Process Engineering articles from May 2001

Process Engineering archives from May 2001

Oil majors declare record results, but chemicals slip.
May 1, 2001... BP and Shell have both posted record results for the first quarter of the year, although their chemicals divisions suffered badly from high feedstock prices which depressed margins. Shell Chemicals' earnings plummeted 83 per cent, while BP...

AstraZeneca opens plant in China.
May 1, 2001... One of the largest investments by a Western pharmaceuticals company in China, AstraZeneca's $100million fabrication facility in Wuxi New District, northwest of Shanghai, is now open. Employing 280 people, the plant will manufacture products...

BASF posts strong first quarter.
May 1, 2001... Sales at German major BASF increased by almost 10 per cent, to [epsilon]9.3billion, with the restructuring of the company's product mix beginning to pay off. Sales from ongoing businesses rose by a quarter, the company says, while income before...

Fieldbus finalises tech agreements.
May 1, 2001... The Fieldbus Foundation has finalised its agreements with Fisher-Rosemount and Honeywell over the underlying technologies needed to implement its specifications. 'We expect a significant increase in product development, as well as greater...

Celerant takes on the field.
May 1, 2001... Cambride Management Consulting has changed its name to Celerant Consulting, to emphasise its greater independence from its parent, Cambridge Technology Partners following its acquisition by Novell.

Weir Westgarth meets schedule.
May 1, 2001... Weir Westgarth has completed its largest ever sulphate removal plant, an 80 000 barrels per day unit for Amerada Hess, on schedule. The plant, combined with the existing 40 000 bpd unit commissioned last year, comprises the largest system of...

Degussa expands [AI.sub.2][O.sub.3] capacity.
May 1, 2001... Degussa's silica, silanes and catalysts division is to double its aluminium oxide capacity with a new plant to be built at Rheinfelden in Germany. The compound is used mainly in lamps and recording tapes.

Project is CRYSTAL clear for sustainable technologies.
May 1, 2001... The UK's main chemical industry bodies have joined forces with the Department of Trade and Industry to develop "Green Chemical Technologies'. The CRYSTAL partnership, involving the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Society of...

CIA calls for more schools promotions.
May 1, 2001... The chemical industry's employers and trade unions should take a more active role in promoting the industry in schools, according to the Chemical Industries Association. 'We need the workers of tomorrow and we need them to know just how great...

Siemens and NI in software alliance.
May 1, 2001... National Instruments and Siemens Automation and Drives are to join forces to develop measurement and automation software. The joint venture will enable engineers to make more sophisticated measurements on their processes and feed that...

HSE issues safety challenge.
May 1, 2001... The Health and Safety Executive has called on Britain's top 350 companies to take the lead in reducing the country's [pound]14bn-18bn bill caused by injuries and ill-health at work. 'Work-related accidents and ill-health represent a huge...

PSE takes award for innovation.
May 1, 2001... Process Systems Engineering is among this year's Queen's Award winners, taking an accolade in the innovation category. The award recognises the company's work with gPROMS, the process simulation package which began life in Imperial College...

New head takes over at SHAPA.
May 1, 2001... John Whitehead has been named general secretary of the Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA), replacing Robin Huggett, who has served in the position since SHAPA's formation in 1995. Whitehead retired last year from his post as...

Portasilo boosts Sheffield energy.
May 1, 2001... Portasilo has commissioned a new silo and outloading facility at Sheffield's municipal waste-to-energy plant. The silo replaces an existing vessel which had corroded owing to the aggressive nature of municipal waste ash. The new silo is made...

Name change for Dresser.
May 1, 2001... First Reserve's acquisition of Dresser Equipment Group from Halliburton will lead to a new name for the group. Now renamed Dresser Flow Control, the company will market the full range of valves and anciliary products such as Becker,...

Kvaerner sweeps safety awards.
May 1, 2001... Kvaerner's UK process business has been presented with a raft of awards from RoSPA, including the President's Award. To win this, the company had to attain ten consecutive Gold Awards.

Sandvik on paper.
May 1, 2001... Sandvik Steel has won orders worth some $3miilion for composite tubes for use in corrosive environments in the pulp and paper industry. The tubes are used in environments where their inside and outside surfaces are in contact with very...

