Automation & Control
Improving Control Valve Performance
Improvements to the performance of basic, regulatory control systems have a great return on investment and are some of the least expensive control improvements to make [1]. Control valves have a major impact on control loop performance and, therefore, improvements…
Counting On Process Analytical Technology
If the debate that culminated in passage of national healthcare reform in the U.S. is any indication of what is ahead for pharmaceutical manufacturers, they should ready themselves for battle. Implementation of the sweeping measure puts the onus on drugmakers…
Applying CPI Temperature Sensors
When selecting a temperature sensor, don’t fall back on outdated rules of thumb that may no longer be valid, or ‘plug and play’ solutions that may not be applicable Temperature is a critical measurement in the chemical process industries (CPI).…
This rheometer performs multipass measurements
Strata Technology Ltd. (Sunbury-on-Thames, U.K.; www.stratatec.co.uk) has commercialized the Cambridge Multipass Rheometer (MPR), which was developed by professor Malcolm Mackley at the Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Cambridge University (www.ceb.cam.ac.uk) for advanced studies of the rheological properties of melts,…
pH Measurement And Control
The mechanical design and material science of pH-sensor technology have evolved dramatically over the last century. Current-day uses include a wide range of applications from high-purity pharmaceutical processing to wastewater treatment. Some of these applications pose high challenges to pH…
Fine-tuning Pump Vibration Diagnostics
To unearth the fundamental causes of vibration-related pump troubles, pump end-users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) typically have relied on a concise array of vibration field-test parameters. Conventional trial-and-error vibration troubleshooting methods often fail to achieve the longterm, trouble-free pump…
Optimize Shift Scheduling Using Pinch Analysis
Pinch analysis emerged as a systematic design tool during the energy crisis of the late 1970s, particularly for the optimization of heat-exchanger networks and other heat-recovery systems [ 1 ]. Since then, ongoing breakthroughs in the use of pinch analysis…
Focus on Computer Modeling
This software allows data exchange for 3-D modeling Aveva Solutions The Mechanical Equipment Interface product (photo) is designed to allow integration of modeling information between otherwise incompatible three-dimensional (3-D) design systems. In particular, plant piping designers often have to integrate…
Ask the Experts: Radio Frequency Spectrum
Question: What is the RF spectrum and what considerations regarding it do we need to take as we expand our implementation of wireless networks? Answer: There is an extremely important asset that you own and control. However, if you don’t manage…
Focus on Flow Measurement
Trimec Flowrate totalizer simplifies the sums Specifically designed for computing and displaying flowrates and totals from flowmeters with pulse, sine-wave or frequency outputs, the RT20 Rate Totalizer (photo) can be battery or externally powered and features a large six-digit…