cpp - Process technology for the chemical industry 02.2018

02-2018 

ACHEMA 

TRADE FAIR ISSUE 

42 COVER 

RUPTURE DISC AND 

SAFETY VALVE 

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ACHEMA 

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HALL 3.0 / BOOTH F3

cpp 

EDITORIAL 

BUNGARTZ 

MASTERPIECES 

Achema in the age 

of digitalisation 

Only a few more days to go now: the global process industry is 

looking forward to Frankfurt, where Achema 2018 will open its 

doors on June 11 with products, technologies and comprehensive 

know-how for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Around 

3800 exhibitors and 167,000 participants from over 100 countries 

will once again turn the Hessian metropolis into the hub of the 

process world for five days. 

In the same way as at the Hannover Messe, all exhibition groups at 

Achema will be characterised by the major trend towards digitalisation. 

Efficiency gains as a result of digitalisation and networking 

options can be further enhanced by modular plant designs. The 

focal topics “Flexible Production” and “Chemical and Pharma 

Logistics” are particularly benefiting from this trend because modular 

plants and integrated supply chains are inconceivable without 

data integration. Smart modularisation concepts by Thyssenkrupp 

which reconcile the manufacture of bespoke, customised plants with 

standardisation and high efficiency are described on page 23. 

Digitalisation, modularity, IT & data security and smart maintenance 

– hot topics at the upcoming mega event in Frankfurt – are also the 

subject of several articles in this special trade fair issue. We introduce 

you to products and technologies inspired by recent advances 

in these areas which will be on show in June underneath the 

exhibition tower. The range of innovations described is huge! 

The entire cpp team will also be present at Achema. You can find us 

in Hall 5.1, Booth B92, where you can participate in our photo 

campaign and pose for your personal cover picture to take away 

with you. See you soon in Frankfurt – we look forward to meeting 

you there! 

THE TEACHINGS 

OF THE SCHOLARS 

Representing the groundbreaking special 

centrifugal pumps from the Bungartz collection, 

series production 

There‘s an art to emptying a container 

or tank wagon right up to the last drop. 

The contemporary Opus VKG is 

excellent at this. The dry-running 

centrifugal pump is made with great 

detail. Form and function become one. 

The object dominates the process, 

especially when it encounters liquified 

petroleum gases. 

A worthwhile investment! 

Günter Eckhardt, Editor-in-Chief 

More under 0211 57 79 05 - 0 and: 

www.bungartz.de/masterpieces4 

Visit us at ACHEMA 2018, 

Hall 8, Stand C 1 

cpp 02-2018 3

cpp CONTENTS 02-2018 

42 Cover To avoid 

having to use far more 

expensive valves it is a 

good idea to install a 

rupture disc upstream of 

the safety valve. 

23 Thyssenkrupp establishes 

smart modularisation 

in plant engineering. 

60 The drum and container 

pumps from Flux 

are built with a heart of 

steel. Lukas Lehmann 

spoke with Klaus Hahn 

and Jürgen Rabenseifner. 

PLANTS, APPARATUS, COMPONENTS 

8 Keeping several balls in the air 

Growth concept to make Siebtechnik fit for the future 

12 Basis for simultaneous cooperation 

Versatile data model eliminates data transfers by 

unifying all core disciplines 

14 Clean flanges keep tight in a better way 

Cleaning of sealing surfaces 

PUMPS 

55 Liquid ring vacuum pumps 

Classic vacuum technology and yet still state of the art 

60 Built with a heart of steel 

Drum and container pumps with a modular design 

64 Shaft protected by whirlwind 

Achieving optimum service lives with hydrodynamic 

shaft seal 

TREND ACHEMA PERSPECTIVES 

16 Digitalisation strategy 

How Linde Engineering re-invents itself with 

start-up methods 

23 More than just copy & paste 

Thyssenkrupp establishes smart modularisation 

in plant engineering 

28 Tradition meets modernity 

Glass-lined, 3D printed components for 

chemical engineering 

SAFETY, SECURITY 

42 COVER Rupture disc and safety valve 

Combination enhances plant availability 

46 Physical isolation prevents return supply 

Enhanced 24 V(DC) protection 

48 Inerting concept for centrifuges 

Fulfils the highest quality and safety requirements 

50 An end to paper chaos 

Software restores order to system safety inspections 

INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL, AUTOMATION 

66 One network for every application 

Profinet takes on a leading role in future concepts 

68 Put the digital plant in the palm of your hand 

Mobile solutions deliver the right information 

at the right time 

70 Braving freezing cold weather 

Electrical thermometers for low ambient temperatures 

PROCESS ENGINEERING 

76 Maximum dispersion at the right moment 

Polymer structure undamaged 

78 Starting hot into the process 

Hot water process controlled by steam 

80 Increased demand for efficient processes 

Hydrogen chloride recovery system for weak acid 

82 The piston is the secret of success 

Tubular centrifuges with automatic solids discharge 

84 High product quality with a lower temperature 

Short path evaporators equipped with optimised 

liquid feed distribution 

4 cpp 02-2018

86 Flexible production 

is a focal topic of Achema 

2018. But, what does it 

mean in the context of 

pharmaceutical product 

filling? Bausch+Ströbel’s 

answer is the modular Variosys 

production system. 

Visit us! 

ACHEMA, Frankfurt, Germany 

June 11 – 15, 2018 

Hall 3.0, stand F50 

PHARMACEUTICAL ENGINEERING 

86 More flexibility for small batches 

Machine module for tub opening and 

RTU vial denesting 

88 Liquid-liquid extraction 

The versatile design options are the driver 

for the economic feasibility 

COLUMNS 

3 The Third Page 

4 Contents 

6 News 

32 PRODUCTS ACHEMA 



90 Contact the Editors 

90 Advertisers 

90 Imprint 

WWW.CPP-NET.COM 

More news, facts, products and 

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on our internet page! 

www.cpp-net.com 

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NEWS 

Self-calibrating thermometer 

ENDRESS+HAUSER WINS HERMES AWARD 

Picture: Deutsche Messe 

Endress+Hauser wins Hermes Award with 

the self-calibrating thermometer iTherm 

Trustsense 

Endress+Hauser has been recognised by 

Hannover Messe with the prestigious 

Hermes technology award for iTherm 

Trustsens, the world’s first self-calibrating 

temperature probe for industrial applications. 

The compact thermometer iTherm 

Trustsens has been designed especially for 

hygienic and aseptic applications in the food 

and beverage and life sciences industries. 

With automated and fully traceable self-calibration 

during production, the sensor eliminates 

the risk of undetected non-conformities, 

resulting in maximum product safety 

and process efficiency. The integrated Heartbeat 

Technology additionally allows for continuous 

device diagnostics and verification 

without interruption of the process. 

iTherm Trustsens relies on an integrated reference 

sensor. The developers used the socalled 

Curie point physics principle, in 

which the magnetic properties of a material 

abruptly change at a specific temperature 

point. This point is determined for the reference 

sensor. As soon as the temperature falls 

below this value, such as following a steam 

sterilisation, both sensors are adjusted. Since 

the Curie point remains constant, the reference 

sensor as a master provides a stable 

comparison value. The probe thus calibrates 

itself each time the system is cleaned or sterilised. 

The added value for customers is 

huge. Large systems often include hundreds 

of temperature sensors that have to be calibrated 

several times a year. To date, this has 

required stopping the process and removing 

the instruments. iTherm Trustsens omits that. 