Simon-Carves sold to Singapore firm.
May 1, 2001... Process engineering consultancy Simon-Carves has been sold to SembCorp Engineers and Constructors, a subsidiary of a Singapore-based conglomerate, for [pound]l2million. The sale follows the Simon Group's decision to withdraw from the...

ABB crosses over the oceans with paper chain.
May 1, 2001... ABB is to link the Australian head-office of paper manufacturer Visy Industries with its production lines and corporate offices in both Australia and the US, in US$l5million software deal. 'This is one of the biggest software deliveries ever to...

Bovis targets pharmaceuticals operators.
May 1, 2001... Bovis Lend Lease, an engineering consultancy specialising in IT and automation applications, has formed a subsidiary dedicated to tackling the demands of the pharmaceutical industry. Based in Surrey, UK, the new company will have some 7000...

Fisher-Rosemount.
May 1, 2001... Fisher-Rosemount has landed the contract to supply process automation for Total FinaElf's Alwyn North platforms in the North Sea. The project, which was contracted to Tyco Control Systems, involves the replacement of the entire DCS and safety...

A view from anywhere.
May 1, 2001... With its new ViewAnyWare strategy, monitoring and control products, platforms and software can be 'seamlessly integrated from machine-level operator interfaces to supervisory-level HMI', says Rockwell Automation. The common visualisation...

Sintering specialist spreads applications.
May 1, 2001... Porvair Technology, a company specialising in the application of porous materials, has introduced several new developments across its ranges of filtration media. For chemical process filtration the Wrexham-based manufacturer now has a...

Siemens' intelligent drive/motor combination.
May 1, 2001... As its name suggest, the new Combimaster 411 from Siemens Automaton and Drives offers a combination of frequency converter and motor in the one unit. Siemens says it expects that the combination of its Micromaster 411 converter with its...

IS pressure from Danfoss.
May 1, 2001... Danfoss has expanded its range of process transmitters with a new range of four intrinsically safe pressure transmitters for use in areas with potentially explosive gases or steam. The MBS 4201, 4251, 4701 and 4751 models all have Eex ia...

Read the book, see the show, appreciate the developments.
May 1, 2001... 'This triennial show remains the biggest process engineering event in the UK' Although much of this issue is given over to a preview of next month's Eurochem 2001 exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham (5-7 June), we make no apology for that....

Have you got a little list?
May 1, 2001... Check lists or 'shopping lists' have been used in the development of plant cost estimates for many years. Most companies have their own standard, which usually includes allocating the parts of a project to a cost or computer code....

Holadeck training.
May 1, 2001... Science fiction buffs will be familiar with Star Trek's holodeck, which catapults our intrepid galactic explorers into virtual-reality recreations of exotic environments. Once again, reality is following science fiction, with the development at...

'BioOil' process nets development grant.
May 1, 2001... Canadian-based renewable energy specialist DynaMotive is to receive a [pound]1.16million grant from the Department of the Trade and Industry to develop and build a plant to produce 'BioOil' -- a fuel derived from plant waste. The plant, which...

Femtosecond laser CAD/CAM system to be harnessed for drugs screening.
May 1, 2001... Europe's first CAD/CAM femtosecond laser manufacturing facility, at Liverpool University, is set to help the UK's biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors in screening vast arrays of drug candidates, The laser system, which can deliver a...

More than skin deep.
May 1, 2001... Burn victims could benefit 'from an experimental 'artifical skin' developed by researchers in Boston, Massachusetts, and Buffalo, New York. The skin contains genetically engineered cells which express keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), a...

Cadbury avoids breaking mould for Caramel bars.
May 1, 2001... At its Keynsham, Avon, factory Cadbury Trebor Bassett produces Cadbury's Caramel -- hard on the outside, soft on the inside -- by filling a shaped mould with chocolate to form a shell. The chocolate is then chilled to solidify it, before the...

Contract seals repair savings.
May 1, 2001... Chlorine manufacturer Ineos Chior has dramatically reduced its pump maintenance costs and seal spares inventory at its UK sites after signing a 'Seal Contract' with Burgmann (UK). In the first year of the contract, covering the supply and...

Mucon eases the flow for dyestuffs.
May 1, 2001... At its Huddersfield site, Holliday Dyes and Chemicals produces a comprehensive range of dyes for textiles, paper and other applications. Internal transfer of materials from production to packaging areas is carried out in 1 tonne plastic and...

