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PLANTS HIT THE

DATA JACKPOT
More and better information is fostering smarter maintenance

RETHINK
LOCAL PRESSURE
MEASUREMENT
FORESTALL
FUGITIVE EMISSIONS
WALK
THE LINE
AUGUST 2016
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CONTENTS
AUGUST 2016 | VOLUME 78, ISSUE 8

20 31 40

COVER STORY COLUMNS


20 Plants Hit the Data Jackpot 7 From the Editor: Firms Bolster Climate
More and better information is helping chemical makers Accord
improve the reliability and uptime of process equipment.
Heres a rundown of what some major manufacturers are 9 Chemical Processing Online: Weeding
doing to succeed with predictive maintenance. Works Wonders

11 Field Notes: Stupidity Endures


FEATURES
DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION 17 Energy Saver: Optimize Compressed Air
26 Consider Gas Engines System Controls
These versatile and reliable drivers offer numerous benefits and
suit a variety of applications. Making an appropriate selection and 19 Compliance Advisor: Grasp the Gravity
ensuring proper operation require assessment of several factors. of the New TSCA

MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS 46 Plant InSites: Tame Tough Dosing Duties


31 Forestall Fugitive Emissions
A valves design significantly impacts its potential to allow 50 End Point: More Efficient Wastewater
fugitive emissions. Key elments to assess include stem seal Treatment Looms
design as well as valve body design and gasketing.
DEPARTMENTS
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL 13 In Process: Instrument Boosts Real-Time
36 Rethink Local Pressure Measurements Analysis | Better Biofuel Process Beckons
Plants often rely on bourdon-tube gauges for local pressure
indication. Using wireless pressure instruments provides a 44 Process Puzzler: Deflate Compressed Air
number of advantages, but also poses challenges. Difficulties

MAKING IT WORK 47 Equipment & Services


40 Walk the Line
More than 20% of loss of primary containment incidents 48 Product Spotlight/Classifieds
stem from line-up errors. A company-wide initiative focused
on operators has significantly decreased such events. 49 Ad Index

Chemical Processing (ISSN 0009-2630) is published monthly by Putman Media Inc.,1501 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 400N, Schaumburg, IL 60173. Phone (630) 467-1300. Fax (630) 467-1109. Periodicals postage paid at
Schaumburg, IL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Chemical Processing, P.O. Box 3434, Northbrook, IL 60065-3434. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Qualified reader subscriptions are accepted
from operating management in the chemical processing industries at no charge. To apply for a qualified subscription, fill in the subscription card. To nonqualified subscribers in the United States, subscriptions are $68
per year. Single copies are $15. Canadian and other international annual subscriptions are accepted at $200 Airmail. Single copies are $16. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No.
40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: Frontier/BWI, PO Box 1051, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, L2A 5N8. Copyright 2016 Putman Media Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be
reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the copyright owner. REPRINTS: Reprints are available on a custom basis. For price quotation, contact Foster Reprints, (866) 879-9144, www.fostereprints.com also
publishes Control, Control Design, Food Processing, The Journal, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Plant Services and SmartIndustry. Chemical Processing assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported.

5 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


FROM THE EDITOR

In Memory of Julie Cappelletti-Lange,


Vice President 1984-2012

Firms Bolster Climate Accord


1501 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 400N
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: (630) 467-1300
Fax: (630) 467-1109
www.chemicalprocessing.com
Study examines corporate greenhouse-gas-reduction efforts impact
E-mail: chemicalprocessing@putman.net
Subscriptions/Customer Service:
(888) 644-1803 or (847) 559-7360 THE SIGNING of the Paris Agreement would serve as a significant step to keep
EDITORIAL STAFF by 174 nations on Earth Day was a mo- emissions below the 42-billion mtCO2e/
Mark Rosenzweig, mentous step in tackling climate change. yr limit for 2030 to hold global warming
Editor in Chief, x478
mrosenzweig@putman.net Of course, well have to see how indi- below 2C, states the report. But that
Amanda Joshi, vidual governments translate intentions can only happen if governments create
Managing Editor, x442
ajoshi@putman.net into actions. Fortunately, companies arent the right policy environment, it warns.
Traci Purdum, waiting to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Companies may be highly motivated to
Senior Digital Editor, x428
tpurdum@putman.net
Indeed, businesses will reduce their take action on climate change but run The report
greenhouse-gas emissions substantially into obstacles. For example, they could
Sen Ottewell, calls upon
Editor at Large by 2030, predicts a first-ever report, The find regulation prevents them from shift-
Ireland
sottewell@putman.net Business End of Climate Change, issued ing to a lower-emissions supply chain or governments
in late June by CDP (formerly the Carbon infrastructure, it explains.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS to take
Disclosure Project), London, and We The report urges governments to:
Andrew Sloley,
Troubleshooting Columnist Mean Business, Washington, D.C. The encourage utilities to offer renew- certain steps.
Lynn L. Bergeson,
Regulatory Columnist
study estimates that businesses taking able energy contracts and facilitate busi-
Riyaz Papar, part in five current initiatives will cut their nesses adopting them;
Energy Columnist
Dirk Willard, Columnist emissions by 3.24.2 billion metric tons help companies build their own
Tom Blackwood, Columnist
of CO2 equivalent/yr (mtCO2e/yr) by renewable electricity installations;
DESIGN & PRODUCTION then. However, these initiatives potential- support research and development
Stephen C. Herner, ly could lead to much larger reductions. on low carbon technologies;
Vice President, Creative & Production, x312
sherner@putman.net The five initiatives and the spe- make energy-efficiency investments
Jennifer Dakas, cific commitments made by participat- more attractive by offering grants and
Art Director, jdakas@putman.net
Chris Yu,
ing companies are: capital depreciation;
Art Director, cyu@putman.net Science-Based Targets setting create incentives for buyers and
Rita Fitzgerald,
Production Manager, x468
emissions-reduction targets based on sellers of sustainable products; and
rfitzgerald@putman.net keeping temperature change below 2C; reduce the administrative and cost
EDITORIAL BOARD EP100 over 25 years doubling burden of certification for producers, so
Dan Brown, Elanco economic output per unit of energy; they more easily can produce commodi-
Vic Edwards, Consultant
Tim Frank, Dow Chemical
RE100 using 100% renewable ties without deforestation.
Frederick Gregory, Lubrizol electricity; To read the complete report, go to:
Julie OBrien, Air Products
Roy Sanders, Consultant Zero Deforestation employing no http://goo.gl/H9Q3At
Ellen Turner, Eastman Chemical
Sheila Yang, Genentech
commodities that cause deforestation; and CDP and We Mean Business plan
PUBLISHER
Low Carbon Technology Partner- to issue the report annually. They hope
Brian Marz, Publisher, x411
ship developing and adopting low to include additional initiatives in the
bmarz@putman.net carbon technology in their industry. future, and are looking for suggestions
EXECUTIVE STAFF At the moment, about 300 companies about ones to consider.
John M. Cappelletti, President/CEO have joined one or more of these initia- Knowing the potential impact of
Rick Kasper, CFO
Jerry Clark, Vice President of Circulation tives, notes the report. By 2030, the roster various initiatives certainly seems a sen-
Jack Jones, Circulation Director
could grow to around 4,500 firms, it adds. sible step to understanding the role busi-
REPRINTS The reports estimate of a reduction ness can play in curbing greenhouse-gas
Rhonda Brown,
Reprint Marketing Manager
of 3.24.2-billion mtCO2e/yr is based emissions.
rhondab@fosterprinting.com on each initiative meeting its most
866-879-9144 x 194 Fax 219-561-2019
4295 S. Ohio Street, Michigan City, IN 46360 ambitious goal for signing up members;
the figure takes into account potential
overlaps in savings among initiatives. A
decrease of 10-billion mtCO2e/yr is pos-
sible if all relevant companies that could
join an initiative did so, claims the study. MARK ROSENZWEIG, Editor in Chief
A 10-billion mtCO2e/yr reduction mrosenzweig@putman.net

Folio Editorial Excellence Award Winner 7  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


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CHEMICAL PROCESSING ONLINE

Weeding Works Wonders


You only see the most timely and pertinent news

IM AS much a weeder as I am a gardener. 1. Deadly Explosion Caused By Over-Pressurized


Theres something cathartic about pulling weeds Tank
out by the roots and clearing an area to let the One person was killed and three people were injured
intended plants bloom. Some days I spend hours after a chemical tank explosion at a PeroxyChem
puttering around the yard ridding it of unwel- plant in Pasadena, Texas. The companys main prod-
come growth. Other days I just need a quick uct is hydrogen peroxide. http://goo.gl/9IBLJW
10-minute break from work to clear my mind; 2. Rockwell Automation Names Blake Moret CEO
pulling a few weeds does the trick. During my The board of directors of Rockwell Automation You rely on
last such break I realized that weeding and edit- elects Blake D. Moret, a 30-year veteran of the
ing are similar. company, as president and chief executive officer, me to tidy
Editors take an overgrowth of inputs and effective July 1, 2016. http://goo.gl/QczAa1 the garden.
prune until a story appears. You see the blooms 3. Global Chemical M&A Activity Remains Strong
and probably never realize weeds existed. The Global chemical mergers and acquisitions
same is true for reporting news. On a daily basis, (M&A) activity is expected to remain buoy-
hundreds of press releases vie for attention. In ant in 2016, building on the strong momentum
truth, only a small fraction are worth publish- experienced in 2015, says a report from Deloitte
ing. To be newsworthy, an item must be timely Global. http://goo.gl/9SWMrW
and pertinent being innovative or inspiring 4. Dow Explosion Triggered By Chemical Reaction
is a plus but not enough. For each release, I ask An explosion at a Dow Chemical plant in north-
myself: Why does this matter to my audience? eastern Massachusetts injured five employees. The
If I can answer that question, I write a news item. employees received critical burns and shrapnel-like
I know I might miff a few f lacks (what editors wounds. http://goo.gl/B0Af8W
affectionately call PR folks) along the way, but 5. Industrial Scientific Unveils Gas Detection App
Im most concerned about whats valuable to you. Industrial Scientific introduces the Gas Detection
I know you dont have time to weed through all Made Easy mobile application. The team designed
the nonessential material so, you rely on me the app based on the curriculum taught during
to tidy the garden. basic and advanced courses. http://goo.gl/YYLVpf
Lately weve been working overtime weeding Well continue to wade through the weeds to
and pruning the garden. With our ramped-up unearth the gems. You can check out all of our
online news coverage, weve noticed a trend in news coverage at www.ChemicalProcessing.com/
stories that matter to you. Safety, mergers and industrynews/.
movers and shakers usually get a fair amount of
traffic. Here are the top five news items so far in TRACI PURDUM, Senior Digital Editor
2016: tpurdum@putman.net.

