www.plantservices.com Get It Back Recover the energy invested in powering compressors A Puzzling Gear Tooth Failure p.40 Fly Ash in Concrete Causes Concerns p.44 m ay 2 0 1 0 Use the CMMS to Handle Service Requests p.27 Energy Strategy: Is Board-Level Management on Board? p.58 PS1005_01_Cover.indd 1 5/7/10 8:48 AM Get high-quality AC drives and motors at AutomationDirect prices! Variable speed drives can improve your bottom line by reducing your AC motors’ energy consumption. An investment of as little as $99 can start paying off immediately. • GS1 AC drives (1/4 to 2 hp) offer simple Volts/Hertz control for general purpose applications. Built-in I/O, Modbus communications capability and programmable preset speeds increase its flexibility. • GS2 AC drives (0.5 to 10 hp) feature built-in PID control, dynamic braking and Modbus communications. • DuraPULSE AC drives (1 to 100 hp) add sensorless vector control, a removable keypad that stores up to four different application programs, and built-in discrete and analog I/O. Communicate via built-in Modbus or an optional Ethernet connection. www.automationdirect.com/drives Marathon Electric NEMA Premium Efficiency XRI series motors are compliant with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, giving you both a low purchase prices and long-term energy savings. Our line of Marathon motors includes: • NEMA Premium Efficiency XRI (1 - 10 hp), starting at $310 • Blue Chip XRI Ultra High Efficiency (15 - 100 hp), for high-cycle or long-run applications, starting at $993 • Inverter-duty (1/4 to 100 hp) standard efficiency, starting at $129 www.automationdirect.com/motors www.automationdirect.com Go online or call to get complete information, request your free catalog, or place an order. 1-800-633-0405 PS1005_FPA.indd 2 5/7/10 10:27 AM Over 900,000 products for the ones who get it done. Call. Click. Stop By.® www.grainger.com PS1005_FPA.indd 3 5/7/10 10:35 AM Atlas Copco Compressors: The Air Auditing Specialists. Puzzled by rising energy costs? Atlas Copco has a full range of compressed air auditing services available - from simple system diagnostics all the way to ultrasonic leak detection. These services are available for any compressed air system. A compressed air audit from Atlas Copco will: Show your compressor’s energy usage. Highlight areas where savings could be made. Provide you with a payback analysis on any new investments. Provide you with a professional audit report. Text: Audit and your Zip Code to 79274 Call Us: 866-688-9611 Log On: www.atlascopco.us/mboxusa PS1005_FPA.indd April 4 Audit_Ad_BestPractices 13.indd 1 5/7/10 10:36 AM PM 4/13/2010 2:02:00 table of contents may 2010 / Vol. 31, No. 5 features 32 / COVER STORY Get It Back Recover the energy invested in powering compressors 40 / Power Transmission Extracting the Root of a Puzzling Gear Tooth Failure How we resolved a problem in a power generation drivetrain 44 / Flooring The Fly in the Concrete Exclusives Why return condensate to the boiler? The best reasons are intertwined with process economics. www.PlantServices.com/articles/2010/04ReturnCondensate ToBoiler.html Abrasion-resistant pipe exhibits dual personality Induction-hardened steel pipe is hard on the inside, soft on the outside. www.PlantServices.com/articles/2010/04AbrasionResistant Pipe.html Best practices for installing safety valves Follow these common sense guidelines to ensure your steam system is safe. www.PlantServices.com/articles/2010/04InstallSafety Valves.html Coal fly ash in cement brings green value – and flooring challenges 47 / Power Distribution The Electrical Tester’s Toolkit Accurate troubleshooting relies on using the proper tool for the job specialists 25 / Human Capital 31 / Technology Toolbox Integrity Emission Controls Doing what’s right because it’s the right thing to do New technologies are advancing our abilities to contain unsavory emissions 27 / Asset Manager Handling Service Requests 58 / Energy Expert Are We There Yet? It’s evolved way beyond the primitive telephone help desk How board-level management can get onboard columns and departments 7 / FROM THE EDITOR 23 / Your Space Training with a purpose Oil and Water Eight steps to cash-positive education. www.PlantServices.com/articles/2010/04RoadTo Reliability.html The balance of risk and responsibility Find Those Golden Production Nuggets PLANT SERVICES (ISSN 0199-8013) is published monthly by Putman Media, Inc., 555 West Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143. Phone (630) 467-1300, Fax (847) 291-4816. Periodicals Postage paid at Itasca, IL and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor Information: Frontier/BWI,PO Box 1051, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, L2A 5N8. Printed in U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PLANT SERVICES, Putman Media, Inc., PO Box 3435, Northbrook, IL 60065-3435. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Qualified reader subscriptions are accepted from PLANT SERVICES managers, supervisors and engineers in manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada. To apply for qualified-reader subscriptions, please go to www.plantservices.com. To non-qualified subscribers in the U.S., subscriptions are $96 per year. Single copies are $15, except the September and December issues which are $36. Canadian and foreign annual subscriptions are accepted at $145 (Foreign airmail $200/yr). Single copies are $81. © 2010 by Putman Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication August not be reproduced in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner. In an effort to more closely align with our business partners in a manner that provides the most value to our readers, content published in PLANT SERVICES magazine appears on the public domain of PLANT SERVICES’ Website, and August also appear on Websites that apply to our growing marketplace. Putman Media, Inc. also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, CONTROL DESIGN, FOOD PROCESSING, INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING, THE JOURNAL, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING and WELLNESS FOODS. PLANT SERVICES assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items published. 8 / UP AND RUNNING • LEDs Get Serious Attention • ASHRAE Rescinds Assessment of Non-Chemical Devices • Screws vs. Lobes Speed reductions and routine stops can cost more than you realize 51 / IN THE TRENCHES When Johnny Comes Marching Home Acme tries to outmaneuver the Army 17 / CRISIS CORNER Say What? Overcoming stigmas and communication challenges 53 / PRODUCT FOCUS 57 / CLASSIFIEDS 19 / WHAT WORKS w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m may 2 010 5 PS1005_05_TOC.indd 5 5/7/10 1:46 PM The First Name in Power Transmission DODGE® power transmission products offer reliable service and low maintenance to help reduce your total cost of ownership. Our innovative bearings, gearing and power transmission products have solved the toughest applications for over 125 years. Our technical sales team can help you with the most challenging applications, and our worldwide distributor network ensures immediate delivery. • Unmatched Quality • Superior Reliability • Improved Uptime When it comes to PT solutions, DODGE is the first name in power transmission. dodge-pt.com baldor.com • Quick Delivery ©2008 Baldor Electric Company PS1005_FPA.indd 6 5/7/10 10:37 AM from the editor Putman media, inc. 555 W. Pierce Rd., Ste. 301, Itasca, IL 60143 Phone: (630) 467-1300, Fax: (630) 467-1120 mike brenner Group Publisher mbrenner@putman.net editorial staff paul studebaker, cmrp Oil and Water paul studebaker, cmrp Editor in Chief pstudebaker@putman.net The balance of risk and responsibility russell l. kratowicz, p.e. cmrp Executive Editor russk@putman.net There’s no doubt the 11 presumed deaths and millions of gallons of spilled oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20 will merit a place on the long list of man-made disasters. Fingers will be pointed, journalists will write, and lawyers will sue, but if past experience is a guide, little will be said about how we decided to take on the risk, and who met the responsibility. We took on the risk because, just like building windmills, reacting uranium, and mining coal, we have the technology and the experience to do it as safely as is humanly possible, and the track record to prove it. We took on the risk because, like driving a car, living in a fault zone, or taking a big bite of steak, just because something awful could happen, and eventually will happen somewhere, sometime, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. And above all, with oil speculators paying $80-plus dollars per barrel and the enormous financial and human costs of U.S. energy insecurity, we decided this oil is worth the risks. As we rush to assign blame, let’s pause to appreciate not only the 11 dead, but the hundred others who were doing hard work on our behalf when the rig exploded. Let’s marvel at the technology that allows thousands of oil platforms around the world to extract and deliver safely the oil we rely on to go get our lattes. And let’s support the engineers, ironworkers, and mariners who, as we go to press, are working day and night to contain and collect the oil as it spills. The Deepwater Horizon was tapping an oil well containing large amounts of gas at very high pressures. Gas apparently escaped, was ignited, and exploded. We might need better gas handling equipment on oil platforms, and we’ll build it. Oil apparently is leaking in several places from the riser pipe that folded Alexis Gajewski Associate Editor, Digital Media agajewski@putman.net stephen c. herner V.P., Creative Services sherner@putman.net jennifer dakas Art Director jdakas@putman.net david berger, p.eng. Contributing Editor peter garforth Contributing Editor sheila kennedy Contributing Editor joel leonard Contributing Editor bob sperber Editor at Large publication services carmela kappel Assistant to the Publisher ckappel@putman.net jerry clark V.P., Circulation jclark@putman.net jack jones Circulation Director jjones@putman.net rita fitzgerald Production Manager rfitzgerald@putman.net Jill Kaletha Reprints Marketing Manager Foster Reprints (866) 879-9144 ext.168 jillk@fosterprinting.com administrative staff john m. cappelletti President/CEO julie cappelletti-lange Vice President keith larson V.P., Content rose southard V.P., Technology and Web Development PS1005_07_Edit.indd 7 and fell as the rig sank. Platforms are designed with multiple water-tight flotation chambers, and almost never sink. Maybe some chamber doors were open, and water used to fight the fire sank the rig. We’ll be sure that can’t happen again. The blowout preventer on the sea floor is designed to seal the well at the push of a We decided this oil is worth the risks that come with drilling a mile below the surface of the ocean. button. It’s a highly evolved, robust device that is tested repeatedly before and during operation. If it or its procedures need to be improved, we’ll improve them. We keep aircraft carriers in the Middle East and ambulances at NASCAR races. A field of oil rigs so close to our precious Gulf of Mexico shoreline should probably be attended by a more comprehensive set of containment and collection equipment, and a solid strategy for deploying it. We’ll do that, too. But ultimately, we set our priorities, we take our chances, and we pay our dues. Our best efforts haven’t prevented horrendous consequences of levee failures, aircraft hijackings, or even bridge corrosion from ordinary road salt, much less the confluence of two or three uncommon events or mistakes. Let’s thank the dead, their families, the responders, and the engineers and managers who will try to prevent a recurrence. It won’t be the last time. PAUL STUDEBAKER, CMRP, Editor in Chief pstudebaker@putman.net, (630) 467-1300 x433 w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m may 2 010 7 5/7/10 8:50 AM up & Running LEDs Get serious Attention Solid-state technology is proving practical for general illumination General illumination by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is beginning to come to industrial facilities as manufacturers overcome problems with initial cost, lumen levels, and power factors; governments and utilities increase energy conservation incentives; and energy cost concerns remain high. On April 6, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu met with executives and engineers of solid-state lighting company LEDtronics to discuss and gain insight into the technological advances in LEDs and the contributions LED lighting applications might bring to energy conservation on a national level. During the two-hour gathering, Pervaiz Lodhie, LEDtronics president and CEO, and other company executives explained the technology’s latest innovations and its potential to become a major contributor not only to energy efficiency but also to reducing greenhouse gases and generating green jobs. “The solid-state lighting and solar energy industries are the top job creators in the United States today,” said Lodhie. “In addition, these cutting-edge technologies spur innovation, boost domestic manufacturing and reaffirm the United States as the leader in technological ingenuity around the world.” LEDs are well known to be compact, energy-efficient, LEDs say Hi to hi-bays The first costeffective generalillumination LED applications were where reduced heat load or maintenance contributed critical economic benefits. Now LEDs compete with fluorescents and other high-efficiency technologies for general application in warehouses and factories. A typical LED hi-bay fixture uses 1/3 to 1/2 the wattage of a fluorescent, metal halide, or high-pressure sodium fixture of equivalent illumination, and lasts two to three times as long. (Source: Dialight) 8 U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu and Pervaiz Lodhie, CEO and president, LEDtronics durable, mercury-free, and white-bright light generating sources that produce little heat and last 10 times as long as compact fluorescents. These properties well suit them to be used with alternative energy sources such as solar and wind. But until recently, they were limited to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels, electronics, pen lights, and strings of indoor and outdoor Christmas lights. Manufacturers expanded LED applications by clustering the small bulbs, first as battery-powered items such as flashlights and headlamps, and now with standard bases to fit common light fixtures. The first cost-effective applications have been where reducing heat load and maintenance contribute economic benefits. Now they’re competing with fluorescents and other high-efficiency technologies for general application in warehouses and factories. Analysts predict that by the end of the decade, LEDs will be the dominant source for commercial and residential lighting. LEDtronics described a wide range of projects around the world, including a group of street lights abutting a local public school; the South Capitol Street Bridge in Washington, D.C., that Rep. Chou traverses every day; and a U.S. Army garrison in South Korea. “Considering the number of major energy-saving LED bulbs we supply to U.S. industry, we’re helping save two to three megawatts of energy each year, over and above the continued energy savings of the past 26 years,” Lodhie said. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_08_14_UpRun.indd 8 5/7/10 8:53 AM For the price of this ASHRAE Rescinds Assessment of Non-Chemical Devices On May 5, ASHRAE announced that it has received numerous comments and questions concerning its April 7, 2010, press release relating to research project no. RP 1361, Biological Control in Cooling Towers Using NonChemical Water Treatment Devices. After careful consideration, ASHRAE has decided to rescind that release pending further review. The cognizant ASHRAE Technical Committee, TC 3.6 Water Treatment, which sponsored and is responsible for the project, has not yet reviewed the final report. TC 3.6 expects to complete its review, including voting on whether to recommend approval of the final report, within the next 30 to 60 days. The rescinded release announced that the two-year research project, recently completed by Dr. Radisav Vidic at the University of Pittsburgh, evaluated five non-chemical devices using different technologies to control biological activity in a model coolingtower system. The devices studied included a hydrodynamic cavitation device, pulsed and static electric field devices, an ultrasonic device, and a magnetic device. ASHRAE has rescinded its statement that, in Vidic’s research, none of the non-chemical devices measurably reduced planktonic or sessile microbial populations in comparison to notreatment tests and to a conventional chemical microbial control treatment protocol. The findings appear to be inconsistent with previous research by non-chemical device manufacturers and some independent researchers on some of the same devices tested in the Resources DO BE$T ON iPHONE The BE$T desktop program calculates a motor’s annual electricity usage based on its nominal efficiency, and compares it to Baldor Standard-E and Super-E premium-efficiency motors. It then recommends, by catalog number, the appropriate Baldor motor for the application, and notes the payback period, in months, for replacing the existing motor. It also is capable of calculating savings for using a variable-speed drive, and annual carbon footprint reductions. BE$T is available on CD-ROM, downloadable from www. baldor.com, and now as an iPhone app by visiting iTunes and searching on the keyword “Baldor.” ProSmart® gives you these, plus 17 more. GET A GRIP ON TEMPERATURES The 7th edition of Omega’s Temperature Measurement Handbook offers detailed information and specifications on more than 40,000 products for process measurement and control. It adds the latest technology and new products in sanitary temperature sensors and devices, wireless connectors and instruments, profile temperature labels, thermal imagers and infrared temperature products, automation products, new technical books, and updated technical references and data. Also included are traditional products such as thermocouples, RTD probes and elements, thermistors, calibration equipment, handheld instruments, meters, controllers, timers, transmitters, process controllers and power switching devices, data acquisition, recorders, cryogenics temperature measurement, and heaters. Visit www.omega.com/literature. Think about ITT. ITT ProSmart condition monitoring checks and analyzes not one but up to 22 critical conditions of your rotating equipment. Including vibration, temperature, pressure, and rpm, every five seconds. It’s the kind of data that can make the difference between catching a problem early—and catastrophic failure. Visit itt.com/prosmart.html, or call 1-800-734-7867. