Process Engineering articles from January 2002

Process Engineering archives from January 2002

Dow set to idle derivatives unit. (News).
January 1, 2002... A slump in the market for ethanolamines and glycol ethers has led Dow Chemicals to idle its ethylene oxide derivatives plant at Wilton. The plant will cease production on 31 March, and will be left in a 'mothballed' state, but 27 jobs will be...

Bayer loses drugs chief. (News).
January 1, 2002... David Ebsworth has left his position as head of Bayer's pharmaceuticals business group by mutual consent, following problems relating to the cholesterol lowering drug Baycol. The company stopped producing the drug last August, after it was...

Amec awarded Chinese contract. (News).
January 1, 2002... The Shanghai Secco Petroleum Company (SECCO) has contracted Amec to help design and build a $2.7 billion petrochemical facility in Shanghai. Amec will be a part of the integrated project management team, which will monitor and control the prime...

Akzo Nobel to cut more jobs. (News).
January 1, 2002... Akzo Nobel is to extend a job-cutting restructuring programme it began last year. In a New Year's address to employees, chief executive Gees van Lede (right) said that the programme, which already included 2000 job losses, would be extended,...

Lab-on-chip technology set to grow. (News).
January 1, 2002... Microscopic lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems are 'on their way to becoming a new, multibillion-dollar industry,' according to market researchers at Technical Insights, a subsidiary of Frost & Sullivan. Instruments incorporating micro-machined...

Heat is on for turbulence. (News).
January 1, 2002... New insights into the physics of turbulent reactions could help engineers improve the design of processes where combustion or other turbulent flows occur. Although by no means perfected, the work from the computational fluid dynamics laboratory...

E-consolidation in trading of chemicals. (News).
January 1, 2002... ChemConnect, the online chemical trading marketplace, has agreed to buy its rival CheMatch for an undisclosed sum. ChemConnect specialises in chemicals and plastics, while CheMatch also handles bulk feedstocks and fuels. The combined...

Companies reject move from Toulouse. (News).
January 1, 2002... Agrochemicals plants damaged by the explosion of the Grande Paroisse fertiliser plant last September will not be rebuilt elsewhere, according to their owners, SNPE and Atofina. The companies have pledged to invest 'several hundred million...

Now there is just one step to Phenol. (News).
January 1, 2002... Japanese process engineers have designed a process to convert benzene to phenol in a single step with no unwanted byproducts. The team, from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, is developing the process to the...

Bug may help clean up PCB deposits. (News).
January 1, 2002... Researchers from the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute have discovered a strain of microbes which are capable of breaking down polychorinated biphenyls. The bacteria, which live in river mud, are the first microbes reported which...

Ciba helps break paper record. (News).
January 1, 2002... Of all the papermaking plants, in all the world: the 3000km of paper produced by Nordland Papier in a record-breaking time of 33 hours would reach from the end of the machine in Dorlen, Germany, to Casablanca. The machine, which uses Ciba's...

ICI completes Huntsman sale. (News).
January 1, 2002... ICI has completed the sale of its 30 per cent stake in Huntsman International Holdings to Huntsman Specialty Chemicals, part of the contract agreed when the ICI sold its polyurethanes, tioxide and selected petrochemical businesses to Huntsman...

Keswick takes on Siemens safety. (News).
January 1, 2002... Jon Keswick is to take charge of business development for Siemens' Global Process Safety Initiative, which is aimed at boosting Siemens' position in the safety instrumented systems market. He was formerly manager of process safety at Siemens...

Trailblazing chemicals. (News).
January 1, 2002... The government has granted 'Trailblazer Status' to the CIA's new 'Sector Skills Council' which will identify skills needed and target training for the chemicals, oil and gas extraction and refining industries.

Corrections.
January 1, 2002... Apologies to Alfa Laval, whose photo of Robert Wiseman Dairies' Droitwich Spa plant was used incorrectly on page 45 of our November issue. Apologies also to Professor Yogi Goswami, whose name was spelled incorrectly throughout the article on...