2016 CHEMICAL PROCESSING


INDUSTRY EVENTS GUIDE
Youve got places to go, people to see, and budgets to plan.
To keep you in the know, Chemical Processing has created this
handy 2016 Event Guide, which well update quarterly with new
events and information.
Download the 2016 Guide for a list of the top chemical pro-
cessing shows happening this year. If youd like to be considered
for an upcoming edition, check out the last page of the guide for
information on how to submit your event.
www.chemicalprocessing.com/events/

9 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


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FIELD NOTES

Stupidity Endures
Engineers continue to make a wide variety of dumb mistakes

IVE SEEN a lot of idiotic things during my ca- tank lasts 1015 years, as some have, then the
reer. Sadly, it never ends. Fools still come up with assessment is turned upside down; youll be lucky
ways to show their stupidity. to get 10 years out of FG in bleach service without
Lets start with chemistry. Some engineers re-lining.
clearly didnt pay adequate attention during Ever see a 32-in firewater line uproot itself
chemistry class. Herere some classic mistakes: 1) from the ground? Not a pretty sight! An elbow
adding a chemical to a hot reactant or solvent for wasnt securely anchored. Lets consider other
an exothermic reaction, e.g., sodium hydroxide hydraulic mistakes. Pumps have been wrecked Ever see a 32-in
to warm water the result is eruption of toxic because installed suction strainers werent
rewater line
spray; 2) adding acid to bleach an ester or weak monitored and clogged up. In addition, Ive heard
acid can cause bleach to generate chlorine gas, as of a $1-million, multi-stage pump completely uproot itself from
Brnsteds definition of a base makes clear (see destroyed, despite meticulous instrumentation,
the ground?
Consider the Consequences of Chemistry,); by a reversed check valve. Another costly error
3) adding inadequate solvent or poorly mixing is forgetting to supply buffer fluid to mechanical
reactants prior to a exothermic organic or cata- seals or providing an inadequate flow.
lytic reaction; 4) presuming its always safe to add Instrument mistakes also can make life inter-
water some chemicals are incompatible with esting. Herere some examples: a tank overflowing
water (e.g., in April 1995, water added to alumi- because the differential-pressure level transmitter
num powder and sodium hydrosulfite at the Napp is set for a denser liquid; burned out instrument
Technologies plant in Lodi, N.J., resulted in an power boards due to a poor ground on an instru-
exothermic reaction that killed five workers). ment; poorly performing control valves or flow
Now, lets consider economics. I frequently meters that were selected based on pipe size rather
shudder whenever a manager or client suggests a than flow rate; using a magnetic flow meter to
cheaper alternative. Usually, the option isnt suit- measure a non-conductive or two-phase organic/
able. However, it takes salesmanship to convince aqueous liquid; faulty temperature readings
the person. Heres a good example: fiberglass because the sensor wasnt immersed in the fluid or
(FG) versus polyethylene (PE) tanks for bleach. was mis-oriented; and setting a pressure switch in
An FG tank reliably can store bleach for 20 years, inches of water column instead of ft. Oh, I cant
although re-lining every five years will be neces- ignore the classic: relying on an analytical instru-
sary; such tanks do best when painted white to ment thats never calibrated and is hooked up to
protect them from ultraviolet light. In contrast, sampling lines that are remote and never cleaned.
PE will last for perhaps 57 years, according to While, hopefully, you havent made such er-
the pulp and paper industry. Lets assume a 20-yr rors, I bet you know people who have.
life for an FG bleach tank and a 5-yr life for a
PE tank, a 5% interest rate, $2,000 to repair the DIRK WILLARD, Contributing Editor
FG every five years, and $11,000 for installation dwillard@putman.net
(crane, pipe work, etc.). A new 12,600-gallon FG
tank rated for bleach service costs $29,900 (base
TELL US YOUR STORIES
price) with a total cost of $33,200. A new PE
If youre like many veteran engineers, you
tank costs $10,100 base, $11,600 with shipping
probably have come across a number of
and handling. Comparing the two on the basis of
equivalent uniform annual cost, I come up with instances of stupidity that amused or, more
$3,800/yr for the FG tank and $9,800/yr for the likely, horried you. Share your experiences
PE one. So, it clearly makes more sense to buy the with other readers by e-mailing a description
pricier tank than replace the cheaper one every of these dumb moves to chemicalprocessing@
five years. Even if you got 710 years out of the putman.net. Please note in your e-mail if you
PE tank, the FG one still has better economics. would like to remain anonymous.
Of course, if you dont re-line the FG and the PE

11 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


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IN PROCESS

Instrument Boosts Real-Time Analysis


Mass spectrometer allows in-situ measurement of liquid as well as gas composition

FOR THE first time, a mass spectrometer can VERSATILE INSTRUMENT


analyze components in the liquid as well as the gas
phase simultaneously in real time, claim its develop-
ers at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Chemical Tech-
nology (ICT), Pfinztal, Germany; and Interfacial
Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart,
Germany. The instrument, dubbed foxySPEC, can
detect up to 30 components without the need for
prior separation. The device can play a role in auto-
mated monitoring and control of chemical reactions
and biotechnological processes, the developers add.
The instrument boasts a response time of less than
1 sec., a wide measurement range (10 ppb to 100%),
and a detection limit in the low ppb range for gases
and below 10g/l for volatiles in liquids. Moreover,
it requires sample volumes of only 110 sscm for
gases and 1100 ml for liquids. Gases are sucked by
vacuum into the analyzer via stainless steel capillaries,
eliminating the need for a pump. The ability for real-
time monitoring depends upon the capillaries length
(which can go up to 10 m) and diameter. The mass Figure 1. New mass spectrometer can analyze simultaneously
spectrometer also features auto-calibration. up to 30 components in the gas and liquid phases. Source:
Fraunhofer IGB.
A microporous membrane mounted on the bypass
inlet on the unit allows analysis of components in the ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT
liquid phase. Driven by the vacuum on the permeate
67,000
side, volatile substances from the liquid sample vapor-
ize and pass through the membrane, explains Martin 66,000
$ Million

Joos of the ICT. The membrane is impermeable to


65,000
polar liquids like aqueous solutions. Its three-dimen-
sional structure reportedly resists clogging by solids. 64,000
In addition, the instrument features a newly devel-
oped sensor that enables in-situ analysis of liquids, e.g., 63,000
in fermenters. In such a case, the membrane, which 76.0

is integrated into the measurement sensor, is located 75.0


directly inside the reactor that is to be monitored, notes 74.0
%

Matthias Stier of IGB. 73.0


The two membrane inlet systems dont display any 72.0
cross-sensitivity and boast high long-term stability, 71.0
claim the developers.
114.0
The foxySPEC instrument can handle liquids at
113.0
pressures between 0 and 10 bar and temperatures of up
2012 = 100

to 100C, and gases at pressures from 1 mbar vacuum 112.0

to 100 bar and a maximum temperature of 400C. 111.0


Fraunhofer is establishing a spin-off company to 110.0
commercialize the technology. Pfeiffer Vacuum, Asslar, 109.0
Germany, is expected to distribute the first stand-alone June 15 July 15 Aug 15 Sep 15 Oct 15 Nov 15 Dec 14 Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 April 16 May 16

version of foxySPEC in August 2017, notes IGBs Stier. Shipments (NAICS S325) Capacity utilization Chemical Activity Barometer

Fraunhofer is looking for partners to bring the technol-


Capacity utilization and the CAB rose but shipments sagged. Source: American
ogy to different fields of application, he adds. Chemistry Council.

13  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


IN PROCESS

Better Biofuel Process Beckons


A PROCESS that uses engineered bacteria to ionic-liquid pretreated switchgrass. An article in Green
streamline production could make biofuels a viable Chemistry includes more detail.
competitor to fossil fuels, believe researchers at the Because they did not use pure sugars, the yields
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley were significantly lower than other biofuel produc-
National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), Berkeley, Calif. tion processes; however, we anticipate that we can
The E. coli they engineered tolerates the liquid salt improve production back to high levels with various
(ionic liquid) used to deconstruct plant biomass into optimizations, notes Mukhopadhyay.
sugary polymers. The bacteria eliminates the need to Having strains with the greatest yields and rates
remove the liquid salt, as ordinarily is required, allow- of production are always our desired goals. We did not
ing a one-pot method for producing advanced biofuels. examine rates in our study. But, being able to reduce
Being able to put everything together at one point, the number of pots or unit operations in the whole
walk away, come back, and then get your fuel, is a nec- process from renewable biomass to fuel is definitely a
essary step in moving forward with a biofuel economy, major source of cost reduction, she adds.
says the studys principal investigator Aindrila Mukho- Currently, we have only engineered the strain to
padhyay, vice president of the Fuels Synthesis Divi- digest cellulose so it can use the resulting glucose to
sion at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a DOE grow and make the biofuel, explains Mukhopadhyay.
Bioenergy Research Center at Berkeley Lab. The E. We can also engineer it to digest hemicellulose, anoth-
coli weve developed gets us closer to that goal. er large component of plant biomass so that it can use
Marijke Frederix, a postdoctoral researcher in the resulting xylose for growth and production also!
Mukhopadhyays lab, discovered that a gene muta- In addition, the researchers plan to address the
tion leads to the E. coli strain highly tolerant to ionic issue of other potentially inhibiting compounds
liquids. The two researchers tested the strain on in the growth medium, and the toxicity of the fi-
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nal product that could also negatively impact fuel production.


Another potential challenge is understanding how to synergisti-
cally combine different tolerance mechanisms. The way we would Transit Time Ultrasonic
like to do this is by making the regulation of these systems more
dynamic, explains Mukhopadhyay. That is, rather than have all
Flow Meter for Clean Liquids
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really use such strategies to develop a microbial platform where all of
these mechanisms can be used in a synergistic manner. In addition,
Mukhopadhyay notes that using the lignin component of biomass is a
grand challenge in obtaining the best bioconversion process.
Many of their one-pot systems are in advanced stages of devel-
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with external partners and user facilities like the DOE ABPDU Electromagnetic
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biofuel and bioproducts from the cultivation broth. This is worked out
for some compounds, but not optimized for many, she concludes.
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Optimize Compressed Air System Controls


Evaluate system design, load profile and plant demand to determine your control strategy

PROCESS PLANTS use compressed air for sev- mum choice will depend on the system design,
eral different purposes including conveying, process load profile and plant demand.
controls and actuators, process gas compressing, The simplest control strategy is the start-
etc. Interestingly, compressed air is probably the and-stop methodology. Being the simplest, it
most expensive utility stream in the industry on a has its limitations in applications with frequent
per unit basis. In addition, it is the most misused, cycling. The second methodology load/unload
mismanaged and unaccounted (wasted) utility eliminates the frequent cycling and keeps the
from an overall usage perspective. So, I compared compressor motor running (always providing air, No wonder
the energy used in pumping systems (see, Pump which is unloaded when not needed), albeit at a
compressed air
Out Energy Inefficiencies, http://goo.gl/Y14ZUY) cost in energy consumption. The third method-
versus compressed air and was very surprised at ology has to do with modulation. The idea here is the most
the results. The chemicals sector (NAICS 325) is to introduce a f low restriction at the inlet,
expensive utility
uses a slightly higher amount of energy in produc- thereby restricting the air and meeting the system
ing compressed air (160 TBtu/yr) than pumping demand. Inlet guide vanes are one example of in a plant!
systems (151 TBtu/yr). More importantly, though, such a throttling device. Certain kinds of com-
the compressed air system energy efficiency is only pressors can be designed with stepped controls
11%, which means 89% of the energy supplied these are discrete load points (0%, 33%, 67%
is wasted. No wonder compressed air is the most and 100%) or (0%, 50% and 100%). Sometimes,
expensive utility in a plant! these different controls can be combined to offer
The main subsystems of any compressed a larger operating range and provide a tighter
air system are generation, distribution and end control on pressure. A more recent entry in the
use. All three subsystems work hand-in-hand to control scheme is the use of variable frequency
provide compressed air. A shortcoming or failure drives. In principle, they offer a wide operational
of any one of these subsystems leads to no avail- control with high energy efficiency; however, you
able compressed air. Because production heavily may need to consider additional costs and site
depends upon the reliability of the system, most of electrical specifications, especially for a retrofit
us have built in redundancies to enhance com- application.
pressed air system reliability. Unfortunately, this In the world of sophisticated networking and
redundancy, if not properly designed and used, faster semiconductors, there also are some very
can lead to significant loss in the systems energy simple and complex master controllers available.
efficiency. Many avenues can improve energy ef- These can be implemented on the whole com-
ficiency in a compressed air system. Here, I will pressed air system to ensure that compressed air
touch upon one of my favorites the appropriate is produced most efficiently at all times. Finally,
use of controls and storage. storage plays a very important role and goes hand-
The two main types of compressors are posi- in-hand with any control strategy implemented.
tive displacement (reciprocating, rotary) and dy- Storage is cheap; you always should look closely at
namic (centrifugal, axial). The controls associated the ability to implement storage in every com-
with each compressor type vary. Typically, all pressed air system.
compressor systems are designed for peak demand One final note: the Compressed Air Challenge
with a margin of safety, whereas the actual op- (www.compressedairchallenge.org/) is an excellent
erating load is much less than the peak demand. resource that provides valuable information, includ-
Every compressor has a full-load and design- ing fundamentals, sourcebooks, toolbox, best prac-
point efficiency (being a turbomachine, part-load tices and training opportunities. I have personally
efficiency isnt as good as the design point or used several of these resources as the need arises,
full-load). Based on the demand, the compres- and would recommend you bookmark it in your
sor controls are set to provide the compressed air browser. May the air be with you!
required by the plant at the highest efficiency and
reliability. But remember, all control strategies RIYAZ PAPAR, Energy Columnist
have pluses and minuses. Ultimately, the opti- rpapar@putman.net

