Process Engineering articles from June 2002

Process Engineering archives from June 2002

Korea order for BMH blending. (News).
June 1, 2002... BMH Chronos Richardson has completed a [pounds sterling]700 000 contract to supply a batch blending and begging system for Lafarge Gypsum Korea's plasterboard plant in Ulsan, Korea. The project included the design, manufacture and installation...

Shell reduces gasification cost. (News).
June 1, 2002... A new fertiliser plant in Dongting, China, will use Shell's coal gasification technology to convert coal into synthesis gas as a raw material. The $136million plant will come on-stream in 2004, according to Shell.

Atofina breaks PP record. (News).
June 1, 2002... Atofina has inaugurated the world's largest polypropylene plant at Feluy in Belgium. The plant has a capacity of 380 000tpa, taking the company's total capacity fortho olymer to 800 000tpa. Using metalicene catalyst technology, he plant will...

New MD for Emerson UK. (News).
June 1, 2002... Steve Brown is tc take on the role of managing director for Emerson Process Management's UK and Ireland business. Previously, Brown was managing director of Fisher-Flosemount in the UK.

Bayer boosts Crop Science. (News).
June 1, 2002... German life-science major Bayer has acquired Aventis Crop Science, a joint venture of Aventis and Schering, for a total ol [euro]7.25billion. The deal - the largest in Bayer's history - makes the company the world's second-largest manufacturer...

Preventative maintenance team spots trouble brewing for Coors. (News).
June 1, 2002... Preventative maintenance can pay dividends in the process industries, as Coors Brewers in Burton-on-Trent found recently. Wyko Industrial Services, which carries out maintenance services for Coors, found on a routine check that a 110kW motor...

Nanotech capitalised. (News).
June 1, 2002... BASF's venture capital subsidiary is to invest in Oxonica, a nanotechnology spin-off from Oxford University. The firm, headquartered in Oxford, is working on catalyst design and biolabelling -- a technique which allows researchers to track how...

Speak out on energy. (News).
June 1, 2002... A now energy policy White Paper is to be launched by the end of the year, aimed at setting out the framework for a low-carbon economy for the UK. The consultation follows February's launch of a Cabinet Office report on the strategic issues...

Doors open. (News).
June 1, 2002... The CIA has launched its 'Open Doors' programme for 2002, with an open day at the Knowsley, Merseyside plant of Contract Chemicals, of which the association's president, Tony Bastock, is managing director. 'The key reason for the Open Door...

Lords hand victory to asbestos families. (News).
June 1, 2002... The House of Lords has opened the door for legal claims against companies whose employees contracted cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos by overturning a key case centring on the difficulty of identifying precisely when the exposure...

SASOL to invest in gas business. (News).
June 1, 2002... South African chemicals group SASOL plans to invest some [euro]5.5billion in 170 projects to change the main raw material for its plants from coal to natural gas. The main emphasis of the programme is to produce sulphur- and aromatic-free...

Johnson Matthey eyes Synetix. (News).
June 1, 2002... Chemicals and precious metals specialist Johnson Matthey has emerged as a possbile bidder for ICI's Synetix catalysts business, which is up for sale. JM finance director John Sheldrick commented that the business would be a 'good fit'.

IMechE names 155th president. (News).
June 1, 2002... John McDougall, formerly managing director of WS Atkins, has been named as president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Prior to his appointment at Atkins, he was involved with the design and manufacture of capital plant with Davy,...

Riello launches heating division. (News).
June 1, 2002... Heating solutions provider Riello is to launch an industrial division, to produce specialist burners for process and bespoke applications. The division will use 3D modelling to speed up its development and launch of new products.

Queen's Award for domnick hunter. (News).
June 1, 2002... A system which separates nitrogen from compressed air has won a Queen's Award for Innovation for domnick hunter. The MAXIGAS system uses a carbon molecular sieve to separate oxygen from compressed air, leaving clean, dry, high-purity nitrogen,...

UK chairman for SafetyBUS p club. (News).
June 1, 2002... Richard Piggin has been elected chairman of the SafetyBUS P Club International, the fast time a UK national has held the position. Piggin is keen to start a UK branch of the Club in order to provide support for users of the safety-critical...

Kvaerner wins safety award. (News).
June 1, 2002... The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has presented its President's Award to the Engineering and Construction division of Kvaerner for the second year running.

