The renewal of the entire ventilation system in the underground car park serving the largest European business district, was not limited to the simple replacement of filters and some mechanical components. This operation involved a vast project requiring advanced technical expertise, particularly in terms of defining and selecting drive solutions and supporting their integration, installation and commissioning.

The objective of the drive systems for the variation of ventilation speed was two-fold. Firstly, it was a question of ensuring the effective evacuation of exhaust gases. Then, secondly, achieving much faster removal of smoke in the event of a fire. The previously installed system had become obsolete because it was only equipped with two-speed motors without drives.

Parker worked with EDF and Inov Industrie on the project. The company was selected for its technical abilities with respect to drive systems, but perhaps more importantly, for its "know how" in the control of energy consumption/optimisation of energy efficiency. The project presented multiple challenges that had to be overcome. First, the project concerned the most extensive car park in Europe incorporating 22,000 spaces, spread over sixteen different sites. Then, due to the underground location of the car parks, below the towers of La Defense at a complex, major road junction, there were numerous access constraints. To this was added the problem of dimensions: the systems selected had to fit in existing cabinets and be adapted to the protocol already in place.

All of the disassembled components being replaced had to be removed and recycled. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the fire safety system needed to allow the forced operation of the drives at maximum speed in order to reliably evacuate fumes in the shortest possible time. For safety, the new systems also needed to be equipped with an automatic restart and be directly connected to the emergency fire services.

The nature of the project meant that work had to be completed quickly and efficiently under intense time pressure. The scale of the project meant that a total of 60 drives with power ratings from 5.5kW to 180kW had to be commissioned in a very short space of time. Inov Industrie, with its 20-year working relationship with Parker, turned to the motion and control specialist, opting to specify units from the company’s AC10 compact drive range.

The suitability of the AC10 range for this significant and challenging project was enhanced due to some new features such as fire mode input/output and its wide range of power ratings - all in a compact package. The AC10 range is characterised by its simplicity of installation, setup and commissioning, thanks in particular to a fast parameterization. With its enhanced functionality, the AC10 drive is able to control asynchronous motors incorporating both simple and complex types of application such as pressure and flow control. The ‘small sequential’ function (sequencing on and off) avoids the need for an additional PLC. It is also possible to obtain information relating to system power consumption and other parameters such as the occurrence of dirty filters.

Article contributed by Francis Scharwatt, sales engineer, Parker Hannifin France

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You’ve probably heard a bit about microwave absorbers and how they are used to reduce or absorb the energy that is present in a microwave. But what are they exactly? And how do they work? Go ahead, read on.

Simply put, microwave absorbers are special materials, often elastomer or rubber based, which are designed to offer a user-friendly approach to the reduction of unwanted electromagnetic radiation from electronic equipment. They also work well to minimize cavity to cavity cross-coupling, and microwave cavity resonances. When comprised of a silicone elastomer matrix with ferrous filler material, microwave absorbers provide RF absorption performance over a broadband frequency range from 500 MHz to 18 GHz.

• Dielectric types, in which the absorbing filler acts on the electric field
• Magnetic absorbers, in which the absorbing fillers act on the magnetic field

The microwave absorber itself is considered a dielectric medium, which is an electrical insulator that can be polarized by an applied electric field. When such a material is placed in an electric field, electric charges do not flow through the material as they do in a conductor, but instead, the charges shift equilibrium positions causing dielectric polarization. This creates an internal electric field.

An EMI microwave absorber is filled with dielectric ferromagnetic materials. As a microwave strikes these materials, the wave becomes attenuated and loses energy. The energy loss is due to a conversion from EMI energy to heat energy via phase cancellation.

The amount of attenuation of the microwave is dependent on the frequency and the electrical permittivit, (dielectric constant) and magnetic permeability of the material. The amount attenuation varies by frequency.

There are two general classes of microwave absorbing materials, and they have to do with the frequency range that the products can effectively attenuate.

