NEW PRODUCTS

Fuel gas booster

With an Atlas Copco centrifugal compressor at its core, TurboBlock is a standardized fuel gas booster option. It boosts the fuel gas pressure through single or multiple stages to create the pressure needed in the GT combustion chamber. TurboBlock core seal systems have been upgraded by reducing porting and nitrogen usage, and simplifying the seal support system. Thanks to a compact base frame, a separate oil tank, a single plate and frame oil cooler, piping reductions and simplified components, the booster’s footprint is smaller than those of its customizable counterparts.

atlascopco-gap.com

3D printer

GE Additive unveiled the first Beta machine developed as part of Project Additive Technology Large Area System (ATLAS). The laser powder-bed fusion machine provides manufacturers with large 3D printed parts and components. Suited to industries that require complex metal parts, such as aviation, automotive, space and oil and gas industries, the first models are being evaluated by a small group of customers and will be more available for delivery in 2018. It can scale to components more than 1 meter in length.

ge.com/additive

Degreaser

Madison Chemical has introduced AquaBlue alkaline detergent for removal of dirt, oil, grease, sulfurized cutting oils or metalworking fluids from a wide variety of surfaces. With penetrating and wetting properties, this water-based cleaner and degreaser can be used as a spray, as a soak, and with pressure washers. It provides improved results with less concentration. Safe on ferrous, stainless, aluminum and zinc alloys, it reduces the negative effects of over-use and multiple cleanings.

madchem.com

Axial compressor

MAN Diesel & Turbo has introduced a turbomachinery concept for the fertilizer industry which raises production efficiency of nitric acid. The NAMAX is a type AGMAX1 axial compressor. While previous concepts used an intermediate gearbox to couple the machines in the train, NAMAX is direct drive and needs no gearbox. This allows efficiency to be boosted by several percentage points and operating costs for HNO3 production to be reduced. Besides its MAN MAX1 air compressor, the NAMAX concept consists of: a centrifugal compressor for NOx compression, a MAN steam turbine and a MAN axial expander. Grupa Azoty in Poland will use it to expand its fertilizer production in Pulawy, in eastern Poland.

dieselturbo.man.eu

Cybersecurity

Tenable and Siemens are co-developing a new solution for industrial asset discovery and vulnerability management. At a time when the risk of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure has grown exponentially, the partnership is delivering as a service to help companies secure and protect critical assets. The stakes have never been higher when it comes to cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. The number of cyberattacks worldwide continues to grow, with the industrial sector becoming a growing target, now comprising 30% of all cyberattacks, with a major impact on productivity, uptime, efficiency and safety, according to recent research conducted by Ponemon Institute. Siemens.com

New controller

Emerson has launched automation technology for utilities and independent power producers that rely more on renewable energy sources and the fast-growing microgrid market. The modular Ovation OCC100 controller manages the flow of energy from various sources to ensure reliable generation for these emerging industries. Its small footprint is also well-suited to critical water and wastewater applications. With renewable electricity capacity expected to expand by over 920 GW through 2022, according to a 2017 International Energy Agency report, the OCC100 controller is attractive to power generators that rely on a variety of distributed energy resources. The OCC100 offers remote monitoring and control capabilities for wind farms spread out over a wide geographic area and the ability to operate in the higher ambient temperatures associated with solar facilities. For microgrids, it provides a single point of control for performance optimization. Similarly, the new controller efficiently monitors and controls remote pump stations critical to collecting, treating, storing and distributing water to homes and businesses.

www.emerson.com

Temporary maintenance hall

Enerpac Heavy Lifting Technology offers a self-erecting facility hall (SEFH) for power generation plants that lack an on-site workshop, and manufacturing sites that need additional capacity. It is hydraulically activated, 12.7 meters high and features a heavy-lift strand jack as well as an ancillary crane. It is ideal for power plants servicing rotors that are 12 meters long and three meters in diameter weighing up to 70 MT, or sites where space restrictions close to the turbine hall rule out access for large cranes. The Enerpac SEFH provides a temporary facility to conduct maintenance. It can be assembled on-site, and it contains a strand jack for lifting and up-ending the rotor, as well as a 10-tonne overhead crane to change rotor blades and lift ancillaries.