Environment bills to rise. (News).
June 1, 2002... Industry spending on environmental compliance is set to reach unprecendented levels in the coming decade, according to industry analysts at Severn Trent Water. Most sectors of industry will be affected by new regulations demanding improved...

ETB names its board members. (News).
June 1, 2002... The Engineering and Technology Board has announced the make-up of its 14-person board. Headed by chairman Sir Peter Williams, the ETB aims to promote engineering in the UK, and to ensure that business keeps up with new developments in...

UK and international plant cost indices. (News).
June 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.E] civil engineering [I.sub.C] site engineering [I.sub.S] and project overheads [I.sub.O]. These are now all...

Drying down to the last drop. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Hosokawa Micron's new CT Dryer Is said to be an excellent alternative for the drying of free-flowing powders with low moisture content and where the last bit of bound moisture has to be removed. In such circumstances, drying cycle times can be...

Water package meets pharma standards. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... The Orion water treatment package from Vivendi Water Systems has been designed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the ISPE Baseline Guide on water and steam systems. The skid-mounted, self-contained plant consists of softener and...

Precision positioners. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Asco Joucamatic has introduced two modular positioner units to complement its established E290 and E390 process valves. The analogue 605 Series and digital Posimatic 606 Series units effectively enable the valves to perform proportional...

Manifold benefits from direct mount. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... The newly patented OliverMount system from Oliver Valves has been designed to allow direct mounting of differential pressure transmitters on to orifice plate flanges. Traditional DP cells generally require installation of impulse lines to...

Particle sizing expands on-line. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Malvem instruments was one of the first companies to offer the benefits of laser diffraction-based particle sizing to on-line analysis. Its established insitec system is in wide-spread use for on-line measurement in many dry powder processes....

Taking on the challenges of sustainable development. (Comment).
June 1, 2002... "We will work to make the world a better place for future generations... and to provide the processes and products which will give the people of the world shelter, clothing, food and drink, and which keep them in good health.' So read, in part,...

Events.
June 1, 2002... 20 June The ATEX Directives and their Implications is a one-day seminar hosted by the Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA) with the aim of explaining the background to the directives and addressing how full compliance can be...

Space research to shed light on materials processing problems. (Research & Technology).
June 1, 2002... Materials research on the International Space Station could have far-reaching effects for the process industry, as the latest NASA crew sets up experiments to discover why bubbles form during the manufacture of alloys. Bubbles form points...

Mountain of fridges. (Research & Technology).
June 1, 2002... With the recent awarding of demonstrator grants, the DTI's biotechnology advisory service Bio-Wise is now beginning to foster the development of new technologies (see p43). Selden Research, a Derbyshire-based chemicals manufacturer, has...

Stick with mussels' 'glue'. (Research & Technology).
June 1, 2002... One of nature's strongest adhesives could provide the key to improved surgical techniques, according to researchers from Purdue University in Indiana. The team, led by Jonathan Wilker, is looking at the composition of the adhesives mussels use...

Drug hope from ginseng berry. (Research & Technology).
June 1, 2002... The traditional Chinese I remedy ginseng could provide the basis for drugs to treat diabetes, according to researchers from the University of Chicago's Tang Centre for Herbal Medicine Research. An active ingredient in ginseng berries completely...

BASF launches PO technology. (Research & Technology).
June 1, 2002... BASF researchers have developed a new process for the production of propylene oxide which produces only water as a byproduct. Based on hydrogen peroxide and propylene as feedstocks, the process could form the basis of a 25 0000tpa plant within...

A yarn or two about a safer closed-circuit cooling system. (Equipment in Action).
June 1, 2002... At its Garforth, West Yorkshire, polyester yarn texturing plant, the threat of legionella contamination, together with spiralling maintenance and cleaning costs on its evaporative cooling system, persuaded DuPontSA to seek a safer cooling...

Spinning up performance. (Equipment in Action).
June 1, 2002... At the Selby works of chemicals manufacturer Clariant a centrifuge optimisation project has resulted in a 25 per cent increase in the plant's output. Carried out by Yorkshire-based NCD Separation Solutions, the project improved throughput...