“The award-winning product makes a major 

contribution to the deployment of the Industrial 

Internet of Things throughout the 

process industry,” said Jochen Köckler, CEO 

of Deutsche Messe. The award was presented 

at the opening of Hannover Messe 2018 in 

front of many guests, among them Germany’s 

Chancellor Angela Merkel. The 

Hermes Award is one of the most respected 

technology contests worldwide and recognises 

products and processes characterised 

by innovation, efficiency and application 

benefits. 

From engineering till comissioning 

THYSSENKRUPP TO BUILD POLYMER PLANTS IN TURKEY 

Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions’ subsidiary Uhde Inventa-Fischer has signed a 

contract to build two new world-scale polymer plants for Sasa Polyester Sanayi 

A. in Adana, Turkey. One plant is planned to produce 380,000 t/a of PET for 

low-viscosity applications. The second plant will use Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s proprietary 

patented MTR technology to produce 216,000 t/a of resin for the production 

of PET bottles. Both new plants are among the largest single-line production 

plants for their respective products. Werner Steinauer, CEO of Uhde Inventa-Fischer: 

„We are very proud that Sasa chose us to build another two stateof-the 

art PET plants after we were already contracted to build one of the largest 

polyester lines last year. Our commercially tried-and-tested MTR process provides 

our customers with optimised energy consumption, maximum utilisation 

of feedstocks and effective plant operation, thus significantly reducing the total 

conversion cost compared with conventional technologies.“ 

The scope of delivery for both projects will include basic and detail engineering, 

the delivery of all necessary components, and technical services for erection, 

pre-commissioning and commissioning supervision. 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer has signed a contract to build two 

new world-scale polymer plants for Sasa in Turkey 

Picture: Thyssenkrupp 

Largest investment in Germany 

EVONIK PLANS NEW POLYAMIDE 12 COMPLEX 

Evonik is planning to build a new production 

complex for the high-performance 

polymer polyamide 12 (PA 12). The Group 

intends to increase its overall PA 12 capacity 

by more than 50 %. Polyamide 12 is 

required in attractive growth markets such 

as the automotive industry, oil and gas pipelines, 

and in 3D printing. After successful 

basic engineering, Evonik plans to invest approximately 

400 million euros in the PA 12 

complex at its largest site, Marl Chemical 

Park in North Rhine-Westphalia. “We are 

planning Evonik’s largest investment in Germany,” 

says Christian Kullmann, Chairman 

of the Evonik Executive Board. 

The existing PA 12 production is to be 

supplemented with additional manufacturing 

facilities for the polymer and its precursors. 

The complex is expected to become 

operational in early 2021. The investment 

will make a substantial contribution to 

reaching Evonik’s margin goal and will generate 

an annual cash flow in a three-digit 

million euro amount over the long term. 

The project is to be implemented over the 

course of four years as part of the annual 

budget for growth investments. 


Visit us at 

Stand A85, Hall 11.1 

11. – 15. June 2018 

VISIBLY MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY. 

 

 

- 

 

 


cpp ACHEMA PLANTS, APPARATUS, COMPONENTS 

Picture: Lukas Lehmann 

Dr. Reinhard Scholz, Director of Siebtechnik GmbH: “I have retained my ability to look at the company as an outsider 

sees it. That helps me identify development potential.” 

Growth concept to make Siebtechnik fit for the future 

Keeping several balls 

in the air 

Dr. Reinhard Scholz, a Director of Siebtechnik GmbH since 2017, presently has to 

keep several balls in the air at once. cpp spoke to Dr. Scholz, who wants to lead this 

tradition-minded company from Mülheim an der Ruhr successfully into the future. 

Dr. Scholz, you are following in the footsteps of Karl Bongartz and 

Horst Dietschreit, who enjoy a very good reputation in the industry 

and have managed Siebtechnik very successfully for years. Isn’t 

such a successful duo a hard act to follow? 

Dr. Reinhard Scholz: Of course, I have respect for my predecessors’ 

performance and for my new responsibility. However, I am not 

alone as company director. I have two experienced colleagues 

alongside me who have been managing the company for a long time. 

Nor am I exactly a beginner. I have more than 25 years of experience 

in the field of solid-liquid separation and associated equipment 

construction. In the past, in my various capacities at GEA, I 

had already worked with Siebtechnik as a supplier, so I have known 

the company and its market partners for many years. 

What do you intend to do differently from your predecessors? 

Dr. Scholz: I shall continue along the successful route set by my 

predecessors. However, I have retained my ability to look at the 

company as an outsider sees it. That helps me ask critical questions 

in discussions with my colleagues and identify development potential 

for the future. 

So there is need for action in some areas? 

Dr. Scholz: We have specified and prioritised a total of 20 strategic 

initiatives to be worked through in the coming five years. Department 

heads will be responsible for their implementation. 

Five years are a long time. 


Dr. Scholz: We’re not exactly declaring a revolution. However, con - 

scientious implementation of the strategic initiatives – which, don’t 

forget, are interlinked – will take time and has to happen in parallel 

with normal business. That is why we settled on five years. 

What important strategic initiatives does your growth concept 

include? 

Dr. Scholz: To start with, we have to change the way the market 

sees us. Many of our customers regard Siebtechnik merely as a supplier 

of centrifuges. We are also a supplier of solutions, however, 

and want to be seen as such. We need to work on that. Furthermore, 

Siebtechnik, as a German company, has to respond to the constantly 

changing global customer structure. Once upon a time our custom - 

ers were local companies that ordered a centrifuge or a decanter 

from us. Today about 60 % of all orders are placed by internationally 

operating procurement organisations or via EPC contractors. 

These engineering consultants are frequently based in Korea, Taiwan 

or the USA and build plants which could be anywhere in the world. 

Our job consists of coordinating our international sales & market - 

ing activities with the requirements of globally operating EPC contractors. 

They have to know who we are, what we do and what our 

strengths are compared with our competitors. A further initiative 

entails optimising our service organisation. 

Picture: Siebtechnik 

Shortbowl decanting centrifuges have proved themselves in the manufacture 

of lactose 

What else will you be working on in the next five years? 

Dr. Scholz: Siebtechnik is a craft centrifuge-maker. We have ten 

different types of centrifuges and decanters in our portfolio that we 

tailor precisely to suit each customer’s needs. That is very complicated 

and cost-intensive. For this reason, just as people have been 

doing successfully in the automotive industry for years, we want to 

step up the modularisation of our machines by using standardised 

subassemblies without giving up the unique selling feature of our 

craft centrifuge-making in the process. 

Could you give me an example to illustrate that, please? 

Dr. Scholz: The Siebtechnik portfolio features various overhungmounted 

machines, like the Conturbex worm screen centrifuges or 

the Shortbowl decanting centrifuges. The obvious thing to do here 

„Our strength lies in solving complicated 

separation tasks that cannot be carried out 

using standard centrifuges.“ 

is to standardise the drive. We shall therefore be developing solutions 

in which a standardised drive module can be combined with 

different centrifuges. That will make purchasing and storage easier 

and production more efficient without the customer-specific char - 

acter of the machine parts in contact with the product having to be 

modified in any way. 

Everyone is talking about Industry 4.0 and digitalisation. Do these 

issues play a part in your strategic considerations? 

Dr. Scholz: Of course they do. We are looking to see how contact 

with our customers can be optimised as a result of digitalisation 

and whether it will lead to new business models for us. And I have 

set myself the goal of increasing the efficiency of our own business 

and production processes with the help of digitalisation. 

Picture: Siebtechnik 

SHS series pusher centrifuges in action during the manufacture of sodium 

carbonate. These machines will be presented in an energy-efficient version 

at the Achema show. 

You are also planning to build a new technical centre. 