Rotork set to actuate Thai oil. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... The Thai petroleum authority has ordered Rotork intelligent valve actuators as part of its project to automate its fuel depots. Two pilot schemes have now been completed, with 28 IQ actuators installed at Suratthani depot and 14 at Pakpanang....

Ministry refers Cerestar takeover. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... The takeover of Cerestar by Cargill is to be referred to the European Commission's competition regulators, competition minister Melanie Johnson has announced. 'The merger appears to raise competition concerns in the UK in relation to glucose...

Kontron buys US embedded IT firm. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... German firm Kontron Embedded Computers has bought ICS Advent, a US leader in the field. ICS has a systems integration and marketing division based in Chichester.

New year brings a new name for Wincanton. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... Wincaton Engineering has changed its name to Carlisle Process Systems, following its acquisition by a subsidiary of US engineering conglomerate Carlisle Companies. The renaming will help consolidate the company's position as the world's leading...

Latham takes on constructive role. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... Former member of parliament Sir Michael Latham has been named as the first president of the European Construction Institute, the organisation whose membership encompasses engineering contractors and suppliers and their clients. The ECI...

Sweet smell of success. (Company News).
January 1, 2002... International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) has sold its Widnes fragrance aroma business to its management, who secured funding from Close Brothers Private Equity. The plant, which was owned and operated by Bush Boake Allen for 40 years before...

UK and International plant cost indices.
January 1, 2002... Process Engineering's PREDICT plant cost index for the UK is made up of five components covering mechanical [I.sub.M], electrical [I.sub.g], civil engineering [I.sub.C], site engineering [I.sub.S], and project overheads [I.sub.O] These are now...

Packaged plant solution to temperature control. (Product News).
January 1, 2002... Controlling reaction temperatures is a critical parameter in many cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) pharmaceutical production processes. At Rhodia ChiRex's plant in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, a new packaged BOC temperature control system...

An easier plant view. (Product News).
January 1, 2002... A BB's Scada Portal is an easy-to-use graphical interface for controlling remote processes and PLCs. The system is based on 'Aspect Objects', an architecture that treats each plant device as a software object and integrates a control system's...

Lab system cuts scale-up costs. (Product News).
January 1, 2002... Scale-up costs and time spent on process development can be drastically cut by using the Flexylab multireactor synthesis system, says UK distributor Ken Kimble. Manufactured by Systag System Technik of Switzerland, Flexylab has an array of...

Taking thermal imaging in hand. (Product News).
January 1, 2002... A new thermal imager from Land Infrared is good news for maintenance engineers. By taking advantage of advances in electro-optics, the Cyclops PPM+ hand-held imager combines high performance thermal imaging with accurate temperature measurement...

Increased life for pump motors. (Product News).
January 1, 2002... Submersible pump specialist, ITT Flygt, has introduced a new design for its electric motor range that could increase mote life by four or five times. Incorporate as part of the company's ongoing commitment to increasing energy efficiency...

Corporate social responsibility in the spotlight. (News Analysis).
January 1, 2002... The CIA has called on the European Commission to 'temper its enthusiasm' to bring in new regulations governing corporate social responsibility. The Commission has published a Green Paper on the subject which looks at the possibility of...

Parliament modifies white paper on chemicals policy: Stuart Nathan looks at the arguments surrounding the European Commission's plans for chemicals policy, and how MEPs reacted. (News Analysis).
January 1, 2002... It's a major victory for the chemical industry and, according to its lobbyists, for European industry as a whole. The European Parliament's vote on the White Paper on chemicals policy late last year removed many of the contentious calls for...

Spring will be a little late this year, probably. (Comment).
January 1, 2002... Perhaps it's the current commercial hype promoting the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies, or maybe it's the smiles of retailers basking in the warm glow of a credit-fuelled Christmas, but it is difficult to distinguish fantasy from...

