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New Products & Services

March 2008

Show Preview: Interphex  

This year, Interphex will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa. from March 26 – 28, 2008.

Interphex, the largest pharmaceutical conference and exhibition in the world, will feature cutting-edge technology in the area of life sciences, from drug development to manufacturing. Once again, this show shares a location with PlarmaMedDevice, the only comprehensive event to focus on the convergence of medical device, pharmaceutical and biologic industries.

G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill and Co., will present the keynote lecture on Wednesday, March 26 at 11:30 a.m. Additionally, special sessions "The State of the Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Industry" and "Six Ways to Increase Sales in the Pharmaceutical Industry," will be presented by two leaders in the business. Register for the educational conference to attend sessions from one or many of the main tracks or subtracks. Main tracks include: Technology Enablers; Basics & Building Blocks; Compliance; Biotechnology; Facilities & Engineering; Manufacturing; and Outsourcing.

Below, find a sampling of the equipment and services that will be on display. For more information on Interphex, visit www.interphex.com.

To safely handle shear-sensitive cells, use this centrifuge

The Culturefuge 400 (photo) is a new production-scale disc-stack centrifugal separator designed specifically for primary clarification of shear-sensitive cell culture processing. The unit is capable of harvesting 20 – 30 m 3 of material from bioreactors in only a few hours, meeting the demand for processing at high capacities. Developed for larger scale applications involving mammalian cell cultures and other shear-sensitive biological material, the Culturefuge 400 has a hermetic outlet that prevents product contact with air, eliminating any possibility for foaming or oxidation. The hollow spindle inlet provides gentle acceleration of the feed liquid, minimizing lysis of shear-sensitive cells. Available in several configurations, it can be mounted on a fixed-base frame, which includes process and utility piping, automation and instrumentation for service and process liquids entering and leaving the separator. — Alfa Laval, Lund, Sweden

Booth 1334

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-331

This mop is designed for use in clean facilities

The EasyCurve Mop (photo) is designed for cleaning floors, walls and ceilings in cleanrooms and controlled environments. It consists of a flat, fabric-laminated mop head attached to a curved, stainless-steel frame, the EasyCurve provides superior performance, ease of use and effectiveness, according to this firm. Designed for pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturing plants, hospitals, compounding pharmacies, and other critical or controlled environments, it is an ideal upgrade for applications where sponge roller and self-wringing mops are currently used. The EasyCurve is compatible with a wide range of disinfectants, solvents and cleaning solutions. — Contec, Inc., Spartanburg, S.C.

Booth 1034

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-332

Two new options improve this size measurement probe

The Parsum IPP-70 (photo, p.34D-1) inline particle-size measurement probe is now available with two new options that are designed to simplify regulatory compliance for pharmaceutical applications. Providing realtime particle-size analysis, the Parsum IPP-70 monitors and controls granulation, coating and spray-drying processes. The first new option allows for the provision of Installation/Operational Qualification (IQ/OQ) documentation together with a verification kit for checking measurement accuracy. The second option offers a unit with highly polished contact surfaces, and includes material traceability documentation. Size and velocity measurement is possible for particles, granules and pellets from 50 to 6000 µm in dia. With the ability to be inserted directly into a process line or unit and easily integrated with systems for automated control, it can be used to monitor gravity-fed, pneumatically-conveyed and fluidized streams. — Malvern Instruments, Bedfordshire, U.K.

Booth 1205

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-333

This modular RFID system is the first with built-in I/O

This firm now offers the first modular RFID system with built-in I/O capability. With BLident (photo, p.34D-1), users may add additional I/O modules, and up to 8 channels of RFID, plus additional discreet or analog I/O comprise a single node on the network. Built on the ISO155693 13.56 MHz HF standard, BLident can be integrated into existing platforms, and supports Profibus-DP, DeviceNet, Modbus-TCP, Profinet and EtherNet/IP. Standard non-programmable gateways and CoDeSys programmable gateways are available with either IP20 or IP67 protection rating. BLident data carriers are available with read/write intervals between 5 and 500 mm and use FRAM storage technology for virtually an unlimited number of write operations. It can read and write data simultaneously at 0.5 ms/byte and is capable of production speeds of 10 ms at a distance of up to 500 mm. — Turck Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

Booth 652

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-334

These communication modules ensure efficient message delivery

An updated family of fiber-optic communication modules for ControlNet self-healing ring and dual self-healing ring applications is now available from this company. The single self-healing ring (EOTec 2C31) and dual self-healing ring (2C32) communication modules (photo) provide multiple communication paths between the various elements of the control system. They utilize Downstream Multicasting technology, so that, in the event of a failure on one communication path, communications are still maintained along a secondary path (or in the case of the dual ring, tertiary paths). This allows the transmission of incoming messages in multiple directions, ensuring that the message is directed towards all nodes in the ring while never being transmitted back to the point of origin. According to the manufacturer, these communication modules support the highest number of nodes and deliver up to 60% more optical power than competing models, allowing for the longer transmission distances between nodes. — Weed Instrument Company, Inc., Round Rock, Tex.