Squeezing the best out of long-term bag storage. (Equipment in Action).
June 1, 2002... At its Phosphorus and Performance Derivatives (PPD) plant at Oldbury in the West Midlands, Rhodia had a storage problem with its phosphorus acid flake (PAF) feedstock material, which is sourced from a joint-venture operation in China. The PAF...

Custom cartridges cut costs. (Equipment in Action).
June 1, 2002... Purpose-designed filter cartridges from Ronningen-Petter have resulted in annual savings of over $40 000 in waste disposal costs at a leading Texas chemical plant. To comply with local environmental laws, nickel catalyst, remaining suspended in...

Driving Dartington's demand for better emissions control. (Equipment in Action).
June 1, 2002... Down in deepest Devon, glassware producer Dartington Crystal is justifiably proud of its environmental performance. Flue gas emissions of lead have been reduced virtually to zero in preparation for new legislation coming into force later this...

Thermal oil regenerator slashes costs and boosts safety. (Advertisement Feature).
June 1, 2002... Massive cost savings and huge environmental benefits are poised to pay long-term dividends for a Midlands chemicals manufacturer thanks to a revolutionary new mobile thermal oil regenerator. Convenience of use and improved safety are other...

Making the most of plant assets. (Asset Management).
June 1, 2002... Plant maintenance today involves much more than planned shutdowns and predictive monitoring. Important though these activities are, they are now merely part of the efficient lifetime management of plant assets. Mike Spear reports on the systems...

Sound growth. (Ultrasonic Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... The technology may be over 30 years old, but ultrasonic flowmetering is forecast to be one of the growth areas in the next few years. Mike Spear reports on how one manufacturer is meeting the challenge. According to the ARC Advisory Group...

Ultrasonics for reliable level control. (Ultrasonic Level Control).
June 1, 2002... Ultrasonic level transmitters at Drax Power Station have required no maintenance since they were installed nearly four years ago. As a result of this reliability, additional sensors have now been installed elsewhere on the plant. In any...

Old name, but new owner. (Equipment Focus Flow & Level).
June 1, 2002... Lee-Dickens has recently acquired two ranges of conductivity and capacitance level probes from ABB Automation. The Series 80 and 81 families originated with the Fielden company in 1978 and are used in applications ranging from solids handling...

Dusty solids on the radar. (Equipment Focus Flow & Level).
June 1, 2002... According to Siemens Process Instruments, the new Sitrans LR 400 radar instrument offers reliable continuous level measurement for difficult applications on dusty solids, such as cement, flour, fly ash, carbon black and petroleum coke. The...

An open, not shut, case for flowmeter. (Equipment Focus Flow & Level).
June 1, 2002... The OCM Pro flow system from Flotech Solutions is designed for improved accuracy in the measurement of liquid or wastewater flows in open channels, sewers or partly filled pipes. With a wedge-shaped sensor submerged in the flow, ultrasonic...

Buoyancy switches. (Equipment Focus Flow & Level).
June 1, 2002... To complement its range of level devices, Burkert Fluid Control Systems has introduced the Type 8181 buoyancy level switches for on/off indication of level. The switches come in both stainless steel and polypropylene and horizontal and vertical...

Ultrasonic alternative to traditional float switches. (Equipment Focus Flow & Level).
June 1, 2002... The Echotel 919M level switch from Magnetrol International is said to be an ideal alternative to traditional float or tuning fork type switches. Using ultrasonics as its sensing mode, the 919M will give high or low-level alarms across a wide...

Vortex meter gains certifications. (Flow & Level Equipment Focus).
June 1, 2002... The Rosemount 8800C vortex flowmeter from Emerson Process Management has been shown to comply fully with the Pressure Equipment Directive (now Pressure Equipment Regulations, see PE May, p19) and the new ATEX Directive for hazardous area...

Level sensor is easily adaptable for all vessel sizes. (Flow & Level Equipment Focus).
June 1, 2002... Supplied with rod lengths of 132, 273, 481 and 737 mm, the new LI electronic flow sensor from IFM Electronic is complemented by a range of mounting adaptors to all standard vessels. The installation depth of the sensor is easily and precisely...

Distributed control upgrades for pharmaceuticals. (Control Upgrades).
June 1, 2002... Always one of the more buoyant sectors of the UK process industries, the pharmaceuticals industry continues to nvest inmits plant infrastructure, as Mike Spear finds with two current control upgrade projects. 'This is one of the largest...