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 9 PS1005_08_14_UpRun.indd 9 5/7/10 8:53 AM up & Running ASHRAE study. Those other studies reported measurable degrees of biological control. Vidic had said that, “These results suggest that equipment operators, building owners, and engineers should consider taking more frequent water sample tests for their a very small Plexiglas model of a cooling tower, fully complying with the proposal submitted by the researcher and approved by TC. 3.6. There are significant variances between the preliminary results of the study and actual field results recorded by non-chemical device manufactur- Regardless of the type of water treatment used, ashrae recommends that owners of cooling and refrigeration systems conduct routine testing. systems that rely on NCDs for biological control. If the testing reveals a problem, one possible measure is to add chemical treatment capability to the system to prevent a potential health hazard from developing until additional research and field testing can resolve this question.” In its May 5 announcement, ASHRAE says that RP 1361, as is typical of experimental research projects, did not involve actual full-scale cooling towers operating in a working cooling system. Rather, researchers constructed CRC Capabilities 7x4.875 2/15/10 10:42 AM Page 1 ers. This is one aspect of the study that will be reviewed by TC 3.6 and may indicate the need for further research. In addition, the rescinded press release referenced Legionella though the project Statement of Work did not include protocols for testing for Legionella. Regardless of the type of water treatment used, ASHRAE recommends that owners of cooling and refrigeration systems conduct routine testing to evaluate whether the water treatment is working effectively. Your Best Solution TM Whether you are looking for a precision cleaner, degreaser, lubricant, or sealant product, CRC will always provide solutions that work. CRC has been the brand of choice in the Industrial market for over 50 years! Go online to www.crcindustries.com/ei to see our entire product offering of MRO maintenance chemicals. Use our online product selector guide to easily find the perfect solution for your individual application needs. CRC’s Breadth of Line Patented MSDL™ Factory Trained Sales Force On-line Educational Resources www.crcindustries.com/ei 10 May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_08_14_UpRun.indd 10 5/7/10 8:55 AM With experience comes cleaner air. Without a doubt, UltraWebisAlwaysBetter.com 25 YEARS OF PROOF Ultra-Web ® technology is the world standard for advanced nanofiber air filtration. Ultra-Web filter cartridges, only from Donaldson ® Torit ®, are the preferred filter for cleaner air, longer filter life and greater energy savings. LONGEST LIFE Performing in the field for 25 years and counting. PROOF IS IN THE PATENTS Ultra-Web technology is backed by 80 issued and pending patents worldwide. THE ENGINEERS’ FILTER More than 1 billion square feet of filter media used. FOR ALL POPULAR COLLECTORS Ultra-Web replacement filters ship in 24 hours. IMPROVES LIVES Ultra-Web technology is also used in the production of medical products, M1 Abrams tanks and more. Donaldson Company, Inc. Minneapolis, MN 55440-1299 The winning combination for cleaner air is Downflo ® Oval dust collectors and Ultra-Web filters available with MERV 13, 14 and 15 efficiency ratings. Learn more. UltraWebisAlwaysBetter.com 800.365.1331 donaldsontorit@donaldson.com donaldsontorit.com © 2007 Donaldson Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PS1005_FPA.indd 11 5/7/10 10:37 AM CCOMP-430_Compression_rev.indd 1 PS1005_FPA.indd 12 4/28/10 4:38:56 5/7/10 10:38PM AM SCREWS VS. LOBES Calling the technology both new and proven, Atlas Copco has replaced its Rootstype blower offerings with screw technology adapted from its oil-free compressors. The resulting ZS Series blowers offer an average of 30% lower power consumption, lower maintenance, and quieter operation at directly comparable initial cost for applications at pressures as high as about 17 psig. The new ZS screw blower was tested by TÜV against a tri-lobe blower in accordance with ISO 1217, edition 4. The tests, detailed at www.efficiencyblowers.com, found the ZS to be 23.8% more energy efficient than a tri-lobe blower at 0.5 bar (7 psig) and 39.7% 0.9 bar (13 psig). The improvement is mainly due to the compression characteristics of the screw technology, though an integrated gearbox and the lubrication system contribute. The technology targets low-pressure applications such as wastewater aeration. Treatment plants use about 3% of the electric power generated in the United States, and blowers consume about 70% of that. Cutting that consumption is an example of “sustainable productivity,” says John Conover, a business line manager at Atlas Copco. Companies are on a global quest to reduce energy consumption and costs, and once the low-hanging fruit, such as lighting, compressed air leaks, motor/pump sizing, etc., is gone, they’ll be looking for new ways to achieve their annual goals. “Efficiency and productivity are fundamental,” says Ronnie Leten, president and CEO, Atlas Copco. At his company, “No project goes forward unless it improves efficiency without jeopardizing reliability.” In the United States, about 56 billion kilowatt hours are used for drinking water and wastewater services, according to the EPA. “Just 10% energy savings in this sector could collectively save about $400 million annually,” says Stephen Kuhn, president, Compressor Technique Business, Atlas Copco. . nds e. a h l r you e peop n i er luke o th te, F on a Pow ision t ion. r u ac c 9 e d i t i I / I V t c I hly Pre the Na oug he 200 C AT I uch r o ted ile m n d th w ith t ss, a i n r a o h , oc e re J t 3409980_02333_PlantSvcs.indd 1 PS1005_08_14_UpRun.indd 13 r w a le lian nd nd he p ted liab , re y c o m p dard a ions . A rt of t s d e t e a t g n d ll Rug are fu 0E sta pplica all or p ed, an a 7 r s t l l u F PA u s t r i a rms ou nufact too d a a he N of t e in i n tition f ned, m s e u p sig m e ke.* for o d r Flu he c ls are ers . e t f e f r o o p e to g ine ians Fluk uke en hnic c e l t 0 by F of 1 out ou? 9 it: y y l r ip k Nea t about ersh b a m h W me rm ree ch fi sear taf e y re . g part notice d n n d a io out t thir tion den ge with nat pen n e Na . c o m / inde to cha h t n a t e by ubjec Join . f l u k s ted duc ations w con c ww rvey . Specifi u s e n atio renc refe Corpor e nd p *Bra 08 Fluk ©20 2333 Ad 0 12/11/08 10:15:06 AM 5/7/10 8:57 AM up & Running Resources OWN A DMM TECHNICAL LIBRARY ON CD Keithley Instruments published a digital multimeter (DMM) technical library for engineers and researchers who use DMMs for a wide range of applications. The CD-based library houses more than 100 documents, including measurement tips, application notes, and product selection guides. To request a free copy of the CD, visit www.ggcomm. com/Keithley/Mar10_NewsRelease_DMM-CD.html. REFURBISH AND RECERTIFY LIFT MAGNETS The six-page “Lift Magnet Certification/Refurbishment Program” brochure describes how Eriez inspection, exchange, and refurbishment ensures continual compliance with ASME B30.20 standards. Eriez’ procedure includes inspection of lift magnet surface and resurfacing of poles (if needed); inspection, repair, and replacement of missing or damaged parts; new warning labels and capacity markings; load testing; and certification. Every magnet is 14 returned with a Certificate of Compliance and a one-year “as new” warranty. Download the brochure at http://service. eriez.com or contact Eriez and request brochure B-103. GROK THE BENEFITS OF OPC UA Sorry for the long URL, but if you need or want to know more about the technology underlying connectivity and communications among disparate systems, this might be the best hidden, best place to get started: www.opcfoundation.org/Default.aspx/UASDK/Files/ The%20Benefits%20of%20UA.htm?MID=AboutOPC CONTROL CABINET CLIMATES In industrial enclosures, high temperatures reduce reliability while overcooling degrades energy efficiency. Simply enter data relevant to your application and, by completing a series of calculations, Therm 6.0 determines the cooling capacity required to provide the best solution. See www.rittal-corp.com/software. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_08_14_UpRun.indd 14 5/7/10 8:57 AM New from WD-40 Company: BLUE WORKS™ Industrial Grade, specialty maintenance products. Ask your distributor for details on how you can experience outstanding performance from a line that meets your rigorous technical requirements. For a free sample,* visit BlueWorksBrand.com/sample and enter Offer Code PSP *Whilesupplieslast.OfferavailabletoIndustrialProfessionalsonly.OffernotavailableinAlaskaorHawaii. PleaseseeonlineSampleRequestFormforfulldetails. ©2010WD-40Company PS1005_FPA.indd 15 50-StateVOCcompliant 5/7/10 10:39 AM FLIR’s Mission Catching problems before they turn into nightmares Know what elite warfighters and plant engineers have in common? No room for error. The #1 manufacturer of infrared cameras in the world, FLIR has been helping engineers and technicians keep aging production lines moving during the worst economy in decades; the cost of failure is catastrophic to families and businesses alike. It’s no surpise that FLIR is the #1 manufacturer of infrared cameras in the world. FLIR provides the same powerful technology that special operations forces use in battle. There are over 250,000 FLIR cameras in the field and on factory floors, all supported by the world’s largest Thermography training organization. i-Series Point and Shoot T-Series Professional P-Series Expert Visit www.flir.com or call 800.464.6372 to schedule your free demo and find out why FLIR has been the most trusted name in thermal imaging for 45 years. PS1005_FPA.indd 16 5/7/10 10:40 AM Crisis corner Joel Leonard Say What? Overcoming stigmas and communication challenges Right now, I’m a little concerned about the com- munication problems and stereotypical misperceptions that inhibit productive conversation. I’m about to depart on a worldwide crusade to fight the skilled labor shortage by speaking at the PIRM Conference in Atlanta; the Euromaintenance Conference in Verona, Italy; the Engineering Management Congress in Dubai, UAE; and the ICOMS Asset Management Council in Adelaide, Australia. It’s a 60,000 air-mile journey to communicate with people around the globe, but I can’t seem to even understand the corner grocery clerk. My better half was enduring the change of seasons and battling various forms of colds, cruds, flus, etc. At midnight, she demanded that I go to the store to fetch a bottle of Nyquil. OK, dear, whatever it takes to make you happy. So, I traveled through the eeriness of darkness to the 24-hour supermarket, where the night shift was at work. After gathering the medicine and some other items, I walked up to the only cashier. He barked out one word: “Eight!” I didn’t know if he was limiting the number of items I could purchase, wondering if I’d had dinner, or expressing how little he loved me. Since it was midnight on April 7th, was he saying it was now April 8th? He said it again: “Eight!” I waited and looked at him with bewilderment until he finally explained, “Sir, I will check you out on checkout line 8 after I finish cleaning checkout line 6.” How was I to know that was what his “Eight!” meant? Was he so tired, lazy, or involved in his own world that he could not make the effort to provide the communication needed to close the sale? Because I had nowhere to be at midnight, I informed him of the various interpretations, permutations, and possibilities I could have derived from his exclamation. I explained my bewildered experience loudly and voluminously, embarrassing him as his late-night colleagues bit their lips trying not to burst into laughter. When I left, instead of saying “Good night” or “Goodbye,” I barked out, “Petunia!” He looked at me with the same bewildered look I must have given him. I said, “See how it feels?” and walked out the door. I think he’ll make a little more effort to communicate more effectively. In this twitterful, 140-character and acronym-saturated world, people are no longer communicating, but barking out the briefest form of expression and expecting others to understand. As Foster Martin so eloquently stated in the classic movie, Cool Hand Luke, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Do you have similar problems in your facilities? Do your departments work cohesively, or do they bark out abbreviated commands that diminish understanding and performance? As soon as I open my mouth and expose my southern drawl, many attendees obviously mentally subtract 40 IQ points. My communications outside the Southeastern United States generally require multiple steps. I get a warm reception after the moderator introduces me, but as soon as I open my mouth and expose my southern drawl, many attendees obviously mentally subtract 40 IQ points from me. They equate my dialect to episodes of “Cops” or someone who just walked in from the cornfields of Hooterville. That used to upset me, because they were focused on the way I communicated and missed my message. But more companies are experiencing the maintenance crisis, and I’ve learned proven techniques and developed new methods to mitigate these serious business challenges. Where they used to discount me, now it’s gratifying to see their eyes bug out and jaws drop as they learn about the potential power to be gained by developing interactive 3-D training tools, implementing the Reliability Vortex, or setting up Break Through Training programs in their area. Do you have communication challenges, stigmas, and stereotypes to overcome? How do you confront these issues? Please share. And stay tuned to future Crisis Corner columns and episodes of SkillTV, where I will share the interesting interactions captured on this worldwide journey to fight the maintenance crisis. E-mail Contributing Editor Joel Leonard at joel@skilltv.net. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 17 PS1005_17_Crisis.indd 17 5/7/10 9:03 AM Fast and Easy Installation W hen your plant’s compressed air system leaks, more than just air is getting out. You’re losing money in the form of wasted energy, wear and tear on your compressors and increased operating and maintenance costs. Duratec Airline, a unique time and money-saving piping system, is designed to reduce leaks and costs. A tough piping system that meets ASME codes and OSHA safety requirements, Duratec Airline requires less time, labor and money to install and maintain than traditional systems. Its long, lightweight coils cut down on the number of potential leak points in your system. Duratec fittings are quick and easy to install and feature double O-ring seals that ensure maximum joint integrity. Duratec requires no special tools or installation training and eliminates the need for soldering and threading. And because Duratec is so quickly and easily installed, modified, and adapted to existing metal systems, it can reduce your plant’s downtime. So stop your compressed air system’s problems before they become big news — Install Duratec. 5 Sec. 25 Sec. To find out more call us or visit: www.ipexamerica.com Total Time: 55 Sec. HDPE Aluminum HDPE AirLine System U . S . To l l F r e e : 1 - 8 0 0 - 4 6 3 - 9 5 7 2 Products manufactured by IPEX Inc. and distributed in the United States by IPEX USA LLC. Duratec® is a registered trademark of IPEX Branding Inc. PS1005_FPA.indd 18 5/7/10 10:42 AM what works Boiler Controls Save Mega BTUs Emissions project provides one-year payback in improved efficiency The University of Texas at Austin’s 424-acre campus (UT) is the academic home to 50,000 students. Boilers and gas turbines at the Hal C. Weaver Power Plant provide yearround power, steam, chilled water, demineralized water, and compressed air to approximately 200 campus buildings. In satisfying state air-quality compliance requirements, the plant reaped an unexpected $500,000 annual energy savings by retrofitting one 150,000-lb. boiler with an innovative system that reduced NOx emissions from 158 tons per year to 21 tons per year. “Our objective as we began the boiler retrofit was to reduce NOx emissions, but the process resulted in us producing more energy with less gas by improving our combustion efficiency,” says Juan Ontiveros, director of utility and energy management at the school. “This allowed us to bank our standby boilers, saving us hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.” The emissions-control system is Compu-NOx by Benz Air Engineering, Las Vegas (www.compunox.com). “We chose Benz Air to bring us into compliance because of its innovative and less expensive solution to the boiler retrofit,” says Kevin Kuretich, associate director, Utilities and Energy Management Department, UT. “Other vendors proposed similar solutions that involved flue gas recirculation (FGR) to cut down on NOx, but Benz was able to do the job without burner replacement. Burner replacement – four on Boiler 3 and eight on Boiler 7 – was estimated to cost $2 million. We also chose Benz Air because we thought it had the most knowledge of the system and the expertise to upgrade our PLC/PC interface system.” The control platform controls airflows for precise metering by means of variable-frequency-drive (VFD) on fans instead of dampers. “The Compu-NOx control system uses the absolute linear relationship of fan speed to fan airflow as the basis of combustion control,” explains Robert Benz, president of Benz Air Engineering. “The system measures fuel flow and interpolates the correct fan speed to give the desired flow.” Less horsepower is used to drive the fans, which results in significant cost savings from not running them continuously at full speed. “We have very precise airflow control, which makes all the difference in the world in fuel efficiencies and emissions,” says Ryan Thompson, project engineer, Utilities and Energy Management Department, UT. “We took Boiler 3 from 175 ppm NOx to less than 25 ppm without installing new Variable-frequency drives precisely adjust fan speeds to provide controlled flows of recirculated exhaust gas and air for combustion control. burners, which would have been very expensive and required the boiler to be offline for several months. With Benz Air and Compu-NOx, all we had to do was change the fan power supply by using variable-frequency-drives to cut our emissions.” The modification also included a separate recirculation fan and ductwork between the exhaust flue and the burner intake for FGR, which extracts flue gas from the boiler outlet duct upstream of the air heater and returns it through a separate duct to the combustion air duct that feeds the wind box. The slightly cooled combustion gas from the boiler exit is mixed back with the burner flame to reduce the peak flame temperatures, which reduces NOx. The installation supports boiler banking: keeping the auxiliary boilers in a hot standby mode. “It allows us to keep one boiler at the ready, without using any measurable amount of gas,” Ontiveros says. “It’s a big advantage, saving us 30,000 pounds of steam per hour.” Turndown is in excess of 100:1 because of the VFD’s stable operating characteristic. Benz Air relies exclusively on ABB AC drives for its Compu-NOx system. The ACS800 uses ABB’s exclusive motor control algorithm called Direct Torque Control. “The ACS800 has a lot of communication flexibility that allows us to enjoy direct control of the AC drive digitally through the Ethernet back-up connection,” says Benz. “In the case of this university, we had to support several back-up systems to its communications and we were able to do that.” Payback on the system will be less than 12 months. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 19 PS1005_19_Works_drives.indd 19 5/7/10 9:08 AM Get new performance out of your old fans. ISO 9001 Certified Quality Management System Anthony DiNunzio, Aftermarket and Repair Sales Manager At Robinson Fans, we pride ourselves on being your trusted source for new fans. But we also have a dedicated team of repair specialists who can fix and rebuild any worn fan–even upgrade a competitor’s–to deliver new fan performance, all at the price of a repair. We’ll even come to you to diagnose and evaluate. Robinson Fans. The name behind what’s ahead. Black | 2 Color 186 (Red) & Black | Spot Red - PMS 186 | 2 Color 186 (Red) & White | Reverse | Find out how to keep your fans moving. PS1005_FPA.indd PS1003_FPA.indd 11 20 RobinsonFans.com | 724-452-6121 5/7/102:11 10:43 3/2/10 PMAM what works Equipment Easily Unplugged in Columbus Fast, safe reconfiguration boosts flexibility and efficiency Edison Welding Institute (EWI) in Columbus, Ohio, is dedicated to applied research and development of materials joining and welding. It provides expert materials joining assistance, as well as research, consulting, and training to its members in the aerospace, automotive, energy, chemical, heavy manufacturing, medical, and electronics industries. Its 40,000-sq.ft. high-bay laboratory provides space to set up individual work stations for a large number of projects simultaneously. Three 1,600 A bus bars provide 480 V power throughout the laboratory, with more than 100 separate power drops for welding power supplies. Workspace layouts and equipment are constantly being rearranged. “We have nearly every one of the recognized welding processes commonly used today, and they all require electricity,” says Andy Joseph, manager, welding and testing labs at EWI. “The equipment for these different procedures takes space, but we’re not using them all at the same time, so we need to be able to change them out.” Previously, fused disconnects were attached directly to the overhead bus bars, with pin-and-sleeve connectors at the work stations. Safety was a concern because the disconnects were located at the ceiling level. Joseph explains, “We had to use a 20-foot pole with a hook on the end to turn off the power to a plug. Disconnecting live would have been an unsafe option.” From a safety standpoint, he adds, there was no way to disconnect quickly if someone was getting hurt. As a remedy, EWI first considered installing disconnect switches at ground level. This still would have required the pin-and-sleeve plugs to connect the equipment, and the switch boxes would have taken up valuable space. Joseph notes, “We would have had to buy 120 disconnect boxes that would have required extra wiring.” Instead, Joseph selected Decontactor Series switch-rated plugs and receptacles from Meltric (www.meltric.com), which combine the two functions. The decontactors were ordered from Johnson Electric Supply in Columbus. The decontactors make disconnecting power a simple and safe operation. Pressing a pushbutton off-switch on the decontactor receptacle breaks the circuit and ejects the plug to its rest position. Then the plug can be withdrawn from the receptacle in complete safety, because the circuit is already dead. When the plug and receptacle are separated, deenergization can be verified visually, and a safety shutter on the receptacle prevents access to live contacts. Switch-rated plugs and receptacles make it safe and easy to connect and disconnect equipment such as the energy chain and mechanized welding system of this side-beam workstation. Safety was the key factor in the decision. According to Joseph, simplified compliance to the NFPA 70E Standard for Employee Workplaces was an additional benefit. He says, “With the disconnects overhead, we would have had to suit up with personal protective equipment [PPE] because there was no way to verify that the power was disconnected without someone going up in a manlift. Having the disconnect switch right in the plug eliminates the need for an arc flash hazard assessment or suiting up.” Another benefit, according to Joseph, is the easier installation of the decontactors compared to the pin-and-sleeve connectors. “They required soldering,” Joseph says, “and we’re constantly swapping equipment in and out. Changing the decontactors is a timesaver by comparison.” In addition to the welding power supplies, EWI uses auxiliary equipment such as hoists, wire feeders, fume extractors, welding positioners, robotics, and travel carriages. Joseph says he purchased 20 each of Meltric’s 20-A and 30-A decontactors, rated for 480 V, for these applications. “Probably the biggest benefit for us has come from efficiency improvements,” Joseph says. “Previously, we would leave workstations set up because it was hard to take them apart and put them back together. This made floor space hard to come by. Now, changeouts are easier to accomplish, we have a more presentable area, and the engineers and technicians don’t have to worry about someone else tearing down their workstation because it is easy to set up again.” w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 21 PS1005_21_Works_pwr.indd 21 5/7/10 9:06 AM Safety7” HERTZ PLANT SERVICES YOUR EQUIPMENT RENTAL SOURCE. Safety10” DEDICATED INDUSTRIAL PLANT SERVICES PERSONNEL. CUSTOMIZED RENTAL PROGRAMS. SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS. TURNAROUND PLANNING SERVICES. TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. PLANT SERVICES. READY TO HELP. Rentals. Sales. Service. 