Within many sectors of industry, minimising energy consumption and maintaining plant uptime are essential to optimising production costs. Process heat recovery is one significant approach to reducing energy consumption, while improving process performance will contribute to plant efficiency. Heat exchangers when used for heating, cooling, condensing or evaporation play a major role in recovering energy from process gases and liquids, so it follows that their efficiency will influence operating costs. Geoff Mahoney, AxFlow product manager plate heat exchangers reports.

Thermal fluids are used in a variety of sectors including manufacturing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, petrochemicals and food. Dr Chris Wright, head of research and development at Global Heat Transfer describes common problems with heat transfer systems and thermal fluids in the food manufacturing industry. He also outlines his key recommendations for ensuring a harmonious and healthy relationship between plant, fluid and system.

PWE spoke to Durapipe’s valve and flow control department manager Geoff Rogers to discuss the challenges his department is faced with on a daily basis.

Sebastião L. Nau and Daniel Schmitz, research and technological innovation department at WEG, explains how reducing efficiency losses is key to achieving IE4 class efficiency with induction motors.

PWE spoke to Dave Clark, commercial & engineering project manager at Veolia Water Technologies, about a bespoke water treatment system for Tata Steel.

Correct sizing of pipework and valves for steam applications ensures reliable and efficient operation. Ian Webster, hygienic processing segment manager at Bürkert UK looks at some of the basic calculations that should be understood by design and maintenance engineers in order to achieve a safe and efficient process.

Motors are the workhorses of industry, so commonplace that they are often taken for granted. Now, with the world economy growing and new regulations about energy efficiency coming in, many users will be installing new motors over the next few years. Lucie Hodkova of Rotor UK offers this checklist of things to remember when dealing with new motors.

Klaus Allion, managing director at ANT Telecom, outlines how investing in a unified communication system that integrates lone workers can make your budget – and your mobile workforce – go further and work harder.

The demands for improved energy savings combined with precision operation has increasingly led engineers to specify permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), which are more efficient and accurate than an induction motor and a fraction of the cost of a large servomotor. Rick Munz, IHP product manager at Regal, explores this motor option.

A logistics company instructed a national refrigeration contractor to supply and install a new refrigeration plant totalling 1500KW for a new site in the South West.

The provision of an instrumentation service, calibration and maintenance facility necessitates substantial investment in equipment, staff, training, spares and consumables. However, Quantitech has found that the provision of a rental fleet provides considerable synergistic benefits. PWE reports.

The climate in most industries at the moment is focused towards cost reduction to protect margins. While this is to be commended, and can offer real benefits to a business and its customers, it is important that when it comes to procurement the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is considered over initial cost savings. While some components may seem like the cheapest solution in the short term, they can quickly prove expensive if regular maintenance, repair and replacement work becomes necessary.

Flowserve, provider of fluid motion and control products and services, is using ABB variable-speed drives (VSDs) and motors for quick and easy testing of its new pump variants at different speeds. PWE reports.

SEW-EURODRIVE was formed in 1931 by Christian Pähr. The company’s focus on continual product development and outstanding commitment was highlighted at a recent event at its Industrial Gear Plant Bruchsal (GGW), in Germany, attended by PWE.