenge and gives no thought to what might go wrong? And, while it is impossible to...

New Oakton[R] Type J, K or T thermocouple thermometers: heavy-duty thermometer offers versatility and accuracy in a compact design.(Product of the Month)
March 1, 2008... Introducing the new line of OAKTON thermocouple thermometers. These robust and reliable meters work in any environment, from the lab to the production floor. The sturdy armored construction protects the units against knocks and jars, and...

New process heater technology offers increased efficiency.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... By combining a helical heat exchanger, shared-wall radiant U-tube and helical flame stabilization element, a new process heater is said to offer 70 to 80 percent greater efficiency over current state-of-the-art radiant tube combustion systems....

Flare manufacturer receives orders for 13 systems.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Abutec LLC, Woodstock, Ga., received orders for 13 medium-temperature ground flare (MTF) units to handle the emissions from 13 biodigestor facilities. The project is an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and requires strict emission...

ChinaPlas 2008 to showcase 1,800 machines.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... More than 1,700 international exhibitors from more than 35 countries and regions will demonstrate 1,800 advanced machines and an array of chemicals and raw materials at ChinaPlas 2008. The 22nd International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber...

Thermal Energy wins $2.5m energy efficiency contract.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Following a detailed engineering and design study on the potential for recovering waste heat from oven exhausts and using it to dry manufactured products, as well as a second study on the potential for generating steam from waste heat in the...

Dow releases fluid guide.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Heat transfer fluids for HVAC and refrigeration systems are the focus of a new guide from the Performance Fluids business group of the Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. Introduced at AHR Expo held in New York City in January, the company also...

Tutco buys heating element line from fast heat.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Tutco Inc., Cookeville, Tenn., acquired the assets of the Heating Element Division of Fast Heat Inc., Elmhurst, Ill., as that company diversifies into RFID technology. The product line includes a range of specialty heating elements for...

Cleaver-Brooks offers energy-solutions program.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Aimed at helping customers find significant, quantifiable energy savings while lowering environmental impact and cost of ownership, the Energy-Saving Solutions program from Milwaukee-based Cleaver-Brooks Inc. encompasses products and services....

Funding enables testing of ceramic turbine.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... The development of an efficient and clean-burning ceramic-bladed microturbine that incorporates the Wilson heat exchanger will soon be completed by Woburn, Mass.-based Wilson TurboPower, thanks to the receipt of a second round of funding. Final...

General Monitors, ELPRO form partnership.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... As industrial wireless communication continues to gain acceptance in many process instrumentation and safety applications, it is enabling plant managers to deploy detectors in hard-to-access areas where the cost of a fully wired installation is...

Online coil coating library expanded.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... As part of the continuing effort to inform metal product manufacturers about the benefits and use of coil-coated metal, the National Coil Coating Association (NCCA) has added four new online tutorials to its online library. A total of 12...

Temperature profiling guides released.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... Companies interested in temperature profiling reflow ovens can request a Mega M.O.L.E. 2.0 and M.A.P. guides from Electronic Control Design (ECD) Inc., Milwaukie, Ore. M.A.P. is a company-specific acronym for "Machine, Assembly, Process" that...

Electronic control safety warning issued.(Inner Workings)
March 1, 2008... The Eclipse Veri-Flame electronic control used on gas-fired heating equipment may allow continued gas flow even in the absence of flame, so the company has issued a safety warning. While only a few occurrences have been reported, according to...

Calendar of events.(Conference news)(Calendar)
March 1, 2008... March 19-20--Plastec South, Convention Center, Charlotte, N.C. Hosted by Canon Communications. Call (310) 445-4200 or visit www.plastecsouth.com. 31-April 1--Cleaning Validation Practices for Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical...

Engineering graphite: equipment for corrosive applications.(Heat Exchangers)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Graphite's outstanding thermal conductivity makes it suitable for the construction of heat exchangers and other process equipment. Increases in delivery times and the prices of nickel alloys and titanium have led to...

Conveyor bed dryer maintenance tips: if your conveyor bed crashes, your line stops. Simple steps such as proper belt tensioning, chain wear and conveyor sprocket monitoring, and regular lubrication can increase the life of your bed assembly and minimize untimely shutdowns.(Dryers)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conveyor dryers have only a few moving parts. Topping the list as the most important moving component is the conveyor bed. If a conveyor bed is not operating, you are not making product. If you are not making...

Equipment overview: ovens.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Industrial ovens run the gamut of configurations (batch, walk-in and continuous, to name a few), heating methods (infrared, convection and microwave, for example) and manufacturing processes (baking, heat setting or...

