Page 182 - CW E-Magazine (19-9-2023)

Special Report Special Report

Fluidics move the world – what makes fl uidics move? ing with explosive or environmentally and more. Operating pressure can range tions of the cryogenic medium require
hazardous substances. Seal-less mag-
from 6-bar to 40-bar. Depending on the high-performance components.
atural gas pipelines, hydro- ces, the extra cost DOMINIK STEPHAN netically coupled pumps are therefore size, seal-less standardised chemical
gen, drinking water or carbon of new equipment is Editor PROCESS in great demand, especially because pumps, diaphragm valves or butterfl y For example, gas terminals and
Ndioxide (CO ) capture – you quickly amortised. Vogel Communications Group manufacturers such as Richter valves made of corrosion-resistant refuelling stations are just as dependent
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can’t do it without pumps, valves and GmbH & Co. KG Chemie-Technik supply them with wetted materials or with appropriate coatings on cryogenic pumps and valves as ship
compressors. At the same time, fl uid Another factor to parts or linings made of PFA or PTFE. are used. refuelling. The components must be
systems have a reputation for being consider is the enor- lines or compressed air systems. Manu- However, because the magnetic force able to withstand temperatures below
energy- and maintenance-intensive cost mous burden of high facturers such as FLIR are taking this a can only transmit a certain amount of Also on the pumping experts’ agenda -160°C and safely contain the explo-
traps. With fl uid technology becoming energy prices, particularly for compa- step further by integrating gas analysis torque, a full-length shaft is sometimes are processes for CO capture and utili- sive vapours produced during evapora-
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networked and the threat of a PFAS ban nies with a high degree of upstream into so-called gas cameras. These came- essential – this can be made even tighter, sation or storage (CCS or CCSU). For tion. Single or multi-stage centrifugal
looming, the industry is looking for new integration: Production processes such as ras not only detect leaks, but also iden- for example with leak-free mechani- these processes, pumps must cover a pumps are used for this purpose, but
approaches. the casting of machine parts or the test- tify the corresponding gas. Today, such cal seals from EagleBurgmann. The wide range of applications, be ready the extreme conditions make seal-less
ing of large pumps are expensive, with cameras are small enough to be avail- nitrogen-fl ushed sealing solutions are for use in a short time and be able to designs such as canned motor pumps
Pumps – and, of course, compres- energy requirements in the megawatt able as handheld devices, but they can used in compressor stations for natural withstand very high pressures and tem- more suitable.
sors – are energy-hungry units: it is range and huge costs for electricity and also be permanently installed. gas pipelines, where they prevent the peratures, the manufacturers explain.
estimated that around a quarter of indus- gas, experts warn – and point out that, escape of the greenhouse gas, methane. Then there are the challenges of CO as For good reason, explosion protec-
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trial electricity is used to pump fl uids. unlike consumers, industrial companies A danger foreseen is half avoided a medium, such as its volatility – CO 2 tion and Atex certifi cation place high
In terms of global electricity produc- do not benefi t from fi xed price guaran- In addition to effi cient drives and Hydrogen and carbon capture: new exists as a gas phase at ambient pres- demands on the components used.
tion, this represents 10% of the world’s tees. Energy and cost optimisation will precise controls, more and more suppli- media for the energy transition sure – which requires a suitable seal. LNG regasification, in particular,
total – meaning that one in ten power therefore not only be part of the product ers are using methods such as software- Of course, pumps & co. will also be requires suitable safety valves due to the
stations is in operation just to provide development specifi cations for pump based anomaly detection, in which an needed in the energy and raw materials However, these challenges can be extreme pressures involved. For fl uc-
the energy needed to move liquids from manufacturers in 2023, but also at the algorithm examines current operating value chains of the future: hydrogen, overcome: This is demonstrated by the tuating fl ow rates, side channel pumps
A to B. heart of their own manufacturing pro- conditions. Based on these values, the for example, as the smallest molecule column internals for amine scrubbing designed for low-viscosity media, such
cesses. software can make predictions about in the periodic table, places special that fl uidics specialists such as Sulzer as those from Sero Pump Systems with
Pumps – and, of course, future malfunctions or anomalies and demands on pumps and compressors. The are supplying for large-scale demon- their wide speed ranges, are best suited.