Booth 349

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-335

A tablet counter and more from this packaging firm

The RX-Fill (photo, p. 34D-2), a versatile tablet counter, is capable of counting product in manual, semi-automatic and automatic modes of operation. Also available from this company is the bottle Recoverx 1040, a solid dose product recovery system designed to allow the operator to recover product from containers of various shapes and sizes. The manual Recoverx, a manual-deblistering machine, requires no change parts and will also be on display. — BellatRx Inc., Point-Claire, Quebec, Canada

Booth 4207

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-336

Feed difficult-to-handle powders accurately

Available in pharmaceutical and industrial models, the MT12 micro-ingredient feeder (photo) accurately feeds free-flowing to difficult-to-handle powders at rates between 20 and 2,000 gal/h. Loss-in-weight (model KCL-SFS-MT12) and volumetric (model KCV-MT12) feeders are available for continuous or batch operation. These compact feeders are designed for easy disassembly, fast and easy cleaning and optional automatic refill. Typical applications include: feeding jet mills, tablet presses, continuous extrusion processes and accurate feeding of expensive micro ingredients. — K-Tron, Pitman, N.J.

Booth 1317

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-337

Handle high temperatures and pressures with this flowmeter

The Type 8045 Insertion Magflowmeter (photo, p. 34D-3) incorporates a stainless-steel finger and fitting to meet high-pressure and high-temperature requirements of instrumentation and automation applications. The unit handles medium temperatures (up to 230°F) and fluid pressures up to 230 psi. The measuring velocity range is 0.33 – 33 ft/s. The Type 8045 is compatible with pipe diameters of 0.5 to 16 in. It features a 4 – 20-mA output, as well as pulse and relay outputs. It can be used with a PLC with this company’s Type 2030 diaphragm valve, Type 8630 digital positioning unit coupled with the Type 2712, and the Type 8644-P. — Burkert Fluid Control Systems, Ingelfingen, Germany

Booth 317

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-338

Meet sterilization standards with this steam separator

The CS10 Clean Steam Separator (photo) has been engineered to overcome wet-steam problems, including control valve damage and inability to meet steam sterilization standards. Constructed of 316L stainless steel, the CS10 is designed to exceed the steam-dryness value of 0.95 and features a removable baffle plate to facilitate periodic de-rouging and inspection. The separator is designed in accordance with the most recent ASME BPE guidelines for the biopharmaceutical industry. All elastomers are FDA regulation CFR21, paragraph 177, section 2600 and USP class VI. — Spirax Sarco Inc., Blythewood, S.C.

Booth 1148

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-339

These motors are designed for severe washdown applications

The new XP series of washdown-duty stainless motors (photo, p. 34D-4) are designed for installations where hazardous fumes or dust may be present. Designed for sanitary installations where superior cleanability is required, these motors meet the requirements for use in Class 1 Group D, and Class 2 Groups F and G environments. The units are available in 56C – 143TC/145TC frames with ratings through 2 hp. According to the manufacturer, they feature high efficiency, inverter rated windings, O-ring seals and stainless mechanical shaft seals for assured reliability and performance. — Stainless Motors, Inc., Rio Rancho, N.M.

Booth 234

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-340

Analyze pharmaceutical powders without product fouling

This company offers gauges that have been successfully employed in thousands of diverse applications as safe, robust and accurate near-infrared (IR) inprocess-control solutions. The PharmaView Self-Cleaning Viewing Window (photo) will be on display at the show. Also exhibited will be the J&M Lighthouse Probe with clean-in-place capability, which was co-developed with GEA Niro Pharma Systems. Both of these solutions incorporate the ability to automatically clean the measurement window, ensuring the gauge’s effectiveness as a trusted near-IR process control solution for fluidized-bed processes. — NDC Infrared Engineering, Irwindale, Calif.

Booth 569

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-341

For immediate bioprocess measurements, use this analyzer

Providing immediate measurement of key chemistries, cell density and viability, and osmolality in cell culture media, the BioProfile Flex (photo, p. 34D-7) gives a total picture of cell growth in a single instrument. Consolidating these tests into one instrument saves time and labor, eliminates errors and improves compliance. The BioProfile Flex Connectivity Suite is a complete plug-and-play solution that facilitates this company’s bi-directional automation and product integration. It features complete connectivity with all OPC-compliant systems, including bioreactor controllers, data historians, overall IT infrastructure and plant management systems. — Nova Biomedical, Waltham, Mass.

Booth B4032

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-344

Wash glassware efficiently with a new water-delivery system

The Hotpack large-capacity glassware washers offer a spray-arch water-delivery system that projects a vertical "wall of water" that ensures thorough washing and rinsing. Separate plumbing systems for wash and rinse cycles minimize detergent carryover to provide a clear final rinse. A high-efficiency water-management system conserves energy and reduces operating costs. These units join the Hotpack family of glassware washers that include Undercounter models and Vertical SpaceSaver models with single- and double-chamber capacity. — SP Industries, Warminster, Pa.