1-888-777-2700 www.hertzequip.com ® U.S. Pat. Off. © Hertz System, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PS1005_FPA.indd 22 5/7/10 10:44 AM your space Find Those Golden Production Nuggets Speed reductions and routine stops can cost more than you realize By Herb Lichtenberg Whistles are blowing, phones are ringing, and people are scrambling all over the factory floor. There has just been a major equipment breakdown and it looks like it will take days to repair and get the plant running again. Just think of the lost production, the late orders, and the unhappy customers. When this happens, it gets a lot of attention from all levels in the organization. It’s happened to me on several occasions and these can be gut-wrenching times. For instance, I once managed a blooming and rolling mill complex. The blooming mill was powered by a 10,000-hp steam engine and everything had to go through that one mill. One of the two piston rods failed from fatigue. The piston blew through the cylinder head and was found 80 feet down the motor room. Luckily, no one was in the room at the time, but we ended up losing two and a half days (61 hours, actually) repairing the engine, its foundation, and gearing. The incident got a lot of attention with an investigation, root cause analysis, and a new procedure so it wouldn’t happen again. Sound familiar? These things happen in every plant, and, if dealt with properly (investigation, root cause analysis, implementation of countermeasures), won’t happen again. But these single-event losses are not the real killers of production unless they occur frequently or are the result of a systemic problem such as an ineffective preventive maintenance program. The real killers of productivity are small events we take for granted or consider part of the process. In the same complex, we experienced a delay that occurred on an average of twice per shift, three shifts per day, 365 days per year. Changing the “hot saw” was a routine, seven-minute delay and was considered a necessary part of the process. It was hardly ever mentioned in our daily meetings, even though it cost us an average of 255 production hours each year. Now, that’s something everyone, including the brass, should have gotten excited about. But a seven-minute delay in production just didn’t generate much concern. However, the guy whose job it was to sharpen the saws saw the waste. Working with tool steel and carbide insert vendors, he came up with a new saw design that lasted twice as long, adding 127 hours of production time per year to the mill’s output. As this example illustrates, repetitive short-duration delays that are considered part of the process, or are considered minor issues, can be a gold mine of productivity improvements. Another gold mine can be found when production speeds are reduced because of equipment, process, or procedural matters. Speed is the second factor in the OEE calculation. In my experience, both from managing plants and assessing them as a consultant, speed often can cause a major loss of productivity. In fact, in many of the plants I’ve assessed, speed losses were higher and eliminated more production than unplanned When a plant goes down, people notice, but when it slows down, there isn’t a big sense of urgency. downtime. When a plant goes down, people notice, but when it slows down, there isn’t a big sense of urgency. For example, we were asked to assess a crushing and conveying operation. Management was concerned about lost production equipment downtime caused. The assessment, however, showed that 15,000 tons per day were lost through planned and unplanned downtime, and that more than 16,000 tons were lost because of speed loss each day. Our investigation pointed out two primary reasons for the speed loss. The first was low load factors on the belts attributable to several operating factors, and the second was that the setpoint on the feeder belt was reduced manually whenever material was flowing to a particular stock pile. The control system captured load factors and setpoint, but the causes for the reduced production rates weren’t captured. While all production stoppages were routinely reviewed, slowdowns weren’t part of the daily review process. “Gold is where you find it.” But successful miners know where to look and have the proper tools. So, in your search for improved productivity, calculate your plant’s OEE and map the losses. Dig into the data to uncover those nuggets hidden in repetitive small delays and production slowdowns. At the same time build a better foundation by improving the business process for equipment maintenance, process control, and data capture. You’ll be rewarded with more golden nuggets of productivity than even Midas could imagine. Contact Herb Lichtenberg, senior vice president and practice director for production, SAMI Corp. (www.samicorp.com), at hlichtenberg@samicorp.com. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 23 PS1005_23_Yours.indd 23 5/7/10 9:24 AM 3 models to choose from mIT 510/2, 520/2 and 1020/2 For over 100 years, Megger has been the world recognized leader in the area of insulation testing. Our 5 and 10-kV insulation testers meet the requirements for use in CATIV 600 V applications, in line with IEC61010-1. Some of the features of the units include: n n n n n n n Free! Distributor catalog Contact us now for the 2010 Megger Distributor Catalog. Request your free copy today at vfmarcom@megger.com or contact us at 1-866-254-0962 PS1005_FPA.indd 24 www.megger.com/us n Extremely high measurement sensitivity (15 TΩ @ 5 kV; 35 TΩ @ 10 kV) 3 mA test current 2 mA noise immunity High performance guard terminal Battery or line operated IP65 case rating Result storage capability (MIT520/2 and MIT1020/2) Automatic performance of five industry-standard tests 5/7/10 10:45 AM HUMAN CAPITAL Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP Integrity Doing what’s right because it’s the right thing to do Many years ago, I saw a poster on a wall in one of the buildings on a military base where I was posted as a junior enlisted person. The poster’s message stuck with me. It showed a picture of a person stretching his reach to paint an obscure area of a machine foundation. It was a location that nobody would ever see, even if one was looking for it. The caption under the picture read, “Integrity means doing your best even when no one else will know.” In my mind, this message conveyed the essence of the meaning of integrity: Doing what’s right because it is the right thing to do. What made me think about this? As I write this column, the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational golf tournament was airing on television. The event was rained out the previous Sunday, so I switched to the Golf Channel. A Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament was on. The first action I saw was that of media darling Michelle Wie trying to hit a golf ball out of a water hazard. Ms. Wie had one foot in the water and another foot on the bank of the pond. She took a mighty swing, a huge spray of water shot into the air, but the ball barely got out of the water. After she finished swinging at the ball, she relaxed her grip and her club touched the ground inside the hazard line. In golf parlance, she “grounded” her club inside the hazard line; a two stroke penalty. The tournament rules officials notified Ms. Wie that she was, in fact, given a two stroke penalty. This made a tournament win very unlikely, and a significantly lower paycheck highly likely. The rules of golf can be difficult to understand, and some of the rules might seem ridiculous to those who don’t embrace the game. But when you make your living as a professional, you’d better know the rules of the game you play. Few people would argue that point, but Ms. Wie was apparently one of them. The integrity issue first appeared when Ms. Wie didn’t charge herself a two stroke penalty for grounding her club, which would have been consistent with the character of the game of golf. The second integrity issue surfaced at the end of her round when she tried to argue the point with rules officials. Ms. Wie stated that she was off-balance, which is the only allowable reason to ground a club inside a hazard line. Repeated viewing of the video made it hard for an unbiased observer to be convinced she was off-balance. It looked more like she was disappointed with the fact that the ball barely made it out of the water hazard; she When you make your living as a professional, you’d better know the rules of the game you play. appeared to relax her arms and her grip on the club. She seemed to not be thinking about the rules related to her actions. Now, contrast Ms. Wie’s actions with those of an icon in the world of golf. His name was Bobby Jones, and he was famous as a superior golfer and gentleman. His integrity was unquestioned. At one well-documented event, the 1925 U.S. Open, Mr. Jones was in contention. During the tournament, he was getting ready to hit a shot and he grazed the grass near his ball. He wasn’t certain, but he thought he saw his ball move. No one else saw it move, no one else thought he should penalize himself for something he was not certain of. As a consequence of taking the penalty, he did not win that tournament. Later, as Mr. Jones was being praised for his integrity, he was quoted as saying, “You’d as well praise me for not breaking into banks.” He did what was right because he believed it was right. Over his career, Bobby Jones won 13 major tournaments and to this day is revered within the sport. Whether you’re a tradesman, an athlete, or a supervisor, integrity has a way of balancing the scorecard over time. Take responsibility and be accountable for your actions, whether others see it or not. It’s the entirety of your work that defines who you are and how others perceive you. Do what’s right because it’s the right thing to do. Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, is president of Alidade MER Inc. Contact him at tjmpe@alidade-mer.com and (321) 773-3356. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 25 PS1005_25_HumanCap.indd 25 5/7/10 9:26 AM “Our business changes every six months. Our systems take a year to catch up.” Customer mandates, regulation and market conditions are changing faster than ever. How do you keep pace? By the time you implement most enterprise applications your needs have already changed. The answer is IFS. IFS – first in enterprise agility • The first software package built from the ground-up on a Ser vice-Oriented Component Architecture (SOCA), combining the agility of ser vice orientation with the proven benefits of components • IFS’ seventh generation of components and second generation of SOA -- the most stable platform on the market • Roll out functionality in stages, addressing your needs in priority order • Easily integrate with legacy systems or other third-par ty software • ERP, EAM, SCM, CRM, PLM Read our white paper on how to take your organization to the Next Generation of Maximum Overall Equipment Efficiency! Call 1.888.437.4968 today to get your copy. SEE US ON PLANT SERVICES’ ONLINE CMMS COMPARISON TOOL. I F S – T H E G L O B A L E N T E R P R I S E A P P L I C AT I O N S C O M PA N Y w w w. I F S W O R L D . c o m PS1005_FPA.indd 26 5/7/10 10:46 AM asset manager david berger, P.Eng. Handling Service Requests It’s evolved way beyond the primitive telephone help desk Industries that deal with the public rely on a service center to handle requests for maintenance. Property management companies developed a centralized call center for taking maintenance requests and dispatching someone to take corrective action. They were among the first to benefit from a Web-based product, where tenants completed a Web-based form to request maintenance. This reduced labor costs through automation and self-service. For tenants, the Web-based process provides an audit trail, and allows online tracking of request status. Other industries have adopted this model, or at least Webbased service/work requests. CMMS vendors responded with features and functions that facilitate the process. Work initiation: Even a basic CMMS package has the ability to generate a work request via the Web. Some vendors sell this capability separately from the main CMMS package at a fraction of the base package price. The fact recognizes that users are typically internal or external customers of the maintenance service provider and, as such, are interested only in a very small portion of the CMMS functionality. Alternatively, service providers can establish a service center to deal with phone calls or e-mail requests. Many municipalities have a centralized call center that takes requests by telephone. Requests by citizens, local businesses, or city employees for maintenance of roads, parks, facilities, and transit vehicles are handled by a call center representative. No matter what your industry, each demand for maintenance, however received, eventually funnels into the CMMS and becomes a work request. In some cases, the CMMS vendor offers a separate module to track customers and service requests - customer relationship management (CRM) software. In other cases, a company purchases CRM software separately and integrates it with its CMMS package. The simplest approach, of course, is for the person answering the call to enter the work request directly into the CMMS. Once work requests are in the CMMS, they’re evaluated, approved, and scheduled. Suppose several telephone complaints indicate that one area of your building is too hot and, at the same time, complaints are received that an area at the other end of your building is too cold. It could be that of the dozen or so complaints received, there’s really only one root cause – the HVAC system is out of balance. Thus, a single work order to fix the HVAC system is issued, approved, and scheduled. The work order is cross-linked to all of the work requests that relate to it to facilitate status tracking. Status tracking: Most people who initiate a service request expect to be kept abreast of service status. Most CMMS packages have notification capability and the sophisticated ones have workflow engines, both of which allow requestors to re- The expectation of most people who initiate a service request is that they will be kept abreast of service status. ceive notification whenever there’s a change in status. Examples of status changes that might be of interest to requestors are: • Work request received • Work order approved • Work order scheduled • Percent completion or estimated date of completion • Work completed Every status change should be date- and time-stamped so that time info can be analyzed and improved over time. Pareto analysis: This is a simple but powerful tool for analyzing service history . It’s especially useful for identifying recurring problems, the root cause, and the most cost-effective remedy. Most CMMS work requests identify relevant problem codes associated with a given asset. The most common Pareto analysis of problem codes is a bar chart showing the number of occurrences or dollars spent for each problem code. Focus on reducing the frequency and cost of the tallest bars on the Pareto graph. Similarly, Pareto analysis can be conducted for cause and action codes. Once an asset is identified on the work request, likely problem codes associated with it are found on a table lookup. When a service person troubleshoots a problem, codes for the root cause and action taken are then entered onto the work order. The latter two coded fields are tied to the problem code and asset type to generate a nested and hierarchical tree structure for problem, cause, and action codes. Most of the high-end CMMS packages have this feature. It might be helpful to conduct Pareto analysis daily, summarized for the week, and consolidated for the month and year-to-date. This increases the availability, performance, and reliability of your key assets over time, as well as the overall cost of maintaining them. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 27 PS1005_27_28_AssetMgr.indd 27 5/7/10 9:27 AM asset manager Service level agreement: Another useful feature of the more advanced CMMS packages is the ability to record and monitor service level expectations. The CMMS might track the interval between when a service request is made, when someone is dispatched, and when the problem is solved. The CMMS can record a service catalog, i.e. all of the services provided, service level expectations, and the standard cost of providing each. The CMMS can track costs and service levels for comparison to your standard. IT specialization: There are five asset classes, namely plant equipment, facilities, mobile equipment, infrastructure, and IT assets. Although the service model can be applied to each asset class, IT assets are most relevant. For decades, help desks have been taking calls from users experiencing problems with desktop computers, laptops, printers, and so on. Service level agreements are established with internal IT departments or external service providers, and service requests are typically taken by phone or via the internet using CMMS or IT help desk software. Chargebacks: Some CMMS packages can accommodate chargebacks to internal departments or external customers to cover labor, spare parts, and overhead charges. This is accomplished by turning work orders into third-party invoices for services rendered. A number of CMMS vendors are quite sophisticated in this area, offering advanced features: • Mark-up of labor, material, and other costs • Rounding of time and cost values • Establishing a min and max labor time or dollar charge • Distinguishing billable work from non-billable work • Configuring billing templates with rate information for a specific job type • Associating billing templates to specific customers, customer class, or on a one-off basis, including appropriate rates, mark-ups, and charges • Handling split charges (e.g. for multiple accounts) • A llowing customer access to only their own service level and billing information E-mail Contributing Editor David Berger, P.Eng., partner, Western Management Consultants, at david@wmc.on.ca. Vertical Motion Arms Vertical Motion Arms that field-adjust to any load. Any workspace. And any operator. Hoffman® Brand SYSPEND™ Vertical Motion Arms quickly field-adjust for different control panels and operators. Only SYSPEND Vertical Motion Arms let you easily field-adjust and recalibrate the lifting force without special tools or service calls. Operators enjoy easy vertical travel and swivel. Available in a monitor/keyboard model plus three models for HMI enclosures, touchscreens and control panels. Contact your local Hoffman distributor, or locate your sales office at hoffmanonline.com Hoffman® SYSPEND™ offers: • Adjustable vertical travel up to 30.5 cm (12"), swivel to 340 degrees • Weight capacity up to 46 kg (125 lbs.) • Integrated cable management • NEMA Type 4, 4X and 12 rated solutions • Available stainless steel arms for use in washdown environments ©2010 Pentair Technical Products PTPA-156 Temporary Syspend Ad_PlantServices.indd 1 PS1005_27_28_AssetMgr.indd 28 4/16/10 9:26 AM 5/7/10 9:27 AM NOT ALL IRON IS CREATED EQUAL. WE PITY THE STUFF THAT ENDS UP AS REBAR. The best ore goes on to become members of the Hyster team, a full line of trucks that derives their exceptional power to perform from 80 years of integrity, engineering excellence and quality design. Throw in durability and reliability, and the end result is lift trucks that are as tough as nails and as dependable as all get-out, day in and day out. © 2010 Copyright Hyster Company. Hyster and 2765_HST2368_FortisPS.indd 1 PS1005_FPA.indd 29 are registered trademarks of Hyster Company. HYSTERAMERICAS.COM 3/9/10 11:07:27 AM 5/7/10 10:46 AM Surround yourself with confidence. Plus 70 years of measurement expertise built into every product. Agilent’s new family of award-winning handhelds puts a wealth of important features and capabilities into your hands. Like vivid displays, dual-temperature measurements and more. Along with world-class accuracy and Digital multimeters Digital oscilloscopes ease-of-use you can depend on for Capacitance meter better results from the world’s largest LCR meters Multi-function calibrator/meter Clamp meters test and measurement company. That’s confidence. That’s Agilent. For a free application note and product information www.agilent.com/find/confidence Agilent and our Distributor Network Right Instrument. Right Expertise. Delivered Right Now. © 2010 Agilent Technologies, Inc. PS1005_FPA.indd 30 Buy from an Authorized Distributor www.agilent.com/find/distributors 5/7/10 10:47 AM Technology Toolbox Sheila Kennedy Emission Controls New technologies are advancing our abilities to contain unsavory emissions Modern biofilters and scrubbers have capabilities and cost efficiencies that exceed their predecessors’. Integrated tools slash emissions and portable diesel engine filters and green fuel emission controls are satisfying unique requirements. Meanwhile, researchers are developing approaches to managing hazardous releases from coal-fired power plants. Advanced biotreatment: When released, volatile organic compounds pose a threat to health and the environment. New VOC controls improve regenerative thermal oxidizers and conventional biotreatment alternatives. An example is Tri-mer’s MultiPhase BioSystem, a combined biofilter and bioscrubber of synthetic ceramic biomedia that tolerates higher gas temperatures and doesn’t degrade. The company’s bioremediation treats multiple VOC emission types in liquid and gas phases with as much as 98% efficiency, producing only clean, non-hazardous solids for disposal or burning. The system doesn’t generate NOx byproducts typical of older combustion approaches. Much less carbon dioxide is released because natural gas isn’t burned. The self-cleaning, clog-free system also is more compact and less expensive to install and operate. Fast start: One way for power plants to reduce emissions is to achieve faster start-ups. The Siemens Flex-Plant 30 power island is designed to start up within 30 minutes and reduce carbon monoxide release by more than 200 tons per year compared to standard F-class combined-cycle plants. Fast-start features include a three-pressure heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) with Benson once-through technology, high-capacity steam attemperation and full capacity steam bypass systems, piping warm-up capabilities, Siemens’ steam turbine stress controller, modern water treatment system, and optimized plant standby using auxiliary steam to maintain vacuum. These integrated technologies result in 50% shorter plant start-up times. Mobile control: Diesel soot is carcinogenic and highly regulated. Mobile diesel power users who require portable filtering technology can consider a trailer-mounted Mobile Power Emissions Control System from Rypos. It connects to diesel power generators ranging from 100 kW to 500 kW to reduce soot by as much as 95%. While passive diesel particulate filters need high exhaust temperatures and are prone to soot accumulation and clogging, Rypos’ active diesel particulate filters offer active regeneration and operation that is essentially maintenance- free. The system uses no more than 1% of the energy output to regenerate so there’s is virtually no increase in fuel use. Mercury management: Coal-fired power plants represent the greatest share of human-generated atmospheric mercury emissions. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) researchers developed a TOXECON process for coal-based Mobile diesel power users who require portable filtering technology have an alternative power generators to reduce mercury emissions significantly, increase particulate matter collection efficiency, and maximize the use of coal combustion byproducts. The process injects sorbents between existing particulate control devices and captures pollutants in a pulsed-jet baghouse. A recently-completed three-year demonstration project in Michigan resulted in removing more than 90% of the mercury in the flue gas. NETL estimates approximately 97 lbs. of mercury and 250 tons of particulate matter will be captured at the plant annually. Gas scrubber: Sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide also are hazardous byproducts of coal-fired power plants. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers working to capture sulfur dioxide and other acid gases developed a Reversible Acid Gas Capture process that binds oil-like organic liquids with acid gases in power plant emissions. The liquid is then heated to recover the gases for disposal. This technique reportedly captures twice as much pollutants as water-based scrubbers, and is more energy-efficient because water requires more energy to pump and heat. The PNNL technology is anticipated to be an easy retrofit for existing coal-fired plants. E-mail Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy, managing director of Additive Communications, at Sheila@addcomm.com. Reference Web sites: www.tri-mer.com www.energy.siemens.com www.rypos.com www.cemtrex.com www.netl.doe.gov www.pnl.gov w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 31 PS1005_31_TechTool.indd 31 5/7/10 9:28 AM Get It Bac k Recover the energy invested in powering compressors By Paul Studebaker, cmr p Editor in C hief It’s common knowledge (and the Ideal Gas Law) that compressing a gas raises is temperature. Compressors must be air- or water-cooled, and compressed gases are commonly cooled to condition them for use. Less well known is the fact that all of the energy required to compress a gas is theoretically available for recovery as heat: the compressed gas leaving the compressor system at room temperature contains no more energy than the roomtemperature air entering the compressor. “It’s possible to extract, by heat transfer, an amount of energy from the compressed air that is equivalent to the amount of energy the electric motor placed into the com- 32 pressed air,” says Bill Scales, P.E., CEO, Scales Industrial Technologies (www.scalesair.com). “This might appear to be a paradox, but confirms the first law of thermodynamics and the principle of the conservation of energy, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form.” So how can compressed air perform work to power plant equipment? “When the compressed air expands, it draws energy from its surroundings equivalent to 20% to 25% of the energy we put in,” says Wayne Perry, technical director, Kaeser (www.kaeser.com). “It robs it from the atmosphere or the devices where it expands.” May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_32_38.indd 32 5/7/10 11:11 AM Efficiency / Compressors Compressor manufacturers and savvy system engineers are well aware of the potential for energy recovery, and have increased their offerings of equipment, accessories, and know-how to maximize energy recovery ROI. “One of the better methods to improve the overall efficiency of a compressed air system is to recover this rejected heat,” says Scales. “However, the availability of the heat and the opportunity to recover and use it are two different matters.” Gather it up Recovery: Practical versus possible Figure 1. The challenge is to recover energy from as many as possible For a sense of how much energy might be of the compressor’s heat-producing components, including compression available, consider that one horsepower equals elements, oil cooler, intercooler, and aftercooler. 2,545 BTU/hr. “Although most rotary screw and reciprocating air compressors are sold in The most common industrial compressor is the nominal horsepower sizes, they generally operate at lubricant-injected rotary screw supplied as a packaged loads that are 10% higher than their motor nameplate compressor, which makes it easier to recover the heat. “In rating at rated compressor discharge pressure and full this type of compressor, approximately 80% of the heat is capacity output,” Scales says. “Therefore, a 100-hp air rejected in the lubricant cooler,” Scales says. “Most of the compressor (110 brake hp) generates almost 280,000 remaining heat is rejected in the aftercooler with a small BTU/hr at full load. In addition, the electric motor percentage in the form of radiated heat from the compreswith an assumed efficiency of 93% will dissipate an adsor housing and lubricant separator receiver. ditional 19,600 BTU/hr.” “In a two-stage lubricant-free rotary screw compressor, The potential to recover this energy was recently driven almost all the rejected heat is evenly divided between the home by TÜV’s certification of Atlas Copco’s “Carbon aftercooler and intercooler,” Scales says. “In two-stage, Zero” compressor as capable of recovering 100% of the water-cooled reciprocating compressors, the intercooler input electrical energy. The challenge is to recover energy and aftercooler might each reject 40% of the heat, and the from as many as possible of the compressor’s heat-procylinders a total of 20%. A centrifugal compressor might ducing components, including compression elements, oil have each intercooler and aftercooler share almost equally cooler, intercooler, and aftercooler (Figure 1). in the heat load.” Recoveries nearing 100% are possible only under rather Ingersoll Rand has engineered heat recovery systems for ideal conditions. “We’re recovering 100% only under very more than 20 years. “Sometimes the hype is more than realspecific conditions: 40°C, 70% RH, 20°C inlet water,” says ity,” says Ian MacLeod, global portfolio manager, centrifugal, Dave Hebert, product marketing manager, oil-free, Atlas Ingersoll Rand (www.irco.com). “It’s application-driven, Copco (www.atlascopco.us). “Typical recoveries are in the because you need both the demand for heat and the matchmid-90s.” The TÜV test results depend on extracting heat ing supply.” of condensation from input air humidity to compensate Recovered energy is delivered as hot air or warm water, motor losses. typically about 180°F maximum but sometimes higher. “If you have a need for the heat, you can recover 90% to It’s produced only when the compressor is running, and 95% of it,” says Perry “It takes about $50,000 per year to can be recovered only if there is a use for it. Common power a 100 hp compressor, so a $10,000 heat exchanger uses include process heating, supplemental space heating, can pay back in 3 months.” making hot water, or preheating boiler make-up water. Real-world project paybacks depend on the cost of “The biggest opportunity is with centrifugals because alternative energy sources (typically natural gas), how well they tend to be larger and offer hotter discharge temperayou can match energy supply and demand, the type(s) of tures compared with contact-cooled compressors, and compressors, and the complexity of the project. they’re usually applied on steady loads,” says MacLeod. “Depending upon the type of compressor, method of “Positive-displacement compressors are more often cooling, and radiant heat losses, it is possible to recover smaller and cycling, with run times that might not corenergy in the form of heat transfer that is equivalent to relate with the need for heat.” 50% to 90% of the total energy input,” says Scales. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 33 PS1005_32_38.indd 33 5/7/10 11:18 AM Efficiency / Compressors ROI is delayed by partial-year operation of space heating, and mismatch of supply and demand times in intermittent operations. Energy storage adds cost, complexity, and maintenance. “However, the applications are limited only by the imagination and possible opportunities, and are not limited to the northern or colder environments,” Scales adds. Paybacks vary depending on the alternate heat source, but even when it’s gas, they can be “Less than two years – and that can include the cost of the new compressor on larger installations,” says Hebert. “They’re much faster when the alternative energy source is electricity than when it’s gas, and faster when the energy demand is constant. But even on smaller installations, you can recover 70% with a retrofit, and recover that cost in less than two years.” Lots of hot air Advanced Performance. Advanced Protection. A proven performer just got better! Like all Sprayon® products, the New Sprayon® Insulating Varnish line helps to preserve and protect your equipment to prevent costly damage and downtime. 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Equipped with our Dan-Vern™ spray button for faster coverage with less finger fatigue. dIp applIcatIonS ...........................Now available in bulk for dipping applications For more information please visit sprayon-insulatingvarnish.com 34 The simplest way to recover heat on air-cooled compressors is to add ductwork and blow the warm air into a room. “A lot of space heating projects are just on the compressor room, to keep it from freezing,” says Perry. “Cooler [denser] inlet air temperatures have little effect on efficiency of positive-displacement compressors – they just use more power to deliver more compressed air when the inlet air is cool. You want to keep inlet air density up on dynamic compressors such as centrifugals.” Most facilities have positive-displacement (PD) rather than centrifugal compressors. “Approximately 80% to 90% of PD compressors are air-cooled,” says George Mankos, global portfolio manager, high-pressure, Ingersoll Rand. It’s a simple matter to duct the heat from those compressors into conditioned space when heat is needed. “It’s very low-capital,” Mankos says. “We made the discharge out the top of our units to make it easier for our customers.” Cameron air-cooled centrifugal compressors facilitate energy recovery by delivering the hot air at the exit of the air/air exchangers, which can then be efficiently ducted for space heating (Figure 2). “In Buffalo winters, we need no outside source to heat our assembly plant; we use the heat of compression from the compressor that supplies the utility air to our plant, for efficient space heating,” says Sandeep Gadkary, general manager, operations, Cameron (www.c-a-m.com). The apparent simplicity of such systems is seductive, but beware. “It’s fine for a short length, but as distance increases or if the ductwork is under- May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_32_38.indd 34 5/7/10 11:19 AM Efficiency / Compressors Simple system A company operates two 100 hp air-cooled rotary-screw compressors at full capacity for 8,000 hours per year. The brake horsepower measured at the compressor shaft is 110 and the motor efficiency is 0.93; the fan motor has an efficiency of 0.90 and requires 5 bhp. The conversion factor is 2,545 BTU per hour per bhp. The total heat is: 110 5 + x 2,545= 0.93 0.90 315,160 BTU per hour Assuming only 80% of the heat is recoverable, the two compressors offer about 504,000 BTU/ hr. At a natural gas cost of $0.50 per therm (100,000 BTU), and a heating season of 4,000 hours per year, the annual savings is: $0.50 504,000 x x 4,000 hours 100,000 = $10,080 per year Summer RF e us a are ho re Wa D C ter n Wi er T WF d ate L ng Co flo olin Su w in g ai r mm er ow r fl er Ai Wint in fa nu Ma ri ctu e ah are nt Wi in fan: WF Wall near ceiling / on in Winter L Outside louver: open in summer D Doors: open in winter / closed in summer RF Roof fan: on in Summer C Compressors T Thermostat: controls fans and louver Note that the compressors were purchased air-cooled and the fan horsepower was necessary for operation, so in this case, the cost of fan operation isn’t deducted from the savings. The general arrangement of the compressors within the plant and warehouse area is depicted in the drawing. Plant air is further heated in winter and discharged to the warehouse; during the warmer months the heat is rejected outside the building. The outside louver and wall fan prevent potential problems with elevated compressor room tempera- tures. “The plant personnel did the installation and, as you can see, it was done without any ductwork,” says Bill Scales, P.E., CEO, Scales Industrial Technologies (www.scalesair. com). “For many applications, the energy cost of operating any additional ventilating or booster fans should be deducted from the savings.” sized, the compressor overheats,” says Chris Wagner, president and CEO, CAM Technologies (www.compressedairmanagement.com). “This is a very, very common problem, so they boost it with a VFD or separate blower and starve the compressor inlet.” Large systems call for large ductwork. “You might have to insulate the duct, which can be 6-ft.-square on a 200 hp compressor. That’s a very expensive duct,” Wagner adds. “It works if the room is nearby. If it’s boosted, engineer it to maintain ¼-in. WC in the housing.” Scales Industrial Technologies offers these cautions: • Louvers and ductwork constitute restrictions to the flow of ventilat- ing air and might decrease the necessary fan airflow to effect proper cooling. In some cases booster fans might be necessary and the cost of operation should be considered. • Size louvers for minimum restriction and to maintain the air velocity at a maximum of 10 ft/sec to 15 ft/sec. Follow the compressor and dryer manufacturer’s recommendation for the maximum allowable static pressure. • Bring inlet cooling air in at a relatively low point, but don’t pick up dirt or dust. In a dusty environment, a generously sized air panel filter is necessary. Keep the panel inlet filters, louvers and cooler surfaces clean for best compressor performance and reduced maintenance costs. • Direct the cooling air towards the compressor and/or dryer fan inlet(s), through the cooling surfaces across the compressor and dryer. Exhaust the warm air from the room at a level above the compressor or other air-cooled equipment. • In multiple compressor installations, don’t allow the warm discharge cooling air from one compressor or dryer to be directed towards the inlet of the fan of another compressor or dryer. • In most rotary screw compressors, the cooling air leaving the coolers w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 35 PS1005_32_38.indd 35 5/7/10 11:20 AM Efficiency / Compressors Heat Recovery System Schematic - Typical Sophisticated system A manufacturer of mining equipment, tools, and specialty materials preheats boiler feedwater using heat recovered from a 5,500 cfm, threestage centrifugal compressor (796 kW at the compressor input shaft). The boiler and compressor both run 24/7/365. Boiler feed water nominal flow is 70 gpm, entering at 45°F and heated to 188°F to enter the boiler. “Dual pumps and coolers provide 100% backup,” says Ian MacLeod, global portfolio manager, centrifugal, Ingersoll Rand (www. irco.com). “Higher water temperatures could be achieved, but this customer opted for volume over temperature.” The energy recovery system captures 753 kW, or 95% of the motor shaft horsepower. Compressor Centac C950 MODEL C155MX3 (3 stages, standard coolers) 90°F, 5544 cfm @ 100psig 118°F, 70.4 gpm Heat Exchanger 86°F, 227 gpm 108°F, 206 gpm 158°F, 21 gpm 108°F, 21 gpm 104°F, 73.4 gpm Pump-skid wired to compressor Dual Pumps 108°F, 227 gpm Cooler 1 Air Compressor Cooling Water Hot Water to Boiler Raw Water to Heat Recovery Cooler 45°F, 81 gpm Boiler feed water To drain Cooler 2 can be 20°F to 40°F warmer than the inlet air. Therefore, recirculated plant air can be used for supplemental heating. Don’t take in sub-freezing air and expect to use the air compressor to heat it to a temperature where it will reduce heating fuel costs. • Improper ventilation can result in elevated air compressor and dryer operating temperatures. This can lead to reduced Take it off the top External Aftercooler Total Power Recovered = (500 x 70.4gpm x 73F)/3413 = 753kW equipment life, increased maintenance and repair costs, and an unreliable air compressor system. The initial price of a good ventilation system usually is far less than the resulting cost of a hot operating environment. If ducting is daunting, consider an air-to-water heat exchanger. “With an air-to-water heat exchanger or a watercooled compressor, you can heat a room some distance away,” says Wagner. “Run a 2-in. to 3-in. pipe to and from a fan-cooled heat exchanger. Take water at 110°F and return it at 85°F. You only have to insulate a 3-in. pipe.” Gallons of warm water Figure 2. Ducting warm air can be easier when it is delivered from the top of the compressor package. 