• Broad band: these microwave absorbers, such as Parker Chomerics CHO-MUTETM, operate over a large frequency spectrum, but generally have only low to moderate attenuation.
• Narrow band or tuned: these microwave absorbers operate over a much smaller frequency spectrum, however in that range, their attenuation is better than Broad Band absorbers.

There are two general scenarios for microwave absorbing materials:

• Cavity resonance is in the near field, very close to the EMI field source. This occurs when signals are trapped / contained within a metal enclosure or compartment. Not only is energy absorbed but induced currents from the field itself are impeded by the absorber.
• Near field absorption can take place right on the radiating element. In order to avoid shorting, the absorber must have a very high resistance. Absorber thickness plays heavily in this condition.

At the end of the day, there are many theoretical factors that will determine how well a particular absorber will attenuate in an application.

However the typical approach to an absorber solution is to narrow down the selection of a product and a thickness, and then evaluate these samples in the customer’s specific application through trial and success. Ultimately, it really only matters if the product works for the customer in their application and not what theory says.  

This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Division.

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A massive engineering and design collaboration have brought the vision of world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava Valls to life in Lakeland, Florida. The new Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building at Florida Polytechnic University will serve as the central building for the campus of Florida’s newest state institution, dedicated to a curriculum of science, technology, engineering, and math. It houses classrooms, auditoriums, administrative offices, common areas and a number of cutting-edge laboratories; including a Supercomputer and Student Data Center, a Visualization and Technology Collaboration Lab, and a Rapid Application Development Makerspace Lab with 3D printing capabilities. The $60 million, two-story building also includes a system of 94 louvered arms that raise and lower to track the sun above a glass roof.

Each louver is manipulated by a Parker Series 2HB Mill-Type hydraulic cylinder. The custom application required five different sized cylinders, with larger cylinders for the longer louvers at the center of the roof and smaller cylinders for the shorter louvers at the ends.

“We are pleased to have supported this highly customized cylinder application with full integration capabilities and precise engineering,”
Tad Brown, cylinder application engineer, Parker Hannifin Cylinder Division

Specified by Parker distributor Atlantic Hydraulic Systems, based in Shirley, N.Y., each cylinder was assembled with integrated cartridge valves on a manifold, which was bolted to the cap and plumbed to the head end of the cylinder. Further, a spherical rod eye was installed at the rod end, and the entire cylinder was painted to match the remainder of the structure. This full integration, along with special pressure decay testing, was all accomplished within Parker’s Cylinder Division in Goodland, Indiana.

The cylinders act independently from one another and can manipulate the louvers to provide shade and artistic motion. The louvers were designed to eventually accommodate a system of photovoltaic tape to generate power for the campus. Each louver arm is engineered with the capability of a maximum upright position of 65 degrees above the horizontal plane and a maximum lowered position of 48 degrees below the horizontal plane. Traveling the full 113-degree distance takes about 10 minutes.

Construction of the 162,000 square foot IST building took 28 months and was completed by Skanska USA. Headquartered in New York, Skanska USA is one of the largest construction and development companies in the country with expertise in construction, civil infrastructure, public-private partnerships and commercial development initiatives in select U.S. markets. Florida Polytechnic welcomed students for the inaugural day of classes on August 25, 2014. The University offers six undergraduate degree programs with 19 unique areas of concentration and two masters degree programs in the College of Engineering and the College of Innovation and Technology.

The 2HB cylinder design in long-stroke industrial applications is an engineering breakthrough that is expected to extend service life, reduce downtime, increase throughput and ultimately increase the profitability of industries requiring stroke lengths over five feet. For OEMs incorporating cylinders into heavy-duty industrial equipment and machines or into apparatus where design aesthetics are important, the 2HB Series of non-tie-rod cylinders offer several differentiating benefits for competitive advantage.

Learn more about the benefits of non-tie-rod hydraulic cylinders and how they can improve performance in your heavy-duty, long-stroke industrial applications - download our Long-Stroke Industrial Cylinder Performance white paper. 

For more information on the award-winning IST building and the new Florida Polytechnic University, visit their website.

Article contributed by Bruce Kohlmeyer, engineer manager, Parker Cylinder Division.

