New Products: July/August 2014

Process automation system

Schneider Electric (formerly Invensys) has released a new member of its Forboro Evo process automation system. The Foxboro Compact 200 Series I/O modules reduce the footprint up to 50%, especially useful in implementations in confined spaces, such as offshore platforms, and for adding capacity to existing installations without facility expansion. www.foxboro.com

Portable filtration

Oil Filtration Systems has released a new line of portable filtration equipment for hydraulic and lube oils. These filter carts can be used for new fill or kidney loop filtration of hydraulic and lube oil systems, including gearboxes. Additional common applications include the purification of PAG/PAO and synthetic oils, coolants and water glycols. Other uses include the filtration of diesel fuel and heavy fuel oil (HFO), transformer and compressor oils.

These filter carts can remove four types of contaminants from industrial oils. Particulates are removed by pleated microglass filter elements to achieve particle counts as low as ISO 14/13/11. Water is removed via absorptive elements. Acid can be removed by Fullers Earth or Activated Alumina cartridges to neutralize acids, lowering the TAN (Total Acid Number) and helping to improve oil color. Finally, varnish can be removed by either granular absorbent media cartridges or depth media filters, depending on the oil temperature. www.oilfiltrationsystems.com

Anti-static filters

Electrostatic Discharge is a common problem with modern ash-free, zinc-free hydraulic and lubricating oils. These oils formulations do not contain the heavy metals of previous generation fluids. Oil passing through hydraulic or lubricating system filters can generate static charges leading to high-voltage sparks from filter media to the filter’s metal support tube. These sparks can lead to oil degradation and varnish, as well as to component damage and potential explosions. Accordingly, Swift Filters has released anti-static filter elements for replacement and customdesigned applications. SwiftStaticDischarge filter elements employ media technology to dissipate triboelectric charges generated via the flow of fluids through filter media. The media ensures a low charge across both media and fluid over long periods of time to mitigate sparking. These new filter elements are suitable for gas turbine lubrication systems and conventional power plant use. www.swiftfilters.com

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Plant design

Thermoflow has launched Web-based Plant Design Expert (webPDE), providing combined- cycle and gas turbine cogeneration plant developers with automated preliminary design capabilities. WebPDE equips designers with a streamlined executive-level version of Thermoflow’s industry-standard GT PRO software, allowing users to generate a plant conceptual design, heat rate and economics estimate on the fly from their mobile device. Plant developers can run multiple design cases in a batch and display their results in side-by-side columns. www.thermoflow.com

 Oil analysis

Spectro LaserNet Fines (LNF) Q200 Series is an analytical platform for oil analysis, condition monitoring and maintenance and reliability programs. It provides a particle counter, wear particle classifier, and ferrous monitor all in one scalable and upgradeable package. LNF technology, developed through a partnership with the U.S. Navy, provides particle counts and codes, dirt ingress, abnormal wear classification, ferrous wear measurement, and free water calculation. It is available in three configurations. The system works on dark fluids containing up to 5 million particles per milliliter or 2% soot with automatic laser control. It differentiates between water and air bubbles. www.spectrosci.com

FS-Elliott controls

FS-Elliott has enhanced its Regulus control system line with the release of the R1000 for centrifugal compressor control. It features Ambient Compensation Control, a local control mode designed to automatically adjust the compressor set point based on changes in ambient conditions. As a result, the traditionally static surge control line becomes a dynamic entity, allowing the compressor to be safely controlled closer to the true surge line. This reduces waste by maximizing turn-down and minimizing bypass air, ensuring energy savings at off-peak operation. The R1000 also employs Pressure Band Optimization to avoid unnecessary discharge by optimizing the amount of air produced based on the minimum pressure required to meet system demand. www.fs-elliott.com.

Turbine inlet filters

Nordic Air Filtration’s TurboWeb family of ultra-high efficiency media is especially effective in high humidity, salt and hydrocarbon environments. The media provides submicron filtration efficiency, high salt mist and water repellency and mechanical strength. In addition, this synthetic media is said to offer better chemical and moisture resistance. This adds up to more power output with less maintenance for gas turbine systems. TurboWeb product offerings include two high and two ultra-high efficiency media for static and pulse air inlet houses. www.turboweb-media.com

Heat exchanger

GEA Heat Exchangers aluminum block cooler (ABC) module is a compact and light type of vacuum-brazed aluminum cooler. These new cooler modules feature high-efficiency fans and use system control to keep the oil temperature constant. Their weight is only about one-seventh compared to that of radiator systems with equivalent rating, and they need only a fraction of the space. Their efficient heat dissipation allows the use of only one-fifteenth the oil volume of a radiator system. One or more ABC modules can be combined, according to the performance requirements to be met. These modules can be used not only as stationary transformer oil coolers, but also in the form of units consisting of ABC modules employed as standalone temporary mobile auxiliary coolers (TMACs). It is likewise possible to combine ABC modules with radiators to provide a hybrid solution. www.gea.com

Laser shaft alignment

PRÜFTECHNIK’s OS3 sensor for laser shaft alignment has a faster CPU and can take up to 10 times more measurement points during shaft rotation. It makes the measurement process more efficient and reduces energy consumption to provide a longer run-time. www.pruftechnik.com