17  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


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COMPLIANCE ADVISOR

Grasp the Gravity of the New TSCA


Significant revisions to the law greatly expand the EPAs authority

THE FRANK R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the chemicals that are persistent and bioaccumulative,
21st Century Act makes seismic changes in domestic and that are known carcinogens and highly toxic.
industrial chemical management. If you think the ex-
tensive revisions to the Toxic Substances Control Act WHAT TO DO FIRST
(TSCA) enacted on June 22, 2016, dont impact your To prepare for the new laws implementation, which
business, think again. TSCA reform affects virtually already has begun, interested stakeholders should do
every domestic business sector involving chemicals several things immediately.
and manufactured goods containing chemicals, and First, read the law. While long and detailed, If you think
will continue to do so for years to come. nothing beats reading the original text Congress
the extensive
penned: http://goo.gl/k2S0Bf. We prepared a
TSCA REFORM: WHAT JUST HAPPENED? detailed memorandum; our blog (TSCAblog. TSCA revisions
TSCA is the federal law that authorizes the U.S. com) focuses exclusively on the new law to ensure
dont impact
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate its implementation is reported accurately and in a
the import, manufacture, and processing of industrial timely fashion, and to promote and facilitate broad your business,
chemical substances, defined to include just about public participation.
think again.
every industrial chemical that goes into making a Second, know which chemicals are core to the
finished good. The new law greatly expands the EPAs business. The new law mandates that the EPA priori-
authority, and, if stakeholders and the EPA can get its tize and evaluate high-priority chemicals according
implementation right, it will improve public health to an aggressive and judicially enforceable schedule.
protection and restore much of the publics confidence The EPAs Work Plan for Chemical Assessments list of
in chemical safety, a regrettable victim of the TSCAs chemicals is a must-read for counsel. If this program
deficits. The law shifts the burden of demonstrating is unfamiliar to you, it would be helpful for you to
chemical safety all chemicals, old and new to review the EPAs TSCA Work Plan for Chemical As-
chemical manufacturers, processors and manufactur- sessment website, http://goo.gl/rMrW27
ers of the finished goods that contain them, away Third, reassess confidential business information
from the EPA proving the opposite. A quick rundown (CBI) claims and qualify new claims carefully. This
of key provisions includes: process is not easy and will take time and resources to
Mandating safety reviews for chemicals in do well and comprehensively.
commerce; Fourth, expect more chemical testing. Even if your
Eliminating the challenging least burdensome company isnt actually conducting chemical testing or
requirement for assessing chemicals in com- paying for it, your product line wont be immune from
merce, which for years prevented the EPA from the consequences of testing done on chemicals core to
taking meaningful action on these chemicals; the business.
Establishing a health-based safety standard, and Fifth, focus on the upside and seize opportunities
authorizing the consideration of cost in develop- to develop new products to fill the inevitable chemical
ing risk abatement measures; product deselection void. With change comes op-
Requiring the protection of vulnerable popula- portunity; new products with a distinctly sustainable
tions, including children and pregnant women; profile will do well under the new law.
Limiting the ability of entities to claim informa- As TSCA has now been reformed, its time to
tion as confidential, thus, preventing disclosure, think strategically and prepare to engage in the many
and authorizing sharing needed confidential initiatives that the new law requires, the collective
information with states and first responders, as result of which will fundamentally revolutionize
necessary, to fulfill their duties; chemical management in the U.S. Smart companies
Establishing judicially enforceable deadlines by will see this as both a critically important business
which the EPA must act to implement the law; challenge and opportunity that requires stakeholders
Preserving the role of states to regulate chemicals to be proactive and engaged.
as balanced against the need for a clear and cen-
tralized federal chemical management law; and LYNN BERGESON, Regulatory Editor
Requiring the EPA to prioritize its review of lbergeson@putman.net

19  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


Plants Hit the Data Jackpot
More and better information is fostering smarter maintenance

By Sen Ottewell, Editor at Large

CHEMICAL MAKERS will see plant operating staff safety and production are getting more blurry for the
spending far less time collecting and managing data and chemical plant of the future, he stresses.
far more time focusing on critical value-added work and Efforts both by chemical makers and vendors are fostering
decision-making, says Mark Granger, reliability solutions this future.
manager at Emerson Process Management, Knoxville, For instance, Evonik, Essen, Germany, is focusing on using
Tenn. In five years, the continued technology advancements big data as a new digital process optimization tool especially
that Emerson and other vendors are driving will result in in terms of PdM.
more smart assets and systems that monitor themselves The importance of big data simply cannot be emphasized
and their processes, he believes. Moreover, multiple groups enough. Most companies are fully aware of the significance
within a company will take advantage of the embedded and potential of digitization. The actual challenge here is to
smart information from the plant. Predictive maintenance make selective use of this wealth of data for the classic purposes
(PdM), condition monitoring, and asset performance details of a manufacturing organization: for increasing productivity,
will become more closely integrated with control optimiza- optimizing processes, and becoming more efficient, explains
tion and, thus, will play an increasing role in improving Kai Dadhe, who heads the manufacturing intelligence group in
availability, throughput, health/safety/environmental (HSE) the companys performance intermediates business line.
efforts, operations and maintenance, and plant life. The The tools traditionally used for optimizing processes are
boundaries between control, reliability, PdM, operations, reaching their limits with the challenge compounded

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 20


because linking and networking isolated data silos around the explores how to use big data for optimizing processes
chemical plant remains difficult and fraught with obstacles, from many different perspectives including techni-
believes Dadhe. cal and business while incorporating expertise from
The result? Our view of the overall production process is throughout the entire company. The objective of the
obscured, preventing us from recognizing optimization poten- project is two-fold: implementing PdM, and addressing
tial and capitalizing on improved efficiency, he says. concrete process issues.
Big data combined with existing process experience and A key PdM issue is whether digital intelligence
expertise in interdisciplinary optimization programs is the way can enable creating more efficient and flexible main-
forward, Dadhe reckons. tenance and repair routines for specific machines that
In practice, this means collecting, storing and strategically are particularly susceptible to material deposits. Such
using the continuous flow of data from modern instruments, deposits negatively impact process efficiency and lead to
equipment, etc., in a way that allows staff to identify operating increased repair work, he says.
conditions with greater precision, and that makes error analyses By using and analyzing all of the digital measure-
simpler and more accurate. This fosters reliability and transpar- ment data available, the team hopes to explain how the
ency that, in turn, enable tailoring repairs and maintenance for deposits arise in the first place, what process param-
each individual piece of equipment. eters encourage their formation, and how they can be
What is clear about big data is that it changes the way reduced. The objective is to develop suitable mainte-
individual parts of the company deal with data, makes digital nance tools that will minimize this negative influenc-
information more important, incorporates this information ing factor and save money, he explains.
in every decision-making process, and blurs the boundaries Meanwhile a sub-project focuses on undesirable
between disciplines and divisions within the company its fluctuations affecting a specific material property in
a challenge for everyone, in other words, and one that requires a large-scale technical process a phenomenon that
professional moderation and support. often occurs during chemical production.
Here, the team hopes to use big data to clarify why
PILOT PROJECT this parameter varies and which preceding process step
In a new development that builds on this, Evoniks intermedi- is responsible. For example, could it result from fluctua-
ates business line has teamed up with its process technology tions in the composition of precursors or intermediates?
and engineering business line and its global information tech- These studies clearly demonstrate that finding errors and
nology and processes department to pursue a pilot project at its sources of error quickly and with certainty means having to
Marl, Germany, complex (Figure 1) aimed at taking a detailed look at the entire supply chain, notes Dadhe.
look at the potential that digital information holds for defined While existing data can serve as a tool for validating or re-
production processes. futing expert hypotheses regarding the sources of error, Dadhe
Described as a tremendous leap by Dadhe, the project stresses that employees are learning to identify cause-effect
relationships within a complex digital space and to apply that
MARL COMPLEX knowledge to real-life production issues. In other words, they
are learning to use and trust data.
If the project is successful in its aim of improving efficien-
cy and system availability while ensuring product characteris-
tics, the benefits will extend beyond the directly affected area of
the company. Success will instead confirm that the tremendous
potential that big data holds for the entire supply chain is more
than just theory, he concludes.

MAJOR INITIATIVE
BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany, also is taking a broader look
at the usefulness of digital information, with PdM an integral
part of its Industry 4.0 activities that were launched in 2015.
Designed to drive digital transformation, the initiative aims
to use digital technologies to increase the effectiveness and
efficiency of processes and to develop new digital products and
Figure 1. Multi-disciplinary project at the site is evaluating the poten- services that offer greater added value for customers.
tial of digital information to improve predictive maintenance. Source: At the moment, multi-disciplinary teams are carrying
Evonik.

21 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


out pilot and lighthouse PIONEERING INDUSTRY
projects in Ludwigshafen The chemical industry has a reputation for conservatism.
and at other sites worldwide However, the Evonik and BASF projects exemplify how the in-
to test the potential of various dustry is a leader in efforts to enhance PdM, a point Emersons
applications. Successful pilot projects Granger emphasizes.
and applications eventually will be The chemical industry is a mature user of predictive
implemented on a larger scale. maintenance and most of the best PdM/reliability programs
One of the five lighthouse projects that I have seen implemented have been in this industry. PdM
focuses on smart manufacturing and, has proven itself as an effective business strategy for HSE, driv-
here, the company is implementing digital ing down maintenance costs, and improving availability and
technologies and applications in its plants throughput. As a result, it has received more top-level manage-
to make production safer and more efficient. ment support than in other industries, he says.
As part of this project, the first PdM applications were The findings of a recent chemical industry survey by
installed in the steam cracker in Ludwigshafen (Figure 2) to Emerson point to a substantial benefit from a PdM program
forecast the condition of equipment such as pumps and motors. the plants responding averaged a 625% return on investment
Sensors collect live data about operating conditions, which then (based on an average benefit of $2 million with an average
are evaluated with special analysis software, taking into consid- cost of $320,000). Major savings came in production (42%),
eration historical process data such as maintenance history. parts (21%), labor (15%) and quality/scrap (10%). That survey
The objective here is to predict the best timing for also indicates the plants used at least five PdM technologies
maintenance measures. This will help reduce unplanned and achieved their major cost benefits by monitoring vibration
repairs and downtime, and optimize the coordination of (40%), thickness (33%) and tribology (10%). In addition, it
maintenance and production processes, says a spokesman. found that PdM staff in general were highly trained and PdM
The smart manufacturing project also is undertaking was viewed as an essential core competency.
projects that use augmented reality. For example, employ- However, technology is advancing and business drivers are
ees can access on tablets the relevant repair manuals and changing, says Granger. The days of PdM as a siloed depart-
instructions based on their particular location and situation, ment utilizing portable technologies and standalone software
making work processes more efficient. are numbered, he believes.
The necessary apps, such as for plant maintenance, In general, PdM is becoming more automated (collec-
have been developed in a collaboration between engineers, tion, interpretation, reporting) and the resultant informa-
programmers and employees of the pilot plants, notes the tion is being more broadly used throughout the plant for
spokesman. Further details about how the apps work, and better overall management. An example of this would be
about the steam cracker PdM project, wont be available the automatic notification to operations and control when
until nearer the end of the year, he adds. a production-critical compressor falls out of best operating
efficiency range along with providing detailed performance
TEST INSTALLATION information so that throughput and energy cost can be
optimized, he notes.
In addition, bringing live process control parameters
like pressures and temperatures into the PdM analysts
diagnostics software provides greater ability to understand
the situation.
For its part, Emerson is striving to simplify this by
moving to a common look and feel for its devices as well as
plug-and-play integration. Th is means, for example, that
a pressure transmitter can be set up and maintained just
like a vibration transmitter, using the same tools; and the
control system, historians and existing asset management
software can easily access the data generated. The infor-
mation from all the technologies is now like puzzle pieces
that fit together to form a much clearer view of plant health
and performance, Granger explains.
Figure 2. Putting new sensors on steam cracker at Ludwigshafen was
Another step in this process is Emersons launch of
one of the first moves in predictive maintenance initiative. Source: BASF. the ARES asset management platform. It can deliver