Dr. Scholz: Correct. It will go up in the immediate proximity of our 

centrifuge technology centre that was put on stream in 2012. The 

new building will enable us to operate our numerous trial 

machines even more efficiently and in an attractive environment. 

How has the workforce responded to your strategic consider - 

ations? 

Dr. Scholz: We presented our strategic initiatives to the Administrative 

Board and the workforce in December last year. Both responded 

very positively. It’s a growth strategy that will fit Siebtechnik organisation-wise 

and economically for the challenges of the future. 

Could you please give us some idea of the industries that Siebtechnik 

will be supplying with centrifuges? 

Dr. Scholz: The global market for centrifuges is huge. We reckon 

that it is worth something like 1.4 billion euros, about half of 

which is for decanters. We’ve settled on six sectors as our target 

markets: recycling, inorganic salts, fertilisers, organic compounds, 

polymers and food & dairy. 

In which areas do you see growth potential for Siebtechnik? 

Dr. Scholz: For example, in the Chinese recycling industry. The Chinese 

are planning to re-equip some 1000 power stations with ZLD 

systems in the next few years. 



What does ZLD stand for? 

Dr. Scholz: It stands for zero liquid discharge. Pusher, decanting and 

worm screening centrifuges perform important solid-liquid separation 

tasks in these systems, which are designed to recycle and reuse 

all waste water and simply discharge solid waste. We have all of 

these centrifuge types in our portfolio. We therefore hope to be able 

to secure as many orders in this sector as possible. I also believe there 

is great growth potential in the area of inorganic salts, namely in 

lithium production. 

Are you referring to the lithium boom? 

Dr. Scholz: Yes, precisely that. The demand for high-performance 

batteries is constantly increasing. One reason for that is growing 

e-mobility. Lithium is an important constituent of these batteries. 

Experts anticipate that the demand for lithium will quadruple to 

between 400 and 500 t of lithium carbonate equivalent in the 

coming five years. 

Which role do Siebtechnik centrifuges play in lithium production? 

Dr. Scholz: Lithium occurs naturally only in small concentrations 

and in combination with other mineral salts. Its extraction and isolation 

are complex and costly, and without high-performance solidliquid 

separation they are not even feasible. We are in a position to 

supply suitable machines for this purpose. 

And what about the polymer segment? 

Dr. Scholz: There we are profiting short-term from the rising demand 

in Asia for HDPE and PVC. Siebtechnik, with its large decant - 

ers, is very successful in this segment. I also think there is interest - 

ing growth potential in the field of organic compounds. I’m particularly 

referring here to the extraction of methionine and threo - 

nine. Demand for these amino-acids and their salts, which are used, 

for example, as additives in foodstuffs, is rising steadily. Our Turbo - 

screen series screening decanters with their additional filter stage 

have proved very effective for this. And lactose manufacturing 

PROFILE: 

DR. REINHARD SCHOLZ 

Dr. Reinhard Scholz was born in Berlin on 25 May 

1962. After graduating in Process Engineering at RWTH 

Aachen University, he took a PhD in crystallisation. He 

gained his first professional experience in various positions 

at Messo Chemietechnik, a manufacturer of crys - 

tallisation systems, before moving on to Niro Prozess - 

technik, where he was company director. In 2005, he 

also took responsibility for GEA Messo GmbH, Duisburg. 

The next major career step followed in 2015, 

when Dr. Scholz was appointed the GEA Group’s Senior 

Vice President Separation Technologies. He was responsible 

in this capacity for all the Group’s technology-related 

activities in the areas of evaporation and concentration, 

crystallisation, distillation, membrane processes 

and vacuum technologies. 

Since January 2017, this experienced solid-liquid sepa - 

ration specialist has been a Director of Siebtechnik 

GmbH in Mülheim an der Ruhr alongside Dr. Jürg 

Pollmanns and Christian Steinhaus. 

remains a further important area of application for our worm 

screen centrifuges and Shortbowl decanters. 

Let’s talk next about the Chinese market. Siebtechnik has been very 

successful there in recent years. What does the future have in store 

for you in China? 

Dr. Scholz: Even if growth slows down, China is, and will continue 

to be, our most important export market. However, we also have 

our eye on other markets that we want to concentrate on. I am 

think ing here especially of the American market, which we have so 

far served via our US sales & marketing subsidiary, Tema Systems. 

Unfortunately, our American customers have not understood the 

split of work between Siebtechnik and Tema. This is shown, for instance, 

by the fact that our machines are only known there as Tema 

centrifuges. Our job is to ensure a uniform and transparent corporate 

image. 

Does that apply just to America at present? 

Dr. Scholz: No. It applies all over the world. International activities 

with our sales & marketing companies must be better coordinated, 

so that we are perceived externally as a single company. That will facilitate 

contact with the customer and help us leverage growth potential 

in our global markets. 

Finally, a word about Achema. Which new products will you be 

presenting at the show? 

Dr. Scholz: We shall be presenting an energy-efficient version of 

our SHS series pusher centrifuges. These machines consume about 

15 % less electricity. Visitors will also have a chance to see our improved 

screening elements. 

Could you explain that, please? 

Dr. Scholz: Thanks to a special water-jet technology, we are able to 

produce screens that have a large free specific screening area and at 

the same time offer a high undercut. The latter ensures a considerably 

longer service life, especially when processing sticky products 

or products that tend to crystallise. We also want to demonstrate the 

service-friendliness of our screen baskets, which are made up of a 

number of screening segments. This now patented solution offers 

users various advantages when it comes to installation or de-installation, 

maintenance and storage. 

Will the new, uniform company image be a big talking point at 

Achema? 

Dr. Scholz: The Achema show offers a unique opportunity for this, 

of course, but there’s only a short time to go until then. 


Online search: cpp0218siebtechnik 

Hall 5.0, Booth C72 

THE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED BY: 

LUKAS LEHMANN 

Assistant Editor-in-Chief 


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Versatile data model eliminates data transfers by unifying all core disciplines 

Basis for simultaneous 

cooperation 

Plant engineering is characterised by a variety of engineering and management 

tasks that can take months, and sometimes years, to complete. Since the various 

disciplines involved are often developed globally, however, it is also necessary to 

connect hundreds of experts together from different time zones and with different 

skills, languages, technologies and engineering cultures. Aucotec thus relies on the 

cooperative parallelism of all core disciplines from FEED to operation. 

The basis for this is the Engineering Base 

(EB) update Version 2018, Aucotec’s collaborative 

platform. The idea for it was born a 

good 18 years ago, and it was designed 

from the outset for multi-user capability 

and parallelised processes. “We noticed a 

great demand in the market to tear down 

the workflow obstacles created by toolchains. 

Only true parallelisation of the core 

tasks results in effective leaps in efficiency 

despite increasing complexity. This is why 

we’re convinced of the potential of a data 

model that unites the engineering disciplines”, 

says Uwe Vogt, Member of the Aucotec 

AG Management Board. The company has 

been operating successfully in the market 

for over 30 years now with engineering 

software for mechanical and plant engineering, 

and has continuously driven the expansion 

of EB since its introduction. 

“For the time being, it’s ‘mission accomplished’! 

EB’s versatile data model integrates 

a range of disciplines and achieves collaboration 

capability and seamlessness that are 

globally unique”, Vogt continues. “ EB 2018 

reorganises the workflow in plant engineering: 

it eliminates unnecessary waiting times 

for data transfers, cross-checks that tie up 

expertise, consultations and synchronisation 

through highly efficient, simultaneous 

working. That’s vital for efficient and consistent 

collaboration.” 

