Filtration

A condition monitoring system is concerned with the early detection of failure. Vibration monitoring systems, whether they use traditional techniques based on displacement or acoustic emission sensor techniques, form part of your condition monitoring (CM) tool chest. 

Machinery vibration analysis equipment is part of a machine monitoring system that aims to provide months of warning of developing issues before they become bigger problems. This can save your company from serious disruption by avoiding unnecessary downtime and delays. There is also the potential for both on and offline implementation of these systems, subject to capability and level of available technology for the techniques, which makes them perfect for the food and beverage, power generation, marine and offshore industries. 

If you are interested in learning about our vibration analysis or monitoring systems and equipment, please contact us today to speak to one of our engineers.

Vibration monitoring techniques

Vibration monitoring equipment uses techniques based on the use of accelerometers, which are well known in the field of CM, and can be classified into three main categories:

VM Vibration Monitoring (ISO 10816): Perfect for maintenance engineers, vibration monitoring ISO 10816 offers an instinctive understanding that a machine is vibrating unusually from the non-rotating parts. Great for small machines, electric motors and pumps and production motors.

VA Vibration Analysis (ISO 13373): A mainstream CM option and essential addition to any other technique used, vibration analysis offers a more sophisticated improvement in signal to noise ratio for repetitive defect signals. This highlights what is internally causing the vibration.

AE Acoustic Emissions (ISO 22096): This technique looks for high-frequency signals from cracks or impact rather than a repetitive movement from vibration. As a passive technique, acoustic emissions can diagnose incipient machinery prior to undertaking a lengthy diagnosis. Highly effective in detecting the very early onset of machinery fault conditions where needed most.
 

Acoustic emission machinery

There are many approaches which fall under the umbrella term condition monitoring, each with its own features and areas of excellence. These include machinery vibration monitoring and analysis, and also acoustic emission analysis systems. 
 

Techniques in BLUE = Technologies available from Parker Kittiwake

Parker Kittiwake focuses on techniques such as an acoustic emission system that provides for the greatest protection or longest period of warning for potential damage and eventual failure. While machine vibration monitoring systems can help prevent the worst cases of damage. 

The use of two (or more) appropriate technologies can provide a more complete picture of the likely failure mechanism, thus offering you reduced machinery downtime and more efficient recovery. The table below identifies the variations of expertise that different condition monitoring options cover.
 

 

CM machinery techniques that are available from Parker Kittiwake:

If you are interested in any of the above vibration analysis products and services, or you would like to speak to an engineer about which vibration monitoring option would best suit your needs, please contact us today.

 

Article contributed by the Hydraulic Filtration Team, Parker Kittiwake, part of Parker's Hydraulic and Industrial Process Filtration Division.

 

Additional resources

Bunker Quality: Why Changes to ISO 8217 Increase the Need for Condition Monitoring

What You Need to Know About Testing Your Hydraulic System for Particle Contamination

Reduce Failure of Hydraulic Systems with Preventive Maintenance

Reliability Centered Maintenance Reduces Costly Downtime in Oil & Gas Applications

 

A common goal shared by virtually all industrial manufacturing businesses is to assure safe and clean air quality throughout their production facilities. Using an inadequate air filtration system can result in unplanned interruptions in production and unsafe working conditions — which work directly against a company’s financial performance and brand image.
 

Filter media upgrade – an economical alternative

As an alternative to installing an expensive new baghouse, many companies are opting to use their existing infrastructure and upgrade their baghouse filter technology, with positive results. This strategy allows companies to reduce costs, lower routine maintenance and minimize unexpected production interruptions — without making a substantial capital investment.

 

Read the full case study to learn how companies in three different industries - pharmaceutical, construction, and printing -  upgraded their baghouse filter technology to significantly improve baghouse efficiency, minimize unscheduled maintenance and reduce costs.

 

 

Key goals in baghouse design and operation

Baghouse operators aim to meet the following goals while maintaining a constant inlet air load:

• Maximize total filtration area.
• Increase airflow.
• Reduce air to cloth ratio.
• Lower differential pressure.
• Reduce emissions.

A popular technology solution

One solution that is rapidly gaining in popularity is the transition from traditional filter bags used in baghouses to BHA® PulsePleat® filter elements. This state-of-the-art technology is being installed at manufacturing facilities across the globe and in a wide range of industries — with impressive results.  

