Innovations
Process oxygen analyzer precisely calculates natural gas, biogas and other gas streams in real time
KECO has introduced the OxyHound, a highly-efficient process gas analyzer (FIG. 1) that conducts real-time and continuous oxygen analysis of natural gas, biogas and other gas streams. Utilizing optical quench luminescence technology for gaseous sampling, this cost-effective analyzer conducts precise oxygen measurements in a gaseous phase (ppmv and % on a molar basis) with no cross-sensitivity with CO2, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), sulfur oxide (SO2), sulfate or other ionic species.
OxyHound technology is based on the phase modulation of an oxygen-specific luminophore's luminescent decay time, which enables the accurate calculation of oxygen's partial pressure. The oxygen analyzer measures the phase shift and intensity variation between the excitation light and the fluorescent response. From these measurements, the analyzer’s onboard computer precisely calculates oxygen in real time.
With a user-friendly and low-maintenance design, the OxyHound eliminates the need for electrolyte changes or membrane maintenance. Utilizing KECO Cloud Connect, users can remotely monitor the analyzer on any web-connected device using LTE-M. These features can work as an oxygen analyzer or meter (data logger). This makes the OxyHound an ideal replacement for older technologies, such as paramagnetic analyzers, electrochemical cells, and in some instances, zirconia and tunable diode laser (TDL).
Built for Division 2 and Zone 2 hazardous locations, the OxyHound operates in a range of environments with contaminants such as H2S, CO2, hydrogen (H2), propylene, methanol and ethanol mixtures. A reliable choice for indoor and outdoor settings, the gas analyzer serves various industries including natural gas pipelines, refineries, biogas, chemical plants, landfills, wastewater treatment, manufacturing, food and beverage, and renewables.
For example, in the oil and gas sector, the process gas analyzer can measure traces of oxygen levels in various operations from vapor recovery units to enhanced oil recovery processes. In renewable energy applications, including bio-gas and ethanol production, the OxyHound excels in environments with contaminants such as H2S, CO2 and H2. In addition, the oxygen gas analyzer is ideal for manufacturing sectors such as fiber optic production and annealing furnaces.
For more information, visit https://liquidgasanalyzers.com/product/o2-analyzer/
Digital lifecycle solutions fuel achievement of reliability and sustainability goals
Control Station has expanded its client services capabilities with the rollout of Digital Lifecycle Solutions (DLS). The company is a leader in process analytic and optimization solutions. With the introduction of its DLS offerings, Control Station now empowers licensees of its products to maximize the value of their technology investments and to achieve their reliability and sustainability goals.
Control Station users located in more than 70 countries (and growing) are familiar with the company’s PlantESP control loop performance monitoring (CLPM) solution and its capabilities for both monitoring operating conditions and suggesting optimal tuning values. The new DLS offerings build upon application services previously delivered to licensees of the PlantESP solution.
Developed to align with different stages of a manufacturer’s operational journey, the enhanced services leverage PlantESP’s comprehensive PID control loop analytics to proactively analyze asset performance on a plant- or an enterprise-wide basis, apply advanced forensic and state-based analytics, and capitalize on intelligence captured by other on-premises and cloud-based computing and visualization platforms.
Users of advanced application technologies often struggle to capture the full potential of their investment due to a lack of training, overextended personnel or other issues. In addition to the technology becoming shelfware, licensees of these technologies fail to meet more essential goals of improved asset reliability and sustainability. Control Station’s DLS offerings address these challenges directly, assisting users so they can take full advantage of PlantESP’s capabilities and realize valuable and ongoing optimization results.
In collaboration with assigned project champions, the DLS offerings guide customers through three lifecycle phases: identify, implement and maintain. Each phase incorporates increasingly sophisticated methods of analysis and recommendations for corrective action. Customized DLS charters define the agreed-to project scope and document both performance goals and resource commitments. As a strategic partner in the charter’s execution, Control Station’s engineering staff lend expert support through onsite and virtual means.