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 22


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RELATED CONTENT ON CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM
Embrace ISO 55000, http://goo.gl/63YeHY
Plants Break Down Reliability Barriers, http://goo.gl/NdTcQl
Petrochemical Complex Ramps Up Reliability, http://goo.gl/98nDhU
Maintenance Gets a Makeover, http://goo.gl/MePfbk
Fix Your Maintenance Program, http://goo.gl/JEqsrW

ensure the plant runs safely, eff ec- packing. In addition, key performance
tively and efficiently, he adds. indicators monitored include pump and
heat exchanger diagnostics.
UPDATED APPLICATION PRM has been installed in a broad
Meanwhile, Yokogawa Corp. of America, variety of chemical sites already. For
Figure 3. Hand-held device makes asset Sugar Land, Texas, has launched version example, a recent project at Asahi
condition information more readily available, R3.30 of its plant resource manager Kasei Synthetic Rubber Singapore,
enhancing decision-making. Source: Emerson
Process Management. (PRM) tool for the centralized manage- Jurong Island, Singapore, focused on a
ment of large amounts of data from plant polymerization process and its associ-
a wide selection of information to monitoring and control devices and ated raw material and chemical feeding,
tablets and smart devices (Figure 3) manufacturing equipment. It includes recovery, finishing and utility processes.
as well as personal computers, both an improved management function for Here, PRM checked all control loops
inside and outside the plant. Basi- HART devices and enhanced naviga- and valves during commissioning.
cally, it culls through mountains of tion. R3.30 now covers applications as Now, operators are using PRM daily
data to fi nd the specific functional diverse as pressure transmitters, magnetic to monitor every field device from a
information needed by each user to flow meters, valve health and gland central control room. This has reduced
workload in the field and enabled a
much more proactive PdM strategy,
lessening the likelihood of unscheduled
plant shutdowns.
In Europe, following installation of
PRM, the MOL Danube Refinery in
Szzhalombatta, Hungary, immediately
saved between $20,000 and $70,000
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The software essentially allows MOL
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Metal Seated work and expense.
Cryogenic Commenting on the projects success,
Control V Ball Gbor Bereznai, head of control and
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Consider
Gas Engines
These versatile and reliable
drivers suit a variety of applications
By Amin Almasi, rotating equipment consultant

GAS-FUELED internal-combustion engines play an the engine ratings. Overall, combustion control in the engine
important role at many chemical plants as drivers for focuses on preventing detonation.
equipment such as compressors, pumps, generators and In a gas-burning engine, the prime objective is to achieve
blowers. These engines often handle a variety of services at controlled combustion at a predetermined point. This
a site for instance, to transport liquid or gas fuels within requires compressing the gas and air mixture while maintain-
the facility and to meet process compression needs (such as ing the mixture within the flammability limits without
refrigeration cycles). They are versatile prime movers capable promoting spontaneous or self-ignition in the increasing
of reliable and efficient operation. The medium-speed recip- temperature and pressure environment of the cylinder.
rocating engines that are used offer inherently high thermal Conventionally, either an electric spark or injection of
efficiencies as well as attractive costs and operational charac- a small quantity of fuel with a high cetane index initiates
teristics. They operate at 3001,000 rpm and come in sizes combustion by the propagation of a flame front throughout
from 30 kW to 20 MW. the mixture. To achieve this controlled process, it clearly is es-
The engines can use a wide variety of fuel types and grades, sential to use gaseous fuels that wont auto-ignite or detonate
including sour, sweet and wet gas. Economic factors associated in the prevailing cylinder conditions. Such fuels include natu-
with energy conservation, depletion of existing resources and in- ral gases and even some low calorific gases. Work continues
creasing transportation costs will promote the use of alternative to broaden the spectrum of gases that can be successfully
gas fuels, particularly at remote locations with abundant avail- utilized, increase the ratings and achieve fuel consumptions
able cheap gases and at small sites with limited electric power. comparable to those of diesel engines.
The engines have benefited from extensive improvements In the past, developments focused on preventing
and refinements since they were introduced around 80 years detonation by reducing engine rating, lowering the engine
ago. For instance, the specific power output of the major compression ratio to decrease the end-of-compression tem-
engine types has doubled every ten years or so. Further perature, and increasing the air excess characteristics that
developments likely will enable gas engines to offer power cut the potential volumetric power of engines and boost fuel
ratings and consumption levels that match those of the most consumption. Another issue involved the need to promote
modern diesel engines and, long term, that rival those of controlled ignition by external means. These issues now
other well-known drivers. have been successfully addressed. So, development efforts
have turned to improving the ability of engines to operate
COMBUSTION ISSUES at high efficiency with minimum service, maintenance and
Initiating the combustion in a controlled manner in a recip- overhaul costs and with increasingly poor quality fuels.
rocating internal-combustion engine is significantly more
difficult with gases than with liquid fuels. EXPANDING APPLICATIONS
Detonation uncontrolled combustion with ignition In recent years, reciprocating engines have gained increasing fa-
occurring spontaneously throughout the mixture can cause vor as medium- and large-scale mechanical drivers for compres-
a considerable rate of pressure rise that invariably harms the sors, pumps, generators and other equipment. Advances in tech-
mechanical structure of engine components. Therefore, gaseous nology have enabled commercialization of larger capacity, better
fuels are classified according to their inherent tendency to efficiency, dual-fuel capable, and higher availability engines.
detonate in the engine. The characteristic of the fuel may set Large reciprocating engines used in plants and facilities gener-

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 26


RELATED CONTENT ON CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM
Pick the Proper Valve, http://goo.gl/VmiYGT
ally are in the 120-MW capacity range.
Master Metering Pumps, http://goo.gl/bWJCqV
They typically operate at medium speed
Get Up to Speed on Gear Pumps, http://goo.gl/ccL4tk
(4001,000 rpm, depending on capacity
Mind Piping System Mechanics, http://goo.gl/Ni3pmw
and grid frequency) due to tradeoffs
Count on Steam Turbines, http://goo.gl/3pG7Nl
between performance and operational life
Make the Most of Centrifugal Pumps, http://goo.gl/izrF4B
and maintenance interval requirements
Investigate Integrally Geared Compressors, http://goo.gl/VOk5F0
for continuous operation. Lower-speed
Head Off Hassles During Startup, http://goo.gl/6haqKk
engines (<400 rpm) feature low dynamic
Select the Right Centrifugal Compressor, http://goo.gl/cmpIim
performance and massive physical size
Take Advantage of Gas Turbines, http://goo.gl/a4ViHp
and weight, due to low power intensity
Keep Out of Hot Water, http://goo.gl/lxJKWy
(output per unit of volume/displacement)
Choose the Correct Turbo-Compressor, http://goo.gl/2iv63s
related to the low speed, and, so, are less
Put the Right Spin on Rotating Equipment Revamps, http://goo.gl/X9RGi5
attractive than medium-speed engines.
These advantages have made large recip-
rocating engines especially attractive for but could prove to be a major issue for plication, three types of load imbalance
different mechanical drives. some applications. Unlike the well- can occur instantaneously:
The reciprocating engines, of course, established response to load changes insufficient supply of pumped
should meet plant requirements and in gas and steam turbines, medium- to fluid, compressed gas or generated
specifications, including emissions, large-scale reciprocating gas engines electrical power because of failure
availability, speed control, heat-rate, speed control performance and response of a machinery train (such as a
step-load response requirements, part- to load changes are relatively new areas. compressor or a generator);
load operation, etc. The engines step- Step loads are fast load changes substantial change in engine power
load response often is neglected in the in the driven equipments mechanical due to failure of a component
manufacturers performance guarantee power requirement. For a typical ap- in an upstream or downstream
High Power Wireless FAILED UNIT

Transmitters and Receivers

ZW-REC
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250

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Figure 1. Dismantling of unit showed accumulated internal dirt that contributed
to failure of this engine.

machinery train that results either in power oversupply or


undersupply, depending on the location of the equipment.
sudden rise or fall in demand stemming from a major change
in the plant, particularly downstream.
Long Range Wireless Gas engines respond to the load imbalance by increasing or
decreasing shaft power output. The response wont be instantaneous
Receiver - Ethernet/Internet Connection mainly due to time lag in the engines mechanical components that
control the fuel and air input. During this lag, the engines speed will
go up or down in response to the load imbalance; the maximum speed
change is a function of its starting point and system inertia, for exam-
ple, mass and speed of the engine rotor. Reciprocating engines might
have lower inertia compared to gas or steam turbines, unless proper
flywheel(s) are used in the trains. The speed change of reciprocating
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engines depends on engine design, load imbalance, engine load factor
(ratio between initial load and engine net capacity) and fuel type (fuel
gas details). The maximum allowable step load can be determined
Long Range Wireless Transmitters
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engines usually have a higher step load capability in diesel mode.
Reciprocating engines typically allow equal or larger step load
decrease than step load increase for the same speed change. Usually,
you should focus more on step load increase because it causes more
2016 stress to the engine rotor and requires a narrower operation range
than step load decrease. To meet the step-load-increase requirement,
FINALISTS
an operating engine should maintain some level of spinning reserve
Visit omega.com/ above actual power demand by the driven equipment. Variable-load
cnpt_series
4.0 | 1 review capability and speed change represent key issues for a reciprocating
1 out of 1 (100%) reviewers recommend this product engine used in medium- to large-scale applications.
Temperature and Process Controllers
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AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM  28


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yet highly detergent types. Selecting the most cost-effective oil Piston rings play an important role in the performance and
that enables achieving maximum efficiency and long life from endurance of a gas engine. They have to provide optimum seal-
the engine demands careful consideration of engine design ing while minimizing wear and friction at the same time. The
and operating conditions. Pay special attention to oxidation lubrication oil consumption and blow-by in an engine directly
stability, high-temperature thermal stability and frictional relates to the sealing function of the piston rings. The need to
characteristics. In most plants where gas engines operate, meet stricter emission norms mandates reduction in lubrica-
exhaust emissions have become a serious concern. To control or tion oil consumption because of its very high impact on the
eliminate these emissions, some current engine designs require emission of particulate matter. Achieving low oil consumption
catalytic converters, which limit the additive types and the sometimes involves trial and error. The better way to under-
formulated percentage levels that can be used in the engine oil. stand the piston ring dynamics and complex phenomenon of
In many cases, a well-designed oil can provide sustainability gas dynamics is to use a simulation tool and proper testing hav-
benefits besides extending engine and oil life i.e., less oil for ing a fair degree of accuracy. There should be no oil starvation
disposition and higher energy efficiency. during the complete operating cycle of the engine to avoid
Proper oil-condition-monitoring techniques are essential. the risk of metal-to-metal contact. Oil throw-off from the top
Provide suitable monitoring systems to evaluate the oil life, ring usually is a major factor in consumption. The oil con-
piston cleanliness and wear performance of oil. Figure 1 sumption generally rises with increasing engine speed, as does
shows a dismanted failed unit with an accumulation of dirt. blow-by. In a case study, the oil consumption climbed by 18%
It is important to note that, unlike diesel or gasoline as engine speed went from 1,800 to 2,400 rpm. In another case
engines, gas engines can burn large quantities of oil during op- study, the oil consumption rose by 10% as engine speed went
eration. Some reports put the typical oil consumption rate for from 2,600 to 3,200 rpm.
some gas engines at around 1 g/kWh or roughly 0.6 kg or 1
liter per month. However, many gas engines should consume AMIN ALMASI is a rotating equipment consultant based in Sydney,
oil at less than 5% of this rate. Australia. E-mail him at Amin.Almasi@ymail.com.