Events.
January 1, 2002... 13-14 February mtec, the Sensors, Measurement & Instrumentation event at Birmingham's NEC, this year runs alongside a host of other exhibitions with overlapping interests. In addition to mtec itself, which boasts a new feature on...

Getting to grips with adhesives. (Research & Technology).
January 1, 2002... Despite its ubiquity, Scotch tape suffers from the same problem faced by most other adhesives - they simply don't work on moist or wet surfaces. Until now, that is. 3M Wet Tape not only sticks to wet surfaces, but will also even work under...

Bubble-free poster pasting. (Research & Technology).
January 1, 2002... Any DIY decorator knows the problem. No matter how good the paper, or how strong the paste, there is always at least one annoying air bubble to spoil that perfect finish. Now imagine the problems faced by the professionals who apply graphic...

Microreplication and functional surfaces. (Research & Technology).
January 1, 2002... 3M's proprietary microreplication technology dates back to 1964 when it was first used to produce the flat plastic lenses used in overhead projectors. These lenses are made up of thousands of small grooved, concentric rings which achieve the...

On the road to safety. (Research & Technology).
January 1, 2002... 3M's Traffic Control Materials division has taken the traditional 'cats eye' approach to road markings a stage further with the development of reflective tapes that can be put down on pavements and roads. In wet conditions, the Scotch-Lane A751...

A century of innovation. (Research & Technology).
January 1, 2002... Founded in 1902, the Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company - perhaps better known as 3M - boasts some of the world's best known brands. From Scotch Tapes to Post-it Notes, its history of innovation has been built on a foundation of...

Nobel keeps Phoenix safe with prize contract. (Equipment in Action).
January 1, 2002... Phoenix Chemicals is benefiting from the trend towards contract manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates. The company specialised in hazardous reactions and complex processes needing a high degree of measurement accuracy. It was because of...

Environmental concerns crumble as Cross supplies filters for the greatest of cheese. (Equipment in Action).
January 1, 2002... A 'Zero gravity' filtration system is helping avert pollution concerns at Glanbia Foods Creamery in Cheshire, which produces crumbly-textured cheeses such as Caerphilly and Lancashire. The manufacturing process for these cheeses uses 200...

Buttering up. (Equipment in Action).
January 1, 2002... Dairy Crest's decision to bring together the production of all of its value-added products, including Clover, Willow and all of Dairy Crest's butter manufacturing, on one site has led to Tetra Pak delivering its largest-ever plate heat...

Control drives Cardiff water. (Equipment in Action).
January 1, 2002... Wales's largest civil engineering project, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water's [sterling pounds]l85million waste water treatment plant at Tremorfa near Cardiff, is being powered by over 60 variable speed drives from Control Techniques. The drives operate a...

Out on a LIMS: IT systems to manage analytical laboratory information can help companies save money by improving their decision-making and planning. (Online Analysis).
January 1, 2002... A laboratory information management system (LIMS) is a computerised laboratory data and information management system that helps manage the daily operation of a laboratory, allowing better control and allocation of resources. It offers a...

Metering out a dose of good technology. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... For in-line proportioning and dosing of liquids into process streams, accuracy and repeatability are prerequisites. Steve Digby discusses the equipment and technology options available. Reciprocating positive displacement process pump...

Merlin works its magic. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... A Merlin progressing cavity pump from Mono Pumps has given two years of smooth service to flooring manufacturer Bonar Floors at its Flotex plant in Derbyshire. The pump transfers liquid pvc from storage vessels to the coating heads on the...

Safety monitor for canned motors. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... While canned motor pumps have the distinct advantage of leak-free operation, they can be susceptible to undetected bearing problems. A new monitoring device for the Nikkiso canned motor pumps, available from Michael Smith Engineers, addresses...