Process optimization is a specialty skill, and CLPM software like PlantESP has made extraordinary advances in helping users of all types find success. Control Station is now partnering with users through DLS to emphasize value addition through service excellence, helping process manufacturers further amplify the benefits of their optimization technology investments.
For more information, visit www.controlstation.com
Overcoming CO2 challenge with ultrasonic sensors
Flaring, driven primarily by safety concerns, is a vital part of energy production, serving as a responsible alternative to releasing greenhouse gases (GHG) directly into the atmosphere. However, the presence of high concentrations of CO2 in the gas stream has long been an insurmountable challenge to achieving accurate measurements.
In 2023, Fluenta launched a completely new range of ultrasonic sensors, called FlarePhase, available in three models with a range of wide operating temperatures from –200°C to 350°C. These sensors were targeted, amongst other benefits, at overcoming the specific challenges in measuring in high CO2.
In early 2024, Fluenta conducted a confirmation test at IPT Brazil that verified stable and accurate flow measurement in a composition with 99% CO2 flowing through a 10.5-in. pipe. In addition, Fluenta measured in a wide range of other gas compositions and conditions, demonstrating the accuracy of its proprietary physics modeling and predictive performance tool, which can accurately assess the performance of all Fluenta sensors in almost any process condition.
The company’s flowmeters can measure flare gas with high CO2 concentrations in any pipe size up to 42 in. using appropriate sensor configurations. The primary technique for measuring flare gas volumes with ultrasound relies on the time-of-flight principle to determine gas velocity. Placing two transducers at an angle across a flare line, capable of sending and receiving signals, allows accurate calculation of the flow velocity. However, CO2 strongly attenuates ultrasonic signals, which is a key technical challenge.
Flare gas with CO2 levels exceeding 40% has historically posed challenges for precise ultrasonic measurement. While ultrasonic measurement provides a much more accurate approach for assessing flare gas, it is essential to acknowledge that ultrasonic signals can be absorbed by CO2. This absorption effect is significant, with signal attenuation reaching extreme levels of up to 100,000 to 1, even in smaller pipe sizes.
Using a novel approach to this challenge, Fluenta has used its extensive signal processing expertise to develop a proprietary physics-based tool to accurately predict performance in various process conditions. In practice, test measurements can only represent a limited portion of the gas compositions present in flare gas. Therefore, the challenge lies in measuring the diverse compositions encountered under various operating conditions. Flare gases typically exhibit different compositions depending on whether the facility operates under normal conditions, abnormal conditions or during blow-down scenarios. Fluenta’s tool calculates capability based upon combinations of up to 20 different gases at a full range of concentrations.
The testing, conducted at IPT Brazil involved the construction of a 20-in. flow loop facility specially for Fluenta. To validate Fluenta’s CO2 modelling capabilities, the CO2 loop at ITP featured a 20-in. diameter pipe with spool diameters between 12 in. and 20 in. The maximum flow was 16,000m3/hr with linear flows of 68 m/sec for 12-in. pipe, 42 m/sec for 16-in. pipe and 27 m/sec for 20-in. pipe. The loop incorporated a heat exchanger to stabilize the gas temperature. A real-time analyzer and gas chromatograph verified the CO2/air mixtures up to 100% CO2.
For more information, visit www.fluenta.com
New retractable submerged pumps
Vanzetti Engineering is expanding its product portfolio by introducing a new family of submerged pumps, the ESK-IMO retractable series with flowrates from 70 m3/hr up to 500 m3/hr and a head of up to 240 m.
As the entire hydraulic and mechanical part derives from the ARTIKA Series, the ESK-IMO pump (FIG. 2) inherits the reliability and quality of a product that is already acknowledged and well-established in the market.
The ESK-IMO Series is used in the industrial field in small-scale terminals with a capacity of < 1 metric MMtpy, and in the marine field where retractable pumps are used as emergency pumps or cargo/stripping pumps for emptying tanks in the event of malfunction and/or necessary maintenance on the main pumps.