Booth 1349

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-343

This contained filter dryer is ideal for R&D

This lab-scale system has a 0.05-m 2 filtration area with 15-L capacity and 2- to 8-L wet-cake capacity. Batch sizes of 1 to 5 kg can be handled by this compact system. Containment is achieved through a top-mounted ChargePoint, a 100-mm split valve for vessel charging. A tilting mechanism, which is integrated into the frame, allows complete inversion of the vessel for contained powder discharge via the same split valve. The ChargePoint achieves less than 10-µg/m 3 containment. This small mobile filter dryer is ideal for API chemical kilo labs requiring a solution for filtration and drying of slurry from multiple reactors of various sizes, making it suitable for R&D facilities. — Powder Systems Ltd., Boise, Idaho

Booth 1019

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-342

This automatic washer is time-efficient and safe

A new, automated solution for cleaning tanks, reactors and vessels, the retractable tank washer (RTW; p. 34D-7), eliminates time-consuming and dangerous manual cleaning. A pneumatic mechanism lowers and raises the tank washer at the beginning and end of cleaning cycles. The RTW is controlled by an easy-to-use control panel that allows users to set multiple stopping points between full insertion and retraction, allowing the nozzles to be positioned in locations where more cleaning impact is required or to clean around internal tank obstructions. Designed for cleaning PTFE, latex, acrylic, polymer, pant, cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical tanks and reactors, the RTW operates at pressures up to 4,000 psi and temperatures up to 140°F. — Spraying Systems Co., Wheaton, Ill.

Booth 1055

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-345

Count particles as small as 0.3 µm quickly

With comprehensive software and a large, easy-to-use touch screen, the Lasair III particle counter (photo) establishes a new level of usability in portable particle counters. The 8.4-in. LCD IR touch screen simplifies viewing data and navigating through the screens. This counter is available in 1 ft 3 /min and 50 L/min flowrates for particles with sizes from 0.3- to 25-µm. The 100 L/min flowrate is suitable for monitoring 0.5 – 25 µm particles, and allows users to sample 1 m 3 in just 10 min. The unit is ISO 21501 and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant. — Particle Measuring Systems, Boulder, Colo.

Booth 1515

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-346

Collect realtime data of temperature, pressure and humidity

The Kaye RF ValProbe (photo) offers operators the option to view data in realtime without wiring or collecting historical data from remote loggers. The system consists of RF wireless loggers, a base station and software. The loggers provide high-accuracy measurement of temperature, pressure and humidity through 4 – 20-mA, 0 – 10-V outputs. External and internal temperature transmitters provide increased flexibility for a variety of applications. The Mesh networking technology ensures that no data is lost by permitting loggers to route data to another logger for subsequent forwarding if the direct path to the base station is blocked. The software and data-reporting features provides regulatory-compliant reports, eliminating the need to download data to a separate spreadsheet program, saving time and reducing the risk of data analysis errors. — GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Billerica, Mass.

Booth 1149

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-347

Show Preview: 24th Pump Users Symposium

The 24th International Pump Users Symposium will be held from April 21 – 24 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. As a meeting organized by pump users for pump users, it provides valuable resources for engineers involved in maintenance, performance, troubleshooting, operation and purchase of pumps. Through the technical sessions, attendees can choose from a number of lectures, tutorials, case studies and discussion groups.

To learn more about the Pump Users Syposium, visit turbolab.tamu.edu/pumpshow/pump. Here is a preview of some of the products and services you will see on the show floor.

Pump bushings and case rings withstand harsh environments

Graphalloy pump bushings and case rings are designed for vertical and horizontal pumps, as well as mixers and agitators. They are ideal for difficult applications where harsh or extreme chemical and temperature environments may exist. Graphalloy performs well at temperatures ranging from – 215 to 400ËšC, and is dimensionally stable even when submerged, under load or exposed to wide temperature swings. Self-lubricating and non-galling, these units are ideal for applications where maintenance operations are infrequent, difficult or impossible. Common applications include the handling of light hydrocarbons, most acids, alkalides and solvents, pulp and paper liquors, liquid oxygen and nitrogen, propane and butane, and potable water. — Graphite Metallizing, Yonkers, N.Y.

Booth 706

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-348

Here is a new solution for high-temperature environments

The Type 604HTC and Type 6609HTC high-temperature, corrosion-resistant, welded-metal bellows seals (photo) are designed to reliably seal rotating equipment. They use all-Inconel (Alloy 718) metallurgy and unique face-seal technology that provide exceptional seal-face stability, and can adapt to a wide range of extreme environments. The Type 604HTC is capable of handling high shaft-speed applications and high shaft-to-seal chamber misalignment, while the Type 609HTC is intended for applications where a dependable, high-strength, rotating seal is preferred. Typical applications for these seals include hydrocarbons, aromatic fractionation products, crude-oil fractionation products, heat-transfer fluids, chemicals, caustics, some acids, aqueous solutions and lubricating liquids. — John Crane, Inc., Morton Grove, Ill.

