Some industrial processes require the throttling of high pressure fluids. Hydraulic power recovery turbines can convert the excess pressure into mechanical shaft energy and increase the overall process efficiency. Here, Ron Adams from Sulzer Pumps looks at how reverse running pumps can be used as turbines as an economical solution to recover energy.
13 December 2011
In oil and gas pipes, the quality of the root pass of a weld is critical to the structural integrity of the girth weld. Optical Metrology Services Limited (OMS) discusses how video inspection and internal weld scanning tools are being used to check weld quality on pipes and other deep sea subsea oil and gas structures.
06 December 2011
C. Kallesøe, J. Aarestrup and K. Rokkjær of Grundfos analyse the control and design of booster sets from an energy perspective. They investigate how the structure and control can be used to minimize energy consumption, and demonstrate that equally sized pumps equipped with speed control and running at the same speed are a safe design choice.
06 December 2011
When it came to choosing an HVAC system for a prestigious European development project, the contractors had to obtain low carbon, highly energy efficient equipment, and to make optimum use of space at this central London site. The space-saving features of the HVAC equipment manufacturer Armstrong were particularly valuable for this project.
29 November 2011
As water companies reduce water pressure in the domestic mains to reduce leakages, tall buildings are becoming reliant on booster pumps to provide water at sufficient pressure to enable normal daily living. This has revealed a potential threat – hydraulic shock, says Gary Wheatley from Wilo (U.K.) Ltd.
29 November 2011
The pumping of high temperature titanium tetrachloride can cause manufacturing and safety issues. So how can we ensure that manufacturing processes are safe from chemical attack? The combination of a John Crane 3740D seal and DuPont’s Vespel bearing sleeve material resulted in total success, as Vic Lundberg reports.
22 November 2011
Harmonic distortion is a form of pollution in the electricity supply that can make equipment behave erratically. They can be difficult to identify and users often attribute the symptoms to other causes, frequently applying mitigating action that fails to solve the problem. Here, ABB gives a few examples of how harmonics can be effectively dealt with if properly identified.
22 November 2011
It is often said that the bigger the project the bigger the potential energy savings. This is true for the Datan power plant, the largest of its kind in north Taiwan. Part of the reason for its success is the use of 12 sets of highly efficient, corrosion-resistant, low maintenance San Tai centrifugal water pumps giving an efficiency of 89%.
15 November 2011
Centrifugal pumps are widely used in industry and many are driven by induction motors. Failure due to pump bearing degradation would result in an unscheduled shutdown leading to production and revenue losses. Parasuram Harihara from Corning Incorporated and Alexander Parlos from Texas A&M propose a technique to detect bearing deterioration using the motor’s electrical signals.
15 November 2011
While considerable energy savings can be achieved by installing variable speed drives in standard pump systems, VSDs are less common in submersible applications, being more difficult to implement. However, it is well worth the effort as the energy savings and process improvements can be enormous. Here, ABB examines the main factors to consider.
01 November 2011
Jeremy Salisbury from Brammer UK shows how ensuring that a centrifugal process pump operates at optimum speed and efficiency is key to maintaining productivity, reducing energy consumption and maximizing product life. He examines the technologies available to optimize operation and reliability, and the paybacks achievable through investment in appropriate control.
01 November 2011
Increasingly, cities and low-lying areas are at risk of sewer overflow from extreme rainfall. Stormwater tanks can help reduce the impact of extreme climatic events by holding back excess stormwater and contaminants. This protects the environment and makes possible the intelligent management of stormwater flows, resulting in savings on infrastructure investments. Now Grundfos has developed a handbook informing engineers about tank design and optimisation.
18 October 2011
Tasked with replacing ageing pumps at a UK Advanced Water Treatment Works (AWTW), engineering, consulting and construction company Black & Veatch opted to install a number of peristaltic models from Watson-Marlow. Offering continuous, high pressure and quick release functionality, the new pumps have slotted comfortably into their high-tech surroundings, which is one of Thames Water's flagship process plants.
11 October 2011
An unwelcome by product of the oil production process is solid waste and waste oil. One option is to bury it and risk the consequential impact on the environment. However, another option is to incinerate the waste and this is just what happened at a site in Papua, New Guinea. Here we tell how a Mono Widethroat Waste Oil Incinerator Feed progressing cavity (pc) pump reduced the environmental impact of a waste plant.
11 October 2011
To keep wastewater lifting stations operating at peak efficiency it is necessary that they remain clean. Caprari with more than 60 years in designing, manufacturing and installing pumping, mixing and aeration equipment, has contributed towards the creation of a ‘flushing system’. It includes a number of features that are designed to offer significant improvements.
16 September 2011
ProMinent has invested around €500,000 in a new pump test bench which is enabling it to undertake further development of its process metering pumps. This includes even the highest performance ranges and pumps to meet API 675 guidelines, thereby ensuring that process safety is guaranteed when metering and handling flammable, toxic, solids-laden or highly viscous fluids.
15 September 2011
When the wastewater and effluent infrastructure of the historic city of Krakow in Poland was in urgent need of renewal and updating, the main objectives being to improve the treatment of sewage which eventually flows into the Baltic Sea. A number of KSB's sewage submersible pumps and mixers were used to fulfil this objective.
14 September 2011
Residents of Elbow Cay, Bahamas rely on reverse osmosis for most fresh water, often supplied by fixed displacement axial piston pumps for new and retrofit installations. One Danfoss unit recently attained 23,000 hours of use – 15,000 more than its guarantee and is still in excellent shape. World Pumps talks to James Graham and Gary Ford.
13 September 2011
Since the Haiti earthquake in January 2010, contaminated water has been a contributing factor in the wide spread of cholera. Insufficient power supplies and water shortages are two major factors which needed to be overcome. Grundfos provided rotor and centrifugal pumping systems which combat these problems by using solar and wind energy.
07 September 2011
A Thames Water sewage treatment works in London was experiencing too much downtime due to maintenance. A new pump was needed which could improve efficiency and reduce downtime without presenting difficulties during installation. The selected NOV Mono EZstrip progressive cavity pump has proven easy to dissemble, de-rag and maintain.
24 August 2011