In contrast to the ARTIKA Series, which is mounted directly at the bottom of the tank or inside a cryostat, the ESK-IMO retractable pump is installed inside a column that is isolated from the rest of the tank by a foot valve. In this way, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) remains confined in the tank outside the column, allowing the pump to be removed by opening a cover at the top of the column.
Vanzetti Engineering offers the new retractable submerged pump series with all the accessories required for its operation: the foot valve, the column cover, the cables required to lift the pump and remove it from the tank, and the electrical connectors. As an optional extra, a vibration monitoring system is also available to display and signal any malfunction alarms.
A special feature of the ESK-IMO retractable pump is that it does not require the tank to be emptied for maintenance. This is an important added value considering that the tanks of small-scale LNG terminals are subject to very long maintenance intervals (> 25 yr). As the maintenance interval of the pump is generally shorter than that of the tank, it is a huge advantage to be able to remove the pump and carry out maintenance without taking the tank out of service because it makes the process quicker and easier for both the user and the terminal itself. In addition, all potential related risks are thus avoided.
In the marine sector, the ESK-IMO Series allows for greater flexibility in maintenance activities, making it possible to empty atmospheric tanks (operating at a pressure of < 1 bar) to service the tank itself or the installed pumps. Moreover, the ESK-IMO pump does not require a large space above the tank—a feature that is compatible with environments normally found below deck—to be extracted from the column.
The small-scale LNG terminal and marine markets are experiencing unprecedented growth, with particular emphasis in the Americas and Southeast Asia regions. These segments are emerging as key drivers in the transformation of the global energy and maritime landscape. With increasing demand for alternative energy and growing pressure to reduce emissions, terminals are proving to be a flexible solution that can bring LNG to where it is needed, especially in industrial, commercial, civil and shipping contexts. In parallel, the LNG shipping market is experiencing significant growth. LNG-fueled ships offer an alternative to traditional fuel, helping to reduce emissions to comply with increasingly stringent regulations, in turn generating growing demand for port infrastructure and dedicated terminals.
This circle is fueling rapid and sustained growth in both sectors, with prospects for further expansion in the near future, and the new ESK-IMO Series fits strategically into this context.
For more information, visit https://www.vanzettiengineering.com/
Updated digital solution designed to further support field workers, improve operational efficiency and safety
ABB has introduced an updated ABB Ability™ Connected Worker solution (FIG. 3) with new functionalities that strengthen and accelerate the digitalization of the field operator experience to mitigate the risk of human error and unscheduled downtime.
The enhanced software integrates technology and connectivity into the workplace to provide the operator more flexibility, control and ease-of-use through greater visibility of real-world circumstances and data. In doing so, it enables a more sustainable and resilient business model.
The Integrated Task Manager app will deliver ongoing, continuous improvements on current data and stronger analysis capabilities on historical data, allowing operators to more accurately measure their performance efficiency. Improvements in the Procedure Manager app mean that operators can now preview their industrial procedures across various mobile devices and in different virtual settings.
The updated Mobile app features an improved audit trail and the ability to go back and enter or approve data in a more controlled way. The improved visibility allows for better prioritization and ease-of-use, increasing quality of operations as a result.
Connected Worker connects seamlessly with MS Teams and the control system to ensure real-time synchronization of manual with automated industrial procedures, helping operators better visualize and coordinate complex workflows. It also schedules and tracks jobs, based on triggers from other systems or devices, and assigns tasks to the appropriate stakeholders, defining the date and time of the required action.
For more information, visit https://new.abb.com/industrial-software/connected-workforce/abb-ability-connected-worker
New channel pattern for enhanced energy efficiency
KTS, a leader in innovative thermal solutions, has launched a new channel pattern for its flagship product, K°BOND (FIG. 4). This new design, developed through the SCARABEUS project funded by the European Union, represents a significant leap forward in supercritical CO2 power cycles, promising to substantially improve overall cycle efficiency.