ABB tackles upgrade and validation. (Control Upgrades).
June 1, 2002... In a similar vein to GlaxoSmithKline's developments at Stevenage (see p33), AstraZeneca is implementing a major upgrade of its ABB distributed control system (DCS) for the chemistry pilot plant at its R&D facility in Charnwood, Leicestershire,...

Demand for collaboration. (Systems Software).
June 1, 2002... Aspen Technology's Collaborative Demand Manager (CDM) software allows chemical, polymer, pharmaceutical and other businesses to forecast and manage demand for their products. The newly-launched suite of software helps companies reduce...

PICS of the crop. (Systems Software).
June 1, 2002... The SSC PICS simulation software, developed by Woodhead Connectivity, can help companies ensure that their control systems comply with safety regulations, the company says. One user of the system, Industrial Technology Systems (ITS), uses PICS...

InfoAgent presents data for all. (Systems Software).
June 1, 2002... A web-based tool for analysing production data, Intellution's InfoAgent 1.0 can be used for both plant optimisation and as the basis for business decisions, says the company. The system can present data in whichever format is most useful for...

Triple crown. (Sustainability).
June 1, 2002... The 'triple bottom line' of financial, environmental and social responsibility is the cornerstone of sustainability. Stuart Nathan looks at some of the latest developments for keeping businesses profitable and clean. Sustainability has...

Bio is best. (Bio-Wise).
June 1, 2002... Removing the smell from sugar works and the hair from cowhides are among the problems being solved by biotechnology, according to BIO-WISE, the DTI's biotech advice service. Stuart Nathan reports on some of the latest projects. The process...

Solid performance. (Environmental Applications).
June 1, 2002... Effluents at Ellis & Everard's South Kirkby site can be aggressive stuff. Sometimes acidic, sometimes alkaline the flows can contain substances like sodium bisulphite caustic potash, hydrochloric and sulphuric acids and can contain as much as...

Integrated treatment. (Environmental Applications).
June 1, 2002... IEM's integrated waste treatment systems can handle toxic emissions and liquid effluents onsite, the company says. Toxic gas abatement systems are available for a wide range of contaminants including halogens and their halides, organometallic...

Healthier tanning. (Environmental Applications).
June 1, 2002... Leather tanning is a traditional industry in Lorca, a town in the Murica region of Spain. It's an industry which produces a lot of waste -- typically, water containing substances like animal proteins, ammonia and sodium chloride, all of which...

Handheld analysis. (Environmental Applications).
June 1, 2002... The Tempest 100 handheld gas analyser from Telegan can provide plant operators with full records of the environmentally missions from their process, the company says. Combining sensors for oxides of carbon and nitrogen with an integral printer...

Low concentrations but high accuracy. (Environmental Applications).
June 1, 2002... Testing for oxides of nitrogen is vital for any plant, but is not an easy task. As regulations become more exacting, the limitations of sensors become more apparent -- and low levels of NO are difficult to detect accurately. Testo claims that...

Signed and sealed. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Ashton Seals have recently signed an agreement with Eriks by of Holland to be their exclusive distributor in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Eriks are recognised worldwide as leading suppliers of sealing products. Their experience and...

ABB explains Ex designations. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Ex motor designations, according to the new ATEX directive, are eplained on a new poster from ABB. For your free poster, please call 0800 7837491 501 on enquiry card

Trident supports Siemens TFT. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The latest Siemens TFT is the I-SFT100i,10X. It has 1000cd/[m.sup.2] brightness, an operating temperature range of -10[degrees] to +60[degrees]C, and is supported with a full range of Trident interface kits and cables. As with all Siemens...

Flexible monitoring made easy. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Grant Instruments' recently introduced SQ400 and SQ800 multi-functional Squirrel data loggers have the ability to measure 4 and 8 inputs respectively. They are used in a variety of applications in industry, research, science and environmental...

Enclosures protect investment. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... In response to increasing industry investment in sophisticated process instrumentation, Sabre Instrument Valves has developed a comprehensive range of specialist enclosures for use with either back-mounted or base-mounted manifolds in 2, 3 or...