Featuring an increased surface area with a reduced footprint compared to traditional filter bags, the material and construction used in BHA® PulsePleat® elements offer the following benefits:

• Require less compressed air pressure to pulse clean.
• Operate across a wide range of temperatures and applications. 
• Increase filtration area by 2-3 times.
• Dramatically reduce air-to-cloth ratios. 
• Lower operating pressure differential.
• Reduce dust collection operational energy costs.
• Substantially reduce installation time. 
• Shorter length keeps the elements out of the inlet gas stream, reducing abrasion.
• Significantly more efficient than standard felt media.

Case study: Pharmaceutical company gains filter capacity The challenge 

Production increases over several years had led to higher grain loading to the baghouse and to extremely high air-to-cloth ratios (10:1) in a tabulation and pill coating application at a pharmaceutical company. 

Filter bags had to be replaced every 4-6 weeks due to the high differential pressure, and excessive blinding of polyester felt media. The frequent bag changes required constant maintenance and unscheduled production downtime.

The solution

Plant management was concerned that a new baghouse would be required. They contacted Parker Hannifin's environmental services team for advice. After reviewing the application, Parker's team recommended a retrofit of the existing dust collector with BHA® PulsePleat® filter elements.

Results

Improvement was noticed immediately after installation, with the following results:

• Pleated elements increased cloth area by 250% without any physical modification to the collector. 
• No maintenance has been required - even after two years.
• The cleaning cycle now operates at 50 psi – a 50% reduction in compressed air usage.
• Differential pressure has been lowered to 2.5” – 3”, with a noticeable increase in airflow.

A solution partner

Parker Hannifin, a leader in filtration markets worldwide, offers the technical knowledge and product portfolio required to implement comprehensive measures to achieve productivity, efficiency and financial goals without capital investment. Parker engineers assist companies in identifying the areas of opportunity in their current air filtration infrastructure and make specific proposals to help the customer achieve their goals.

Can BHA PulsePleat Filter elements help you?  To learn more about BHA® dust collection products, watch this video:

 

 

Read the full case study to learn how companies in three different industries - pharmaceutical, construction, and printing -  upgraded their baghouse filter technology to significantly improve baghouse efficiency, minimize unscheduled maintenance and reduce costs.

 

To learn more about our range of BHA® pleated, cartridge and membrane bag filters, as well as related bags, cages, parts and accessories for proven performance and durability, please visit our website.

 

This article was contributed by the Filtration Team.

 

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Whether you choose distillates, liquefied natural gas (LNG) or scrubbers to meet the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) fuel regulations in 2020, it will be even more critical to regularly monitor the condition of vital equipment to ensure there is no adverse effect on operational efficiency.

The situation More about catalytic (CAT) fines

Cat fines will damage fuel injection equipment. The fines are particles of spent aluminium and silicon catalyst that arise from the catalytic cracking process in the refinery. The fines are in a form of complex alumino-silicates and, depending on the catalyst used, vary both in size and hardness. If not reduced by suitable treatment, the abrasive nature of these fines will damage the engine, particularly fuel pumps, injectors, piston rings and liners.

 

Catalyst Fines (Al & Si)

If stored for long periods of time, catalyst fines may settle out of the fuel and build up as sediment in storage tanks.  If the tanks are not drained regularly, this sludge can be disturbed in heavy weather and enter the fuel system.
 

The figure shows the distribution of combined aluminium and silicon in residual fuel worldwide. It may be seen that over 90% of the samples have a combined aluminium value less than 40 mg/kg. ISO 8127:2010 contains a limit for aluminium and silicon combined of 60mg/kg for residual fuel categories RMG and RMK. There are lower limits for lower viscosity fuels.

 

 

Reduction of catalyst fines to an acceptable level for inlet to the engine takes place in the settling tank and the centrifuge. The extent of this reduction depends on the water content of the fuel, as catalyst fines are “hydrophilic”, in that they attract water and become contained in a water shell. Inclusion in the fuel of significant volumes of used lube oil may also limit the effective removal of fines.

The rate of settling is determined by Stokes’ Law, which takes account of the particle size, difference in density of the catalyst fine and the fuel, and the viscosity of the fuel. Various values are quoted for the density of catalyst fines, but in reality, they may be likened to honeycombed structures, which retard the rate of separation. This is further hindered by the outer shell of water by virtue of the close proximity of the density of water to that of the fuel.