The K°BOND’s novel channel pattern is not only a significant change for supercritical CO2 power cycles, but also offers remarkable benefits for the compression of natural gas and H2. The innovative design allows for up to 10% lower pressure drops, setting a new standard in the industry. Alternatively, at a similar pressure drop, it will reduce the equipment size by up to 10% compared to conventional PCHE technologies.
The new channel pattern has undergone rigorous testing, including mechanical finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations, to optimize shape and enhance heat transfer while reducing pressure losses. The result is a design that gives up to 20% reduction in pressure loss compared to previous models.
KTS has produced two prototypes, one with the conventional zig-zag channel and another with the new shape, both of which have been successfully tested at the facilities of Technische Universität Wien.
For more information, visit https://www.kts.kelvion.com/channel-pattern/
Digitalizing industrial operations to realize the value of advanced technology
Henkel has further expanded the portfolio of its industrial internet of things (IIoT) solution Loctite Pulse by launching two novel innovative offerings: Smart Rotating Equipment Monitoring and Smart Pipes and Tanks Leak Detection (FIG. 5). These innovative solutions mark another milestone in the company’s commitment to expanding its broad maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) portfolio and delivering advanced technology to industrial operations worldwide.
Driven by a mission to redefine industrial reliability, Loctite Pulse leverages > 70 yr of industrial brand expertise to offer a comprehensive suite of IIoT solutions. From state-of-the-art monitoring sensor technology to trusted solutions for both static and rotating equipment, the brand empowers industries to stay ahead of plant failures, helping to reduce downtime and enhancing safety and sustainability. The Loctite Pulse app enables the monitoring of critical assets with just a few clicks and significantly facilitates the maintenance of a broad variety of assets without the need for any additional IT implementation. It provides alerts and information about the equipment status to effectively support users in prioritizing tasks and scheduling shutdowns.
Key features of the new solutions include:
- Smart Rotating Equipment Monitoring features a 6-in-1 plug-and-play sensor. Loctite Pulse Smart Rotating Equipment Monitoring offers a comprehensive approach, enabling simultaneous monitoring of six critical data parameters from vibration to magnetic flux and acoustic emissions. This streamlines the monitoring process while ensuring enhanced performance and precision. The solution has already been launched in the U.S. and will be available across Western Europe in Q3 2024.
- Smart Pipes and Tanks Leak Detection offers an advanced retrofit monitoring solution for early-stage hydrocarbon leak detection. Powered by carbon nanotube sensor technology, it supports detection of early leakages, helps to reduce downtime and boosts sustainability, even in aging tanks and pipes. The solution is now available in the U.S. and Western Europe and is similar to the existing Loctite Pulse Smart Flange Leak Detection.
The new solutions amplify the connection between Loctite’s IIoT portfolio and Henkel´s MRO core product range. Smart Rotating Equipment Monitoring allows customers to monitor critical assets like pumps, motors and gearboxes, detect issues early, and apply proven solutions from Loctite’s extensive MRO product range to solve the issues. Similarly, Smart Pipes and Tanks Leak Detection links seamlessly to Loctite’s established composite repair, sealing and coating solutions. This integrated approach ensures that problems are diagnosed while corresponding repair products are being offered from a single source. Loctite Pulse goes beyond predicting and identifying failures—the company helps customers to find smart fixes by offering high-performing, long-lasting repair products.
Henkel introduced Loctite Pulse in 2021 and quickly expanded the offering with the Loctite Pulse Smart Steam Trap solution in 2023. The solutions are being implemented throughout the oil and gas, chemical, and food and beverage industries, as well as in Henkel’s production facilities. At Henkel’s production site in Düsseldorf, for example, the Loctite Pulse Smart Steam Trap solution provides instant information via the smartphone app, allowing prompt identification of blockages or blow throughs.
For more information, visit the respective websites for North America and Europe.
Comments