Pipe Supports opens new HD PUF plant. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The opening of its new purpose-built high density PUP plant makes the Pipe Supports Group the only manufacturer in Europe of engineered pipe hangers producing its own high density foam for LNG and cryogenic supports. The new plant is capable of...

DuPont picks Krauss Maffei. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Krauss Maffei's engineering integrity and service back-up has met deadlines laid down by DuPont Chemicals when five of the company's centrifuges at Wilton needed refurbishing. Originally installed ten years ago, the SB 1000 pusher centrifuges...

New brochure. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A new brochure from ABB features its portfolio of [Control.sup.IT] and [Inform.sup.IT] recording, control and indication instrumentation solutions. The fully illustrated A4 brochure details all instruments in the range, together with their key...

Indicating the level in colour. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... As part of an expansion on of the range of magnetic level indicators, ABLE can now offer polycarbonate and aluminium indication rails with flags in different colours. ABLE magnetic level indicators have a huge installed base spanning virtually...

Counter for hazard areas. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... BEKA Associates have introduced five versions of a new universal counter, timer, tachometer and clock including ATEX certified intrinsically safe and Type nL models in field and panel mounting enclosures. These new instruments have dual...

Displacement transducers. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... To complement their existing range of transducers and instrumentation for the measurement of load, pressure and torque, Applied Measurements now offer a comprehensive series of LVDT displacement transducers with models covering most...

Reducing risk of dust explosion. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The imminent ATEX regulations are highlighting the hazards of dust explosions and their potential effects in the process industries. According to Graham Dawson, sales manager of Arrowquint, many dust explosions are caused by static charge...

Five-year warranty on regulator. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Boiswood, the specialist distributor of components for gas and liquid control, has announced that all Kenmac regulators supplied from April 2002 will be covered by Kenmac's new 5-year warranty. Believed to be a significant advance on other...

Long service from geared motor range. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A new range of four single-stage in-line geared motors and speed reducers has been launched by David Brown Engineering to provide rugged and cost-effective long service with a ratio range from 1.2/1 to 1.8/1. The series M single stage units...

Rise in dual containment. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Engineering Services (Humber) highlights an increasing number of dual containment pipework projects in its latest portfolio, which details the company's track record in fabrication and installation of a wide range of different pipe systems. ...

Load cell revolution. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Applied Weighing, the UK's leading manufacturer of weighing systems, have developed an inexpensive piece of equipment that is set to revolutionise the process industry. The aptly named Intelligent Junction Box is an ingeniously designed device...

Independent glass reactor. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Newly available form Ken Kimble (Reactor Vessels)is the FlexyLab system of 1 to 6 independently controllable 250ml glass reactors. Each vessel can have individual temperature control, stirrer speed and two parallel liquid additions per vessel....

Easy-install safety package. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Erwin Sick has introduced the SMS range of entry/exit packages that provide a complete set of compatible components to make up a standard safety system. Supplied as a pre-wired and ready-assembled pair of units, they can be quickly configured...

Rapid mixing with Chemineer. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Mixing specialist Chemineer has extended its range of high shear pipeline mixers and in-tank homogenisers with the addition of the Greerco Colloid Mill. This highly-efficient unit is specifically designed to rapidly and uniformly disperse...

Automatic product sampling. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Specialist in filling, weighing and containment technology, Hosokawa Stott, has introduced an automatic sampler for dry bulk materials under contained conditions. Specially designed for integration into containment equipment such as...

Robust waterproof thermometer. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... If you need a reliable, waterproof, robust thermometer, but need different probes for different applications, the AquaTemp 3 and 6 from Electronic Temperature Instruments (ETI) are the instruments for you. They are particularly suitable for any...

Modular switch for Ethernet networking. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Hirschmann Electronics has launced the MICE (modular communication equipment) family, a new range of manageable, modular Ethernet/Fast Ethernet industrial switches, setting new standards in industrial Ethernet networking. Each switch has...

Vibration monitoring. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Monitran has launched the new low-profile MTN/1135 accelerometer to facilitate inexpensive vibration monitoring in awkward locations without compromising accuracy or reliability. It is particularly suited to DC servo drives and AC motors. ...

Greasy does it. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Rocol Lubricants has launced a new brochure to introduce manufacturers in the food industry to FOODLUBE -- a comprehensive range of lubricants certified as 'foodsafe' by NSF International, the public health and safety body. The brochure...