The extent of the removal also depends on the height of the tank (fixed) and the size of the particles (variable). As far as the centrifuge is concerned, the critical factor is the relationship between the actual viscosity of the fuel and that for which the centrifuge was sized. If there is a difference in viscosity, the residence time of the fuel in the centrifuge will be greater than the design value; hence directionally the centrifuge should be able to remove fines of a smaller size. Whilst this approach is theoretically correct, the operational result is totally dependent on the size distribution of the fines. With the introduction of modern centrifuges without gravity discs, the recommendation is now to operate all available in parallel, which enables the flow through each to be reduced to the minimum practical level. The fuel is afforded the longest residence time in the centrifuges and the highest separation efficiency can be achieved.  Combined output should be equal to the consumption. The temptation of using a higher rate so the daily service tank overflows back to the settling tank and is re-circulated should be avoided.

 

To learn how the combination of offline and online condition monitoring techniques, both on-board and on-shore, can be successfully used to prevent engine damage and avoid unplanned maintenance, download our white paper "The Importance of Effective Cylinder Oil Condition Monitoring in Two-Stroke Diesel Engines".

 

Article contributed by the Hydraulic Filtration Team, Parker Kittiwake, part of Parker's Hydraulic and Industrial Process Filtration Division. 

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From food processing to coal handling to cement manufacturing, silos are used for bulk material storage in many industries. 

Proper ventilation is critical to the preservation of the materials stored in silos. Bin vent dust collectors are often installed to filter and vent dust and debris that forms in the storage container. 

Common goals for any manufacturing facility are to minimize unplanned equipment downtime and maintenance, maximize efficiency and lower operating costs. Lost production time and increased maintenance expenses work directly against the financial and production expectations of the business.

Download the case study for more details on this application and how BHA® PulsePleat® filters can help you reduce costs and improve dust collector performance. 

 

The challenge

This was the case at one processing plant where multiple bin vent dust collectors were installed to vent silos. Operators were challenged with:

• Increased operating costs due to premature filter replacements (six months life) due to bottom bag abrasion.
• High differential pressure was causing a relief hatch to open frequently. The air to cloth ratio was higher than it should be for a silo application.
• Time-consuming and difficult removal and installation due to restricted access. The filters were so degraded that they had to be cut in order to be removed, extending dust collector downtime. 
   

The solution

The plant turned to the filtration expertise of Parker Hannifin. Parker assessed the situation and recommended installing BHA® PulsePleat® Filter Elements as a versatile and cost-effective solution.  

Standard benefits of BHA® PulsePleat®  filter elements

• Spunbound polyester media provides superior filtration efficiency.
• Promote better airflow for increased throughput.
• Pleated design increases filtration surface area up to 4X.
• Molded bottom helps resist abrasive wear.
• Reduce air-to-cloth ratios.
• Reduce operating differential pressure.
• Reduce compressed air consumption.
• Eliminate the need for cages.
• Easy installation and removal.
• Installation typically requires no modification to existing equipment.
   

Additional benefits for the customer’s application

• At half the length of the original bags and cages, BHA® PulsePleat®  filters wouldn’t extend as far into the inlet area. This would reduce the potential for abrasion and premature wear.
• The BHA filter design allows for more than double the cloth area. This would resolve the issue with the pressure relief hatch by handling the intermittent air flow without a dramatic increase in differential pressure.  
• Finally, the smaller size of the BHA® PulsePleat®  filters would reduce the total number of filters required by nearly to 50%.  

Results

The plant’s engineering and maintenance teams acted on Parker’s recommendation and installed BHA® PulsePleat®  filters and realized the following results:

• Reduced the number of filters by 47%.
• Increased silo operating efficiency by reducing the amount of compressed air used.
• Reduced differential pressure from 6" w.g. to 3.5” w.g. The issue with the pressure relief hatch was completely eliminated.

BHA® PulsePleat®  filters helped the customer save nearly $16,000 in the first three years. They are now seeing a regular cost savings of over $3,000 every six months.

 

For more information on this application and how BHA® PulsePleat®  filters can help you reduce costs and improve dust collector performance, download the full case study.

 

 

This post was contributed by the Parker Industrial Gas Filtration and Generation Division.

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​The maritime industry is currently going through significant changes due to the introduction of tighter emission regulations. A stronger awareness in preserving the environment has pushed forward more stringent International Maritime Organization (IMO) legislation that imposes on ship owners and managers the use of new technologies that affect the day by day running of the vessel, starting with the choice of fuel, through changes in the engine operational parameters, and culminating in a severe reduction in allowable exhaust emissions.

The upcoming change to the permissible sulphur content of marine fuels burnt in the open ocean has brought the subject of compliance to the forefront. The most cost-effective way to meet the 0.5% sulphur limit is to blend the minimum amount of expensive, low sulphur fuel with the maximum amount of cheap, high sulphur fuel. Clearly, this leads to fuels that surf the compliance line very closely.