Pictures: Aucotec 

Aucotec will unveil the major upgrade of its EB cooperative platform for plant engineering 

at the upcoming Achema 

Toolchain as an obstacle 

Even the best interfaces and synchronisation 

platforms with the most modern 

transfer standards do not make a toolchain 

any shorter. The chain itself is the 

obstacle because forwarding information 

takes time, is always a source of error and 

prevents parallelisation. “That increases 

exponentially with every chain link and 

every connection”, explains Pouria G. Bigvand, 

Head of Product Management at 

Aucotec. 

In a toolchain, for example, it is necessary 

to specifically ensure that the device designations 

are the same in all disciplines 

because synchronisation is otherwise impossible. 

In addition, inconsistencies result 

from the different formats, standards, 

languages or engineering methods used 

by individual special tools, which a synchronisation 

platform cannot even record. 

“This means that losses in quality and 

time are inevitable. And the more complex 

the range of tools, the greater the 

risks”, he adds with conviction. 


Unity copes with diversity 

As Bigvand emphasises, “Our customers’ 

challenges clearly show that only unity can 

cope with diversity”. This is ensured by EB’s 

unified plant data model. All core disciplines, 

from basic engineering with FEED up to 

the pre-commissioning cause & effect 

check, use it jointly, in parallel and even 

simultaneously. They can base their specifications 

directly on the information that colleagues 

from other departments have just 

created, because they see it immediately 

with no need for data transfers and interfaces 

or for synchronisation. 

It is also much easier to integrate simulation, 

ERP or 3D systems, for instance, if 

unity exists. A web connection for cloud 

and app engineering additionally facilitates 

worldwide collaboration and makes it more 

flexible. 

The universal model in EB represents the basis for all core disciplines of plant 

engineering and communication with complementary systems 

From FEED to operation 

Seamlessness starts with the FEED phase. It 

initially benefits from EB’s openness and 

automatically imports the results from the 

simulation, for example with Aspen or Etap. 

PFDs and worksheets immediately take over 

the calculations: EB 2018 shows all consequences 

of a particular scenario from the 

rough flow diagram to the material balance 

– automatically and in separate documents. 

The process design then “simply” has to add 

its specifications to the FEED scenario that is 

ultimately commissioned. The P&ID represents 

the collaborative core of all relevant 

disciplines and its definitions are the starting 

point for all further elaborations. “That’s 

one more reason to allow all areas to access 

this data directly”, Bigvand comments. EB 

speeds up the creation of the flow diagram, 

amongst other things, with a pipe class-specific 

workflow and rule-based engineering. 

This ensures, for example, that the entire 

equipment assigned to a particular pipe is 

automatically adapted to the specifications 

for the pipe class concerned, for which TÜV 

certification is also available on request. 

Central means consistent 

A plant is thoroughly tested with the help 

of cause and effect documents prior to 

commissioning. According to Bigvand, this 

phase once again benefits especially from 

EB’s versatile data model. C&E tables which 

are absolutely reliable are key here. Up to 

now, they have been created by compiling 

information from different sources and different 

disciplines, for example from P&IDs, 

logic diagrams or other documents. Several 

highly qualified experts spend weeks on this 

task every time. EB, on the other hand, 

extracts all necessary information from its 

central data source and automatically creates 

the report matrix. This ensures unprecedented 

consistency and frees up important 

engineering capacity. 

The platform’s seamlessness continues with 

support for plant operation, firstly with 

web-based maintenance functions in the 

form of apps and secondly with special 

execution management for major conversion 

and expansion projects. This also works 

with subcontractors or on multiple contract 

levels. EB 2018 additionally ensures that the 

new data is restored to the updated “as is” 

status in an orderly and consistent way. 

All relevant objects are united in a single 

model 

Advanced change management 

At the same time, a uniform data model of 

the plant means significantly more efficiency 

in the event of changes. With EB, if desired, 

every change in every discipline directly 

affects all representations of the 

changed object in graphics, tables or Explorer 

and is visible to all areas. “However, 

parallel editing of the model by different 

experts and departments calls for advanced 

change management”, Bigvand stresses. According 

to him, the platform meets this 

requirement with a whole host of functions 

including a detailed, individually configurable 

history log for each individual object 

as well as particularly transparent revision 

and version management. Furthermore, EB 

provides recommendations for attributes, 

thus enabling change requests to be checked 

before they are implemented. 

“The seamlessness and consistency of this 

solution result in a completely new level of 

efficiency, while also ensuring that it is future-proof 

in the sense of smart factories 

and Industry 4.0. The combination of parallelised 

tasks, central data and openness to 

complementary tools sets a new benchmark”, 

board member Vogt concludes. 


Online search: cpp0218aucotec 

Hall 9.2, Booth B12 

AUTHOR: 

JOHANNA KIESEL 

Press and Public Relations, 

Aucotec 



Cleaning of sealing surfaces 

Clean flanges keep tight 

in a better way 

Flange connections are found at nearly every location in the chemical industry. Of 

course, these interfaces must be leak-tight to prevent not only material losses but 

also negative effects on human life and the environment. This applies especially if 

the fluids in the pipe and hose assemblies are governed by emissions-limiting 

measures according to the German Air Quality Control regulations “TA Luft”. 

The rated proof of leak-tightness of a 

flange system, consisting of a flange, bolts 

and gasket, is performed on the basis of 

VDI Guideline 2290. Calculating the sealing 

system is one thing; implementing it in 

reality is another matter. According to the 

guideline’s introduction, “Transferring the 

sealing system into practice is only possible 

if a qualified assembly is ensured”. Qualified 

assembly includes, amongst other 

things, the use of plane and parallel flanges, 

an undamaged gasket, centred installation 

of the gasket, correct application of the 

torque, lubrication of the friction surfaces 

and the provision of clean sealing surfaces. 

This last item, in particular, is addressed 

below in more detail since clean sealing 

surfaces are also critical for tight flange 

connections in the long term. 

The need for a clean sealing surface has 

been addressed in a number of rules, stand - 

ards and publications. VDI Guideline 2290 

states, for example: “When installing new 

gaskets in an old flange connection, cleaning 

of the sealing surfaces, e. g. from adhering 

gasket residues, is imperative.” The VCI 

Guide for the assembly of flange connections 

in process plants recommends: “Care 

must be taken that the flange sealing surfaces 

are clean, undamaged and plane.” Furthermore, 

“Care must be taken when replacing 

gaskets that the old gasket is completely 

removed from the flange sealing surface 

without damaging this surface”. 

Contamination on sealing surfaces 

What form can contamination take on 

flange sealing surfaces? Adhering residues of 

the old gasket during replacement probably 

come to mind first here. This problem can 

be prevented or reduced by selecting gaskets 

that are already equipped with a release coat 

in the standard version to facilitate disman - 

tling. However, residues of the operating 

medium may also contaminate the sealing 

surfaces; these could be liquid, viscous or 

solid, e. g. due to crystallisation. Furthermore, 

paint splashes or other dirt, such 

Pictures: Reinz 

Clean sealing surfaces are a 

basic prerequisite of an optimally 

functioning flange 

system. Contamination of the 

kind shown here must therefore 

be completely removed. 


RE-Move can be applied precisely via the 

metering unit. A stable, adhering, foam-like 

film is hereby produced. 

RE-Move does not contain any substances 

harmful to health that require GHS/CLP labelling 

as dust, may have settled on the sealing surface. 

The surfaces may additionally have 

been treated with anticorrosive agents, especially 

in the case of new flanges. These 

agents, too, must be removed prior to assembly. 

Cleaning the sealing surfaces 

The sealing surfaces can be cleaned me - 

chanically with a wire brush or scraper; care 

should be taken not to damage them. The 

material of the cleaning tool should therefore 

be softer than that of the sealing surface. 

