Technology Briefing

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING MAY 2008

Carbon Capture and Storage

Foster Wheeler / technical papers:  Flexi-Burn Dual-Oxidant Pulverized Coal Power Plant with Carbon Capture  ...  Near-zero CO2 emissions in coal firing

Drives and motors:

Siemens Automation & Drives / Sirius 3Rw30: Compact devices for soft starting motors in applications such as pumps, conveyors belts or fans up to 55 kilowatts at 400V. Improve the start up characteristics of motors with two-phase polarity balancing, and avoid mechanical loads, voltage fluctuations, and current peaks. Protects the drive system and the power network, so minimising maintenance of overhead and expensive current peaks.

Lenze-AC Tech / PositionServo drive: With full Ethernet connectivity, offers a reliable servo controller without the cost and complexity normally associated with servo automation. Two models available, the 940 designed for encoder feedback and the 941 intended for Resolver feedback. “Brings simplicity to servo technology … it is far easier to program precise motion profiles, and integrate low-cost yet high-resolution control into positioning systems,” claims Wayne Morris, international sales manager, Asia & South America.

Baldor / Dodge MagnaGear XTR: Reducer gearbox range for heavy-duty material handling applications, allowing system builders to achieve substantial weight and space savings. Available in either parallel shaft or right angle drive configurations, all the larger sizes of the gearbox employ a planetary output stage. Can reduce size compared with helical or bevel gearing systems by as much as 25% or more, simplifying equipment design for bulk handling equipment OEMs.

Inmoco / Motor Integration Wizard: Claimed to take time, effort and cost out of wiring third-party motors to company’s Ormec range of SMLC servo controllers. 'Attach a motor, press a button, and it will automatically determine the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the motor that are crucial for high-performance motion control. Parameters such as motor resistance, inductance, pole count and inertia are measured automatically.'

Lenze / EL100 touchscreen HMIs: Now supplied with an integrated Soft-PLC to the standard IEC61131. Windows CE operating system combined with Lenze VisiWinNet visualisation software speeds up the process of display programming. A CANbus connection suits other Lenze L-force components such as drives and I/O. An Ethernet connection suits programming from a PC, while there are also MPI, RS232 and USB ports.

Field communications and devices:

ASCO NUMATICS / Series 298-398 process valves: Range of piston-operated valves for steam, superheated water, hot and cold liquids and inert gases. Available for use on positive pressure or vacuum service, the valves are designed to withstand extremely aggressive manufacturing processes. Applications include the manufacture of tyres and rubber vulcanisation machines, and industrial processes including industrial autoclaves, foundries, heat exchangers, dyeing machines, laundry, food and beverage, chemical processing and pulp and paper. An ATEX 94/9/EC version is also available for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, categories 2 GD and 3 GD.

Yokogawa / DPharp EJA V2.5 Device Type Manager (DTM): 'World's first FOUNDATION fieldbus-certified DTM device, allowing users of to tap user-friendly field device tool (FDT)/DTM technology with guarantee of interoperability and trouble-free installation.'

Modelling

National Instruments / Four new R Series I/O modules for the PXI platform: Equipped with Xilinx Virtex-5 field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The NI PXI-7841R, PXI-7842R, PXI-7851R and PXI-7852R modules feature eight analogue inputs, eight analogue outputs and 96 digital I/O lines as well as analogue input rates that are more than 3.5 times faster than previously released R Series devices. Can be graphically programmed with the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module for custom onboard processing for inline data analysis and deterministic I/O control for processing and control applications that require specialised timing and triggering.

Supervisory control software

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms / Proficy HMI/SCADA Cimplicity 7.5: New version of its supervisory control product offering more diagnostic tools, security, development tools, connectivity and flexibility. “Extends the product’s ability to develop and improve supervisory monitoring and control projects,” said Bernard Cubizolles, European commercial product leader for software products.

Power quality

Powervar / technical paper:   Risk management and power quality

Weighing, Measuring, Analysis

Strainsert Inc. / Patented strain gauge technology: Unlike strain gauges that are attached on the outside of load bearing components, the down-hole strain gauge, typically bonded into a small hole in the neutral axis of the load sensing path, is insensitive to off-centre loading, bending and extraneous load forces. Typical force measurement range across standard and customised down-hole strain gauges is between 100 N and 5 MN, with 0.1% linearity. Miniaturisation means they can be built into even smaller areas of just 3 mm diameter and within lengths of only 100 mm. Available in Strainsert’s flat load cells, load sensing bolts and studs, tension links and clevis pins.

GE Sensing Inspection Technologies / Isovolt Titan E stationary X-ray machine: Is based on its Isovolt Titan series but offers better ease of operation, controllability and on-board logic for greater operational productivity and reliability. Will find increasing application in meeting the requirements of system integrators for automated X-ray solutions. It will also be used as a stand-alone X-ray machine for conventional X-ray radiography and radioscopy in the metals and castings industry, in the automotive, aerospace, petrochemical, power generation and general industrial sectors and in scientific research.

ENDS