Booth 415

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-349

A design tool is now available on the internet

This provider of engineered couplings recently launched its Internet Coupling Automation Program, iCAP, a coupling design tool, on its website. It is a powerful selection tool that allows customers to accelerate information exchange with the company to obtain faster, more economical coupling solutions. Serving customers that need couplings for high-speed turbomachinery and pump applications, iCAP is suitable for steam or gas turbines, compressors, generators, gearboxes or general industrial applications. Accessed by customers who register and qualify, the tool reduces the time of early design and development work from a typical 72 – 96 h down to minutes, says the firm. — Kop-Flex, Inc., Hanover, Md.

Booth 523

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-350

For use in harsh environments, use these horizontal pumps

This new line of enhanced capacity, multistage horizontal pump systems is suitable for mining, oil-field injection, pipeline, dewatering, steel-mill descaling, and other industrial applications. Four application-dependent skid designs are offered, utilizing I-beam construction for increased rigidity and decreased vibration. Standard and enhanced-capacity thrust-load protectors are available, rated in excess of 20,000 lb. The RPM multistage centrifugal pump (photo) has been designed to produce higher head per stage, which results in shorter skids and better reliability. These horizontal pump systems are available with a large selection of metallurgies, coatings and bearing constructions. They are tested to provide premium service in harsh environments. — Rentzel Pump Manufacturing, Shawnee, Okla.

Booth 106

edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-351

Europe Special Advertising Section 2008

European Union (EU) proposals for emissions trading and renewable energy will hurt chemical producers unfairly, according to Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council (Brussels; www.cefic.be).

Without world agreement on emissions trading, a one-sided restriction could even harm Europe’s ability to reduce its own emissions, Cefic says. Any new trading system for Europe would therefore have to be "sustainable", said Cefic Director General Alain Perroy — meaning that it should not harm European competitiveness.

Cefic was responding to a package of proposals to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) published by the European Commission on January 23. The EU wants to cut its overall emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and says it will increase this target to 30% if other developed countries make similar efforts.

Central to the strategy is a strengthening and expansion of the Emissions Trading System (ETS), which the EU describes as a key tool for cutting emissions cost-effectively. Emissions from the sectors covered by the system will be cut by 21% by 2020 compared with levels in 2005. A single EU-wide cap on ETS emissions will be set, and the current free allocation of emission allowances will be progressively replaced by auctioning of allowances by 2020.

According to Perroy, any new ETS must preserve the chemical industry’s competitive capacity if it is to work for the common good. Lack of competitiveness in chemicals would certainly damage Europe as a whole: the EU’s chemical industry accounts for 29% of world chemical sales, and 6.5% of European industrial production (10% if pharmaceuticals are included). Last December, the EU’s new High Level Group on Chemicals drew attention to the sector’s importance as "the engine of innovation for Europe".

To reduce bureaucracy, Cefic is calling for small CO2 emitters to be left out of the ETS. The organization claims that according to the latest report from the European Environment Agency (EEA; Copenhagen, Denmark; www.eea.europa.eu), an emission threshold of 50 kt/y would still cover 95% of the emissions currently subject to the ETS, while reducing by 75% the number of plants that would have to register.

As part of its GHG reduction plan, the EU wants to get 20% of all its energy from renewables by 2020 — a target that could see up to 30% of electricity coming from renewable sources. Cefic fears that this will increase electricity costs. Since the chemical industry is a large electricity user, this would be another unfair penalty, the organization says.

There is also a growing background of public unease in Europe over the manufacture of biofuels from food crops, or from crops such as palm oil that may displace food crops and tropical forests in countries such as Malaysia.

A good 2007, but slower for 2008

The European chemical industry (excluding pharmaceuticals) is expected to have grown by 2.6% in 2007, compared to 2.1 % in 2006, according to figures released in November by Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council (Brussels, Belgium).

Growth in 2007 was above the average for the last five years, partly due to recovery from the technical problems that beset several petrochemical plants in 2006. Consumer chemicals performed strongly, while petrochemicals and polymers were more modest.

Business confidence began to fall in October 2007, and Cefic expects 2008 to show a slowdown. Predicted growth in 2008 is 2.3% for the EU chemical industry as a whole (including pharmaceuticals), down from 3% in 2007. Pharmaceuticals will not equal their extraordinary growth of 2006, but will still be strong performers in 2007 and 2008, leaving non-pharmaceuticals to grow by a predicted 1.9% in 2008.

Cefic expects a slowdown, rather than a recession, in the world economy, from 3.5% this year to 3.3% next year. High economic growth, especially in Asia but also in eastern Europe and south America, continues to provide trade opportunities for Europe, though the strong euro risks undermining the competitiveness of European industry. High oil prices have so far had only a limited effect on the overall macro-economic environment, but will eventually lead to higher production costs and lower confidence. www.cefic.be

Explosion safety for elevators

A new self-triggering explosion suppression system from REMBE protects against the effects of dust explosions in elevators, bucket lifts, transport shafts and pipelines.