Of course, the issue of fuel compliance is not just restricted to sulphur. For instance, naval procurement often demands that distillate fuel supplies contain less than 0.1 % biodiesel [1, 2]. Recent technological advances mean that field spectrometers can measure sulphur and biodiesel concentrations within different fuels.

 

Download our white paper titled "The Science of Compliance" by Dr. David Atkinison to prepare for the upcoming change to the permissible sulphur content of marine fuels.

     

 

Unchartered operational territories

Combining these changes with the following factors  

• A volatile fuel market.
• High competition in cargo rates.
• The pressure to reduce operating costs.
• The introduction of new technological advancements.

have prompted the marine industry to abandon the ‘comfort zone’ that has been enjoyed for the last 20+ years. Today’s environment has a significant impact in the way two-stroke, slow speed, diesel engines are managed, introducing new challenges for different fuel types, different lubricants and ancillary equipment required to meet the new requirements.

 

Unintended consequences

Field experience has shown that all these factors can lead to:

• Engine damage caused by poor fuel quality.
• Lack of training/knowledge of the operators.
• Incorrect lubrication choice.
• Poor set up.

Solutions come in many shapes and sizes, from simple, two-minute handheld test kits to state-of-the-art online sensor technology. Through scientific testing, our lead-application engineers have demonstrated that a combination of these tools can deliver real savings by:

• Preventing accelerated wear in liners, piston rings, and pistons.
• Reducing lubricant costs by optimising feed rates.
• Avoiding catastrophic engine damage.
• Enabling proactive maintenance scheduling and eliminating costly, unexpected, downtime.

  Challenges facing the marine environment

Two-stroke, slow speed, diesel engines are used in the marine industry to power the largest commercial ships currently sailing on the seas. These internal combustion engines are used for their high thermal efficiency, exceptional reliability and ability to use a variety of fuel types including residual oils. These fuels are, broadly speaking, the very end product of the crude oil refining process and are commonly referred to in the marine industry as Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) or Residual Fuel Oil (RFO). These fuels are regarded to be the most cost-effective available; for this reason, they’re the preferred choice to power main engines and generators in large, ocean-going, vessels. HFO comes in several grades; the best and most expensive grades have the lowest Sulphur content.

Choosing HFO, however, presents challenges in dealing with the varying sulphur contents in:

• Available fuels.
• High viscosity.
• Significant water content.
• The potential presence of abrasive aluminum silicate compounds.

These materials are carried over from catalytic cracking during the crude oil refining process and are referred to as catalytic fines or simply, ‘cat-fines’. The International Standards Organization has published a specification for marine HFO (ISO 8217:2010) which imposes upper limits on these, and other fuel parameters to provide consistency in the market. Nevertheless, bunkered HFO, even when conforming to these specifications, requires further onboard processing to reduce the water and solids contents to levels deemed acceptable for engine operation.

  Regulations present challenges to operators

In the marine industry, environmental regulation is on the increase and operators are facing new challenges that threaten their cash-tight budgets. But it is not just the added cost of more expensive alternative fuels or lubricants that can impact operators, critically, it is also the effect that these changes have on the operating conditions of the vessel, leading to unexpected damage and causing unplanned downtime.

With such stringent and widespread regulations, compliance with the rules becomes even more challenging. New operating methods and procedures for fuel changeover, oils, and equipment required for compliance can indeed lead to unintended consequences such as damage caused by out-of-specification fuel or incorrect/insufficient cylinder lubrication.

Amidst the omnipresent drive for safety and operational efficiency, effective condition monitoring tools and techniques have never been more valuable in helping operators manage, avoid or mitigate these costly issues.

The proper combination of condition monitoring techniques provides a wealth of information, allowing ship operators to take immediate corrective actions to mitigate any damage, to allow continued, efficient operation and prevention of the high costs associated with undetected liner wear events. The savings associated with these early warnings far outweigh the cost of the condition monitoring tools used to detect them.

Download the white paper and learn how the combination of offline and online condition monitoring techniques can be successfully used to prevent engine damage and avoid unplanned maintenance costs due to downtime.

 

Are you attending the CIMAC 2019 Congress?

 

Visit Parker at Stand #316 to learn more about our energy efficient, high-performance solutions for combustion engine applications. The CIMAC international congress and exhibition, held every three years, is a unique opportunity to stay current with technology for the internal combustion engine industry and meet with specialists in the field. Our engineers are ready for your questions.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Article contributed by Dr. David Atkinson, principal chemist, Parker Kittiwake, part of Parker's Hydraulic and Industrial Process Filtration Division. 

 

 

 

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