New Products: May/June 2014

Inter-stage brush-seals

In order to achieve secondary air savings in heavy duty gas turbines, a the reduction of seal flows for turbine stator-rotor cavities avoids waste of air to ensure the minimum sealing flow rate in all operating conditions. Inter-stage brush-seals are incorporated into the vane seal rings of the 2nd and 3rd turbine stages of an Ansaldo AE94.3A gas turbine. The first prototype has been installed with special instrumentation in the vane seal rings to verify the behavior of the stator-rotor sealing system. www.ansaldoenergia.com

Condition monitoring and shaft alignment

Vibconnect RF, Pruftechnik’s new condition monitoring system is designed for applications that require the transfer of vibration measurement data over long distances. The wireless, online firmware sends status and alarm e-mails, supports Modbus TCP, reduces data overload, provides live visualization of measurement data and a 24V sensor unit.

The features are supported by the current version of Omnitrend software. Easy integration of Vibconnect RF into existing process control systems is facilitated by Modbus TCP. Its browser-based dynamic web interface makes it possible to display live data on a PC, tablets and smart phones. It is designed for large facilities with many standard machines, such as pumps and fans. Even if there is no line-of-sight between the sensor and the base station, the wireless signals are said to be transmitted error-free.

In addition, Prüftechnik has developed brackets with a rotating arm that reduce cardan shaft alignment to less than half an hour. Cardan shafts are used to compensate for parallel misalignment (vertical and horizontal) between the driving and driven shafts. Users will no longer have to remove the shaft, which often requires crane hire, safety hazards, machine damage and intensive manpower. They attach the pre-mounted brackets on the shafts using the supplied chains, enter dimensions, rotate the shafts to the next measurement position and take the readings. The sensor, mounted on the rotating arm, can be turned back as the shafts are rotated. The sensor is then moved along the posts to intersect the laser beam. The alignment condition is accurately measured after as little as a 60° shaft rotation. www.pruftechnik.com

Air intake shutoff valve

Corrosion, fluid, dust and debris can reduce the accuracy, reliability, durability and useful life of an air intake shutoff valve. Amot’s 4260E air intake shutoff valve was engineered to prevent these issues and provide longer service life between maintenance cycles, higher vibration resistance and wider temperature operating limits. Features include anodized aluminum and stainless steel construction for corrosion resistance, a latch mechanism enclosed in an IP 67 rated enclosure, as well as an IP 67 rated solenoid to prevent ingress of fluid and debris. In addition, it has an integrated proximity switch for operator alerts and was designed to be leak free across the disc. www.amot.com

Thermal shutoff

The FM Fire-Safe Shutoff assemblies from Assured Automation are API 607 and Factory Mutual approved for flammable liquids. They are commonly used to activate sprinkler systems to control fire, and shut down hazardous lines when fire occurs. These valve and fusible link assemblies include manually operated ball or butterfly valves. If a fire occurs, the thermal link either automatically stops the flow of flammable liquids (in a normally open configuration) or opens flow to release a fire retardant or divert the flammable material. The FM Fire-Safe is also available with an electro-thermal link (ETL) which is compatible with most smoke or gas detectors.

Submersible pump

The ClydeUnion Pumps Hydraulic Submersible Pump (HSP) was developed by analyzing the failure modes of traditional electric submersible pumps and designing them with the goal of achieving three times the life of an electric equivalent. Longevity is enhanced through the use of the power fluid supplied from the surface which provides life support to the balance and bearing systems. Rubbing bearings and seals have also been eliminated. www.spx.com.

Waste heat system

The Siemens Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) module enables owners and operators of industrial plants to generate power from waste heat with temperatures around 300°C. The ORC process uses an organic working medium obtained from the group of silicone oils with a substantially lower vaporization enthalpy than water. The vaporized oil is used to drive a steam turbine. Siemens’ initial ORC module employs a model SST-060 steam turbine. The system requires no water.

Gas injection valve

The Megsol 425 gas injection valve is said to improve power and increase efficiency while simultaneously reducing emissions. The valve offers low leakage and short switching times and is characterized by low shot-to-shot variation as well as by precise metering of even the smallest injection quantities. The Megasol 425 provides a high opening pressure without time-consuming pressure equalization. www.heinzmann.com

Design software

CFturbo Software and Engineering GmbH has released a new version of its Turbomachinery design system, CFturbo. The 9.2 release can be used for conceptual design of radial and mixedflow turbines, compressors, centrifugal pumps, fans and blowers, as well as vaned and un-vaned diffusers, return channels and volutes. Direct interfaces to all major standard CAD and CFD systems are available. The automation of CAE workflows is supported for related software packages or can be customized on request. www.cfturbo.com

WB multi-lobe semifloating bearings[/caption]

New bearings

Waukesha Bearings (WB) has released Multi-Lobe Semi-Floating (MLSF) bearings, which improve stability and reliability compared to conventional floating ring bearings. They are available for use with shafts as small as 0.5 inches in a single bearing or cartridge. They can also handle a static unit load as light as 10 psi (.07MPa) up to a dynamic unit load exceeding 700 psi (4.8 MPa). www.waukbearing.com