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AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 30


Forestall Fugitive Emissions
Consider two crucial design elements before selecting a valve

By Steve Kirk, Crane ChemPharma & Energy

LIMITING LEAKAGE of harmful volatile organic com- look for the following design features pertaining to fugitive
pounds (VOCs) from valves is a business imperative for chemi- emissions control:
cal manufacturers. Process plants must curb such emissions to Two-part rising stem. This isolates the rotational move-
comply with increasingly stringent regulations, and to protect ment of the stem and shields inner components from the effects
workers, communities and the environment as well as the of torque.
companys bottom line and reputation. Full-size safety gland packing made of graphite or polytetra-
A recent report [1] by the United Nations notes that, by the fluoroethylene (PTFE). A safety backup enables continued valve
year 2020, the acceptable level of emissions of VOCs will have function, eliminating the need to shut down the plant in case
been reduced by 95% since 1990 and that more than 60% of emergency or failure.
of fugitive emissions worldwide emanate from valves. Bonnet gasket with tongue-and-groove bonnet flanges. A
The task of complying with applicable standards can prove valve that utilizes a tongue-and-groove design focuses the force
challenging. However, several steps can ensure the highest de- of the nuts and bolts on a smaller area. Therefore, the gasket
gree of protection from fugitive emissions: evaluating external doesnt wear out or become dislodged due to temperature
leak paths such as the valve stem and body joints, and imple- swings, helping achieve leak tightness in volatile applications.
menting onsite compliance measures. This article will explore Despite the benefits of a bellows-sealed design for rising-
these considerations and how they affect valve selection. stem valves, processors often opt instead for quarter-turn valves
for fugitive emissions control to avoid potential leak paths
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE created by the vertical movement of a stem through packing. In
For controlling fugitive emissions, perhaps the most cru- this case, valves with redundant seals and side-load protection
cial consideration in valve selection is the stem seal design. offer the best defense against external leakage. Valve design,
Although traditional packing options such as chevron (v-ring) materials and function can vary greatly among different valve
or cup-and-cone styles can successfully combat most fluid types; therefore, well focus only on considerations for process
leakage, those options alone wont suffice in guarding against ball valves.
fugitive emissions of highly hazardous chemicals in volatile End users should consider the following when selecting a
applications with extreme fluctuations in temperature and quarter-turn ball valve:
pressure. Therefore, processors needing valves for such services Side-load protection. A common fugitive emissions con-
should carefully assess stem seal design and materials. cern with traditional valve designs is stem seal leakage caused
While both rising-stem and quarter-turn valves can be sus- by side loads due to actuator misalignment, improper manual
ceptible to leaks, valve stem movement through the packing in operation or abusive contact. A pressure-assisted stem seal can
rising-stem valves makes them a more precarious choice than provide a high degree of protection against fugitive emissions
their quarter-turn counterparts. while supplying superior side-load resistance. Alternative
To mitigate the leak potential with rising-stem valves, a designs rely on bearings located above or below the packing to
bellows-sealed design has proven highly effective compared to combat side loads on the stem.
alternatives. In selecting a bellows-sealed valve, users should Live-loading protection. Live loading maintains a consis-

31 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


RELATED CONTENT ON CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM
Pick the Proper Valve, http://goo.gl/wJYNv8
Plants Plug Away at Leaks, http://goo.gl/qcx11n
Plants Look Harder for Leaks, http://goo.gl/wQ0aGT
Prepare to Clamp Down Tighter on Leaks, http://goo.gl/sYHnii

tent force on valve packing during pressure and thermal cycles and
reduces the potential for cold flow of packing, which can compro-
mise its sealing capabilities. Live loading usually is more effective on
PTFE than on graphite packing.
Packing types. Packing generally is used in valves because it al-
lows for adjustments that can help stop a leak once detected. Tradi-
tional PTFE packings such as chevron v-ring or cup-and-cone styles
are effective in most chemical applications, and suit temperatures
up to 600F. Graphite packing, which can handle temperatures in
excess of 1,000F, is more common in higher-temperature applica-
tions or where fire safety is a concern. While graphite is less suscep-
tible to temperature fluctuations, it isnt as effective when used with
gases such as helium and methane. Other specialty materials are
available from various manufacturers for niche applications.
Multiple stem seals. These address specific sealing concerns to
provide the highest degree of protection against fugitive emissions.
A traditional, single stem seal with standard v-ring packing can be
adjusted to prevent leakage in standard applications but eventually
will leak in challenging environments. Dual seals build upon the

PROTECT PUMPS
single seal and use multiple materials to deliver added protection
and extend the life of the seals. Finally, a triple stem seal combines
$2925..).'s#!6)4!4)/.s"%!2).'&!),52%s/6%2,/!$
these advantages with added side-load protection, fire safety, a
chemically inert seal and pressure assist. Processors increasingly
MONITOR PUMP POWER are favoring double and triple stem seals because of the enhanced
s"EST3ENSITIVITY
s$IGITAL$ISPLAY
protection they provide.
TWO ADJUSTABLE SET POINTS
s2ELAY/UTPUTS THE SECOND SAFEGUARD
s!DJUSTABLE$ELAY4IMERS A valves body joint can pose a second major point of sus-
4-20 MILLIAMP ANALOG OUTPUT ceptibility to fugitive emissions, particularly when the valve
COMPACT EASY MOUNTING
must handle dynamic temperature conditions.
/NLYvXvXv Thermal cycling in chemical processes can create a leak
s3TARTER$OOR s0ANEL path at the body joint in severe service conditions character-
s2ACEWAY s7ALL
ized by extreme pressure and temperature fluctuations. Not
UNIQUE RANGE FINDER SENSOR
s7ORKSON7IDE RANGEOF-OTORS all valve manufacturers will present test data that reflect mul-
s3IMPLIlES)NSTALLATION tiple thermal cycles; its therefore important to ask whether
the vendor has gathered this information.
To mitigate the leak risks associated with thermal cycling
and body joint susceptibility, processors should consider the
following during product selection:
PTFE-type body gaskets. These work well with stable tem-
peratures but thermal cycles can cause the PTFE to cold flow and
reduce compression, allowing a leak.
Graphite-type body gaskets. Rope packing/die-formed rings
work well at most temperatures, can cope with many thermal
cycles, and usually are required to achieve a fire safe rating on a
#!,,./7&/29/52&2%%
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AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 32


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Dual-material body gasket. Such a gasket combines the benefits
of PTFE and graphite to provide a chemically inert seal that will
both protect against fugitive emissions and ensure fire-safe opera-
tion.
Spiral-wound body gasket. This industry-proven design provides
structural support and live loading via metal spiral v-shaped rings.
Most spiral-wound gaskets use either a PTFE or graphite seal
material. As already noted, each material has limitations. However,
when combined, they achieve the best of both designs. These v-rings
protect the PTFE and graphite seals from extrusion and cold flow
during thermal cycles. A dual-material gasket in the spiral-wound
configuration is chemically resistant and able to recover during ther-
mal cycling, operate uncompromised in all temperatures, and meet
fire-safe performance requirements.
Self-relieving seats. By design, ball valves contain a cavity
in which the medium becomes trapped when the valve is in the
fully closed position. Under certain conditions, the medium may
expand, resulting in high pressures that exceed the valves maximum
capacity and creating the potential for leaks and other catastrophes.
Self-relieving seats enable pressure relief and mitigate the potential
for disaster.

THE NEED FOR ONGOING VIGILANCE


A robust leak detection and repair (LDAR) program is essential for
safe and efficient plant operation. However, the emissions reduc-
tion potential of LDAR varies markedly and depends upon several
CHEMICAL PROCESSING SOLUTIONS factors. You must consider the frequency of monitoring, the source
Complete process control for every aspect of a leak, and the threshold definition of a leak when determining
of your chemical operation. the effectiveness of the program. Furthermore, characteristics of
individual sources can affect the emissions reduction achieved by
The Model 1049 Secure-Gard is a pilot-
operated vent valve intended for installation on LDAR. Important factors include leak occurrence and recurrence
atmospheric and low-pressure storage tanks, rate, accessibility of leaking equipment, and repair effectiveness [2].
vapor recovery systems, and process systems.
SELECT WISELY
The Model 521 is a sliding
stem, globe style, bellows Chemical processors aiming to avoid fugitive emissions from valves
sealed, pneumatically should pay attention to the design features of valve stem seals and
actuated control valve body joints, and talk to vendors about innovations to combat fugi-
designed for maximum
corrosion resistance in tive emissions.
pure chemical service.
STEVE KIRK is an application specialist for Crane ChemPharma & Energy,
Cincinnati, Ohio. E-mail him at skirk@cranecpe.com.
The Model 1078 Vacu-Gard is a
pilot-operated valve, specifically
designed to reduce blanketing gas
losses on low-pressure storage
tanks.
REFERENCES
1. Global Chemicals Outlook Towards Sound Manage-
For immediate access to our product resource ment of Chemicals, United Nations Environment Pro-
files, visit www.cashco.com/chem
gramme, Nairobi, Kenya (2013), http://goo.gl/qtvSqz
www.cashco com 2. Control Techniques for Fugitive VOC Emissions from
Innovative Solutions
Chemical Process Facilities, U.S. Environmental Protection
Cashco, Inc. P.O. Box 6, Ellsworth, KS 67439-0006 Agency, Washington, D.C. (1994), http://goo.gl/hprsnX
Ph. (785) 472-4461, Fax: (785) 472-3539

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 34


Rethink
Local Pressure
Measurement
Wireless gauges offer a number of important
advantages but also pose challenges
By Wally Baker, Emerson Process Management

PRESSURE GAUGES provide crucial information for Wireless pressure gauges are a relatively recent innovation.
many process operations. Traditionally, plants have relied on They use digital electronics to transmit continuous and auto-
Bourdon tube gauges for local pressure measurements. Typi- matic readings, and offer other benefits. Some, for instance,
cally, staff responsible for a particular unit view and record feature new pressure-sensing teblchnology that reduces the
readings. The data then go to the control room so operators number of mechanical components. However, the wireless
can verify the unit is running correctly, optimize performance instruments cost far more initially than Bourdon tube gauges
and ensure safety. In addition, the readings, often manually and require a learning curve. So, here, well examine when
entered into a data management system, provide useful infor- and why you should consider the wireless option.
mation for scheduling and performing maintenance.
BOURDON TUBE CHALLENGES
TIRED GAUGE Bourdon tube gauges are a low-cost method to measure
pressure. This means the gauges frequently dont get ad-
equate attention (Figure 1). Moreover, a variety of factors
can compromise their performance.
Process operations with high pressures or pressure
spikes, such as those that often occur during startups or
upsets, can cause these gauges to leak or burst, and possibly
create safety issues. Meanwhile, in some cases, the process
fluid entering the Bourdon tube is becoming hotter or more
corrosive, resulting in gauge failure.
In addition, a gauges Bourdon tube and other me-
chanical components can fatigue and fail due to significant
pulsations, such as those coming from a positive-displace-
ment pump directly upstream. To combat these process
pulsations, plants sometimes use liquid-filled gauges to
dampen needle movements to decrease wear and tear. These
Figure 1. While long used successfully, Bourdon tube gauges often
can reduce overuse of the needle gearing and subsequent
suffer from neglect or abuse. premature failure of the needle assemblies but cost more.