36 Water-cooled compressors offer warm water that can be directed through a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger to heat water or process fluid, or through a water-to-air heat exchanger for space heating. “These heat recovery units are available as packaged units, and include the pumps and controls for simplified installation and economic operation,” says Scales. The aforementioned Carbon Zero oil-free compressor relies on routing water through its heat-producing components to maximize the potential heat recovery, and yields hot water at up to 194°F. Small amounts of heat are lost and can’t be recovered, such as inefficiency of the drive motor, radiation into the room, and heat that remains in the outlet compressed air. However, the air drawn into the May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_32_38.indd 36 5/7/10 11:20 AM more resources at www.plantservices.com Topic Search Scales Air projects “Heat recovery hot topic” Blow molding energy recovery “PET project” Dryer technologies “Four untruths compressed air” Compressed air audit “Compressed air audit” THE RIGHT TOOL FOR EVERY JOB For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the terms compressed air, energy and recovery. compressor normally contains humidity. During compression, this humidity condenses and releases latent heat. Heat also can be taken at the oil cooler of oil-flooded equipment, but recovery percentages are typically in the mid-70s, to avoid overcooling the oil. “Compressors want oil at 140°F, so you can’t take a lot of that heat,” says Wagner. “Replace the cooling tower with a heat exchanger, but return the water at higher than 70°F or water will be pulled out of the air into the oil.” Make it a drying heat Another way to use otherwise wasted heat is for regenerating desiccant dryers. A typical dryer uses two desiccant beds – one is in operation while the other is in regeneration. “These dryers often are regenerated using an electric heater and blower system, or by purging them with clean, dry compressed air,” says MacLeod. “The former uses additional energy and the latter consumes about 15% of the compressor’s output.” Instead, the heat of compression can be used to desorb the water. “We route the hot discharge air from the compressor first through the wet bed to regenerate it, then through the cooler to cool the air and condense out much of the moisture, then through the dry bed to bring the dew point down, typically to -20°F to -40°F,” says Mankos. “The energy consumption of the system is about 60 watts to run the controls,” Mankos says. “It’s a cost-effective retrofit, even at electricity prices as low as two cents per kilowatt-hour.” The discharge air temperature from a three-stage centrifugal compressor is typically 235°F to 260°F; from a two-stage it’s about 350°F. Hotter air gives a lower dew point by more complete regeneration of the desiccant, so it’s more effective to take the energy after the second stage, then route the air through an intercooler and back to the third stage (Figure 3). “After heating, the regenerating tower is depressurized,” says Gadkary. “From the outlet, a small portion of dry air is blown into the regenerating tower and vented. This stripping can remove the last bit of moisture from the desiccant, allowing the package to deliver dewpoints of -40°F and lower.” After stripping, the desiccant bed is cooled to eliminate moisture spikes. Some of the dry, cool air from the outlet is directed through the bed, then rejoins the processed air at the outlet so no compressed air is lost. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 37 PS1005_32_38.indd 37 • Energysaving compressors • Pointofuse compressors • Oil-freecompressors • Auditingservicesthat identifywaste • Compressormonitoring capabilities • Airtreatmentproducts Don’t get stuck with the wrong solution. To find out more, visit GardnerDenverProducts.com/Solutions.aspx 5/7/10 11:21 AM PS March 2010 ad.qxp 2/26/2010 Summit Industrial Products Your Best Choice for Synthetic Lubricants Increase reliability and reduce down time of your critical rotating equipment with synthetic lubricants from Summit Industrial Products. Our lubricants keep your equipment running cooler, smoother, longer and more efficient. A Complete Line Of Full Synthetic Lubricants: Air, Gas & Refrigeration Compressor Fluids Gear & Bearing Lubricants Hydraulic Oils R&O Lubricants Blower Lubricants Turbine Oils Barrier Fluids High Temperature Chain Oils Oven Conveyor Chain Oils Vacuum Pump Oils Air Tool Oils NSF ISO 21469 Certified ISO 9001 : 2008 Certified SUMMIT INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 4:24 PM Efficiency / Compressors How It Works Hot and dry IC IC TDP arrangement AC Dryer skid Dry -40˚F DP Figure 3. Hotter air does a more thorough regeneration of the desiccant dryer adsorption bed, so on a three-stage centrifugal compressor it’s best to route the air from the second stage through the bed and back to the third stage. Expansive opportunities Water, space, condensate, and dryer heating are the most common ways to recover energy, but specific facilities might offer other opportunities. Recovered energy has been used to replace gas or electric heaters to melt wax, liquefy chocolate and sugar, and power parts-drying systems. “Hot air from the compressor discharge, prior to the aftercooler, also can be used to reheat compressed air after initial cooling or drying,” says Scales. “This adds energy to the air.” However, care must be taken to ensure the end users can accept the elevated temperature. Insulate the piping to reduce heat lost through radiation and, more importantly, to protect personnel who might touch exposed pipes. Gas expansion is an often overlooked opportunity to recover energy. “In process compression, one often can integrate an expander stage in a compressor, making it a compander,” says Gadkary. The process gas is expanded in the expander stage to recover energy and increase compressor efficiency. “The savings can range up to 20%, and it is successfully employed in air separation applications,” he says. “This technology also offers a great opportunity in industrial air applications that experience significant pressure drops and involve large volumes of air.” When it comes to compressor energy recovery, “The opportunities are excellent,” Scales says. “Use your imagination to recover the heat from your air compressors and reap the benefits of reduced energy consumption and lower operating costs.” Why energy is so seldom recovered Many facilities are candidates for compressor energy recovery projects with attractive ROI, but have accounting structures that prohibit them. “The problem is, people don’t take a systems approach,” says Wayne Perry, technical director, Kaeser (www.kaeser.com). Maintenance has a broken compressor and just needs to replace it, or the plant operations people need more air, so they buy a compressor. They aren’t graded by energy or carbon. The purchasing department is graded on performance to budget, and buys the least expensive machine. “In the accounting department, capital goes in one bucket, and utilities in another. The people who buy the compressors are below the level where they can be put together,” says Perry. “They tell us they can’t spend to save energy because it will actually hurt their performance measurements by increasing their cost per ton. At a large company with an energy policy, or at small company where it’s essentially one guy with left and right pockets, we can get it done.” Perry sees some improvement with more attention to carbon footprint. “The emerging ISO 500001 standard will help,” he says. “It’s an energy management standard along the lines of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000: plan, do, check.” A draft standard is expected late this year (see www.iso.org/iso/ pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1157). www.klsummit.com 800.749.5823 PS1005_32_38.indd 38 38 May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m 5/7/10 11:22 AM Any motor. Any voltage. Any application. Now test up to 10 kV with the Fluke 1555/1550C insulation resistance testers From motors and generators, to cables and switchgear, Fluke now takes you all the way to 10 kV. With automatic data storage and PC interface, the new Fluke 1555 (10 kV) and redesigned Fluke 1550C (5 kV) fit right into your preventative maintenance program. • CAT III 1000 V, CAT IV 600 V safety rated • Voltage breakdown detection alerts you when voltage is present for increased user safety • Best in class, 3-year warranty For details visit www.fluke.com/insulation Tired of cranking your meter? Trade up to a Fluke digital insulation tester and save! For details on how you can save up to $75 on a new Fluke insulation tester,, visit www.fluke.com/insulationtradein today! Fluke. Keeping your world up and running.® ©2010 Fluke Corporation. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Ad 3782055A PS1005_FPA.indd 39 3782055A_PE_PS.indd 1 5/7/10 10:48 AM 4/15/10 12:56 PM Reliability / Power Transmission A 37-MW electrical power generation system driven by an aeroderivative gas turbine (Figure 1) suffered a puzzling failure in its parallel-shaft gearbox (Figure 2). After only several thousand hours of operation under typical service conditions, the teeth broke on the pinion of a double helical gear set (Figures 3 and 4). The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) asked us to theory didn’t explain the gear tooth failures completely. At the time, however, a better explanation wasn’t apparent. Testing and analysis We performed a comprehensive on-site evaluation of the drivetrain to capture data that potentially could suggest a better explanation for the failures. This mechanical testing The axial vibration was intensified by the excitation of the pinion’s axial vibration frequency. The pinion’s radial vibration rose when the gearbox was operated at synchronous speed but under no load. uncover the underlying cause of the failed gear teeth. Previous studies of this matter proposed gear mesh misalignment as the root cause of the failure. The basis for this conclusion was founded primarily on bluing patterns observed on the pinion’s turbine-end helix. Because the gear tooth failures were attributed to misalignment, the OEM had begun to redesign the gear tooth profile on the replacement gear to better tolerate misalignment. Nonetheless, the OEM suspected that the gear mesh misalignment 40 included operating forced response and impact modal testing, vibration monitoring during partial and transient load events, and measuring critical dimensions in the gearbox and shaft position as load and temperature varied. Accelerometers, velocity transducers, and a multi-channel data acquisition system captured structural and rotor vibration measurements. Radial proximity probes at each end of both gearbox shafts and an axial proximity probe measured movement of the input (pinion) shaft (Figure 2). May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_40_43_pwrtrans.indd 40 5/7/10 9:31 AM Reliability / Power Transmission Big equipment, big problem Figure 1. The serious malfunction, which consisted of broken pinion teeth in the gearbox, took the entire system out of service. The root cause of the failures was a mystery to both the unit’s owner and the gearbox OEM. The evidence Watching the details Figure 2. The drivetrain’s gearbox was instrumented with accelerometers, velocity transducers, and proximity probes to record the response during the routine operating conditions. Secondary damage Figure 3. The gear tooth failures were severe enough that sizeable fragments of the pinion not only fractured, but had broken completely free from the gear during routine operating conditions. Figure 4. Additional scratches in the gear teeth occurred as broken gear tooth fragments dispersed through the gearbox. An Essinger Bar system measured the movement of each gearbox bearing housing. Temperature mapping across the gearbox at each operating condition identified possible anomalies in the temperature distributions, which could have been related to distortion and gear misalignment. Ā e recorded test data showed that structural vibration occurring in the gearbox during different test load conditions was inconclusive. Ā e motion of the gearbox bearing housings relative to the baseplate was inadequate to cause the misalignment that others suggested, again based on an interpretation of the bluing pattern. Moreover, gear analysis tools failed to predict magnitudes of mechanical stress that would have caused gear tooth failures at the location where they had occurred (apex edge of the double helix chevron, always on the same side of the apex), even when mesh misalignment was considered in the analysis. On the other hand, we saw considerable pinion rotor radial and axial vibration, particularly when the gearbox was operated at low loads or at idle speed. Significant shifts in the pinion’s axial position and relatively high-amplitude axial vibration were apparent while the drivetrain operated at idle speed. The axial vibration was intensified by the excitation of the pinion’s axial vibration frequency. The pinion’s radial vibration rose when the gearbox was operated at synchronous speed but under no load. The primary component of this vibration mode occurred at 43% of running speed, the result of bounded rotordynamic instability. These conditions could have contributed to gear tooth failures, w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 41 PS1005_40_43_pwrtrans.indd 41 5/7/10 9:32 AM Reliability / Power Transmission Unexpected movement Fundamental theory says… Axial load from coupling 9 10 768 2 4&5 1 x 79 42 810 56 3 Pinion (Turbine End) x FB1=-FR1 -FA1 FR1 Pinion (Alternator End) Figure 5. The pinion shaft centerline position is depicted relative to the pinion bearing centerline, both at the turbine end (left) and at the alternator end (right). The two large circles represent bearing clearances, and the arrows indicate the directions the rotor centerline moved with increasing load during testing. The substantial difference in the responses at the two ends of the pinion also is evident. but were insufficient to provide a complete explanation of the high stresses at the failure location. Measurements recorded at the gearbox bearings indicated that radial loading on the pinion rotor wasn’t balanced between FA2 FB2=-FR2 FR2 Figure 6. A free body diagram of the helical gear set illustrates the unbalanced forces on the pinion that arise when an external axial force is applied. the turbine end and the alternator end. The bearing temperatures and eccentricities at the rotor ends differed considerably, and the data indicated that radial loading was skewed to the turbine end. The measurements also showed that the gearbox leaned towards the alternator when under load. This was in conflict with the “axial centering” and side-to-side load sharing nature of a double helical gear. Interestingly, the average location of the pinion’s radial centerline shifted in an unexpected manner as the load increased (Figure 5). As the load increased, movement in the turbine end followed a crescent-shaped trajectory, while the alternator Axial load from coupling FB1=-FR1 -FA1 FR1 42 FA2 FB2=-FR2 FR2 May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_40_43_pwrtrans.indd 42 5/7/10 9:33 AM Reliability / Power Transmission end gradually moved toward the bearing centerline along a relatively straight path. In the absence of external forces, a double helical gear moves axially until the torque load is balanced between the helices. Gear symmetry results in identical radial loads, which the bearings on the turbine and generator end must carry. Symmetric loading implies both bearings should operate similarly, which was what drivetrain testing didn’t reveal. Axial thermal growth exceeded the maximum axial travel that this particular flexible coupling could tolerate. The rotor centerline trajectories indicated that the radial load on the turbine-end bearing increased while the radial load on the alternator-end bearing decreased as the overall transmitted torque rose. For this situation to exist, an external axial force must be acting on the pinion rotor to make one helix carry significantly more load than the other. A free body diagram of the helical gear set illustrates how helix loading can be asymmetric when an external axial force is applied to the pinion (Figure 6). more resources at www.plantservices.com TOPIC Gear MOC Powder metal gears Gear problem diagnostics Powertrain PdM Design limits Gears Gears and vibration SEARCH “The Barkhausen effect” “The power of powder” “Gearing: care and feeding” “Avoid the rolling thunder” “Destined to fail” “Gearbox essentials” “Understanding and minimizing industrial noise” For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the keywords gearbox, misalignment, vibration. The additional testing and analysis identified the root cause of the equipment malfunction, saved the OEM money, and potentially prevented additional costly gearbox failures. Eric Olson is a principal engineer and Chris Hurrell is manager of test facilities at Mechanical Solutions, Inc., Whippany, New Jersey. Contact them at MSI@MechSol.com and (973) 326-9920. Diagnosis and solution The source of the external force, and cause of the failures, was thermal growth in the high-speed rotor system (pinion and the power turbine). To be transmitted to the pinion, such an external axial force also had to have passed through the disk-pack type mechanical coupling connecting the turbine and gearbox. In general, disk-pack couplings are flexible in the axial direction. However, test data showed that drivetrain axial thermal growth exceeded the maximum axial travel that this particular flexible coupling could tolerate. The drivetrain’s axial growth pushed on the bull gear rotor thrust bearing, which then transmitted the unbalanced axial load to the gear teeth. The turbine-end helix carried significantly more load than did the alternator-end helix, and this load imbalance led to pinion geartooth failures well within the equipment’s expected operating life. A modification of the coupling to include additional axial clearance corrected the machinery problem. The coupling then accommodated thermal growth between the power turbine and gearbox pinion at the operating conditions of the high-speed rotor system. Gear-mesh misalignment wasn’t the primary factor causing gear tooth failures, which suggested that gear tooth profile modifications the OEM was devising at a cost of $300,000 weren’t necessary, and might even be harmful. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 43 PS1005_40_43_pwrtrans.indd 43 5/7/10 10:57 AM Using ash in concrete is nothing new. The Romans used volcanic ash in their spectacular construction projects long before the introduction of Portland cement, having discovered its value as a hardening agent when mixed with lime. The ancient Romans used volcanic ash as an admix to erect buildings such as the Pantheon and Coliseum, roads, and aqueducts. Remember, these structures are more than 2,000 years old. Fly ash concrete was first used in the U.S. in the 1920s for dam construction, when engineers found that it reduced the total cement requirement. Today, as more projects seek LEED certification, ash is resurfacing as a popular environmentally-friendly alternative to Portland cement. No longer are we using volcanic ash, of course, but coal fly ash is gaining ground as the green alternative of choice for LEED projects. Many of the projects and the millions of square yards of LEED flooring we’ve installed in recent years used ash in the cement mixture. While fly ash holds benefit as a recycled component, it also presents flooring contractors with unique challenges. What is fly ash? To understand the green benefit and challenges that fly ash brings to the flooring process, you must understand fly ash. It’s a byproduct of coal power plants, which account for more than half of the electricity we consume in the United States, according to Headwaters Resources in South Jordan, Utah, which supplies mate- 44 rials derived from coal combustion products, including fly ash, nationwide. “Fly ash is composed of the non-combustible mineral portion of coal. When coal is consumed in a power plant, it’s first ground to the fineness of powder. Blown into the power plant’s boiler, the carbon is consumed – leaving molten particles rich in silica, alumina, and calcium. These particles solidify as microscopic, glassy spheres that are collected from the power plant’s exhaust before We now know that the maximum level that avoids complications in adhering floor covering is 15% fly ash. they can “fly” away – hence the product’s name: fly ash,” according to a Headwaters report. Fly ash is considered the modern-day “Pozzolan,” a word that comes from the Italian city, Pozzuoli, which most consider the birthplace of ash concrete technology. Pozzolan is a siliceous material that by itself possesses no cementitious value. However, with the presence of moisture, it reacts with calcium hydroxide to form a compound with cementitious properties. Concrete made with fly ash is strong, durable, and resistant to chemical attack, as evidenced by the many early Roman buildings still standing. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_44_46_Floor.indd 44 5/7/10 9:39 AM Why fly ash is popular Traditionally-produced Portland cement, while extremely versatile and strong, is not environmentally friendly. According to the Green Resource Center, the manufacture of Portland cement accounts for 6% to 7% of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) humans produce. That equates to the greenhouse-gas equivalent of 330 million cars, each driving 12,500 miles per year. Coal fly ash is a coal-fired power plant waste byproduct, which otherwise would end up in a landfill. Its use in cement reduces the energy demands of manufacturing other concrete ingredients, reducing energy consumption, costs, and greenhouse emissions, and slowing the depletion of natural resources. In fact, according to Headwaters research, more than 12 million tons of coal fly ash are used in American concrete products each year. Because of coal fly ash’s green qualities, its use in concrete can generate points toward LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council: • Materials & Resources • MR Credit 4.1 Recycled Content • MR Credit 4.2 Recycled Content Effect on flooring installation In the past several years, we’ve gained extensive experience in commercial LEED projects, many of which used fly ash in the concrete. We found that, while fly ash benefits concrete durability and strength, makes it more workable, and is the green thing to do, its use as an additive in concrete can generate some fairly challenging bonding issues with flooring. Here’s why: Fly ash is one of the residues generated in coal combustion. Depending on the source and type of coal being burned, fly ash makeup varies considerably, but all fly ash contains substantial amounts of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide. If you’ve ever tried to attach anything to a silicon-based product, you know firsthand that it won’t stick. Similarly, calcium oxide, also known as quicklime or burnt lime, is a caustic, alkaline crystalline byproduct – and like other high-alkalinity products, plays havoc with flooring adhesives. “The fly in the ointment, or in this matter, the fly ash, is that nothing will stick to this type of concrete regardless of what you do,” wrote Lew Migliore, president and owner of The Commercial Flooring Report in March 2008. He advised flooring contractors to get involved early in the specification process to prevent specifying or trying to install products that simply won’t stick. The American Coal Ash Association and the flooring industry have been working to address this problem since 2008. In response to issues raised in that 2008 article, ACAA Executive Director David Goss said, “There have been many successful projects in which coal fly ash (CFA) has replaced more than the typical 20% to 30% replacement levels. However, as the replacement levels are increased, a change in the typical concrete placement and curing process should be observed. In other words, more can be better, provided the Read the flooring specs carefully Figure 1. Installing a fine floor on a substrate of concrete laced with fly ash might be problematic, but it can be done. unique characteristics of fly ash are accounted for during the engineering phase of the program. “To this end,” he continued, “it has been noted while the bonding characteristics of certain flooring compounds are acceptable in applications where typical CFA replacement levels are used, very little is known about these characteristics when higher levels of CFA are utilized. The historical mechanisms of concrete failure (pH, moisture, and type of finish) need to be evaluated as a function of CFA loading to determine if the loading levels are relevant. We believe that sound research evaluating various mix designs under simulated operating conditions will help identify any precautions or finishing processes that will enable your industry to provide high quality flooring for any application.” While the ACAA and flooring industry collaborate to research the optimum fly ash concentration levels, flooring installers are left to face the challenges. On the ground: Dell Children’s The Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin is a great example of the value, and challenges, encountered with fly ash in concrete. Built in 2007, Dell Children’s was the first Platinum LEED hospital in the world. To achieve the highest LEED designation demanded that the project incorporate every possible opportunity to gain LEED points. This 500,000-sq.ft.project had about 40,000 sq.yds. of linoleum and 175,000 ft. of hand-cut seams just for inset patterns. One of the project team’s goals was to reduce cement use, carbon dioxide, and greenhouse effects. So, the team substituted fly ash for a portion of the cement, pouring 41,000 cu.yd. of the fly-ash concrete in the foundation and walls. According to Roger Vokt, superintendent of Greater Austin Development, which poured the concrete on this w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 45 PS1005_44_46_Floor.indd 45 5/7/10 9:40 AM Reliability / Flooring project, the pilings for Dell Children’s job had as much as 50% fly ash content. Ā e slab on which we installed flooring contained between 30% and 35% fly ash. A white paper published a few years after we completed the project documented that high concentrations of fly ash in concrete used in new LEED projects across the country was failing. But, at the time of the Dell Children’s construction, we were learning on the fly, so to speak. Very quickly into the installation project our teams began experiencing significant challenges attaching the linoleum to the slab, even though all normal readings (moisture and alkaline) were within the manufacturer’s recommended tolerances. We stopped the job for about 30 days, attempting to resolve the issue. During this time, we did an enormous amount of testing and explored a variety of methods we thought might cure the problem. We even called on concrete experts to core the slab to determine the cause of this nonadhesion. We couldn’t determine the cause, but did come up with a solution. We found that a very aggressive scarifying of the surface of the concrete (just less than bead blasting), was the best way to get the linoleum to stick. Ā e additional In anticipation of those situations, expect to see exclusion clauses in your flooring contractor’s proposal and contract. floor preparation ultimately enabled us to install the flooring successfully, but at significant additional cost to us. We also performed mechanical bond testing throughout the project to verify that our solution was working. Ā is is a tried-but-true test that tells the story as far as material being bonded to the subfloor. We conducted this test in addition to the moisture and alkalinity testing that we perform on each of our projects. Lessons learned Since the Dell project, we now routinely encounter fly ash in cement in LEED projects – and in fact, we approach the bid process for those jobs expecting that we will be dealing with high concentrations of fly ash. We now know that the maximum level that avoids complications in adhering floor covering is 15% fly ash. We know that projects with concentrations in the 30% to 35% range should expect and plan for significant additional costs in prepping the floor to install materials. Having encountered this situation routinely now on LEED installations, we know what to look for and adjust, including changes to the flooring adhesive itself, if necessary. As Migliore advised in 2008, savvy flooring contractors should ask the general or concrete contractor about the con46 more resources at www.plantservices.com TOPIC SEARCH Terrazzo flooring “Tough but beautiful” Slab-on-grade floors “Solid cures for concrete floors” Moisture problems “You shouldn’t have to walk on water” Moisture and pH problems “Caustic comments” Epoxy/cleaner compatibility “Between the tiles” Concrete restoration “Quality at your feet” Leeds certification “Sustain a house of green” For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the keywords concrete, flooring, and LEED. crete composition at the outset of the project. If your project contains fly ash, make sure you have an experienced flooring contractor who knows how to respond: • Shot blast the floor to open it up to allow sealants to adhere • Use a cementitious or polymeric sealer • Specify products with the most likelihood of adhering. While stretch-in carpet, laminated flooring and freefloating floors might be the best flooring options in these cases, those solutions might not be practical for commercial surfaces. Ā e fact is that almost any flooring surface might be used, but additional preparation might be required and probably will represent an additional expense to the owner. Like the saying, “buyer beware.” When it comes to LEED projects, architects, contractors, and owners should ensure they choose a flooring contractor that keeps up with the latest technology and that can troubleshoot problems to find a solution – or better yet, circumvent problems before they occur. Be sure to choose a flooring partner that is aware of fly ash and its challenges, and one that will be vigilant and cautious early on in researching the concrete on which it will be expected to install product. In anticipation of those situations, expect to see exclusion clauses in your flooring contractor’s proposal and contract. We now include a clause in our proposals that, along with moisture and alkalinity issues typically associated with concrete slabs, excludes “floor preparation required to adhere floor coverings if a high concentration of fly ash or other additives that impede the adhesion of flooring materials” is present on these projects. No doubt, fly ash will continue to grow in popularity as LEED projects become the norm in commercial construction. By doing your research early in the project, being aware of the effect of fly ash on flooring installation and planning for extra floor prep, and choosing an experienced LEED flooring expert, you can meet these green demands without ruining your project’s bottom line. Bill Imhoff is CEO of Intertech Flooring, Austin, Texas. Contact him at wei@intertechflooring.com and (512) 385-4574. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_44_46_Floor.indd 46 5/7/10 9:40 AM Accurate troubleshooting relies on using the proper tool for the job Keeping the facility’s power system operating safely and reliably requires a variety of electrical tests. Do you have the right tools for the job? Here’s a rundown of some of the more common equipment that you might need. Digital multimeter Digital multimeters (Figure 1) are the most common type of electrical test equipment, and are the workhorses for electrical testing. Applications for multimeters are numerous, and include testing voltages at both power and control levels, measuring the current to various loads, checking the resistance of motors and transformers and other components, and testing continuity of switch contacts and wiring. Almost every multimeter measures AC and DC voltage and current, and resistance. Voltage measurements generally range from millivolts to 1,000 volts. Current ranges generally run from milliamps to as much as 10 amps. Resistance measurements typically are from less than one ohm to tens of megohms. Many models have additional functions such as continuity buzzers, temperature, capacitance, frequency, and diode testing. More advanced models include peak hold, inrush current, max/min recording, data logging, and PC communication for setup and data storage. Meters that measure true RMS (TRMS) values are more accurate than average-responding meters when waveforms contain harmonics, such as the voltages and currents in motor drives and power supplies. Non-contact voltage detector These instruments are simple and effective for quickly determining whether voltage is present on a circuit or in a panel (Figure 2). However, you must verify that they’re working properly if you want to rely on them for confirming voltage absence (see sidebar, “Safety takes three steps”). A followup test with a multimeter is recommended to confirm that conductors are deenergized before performing work on the circuit. Various models use lights, buzzers, or both as the indicating signal. Solenoid voltage detector (Wiggy) These instruments have been around for many years, and are still popular with many electricians. The original design uses a solenoid to move a pointer, which indicates the nominal system voltage level. They don’t give precise readings of actual voltage. In addition to the pointer, solenoid vibration provides an audible indication of voltage presence. They require no batw w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 47 ps1005_47_50_pwrdist.indd 47 5/7/10 9:42 AM Safety / Electrical the meter and allowing convenient current teries, and are rugged enough to bounce Handful of power measurements on almost any circuit. around in a tool box without damage. Historically, current clamps operated on Now for the bad news. While the transformer principle and were limited many of these units are still in to AC measurements. Today, however, service, they don’t comply with many use electronic devices, such as Hallcontemporary test equipment effect sensors, and can measure both AC safety standards. Also, the solenoids and DC current. consume significant power from Current clamps are rated from several the circuit under test, and produce amps to thousands of amps, and there a voltage transient when makare flexible probes available that install ing and breaking the connection. around large conductors or multiple As a result, they can damage any bus bars (Figure 3). These allow current sensitive solid-state devices on the measurements at any location in a power circuit. They also can overheat if endistribution system from the main service ergized for longer than the recomto the smallest branch circuit. mended duty cycle marked on the instrument, and they are subject to Figure 1. The hand-held digital multimeter mechanical wear that might render Clamp meter is the workhorse of the circuit testing tools them inaccurate. I don’t recommend available. These are becoming popular, with a wide using them. selection available from a number of manNewer designs mimic the original style instrument, but ufacturers (Figure 4). They combine the functions of a muluse indicator lights rather than the solenoid. Some of them timeter with a built-in current clamp, eliminating the need actually include a vibrator to provide the feedback of the for a separate adapter and the interconnecting wires. The solenoid. These instruments have acceptable safety ratings, only function missing from many of them is DC current, and don’t damage the circuit under test. although there are some AC/DC models. Current measuring ratings can be as high as 1,000 amps. Consider one of these if you make many current measurements routinely and don’t Current clamp need the flexibility of the larger current probes. While almost every multimeter has a current measuring function, it’s only usable for relatively low currents. In addition, the need to break into the circuit to connect the meter Insulation tester/megohmmeter in series with the load makes many measurements inconveAlthough multimeters measure resistance, they’re not nient or impossible. Most industrial current testing is done capable of making the very high resistance measurements with a spring-loaded current clamp adapter that is clamped needed for testing insulation on components such as bus around a conductor temporarily, extending the amp range of bars, panels, motors, and transformers. For this task you Confirm without touching Figure 2. The non-contact tester indicates whether a circuit or component is deenergized. 48 Size doesn’t matter Figure 3. The measuring loop on a flexible current probe attachment for a multimeter is capable of being opened up to encircle large conductors or bus bars. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m ps1005_47_50_pwrdist.indd 48 5/7/10 9:42 AM Safety / Electrical Current without breaking a circuit more resources at www.plantservices.com TOPIC Search Hi-pot testing “Diagnostic insulation testing” “Making the workplace safe” Safety attitude Lightning “Lightning on a stick” Test equip “Testing, testing” Electrical distribution “Matching the standards” Power distribution “Reliable distribution” “Caution: High voltage” Safety NFPA70e “Revised NFPA 70E clarifies electrical safety” Arc flash “The Electrical Barrier” For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the key­words analyzer, harmonic, and solenoid. Figure 4. The clamp meter measures the current flowing through smaller conductors. need an instrument that measures tens or hundreds of gigohms (1 gigohm = 1,000 megohms) at test voltages from 500 to several thousand volts (Figure 5). Insulation testers apply the test voltage between the conductors or windings and the metal frame of the equipment under test, measure the very small current that flows through the insulation, and display the result as resistance. Modern digital testers automatically run insulation tests dielectric absorption ratio, polarization index, step voltage, and dielectric discharge. These non-destructive tests involve calculations based on changes in the insulation resistance during a measurement period of several minutes. When performed regularly, megohm tests can indicate insulation deterioration long before it becomes a problem. Hi-pot tester Like megohmmeters, hi-pots measure insulation integrity by applying a high voltage across the insulation. Unlike megohmmeters, however, hi-pots don’t measure insulation resistance. They measure the resulting leakage current and sense the presence of breakdown (arcing) either across a surface or through air. As a result, hi-pots not only determine insulation effectiveness, but they also can detect reduced spacing or crimped wires. Manufacturers often used them for production line testing, or in the field for component-acceptance testing. Hi-pots are available for both AC and DC testing, with voltage ranges from 2.5 kV to more than 100 kV. Because the hi-pot can deliver enough current to produce arcing, improper testing can be destructive to the device under test. Therefore, it’s important to follow OEM recommendations for the device being tested, or use standard industry practice. While AC tests are used for many applications, DC tests are necessary if high capacitance to ground exists, such as filters or long cables that would cause excessive leakage current with an AC tester. While some testers are controlled manually with analog meters, available microprocessor-controlled digital testers automatically control the voltage ramp-up, test voltage, and test duration. They also log the results in memory for later uploading to a PC. Low-resistance ohmmeter/milliohmmeter Testing the resistance of switch or relay contacts, large motor or transformer windings, or bonding jumpers and connections requires an instrument that can measure accurately down to micro-ohms (1/1,000,000 of an ohm). Multimeters simply can’t measure such small resistances, and Points to high resistance the test leads and clips typically have a resistance of several tenths of an ohm, which would make any such low-resistance readings meaningless. A low-resistance ohmmeter uses a four-wire Kelvin connection to the device under test. Two wires inject a test current, while the other two measure the resulting voltage across the device, which is then converted to ohms and displayed (Figure 6). Because the test leads aren’t included in the voltage reading, their resistance has no effect. Test currents can vary from 1 A to 100 A or more, dependFigure 5. The insulation tester monitors ing on the instrument design and the current flowing through the insulation measurement range. between a conductor and its environment. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 49 ps1005_47_50_pwrdist.indd 49 5/7/10 9:43 AM Safety / Electrical Measuring low resistance Safety takes three steps When checking for the absence of voltage with any type of testing instrument, always use this three-step process: 1. Verify that the instrument reads correctly on another energized circuit. 2. Check the system of interest. 3. Verify that the instrument still reads correctly on an energized circuit. This will ensure that a reading of “no voltage” isn’t a result of an instrument failure. Safety Figure 6. A low resistance ohmmeter can accurately measure winding resistance in transformers and motors. Loop impedance tester Loop impedance testers are useful for verifying the integrity of branch circuits and equipment grounds. They draw a current through the circuit (in short pulses to minimize the power dissipation) and measure the resulting voltage drop to calculate the total circuit impedance. This impedance reading can be used to determine what the short-circuit current is at that location or conĀrm that protective devices will trip properly. Bad connections in a series of receptacles can be located by identifying the point where the loop impedance changes signiĀcantly. Any test equipment, test leads, or accessories that connect to energized conductors must meet the IEC category rating appropriate for the test location, and must carry an independent third-party agency approval, such as UL, ETL, or CSA. Industrial electrical testing requires a minimum 600 V CAT III rating, although some measurements will require a CAT IV rating (main service bus bars or outdoor circuits, for example). Many new instruments are 600 V CAT IV/1000 V CAT III, making them suitable for virtually any measure- Hi-pots don’t measure insulation resistance. They measure the resulting leakage current and sense the presence of breakdown. ment within their voltage rating. To ensure safety while making measurements, replace older test equipment that doesn’t carry these ratings. Power quality analyzer Anyone who works on or near energized systems must be For those who need to take their power system measurequaliĀed on those systems by virtue of training and knowledge, ments to the next level, a power quality analyzer Āts the in accordance with the OSHA deĀnition, bill (Figure 7). Measurement capabiliWatch for harmonics must wear appropriate personal protective ties include most multimeter functions equipment, and must follow appropriate such as voltage, current, and resistance, work practices for the tasks performed as plus power, power factor, and energy. deĀned in NFPA 70E. They also display voltage or current This discussion has covered the more waveforms on an oscilloscope screen, common pieces of test equipment for capture and display transients, and industrial power system testing. There calculate and display harmonic levels are other more specialized test instruand total harmonic distortion. This can ments as well. Having the appropriate provide information that is simply not equipment for the type of testing you do available on a multimeter, and makes will make your tasks safer, more effecthe devices indispensable for troubletive, and more efficient. shooting motor drives, transformer overheating problems, or just general power quality analysis. Harmonic meaBen Miller is an electrical consultant surements, for example, can indicate and safety trainer, and president of Figure 7. The power quality monitor is transformer saturation or loads that B. Miller Engineering. E-mail him at valuable when troubleshooting equipment need Āltering to reduce harmonic heatinformation@bmillerengineering.com that is sensitive to harmonic distortion of ing of upstream equipment. or call (847) 948-7746. the electrical waveform. 50 May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m ps1005_47_50_pwrdist.indd 50 5/7/10 9:44 AM in the trenches When Johnny Comes Marching Home Acme tries to outmaneuver the Army Jerry Kahn was the senior security officer at Acme’s precious metal processing facility located a few miles from the company’s mining operations in the Rockies. He was a 34-yearold, no-nonsense kind of guy. This attitude could be attributed to being a veteran officer in the Army Reserve who participated in military training exercises that occurred throughout the year. In each case, Jerry notified Anne Emmony in Acme’s HR department of the dates he’d be off from work. While on active duty last fall, Jerry and a few members of his military team were injured in an accident during a particularly hazardous training exercise. The Army extended his deployment to cover the prolonged out-of-state hospital stay and nearly two months of physical rehab the injury required. As soon as he was able, he contacted Anne from his hospital bed and was informed that he’d need to file an Acme form to request unpaid leave. When the Army released him from active duty, Jerry still experienced some difficulty walking, had limited range of motion in one shoulder, and couldn’t stand or sit very long. He told Anne about his upcoming discharge before returning home to request reemployment with Acme’s security department and to give Anne the medical documentation that confirmed his physical limitations. Anne told Jerry that his physician would need to submit an ADA accommodation information form. Because there were no forms in the office, Anne promised to send him one at home. But Anne delayed sending the form for several weeks. When Jerry received it, he gave it to his doctor to complete and send directly to Acme. A few weeks later, Jerry contacted Anne, who told him the doctor never sent the form. Jerry repeated the exercise, despite the doctor’s insistence that he sent the first form as requested. Jerry tried to meet with Anne to get things straightened out, but Anne kept postponing the meeting. When the meeting finally took place, Anne was accompanied by Acme’s risk management consultant. After half an hour of discussion, Anne offered Jerry an entry-level position in the security department with no supervisory duties at about half the pay he received before the accident. Jerry refused the deal, and Anne suggested he apply for a junior security officer position at a pay rate slightly below his former rate, providing he was the chosen candidate following a competitive interview process. Jerry applied, was interviewed, and selected for the junior job. Two weeks after he accepted the junior position, Jerry filed a complaint against Acme under USERRA with the Veterans’ Employment and Training Services at the U.S. Department of Labor. How could this situation have been avoided? Should employers be wary of hiring military reservists? Should Jerry be grateful that he has a job in this economy? Is Acme showing insufficient respect for the military? What should an employer do when faced with a disabled veteran who seeks reemployment? A plant engineer says: This is a terrible situation made worse by an HR associate who isn’t doing her best. Not knowing if Jerry’s difficulties would be long-term or not makes this a more difficult situation. Anne should have been on top of this from the first call she received from Jerry. HR “lives” by forms and it would seem to me that Anne could have gone the extra mile to find out from Jerry where his forms were when she didn’t receive them in a timely manner. Then, the delay in sending the necessary forms seems to indicate that maybe Anne should be offered a “junior position.” What’s important here isn’t the delay in forms being sent but whether Jerry could perform his duties as a security supervisor with the disabilities he had as a result of his training accident. It would appear that because he could perform the duties of a “junior” security officer, that he might be able to perform the duties of the senior security officer. If that’s the case, then shame on Acme and Anne. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 51 PS1005_51_52_Trenches.indd 51 5/7/10 9:44 AM in the trenches I don’t believe employers should be wary of hiring military reservists. The number of reservists in an organization might be important only if too many are out at the same time. I believe Acme (through the action and nonaction of Anne) has shown disrespect for the role military reservists play in our country. Respect for a wounded soldier would have dictated better follow-up and response to the necessary forms. An attorney says: The USERRA requirements are quite specific and basically say that the company should make “reasonable efforts” to return the veteran to the job they had left, and if that’s not possible, to offer the veteran a job that is the nearest approximation in terms of seniority, status, and pay. There are several caveats to this general statement, the most important being whether the veteran is able to perform the duties of the previous job or the job with the “nearest approximation.” As to the Acme situation, Anne should have gotten right on it after Jerry was released and gotten the forms to Jerry. She could have contacted the physician directly, or, as some companies do, sent Jerry to be evaluated by Acme’s physician. Not all physicians are expert at assessing what the returning worker can or can’t do, and finding one that is competent in that area might be very useful. Some companies also have tests that they administer to assess job competency for specific positions. What Acme seems not to have done is provide a basis as to why Jerry could not be reemployed at his previous job. If Acme could provide a good reason why Jerry couldn’t have the supervisor position, and if they could demonstrate that the job offered Jerry was the “nearest approximation,” they would have done their duty in complying with USERRA. As to being wary of army reservists, that would open a discrimination case that Acme doesn’t want to get into. Given our alphabet soup of employment laws – ADA, FMLA, USERRA - it’s little wonder that Acme was confused and apparently stalling Jerry’s return to work. In this case, Jerry’s rights and Acme’s obligations are dictated by both the Americans with Disabilities Act and USERRA. The basic rule under USERRA is that a covered employee must be reinstated to employment following military service provided that the employee has given the employer notice of the military service and reapplies for employment within certain time limits. If an employee is hospitalized or convalescing from a military-incurred injury, the period within which the individual must reapply for employment runs from the date the employee has recovered from the injury. Generally, an employee must be reinstated to his former position or the position he would have had if he had not been on military duty. One exception to this rule is if the employee can no longer perform the duties of his former position. In that case, the employer is required to help the employee become qualified for reemployment unless that would cause an undue hardship for the employer. This is the same “undue hardship” that is an exception to the accommodation requirement under the ADA. An example might make this clearer. If the senior security officer position required an employee to be on his feet for the entire work shift and Jerry’s injury precluded him from standing for eight straight hours, Acme could help Jerry become requalified for his former job by allowing him to sit down periodically. Acme would be required to do this if it did not pose an undue hardship. While the facts here don’t provide any detail about the duties of the senior security officer, it seems likely that an individual with limited range of motion in one shoulder and the inability to either stand or sit for long periods of time wouldn’t be able to perform in the position of senior security officer. Because it would pose an undue hardship for Acme to modify that job to fit Jerry’s restrictions, Acme appears to have been correct in not reinstating Jerry to that position. Acme had an obligation, however, to employ Jerry in a position as close to the position he left as he was capable of performing given his service-incurred injury. And that appears to be what Acme did by placing Jerry in a junior security officer position at a slightly lower pay rate. And to make things even simpler, this accommodation is precisely what is required under the ADA for a disabled employee, which Jerry surely is because of his physical limitations. Just for the record, an employer who refuses to hire an applicant because he is a military reservist violates the law. Professor Homer H. Johnson, Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago (312) 915-6682, hjohnso@luc.edu Julie Badel, partner, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. (312) 499-1418, jbadel@ebglaw.com The number of reservists in an organization might be important only if too many are out at the same time. When faced with a disabled veteran who seeks reemployment, a company should try to accommodate them if possible. In this case, we don’t know if it was possible for Jerry to perform his duties as a Senior Security Supervisor or not. Jeffrey L. Strasser, Bacova Guild (540) 863-2656, Strasser.Jeff@bacova.com An academician says: 52 May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_51_52_Trenches.indd 52 5/7/10 9:45 AM product focus Eliminate Roof Fluttering If rooftop fluttering is a concern, the RhinoBond System offers a non-penetrating mechanical fastening solution that distributes the wind load across the roof. This membrane attachment system uses the same fastener and plate to secure the membrane and the insulation without penetrating the roofing material. The system leaves no potential point of entry for moisture, requires fewer fasteners, and provides improved wind-uplift performance. An electromagnetic induction welder bonds the underside of the membrane to a specially coated plate that holds the insulation and membrane in place. OMG (800) 633-3800 / www.olyfast.com Seal and Protect Bearings from Shaft Currents The AEGIS 841 SGR bearing isolator protects severe-duty motor bearings with a shaft grounding ring and an IP56 non-contact seal. It’s well suited for IEEE 841 motors controlled by variable-frequency drives. The bearing isolator features an anti-clog slinger drain system to prevent dirt and debris from plugging up the drain and compromising performance. Electro Static Technology (207) 998-5140 / www.est-aegis.com Put Inventory in Order Variable-speed compressors save energy The QGV family of variable-speed compressors range from 20 hp to 200 hp. They can operate continuously at full speed, or as a trim machine where they maintain the pressure within 2 psi. The QGV can supply as little as 15% of full-load capacity, providing energy savings over start/stop or modulating compressors. Features include 68 dB(A)sound level, touchscreen control, 75 to 150 psig operation, and automatic sequencing. CribMaster9 inventory management software is designed for custom configuration and easy navigation. New programming methods reconstruct the application, enabling the benefits of a modern interface to speed navigation through the system, true N-tier deployment capabilities to satisfy most IT requirements, and business object integration capabilities to enhance integration capabilities with other applications. Custom views can be configured for individual users, and connectivity includes Web Services, WCF, .NET Remoting, and Enterprise Services Hosting. WinWare (888) 419-1399 / www.cribmaster.com Monitor standstill status on hazardous machines Lock Saver produces a nearly invisible, semi-dry lubrication barrier on lock parts so locks work smoothly, keys don’t get greasy, and lock mechanisms don’t “bleed” or spill onto floors. Features include anti-corrosion protection, no sticky mechanism, won’t freeze or gum up, works in all climates and conditions from from -65°F to +450°F, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly. The G9SX-SM Standstill Safety Monitoring Unit shows status for machines with varied hazardous part stop times, with no sensors required. The system operates out of the box without sensitivity adjustments, or users can adjust system sensitivity manually to the specific needs of each machine. It can be used with inverter-controlled systems without threat of malfunction because of the inverter’s dynamic brake or auto-tuning functions. It improves productivity by sensing zero motion instead of waiting for a countdown timer to expire. The system operates on 24 VDC, but can monitor motors up to 480 VAC. Mil-Comm Products Company (888) 947-3273 / sales@mil-comm.com Omron Scientific Technologies Inc. (800) 479-3658 / sales@sti.com Quincy Compressor (251) 239-2784 / www.quincycompressor.com Lock Lube Leaves Parts Clean and Corrosion-Resistant w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m May 2 010 53 PS1005_53_54_Products.indd 53 5/7/10 9:51 AM PRODUCT FOCUS Torque Tester Combines Meter, Transducer, and Bracket Precision grout transfers loads effectively and safely The 588-10K construction-grade grout is designed to transfer a load effectively and safely. It’s a non-corrosive, nonmetallic, mineral-based precision material with high initial and ultimate flexural and compressive strengths. It can be mixed quickly, as needed, on the jobsite. It offers improved workability and is placed by pouring or pumping in both interior and exterior applications. W. R. Meadows (847) 214-2100 / wrmil@wrmeadows.com Explosion-proof motor starter sports modular trip blocks These motor control enclosures and systems use Moeller’s PKZ2 plug-in trip modules and universal enclosures in sizes 0 through 3 to control 30 hp at 480 V or 25 hp at 600 V. Eleven plug-in modules range from fractional to 30 hp. Exchanging trip modules requires no tools or rewiring. Units are available in both AC and DC, full-voltage non-reversing and full-voltage reversing models up to 42 amps continuous current rating. They include a through-the-door disconnect handle, mechanical reset button, start and stop pushbuttons, watertight gasket, hinged cover, and standard conduit entries. Adalet (216) 267-9000 / www.adalet.com Rechargeable LED uses C4 Technology. The E-Flood uses six LEDs and wide-pattern reflectors for a uniform pattern. Provides 4,000 candela peak intensity and 615 lumens at 400 feet on high. The low setting provides 2,150 candela and 330 lumens. Run time either eight or 18 hours. They have a 50,000-hr lifespan. The LiteBox models features a pushbutton switch and shoulder strap, and are available in international safety orange or high-visibility yellow. Streamlight (800) 523-7488 / cs@streamlight.com 54 Testing and calibrating a torque wrench usually requires a transducer, a bracket, and a meter. The Stanley Proto Torque Tester combines them in one tool that can test torque wrenches of all types when full-scale calibration is needed or when a quick pass/fail check is required. They’re available for 5 in-lbs to 600 ft-lbs with an accuracy of 1% of indicated value in both directions from 10% to 100% of full scale. An LCD displays output and rotates for easy viewing. Red/green/yellow lights, as well as an audible buzzer, signal when torque target zones are approaching and met. They conform to ASME B107.29. Stanley Proto (800) 800-8665 / www.stanleyproto.com Spill-Control Pallets Have UL Validation EcoPolyBlend spill-control pallets protects against groundwater contamination to meet EPA standards and further support green initiatives because they are made from 100% recycled polyethylene. The pallet is the first of its kind to have green claims validated by an independent, third party — UL Environment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Underwriters Laboratories. Justrite Manufacturing Co. (800) 798-9250 / www.justritemfg.com Noise Analyzer Is Fast and Accurate Casella offers the smallest ⅓ octave-band noise analyzer, the CEL-621. It’s the first to incorporate statistical (Ln%) values to perform short-term, environmental noise assessments. From simple baseline surveys to full ⅓ octave-band analysis, all measurements are performed through a simple, intuitive, menu-driven system. The high-resolution display presents results in a simple, color-coded format to minimize the risk of misinterpreting. Data can be downloaded to reports without any special software. Casella (800) 366-2966 info@casellausa.com May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_53_54_Products.indd 54 5/7/10 9:52 AM mro marketplace