Who pumped all the pies? (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... Well, perhaps not the pies, but a variety of pie fillings is being handled by two Flotronic Good Food pumps at Pork Farm Bowyers' factory in Nottingham. Previously, fillings such as chicken tikka, cheese and ham, mince and onion, smoky bacon...

Versatile Versa-matic. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... The latest model in the Versa-matic range of Elimamatic leak-free, bolted pumps is the E5 1/2in version. Available in the UK from Broadway Pumps & Systems, this particular pump features the patented Elimamatic anti-stalling, non-icing,...

Direct-Drive, seal-free. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... The C-36 is the latest in the Blackmer Mouvex C-series pumps from Alpeco. These pumps feature direct-drive, seal-free technology based on an oscillating piston system. This principle of operation is said to offer benefits such as self-priming,...

Energy-Saving centrifugals. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... Pumps generally run most efficiently at their optimal duty point, but matching pump size exactly to the actual flow and pressure in a system is virtually impossible. A solution is to have a pump with more than one optimal duty point -- or...

Drum emptying made easy. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... To meet the need for a reliable, cost-effective means of transferring liquids from drums, carboys, etc, Pump Engineering offers alight weight (only 700g) injection moulded pump costing under [pounds sterling]100. The Pageboy Toppa (pictured...

Drum emptying made easy. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... According to Flux pumps, the capacity of traditional barrel or drum pumps drops considerably for liquids with viscosities above 600mPa -- a problem the company has now addressed with a new design of screw pump that can handle liquids in the...

Solid performance from feed pumps. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... The SF Nemo range of feed pumps from Netzsch Pumps can convey highly viscous, dry and non-flowing products from 0 to [290m.sup.3]/h with differential pressures from 0 to 24bar. By force filling the open rotor/stator chambers continuously,...

Natural gas boost for compressors. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... With concern rising over skyrocketing energy prices and diminishing fuel supplies, multinational agencies are turning to natural gas extraction. As a result, says marketing consultant Frost & Sullivan, sales of vacuum pumps and compressors are...

Centralising vacuum pumping. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... A new vacuum pumping system from BOO Edwards is said to offer customised solutions for a wide range of central vacuum requirements, at off-the-shelf prices. Based on the company's dry pump technology, the core module of the Centrastar system...

A winning combination. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... The RD5V series of vacuum pumps from Charles Austen Pumps is said to combine the high vacuum of an oil-lubricated rotary vane pump with the oil-free advantage of a diaphragm pump, all in one design. The compact and quiet running pumps give...

Blowers for tight spots. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... Weighing less than 15kg, two new models in Rietschle's Shark family of rotary lobe blowers should appeal to OEMs and design engineers looking for an oil-free vacuum or air supply in tight spots on standalone machinery or small-scale water...

Pumping up the ATEX volume. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... From July 2003 many process and vacuum pumps will fall under the requirements of the EC ATEX 100a directive on the use of equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres. The Cobra TC family of vacuum pumps from Busch have been designed for use...

Adding value to additives. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... At its pvc additives plant in Howden Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, Chemson is using two Atlas Copco variable speed drive compressors to provide production air 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The compressed air is mainly used to fluidise powder in...

Expansive project for plant hire company. (Equipment Focus Pumps).
January 1, 2002... Plant hire company A-Plant Big Air, based at Stockton-on-Tees, has won a contract to supply Amec with 20 new Ingersoll-Rand portable air compressors for work on a nine-week shutdown project at BP's Sullom Voe refinery in the Shetland Islands....

Are you in control. (Advanced Control).
January 1, 2002... Keeping energy usage down is more important than ever, with the Climate Change Levy now fully entrenched. Among the ways of acomplishing this are improvements to plant control systems, as the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme explains....

Steam cleans for Biopharm. (Equipment in Action).
January 1, 2002... A complete revamp of the boilerhouse at Ipsen Biopharm's pharmaceutical plant in Wrexham has led to a large order for Spirax Sarco. The company has supplied all the controls and ancilliary equipment for the new boilerhouse, which quadruples...