Choosing heat transfer fluids: while most heat transfer applications have unique features that must be considered, having a good understanding of general heat transfer fluid details can ease the selection process.(Heat Transfer Fluids)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Industrial users have many high temperature heat transfer fluids from which to choose. Some of these fluids are recommended for open-to-atmosphere systems and some are not. Likewise, some are rated for use as high as...

Flow effects: understanding some of the common causes for system effect losses can help you more accurately size and select fans.(Fans)
March 1, 2008... Beyond the routine system resistance calculations, the location of some common components and their proximity to the fan inlet or outlet can create additional immeasurable losses commonly called "system effects." If these losses are not...

Temperature profiler.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... M.O.L.E. Profiler depends on the company's MAP (Machine-Assembly-Process) software to control how it collects and interprets data. Several kinds of data runs may need to be performed to achieve desired information, or the same data run may be...

Batch ovens cure ceramic coatings.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Gas-fired batch ovens were designed to cure ceramic coatings on assorted parts. Features include combination airflow, work chamber dimensions of 6 x 7 x 8', and 650[degrees]F (343[degrees]C) maximum operating temperature. A pilotless burner,...

Plastic welding kit.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Plastic piping welding kit includes a Weldy Plus programmable hot air tool with adjustable heat and airflow; pipe-welding nozzle; and 2-lb supply of PVC, polyethylene or polypropylene welding rod. Developed for repairing Schedule 40 and 80...

Circular chart recorder.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... CT6100 Series combines the simple operation of pen drawing with microprocessor-based control. The circular chart recorder is configurable via a front-panel keypad and has a menu-driven interface for configuration and calibration. The backlit...

Infrared emitters.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Tubes or rods made of plastic, metal or glass can be heated homogeneously using spiral-form disc emitters. The emitters generate high power in a small space and reduce heating times. Short- or medium-wave, round tube designs offer quick on and...

Boiler flue gas recovery unit.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Flu-Ace is designed to improve the fuel efficiency of boiler operations and reduce environmental emissions. The company says up to 90 percent of the heat normally lost through boiler flue-gas stack emissions is recycled by the technology. This...

Thermal imagers.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Built to withstand harsh environments, Models Ti25 and Ti10 are designed for troubleshooting and maintenance of process equipment, electrical installations and electromechanical equipment. Both models incorporate IR fusion, a technology that...

Energy cogeneration system.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Energy Conservation System (ECS) provides steam flow rates from 3,500 lb/hr and up. The small cogeneration system consists of a backpressure steam turbine used in parallel with an existing pressure-reducing valve or pressure-reducing...

Panel-mount controllers.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... DIN-sized controller incorporates the company's integrated control loop functions into a 1/16 or 1/32 DIN controller. The panel-mount units are customizable and configurable to suit the application. For example, the control can be ordered as a...

Compact setting display unit.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Model OP10 is intended to be used in conjunction with the company's SR Mini, SRV and SRZ systems. The compact setting display unit allows operators to monitor up to 99 channels or troubleshoot where a PC is not available. Any Modbus register...

Unit heater.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Ultra-Safe EXP offers an ignition temperature code rating of T3C, or 320[degrees]F (160[degrees]C), and dual overtemperature protection with both automatic and manual reset overtemperature cutouts. A 70 psig relief-valve setting ensures that in...

Impedance heating system.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Heating system provides uniform heat with minimal footprint and uses the pipe itself as the heating source using the Joule effect. Impedance heating system directly warms the piping to provide even, smooth heating along the entire circumference...

Plate heat exchangers.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Plateflow is designed to yield higher heat transfer coefficients than other types of exchangers. With true countercurrent flow, the plate-and-frame heat exchangers require one-third to one-fifth the surface area of shell-and-tube exchangers....

Catalytic ovens.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Offered as pre-gel/booster and full-cure ovens, modular catalytic systems employ reflectors to make the most of infrared heat. Multi-zone gas pulse technology provides precise temperature profiling for components such as extrusions, castings,...

Power supplies.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Quint SFB offers the company's Selective Fuse Breaking (SFB) technology that reportedly provides up to six times nominal current for 12 ms. This short burst of current allows individual circuit breakers to react to overloads. Faulty current...

Ceramic infrared heaters.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Elstein ceramic infrared heaters emit medium-and long-wave infrared energy of 2 to 10 [micro]m. Due to an embedded heating coil, the units are expected to provide a long service life. They can be controlled with an accuracy of 2[degrees]F...

