What's New
Valveless System Accurately Meters Liquid Hypochlorite
The patented Chloritrol metering system performs accurate, maintenance-free injection of liquid sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite for treating municipal drinking water. Its unique valveless duplex-pump design features a primary pump that injects liquid hypochlorite directly into the water main and a secondary pump that removes out-gassed bubbles from the system to prevent loss of prime. It self-primes against pressures up to 125 psi. Internal components are made of ceramic, which provides long-term drift-free accuracy. Flowrate is controlled by the manufacturer’s Model V300 variable-flow controller, which accepts 4–20-mA, 0–5 VDC, and 0–10 VDC signals from process sensors and instrumentation. Alternatively, flowrate can be manually controlled via front-panel membrane switches and a light-emitting diode (LED) readout.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Fluid Metering, Inc.
www.fmipump.com
Smart Wireless Field Starter Kit Expands Applications
The Smart Wireless field starter kit uses standard WirelessHART technology to enhance user flexibility, delivering better than 99% communications reliability in the steel and concrete environment of most plants because the network self-organizes around obstacles, whether permanent (e.g., steel girders) or mobile (e.g., moving rail cars, vehicles). Its latest release includes discrete switches and vibration and pH transmitters, as well as all the features of earlier versions. The kit, which includes any combination of five or more wireless pressure, temperature, DP level, DP flow, vibration, or pH transmitters and switches, provides a secure, robust wireless gateway. Its AMS Suite of predictive maintenance software provides powerful diagnostic information from the wireless devices. Wireless SNAP-ON for AMS Suite simplifies field network design. Smart Start Services include a full network-health assessment to ensure robust communications, plus verification of device functionality and output to the user’s Modbus, object linking and embedding for process control (OPC), Ethernet or other communications systems.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Emerson Process Management
www.emersonprocess.com
Sensor Evaluator Logs Relative Humidity
The Humidity Sensor Evaluator (Model HSE) displays, monitors, and logs relative humidity (RH) and dry-bulb and dew-point temperature readings of resistive and hybrid capacitive humidity sensors via a computer’s USB port. Its software includes RH sensor response curves for hybrid capacitive sensors, such as the manufacturer’s HC-610. It is compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista, and requires either a USB 2.0 or a USB 1.2 port. It includes a humidity/dew-point calculator, two relative humidity sensors, and a thermistor. The sensor chart display and logging functions allow the user to select °C, °F, K, or R as the units for temperature.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Ohmic Instruments Co.
www.ohmicinstruments.com
Portable Particulate Monitor Has a Wide Range
The Microdust Pro particulate monitor assesses concentrations of suspended matter over the range of 1μg/m3 to 2,500 mg/m3. Using near-forward light-scattering technology, it is suitable for tracking airborne microscopic particles, including dust, dirt, soot, mold spores, smoke and liquid droplets, in industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, and workplace exposure investigations. Its narrow scatter range of only 12–20 deg. minimizes uncertainty caused by particle color, shape and refractive index. Average, spot, and minimum or maximum concentrations can be recorded over user-defined intervals ranging from 2 s to 10 min, and an internal logger stores up to 15,700 data points over 32 separate runs. The device displays variations in dust concentration using a real-time scrolling graph on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. Data can be easily downloaded to a personal computer or printer using an RS-232 interface cable. The Microdust Pro comes with WinDustPro Windows-based software, which lets users create an instrument profile for specific repetitive tasks, as well as data recovery, production of history-based line-graphs, and development of tables and reports. An optical calibration filter allows the user to restore the instrument to its as-delivered condition at any time in the field.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Casella USA
www.casellameasurement.com
Benchtop Meter Takes Basic and Advanced Measurements
The Oakton benchtop pH meter measures pH, mV, and temperature and has a liquid crystal display (LCD) that provides clear instructions for setup, measurement, and calibration. It provides up to five customizable calibration points and stores up to 100 readings, with real-time stamping, either manually or automatically at programmable intervals. The backlit 20-character alphanumeric two-line LCD prompts the user during measurement and calibration, and an advanced setup mode allows the meter’s parameters to be customized. The meter has a detachable electrode holder and automatically calculates and displays electrode slope/offset. Measurement resolution is ±0.001 or ±0.01 pH units (user-selectable), ±0.1 mV, and ±0.1°C/°F. Applications include chemical, food processing, metal plating, soil testing, water quality and related testing.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Alliance Scale Inc.
