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Show Preview – ACHEM ASIA 2019

| By Gerald Ondrey

AchemAsia — International Expo and Innovation Forum for Sustainable Chemical Production — is the international technical and scientific exhibition and conference for the Asian market. With about 400 exhibitors from some 20 countries, it focuses on the exchange of experience between scientists and engineers, as well as between equipment suppliers and users. Taking place every three years, this edition of AchemAsia runs from May 21–23 in Shanghai. It is organized by Dechema (Frankfurt am Main, Germany; www.dechema.de) and CIESC (Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China), in cooperation with numerous Chinese and international partners.

Apart from the move to Shanghai, where AchemAsia will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) for the first time, participants can look forward to a couple of novelties: The International Expo and Innovation Forum for Sustainable Chemical Production brings the latest technologies in this field to the spotlight. Making the chemical process industries (CPI) more sustainable means using less resources and less energy. Efficiency in production processes is increased via the implementation of energy recovery measures, the use of better catalysts and optimized equipment. It means designing processes with a holistic perspective, making use of new digitalization and modeling approaches. It means protecting scarce water resources through state-of-the-art industrial water management, closing loops, culminating in concepts such as zero liquid discharge, where no water leaves the industrial process.

Besides being showcased in the exhibition, these trends will also be discussed in the accompanying congress. Composed of satellite symposia on hot topics of the Chinese CPI, the congress takes place right in the exhibition hall.

The following is a sample of products being exhibited at AchemAsia 2019.

 

This variable-speed actuator is also explosion proof

AUMA Riester

This electric-actuator manufacturer is showcasing the latest advances in valve actuation at this year’s AchemAsia. The new SAV variable-speed actuators bring significant advantages to challenging valve automation tasks, because each change of valve position can be done at the optimum speed. These actuators are now also available in explosion-proof versions. High operating speeds favor rapid opening and closing. Low speeds give the best positioning accuracy, which considerably increases the effectiveness of control valves. Reducing operating speeds close to the end positions avoids pressure peaks in pipelines and protects the mechanical integrity of valves and sluice gates. Hall 7.1, Stand F26 — AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG, Muellheim, Germany

www.auma.com

 

AR and VR reshape the reality of the process industry

Sulzer Chemtech

This company will be showing advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences that will allow visitors to have a closer look at equipment, as well as how it integrates into industrial plants (photo). As a leader in separation and mixing technology, the company is well-aligned with the theme of this year’s event — sustainable chemical production in China. To support this, the company will showcase real-world applications of its separation technologies, for example for bioethanol production. Using tablets with the company’s AR application (app), visitors will be able to interact with 3-D models of facilities, where they will see how its equipment fits into large-scale processing plants, as well as accessing relevant information on the products, in the form of text, videos and pictures. A VR app will also allow visitors to explore the comprehensive range of static mixers and column internals, including the next-generation random packing NeXRing. In addition, a VR headset will be available at the stand to virtually walk through a number of process plants featuring the manufacturer’s solutions. Visitors to the stand will be guided through these experiences by industry experts, who will also be available to discuss their key mass-transfer solutions for process manufacturing. Stand B3, Hall 7.1 — Sulzer Chemtech AG, Winterthur, Switzerland

www.sulzer.com

 

New versatile pneumatic swivel actuator for automating valves

bar pneumatische Steuerungssysteme

The bar-agturn (photo) is a new pneumatic swivel actuator that covers the full spectrum of torques and swivel angles for shut-off device automation, with 18 different sizes at torques from 2 to 13,040 Nm. The actuators also cover a wide range of application options thanks to actuator versions with different swivel angles. The high-grade powder-coated covers and housing coating made of hard anodized aluminum enable use even under aggressive environmental conditions. Precisely cut piston teeth ensure smoother running, optimal torque and low wear. The flange patterns and air connections are marked this way to ensure unmistakable allocation. The use of the same covers for single and double-acting actuators enables conversion from single to double-acting versions (or vice-versa) without having to replace the caps. A standardized VDI/VDE 3845 interface allows all positioners and end-switch boxes widely available on the market to be attached. The integrated position indicator is equipped with variable clips to display the valve position, thus reducing costs for the user. In most cases, two ISO flange patterns are available for each size of actuator for flexible automation of valves. The pinion, with its octagonal connection, adapts a parallel or diagonal operating-shaft orientation for the valve and ensures space-saving actuator installation. Optimal valve adjustment is achieved by setting the end positions in the 0 and 90 deg position from 5 to –5 deg. Stand D89 (German Pavilion) — bar pneumatische Steuerungssysteme GmbH, Dattenberg, Germany

