Finding the Source of All that Noise

Processing plants today do everything they can to increase efficiency and productivity. Frequently, that involves operating at higher temperatures, pressures and flow rates, which means higher pressure differentials across critical control valves as well other conditions that generate more noise. While this noise has always been a problem, it is even more so in today’s high-throughput processing plants.

Challenges and New Solutions in the Dry Chlorine Industry

Dry chlorine gas is found within chlorine ­production, storage and transfer facilities, as well as in downstream processes such as production of vinyl chloride monomer (used in making polymer polyvinyl chloride) or phosgene (used in applications such as pharmaceuticals and organic compounds). Dry chlorine is generally understood to have less than 150 parts per million (PPM) water containment.¹ Moisture contamination in any of these dry chlorine service areas, however, can result in the formation of dendrites, ­crystal-like masses that can cause problems.

Reshoring Movement Builds Momentum

This article is a follow-up to the VMA & VRC 2012 Annual Meeting presentation by Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative. The non-profit Reshoring Initiative is dedicated to helping companies understand the true cost of offshoring by using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis. The initiative provides free TCO estimator software, as well as a database of more than 300 reshoring articles and case studies where companies can share their experiences with reshoring.

Improving Process Efficiency with Wireless Valve Automation

The economics and simplicity of wireless field instruments has allowed many industrial plants to expand the benefits of automation well beyond traditional “wired” control.

Wireless technology has created monitoring applications for safety, reliability, maintenance, environmental compliance and increased personnel efficiency that are possible without incurring the traditional cost and time barriers imposed by wires. Globally, plants are replacing manual clipboard rounds, automating periodic inspections and monitoring more assets than ever before because of these new applications. But what is the status of wireless control of valves in particular?

Learning the Context of Local Customs

By ANETA STEPHENS

Understanding the “whys” of a culture enriches the experience of traveling to different countries and can greatly improve the chances travelers have to be successful in business transactions.

A New Driver at the Wheel?

Outlook 2013 speakers say natural gas may fuel economic growth

The record-breaking number of attendees at this year’s Market Outlook Workshop, Aug. 9-10 in Chicago, were buoyed by relatively positive messages from all the speakers, who agreed the nation is in recovery.

A Primer On Worm Gear Operators

Manual gear operators continue to provide a viable, age-old solution with a few 21st century twists. Understanding how these products work, as well as the tradeoffs and costs associated with manual operators, can help end users select the right technology for the application.

Controlling And Monitoring Control Valve Fugitive Emissions

Since valves are the number one source of leakage, those faced with reducing fugitive emissions need to look at the most challenging type: control valves.

Reaching Around the World

To coincide with the release of the latest edition of the North American Catalog of Valves—first published in 1984—we spoke with several U.S. and Canadian companies about how globalization has changed the way they do business.

The Unique Requirements for Valves in SRO Applications

The seawater reverse osmosis (SRO) industry has been steadily gathering momentum. For the valve industry, that growth opens up a number of opportunities for companies that understand the unique issues the industry presents.