The Q-Atomizer is simple, robust and easy to maintain. Because the device gets its operating energy from the explosion itself, it requires no extra power source.

The explosion shockwave is cleverly channeled into the device, where it creates an overpressure that activates a cartridge of extinguishing power. This specially-developed suppressant sprays out into the elevator shaft, suffocating the explosion instantly.

The Q-Atomizer has a redundant monitoring system based on optical fibers. When the device activates, the operator is alerted and the extinguisher cartridge can be replaced quickly and easily, after which the system is ready for use once more. The result, says REMBE, is the highest level of guaranteed safety with minimal investment.

www.rembe.com

Gearing up for Achema

Though May 2009 is still a way off, companies planning to exhibit at Achema 2009 in Frankfurt, Germany, should make sure they are on schedule: with nearly 90% of the total exhibition space now booked, their options will soon start to run out, says organizer Dechema e.V. (Frankfurt, Germany.

Achema, the world’s largest exhibition-congress for the process industries, is expected to draw around 4,000 exhibiting companies and 180,000 visitors. Such is the reputation of this three-yearly event that some of the innovations presented there are likely to redefine entire branches of the chemical process industries (CPI), says Thomas Scheuring, head of exhibition congresses at Dechema. Alongside the exhibition runs a congress with around 900 presentations, which Dechema claims will attract 30,000 decision-makers from all over the world.

The Achema Special Show for 2009 in on renewable energy and other resources. Coverage will range from industrial biotechnology to chemistry, including energy crops, biofuels plants and biorefineries, photovoltaics and solar chemistry, chemical energy storage, biocomposites and biopolymers.

New to the exhibition layout this time will be a home for the Research and Innovation group in Hall 4.2 instead of Hall 1, reducing the distance that visitors have to walk. Dechema has also redesigned the system of complimentary visitor tickets to make it fairer and more predictable for exhibitors.

Achema 2006 saw for the first time a majority of exhibitors from outside Germany. The trend to internationalization will continue, Scheuring predicts. www.achema.de

Polyethylene compressors

Mehrer Series 1800 tandem dry cylinder compressors ensure quality and productivity in polyethylene (PE) manufacture.

Besides the stability of the process itself, one of the most important factors controlling quality and productivity in the PE process is the temperature of the ethylene feed. The Mehrer TVZ 1800/170/128 – 150Ex dry cylinder compressor has an effective temperature monitoring and control system to ensure optimum throughput and product quality from the PE process.

Compressors in the Mehrer Series 1800 are of tandem design, with two Series 900 V-type compressors driven by a single 150 kW motor positioned between them. Both Vtype compressors are of water-cooled two-stage design.

With an inlet pressure of 8.7 bar a the unit compresses 1,860 kg/h of ethylene to a discharge pressure of 60.4 bar a. The unit is ATEX-certified for operation in Ex zone 1 hazardous areas. www.mehrer.de

In today’s investment world, where each project has an even tighter budget and schedule than the one before, a proactive method of risk management is essential. Project Co-Pilot from Pöyry is a risk management process tailored to the needs of process industry projects. Over the life-cycle of a project, it helps users identify risks, evaluate them, and eliminate them or mitigate their consequences.

The keys to successful project risk management are a comprehensive checklist, a suitable management process and an experienced team. Once a particular risk has been identified, it can be assigned a probability and a realistic financial impact. This allows the team to prioritize the list and concentrate on risks with the biggest economic effects.

Project Co-Pilot includes methods for identifying and evaluating risks efficiently, based on regular risk review meetings during the project, and an interactive website used to prepare, follow up, comment on and store information between meetings. At the heart of the system is a "risk knowledge browser" based on Pöyry’s extensive experience in managing investment projects of all sizes.

Systematic risk management using Project Co-Pilot has benefits beyond the financial savings. Risk review meetings help members of the core project team to see the big picture, agree common project goals and see how their individual areas of responsibility fit in with the complete project. The resulting reports are valuable to both company management and external finance providers.

Pöyry is a global consulting and engineering firm and focusing on the energy, forest industry, infrastructure, and environmental sectors. Pöyry had 2007 net sales of €720 million and employs 7,300 people. www.poyry.com

An exemplary Bavarian success story

For Flottweg, it all began 75 years ago with a motor. In Munich in 1911, Gustav Otto, the son of the inventor of the engine factory Otto-Motore, founded the aircraft factory Gustav Otto Flugmaschinen-Werke. By 1916, this company had evolved into the Bavarian engine company Bayerische Motorenwerke, today known as BMW.

In 1918 Otto started a new company in Munich and developed a bicycle with an auxiliary engine under the name Flottweg. In the 1920s, motorized bicycles were produced and sold.

In 1932 Dr. Georg Bruckmayer acquired the rights to the Flottweg name and founded the engine factory Flottweg-Motoren-Werke. This company initially manufactured and distributed motorcycles and aircraft engines.