www.bar-gmbh.de

Analyze surface roughness and surfactants with these devices

Krüss

Two highlights being exhibited at this company’s stand are a surface-roughness analyzer and a bubble-pressure tensiometer. The Surface Roughness Analyzer (SRA) supports the optimization of materials or production process that require a surface that must be very smooth, show a certain texture or a required degree of roughness. The SRA gives users a 3-D image of a sample’s surface and provides data that exactly describe its topography, quickly, without contact and with an extremely high resolution. Also on display is the Bubble Pressure Tensiometer (BPT) Mobile (photo) — a hand-held device for quality control of cleaning and coating baths. Users can simply immerse, click, and read out the surfactant content of a parts-cleaning bath within seconds. The device is based on surface tension measurements, and an ad hoc evaluation of the data informs the quality control inspector if the bath is okay. Moreover, for proactive adjustment of the bath, the BPT Mobile shows how the surfactant content decreases over time due to removed parts, for example. Hall 7.1 Stand D60 — Krüss GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

www.kruss-scientific.com

Plates and sheets of a variety of metals and alloys

voestalpine Böhler Bleche

This company is a manufacturer of single cross-rolled sheets and plates of special materials. Austenitic and super-duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel-based alloys, as well as high alloyed special steels are the standard product portfolio. Titanium and titanium-alloy sheets and plates (photo) have now been included into the production program to increase the available product range. As the only titanium-producing European rolling mill, CP titanium Grade 1–4 and alloyed titanium Grade 5 are being offered and produced for applications in industrial, medical and aerospace applications. In addition, other titanium alloys for special applications can be offered upon request. At AchemAsia, the manufacturer will present its standard products, recent investments into their manufacturing technology and new titanium products, along with their advantages for applications in chemical process industries. Hall 7 Stand E34 — voestalpine Böhler Bleche GmbH, Mürzzuschlag, Austria

www.bohler-bleche.com

A new generation of valve positioners

Samson Controls

The new positioners for 4–20-mA applications combine the latest technological developments with the proven device base from the Trovis Type 3730-1 and Type 3730-3 predecessor models (photo). Both positioners are particularly rugged thanks to their no-wear, non-contact travel-sensing system. Two inductive limit contacts are available to reliably indicate both valve end positions. At the same time, the positioners’ air consumption has been reduced considerably by upgrading the pneumatics block. — Stand D49 (German Pavillion) — Samson Controls (China) Co. Ltd., Beijing, China

www.samson.de

A rupture disk for applications with strict hygiene requirements

To achieve constant monitoring of the rupture disc, the KUB clean is also available with integrated signaling. Both rupture disc and signaling have only one installation point and can be easily integrated into the process control system. The absolute leak-tightness and durability of the KUB clean ensures perfectly hygienic production with a working pressure ratio of up to 98%. Furthermore, the extreme robustness ensures a very long service life and low downtimes. Stand C85 (German Pavilion) — Rembe GmbH Safety + Control, Brilion, Germany

www.rembe.de

This magnetic drive pump meets local Asian standards

Richter Chemie-Technik

The QMD series of magnetic drive pumps (photo) were designed to anticipate the fast-growing Asian market. This newly developed pump series was launched in 2018. The pump series complies with the requirements of the local standard GB 5662, which can be equated with ISO 2858, and is designed for applications in the temperature range of –10 to 100°C. The excellent chemical resistance provided by fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) lining and other high-quality materials, such as silicon carbide, allows for operation in applications with a performance range up to 125 m3/h and 65 m head. A total of eight pump sizes are available. Stand C61 (German Pavilion) — Richter Chemie-Technik GmbH, Kempen, Germany

www.richter-ct.com

All types of pumps for fluid transfer in containers

Flux-Geräte

This company’s drum and container pumps (photo, p. 62) are available in a variety of designs and materials, which can be tailored to users’ requirements. This includes pumps with and without mechanical seals, mixing pumps, explosion-proof or 3-A certified versions and food pumps. Moreover, all pumps can be combined with various motors. In this way, media can be pumped out of vessels with sizes ranging from small cans to intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). The drum and container pumps are suitable for pumping various low-viscosity and also especially aggressive and highly flammable fluids. The axial-impeller pumps provide a pulsation-free pumping action. Constructed in a modular design, different pumps are able to be driven by the same motor. As a result of their low weight, the pumps can be easily carried from container to container. The easy handling of motor and pump keeps changeover times short. Stand C86 (German Pavilion) — Flux-Geräte GmbH, Maulbronn, Germany

www.flux-pumps.com

A stirred reactor for industrial photochemistry

Ekato

The new stirred photoreactor (photo) allows syntheses using the energy of light and an advanced stirring technique that ensures high circulation rates in the reactor. The concept of this new stirred reactor is ideal for multiphase reactions involving liquids, gases and solids. It combines high productivity and flexibility with the safe operation of immersed light sources. Reactors up to 50 m³ are realized with this proven design, and a reliable scale-up by this company’s specialists enables further reactor sizes. These photoreactors can be manufactured from numerous material variants. Common materials are: enameled steel, stainless steels, nickel-base materials or titanium. Stand B95 (German Pavilion) — Ekato (Shanghai) Agitation Equipment Co., Shanghai, China

www.ekato.com