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 36


Filling the gauge with liquid also can performance and life of a Bourdon tube WIRELESS DIGITAL GAUGE
create problems if the liquid solidifies gauge. Table 1 summarizes five key chal-
at low ambient temperatures, which lenges and how wireless gauges handle
can cause the gauge to break. Many them.
installations address this issue with a Lets look at the last item in the
remote seal system but this adds table, expanded use of data, in a bit
significant cost. more detail. The wireless instrument
A Bourdon tube gauge can show transmits the local pressure reading
an incorrect reading with no clear to control, asset management and
indication of malfunction. To verify op- other host systems via a wireless mesh
eration, a technician typically taps the network such as WirelessHART.
gauge, for example with a wrench, to see This advantage applies to any type of
if the needle bounces and springs back process measurement where a wireless
to an appropriate reading. This shows instrument replaces a gauge.
the gauge needle isnt stuck but doesnt Data are transmitted from each
confirm the gauge is working properly. wireless instrument node, such as a
Getting the correct pressure infor- pressure gauge, via the mesh network
mation to where it can be utilized by to a wireless gateway (Figure 3). Wire- Figure 2. Such instruments not only transmit
facility personnel also is a challenge lessHART uses the mesh network to pressure data but also device health information.
with traditional gauges. Many plants provide redundant paths of commu-
require operators to record readings nication as each node can receive and COST CONSIDERATIONS
during their rounds with key data retransmit wireless information. Of course, all the added features found
then entered manually into an asset From the gateway, the informa- in a wireless pressure gauge as com-
management or other data storage tion gathered from wireless pressure pared to a Bourdon tube gauge dont
system. This approach introduces a gauges and other wireless instru- come free. (This also applies when
significant delay (hours or maybe even ments goes to the plants control, upgrading from any gauge to its wire-
days) between when the data are col- asset management and other systems less instrument equivalent.) However,
lected and entered and thus available via hardwired links using industry hardware costs typically are easy to
for use, as well as the possibility of standard protocols such as Modbus, identify because they are clearly spelled
errors such as not writing down the OPC or HART IP across electri- out in the price of wireless instruments
correct reading or making data-entry cal connections such as RS-485 or and gateways.
mistakes into the system. Ethernet. Data are accessible to these Basic Bourdon tube gauges cost
systems within minutes. about $100150, while higher durabil-
COPING WITH THE CHALLENGES Wireless data transmission clearly ity versions (e.g., with remote seals or
A wireless pressure instrument (Figure 2) provides advantages but also poses other options) can raise the price to
addresses many issues that undermine the cost and design issues. as much as $400. A wireless pressure

PRESSURE MEASUREMENT CHALLENGES

CHALLENGE BOURDON TUBE GAUGE WIRELESS PRESSURE INSTRUMENT


Pressure spikes Limited capability to withstand over-pressure Piezo-resistive sensor can withstand up to
spikes (up to 150% of scale) 150 times scale and bursts up to 11,000 psi
Corrosive/harsh Corrosive or erosive process media enters the Built-in isolator keeps process uid from
processes tube or requires a remote seal for isolation contacting the sensor
Temperature range Liquid-lled gauge has limited Piezo-resistive sensor uses a ll uid with
ambient-temperature operating range wider ambient-temperature operating range
Reliable readings Over-pressure can cause physical damage Electronics and sensor can diagnose faults
such as bent pins that compromises accuracy and withstand signicant over-pressure
of readings plus deliver status indication
Expanded use for data Manual data gathering is necessary and Wireless communication automates
may introduce errors data gathering
Table 1. Wireless digital pressure instruments offer a number of important advantages.

37 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


Some host systems provide native
RELATED CONTENT ON CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM integration, which makes this
Watch Out for Wireless Network Attacks, http://goo.gl/5BH4Pw task much easier essentially
Wireless Network Improves Leak Detection, http://goo.gl/rRrEnO plug and play.
Widespread Wireless Beckons, http://goo.gl/mHCbzx Wireless network best practices.
Dont Neglect Pressure Gauges, http://goo.gl/g7BqM7 Most process plants lack such
Energy Harvesting Widens Wireless Appeal, http://goo.gl/GSH46g best practices and so must create
them. Wireless technology ven-
dors can provide details.
gauge costs about three times as much DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Power module life. This must
as a higher durability gauge. Design issues arent always obvious. be considered because very fast
If a plant already has a Wireless- Implementing a wireless instrument update rates can shorten life.
HART network, adding a new wire- system can present challenges, par- With advances in lower power
less instrument and mapping its data ticularly for a facility with no existing electronics, the modules in
to the host system data registers are wireless networks. Plant person- some wireless devices can have
simple matters that can take less than nel typically are very familiar with up to a 10-yr life. In addition,
an hour. designing, installing and maintaining developments in power harvest-
However, if no WirelessHART wired networks but wireless net- ing devices promise to extend
network exists, the plant must put works represent a new technology that module life.
one in. The hardware costs for the involves a variety of special design Update time. This should be set
network are minimal because the only considerations: fast enough for all monitoring
requirement is to install and provide Gateway configuration and con- duties; it probably wont be fast
power to a WirelessHART gateway. A nection. The gateway must be con- enough for some real-time control
100-node gateway costs about $6,000, figured to gather the wireless data applications. Wireless instruments
with 25-node models available for less. from instruments and provide can be configured to provide
Once in place, the gateway must be this information to the control updates as frequently as once per
configured to communicate with the system. It must be connected to second, but this can impact power
wireless instruments and then hard- the host system via a hardwired module life.
wired to the host system. This requires digital data link. Interference. A plant must take
design time of roughly eight hours to Gateway loading. The maximum into account obstructions be-
configure the gateway to communi- number of devices that can be tween devices and the gateway
cate with the wireless instrument and serviced by a gateway depends both during initial installa-
the host system. upon the gateway type and the tion and when new devices or
update times of the devices to be obstructions are added. Some
GATEWAY
connected. Tools are available to wireless networks can provide
calculate gateway loading. self-organizing mesh technology
Variable and diagnostic informa- that can help mitigate interfer-
tion selection. Wireless instru- ence issues.
ments can supply a very large In addition, a site must address a
number of variables and diag- number of maintenance challenges:
nostic messages. The user must Training. This is recommended to
select the information of interest help maximize benefits. It isnt as
from each instrument and extensive as with wired fieldbus
map those data to the gateway networks because those systems
registers for output to the host are more complex.
system. The mapping process re- Terminology. Personnel responsi-
quires setting the variable/diag- ble for installation, configuration
nostic data format according to and troubleshooting must learn
specific rules on data types and new terms and definitions for
data lengths. The user needs to the wireless world such as active
know the required format of the advertising, stability, data reli-
Figure 3. A single WirelessHART gateway data going to the host system if ability, etc., and how to properly
can collect information from many wireless
instruments. native integration isnt available. apply them.

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 38


Troubleshooting. This can be difficult initially until Bourdon tube gauges
staff become familiar with wireless network operation remain a good choice in
and terminology. However, once through the learning many non-demanding
curve, diagnostic information is available to simplify applications but may not suf-
network management. fice when installed in tougher
Data. Wireless devices have a plethora of available vari- process applications and in
able and diagnostic data. A maintenance person must harsh environments, particularly
be able to sort through this list to determine whats when the process media is corrosive or
important and what isnt. at high temperature. A variety of options
can enable the gauges to handle some of
CONSIDER GOING WIRELESS these demands but they usually drive up cost.
The advantages of newer wireless pressure gauges over tradi- Even with all options included, gauges are limited.
tional Bourdon tube designs can make them a better choice When reliable pressure and other process measurements
in many demanding applications. This also is the case in are needed in demanding applications, wireless instruments
other process measurement applications where wireless are worth considering. In these situations, their higher
instruments replace gauges. initial cost and additional design considerations often are
New features can provide safer installations and signifi- more than offset by their advantages, particularly the ability
cantly more reliable measurements. In addition, the con- to transmit readings wirelessly.
tinuous and remote visibility of readings from the instru-
ments allows control room operators to respond quickly and WALLY BAKER is global pressure content marketing manager for
correctly to the rapidly changing process conditions often Rosemount Measurement, Emerson Process Management, Shakopee,
experienced during startups, shutdown and process upsets. Minn. E-mail him at Wally.Baker@emerson.com.

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39 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


Walk the Line
Company-wide initiative eliminates operator line-up errors
By Jerry J. Forest, Celanese

DURING AN operation to return a filter back to service, a where energy will flow each time a change is made in the IMPROVEMENT METRIC LINE-UP INCIDENTS

hydrocarbon spill resulted in a reportable quantity release and processing unit. The premise of the program is that we can LOPC: Lack of Information for Cause Walk the Line Primary Cause
an API RP-754 Tier 1 process safety incident. The investiga- change behavior by providing a culture of setting the expecta-
tion found that the operator neglected to close the downstream tion for accuracy in line-up, and giving operators the tools to
bleed valve, causing the release. Corrective action included ensure accuracy in line-up.
disciplining the operator.
Does this scenario sound familiar? It likely will. Industry AN ESSENTIAL FIRST STEP
data indicate that greater than 20% of loss of primary con- A pre-condition for Walk the Line is understanding the causes
tainment (LOPC) incidents stem from a few causes: valves of operator line-up error. This becomes problematic if investiga-
left open, open-ended lines on energized pipe and vessels, and tions stop at operator left valve open as the cause. As Celanese
line-up errors. More than 10% of these events occur during developed our Walk the Line program, it became clear that 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
equipment startup [1]. we first must improve the quality of our incident investigation
Blaming an operator when line-up errors occur seems process and root cause analysis (RCA). We approached this Figure 1. The number of incidents without adequate root cause analysis Figure 2. Walk the Line has signicantly cut the number of events caused
has dropped dramatically. by line-up errors.
easy but doesnt address the underlying problem. We never in two ways. After identifying the line-up error incidents, we
will eliminate these human-error causes of process safety asked each site to analyze its near-miss and incident data to the set, lack of continuity of operations, and deficiencies with corporate level, provide the operational discipline tools to
incidents until we go beyond simply noting operator left best of its ability to identify why the errors occurred. In addi- operational readiness. Walk the Line was adopted as a readily address operational continuity, and the operational readi-
valve open and answer the question Why did the operator tion to this analysis, we completed a global incident investiga- recognizable way to raise awareness in these three areas. ness tools to address the mode of operation where these
leave the valve open? tion management-training program that targeted improving Celanese implemented Walk the Line in 2013 and achieved incidents occur. Sites then implemented the program using
Analysis of process safety incident data at Celanese indi- the quality of the application of RCA methodology to give immediate results. Since implementation, LOPC incidents the tools applicable to their needs.
cated that almost half of the incident causes related to con- greater consideration to human factor causes. We instituted a related to operator line-up have fallen 30% per year on average. Culture. The first group of causes centered on the
duct of operations i.e., the management systems in place practice of reviewing all Tier 1 and Tier 2 RCAs to normalize Figure 2 illustrates these results. The fact some incident causes knowledge of an operators responsibility for energy control.
to ensure operators perform their tasks correctly [2]; a major- the quality of cause maps and corrective actions. The metric we persist highlights it may take up to five years to effectively In some instances, a site had failed to formally document its
ity of these were line-up errors. The most common operating chose to measure effectiveness of the training and RCA reviews ingrain a practice into the culture for lasting change. expectations for operator line-up. In other cases, operators
mode during the incidents is startup or returning equipment is lack of information for cause. Figure 1 shows the improve- had received initial training on proper line-up technique but
to service following maintenance. Recognizing that the most ment trend since these practices were initiated, with 2011 as the TAILORED IMPLEMENTATION never any reinforcement of the concept; refresher and on-the-
fundamental task operators perform is to line-up equipment, base comparison year. On reviewing the causal data, it was apparent that each site job training ignored the topic.
Celanese developed the Walk the Line program. It is based As our RCAs improved, we were able to characterize the had unique gaps falling within the three categories. The One way to change this culture is to apply the proper initial
on a belief that the operators must know with 100% certainty causes of line-up errors as: expectation for energy control not approach therefore was to focus on culture change at the training and then follow-up with frequent reinforcement of the

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 40 41 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