After World War II, no longer allowed to make aero engines, Flottweg needed a new line of business. By the mid-1950s the company was making decanter (solid-bowl) centrifuges.

Today, Flottweg is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of decanter centrifuges and has wide-ranging technical knowledge in all areas of mechanical solid-liquid separation. Flottweg has more than 500 employees worldwide and a turnover of 125 million in 2007. The current product range includes decanters, belt presses, and disc stack centrifuges, for a wide range of applications at scales from pilot plant to large continuous processes. Flottweg products are well received all over the world in the mining, petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and beverage industries, and in the treatment of wastewater and oil sludge.

Flottweg has been DIN EN ISO 9001 certified since 1994. Thousands of satisfied customers from St. Petersburg to Sydney, operating plants that range from olive oil mills to chemical complexes, appreciate Flottweg’s technical knowledge, customer focus and superb products.

www.flottweg.com

Medical evaporator success

GEA Wiegand has delivered a falling-film evaporator with mechanical vapor recompression and a special high-solids concentrator, plus building services, to the world’s largest producer of hemodialysis membranes.

The project is interesting because it involves the recovery of the high-value solvent n-methyl pyrrolidone from a wastewater stream. Scientists and engineers at GEA Wiegand’s research and development center worked on the problem for two years, eventually achieving impressive results that were used as the basis for the design of the full-scale plant. By recovering more than 90% of the solvent used in the process, the evaporator project will have a very short payback time.

www.gea-wiegand.com

This positioner is easy to use

Series 3731 explosion-proof valve positioners from SAMSON feature low power consumption and convenient operation, either via HART or Foundation Fieldbus or directly on site. Even in hazardous areas, only one rotary pushbutton is needed for start-up: turn to select parameters, and push to activate them. The explosion-proof enclosure with its separate terminal compartment allows direct cable entry or conduit connection without the use of spark barriers.

SAMSON hybrid technology represents a milestone in positioner design: analog control helps to achieve unsurpassed positioning performance, allowing the high-performance microprocessor to concentrate on making the positioner versatile and easy to operate. The positioner includes SAMSON’s EXPERT integrated valve diagnostics, and any zero error or system deviation immediately generates a detailed alarm message. Optional EXPERT+ firmware provides even more detailed fault analysis, with a data logger and histograms showing valve position, system deviation, and closing point shifts. www.samson.de

Big Saudi order for packaging specialist

Bag filling machinery specialist Haver & Boecker is celebrating an important order from the National Titanium Dioxide Company Ltd. (Cristal), the largest privately-owned chemical company in Saudi Arabia.

At the beginning of 2005 Cristal ordered two HAVER INTEGRA 2W bag filling machines with a palletizer and stretch hood equipment for its plant in Yanbu, where they are used to pack titanium dioxide (TiO 2) into 25 kg bags. With global demand for TiO 2 increasing, Cristal ordered two more identical machines in September 2007.

This summer, Haver & Boecker will deliver to Cristal two HAVER INTEGRA 2W machines, a full bag transport system with metal detector, check weigher, rejector, ink jet system and bag flattening equipment. The plant also includes a layer palletizer, a pallet press, a stretch hood machine, and a seven-place pallet accumulation line. The filling machines are installed in-line, so that filled bags from the first machine pass through the second machine on their way to the common palletizer.

The complete INTEGRA system for mean capacities up to 750 bags/hour is the perfect solution for modern packing plants with valve bags, says the company. The filling machine, automatic bag placer with empty bag magazine, valve closing unit, control unit and reject belt are located in a single housing that is supplied as a complete factory-assembled unit ready for installation. At the heart of each packing machine is a proprietary impeller-type filling system that when used for TiO 2 is proven to deliver extraordinarily high weight accuracy at high filling speeds.

www.haverboecker.com

Quality steel belts for cooling and films

Berndorf Band is a world leader in top-quality process belts. The company uses selected grades of stainless steel and advanced manufacturing technologies to ensure long belt life and high machine availability.

Endless steel belts can be used for various applications in chemical processing. These range from standard cooling processes used to solidify chemicals (photo), to high-end applications such as film and foil casting on mirror-polished belts. What all these applications have in common is the use of an endless steel belt to facilitate continuous production.

The materials chosen by Berndorf Band have high resistance to the dynamic stresses caused by continuous running and repeated bending over drums and rollers. The belts are characterized by perfect flatness, dimensional stability, and straight tracking.

For all its products Berndorf Band offers state-of-the-art field service, from emergency repair to preventive maintenance. An international service network, supported by the service centre in Berndorf, gives quick access to skilled specialists and the latest repair methods.

www.berndorf-band.at

MBR cassettes are modular

MICRODYN-NADIR, one of the world’s leading independent membrane and filter module producers, has introduced a new cassette-based submerged BIO-CEL module for membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The system includes the membrane cassettes and a support frame. This innovation eases installation and maintenance, because for the first time the aeration and support systems are independent of the membrane unit. Especially in larger plants, this makes it simple to exchange membranes.