compressors – are energy- Connectivity continues to be in suggest appropriate measures. gas is highly volatile and can penetrate stration projects for CO capture, as With the right components – and as
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hungry units: it is estima- demand: is connected fl uidics the next the crystal lattice of metallic materials, well as the high-pressure pumps and production becomes more connected
valves – such as double-eccentric but-
leading to hydrogen embrittlement.
and digitally supported – operation and
ted that around a quarter of big thing? According to the VDMA, predictive terfl y valves, cage-guided single-seat maintenance can be streamlined and run
The prevailing infl uence of energy maintenance can prevent around 70%
industrial electricity is used effi ciency is also refl ected in the fact of unplanned shutdowns. There are It is therefore important to take a control valves and diaphragm valves – with less manpower, say fl uid experts.
to pump fl uids that the German Engineering Federa- growing calls for the integration of con- close look at the components used – that KSB, among others, offers for han-
tion (VDMA), for example, sees the dition monitoring – even for relatively from the pump to the fi ttings. After all, dling liquid CO . Lewa, for example, After all, the process industry is now
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This is not always effi cient: in par- greatest potential for digital tools in this simple components such as valves and requirements such as specifi c materi- uses diaphragm pumps for the injection also concerned about whether there will
ticular, improperly dimensioned, worn area. After all, a lot is happening in even seals. This is not easy when the als and surface qualities are often not of CO or hydrogen sulphide (H S), as be enough skilled workers in the future
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or poorly controlled pumps, as well Fluidics 4.0: the asset administration shell necessary sensor technology also has to specifi ed. For this reason, pump manu- the toxic H S, in particular, is diffi cult and whether companies will be able to
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as ineffi cient compressors and com- fi nally brings the concept of the digital work in the Atex area, for example. facturers, such as KSB, are currently to pump due to its high vapour pressure pay them. Particularly in the labour-
pressed air leaks, are known to be huge twin to life. Pumps, compressors, vacuum drawing on their expertise from “clas- and poor lubricating properties. intensive service sector, but also in
energy wasters. In addition, pumps are pumps and even connected fi ttings can According to the VDMA, sic” hydrogen projects in the chemical manufacturing and increasingly in
often oversized due to ignorance or now be specifi ed in such a way that predictive maintenance can industry, even though not every detail Exploiting energy and effi ciency development, more and more companies
uncertainty. As a result, the units oper- this information can be read and used prevent around 70% of un- has yet been clarifi ed. For example, potential are complaining about the diffi culty of
ate outside their optimum effi ciency, by everyone involved in the process. developers complain that there are still Then there is liquefi ed natural gas fi lling positions. Although the number
have to be throttled and wear out more OPC UA Companion Specifi cations are planned shutdowns unresolved questions about hydraulic (LNG): in the short term, LNG is ex- of employees in the mechanical
quickly. However, the consistent use of also available to ensure interoperabi- balancing or the operation of pumps in pected to satisfy Europe’s hunger for engineering sector recently rose slightly
modern speed control systems could lity between components from different Even mechanical seals are mak- different hydrogen processes. energy and compensate for the loss of by 1.7% to a total of 1.02-mn, the
help to save 7.5 terawatt hours of manufacturers. ing the leap into the digital world with supplies from Russia. At $27-bn billion VDMA estimates that there are still 1,400
energy and 4-mtpa of CO emis- products such as EagleBurgmann’s This also applies to the size of worldwide, more than ten times as much vacancies at its member companies.
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sions in Germany alone. Thanks to Digital solutions also score when it wireless Smart Seal sensors. future hydrogen projects: While typi- money will be invested in gas projects
the lower energy consumption of comes to leak detection: Acoustic came- cal modular container plants currently and terminals in 2022 as in 2020. This PFAS ban: how to deal with the
controlled drives, improved impel- ras combine ultrasonic sensors with Operators are increasingly unwill- produce around 10-m³ per hour, large also includes the corresponding fl ui- sword of Damocles?
ler geometries or smaller clearan- optical imaging to detect leaks in pipe- ing to take risks, especially when deal- world-scale plants can produce 800-m³ dics, especially since the extreme condi- In fact, no one doubts that pumps,

182 Chemical Weekly September 19, 2023 Chemical Weekly September 19, 2023 183

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