Oil Skimming Applications Sourcebook Coxreels Catalog Abanaki’s 29-page handbook offers application notes on 29 real-world implementations of oil skimming, the lowest cost way to remove oil from water. Indexed by industry and application, readers quickly find case studies for their situation. Sections include consulting engineering, machining, manufacturing, utilities, coolant, grease/ water separation, groundwater remediation, oil/water separation, and wastewater. Call (800) 358-7546 (SKIM) or visit www.abanaki.com/008. Abanaki Coxreels full-color catalog showcases the expanding line of Coxreels high-quality professional grade hose, cord, and cable reels. The catalog’s clean format navigates easily and makes ordering options and accessories for your reel a snap. Choose from a variety of mounting brackets, roller guide options, motor speed controllers, and so much more. www.coxreels.com AIR SAVING BLOWOFF IS SUPER QUIET self-closing safety gate The low-cost Super Air Knife™ dramatically reduces compressed air usage and noise when compared to other blowoffs. It delivers a uniform sheet of laminar airflow with hard-hitting force across the entire length. Energy use is comparable to a blower without the maintenance or downtime. Applications include blowing off liquid, chips, and contaminant, cooling hot parts, and air screening. Call (800) 903-9247 or visit www.exair.com/85/123.htm. EXAIR Corporation The FabEnCo Self-Closing Safety Gate is an adjustable swinging gate for fall protection at your ladder, platform, and stair openings. It can be clamped on either side of the handrail, at different levels, and mounts on channel, angle, flatbar, or pipe. Our adjustment bolts provide positive stop without handrail contact. Available in galvanized steel (Safety Yellow optional), aluminum, and stainless steel. Call (713) 686-6620 or see www.safetygate.com/psv. FabEnCo InfraMation 2010 Pocket Guide to Gears Coxreels The world’s largest infrared camera applications conference is in Las Vegas, Nov. 8 -12, 2010. Learn new infrared applications, network with other infrared camera professionals, and sharpen your infrared camera skills at InfraMation 2010! Hosted annually by the Infrared Training Center, the world’s largest infrared camera training provider, InfraMation is the premier opportunity to learn how infrared technology is used in the word today. Register online at www.inframation.org or call (866) 872-4647. When it comes to gears, come to the experts. And who knows more about gears, than Martin. After all we’ve been manufacturing gears for over 50 years. If you purchase or specify gears, this handy pocket sized guide is for you. Filled with product descriptions, formulas and more, you will find it indispensable. (817) 258-3000, www.martinsprocket.com FLIR Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc. The World’s Largest Infrared Camera Applications Conference Nov 8-12, 2010 // Bally’s Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas Register online now at www.inframation.org or call us at 866 872 4647 Register Today for the Best Early Bird Special! Learn new infrared applications, network with other infrared camera professionals, and sharpen your infrared camera skills at InfraMation 2010! Hosted annually by the Infrared Training Center, the world’s largest infrared camera training provider, InfraMation is the premier opportunity to learn how infrared technology is used in the word today. InfraMation is highly-rated as an extremely efficient way to stay up to date in the field whether you are new to infrared or have years of experience, Register now for our best early bird offer. 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REGiStER By PHONE, ONliNE or use the Fax BacK FORM on the reverse side! cONFERENcE FEatURES 4 ½ days of presentations and events 3 hour clinics each day Exhibits Log the required hours to renew your ITC certification Spouse pass includes all daily breakfasts and lunches as well as the wel come Gala Dinner and cocktail party provided on Tuesday evening Don’t miss InfraMation 2010 -- the only one-stop educational event for thermal imaging innovations and practical applications in predictive maintenance, energy auditing, building diagnostics, condition monitoring, machine vision and automation, optical gas imaging and gas detection, R&D, thermal dynamics in engineering design ... and much more! OPTIONAL PRICING WITHOUT SPOUSE PASS Conference price is $1,395 without a spouse pass. Free hotel nights are calculated at $69 per night. Simply deduct the FREE Hotel Night savings from $1,395 if you do not want to take advantage of the Free Spouse Pass. 866 872 4647 iwww.inframation.org *Guests/spouses fee includes all conference meals and activities, but does not include admission to technical sessions, admission to IR Clinics, and the conference proceedings. MIT400 SERIES 1-kV INSULATION AND CONTINUITY TESTERS Online video demonstrates end-over-end drum tumbler The Megger MIT400 Series meet the most stringent requirements and are ideal for Category IV 600V applications. The units feature adjustable voltages providing 250V to 1000V or 50V to 1000V. The top-of-the-range models can store and download data. The instruments are sealed to IP54, lessening the chance of water ingress. Contact us at (866) 254-0962. Megger Morse unveils an online demonstrational video, complete with detailed literature, that describes its end-over-end drum tumbler. For more information visit www.MorseMfgco.com. Morse Mfg. Co., Inc. w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m may 2 010 55 PS1005_55_56_AdLits.indd 55 5/7/10 12:32 PM mro marketplace handbook HIGHLIGHTS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY Low-cost color display shaft alignment The Blue Cat® New Horizons® in Wireless handbook contains 68 full-color pages of cutting-edge technology showcasing wireless sensors, transmitters and receivers, and Ethernet Web-based measurement and control devices. Solutions include temperature, pressure, pH, humidity, flow, and process applications for test & measurement, automation, and industrial manufacturing. www.omega.com/literature/wireless26/ Omega LUDECA, INC. print and electronic training products SOLENOID VALVES Catalog We publish a broad range of products featuring content in Electrical, Construction, Maintenance, Mechanical, and Alternative Energy. Many new and updated editions are included to help keep your skills current, including Welding Skills, Fluid Power Systems, Rigging and Lifting Principles, and Instrumentation. Visit www.go2atp. com to browse our materials. American Technical Publishers Avoid costly downtime with new Low-cost color display shaft alignment. Align your machines with SHAFTALIGN in 3 easy steps: Enter dimensions, measure, then view results —with 3D graphics and centerlines to scale. Upgradable, keeps up with your needs! Call (305) 591-8935 or visit www. ludeca.com/prod_shaftalign.php. This new catalog details two-way bronze and stainless steel solenoid valves, 1/4-in. to 3-in. to control flow of water, ammonias, fuel oil, gas, steam, brine, solvents, cryogenics and oxygen. Available in NC/ NO, packless construction, continuous-duty coils for all voltages, no differential pressure required to open and two-way straight through design. For more information, call (973) 427-4341 or visit www.magnatrol.com. Magnatrol Valve Corp. Stainless Steel Pickling Gel Pumps for Industry Easy to use and store, Wonder Gel safely cleans the toughest slag, weld scale, black oxides and discoloration from stainless steel surfaces economically, without damaging sound metal surfaces. It restores the Before After protective chromium oxide layer to resist new corrosion and leaves a silvery finish. Call (877) 899-5315 or visit www.derustit.com. Gorman-Rupp’s products include self–priming centrifugal pumps, standard centrifugals pumps, submersible pumps, trash pumps, priming assisted pumps, and rotary gear pumps. A complete line of packaged lift stations and booster stations that include pumps, motors, controls, piping, accessories, and enclosures are also available. Call (419) 7551011 or visit www.GRpumps.com. The Gorman-Rupp Company Bradford Derustit Corp. Electric Heaters, Controls, and Sensors Tempco’s 864-page 35th Anniversary catalog offers electric heaters, temperature sensors, TEC Temperature controls, turnkey process heating systems, and related accessory Items. New products include PPR-1800 video graphic data recorders. Select from stock items or have Tempco custom design and manufacture for your application. Visit www.tempco.com. Tempco Electric Heater Corp. 56 Custom reprints strengthen brand value Custom reprint products of articles and features from Plant Services create powerful marketing tools that serve as instantly credible endorsements. Reprints are a simple way to put information directly into the hands of your target audience. Having been featured in a well-respected publication adds the credibility of a third-party endorsement to your message. Call 866.879.9144 x168 or e-mail sales@fosterprinting.com. Foster Printing Service may 2 009 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_55_56_AdLits.indd 56 5/7/10 12:33 PM classifieds Products and services HOT & DIRTY CoNtrol ENClosurEs? Electra Kool HOT & DIRTY CoNtrol ENClosurEs? Electra Kool tm Filter/Ventilators forcefully blow out hot air & cool with finely filtered ambient air! Less $$ than AC or Vortex Tubes! Five models for any size enclosure! Since 1980! info@wayneproducts.com www.wayneproducts.com FrEE Catalog! 1 800 255-5665 TUBE TYPE OIL SKIMMERS tm Filter/Ventilators forcefully blow out hot air & cool with finely filtered ambient air! Less $$ than AC or Vortex Tubes! Five models for any size enclosure! Since 1980! OILY WATER? • Skim Oils, Fats, And Grease 24/7 • TigerTube® Collector Tubing • Model 6V Skimmer Tubes Save 30% On New Collector Tubes Contact Brian - sales@skimtech.com 330-774-5044 330-757-7606 Fax www.skimtech.com Mini & MAXI-SkimmersTM Collect economically! Several types with 1 qt - 100 gph rates! Reach from 5” to 100 ft. down! Also use with coolants & parts wash fluids! Thousands in use since 1990! View product info at www.wayneproducts.com call 800 255-5665 or email to info@wayneproducts.com ENVIRONMENTAL BIRD CONTROL RONIN AIR FALCONRY SERVICE 805-698-5757 | www.roninair.com OIL MIST & SMOKE IN YOUR SHOP? www.mistcollectors.com Tel: 1-800-645-4174 Place a Classified Ad! Contact Polly at (630) 467-1300, ext. 396 Advertiser index Control Connection The Best Place to Find the PerfectConnection Job For You Control is Just a Click Away! THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR PROCESS AUTOMATION PROFESSIONALS THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR MACHINE AUTOMATION PROFESSIONALS Job search today at ChemConnection jobs.plantservices.com THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR CHEMICAL PROCESSING PROFESSIONALS Plant Connection THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR PLANT ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS Pharma Careers THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PROFESSIONALS Al w ays u p an d Ru n n in g Food Connection • Digital Edition • Blogs RESOURCE FOR FOOD PROCESSING PROFESSIONALS •THEECAREER -newsletters • W ebcasts • W hite Papers • Much more! PharmaQbD Careers CompanyPAGE Abanaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Agilent Technologies. . . . . . . . . 30 American Technical Publishers. . 56 Atlas Copco Compressors. . . . . . . 4 AutomationDirect.com. . . . . . . . . 2 Baldor Electric Co.. . . . . . . . . . . 6 Bradford Derusit . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Cameron Compression. . . . . . . . 12 Cox Reels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,55 CRC Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Donaldson Company, Inc.Ultrafilter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 EXAIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 FabEnCo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Flir Systems-Imaging . . . . . . 16,55 Fluke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,39 Gardner Denver . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Gorman-Rupp Co.. . . . . . . . . . . 56 2 GouldsRoninAir.indd Pumps / ITT Industries. . . 9 Grainger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 CompanyPAGE Hertz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Hyster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 IFS North America . . . . . . . . . . 26 Inpro/Seal . . . 1/13/09 . . . . .9:40 . . AM . . . . . . 60 Ipex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Kaeser Compressors. . . . . . . . . 59 Ludeca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 MacroAir Technologies. . . . . . . .42 Magnatrol Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Martin Sprocket & Gear. . . . . . . 55 Megger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,55 Morse Manufacturing . . . . . . . . 55 Omega Engineering. . . . . . . . . . 56 Pentair Technical Products . . . . 28 Robinson Fans. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Sprayon Products. . . . . . . . . . . 34 Summit Industrial Products. . . . 38 Tempco Electric Heater . . . . . . 56 Tri Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 WD-40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 PROOF THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PROFESSIONALS w w w .PLANTSERVICES.co m may 2 010 57 PS1005_57_Classified.indd 57 5/7/10 11:38 AM energy expert peter garforth Are We There Yet? How board-level management can get onboard When I started this monthly column in 2005, the first one was titled, “Where is the Business Leadership?” It explored the paradox of the obvious gap between the proven benefits of effective energy management and the relative lack of senior management attention to the topic. In the past months, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change has supported a study of the energy management practices of major companies. I was flattered to be invited to be on the study’s advisory committee. As the report findings came together, I was again reminded of this Many projects to enhance America’s energy efficiency and funded by stimulus monies can only be met with non-U.S. products and services. paradox. The question is still on the table: “Is American senior management there yet?” when it comes to embracing energy and climate change management as a strategic business issue. Companies participating in the Pew study were Dow Chemical, Toyota, United Technologies, IBM, PepsiCo, and Best Buy, leaders in their business sectors. The study findings were simple and predictable. For each, energy efficiency is a core strategy and a part of the company’s aspirations and metrics. Leadership and support is real, planned, and sustained. Energy goals are company-wide, specific, and kept updated. Energy data is current, robust, comparable, and available when and where needed. The resources assigned are significant and related to the value of the returns in terms of both cash and human capital. Benefits are measurable, sustained, and usually greater than expected. Last, but not least, successes are celebrated and communicated. To these companies, effective energy management is a non-negotiable part of their overall competitiveness. The final report was unveiled at a recent meeting in Chicago. A number of us were asked to join a panel on “The Changing Paradigm: What’s Next for Corporate Energy Efficiency?” Speaker after speaker underlined the growing challenge of being ready for future energy uncertainties. The consistency of this message was impressive, coming from industry, utilities, and politicians from across the spectrum. This column has often commented on the unpredictability of our energy future. Pricing is unpredictable and likely to be significantly affected by climate change legislation. Supply reli58 ability and quality are less certain as a result of policy, supply infrastructure, and accelerating demand. The recent drilling rig accident in the Gulf of Mexico underlines how uncertainties can manifest themselves. Events like this can stall policy for years, in turn affecting potential new supplies. The recent deaths of miners in West Virginia are another tragic marker in a long story of the human price we pay for electricity. It’s hard to see how safety and climate change concerns won’t have far reaching effects in this part of the energy value chain. Another drum beat around clean energy and climate change is getting more attention. As the global focus grows, businesses are repositioning their offerings to serve the market needs. Increasingly, these businesses are from outside the United States, often supported by clear national and regional policies that pursue clean and renewable energy supplies and strategic energy efficiency. Again, as I have often pointed out, energy productivity isn’t just about judicious management of operational performance; it’s also about new opportunities in the market. The flip side of this statement is that it’s also about new competitive risks for those who choose to ignore it. This competitive reality was highlighted with the recent awareness that many projects to enhance America’s energy efficiency and funded by stimulus monies can only be met with non-U.S. products and services. The political outrage, real or simulated, doesn’t really disguise the fact that in many cases, local industry is ill-prepared to respond to the needs. The changing paradigm the panel members saw in Chicago was clear. Energy and climate change risks are board-level issues demanding a global perspective and quality management attention. Best practices, so well summarized in the Pew Report, are a given. Companies must be flexible to handle multiple energy future scenarios, and teaming on energy issues up and down the value chain and with local communities will be required. Stakeholders, customers, and competitors will reward effective players or expose the weaknesses of the others. Given the sheer weight of the evidence of the growing strategic importance of energy and the competitive risks of ignoring it, I’m still amazed by how low it is on many companies’ management agendas. My question from the first column in 2005 still stands. Where is the business leadership…are we there yet? Peter Garforth is principal of Garforth International LLC, Toledo, Ohio. He can be reached at peter@garforthint.com. May 2 010 w w w .PLA NTSERVICES.co m PS1005_58_Energy.indd 58 5/7/10 9:54 AM “In a business where every hundredth-second counts, we can’t settle for second-best.” — J. D. Gibbs Team President – Joe Gibbs Racing, technology partner with Kaeser Compressors since 1998 N obody knows a winner better than Joe Gibbs Racing. That’s why they’ve installed Kaeser compressed air systems in their state-of-theart raceshop. Reliable air is the lifeblood of Joe Gibbs’ operation – just as it is in yours. From CNC milling centers to the fab shop and everywhere else in your plant, Kaeser provides all the clean air you require to keep you running at peak performance, 24/7. Available in any size you need, our units are engineered for easy maintenance and energy efficiency ... but most of all, for reliability. So, when you want a winner, choose Kaeser. &2035(66256 (866) 516-6888 www.kaeser.com/sigma Kaeser Compressors, Inc., P.O. Box 946, Fredericksburg, VA 22404 USA Built for a lifetime is a trademark of Kaeser Compressors, Inc. ©2009 Kaeser Compressors, Inc. Nose2Nose - 0507.indd 1 PS1005_FPA.indd 59 6/5/2009 8:35:12 AM 5/7/10 10:49 AM Inpro/Seal Company has been in the business of bearing protection for rotating equipment for 32 years and counting. We have been supplying bearing protection for the IEEE841 motors since they were first introduced. It is only logical that we would expand into the field of motor shaft current mitigation to protect motor bearings. The CDR is: ROBUST Machined entirely out of solid corrosion resistant and highly conductive bronze, the CDR/MGS is capable of carrying 12+ continuous amps. They are made exclusively by the Inpro/Seal Company in Rock Island, IL, to ensure consistent quality and same-day shipments when required. RELIABLE The CDR and MGS (Motor Grounding Seal) products were developed in our own Research and Experimentation Laboratory and then extensively tested and evaluated by professional motor manufacturing personnel. Our standard guarantee of unconditional customer satisfaction of product performance applies. We stand behind our products. REALISTIC When you order a CDR or MGS from Inpro/Seal, you are assured of the complete responsibility for technology and performance from a single source. We want to earn the right to be your first choice for complete bearing protection. For more information visit www.inpro-seal.com/CDR or contact 800-447-0524 for your Inpro/Seal Representative. PS1005_FPA.indd 60 5/7/10 10:50 AM