EXAMPLE CHECKLIST
you do to prevent the incident.
Operator Shift Notes Yes No Description of Action Taken (For details on novel, just-launched
Walk the Line Section on Shift interactive safety training tools, see
Abnormal Line-ups Achieve Better Safety Training,
Equipment bypassed http://goo.gl/HokrzM.)
Equipment out of service 4. Standard Walk the Line train-
ing packages that can be used
Special samples taken
as is or modified for a sites
Unscheduled equipment outage
individual needs.
Tests completed on shift 5. Short corporate videos that, as
MOCs/PSSRs completed part of our process safety lessons
Special operating instructions learned program, help reinforce
Abnormal transfers completed the message of Walk the Line.
After three years of raising aware-
Emerging problems/troubleshooting
ness and setting the expectation, we
Other situations that change line-up
continue to use terms such as Walk the
Figure 3. This short checklist is used for operator shift notes and shift relief. Line incident when describing line-up
errors to remind the organization of
LEARN MORE ABOUT WALK THE LINE expectation for energy control.
In 2015, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) launched Continuity of Operation and
Walk the Line in partnership with member companies as part of the AFPM and Operational Discipline. In the early
American Petroleum Institute (API) Advancing Process Safety Program. Walk phases of Walk the Line, the most com-
the Line is a practices-sharing program designed to help prevent operator mon question from operators was Do
line-up errors that cause approximately 20% of all process safety events (ac- we have to physically walk the line each
cording to industry data [1]). This program is successfully raising awareness of time we make a change? The answer is,
operator line-up errors and providing simple solutions to prevent these types if you dont know with 100% certainty
of mistakes in the future. Walk the Line materials include what/if scenarios, where the material will flow, then yes.
training, conduct of operation practices, operational discipline practices, and However, several tools can help opera-
operational readiness practices. tors grasp the present operating state
For more information, contact AFPM at safetyportal@afpm.org. of a processing unit. Understanding
the current line-up and changes to the
line-up is one aspect of continuity of op-
RELATED CONTENT ON CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM erations. The tools are called operational
Achieve Better Safety Training, http://goo.gl/HokrzM discipline tools because they introduce a
Head Off Hassles During Startup, http://goo.gl/JV21Fp discipline to operations that encourages
Successfully Restart Idled Assets, http://goo.gl/Qi44rX repeatability in results [2].
Strike the Right Balance, http://goo.gl/7ahPGK The operational discipline tools used
Safeguard Plant Safety, http://goo.gl/kZp2yS include: shift instructions, shift notes,
Inspect With Your Mind, Not Just Your Eyes, http://goo.gl/eW6YBe expectations of shift relief, shift meet-
ings, and operator evaluation sheets
with both informal and formal rounds.
expectation that operators must know of operations and operational Each incorporates the Walk the Line
with 100% certainty where energy will readiness. theme through a dedicated section that
flow each time they make a change to the 2. Periodic newsletters distributed in describes in checklist format common
process. From a corporate perspective, native languages across the globe and uncommon situations that give rise
we produced and distributed a number describing Walk the Line expecta- to changes in the unit that might lead to
of tools designed to raise the awareness of tions and tools. a line-up error. Shift supervisors have an
this expectation. These include: 3. Toolbox presentations of actual opportunity to reinforce the expectation
1. Two-day regional workshop incidents caused by line-up errors. for Walk the Line when they write shift
meetings with front-line supervi- These presentations aim to enable instructions. Highlighting potential line-
sors that reinforce conduct of front-line supervisors to open dia- up issues when discussing the current
operation tools for continuity logs with operators on what would jobs on shift at the toolbox or shift meet-

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM 42


ing provides another opportunity. Operators can communicate CRITICAL BLEED VALVE
the changes made on shift by citing them in shift notes, and
using these shift notes during shift relief. Each site is expected
to define an informal and formal evaluation route and train
operators on what to look for during the equipment evaluation.
In addition, evaluation round sheets should include location of
critical bleeders, valve positions and other critical line-ups so
that operators check them each time they make their rounds.
As noted, these tools share a common element a
pre-defined Walk the Line checklist. It must be completed
and communicated, regardless of whether a change has been
Figure 4. Bright yellow color alerts staff to importance of this bleed valve.
made. This repetition helps build the culture of Walk the
Line. Figure 3 shows an example checklist for operator shift and similar maintenance/operations turnover, and verifica-
notes used during shift relief. This checklist identifies those tion after maintenance checks designed to ensure bleeders
activities that lead to changes in line-up. These changes are are closed and line-ups are correct.
communicated between and among shifts, with confirmation A common tool used in industry is independent veri-
of review required. Operators returning to duty must give fication. It often targets some safety devices such as pres-
positive verification since the last review. sure relief devices but also makes sense for critical line-ups.
Another class of aids to help operators understand the cur- Celanese uses a risk-based ranking criteria to determine if a
rent operating state of a unit involves design tools. For example, task should be considered critical. These tasks are performed
a process to identify critical bleeders will highlight those points with a checklist in hand; the operator verifies each step when
in the process that must have a bleed valve shut with a plug to completed. After the task is finished, another person indepen-
prevent an LOPC incident. At Celanese, some sites paint these dently confirms the steps as complete and accurate.
critical bleeders a recognizable color (Figure 4) and have the
operator inspect them during evaluation rounds. STEP UP YOUR EFFORTS
Additional design practices, to name a few, include formal Adopt a belief that all process safety incidents are pre-
plug and inspection programs, line labeling initiatives, spring ventable and start with a goal of zero LOPCs caused by
loaded valves, and double blocks on some bleeders. operator line-up errors. Of all LOPC incidents, those re-
Operational Readiness. Experience has taught us that the lated to incorrect line-ups and open ends seem easiest to
frequency of incidents is higher during process transitions correct. When analyzing incidents, go beyond operator
such as startups. These incidents often result from the physi- left valve open and answer Why did the operator leave
cal process conditions not exactly matching those intended the valve open?
for safe operation. Thus, it is important that the process status Recognize which operating discipline and operational
be verified as safe to start. Operational readiness reviews readiness tools operators require to understand the current
ensure the process is safe to start by examining issues such as: operating state of the processing unit. Set the expectation
equipment line-up; that an operator must know with 100% certainty where
safeguard bypasses restored; energy will flow each time a change is made to the process.
bleed valves plugged; If that person doesnt know with 100% certainty, then
leak tightness; walk the line!
pre-startup safety reviews completed; and
car seals in place. JERRY J. FOREST is global process safety manager for Celanese, Irving,
Such reviews of simple startups may involve only one Texas. E-mail him at jerry.forest@celanese.com.
person walking through the process with a straightforward
checklist to verify that nothing has changed and equipment
REFERENCES
is ready to resume operation. More complex reviews or higher
1. AFPM Safety Portal Event Sharing Database,
risk startup situations may require different tools.
www.afpm.org/safetyportal (login credentials required),
Operational readiness tools share some common ele-
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, Wash-
ments such as defining equipment commissioning steps in
ington, D.C.
standard operating procedures (SOPs). Commissioning tools
2. AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety,
include: process and instrumentation drawings (P&IDs)
Conduct of Operations and Operational Discipline, J.
walk-downs, formal pre-startup safety reviews (regardless of
Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, N.J. (2011).
whether a change was made), soap testing, checklist SOPs

43 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


PROCESS PUZZLER

Deflate Compressed Air Difficulties


Ailing air system requires a variety of fixes

THIS MONTHS CONSIDER SEVERAL PROJECTS air system from the main air system

PUZZLER I have some quick suggestions that


wouldnt require a large upfront
engineering study, which could
via valving, thus ensuring a backup
supply for the instrument air from
the main compressed air system.
Prior to installing our last filler line, we be very costly. The capital costs 2. Install two compressors on
thought our compressed air system of the below projects should be the instrument air system and set
(Figure 1, online at http://goo.gl/Hno9Y4) reasonable and could be phased them up in the same master/slave
was adequate. Now, all our pressure- in over a year or two if capital relationship as stated above. The
regulating valves (PRVs) are operating is constrained. We have many pressure could be set at 90-psig
near 100% and our actuated valves are diaphragm pumps at our facility master and 80-psig slave since a 78-
having trouble opening or closing. Our as well as instrument air needs and psig air supply is assumed. If pos-
dryer is a conventional chiller dryer. The have seen the same issues over the sible, increase the pressures based
instrument air employs an additional past few years. on design data of the system.
desiccant dryer and a series of water/oil On the main system, complete 3. As far as the operators
traps. Our plant standard assumes 60- the following: connecting diaphragm pumps
psig actuators and 78-psig air. 1. Install another compressor on the instrument air system,
After these problems appeared, I unit and set the two units up in a remove all hose connections on
started investigating our plant-wide master/slave relationship. We have the newly isolated instrument air
usage. I found we consume 540 units at our facility set to hold 125 system and plug the connections.
scfm while were shut down over the psig and then, if the pressure drops Install, as necessary, piping with
weekend. Some air lines show unusual below 110 psig, the second unit hose connections from the main
pressure drops. starts supplying air. Your site could compressed air system for the dia-
Our plant uses a lot of air diaphragm set the master at 110 psig and then phragm pumps. And, as you always
pumps, not only for cleaning up spills have the slave come on at 100 psig, should, train the operators on the
but also for moving viscous product ensuring air flow. new operation.
around the plant. We keep the product 2. Upsize the feed piping after The air diaphragm pumps
pumps separate to meet cGMP stan- the dryer to 6 in. from 4 in. The leave something to be desired. You
dards. Operators and mechanics seem would reduce the pressure drop might consider installing positive
to connect pumps wherever they want, from 13.83 psi to 3.82 psi, thus displacement pumps with variable
sometimes even into instrument air lines ensuring more air flow to the speed drives for flow control. We
much to the chagrin of our instru- main system. are doing this at our facility with
ment engineer. Ive noticed water and 3. Remove the chilled dryer great success.
oil dripping out of the air discharge of or augment it with a desiccant Vincent Suttmiller,
the air diaphragm pumps. dryer system that would decrease plant engineer
Were planning a plant expansion the dew point, thus reducing the Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc.,
soon and will want to add more pumps amount of water vapor present in Paso Robles, Calif.
and more filler lines. Is there anything the system.
we must do to the compressed air 4. If design allows, increase TACKLE FOUR PROBLEMS
system to increase its capacity and the system pressure to 125 psig. Youve run into a situation com-
pressure? In reference to item 1 above, set mon with most compressed air
the master at 125 psig and the systems: they work until they
slave at 110 psig. dont because theyre ignored. You
As for the instrument air sys- immediately should solve four key
tem, complete the following: problems: 1) an over-loaded header
1. Separate out the instrument after the dryer; 2) unregulated ac-

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM  44


PROCESS PUZZLER

cess to the air system; 3) over-use of the system; and to find a way to cut them off when the equipment
4) poor water and oil separation. they serve is not operating.
A pressure drop of more than 5% is too much Untrapped oil and water can be a problem
for a header: the drop is 13.8 psi. Laying 150 ft of in many ways. First, these liquids grow bacteria;
6-in. pipe might be the solution but manufactur- elbows and tees that dip down from overhead head-
ing wont appreciate the disruption. An alternative, ers can become bug factories. Second, they can foul
if the pipe rack allows, is to run a parallel 4-in. equipment for example, an air diaphragm pump
pipe. Then, the only inconveniences are the two wont operate at full pressure or flow. Lastly, they
tie-points. Parallel lines work well with compressed can cause pressure drops. This is a particular prob-
air systems, steam and condensate, and other lines lem with trunk lines but also can be a problem with
where a demand could draw down a lot of flow and the main header. You should do what you can to
disrupt the system in general. eliminate liquids by trapping them at the receivers
If anyone can tap into your compressed air and keeping lines from dipping and then rising.
system, then anyone can shut it down. Perhaps Dirk Willard, consultant
you should consider a maintenance air system Wooster, Ohio
for use by the maintenance shop or for pumps,
agitators and other equipment not dedicated to
manufacturing a product. Clearly your instrument
CHECK OUT PREVIOUS PUZZLERS
engineer is trying to stake out his own air supply
You can nd more than 100 already published
as a means of self-preservation.
Puzzlers online at www.ChemicalProcessing.
By over-use, I mean use when not needed. Why
com/voices/process-puzzler/.
is the demand 540 scfm when the plant is supposed
to be down? You should look at the individual users

OCTOBERS
PUZZLER
We use liquid hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in our (80% N2 and 20% HCN), based on hand calcula-
process. Its stored in a 150-psi-rated tank tions. Now, the relief valve pops too often. In
maintained by nitrogen at 45 psig. Although addition, sometimes our scrubber seems to be
we have relief valves with rupture discs, we rely overwhelmed, and we must write an emission
on a 1-in. pressure-reducing ball valve (re- report for HCN. Did we size the new valve cor-
duced port) for most situations such as railcar rectly? Whats up with our scrubber?
loading; the Cv = 28. The reducing valve opens Send us your comments, suggestions or solu-
at 55 psig, with a discharge pressure of 1.5 tions for this question by September 9, 2016.
psig. Our vent line is 248-ft long. Its 2-in.-dia., Well include as many of them as possible in the
schedule-80, 316L-stainless-steel pipe and has October 2016 issue and all on ChemicalProcess-
butt-welded joints; flanges are ANSI rated for ing.com. Send visuals a sketch is ne. E-mail us
300 psi. Barometric pressure is 14.35 psia. The at ProcessPuzzler@putman.net or mail to Process
operating temperature is 86F. Vented gas from Puzzler, Chemical Processing, 1501 E. Woodeld
this valve goes to a 4%-NaOH venturi/scrubber Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, IL 60173. Fax: (630)
and then to atmosphere; any flow from the re- 467-1120. Please include your name, title, location
lief valve also goes to the scrubber. We lost the and company afliation in the response.
original calculations for the vent valve, which And, of course, if you have a process problem
was obsolete. That valve was 2-in., with a Cv of youd like to pose to our readers, send it along
115. We estimated the gas flow at 5,300 pph and well be pleased to consider it for publication.