The cleaning process can be made 

easier, and damage to the sealing surfaces 

avoided, by utilising liquid cleaning agents. 

Cleaning agents must satisfy many requirements. 

Applying the correct amount to the 

surfaces to be cleaned, for example using a 

spray system with an appropriate metering 

unit, should be simple and precise. Moreover, 

the liquid film that is created should 

adhere to the surface to prevent it from 

draining off; this will also allow it to be 

used on inclined surfaces without any problems. 

Stable foam is the key here. 

RE-Move cleaning spray from Reinz prepares 

the sealing surfaces optimally for assembly: 

contamination such as gasket residues 

can be removed just as conveniently as 

traces of the operating medium. The liquid 

active cleaning film can be applied precisely 

via the metering unit. A stable, adhering, 

foam-like film is hereby produced, which 

can also be applied to inclined surfaces. In 

addition, a protective coat forms on this 

film, preventing premature evaporation of 

the solvent. The solvent can therefore act for 

a sufficient period of time at the desired location 

on the substances to be dissolved, so 

that they can be removed easily. Apart from 

these functional requirements of the cleaning 

agent, the classification of the health 

risk for users is another aspect which is important 

for any overall consideration. 

Identification with pictograms 

The classification and labelling of chemicals 

follows the United Nations Globally Harmonised 

System (GHS). The European implementation 

of the GHS is the so-called 

CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) 

Ordinance. Pictograms indicating a 

health hazard include an exclamation mark 

and the health hazard symbol. To avoid 

health risks for users, care should be taken 

when choosing agents for cleaning sealing 

surfaces that a hazard-free formulation is 

used. This can be easily recognised by the 

absence of the above pictograms. RE-Move 

does not contain any substances harmful to 

health that require GHS/CLP labelling. 


Online search: cpp0218reinz 

Hall 8.0, Booth G61 

AUTHOR: 

VOLKER ETZEL 

Application Engineer, 

Reinz 


cpp ACHEMA PERSPECTIVES 

Pictures: Linde 

How Linde Engineering re-invents itself with start-up methods 

DIGITALISATION 

STRATEGY 

From the initial concept down to the last nut and bolt, it can take engineers 

years to plan and construct an industrial plant. This meticulous, step-bystep 

process is in sharp contrast to the speed at which disruptive business 

models emerge from Silicon Valley. Technology company The Linde Group 

is bridging these two worlds by embedding a start-up culture into its 

digitalisation strategy. 


The Linde Plantserv portal: operators can organise repairs more easily 

over the Internet, sourcing spare parts more efficiently and at competitive 

prices 

Engineers use virtual reality headsets to train future operators of 

industrial plants. Algorithms forecast the lifespan of plant components. 

Smart glasses help technicians solve issues at distant locations. 

These are just three examples of digital projects that Linde 

has brought to application maturity over the past year. The Engi - 

neering Division of The Linde Group already has several years of experience 

in integrating digital technologies. The most notable 

examples are its five Remote Operating Centres (ROC), which are 

tasked with the remote control and management of about 1000 industrial 

plants around the world. What is new, however, is something 

typical of the start-up sector – the accelerator process. 

Test it all – but decide quickly 

Interdisciplinary teams bring together digitalisation experts and engineers 

to work on project ideas for three months and then quickly 

transition them to the business portfolio if they prove successful. 

The team simply drops anything that does not work within this 

timeframe (proof of concept). The ideas for new digital projects are 

often suggested by employees from Linde Engineering’s established 

lines of business. As business owners, they implement the projects 

in collaboration with members of the digitalisation team, cooperating 

if necessary with an international network of external partners, 

most of whom come from the start-up world. 

Linde has set up a Digital Base Camp to bundle digitalisation efforts 

and anchor them throughout the company. Since August 2016, the 

digitalisation team has been working at this hub, located at the 

company’s Pullach site near Munich. In February 2018, Linde 

opened a second Digital Base Camp in Singapore to harness South 

East Asia’s huge potential for innovation and meet local market demands 

more effectively. 

Whereas other companies house their digitalisation experts in external 

offices, Linde prefers to keep its digital innovators close to 

the business. Constant and close dialogue between the digitalisation 

team and business owners is key to the success of digital projects. 

That is why some members of the digitalisation team are former 

employees from Linde’s traditional lines of business – complemented 

by data specialists, software developers and external digital 

experts. 

Creative ways to harness data 

Many of these digital projects use data that Linde has been collecting 

from a variety of sources for years now. Half a million sensors 

located at about 1000 industrial plants around the world feed data 

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Virtual training simulator: using virtual reality headsets and two controllers, technicians 

can immerse themselves in a plant before it is even completed 

LindeGo: the camera which is integrated in the smart 

glasses transmits the local employee’s field of vision to the 

Linde Engineering expert’s screen 

on pressure, temperature, flow and vibrations into a new, predictive 

maintenance system, for instance. This alerts technicians to possible 

failures, so that they can pre-emptively replace parts reaching the 

end of their service life before they have a chance to cause trouble. 

Since equipment manufacturers often have zero experience on the 

operational side, rough estimates are all they can offer as regards 

recommended maintenance intervals. This can sometimes result in 

parts being replaced even though they are still in good working 

order. Conversely, the early replacement of a component that is no 

longer fully functional can help to avoid a forced outage. Both 

scenarios lead to costs that can be prevented with a better understanding 

of the equipment health. Maximising plant availability is 

the ultimate aim. In the South-East Asia region alone, Linde expects 

to achieve annual savings of four to five million euros by optimising 

maintenance cycles. 

Plants with a digital twin 

Another Digital Base Camp innovation is the Linde Plantserv portal, 

which is resonating strongly among customers. This project networks 

plants with their digital twin. It makes it easier for operators 

to organise repairs over the Internet, sourcing spare parts more efficiently 

and at competitive prices. 

Industrial plants are complex structures comprising tens of thousands 

of components. The Linde Plantserv portal is therefore built 

around plant-specific piping and instrumentation diagrams 

(P&IDs). Once customers log in to the portal, they can find the diagrams 

for their plant and access the related spare parts. A pop-up 

window displays each component’s key information. Maintenance 

teams can request quotes for the parts they need via a marketplace 

and order them at competitive prices. Linde runs the platform and 

guarantees that the displayed parts are the right fit for the cus - 

tomer’s needs. 

Virtual reality operator training 

Linde Engineering uses digital twins of its plants to train operating 

personnel before the plant is even built. The virtual reality experience 

allows customers to become familiar with the plant topology 

and learn how to deal with critical procedures. The model is based 

on the 3D plant model, which is generated during the engineering 

phase. Now Linde has developed the technology to transform this 

design data into an immersive virtual world. 

All that operators need to step into the virtual plant – their future 

workplace – is a virtual reality headset, two controllers and a notebook 

with a fast graphics processor. 

Remote support with augmented reality 

The use of smart glasses for remote plant support is another digital 

innovation from Linde. Linde experts can establish a livestream to 

local technicians wearing these glasses and help to resolve technical 

issues without actually travelling to the site. The camera which is 

integrated in the smart glasses transmits the local employee’s field 

of vision to the Linde Engineering expert’s screen. The expert can 

then provide help and technical information via the audio chat or 

by sharing the screen. 

This equipment has already been deployed to a number of sites. 

Taking into account the travel and accommodation costs, as well as 

the time it takes to obtain visas and site permits, LindeGo is a 

highly cost- and time-efficient alternative to seconding additional 

personnel to work on site. 

Second Digital Base Camp in the Far East 

The success of the Pullach Base Camp prompted Linde to officially 

open an Asia Pacific Digitalisation Hub, including a second Digital 

Base Camp in Singapore in February 2018. Linde will invest over 30 

million Singapore dollars in the hub, equivalent to around 18.5 

million euros. 