www.alliancescale.com
Stainless Steel Cord Connectors Withstand Industrial Chemicals
Type 304 stainless steel cord connectors are available in conduit sizes from 0.25 in. to 3.0 in. They provide excellent corrosion resistance and toughness, and are widely used in petrochemical plants and chemical manufacturing/processing facilities, food processing facilities, and medical device manufacturing plants. Heavy-duty Type 316 stainless steel cord connectors withstand attack by many industrial chemicals, solvents and acids, making them suitable for use in severe environments that require the highest levels of corrosion resistance, such as pulp and paper mills, pharmaceutical production and wastewater treatment. All of the connectors feature an embedded Viton O-ring and neoprene grommets for enhanced sealing capabilities, and those in the 0.375-in. to 1.5-in. size range are Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-listed.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Remke Industries
www.remke.com
Miniature Rotary Batch Mixer Yields Uniform Results
The Model 700-TH-5-SS inline rotary mixer gently blends batches as large as 5.0 ft3 (142 L) with complete uniformity down to the 1-ppm level in under 3 min, and it is efficient across its entire usable capacity range of 0.25–5.0 ft3 (7.1–142 L). (Its standard weight capacity is 500 lb (226 kg) per batch.) The mixer is capable of evacuating the batch and leaving no residuals, and it can be sanitized rapidly without tools. It features a stationary inlet and outlet for inline operation, and a rotating drum with proprietary mixing flights that tumble, turn and fold material gently. This process imparts minimal energy to the batch while rapidly achieving uniformity, regardless of disparities in bulk densities, particle sizes or flow characteristics of batch ingredients. Features include internal mixing flights spaced for easy access, all stainless contact surfaces, continuous polish welds of 0.5-in. (12-mm) dia., external removable seals, and a clean-in-place (CIP) nozzle. It is suitable for use in industrial applications involving contamination-sensitive materials and/or frequent product changeovers.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Munson Machinery Co.
www.munsonmachinery.com
CPVC Chemical Waste Drain Withstands Harsh Chemicals
Several new items have been added to the ChemDrain line of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) chemical waste drain systems, including 8-in. pipe and fittings and a variety of drains. The 8-in. fittings include 1/4 bends, 1/8 bends, 1/16 bends, sanitary tees, wyes, combination wyes, reducing wyes, couplings, bushings and cleanout adapters. CPVC piping systems have a high temperature rating and are resistant to a wide range of chemicals, including acids, bases, caustics, salts, aliphatic solutions and other common agents used in chemical waste processes. CPVC is lightweight and can be cut and beveled using simple tools.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry
www.charlottepipe.com
Systems Consulting Services Help Plants Reduce Costs
InSite Services provides 24/7/365 access to more than 300 engineering and manufacturing IT professionals who offer expertise in 15 languages. The suite of services includes six components: surveillance, diagnostics, optimization, administration, knowledge, and visualization. Application engineers in the InSite Operation Center proactively monitor the customer’s critical systems through a secure, high-speed connection, looking for deviations from acceptable process, production, line or machine parameters and key performance indicators (KPI). When a parameter or KPI is out of range, they immediately notify the facility, enabling the plant to initiate corrective action before a major system or equipment malfunction or failure occurs. To aid in future monitoring activities, all data, alarms and events are archived and stored in a central data center. Additional activities and services include troubleshooting and root-cause and failure modes and effects analyses (diagnostics); support for Six Sigma teams, advanced modeling, and user training (optimization); application management, disaster recovery, version control and upgrades, and system performance tuning (administration); and a custom database that captures, manages and maintains technical and support information specific to the customer’s system and/or process.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Rockwell Automation
www.ra.rockwell.com
Pumps and Compressors Cut Energy Usage
Vectra SX Series liquid ring pumps and compressors use less energy and consume less operating liquid than competitive models, saving users up to 40% on power consumption and 50% on water usage. They have been designed with optimized internal passages and low operating speeds to ensure a long, reliable operating life. The high-vacuum variation provides efficient performance to 1 in. Hg (abs) and is suitable for deaeration, degasification, distillation, drying and evaporation applications. The water-handling version is designed for large quantities of process water or carryover, making it useful for filtration, filling, extrusion, vacuum conveyance and soil remediation applications. The compressor variation offers a wider pressure range that may be needed for wastewater treatment, aeration, and gas boosting applications. Drive arrangements can have either a monoblock or pedestal design. Construction material options include cast iron with a precision cast Type 316 stainless steel impeller and a corrosion resistant pump body, or all stainless steel.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Gardner Denver, Inc.
www.GDNash.com
Magnesium Hydroxide Mixer Reduces Costs for pH Equalization
“Big bubble” mixing technology provides a cost-effective method of pH equalization using magnesium hydroxide rather than sodium hydroxide. Unlike NaOH, which is toxic, Mg(OH)2 is nontoxic, and it is four times more effective than NaOH at lowering the pH of water. Sodium hydroxide is typically used for neutralization because Mg(OH)2 tends to settle, making it difficult to mix using conventional equipment. This new technology effectively mixes Mg(OH)2 in tanks of almost any size, configuration or material of construction. To be used for Mg(OH)2, conventional mixers require additional structural supports, baffles, special openings, and new power sources. Big bubble technology can be installed in new and existing tanks without these costly enhancements; it requires only the installation of an accumulator plate (or multiple plates) that sweeps the tank floor. Compressed air injected under the plate forms a large bubble that pulls particles and heavy liquids behind it as it rises to the surface, creating vertical circulation and mixing. The mixer’s control system can be either electronic or pneumatic.
Appeared In Issue: June 2009
Pulsair
www.pulsair.com