BIO-CEL modules have seen worldwide acceptance since their launch at the end of 2005, the company says. The unique advantage of the new MBR module is its continued use of an open plate design. This avoids braiding and sludge deposition, and can be backflushed.

The new BIO-CEL BC 400 module has a membrane area of 400 m 2, a size previously unobtainable in plate-and-frame membrane systems. With a specific area comparable to hollow fiber modules, it packs large membrane surface areas into a small footprint.

www.microdyn-nadir.de

Stainless container specialist

Müller specializes in stainless steel drums and containers, with a wide product range that includes something suitable for every task. From 0.1 l to 1500 l, in a wide choice of diameters, material qualities and surface finishes, there is a Müller container to suit.

The Müller drum is the basic module in an intelligent system: at the drop of a hat a drum used for storage or transportation becomes a process vessel meeting all the requirements of modern production. To ensure that manufacturing proceeds smoothly, the Müller system enables users to add items such as hoppers, dryer inserts, discharge aids, mixing hoods, and sieves. It is also compatible with process interfaces for drum docking, dust-free filling, handling equipment and emptying. All the components are harmonized and are interchangeable. And, because the Müller system is so flexible, drum filling quantities or storage volumes can be adapted to suit individual manufacturing needs. This means that differing flow, mixing or chemical properties do not require dozens of different containers, simply the right combination of system modules. Standard sizes are available ex stock.

www.mueller-gmbh.com

Innovative materials handling solutions

The booming Middle East petrochemical market has brought good times for solids handling and logistics specialist BEUMER Maschinen-fabrik. Strong demand has also helped the company create technical solutions with applications in other industries and geographical areas.

The BEUMER Group, a leading manufacturer of equipment and systems for solids handling and packaging, has about 900 employees, sales of about €180 million, and more than 35 years’ experience in the chemical industry. In the last year alone the company has won orders for 14 high-capacity bagging, packaging and palletizing for petrochemicals in the Middle East.

Key to these successes has been the ability to innovate, BEUMER says. Although solids handling equipment makes up a fairly small proportion of total plant investment, its performance is crucial: lack of capacity or unexpected downtime can cause a bottleneck for the entire plant.

For instance, rough movement can distort polyethylene bags of plastic granules, leading to handling problems downstream. BEUMER has introduced variable-speed drives to ensure gentle bag handling. High product and ambient temperatures softens the bags, increasing friction as well as making distortion more likely. To reduce friction, BEUMER uses PTFE surface coatings and a palletizing system in which bags float into position on a cushion of air.

www.beumer.com

The smarter way to transport powders

"Active charging" refers to the transfer of powder without the use of gravity. According to Dietrich Engineering Consultants (DEC), this allows powders to be handled in the same way as liquids.

By doing away with the need to rely on gravity, active charging can simplify the logistics of powder handling. Raw materials, for example, can be left on the ground floor and then transferred directly into the production equipment. This can eliminate both the pre-dispensing area above the receiving vessel and the lifting devices needed to transfer the material.

Another advantage of this technology is that flammable powders can be transferred using nitrogen, thus maintaining the inert atmosphere in the receiving vessel. It is possible to charge powder safely into a reactor containing solvents under either pressure or vacuum, without creating an explosion risk or releasing dangerous vapors.

At the heart of this technique is the patented Powder Transfer System (PTS), which uses a source of vacuum and pressure to transfer powder. This system can be used to handle raw materials, to charge or discharge process equipment, and to package the final product. The PTS can also transfer liquid, which makes it easy to clean not only the PTS itself but also the attached process equipment.

DEC has also developed a Drum Containment System (DCS), used in combination with the PTS to discharge or fill drums with containment to better than 1 µg/m 3. The DCS consists of a cylindrical glove box with two glove ports. Attached to this is a suction lance connected to the PTS. The system is compact and mobile, flexible, ergonomic, and can be used to charge inerted vessels.

www.dec-sa.com

Selling more than just filters

Companies who buy from Larox are acquiring more than just a piece of equipment. Larox offers one of the most successful lines of solid-liquid separation solutions for the chemical process industries, based on proven products that are leaders in their respective market segments, both commercially and technologically. The product line includes:

  • Larox C Series automatic pressure filters;

  • Larox DS Series enclosed automatic pressure filters;

  • Pannevis RT and RB-SV horizontal vacuum belt filters;

  • Hoesch side-bar and overhead beam membrane filter presses;

  • Scheibler polishing filters;

  • Larox rotary vacuum drum filters; and

  • Scanmec vacuum disc filters.

Larox filtration solutions have been available for almost 50 years. With over 3,500 currently working installations around the world, Larox can provide the optimum solution for almost any application, backed up by the largest database of testing know-how in the industry. Larox also has the industry’s most innovative and successful development program, which has yielded products like the unique Pannevis RB-SV horizontal belt filter. www.larox.com

Diaphragm pumps done right

Some people say there is no such thing as a trouble-free diaphragm pump in a sterile application. Traditional diaphragm pumps are certainly prone to leakage and problems with in-line sterilization.