Enerpac.com

Luneta

Luneta, a developer of machinery lubricant inspection technology for machine condition monitoring and reliability, has announced the release of the Bowl. It serves as both a sight glass, and a bottom sediment and water bowl. Made of impact-resistant Tritan, it is stronger than other drain port sight glasses, crystal clear and chemically resistant. The contour design allows for immediate visual inspection of the oil, along with early detection of potential contamination problems. Its rare earth magnetic drain plug protects machinery by attracting and drawing wear particles to the bottom, preventing machine failure and enabling a drain of contaminants.

luneta.com

Middle East GT filter

Clarcor Industrial Air has released the Clearcurrent PRO SP+ cartridge filter for gas turbines (GTs) in the Middle East. It offers superior dust-holding capacity and pulse-ability, as well as low operating differential pressure (DP). The PRO SP+ filter uses flexible pleats that release dust and debris better than standard filters. The harsh conditions found in the Middle East require a filter that maintains its DP for as long as possible to keep GTs operating normally. The pulse-ability of the PRO SP+ allows it to have lower DP across the life of the filter.

clarcorindustrialair.com

Proximity sensor

Proximity probes play an important role in machine shaft vibration, position and speed measurements, providing operators information on the rotating plant dynamic performance and bearing condition. Sensonics has released the PRI Series of proximity sensors for this market. They use a single probe assembly solution with direct processed outputs, which eliminate the need for a separate driver. Coaxial connector interfaces are a major failure point on standard proximity probe systems. They are susceptible to the ingress of oil and dirt resulting in intermittent connection through either improper installation or mechanical stresses. Due to having no external driver and tuned cable assemblies, the PRI series increases sensor reliability. There are no cable length restrictions compared to standard proximity probes which are restricted to typically 5m and 9m systems due to the required tuned circuit between the separate driver and the probe. The PRI series can drive long cable distances (>500m) to the connecting equipment.

sensonics.co.uk

Explosive atmospheres

W. L. Gore & Associates has launched Gore PolyVent Ex+ as part of the Protective Vents Screw-In Series. It is certified according to explosion-proof safety standards, IECEx and ATEX. These certifications enable global integration of the product with fewer certification efforts. Further, the PolyVent Ex+ offers additional protection performance for all nonmining, above-ground applications of combustible gas and dust. The latest membrane, made of ePTFE, delivers pressure- equalization while achieving the highest flammability rating in its category (UL 94 VTM-0). gore.com Bearing design tool The Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M University has developed a computational design tool for tilting pad thrust bearings. XLTHBR facilitates rapid modeling of thrust bearings over a range of operating conditions, including surface speed, load and fluid types. It allows the user to design, evaluate and troubleshoot the performance of tilting pad thrust bearings, which control rotor position in rotating machinery. Tilting pad thrust bearings consume less drag power and produce lesser temperature rises in the fluid film and pads when compared to rigid surface fluid film bearings. Members of the Turbo Lab’s Turbomachinery Research Consortium (TRC) have exclusive access to XLTRC software, a suite of codes for executing complete lateral and torsional rotordynamic analyses of rotating machinery. Until recently, the XLTRC software suite was missing a thrust bearing element. XLTHBR offers a thermohydrodynamic model that couples a generalized Reynolds equation for the film pressure, including cross-film viscosity variation, a 3D thermal energy transport equation for the film temperature, and a heat conduction equation for the pads’ temperatures. Predictions are benchmarked against archival test data for a six-pad tilting pad thrust bearing (228 mm outside diameter) operating under a specific load of 0.5 to 2.0 megapascals (MPa) and with a shaft speed of 1.5 to 3.0 krpm (36 m/s maximum surface speed). The predictions agree with the test data with a maximum difference of eight percent for the peak pressure, 17% in maximum pad temperature, 20% in minimum film thickness, and 8% in drag power loss. XLTHBR delivers bearing performance predictions and displays 2D and 3D plots. Predictions include for a given set of axial loads and shaft speeds:

• Drag power loss and torque

• Required supply flow rate

• Peak pressure and maximum pad temperature

• Fluid film thickness and pad tilt angles

• Axial stiffness and damping coefficients

• Pivot elastic deflection

turbolab.tamu.edu/trc

Particle analyzer

The new version of the LaserNet 200 Comprehensive Particle Analyzer Series from Spectro Scientific provides analysis of particles in lubricating and hydraulic fluids. Compared to earlier releases, it increases particle counting range up to 10 million particles/ml without dilution, and Spectro Scientific’s includes a new set of ferrous particle measurements that gives users new insights into the progress of machine wear. The analyzer employs LaserNet Fines laser imaging technology and dual magnetometers that characterize ferrous particles larger than 25 microns as well as total ferrous particles. The new software enables LaserNet to report ferrous concentration in part per millions (ppm) for ferrous particles larger than 25 microns in diameter. Together with total ferrous content in ppm, new measurements such as larger ferrous particle percentage and ferrous wear severity index can be derived, providing a more simplified view of machine wear from a single in-service oil test.