DuPont drives ahead with ABB.
May 1, 2001... Aiming to make its Wilton, Cleveland, site the leading nylon intermediates production centre in Europe, DuPont is embarking on a complete modernisation of its adipic acid plant on the site. Crucial to the success of the development is the...

Cracking infrared analysers.
May 1, 2001... Key gas analysis monitoring on ExxonMobil's ethylene cracker at Mossmorran, Fife, has been placed in the hands in two Servomex infrared analysers. The first is for the constant sampling of raw ethane feedstock to check for the presence and...

BM 100 Excels in silo storage challenge.
May 1, 2001... KROHNE's rapid success in the huge powder and granules storage market Is illustrated by an application in Switzerland where the BM100 has proved successful in measuring the level of stored polystyrene granules. With a 13-metre probe length...

One Small Step for man one Giant Leap in reliability.
May 1, 2001... 1969 was a milestone for man when he first stood on the Moon. For the sewage works in Gangkofen, near Frankfurt, Germany, it marks a different achievement - the year this KROHNE electromagnetic flowmeter was installed and 32 years later it is...

Digital mass Flowmeters and Controllers offer Multi-bus communications.
May 1, 2001... The latest product release within the EL-FLOW range of digital Mass FlowMeters and Controllers for gases from Bronkhorst Hi-Tec provides the widest choice of network communications options offered by any European manufacturer. Digital...

Ex rating for FMCW Level Radar.
May 1, 2001... The BM 702 2-wire non-contact Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) level radar unit has been approved by the PTB for use in intrinsically safe circuits, extending its usability for chemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as solvent...

Smart solution to a Sticky situation.
May 1, 2001... Spending up to 10 labour hours per week manually measuring the volume of 18-ft.-tall tanks of adhesives by peering inside and tapping the sides to determine the level was judged less than efficient for a US label manufacturer. The company in...

Life's a Gas with KROHNE GFM 700.
May 1, 2001... When waste gases from plants are used as a fuel gas for furnaces, their fast-changing composition can be problematic if lambda-sensors do not give a sufficiently fast response time on changes in gas compositions. One US manufacturer has...

Is Your Supplier the Weakest Link.
May 1, 2001... At Eurochem 2001 KROHNE is exhibiting its family of advanced two wire level and flow products, specially designed for ease of integration into intelligent process control systems, and for reduced costs of installation, maintenance and cabling....

Mastering Plaster Flow.
May 1, 2001... Problems in using mass meters to control the distribution of plaster media for the manufacture of wall boards in Ontario, Canada, were solved by the introduction of the G+ straight tube CORIMASS flowmeter. The previously installed mass...

Corimass Provides out-gassing solution.
May 1, 2001... KROHNE's CORIMASS 0.3 E single-tube system recently provided a flow control solution for a US injection packaging. During the manufacturing process, hydrogen peroxide ([H.sub.2][0.sub.2]) flowed into a wash cycle for rubber stoppers. At...

The process engineering event.
May 1, 2001... With over 400 exhibiting companies and an expected audience of around 9000 visitors, this year's Eurochem exhibition once again places process engineering, and process engineers, in the spotlight. Building on the success of previous shows in a...

Heat exchange engineering.
May 1, 2001... A highlight of recent Eurochem shows has been the 'show within a show' dedicated to heat exchange engineering. A combination of exchanger manufacturers, a technical conference and the latest R&D developments from academia, makes this an...

Centrifuges on merry-go-round.
May 1, 2001... This Eurochem sees the first showing of some recent changes in the centrifuge marketplace. At the beginning of the year, following a management buyout at its German parent, Krauss-Maffei Process Technology (UK) was formed. The new company...

Filtration firms forging ahead.
May 1, 2001... Among the heavier equipment items to be found at Eurochem, process filters probably loom larger than others. But the traditional image of large, unwieldy labour-intensive plate-and-frame presses has all but disappeared, as a visit to the Larox...

Membranes measure up to demand.
May 1, 2001... Many leading membrane suppliers are at Eurochem, such as PCI-Memtech (stand P35) which is demonstrating its expertise in the development of process applications for the pharmaceutical, fine chemical, food and beverage industries. Key...

A mix of mixers and blenders.
May 1, 2001... On stand D75 Silverson Machines is launching the Hydromax mixer (pictured far right). Suitable for many applications that conventional agitators can't handle, the Hydromax also offers an alternative to true high-shear mixing in a number of...