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Quick couplings allow fluid lines to be quickly and easily connected and disconnected without the need for tools. Non-spill or dry break couplings are a specific type of connector designed to eliminate spillage during a connection and disconnection.

What sets non-spill apart from traditional couplings? The flush face valve is the difference maker as this feature minimizes discharge and trapped air, while ensuring repeated dripless connections and disconnections. Non-spill or dry break quick disconnects are key to maintaining a clean environment, protecting system fluids from contamination caused by air or debris, and most importantly, keeping workers safe.

Did you know 98 million gallons of fluid from hydraulic equipment is improperly deposited into topsoil, groundwater, rivers and lakes annually? That’s according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The statistics are staggering when you come to the realization that one liter of oil can pollute up to one million liters of water.

Fluid leaks and spills have the potential to cause significant environmental issues. If contamination were to occur, organizations would be responsible for damage to ecosystems and wildlife, resulting in high cleanup costs and federal penalties. All industries from agricultural food production to manufacturing and service operations are affected by environmental protection regulations.

Even what looks like a small leakage can sometimes leave lasting effects on our precious planet. Non-spill quick disconnects keep fluids contained and its environmental impact to a minimum. The flush face valve quickly shuts off flow when fluid lines are disconnected and is engineered to eliminate spillage and fluid loss.

Hydraulic equipment relies on fluid system integrity to effectively transmit power for instant, accurate response and reliable performance. Contamination and the loss of performance transpire when debris and air work their way into the hydraulic fluid. It’s common for this to occur when dirt accumulates on the exposed surface of a traditional poppet valve tip when disconnected. Then, when the quick coupling is reconnected, air and contamination are pushed into the system fluid as the poppet valves open. The air and contamination can cause a loss of horsepower, temperate performance abnormalities and a variety of detrimental effects.

The flush face valves of non-spill quick couplings do not provide surfaces or areas for dirt to accumulate and collect. In environments where dirt is present, the smooth flat surface of the coupling end can be easily and quickly wiped clean. Additionally, non-spill valves keep air inclusion to a minimum because the flat-faced surface does not trap pockets of air as fluid lines are reconnected.  

There are many safety and ergonomic risks associated with hydraulic system leakage. Exposure to dangerous chemicals and confined spaces significantly enhance the chances of injury during maintenance operations. Slips, trips and falls account for a third of all personal injuries and is a top cause of workers’ compensation claims.

The most common reason why? Wet or oil surfaces as a result of incremental leakage. Spills and leaks can happen at any point and pose a wide range of health hazards to workers such as sensitization and irritation as well as physical risks.

Parker offers a variety of non-spill couplers to fit versatile fluid applications. The FEM Series and 71 Series are both ideal for use in applications where air inclusion and fluid loss must be minimal. When chemical compatibility is also needed, Parker’s FS Series is a good option.

Parker’s FEM Series is compliant with the highest design and performance specifications set forth by ISO 16028. The standard defines a common dimensional and performance profile that ensures global compatibility and interchangeable connectability with other manufacturer’s quick couplings built to the same standard. Parker’s FEC Series nipples also provide the ability to connect under trapped residual system pressure. FEM Series quick couplings are constructed from steel material and are commonly used to connect hydraulic lines to tools used in construction and utility work. In addition, they are widely used on skid loaders and other similar machinery.

The 71 Series, an original Snap-tite design non-spill coupling, is rated for working pressures up to 10,000 psi. With material options featuring steel, 316 stainless and high pressure stainless steel, Parker’s 71 Series non-spill quick couplings are utilized in industrial applications as well as topside offshore oil drilling and construction.

FS Series non-spill quick couplings provide excellent chemical compatibility. The all stainless steel construction and Fluorocarbon seals make them ideal for closed system transfer of chemicals or corrosive media. Other applications include food processing and chemical dispensing.

The FEM Series  | 71 Series | FS Series couplings are available for purchase on Parker.com. Simply add products to your cart for shipment within two days for in-stock items.

Article contributed by Anthony Mistretta, product sales manager, Quick Coupling Division, Parker Hannifin Corporation.

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