Chemical Processing - April 2008 - (Page 7)

555 West Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143 Phone: (630) 467-1300 Fax: (630) 467-1109 www.chemicalprocessing.com E-mail: cpnews@putman.net Subscriptions/Customer Service: (888) 644-1803 or (847) 559-7360 EdItoRIaL StaFF MaRk RoSEnzWEIg, editor in chief, x478 mrosenzweig@putman.net kEn SChnEPF, managing editor, x442 kschnepf@putman.net SEán ottEWELL, editor at large ireland sottewell@putman.net ContRIbutIng EdItoRS andREW SLoLEY, troubleshooting columnist LYnn L. bERgESon, regulatory columnist gaRY Faagau, energy columnist dIRk WILLaRd, columnist dESIgn & PRoduCtIon StEPhEn C. hERnER, group art director, x312 sherner@putman.net toM WaItEk, associate art director, x413 twaitek@putman.net RIta FItzgERaLd, production manager, x468 rfitzgerald@putman.net EdItoRIaL boaRd Vic edWards, aker Kvaerner tim franK, dow chemical ben paterson, eli lilly roy sanders, consultant ellen turner, eastman chemical ben Weinstein, procter & gamble Jon Worstell, shell chemical sheila yang, fluor corp. FROM THE EDITOR << Vendors should see the light maintenance staffs would welcome warning LEds on equipment EvEry wEEkEnd, wEathEr pErmitting, i do a routine check on my car. it’s nothing too detailed or time-consuming, just basically a look at fluid levels and tire pressures with appropriate topping up when necessary. maybe once each month might suffice, but few people seem to do such routine monitoring even that often. automakers at least build-in an alarm to protect the engine. if that idiot light on the dashboard that says “check engine” or the like goes on, people know that they have a potential problem that deserves attention. tires remain below the line of sight for many people, though. But under-inflation can impact handling, cut tire life and gas mileage, and increase the likelihood of blowouts. yet, while automakers have been adding all sorts of expensive gadgets to cars, a tire-pressure monitoring and alarm system was considered too costly. So, the federal government stepped in. the national highway traffic Safety administration (nhtSa) mandated that automakers install on all 2008 model vehicles (with gross weights under 10,000 lbs.) a system that monitors all four tires and warns when a tire’s pressure falls 25% or more below its recommended level. motorists see a light when a problem arises. plants also can benefit from such idiot lights. after all, many maintenance staffs suffer from reduced staffing and expertise, making it tough to consistently and comprehensively check the health of the multitude of equipment on site. predictive maintenance systems provide one powerful tool to address this problem, but too often the data aren’t being used as effectively as they might be (see www. Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/199. html). and sometimes useful data, for instance on the condition of units like motors and pumps, are lacking. advances in wireless technology, such as the new wireless hart protocol (www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/155.html), promise to make access to information now stranded at the device technically and economically feasible. however, physical inspection certainly remains an important tool for checking equipment health. regular walk-arounds by operators or maintenance staff can identify potential problems early. For instance, noise and heat often can provide crucial clues. Unfortunately, the volume of equipment that should be checked, coupled in some instances with difficult access, make it all too easy to miss what’s happening with some units. Built-in warning lights really could help to pinpoint equipment that needs checking. For the ubiquitous anSi centrifugal pump, such help is at hand. itt Goulds has just introduced pumps with LEds that provide on-board condition monitoring — at MIkE bREnnER, group publisher, x487 mbrenner@putman.net bRIan MaRz, publisher, x411 bmarz@putman.net adMInIStRatIvE StaFF John M. CaPPELLEttI, president/ceo JuLIE CaPPELLEttI-LangE, Vice president RoSE SouthaRd, it director JERRY CLaRk, Vice president of circulation JaCk JonES, circulation director REPRIntS CLaudIa StaChoWIak, marKeting manager claudia@fostereprints.net 1-866-879-9144 x121 fax: 219-561-2019 FoStER REPRIntS 4295 ohio street michigan city, in 46360 Operators on walk-arounds can spot potential problems. no increase in cost, to boot ( see http://www. chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2008/035. html). Easy-to-see flashing red LEds indicate a potential problem with temperature or vibration. Other vendors should see the light — putting idiot lights on equipment is a smart move. CP Mark Rosenzweig Editor in Chief mrosenzweig@putman.net April 2008 • 7 Folio editorial excellence award Winner www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2008/035.html http://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2008/035.html http://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2008/035.html http://www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/199.html http://www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/199.html http://www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/199.html http://www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/155.html http://www.Chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2007/155.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing - April 2008

Chemical Processing - April 2008 Contents From the Editor ChemicalProcessing.com Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Is It a Tragedy or Comedy for Engineers? Better Understanding Boosts Mixer Scale-up Don't Err With Air Compressors Control Performance Supervision Enhances Revamp Process Puzzler Plant InSites Equipment & Services Product Spotlight/Classifieds Ad Index End Point

Chemical Processing - April 2008

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