In many respects, the Asian market is light years ahead of the rest of 

the world when it comes to digital technologies, and Linde is keen 

to harness this potential. 


Online search: cpp0218linde 

Hall 9.1, Booth D4 

AUTHOR: 

JULIEN BRUNEL 

Head of Digitalisation, 

Linde Engineering 



Pictures: Thyssenkrupp 

Thyssenkrupp establishes smart modularisation in plant engineering 

MORE THAN JUST 

COPY & PASTE 

Meeting complex customer wishes with tailored individual solutions was for 

a long time regarded as the big strength of the European engineering and 

construction industry. However, increasing price pressure and growing local 

competition call for new solutions. One key to success: smart modularisation 

concepts that bring the construction of bespoke, customised plants into 

unison with standardisation and high efficiency. 



The common copy plant model is being replaced step by step by the modular Pre-Configured Plant Concept at Thyssenkrupp 

Meeting complex customer wishes with tailored individual so - 

lutions was for a long time regarded as the big strength of the 

European engineering and construction industry. However, increasing 

price pressure and growing local competition call for new so - 

lutions. One key to success: smart modularisation concepts that 

bring the construction of bespoke, customised plants into unison 

with standardisation and high efficiency. As one of the first engi - 

neering companies worldwide, Thyssenkrupp is taking new paths 

with the “Pre-Configured Plant Concept” (PCPC). 

Modularisation and standardisation are topics everyone is talking 

about in the engineering sector. The savings potential is considerable: 

utilising existing solutions in new projects is one of the most 

effective levers to control costs and product variance in the manufacturing 

industry. As yet, machine manufacturers and engineering 

companies are still taking different approaches: many of the former 

are increasingly using modular product architectures in order to 

move from engineer-to-order to configure-to-order. 

In the engineering sector, customer solutions are characterised by 

immense diversity and functional complexity. For a long time, it 

was considered impossible to modularise large plants and configure 

them from a digital product system. The term modularisation was 

mainly used to describe the splitting up of plants into individual 

package units. New plant projects today are commonly put together 

from templates of previous projects, copying existing plant elements 

(copy plant model). 

However, the copy plant model has decisive weaknesses: complexity 

increases with each new plant configuration, as there is no transparent 

relationship between functions and components. In addition, 

new improvements are not automatically incorporated into older 

templates. To put it briefly: over time, the copy plant model becomes 

a problem rather than a solution. 

Modular plant engineering can do more 

Challenges such as increasing competition as well as rising price 

and margin pressure call for new ideas. If the aims of modularisation 

are to optimise reusability, shorten project durations and at 

the same time minimise risk factors in the bidding process, the solution 

has to be smart. 

As a global engineering company Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions 

designs plants for the chemical industry amongst others. Each plant 

is unique, but they all feature a number of functionally identical 

components. If you can model the structure of a plant digitally, 

these components can be standardised along the lines of a shared 

parts strategy. In this way, large plants actually become configurable 

– that’s the idea behind functional modularisation. 

It was on this basis that Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions developed 

the Pre-Configured Plant Concept – a smart, digital, modularised 

product model for configurable chemical plants. As one of the 

first companies worldwide, Thyssenkrupp is taking the path of 

functional modularisation in the engineering sector. 

The development of the concept began in autumn 2016. Only a 

year later the first modular, configurable plant type went into operation. 

Today, already, new fertiliser plants are being designed on the 

modular system and no longer on the copy plant model. 

Learning from machinery manufacturers 

The Pre-Configured Plant Concept is based on the so-called Metus 

methodology, which has become established above all in the automobile 

and machinery sectors over the past 15 years. With the aid 

of this methodology, products are split up into functions and components. 

Interdependencies and variant drivers are identified and 

ultimately the components of a product are grouped into functional 

modules. In this way, different customer requirements can be transformed 

into a modular product model. 

The Pre-Configured Plant Concept offers decisive advantages: 

• Despite modularisation and standardisation, individual customer 

needs can still be satisfied. Modularisation in this case does not 

mean reducing everything to standard configurations. As each 

module can display the feature in a customer-specific manner, the 

original flexibility is retained – but without the typical disadvantages: 

customer-specific costs can now be identified directly and 

evaluated early and reliably. 


• Clients, too, benefit by being able to select from a modular system 

beyond their individual requirements. For example, if a better 

standard module is available, clients can choose it for their application 

instead of a bespoke solution. Thus, cost advantages can be 

achieved and customer value increased. 

• Thanks to the Pre-Configured Plant Concept, the well-known advantages 

of modular product structures can also be applied to the 

engineering and construction sector: standardised interfaces between 

the modules ensure lower integration effort and less complexity. 

The re-use of modules means development times can be 

shortened. This saves costs in the bidding phase and reduces 

sources of errors. For instance, tests for certain modules only have 

to be carried out once. The result: significant time and cost savings 

combined with higher quality and efficiency. 

From idea to concept 

Owing to the many different types of plants in its portfolio, it was 

important for Thyssenkrupp after the project launch to be able to 

operate autonomously in its methods and largely independently of 

external service providers. One key requirement for the new system 

was therefore that plants should be mapped in a digital product 

model, which Thyssenkrupp engineers could add to and extend 

themselves – a configurable digital twin creating the bridge from 

client requirements to product structure. 

The project was implemented in conjunction with the Munichbased 

solutions company ID-Consult. The collaboration came about 

after it was found during the selection process that advice on 

modularisation alone would not be enough. Only a complete view 

STATEMENT 

Dr. Jan Göpfert, 

Founder and 

Managing Director, 

ID-Consult 

Modularisation as such is already a promising concept: 

Only a modular product can also be a configurable product 

– and configuring is usually easier and cheaper than 

engineering from scratch. The concept becomes smart 

when – as with Thyssenkrupp’s Pre-Configured Plant Concept 

(PCPC) – you can have customised add-ons despite 

modularisation. The combination of modularisation and 

flexibility is what makes the concept smart. But there’s a 

lot more to it: What makes the concept special are the 

so-called cross-technology modules. Through the functional 

description it was realised very early on that the 

same functions are needed in different plant types but are 

being implemented individually in different ways. PCPC 

unlocks this significant standardisation potential by providing 

a modular product system that can serve all types 

of plant. With every further plant type added to the 

system the positive effect is reinforced. 

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The Metus methodology makes it possible to model different customer requirements in a modular system. Some modules can be used in various plant types 

(cross-technology modules). 

of the product – from market requirements to product architecture 

– and its modelling in software could move the project forward 

decisively. 

Together, ID-Consult and Thyssenkrupp developed a three-phase 

plan. The first phase involved introducing the Metus methodology 

initially for engineering nitric acid plants. At the same time, an extensive 

know-how transfer was planned in order to ensure knowledge 

of methods and tools was passed on to future users. After a 

successful first run, further plant types would then be modularised 

independently by Thyssenkrupp’s engineers. 

Shortly after the start of the project it became apparent that other 

areas also wanted to use the new method. The PCPC was therefore 

expanded to include a second plant technology (ammonia). This 

opened up new possibilities: modularisation could now be considered 

across multiple plant types. The advantage of this was that 

numerous functions – for example water treatment or the control 

pulpit – could be designed as cross-technology modules and utilised 

largely identically across different types of plants. Today, Thyssenkrupp 

uses the Pre-Configured Plant Concept successfully to design 

a variety of plants. 