With its completely new design, Bioengineering’s Kobio pump solves many of the critical problems of diaphragm pumps. Three pneumatically actuated diaphragm valves arranged in series are the only components of the pump; these valves operate in a defined sequence to create the pumping action.

The Kobio pump is self-priming and does not suffer from backflow. Because of the absence of check valves, the flow can be reversed for fast draining of pipework and for CIP and SIP. Cleaning and in-situ sterilization are conducted with fully opened valves, so there are no dead legs or other weak spots.

The Kobio controller provides functions such as display of flowrate and stroke rate, profiles and cascades, calibration and alarms. Analog, digital and Profibus interfaces allow the pump to be linked to plant control systems.

www.bioengineering.ch

Versatile thin-film evaporators

SKO conical thin-film evaporators are flexible all-rounders, says manufacturer Buss-SMS-Canzler.

Thin-film evaporators solve difficult tasks in distillation, concentration, degassing and reacting. Rotors mix the product and distribute a film of liquid over the heat transfer surface. Good mixing and the thinness of the film ensure good heat transfer and rapid removal of volatile components, even with viscous, fouling and dirty liquids.

The conical design of the SAKO allows the film thickness to be adjusted easily. The resulting control of residence time and diffusion rate allows the vertical SAKO to handle products with viscosities up to 50,000 mPa·s. The conical design also ensure uniform surface wetting, even with small concentrate volumes.

The horizontal SAKO is suitable for even higher viscosities, up to 70,000 mPa·s. Co-current flow of vapor and product allows a flash stage by feeding superheated liquid directly to the evaporator. The horizontal design provides longer residence times, allowing it also to be used as a reactor.

www.sms-vt.com

CFD optimizes coalescers

As a worldwide supplier of high-quality plants for the separation of liquids, Franken Filtertechnik appreciates technologies that are able to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of its customers.

Design of customized coalescers and liquid/liquid gravity separators requires a detailed knowledge of fluid dynamics beyond what is possible through laboratory tests alone. Franken Filtertechnik therefore uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to find out how the liquid droplets behave under all process conditions.

For the company’s PT fine droplet separators, CFD allows the inlet to be designed so that liquid spreads quickly across the full cross-section of the vessel. Careful design also prevents the breakup of coalesced droplets by ensuring that they flow smoothly between the phase separation elements.

For Franken’s MPT multiphase separators, CFD allows the calculation of exact separation profiles for both liquid droplets and solid particles.

www.frankenfilter.com

Hydrogenation performance

BIAZZI introduced its high-performance hydrogenation technology at the beginning of the 1990s and quickly rose to become the world leader in this sector. The company supplies the reactor system with an extended Basic Engineering Package for the entire plant, leaving the customer free to select a preferred partner for detail engineering.

Three main features make BIAZZI hydrogenation technology attractive. First is the reactor itself (diagram), which provides rapid gas dispersion and heat removal. Benefits include lower catalyst load, higher throughput and selectivity, and better economics.

Second is the ability to perform straightforward scale-up and scale-down, from 1 l to 40 m 3 and bigger, aiding the safe introduction of new processes, catalysts and materials after laboratory screening.

Third, customers benefit from BIAZZI’s extensive experience with the potentially dangerous hydrogenation process. State-of-the-art design, backed by years of customer feedback, reduce both project risk and time to market.

www.biazzi.com

Check steam traps instantly

ARI-Armaturen has devel- oped a new fieldbus-enabled remote steam trap monitor that can check thousands of steam traps in a matter of seconds. Exchanging defective traps promptly saves energy and reduces water hammer, says the company.

Conventional conductivity sensors can be fooled by deposits of materials such as magnetite, whereas the calorimetric principle underlying the new patent-pending CONA-control is inherently more reliable, ARI-Armaturen says. If the condensate temperature exceeds an upper threshold, the system reports a leaking steam trap; low temperature is interpreted as a clogged trap. Both upper and lower thresholds can be set by the user.

Each CONA-control unit comprises a sensor chamber, either flanged directly onto the steam trap or installed separately downstream, and a control box with a local display. An ASI bus interface links to Ethernet, Profibus or other fieldbus types.

ARI-Armaturen also supplies a complete range of steam traps for pressures up to PN 630, the new ARImetec-S multi-function ultrasonic tester, and a Universal Connector that allows steam traps to be exchanged quickly and easily.

www.ari-armaturen.de

Inside

ARI-Armaturen 34E-11

Berndorf Band 34E-6

Beumer Maschinenfabrik 34E-8

Biazzi 34E-11

Bioengineering 34E-9

Buss-SMS-Canzler 34E-10

Dietrich Engineering Consultants 34E-8

Flottweg 34E-4

Franken-Filter 34E-10

GEA Wiegand 34E-5

Haver & Boecker 34E-6

Larox 34E-9

Mehrer 34E-3

Microdyn-Nadir 34E-7

Mü34E-7

Pöyry 34E-4

Rembe 34E-3

Samson 34E-5