Fine products for fine processing.
May 1, 2001... The fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries have their own particular processing requirements, many centred around solids and powder handling. Typical of the offerings for this sector at Eurochem are those on the stand (E62) of Eurovent,...

SEALLESS PUMPS or, how to get the best of both worlds.
May 1, 2001... The process pump market might not be as healthy as it once was, but competition in the rapidly expanding sealless sector is set to heat up with the Eurochem launch of several new designs Now part of the US Sundyne Corporation,...

Filling the vacuum.
May 1, 2001... Although process pumps predominate at Eurochem, many vacuum pumps are on display, emphasising their importance in many process operations. Rietschle UK, for example, is focusing its stand (G46) on the Twister VSB Coolpump, a cool-running, dry...

Bran+Luebbe on a roll out.
May 1, 2001... Best known for its extensive range of precision metering and process pumps, Bran+Luebbe (stand D76) is using Eurochem to roll out its corporate capabilities across the process spectrum. Its ongoing programme of design and development means a...

Tip top PD from JP.
May 1, 2001... On stands E65/B75 JP Pumps is launching a new range of air-operated diaphragm pumps, called TopAir. These positive displacement pumps are said to slot very neatly into the company's range, which focuses on products with low life-cycle costs....

Mono munches away at the pumping market.
May 1, 2001... Along with a wide variety of progressing cavity pumps for use in the chemical, pharmaceutical, waste handling and general process industries, Mono Pumps (stand E80) is showing its TR Muncher for pump and system protection. The Muncher is a low...

Top gear from Germany.
May 1, 2001... Witte Pumpen (stand J47) is a specialist company with an international reputation for its high quality gear pumps, supplied either on their own or as complete systems with motor and control. Represented on the stand by Regis Machines...

CLEARLY BETTER FOR REXAM GLASS.
May 1, 2001... CHEM-SURE tubing has brought cost-savings and improved reliability at Rexam Glass in Barnsley. Rexam has 14 production lines making bottles and jars, with each line employing a Watson-Marlow Bredel 500 Series pump for transferring a 'hot end...

CHEM-SURE CUTS COSTS AT AEI.
May 1, 2001... AEI Cables, a leading manufacturer of fire resistant cables, is one of the first companies to benefit from CHEM-SURE, a revolutionary floroelastomer/PTFE tubing introduced by Watson-Marlow Bredel. Developed in association with W L Gore &...

SWEETER PUMPING.
May 1, 2001... The combination of a peristaltic pump fitted with CHEM-SURE fluoroelastomer / PTFE tubing, has helped a leading confectionery manufacturer to solve an on-going maintenance and production problem. Prior to switching to the WatsonMarlow Bredel...

Seals, packings, pipes and pigs.
May 1, 2001... Being in Birmingham, the NEC plays host to many manufacturing exhibitions, but 'process' manufacturing is unlike any other -- no assembly lines, no machine tools, not much 'metal-bashing' at all in fact. And what is the defining difference?...

Coupling column.
May 1, 2001... On stand F75 Guyson has a wide range of Hansen quick-release hose couplings. These include self-sealing, drybreak, straight through and special purpose designs. They are available in steel, brass and stainless steel, with optional seal...

Pharma processing.
May 1, 2001... Hosokawa Micron (L20) is using Eurochem as a launch pad for a pharmaceutical processing device, the Hosokawa Reitz Extrud-O-Mix. Designed for intimate mixing of powders through adjustment of its internal configuration, it can be used for...

From coarse to fine, Kemutec covers the solids range.
May 1, 2001... On stand F92 the Kemutec Group has solids processing machines from its KEK and Gardner product ranges, together with flow control products from the Mucon Division. Complementing these are examples from an extensive range of coarse grinding...

CurTec's UN nestboxes.
May 1, 2001... Joining the throng of new launches at Eurochem, CurTec is introducing its range of UN certified packaging on stand K40, including a range of nestable containers and small volume packaging. The new containers include a range of small-volume...

IBCs to beat 'the cowboys'.
May 1, 2001... Mailbox Mouldings is unveiling its new design of plastic IBC on stand L05 at the NEC. According to the company, the design 'not only makes it look aesthetically pleasing, but also very strong to withstand the rigorous applications that...