The future lies in smart modularisation 

The Pre-Configured Plant Concept developed by Thyssenkrupp is a 

functional modularisation concept for chemical plants that saves 

time and costs when designing new plants and increases the productivity 

of the designer. The digital, modular system delivers engineering 

designs that are tailored to individual customer requirements 

despite standardisation. 

The concept offers three main advantages: increased customer value 

thanks to reduced costs and unchanged flexibility, higher quality 

because there are fewer error sources and shorter project durations. 

Thyssenkrupp uses the Pre-Configured Plant Concept for four different 

technologies: nitric acid, ammonia, hydrogen and ammonium 

nitrate. And its potential is far from beeing exhausted: further 

plant types will follow. In terms of methodology the company operates 

independently. The Metus software continues to be used to 

model product architectures and their respective interdependencies. 


Online search: cpp0218thyssenkrupp 


AUTHOR: 

JOHANNES 

DAMMEIER 

Senior Process Engineer 

Nitrates & Phosphates, 

Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions 

AUTHOR: 

JENS MATHIAK 

Head of Process Nitrates & Phosphates, 

Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions 


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Picture: Carlo Toffolo – Fotolia 

Glass-lined, 3D printed components for chemical engineering 

TRADITION 

MEETS MODERNITY 

Glass linings are an excellent solution for protecting metallic surfaces 

against chemical corrosion and achieving high surface quality and good 

cleanability. New applications for this traditional surface technology are 

derived from its use in additively manufactured, 3D printed components. 

cpp spoke to Dr. Jürgen Reinemuth, Managing Director & Partner of 

Thaletec GmbH, about the connection between these technologies. 


Additive manufacturing is currently en vogue. Which method is 

used to make components that are suitable for glass lining? 

Dr. Reinemuth: In additive manufacturing with metallic materials, 

components based on 3D design data are produced in a powder bed 

using one or more laser layers. The process referred to as selective 

laser melting (SLM) can be compared with multi-layer build-up 

welding under a protective gas atmosphere. 

Which components can be produced in this way? 

Dr. Reinemuth: Due to the manufacturing process, the production 

constraints familiar from conventional production methods are to a 

large extent no longer valid. For example, additively manufactured 

channels no longer have to be circular, as is the case with drill 

holes, but can assume a more or less arbitrary shape. The outer 

geometry of components can also be freely designed within wide 

limits, without having to consider accessibility restrictions for 

processing tools. Thus, additive manufacturing is particularly 

suitable for process engineering components with the following 

characteristics: 

• Complex external geometry, for example designed with flow considerations 

in mind 

• Internal structures and geometries in the form of channels or cavities 

which can be used to transfer heat, for instance 

• Several technical functions integrated in one component, so that 

sealing and joining surfaces are avoided 

• Varying material properties, such as deliberately introduced porosities 

to accommodate catalysts or perform gassing processes 

What other advantages does additive manufacturing offer? 

Dr. Reinemuth: The pathway from the designed component or assembly 

to the finished, usable version is significantly shorter and 

swifter compared with conventional manufacturing. Components 

are generally available sooner as a result. The component variations 

„Modern selective laser melting in conjunction 

with the traditional process of technical 

glass lining can lead to innovative engineering 

solutions.“ 

which are often required in the context of process optimisations, 

such as different flow cross-sections, alternative dimensions, etc., 

can be additively manufactured quickly and affordably. In particular, 

the production of small quantities up to the optimised single piece 

is often faster and cheaper with additive manufacturing than when 

using conventional methods. 

What are the limits of the additive process? 

Dr. Reinemuth: On the one hand, limits are imposed by the space 

requirements of the selective laser melting facilities which are currently 

available. Large components with dimensions exceeding 

800 mm in one axis cannot be produced additively in one piece 

today, yet they are easily manufactured using conventional joining 

methods. At present, component sizes tend to be in the 

280 x 280 x 300 mm range. On the other hand, the choice of materials 

is still very restricted, although classes which are important for 

process engineering applications, such as 1.4404 or 1.4301 stainless 

steels and chemically resistant, nickel-based alloys like Inconel 

Picture: Theletec 

Dr. Jürgen Reinemuth, Managing Director & Partner of 

Thaletec GmbH and Jurec dr. Juergen Reinemuth Consulting 

728 or NiCr19NbMo, are already available. In addition, the regulations 

and procedures that must be adhered to in order to additively 

manufacture pressurised components needing certification accord - 

ing to the Pressure Equipment Directive have not yet been universally 

clarified and formulated. 

Does Thaletec’s portfolio include any additively manufactured 

components? 

Dr. Reinemuth: Thaletec has already developed several products, including 

some in collaboration with Jurec, an engineering consultant, 

which are manufactured using metal 3D printing. One of these 

products is a static mixer which mixes both liquid and highly viscous 

media in a piping system in the smallest of spaces while simultaneously 

heating or cooling them. In addition, Thaletec offers a 

gassing nozzle with a partially porous surface for mixing gases in 

liq uids as well as a high-pressure reactor with an integrated heating 

or cooling coil. 

What are the special features of this static mixer? 

Dr. Reinemuth: The integrated system works on the principle of the 

helical mixer with spiral mixing elements; it is hollow inside and 

can be flowed through by a thermal fluid, such as water or thermal 

oil. The wall is very thin to allow optimum heat transfer. The thinwalled, 

stainless steel mixing elements are hollow inside and can 

only be produced additively. 

The individual elements are made additively to order and then 

weld ed to the mixer. The connections at the pipe ends are also additively 

manufactured and given a streamlined design. To compensate 

for thermal expansion, an expansion joint (bellows) has been integrated 

into one of the connection heads. The helical mixing elements 

are dimensioned and designed to reflect the mixing task. 

Additive manufacturing allows each helical mixing element to be 

produced quickly yet individually. 

What are the hallmarks of the 3D printed high-pressure reactor? 

Dr. Reinemuth: The same applies, in essence, to the manufacture of 

the high-pressure reactor as to the mixer. A chemically and high- 



Picture: Thaletec 

Static mixer with hollow mixing elements which can be tempered. The elements were made additively 

and individually and then welded together 

pressure-resistant pressure vessel was required in order to investi - 

gate chemically aggressive, toxic and explosive mixtures. This vessel 

needed to be cooled quickly and efficiently. Additive manufacturing 

allows the pressure vessel and the cooling jacket to be integrally 

designed. The low wall thicknesses which are vital for rapid heat 

transfer are hence feasible. The pressure-bearing wall is very thin 

and permits good heat transfer, yet the container can be loaded 

with up to 300 bar at a medium temperature of 200 °C. It would 

not be possible to manufacture the cooling jacket in the form of an 

integrated spiral using conventional techniques. Production in one 

piece also enables the vessel to be made available promptly and 

adapted easily to individual customer requirements. Furthermore, 

the surfaces in contact with the product are rendered chemically 

resistant with a glass lining. 

What are the benefits of the additive process for the production of 

gassing nozzles? 

Dr. Reinemuth: The fact that gassing in the new solution is initiated 

by a deliberately porous printed structure in the liquid flow is particularly 

noteworthy. In order to gain the maximum advantage from 

additive manufacturing, the conventional design template was analysed 

with regard to its technical functions. A functionally integrated 

one-piece solution which can be manufactured additively 

was then designed on this basis. In contrast to the conventional 

mixing nozzle, the additively manufactured version is also selfpriming. 

The manufacturing costs were reduced to just 27 % compared 

to the original, conventional solution, which was systematically 

revamped. Instead of twelve pieces, which must be mechanically 

manufactured and assembled, the additively produced so - 

lution consists of only a single component. 

Can all 3D printed components be glass-lined? 

