Processing & Handling
Valve position indicators that tell more than just on or off
The 2040 digital position indicator uses a colored light signal, visible from a distance, to show the open or closed position of a valve. Four different color signals are used: open and closed by yellow and green. At the…
Direct-acting solenoid valves for use in harsh environments
Introduced last month, these two intrinsically safe solenoid valves (photo) have Ex ia IIC T6 certification. The solenoid operators are designed for use on the 327 range of direct-operated solenoid valves, and are available in epoxy-coated aluminum or stainless steel.…
Physical chemistry principles point to a better way to clean up oil spills
One of the current methods for dealing with oil spills is through the use of dispersants. These dispersants, however, break oil into small globules that sink into the water, spreading the oil into a wider area, and they have toxic…
Control valves operate four times faster with this volume booster
With the newly developed, high-precision 4090 pneumatic volume booster it is possible to amplify the air strength of the set point signal from the positioner to the actuator such that these control valves (depending on the nominal valve size)…
Continuous production of ‘Bio-cokes’
Kinki University (www.kindai.ac.jp) and Naniwa Roki Co. (both Osaka, Japan; www.naniwaroki.co.jp) have developed a continuous process for producing a next-generation solid fuel, called Bio-cokes. The process is being used at a new production facility located at Kinki University Research Institute…
New boiler fuels from oil, coal and biomass wastes
Composite liquid and slurry boiler fuels have been produced from mixtures of various waste materials, such as biomass, coal- and crude-oil-processing residues, wood and other combustible substances, in a collaboration between researchers at the University of Rhode Island (Kingston, R.I.)…
A process for recovering rare-earth metals from magnet scrap
Researchers at the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Ames Laboratory (Ames, Iowa; www.ameslab.gov) led by Ryan Ott have developed a process for recovering rare-earth (RE) metals from magnet scraps. The process involves first crushing neodymium-iron-boron magnet scraps and placing the…
Spun carbon-nanotube fibers with unmatched properties of any other material
For the first time, it has become possible to spin carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into a fiber that looks and acts like textile threads, yet has the electrical conductivity and strength of a metal. The breakthrough, which came after more than…
Sizing, Specifying and Selecting Centrifugal Pumps
Determining the proper preliminary size for centrifugal pumps during the initial stages of any pump-specification exercise requires numerous calculations and assumptions. This article reviews the steps needed to size centrifugal pumps during the early stages of a project, to support…
This little valve has a zirconia ball and seat
The new Hard Seat VHS Micro-Dispense Valve offers repeatable, non-contact dispensing of fluids in the nano- to microliter range. It features a precision zirconia ball and seat instead of a traditional elastomeric seal, thereby ensuring resistance to aggressive fluids, such…