Turbo Speak: Striking a Chord

Letter from the Editor

Last issue’s Myth Busters column on the bloat in American Petroleum Institute (API) standards has struck a chord with our readers. Comments poured in expressing support for the view that the standards have grown so large that they’ve become unwieldly, and calling for some form of simplification. One engineer from Texas said, “I’m sure you have received many compliments on your recent article in Turbomachinery International. Please add me to the list of those who could not agree with you more. We appreciate you succinctly vocalizing what surely most of us are thinking. Will definitely share with our API committee colleagues. Bravo!”

Another reader, who is also part of an API standards committee, wrote, “A really good article to read as we ponder what to include, what not to include, and what to clarify in our standard. As standards grow and reference many other standards, how can users be expected to make good use of all of this? It was a good reminder that our ultimate audience is the user.”

A turbomachinery OEM representative said, “I just wanted to applaud you on your article on standards. I can only hope those who make decisions in regards to rotating equipment read this and that it appeals to their sense of reason.”

Our Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz are commended for their consistently good work. In this issue, they look at whether axial thrust matters. Our Turbo Tips columnist, meanwhile, delves into centrifugal pumps and makes a case for broader application of this technology.

Front and center in the magazine is our Cover Story on innovation in valves and other components, such as seals, gaskets and couplings. We haven’t visited this area for some time and were pleasantly surprised to find a lot going on. In fact, we barely scratch the surface.

Further stories include the use of performance modeling in diagnostics, control system obsolescence, turboexpander optimization, compressor repair, fire suppression, oil analysis, Europe’s complex energy mix (See our Show Report from PowerGen Europe in Amsterdam), eliminating leaks and a Q & A on vibration monitoring.

You can look forward to reading about the ASME/IGTI Turbo Expo in Montreal in our next issue. It was good to see a big turn out at the event, despite the troubles of the oil & gas sector. Hopefully this will translate into some improvement for that area of the market in the months ahead.