Debut for MikroPul.
May 1, 2001... Exhibiting for the first time at Eurochem since its buy-out by Beacon Industrial from Hosokawa Micron, MikroPul (stand M40) is showing its complete range of dust and fume control and recovery equipment. Equipment on display includes...

PSL premieres new milling machinery.
May 1, 2001... Eurochem will see the world premiere of Powder Systems' (PSL) new milling machinery, the Nara CosmoBox, and the introduction of PSL-Nara's Nebulasizer, designed as an screenless alternative to conventional cone milling technology. Stand...

Safe to operate.
May 1, 2001... Two major developments in legislation affecting the process control sector will significant impact on the way chemical manufacturers configure and run their plants. The introduction of new safety legislation, developed primarily to improve...

Smaller sensors.
May 1, 2001... Smaller, more rugged and lower in price than comparable sensors, Calex's Convir IR range is aimed at applications in the paper, plastics, chemicals and textile industries, as well as non-process sectors such as the automotive industry. The...

Weighing at a distance.
May 1, 2001... Applied Weighing is promoting a range of new products on stand G60, including its Smart-Link remote monitoring system which allows operators to oversee weighing or other measuring devices at one or more remote sites without the need for a PC at...

Oxygen sensors have safety in mind.
May 1, 2001... Oxygen analyser systems are the main focus of Ntron Europe's stand, K73. The Irish firm is exhibiting a complete range of percent and trace oxygen analyser systems at the show, all of which, it says, have proven themselves in harsh chemical...

Look, no wires.
May 1, 2001... Radio telemetry specialist Radio-Tech (M46) is promoting its new range of Rtcom industrial Modbus RTU at Eurochem. The cable-free, low-cost equipment is capable of bi-direction pump control, alarm signalling and pulse metering, the company...

Malvern proves size matters.
May 1, 2001... Malvern Instruments' Mastersizer 2000 is among the laboratory equipment on display at the company's stand, F70. The company is showing new accessories for the Mastersizer, such as an autosampler to enable the unattended processing of wet or dry...

Altoflux avoids shutdowns.
May 1, 2001... Working models of two-wire level and flow products are on display at Krohne's stand, J85, with both two- and four-wire configurations and technologies represented. The company will also be demonstrating the advantages of the Altoflux 2W Hybrid,...

Excom remote I/O ensures safe control for hazardous areas.
May 1, 2001... The need for safe control in hazardous areas has driven the development of Turck Banner's Excom system, which is on show at stand K86. The system, which uses decentralised remote I/O, is suitable for installation in Zone 1/Division 1 hazardous...

Clean workstations.
May 1, 2001... Eurotech Automation is showing its range of IP65-rated industrial workstations at the NEC, on stand C74. Made from corrosion-resistant 316L stainless steel, the stations are suitable for medical, pharmaceutical and food processing applications....

Data on the move.
May 1, 2001... Transform software, which transfers paper-based data collection onto Psion Walkabout handheld computers, is on display at Terrington Systems' stand, J83. The company, which specialises in data collection, numbers NASA and 101 among its clients....

Antistatic fabrics for filters.
May 1, 2001... Making its first appearance at Eurochem, The Multiple Fabric Company is showcasing filtration textiles on stand P02. Items on display include filter press cloths, bags, centrifuge cloths, sleeves and belts, made from polypropylene, polyester,...

Precision with polyester.
May 1, 2001... Polyester heavyweight filter media are the focus of Precision Textiles' display on stand B65 at the NEC, long with other high-performance fabrics including polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials. The company supplies filter cloths for most types...

Resins to be cheerful.
May 1, 2001... Winn & Coales is launching a new material on stand A86 at Eurochem -- a glass flake-reinforced epoxy resin coating called Denso Heatshield, designed for steam surfaces operating at temperatures up to 150[degrees]C. The firm is also showing the...

Bund of brothers.
May 1, 2001... Allibert Helix (P83) is using the show as a springboard for its all-plastic range of multi-trip IBCs. Available in capacities of 500-1000litre, the IBOs are targeted at applications involving hazardous and corrosive liquids. The company is also...

De Dietrich takes its bow.
May 1, 2001... The Do Dietrich Process Systems Group is making its first UK exhibition appearance as an integrated group at Eurochem, stand L70. The company comprises three units: QVF, a supplier of pilot plants, chemical synthesis units, acid concentrators...