45 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


PLANT INSITES

Tame Tough Dosing Duties


Consider a different approach to achieve accurate additions

PRECISE DOSING of liquid additives is es- with both large composition and rate changes;
sential in a variety of processes. A recent column and
discussed issues in selecting an appropriate meter- w ith analyzers that have extremely long
ing pump (Prevent Metering Pump Mayhem, response times.
http://goo.gl/eXV07B). Now, lets look at the Where precise metering is required, one option
metering pumps control system, which regulates is to use an additive with a very low concentra-
the amount of additive used. Such systems usually tion of active ingredient. Because additive volume
Some systems are either open-loop or closed-loop. consists of mostly inert carrier, errors in flow rate
Open-loop systems set the dosing rate based on control of the additive are much less important.
dont work well a measurement upstream of the additive injection However, this approach calls for a bigger and more-
with either point for example, adjusting it according to the expensive additive pump. Also, it doesnt help with
flow rate of the main stream before dosing. This composition and rate changes or analyzers with
control approach. is a reasonable approach where the composition of long response times.
both the main stream and additive dont change. An alternative combines both open-loop and
Closed-loop systems set the dosing rate based closed-loop control (Figure 1). The open-loop
on a measurement downstream of the additive uses feedforward from a flow controller to set the
injection point for example, adjusting it to metering pump. The closed-loop uses feedback
meet a desired end target (e.g., for composition, from a composition analyzer to regulate motor
pH or other property). This approach works well speed. This system separately adjusts for rate and
for systems that have relatively constant feed rate composition variations.
but some variation in composition. However, Each loop could have a separate gain and lag
significant rate changes can cause dramatic swings built in. This results in a system capable of much
in downstream concentration until the feedback more precise control and smaller variations in
controller catches up. additive content.
Some systems dont work well with either The rapid response to rate changes reduces
control approach. Problems particularly can arise the effect of the analyzers long response times to
in systems: composition changes. The analyzer only serves to
where precise additive concentration is required compensate for composition disturbances. There-
e.g., catalyst addition systems with very low addi- fore, rate changes take effect immediately, not
tive/stream ratios (1/100,000 or less is common); with a long delay.
Other configurations also are possible for
PRECISE METERING example, using temperature to change a catalyst
addition rate. As reaction rate varies, the catalyst
Main addition would go up or down. Depending upon
Flow the reaction order, this control could be more
Analyzer complex. However, implementing non-linear
Flow
Controller response functions to control motor speed on
modern control systems is relatively easy.
Multivariable controllers could meet the same
objectives. Nevertheless, the single-input single-
Additives
output (SISO) configuration does have advan-
tages. It is easier to maintain and less complicated.
Operators (and engineers) will find predicting
and anticipating responses much simpler with the
Speed straightforward system shown in Figure 1.

ANDREW SLOLEY, Contributing Editor


Figure 1. Combining open-loop and closed-loop approaches can enable accurate dosing. ASloley@putman.net

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM  46


EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

with minimal pressure drop. Maxi- construction, the sensor can with-
mum flow coefficients (Cv) of 7.0 stand corrosive fluids and environ-
provide flows up to 400 scfm (11,320 ments where metals cannot perform.
Nl/min). A low air consumption rate The sensor measures hydrostatic pres-
of 4 scfh (2 Nl/min) ensures eco- sure and converts the reading to an
nomical operation. A choice of five analog 420-mA signal, which can
output ranges provide outputs up to be displayed on a range of indicating
200 psig (14 bar). Maximum supply transmitters or taken directly into a
pressure is 290 psig (20 bar). PLC. Additional accessories and op-
ControlAir Inc. tions include NEMA 4X enclosures,
603-886-9400 ceramic sink weights for high specific
www.controlair.com gravity fluids and the HLST200
Device Suits Remote Equipment indicating level transmitter with
The CELL682 system provides 24/7 Metering Pump configurable display and separate
monitoring of environmental condi- Provides Enhanced Safety temperature channel.
tions and unattended equipment at The upgraded Hayward Flow Control
remote locations where telephone and mRoy metering 888-429-4635
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able. The system provides simplex features to enhance
or duplex alternating pump control safety, improve hy-
using a level transducer or float draulic efficiency,
switches. The unit can also perform and ease startup
machine-to-machine control among and maintenance.
multiple CELL682 devices. The Specific enhance-
system communicates via standard ments include a liquid-end bleed sys-
cellular networks provided by AT&T tem, making it easier to commission
or Verizon and can monitor up to a new or a newly maintained pump.
14 critical conditions including tank Threaded elements on the housing
levels, turbidity, pump status, flow block easy access to potential moving Smart pH Instrument
rates, security, power failure and parts. The metering pumps are de- Simplifies Calibration
equipment failure. If the system signed to accurately control chemical The Foxboro Smart pH sensor and
detects a potential problem, it sends dosing while meeting API 675, CE transmitter combines a polyvinyli-
alarm notifications to up to 24 voice, and ATEX standards. The durable, dene difluoride (PVDF) body with
text or email destinations. compact design enables metering enhanced smart capabilities for high
Sensaphone of harsh chemicals with 100-to-1 performance and longer life with easier,
888-369-4781 turndown capabilities and repetitive faster and more reliable calibrations,
www.sensaphone.com steady-state accuracy at a 1% range, the company says. It can be calibrated
the company says. at any time against a standard or
Regulators Achieve Milton Roy reference transmitter, or laptop PC,
High Flow Rates 215-441-0800 in the instrument shop. Calibration
The corrosion-resistant Type-380 and www.miltonroy.com parameters are stored in an on-board
Type-390 stainless-steel regulators memory chip. When performing a
are able to withstand field calibration, operators simply take
harsh environments the pre-calibrated Smart Sensor to
while providing accu- the field, connect it to the transmit-
rate pressure regula- ter, which uploads the calibration
tion and filtration. To parameters. The rugged PVDF body,
maximize performance, Level Sensor Withstands flat membrane-sensing electrode, and
-in.-NPT and 1-in.- Corrosive Environments Nafion ion barrier protect the internal
NPT porting combined The HLS is a highly accurate level reference and reduce fouling.
with oversized valving sensor that is not affected by foam- Schneider Electric
helps the regulators ing, waves or head-space vapors. 877-342-5173
achieve high flow rates With a complete CPVC housing and www.schneider-electric.com/us

47  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


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49  CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM AUGUST 2016


END POINT

More Efficient Wastewater Treatment Looms


New technologies could lead to greener, less-expensive manufacturing processes

TWO ADVANCES in wastewater treatment tech- scale. If this goes well, the company will then scale up
nology promise to save significant amounts of energy its membrane production plant, too.
and improve processing efficiency. Meanwhile, researchers from the Universitat
The first, by scientists at Nanyang Technological Autnoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain, and
University (NTU), Singapore, involves a new type technicians at water treatment company Depuracin
of nanofilter that could reduce up to five times the de Aguas del Mediterrneo (DAM), Valencia, Spain,
energy needed to treat wastewater. will soon put into operation an experimental plant at
One new process Typically in a wastewater treatment process, the Rub-Valldoreix wastewater treatment plant, with
an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane removes small the objective of making the treatment process generate
could consume particles from the water before it goes to a reverse more energy than it consumes.
40% less osmosis (RO) membrane for final purification. The The technology has been developed as part of a
high pressure needed for RO means the pumps project that focuses on the radical redesign of waste-
energy than require a lot of energy. water treatment plants to make them more efficient.
current However, NTUs proprietary nanofiltration hol- Of the 1,169,068 budget, the European Unions
low-fiber membrane combines both processes into one LIFE Programme is funding 58%. This is the EUs
treatment step. It also requires only two bars of water pressure, only funding devoted exclusively to the environment;
systems. yet produces water almost as pure as the RO process. its general objective is to contribute to sustainable
Researchers at NTUs Nanyang Environment development and other important strategies related to
and Water Research Institute (NEWRI) have spent climate and the environment.
two years developing the new membrane; its now UAB researchers say present-day wastewater treat-
being commercialized by NTU spin-off company ment plants require a minimum energy consumption of
De.Mem, Singapore. 815 kWh/inhabitant/year to meet legal requirements
De.Mem, which owns more than a dozen water on effluent discharge in terms of organic matter, nitro-
treatment plants in Vietnam and Singapore, will be gen and phosphorus. This means considerable green-
building a pilot production plant in Singapore to house gas emissions and high costs. Eliminating these
manufacture the new membranes. costs could save 500 million to 1 billion ($550 million
With the increasing urbanization of cities and to $1.1 billion) per year in EU countries, they estimate.
fast growing global population, more cities and com- This new treatment plant will use all organic
munities will face an unprecedented challenge to matter in wastewater to produce biogas for heat and
meet growing demand for clean water and wastewater electricity. In addition, the nitrogen in the wastewater
treatment, notes professor Ng Wun Jern, executive will be eliminated autotrophically, i.e., without the
director of NEWRI. need for organic matter, by means of a new tech-
NTU professor Wang Rong, director of NEWRIs nology based on two biological stages: an aerobic
Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, says his partial-nitration reactor and an anaerobic ammonium
team designed the new membrane for commercial oxidation (anammox) reactor.
scale-up and production. The system has been laboratory tested; the pilot
Our new membrane is also easy to manufacture plant at Rub-Valldoreix will treat 3 m3/d of wastewater.
using low-cost chemicals that are 30 times cheaper Compared with current urban wastewater treat-
than conventional chemicals, making it suitable for ment systems, UAB researchers predict the new process
mass production, he adds. could consume 40% less energy, reduce nitrogen com-
Andreas Kroell, chief executive officer of De.Mem, pound disposal by 10% and greenhouse gases emission
says the new membrane fills a gap in the current by 20%, and increase biogas production 50%.
market for water treatment: Such an effective and Pilot plant operation is expected to start in the
efficient technology has significant market potential first quarter of 2017, with the first experimental results
and can be used in many of De.Mems projects that due at the end of next year. Ongoing validation of the
involve the treatment of industrial wastewater, too. process will continue into 2018.
De.Mems next step is to test the new membrane
technology in a number of its treatment plants to SEN OTTEWELL, Editor at Large
verify its effectiveness and efficiency at an industrial sottewell@putman.net

AUGUST 2016 CHEMICALPROCESSING.COM  50


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