Spectrosci.com

Fluid couplings

Whether assembly instructions, information about nominal fill volumes, tutorials for fill level checks, or scheduling overviews for maintenance planning, the TurboGuide online platform developed by Voith simplifies management and operation of fluid couplings. The online tool offers a central database from which all important information and technical data regarding a coupling can be accessed. It makes it possible to schedule upcoming maintenance work. Apart from basic data such as serial number, size, type, and fill volume of the coupling, TurboGuide also offers the option to safely document and access drive-related data, such as output, speed, installation location and date of commissioning. It uses this information to calculate the current technical condition of the coupling and displays it by means of a traffic light system in green, yellow and red. TurboGuide also features a notification function that sends out an automated email as a reminder for upcoming appointments.

turboguide.voith.com

Voltage stabilizer

Ametek Solidstate Controls, a manufacturer of industrial power inverters and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), has introduced a Digital Voltage Stabilizer (DVS) power conditioner designed to work in the most-extreme environmental conditions and capable of single- or three-phase conditioning to conserve energy. DVS accommodates a variety of incoming AC line voltages, while regulating and conditioning the AC output to preset limits. In a typical distribution system, the rated input voltage usually operates at voltages slightly higher or lower than the actual rating, affecting sensitive downstream loads. DVS fixes that issue in both single- and three-phase applications. Solidstatecontrolsinc.com

Linear position sensor

Alliance Sensors Group has released its LV-45 series inductive, contactless linear position sensor using LVIT Technology. It is designed for measuring applications requiring rugged devices, whether measuring position of steam turbine valves, mounted in a paper mill head box or calendar roll stand, or outdoors fastened to a building, bridge or structure. It can withstand the high vibration and severe shock environment found in steel, aluminum and paper mills, as well as extremes of temperature and humidity found in most outdoor applications where many other types of linear position sensors cannot survive. The LV-45 uses inductive technology that allows it to replace traditional DC LVDTs in most applications. Its coil design permits the sensor to be both shorter and more rugged than its counterpart while operating over a wider temperature range. It is available with optional mounting flanges, rod eye ends, connector or cable terminations, and a captive connecting rod assembly that cannot break loose. Alliancesensors.com

Fireproofing

Carboline has released Thermo- Sorb 263 and Thermo-Sorb E, which are VOC-compliant intumescent coatings. They provide a durable fire protection for commercial and industrial applications. Thermo-Sorb 263 provides up to four hours of cellulosic fire protection for interior structural steel. Thermo-Sorb E provides up to three hours of cellulosic fire protection for exterior structural steel. carboline.com Health monitoring Windrock, a Dover Energy Automation company, has launched the Spotlight Monitoring System. It leverages Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) principles to deliver insights into the health and performance of critical assets. It acquires high-speed rotating data which is sent to a Microsoft Azure cloud. Data visualization software provides actionable insights and uncovers trends concerning the health of the entire fleet of assets.

Iot.windrok.com/spotlight

Microturbine filtration

Capstone Turbine has launched a cleanable severe environment air filtration system for its line of microturbine products. It recently received an order for three C65 microturbines utilizing this new filtration system for a flare gas reduction project in Oman. During sand and dust storms common to most hot arid desert areas, particulate concentrations close to the ground can reach levels 20,000 times those in typical U.S. cities. Even at an elevation of above grade, particulate concentrations about 1,000 times U.S. urban averages are frequently observed during sandstorms and dust storms. Such dust and dirt loads can cripple conventional air filtration systems, cause massive maintenance expenditures and allow excessive dust concentrations to be ingested by the turbine. The filters are a scaled down version of the filters used in much larger industrial and aeroderivative gas turbines and allow operation for prolonged time periods in desert environments like the Middle East. Pipeline Supply, Capstone’s distributor for Oman and Qatar, secured the order for multiple C65 cleanable severe environment units. The microturbines will be fueled by the associated gas that is a natural byproduct of the oil extraction process. This gas, which can be of poor quality, is normally vented or flared into the atmosphere because it is not of the quality to be put into natural gas pipelines. Additionally, oil and gas operations are typically in remote areas, which means there is no infrastructure available to clean and capture the gas and bring it to market.

Capstoneturbine.com