Oil preheaters.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Fuel oil preheaters are suitable for use with heavy or waste oil fuels. They are available in a variety of sizes in two models. Prewired, UL-listed controls and E.T.L-listed elements with a five-year warranty are standard. The manufacturer says...

Temperature control valve.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Requiring no external power or signal, Models AFX/AFR sense one fluid temperature while controlling another. Factory set-points are available from 35 to 255[degrees]F (1.7 to 124[degrees]C) in either direct-acting (close on temperature rise) or...

Cleanroom oven.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... No. 849 is used for drying glass and stainless steel parts. The 500[degrees]F (260[degrees]C) electrically heated oven offers 20 kW installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular heating elements. A 1,000 cfm, 1.5 hp recirculating blower furnishes...

Recorder software.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Eyris software provides an easy-to-configure PC package for accessing the company's Data Mangement 5000/6000 Series graphic recorders. The software package provides a builder environment to connect to the recorders and a browser window for...

Oxygen sensor analyzer with boiler efficiency feature.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... AccuMax is intended to enhance boiler, oven and furnace efficiency and reduce emissions. This new feature of the Rosemount Analytical X-Stream oxygen analyzer helps maintain accurate oxygen measurements. The technology includes an internal...

Power controller for heaters.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Thyristor power system has a heavy-duty one-, two-or three-phase power unit to 690 VAC and 1,600 A for precise voltage control of a variety of heating elements. Phase control, zero crossing, PID input and local potentiometer control are...

Thermocouple transmitters.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Two-wire RTD and thermocouple transmitters provide accuracy as low as [+ or -]0.05 percent of span. With FM, CSA and CE approvals, the T55 and T51 transmitters can be installed in a range of temperature-measurement applications. Burns...

Platinum RTD probes.(Product Highlights)
March 1, 2008... Sensing element is a thin-film platinum detector developed for fast response time and calibrated to DIN 43760. It is protected by fiberglass insulation and mounted in a 304 stainless steel, 0.197" dia tube. A mounting bracket with slots is...

Charlotte, N.C.-based APV, a part of SPX Corp.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Charlotte, N.C.-based APV, a part of SPX Corp., named Charles Ruben to the position of global plate heat exchangers sales director.

Michele Tomas joined Nationwide Boilers Inc., Fremont, Calif., as marketing manager.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Michele Tomas joined Nationwide Boilers Inc., Fremont, Calif., as marketing manager. Nationwide specializes in providing temporary boilers to industry and manufactures CataStak, a selective catalytic reduction system for package boilers.

As part of its Technology Fair and User Conference, which will be held April 4-7 in Houston, Yokogawa Corp. of America, Sugar Land, Texas, will offer four CEU courses that will be taught by ISA instructors.(Places & Faces)(Conference news)
March 1, 2008... As part of its Technology Fair and User Conference, which will be held April 4-7 in Houston, Yokogawa Corp. of America, Sugar Land, Texas, will offer four CEU courses that will be taught by ISA instructors. All of the courses will run...

Yokogawa Electric Corp. established an Industrial Automation Global Marketing Center in Dallas, Texas.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... In related company news, Yokogawa Electric Corp. established an Industrial Automation Global Marketing Center in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Maurice Wilkins, formerly of ARC Advisory Group, will lead the group as vice president of strategic marketing...

Conair.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Cranberry Township, Pa.-based Conair named Wesley Sipe, a heat-transfer expert and 10-year veteran of the company, general manager. Sipe will lead Conair's team of engineers and customer service specialists and has has responsibility for all...

Lake Zurich.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Lou Zavala was hired by Lake Zurich, Ill.-based Frigel as a national sales manager. Zavala will be responsible for the North American sales representative network and advancing industry awareness of Frigel's technology. [ILLUSTRATION...

Ameritherm Inc.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Scottsville, N.Y.-based Ameritherm Inc., an Ambrell company, named Tom Dickerson as director of sales and marketing for the Americas. Dickerson will be responsible for growing the induction heating systems maker's client base within the region....

Dow Corning Corp.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Silicon-based materials maker Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Mich., will expand its manufacturing operations in Kendallville, Ind., creating more than 20 new jobs by 2010. Dow Corning will invest more than $5 million to build and equip a 25,000...

Solon Manufacturing, Chardon, Ohio, a manufacturer of industrial controls, received a "gold and superior" rating from ABB Inc., Norwalk, Conn.(Places & Faces)
March 1, 2008... Solon Manufacturing, Chardon, Ohio, a manufacturer of industrial controls, received a "gold and superior" rating from ABB Inc., Norwalk, Conn. The rating reflects Solon's performance as a supplier to ABB and indicates that ABB found Solon...