Dr. Reinemuth: Since all these components are made of stainless 

steel, they can basically all be glass-lined. 316L and 304 stainless 

steels or Inconel 625 and 728, amongst others, are suitable for glass 

lining. These are also typical materials for selective laser melting. The 

example of the glass-lined high-pressure reactor shows how mod - 

ern selective laser melting, in conjunction with the traditional 

process of technical glass lining, can lead to innovative engineering 

solutions: the glass lining of the high-pressure reactor surfaces in 

contact with the product expands the field of chemically corrosive 

applications at temperatures up to 230 °C, where the resistance of 

the additively manufactured base material would not have been 

adequate. The high-pressure reactor consists of a special metal alloy 

which is suitable for glass lining and allows particularly thin, but 

non-porous and non-diffusive, surfaces with a roughness of less 

than 1 micron. 

Are there any restrictions on the glass lining material? 

Dr. Reinemuth: The technological properties of the glass linings are 

adapted to the respective base materials. However, their chemical 

resistance and thermal shock behaviour correspond to those of 

Thaletec’s normal chemical glass linings. The high-pressure reactor 

was glass-lined with Thaletec TPE 2000 pharma glass lining. 

What alternative is there to glass lining? 

Dr. Reinemuth: Thaletec has developed the new SiOCoat coating 

system for components made from standard stainless steels such as 

316L (1.4404) or 304 (1.4301). SiOCoat is an inorganic, amorphous 

coating which, similar to a glass lining at up to 900 °C, is 

merged with the additively produced base material to form a gasand 

diffusion-tight layer of approximately 0.2 mm on the surface. 

The coating can be either sprayed on or applied by dipping. The 

SiOCoat layer is characterised by good chemical resistance to acids 

and alkalis, thermal insulation properties and a high surface quality 

with a roughness depth of less than 6 μm. Components coated with 

SiOCoat can thus open up more applications for additively manufactured 

components without needing to lay down special requirements 

for the selection of the base material. 

Are the 3D printed components already used in practical 

applications? 

Dr. Reinemuth: Yes, of course. The examples I referred to are just a 

small selection of the components which are additively manufac - 

tured by Thaletec and then either glass-lined or coated with 

SiOCoat. The majority are covered by customer protection. The static 

mixer, though, is a Thaletec product. We regularly receive enquiries 

and orders to coat components. In many cases, we also redesign 

those components together with Jurec in order to optimise them 

for additive manufacturing. 

Why are additive manufacturing processes not yet widely used? 




One-piece, additively manufactured DN 25 gassing nozzle 

made of stainless steel with a deliberately introduced 

porous area for gassing through-flowing liquids 

Additively manufactured high-pressure reactor with an integral tempering channel and 

technically glass-lined interior 

Dr. Reinemuth: One of the major obstacles to the use of additively 

manufactured components is the fact that most of those employed 

in process technology are optimised for conventional production 

and the design options arising from additive manufacturing are not 

taken advantage of. Moreover, these new options are not, or not sufficiently, 

known to many design and development engineers. Hence, 

they are often unable to translate all the benefits of this new pro- 

duction technology into optimum technical solutions. Yet despite 

the restrictions and limitations I’ve mentioned, it is already possible 

and economical today to develop and use additively manufactured 

components in process engineering applications. 


Online search: cpp0218thaletec 


EXCELLENCE IS: 

High Accuracy 

in Single Use 

OneFerm pH Sensor 

18 

DRY STORAGE 

UP TO 18 MONTH 

PRE-CALIBRATED 

Achema 2018 

Hall 11.1 

Booth F43 

Hamilton Bonaduz AG | CH-7402 Bonaduz, Switzerland 

contact.pa.ch@hamilton.ch | www.hamiltoncompany.com 

READY-TO-USE 

VERY LOW DRIFT 


cpp ACHEMA PRODUCTS 

Compact gearbox range 

Hygienic allrounder 

Picture: Auma 

The GQB series of part-turn 

gearboxes extends the gearbox 

portfolio of electric actuator 

manufacturer Auma. Engineered 

and manufactured in Germany, 

they have been specifically designed 

to meet the requirements 

for basic 90° applications with 

standard industrial valves such 

as butterfly and ball valves. 

All components within the 

power drive, like the worm 

wheel and worm shaft, are surface 

hardened to further increase 

wear resistance. In addition, 

all housing parts are 

powder-coated using the corrosion-resistant 

two-layer 

powder coating system. 

The housing incorporates a co - 

axial primary reduction gear as 

well as integral mounting 

flanges for the actuator, 

handwheel and valve. End stops 

to limit the valve travel are 

easily accessible next to the output 

drive shaft. An overload protection 

guarantees safety in case 

of excessive torque. The GQB 

gearboxes are currently available 

in three sizes – GQB 160.1, 

GQB 200.1 and GQB 250.1 – 

covering torques up to 

84 000 Nm. 


Online search: cpp0218auma 


Cleanline by Eirich is a multifunctional 

processor that allows 

to mix, coat, disperse, emulsify, 

granulate, knead, dissolve or agglomerate 

in the same appa - 

ratus. The processors have a rotating 

container of the type 

familiar from other units. This 

container feeds the material to 

be processed to a mixing tool. 

This tool can run at any speed 

up to 30 m/s, with or against 

the direction of the rotation of 

the container. As a result, the 

power input into the mixture 

can be carefully adapted to the 

relevant process and its specific 

Picture: Eirich 

requirements. The function 

principle that is well established 

in various industries, is now 

also implemented in a hygienic 

design. This has been designed 

with a focus on ease of cleaning 

and short setup times. Where 

necessary, heating or cooling 

can also be provided during 

processing. The first version of 

the machine in hygienic design 

offers a capacity of 30 l, further 

sizes will follow. 


Online search: cpp0218eirich 


Heat exchanger plates for viscous media 

Test method to assess water safety 

Researchers investigating nutrient runoff, and water 

quality and wastewater treatment operators can now 

benefit from a new American Society for Testing and 

Materials (ASTM) standard that utilises the powerful 

separation capabilities of ion chromatography for the 

simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and phosphorous 

concentrations. 

Developed in conjunction with the ASTM, the “D8001 

Test Method for Determination of Total Nitrogen, Total 

Kjeldahl Nitrogen by Calculation, and Total Phosphorus 

in Water and Waste Water by Ion Chromatography” 

allows users to concurrently monitor total nitrogen 

(organic nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite) as 

nitrate and total phosphorus as orthophosphate in unfiltered 

water samples. 

Thermo Fisher’s method provides a reliable instrumental 

method for the determination of the target analytes 

in water, in place of traditional multiple and complex 

wet chemical methods, with the opportunity for accumulative 

errors. 


Online search: cpp0218thermofisher 

Hall 4.2, Booth F35 

Picture: Kelvion 

With its NW150L stainless steel heat exchanger 

plates, Kelvion complemented its 

range of heat exchanger plates for viscous 

and particle-containing media. The NW 

models have a wider plate gap than those in 

the NT series, which allows efficient heat 

treatment, with only slight pressure drop, of 

viscous media and of liquids with particle 

diameters up to 5 mm. In addition, the wide 

herringbone plate corrugation, with a gap 

width of 10 mm, assures highly turbulent 

flow at all points of the plate – which in 

turn counters fouling. As a result, the plates 

are well suited for applications in the production 

of bioethanol, in treatment of industrial 

wastewater, and in petrochemical 

processes. So-called Posloc assembly means 

that re-assembling the heat exchangers after 

cleaning or inspection work is easy. Posloc 

assures optimal centering of the plate pack 

– which positively affects the service life of 

the gaskets. The NW150L is compatible 

with the frames of the NT150L series. 


Online search: cpp0218kelvion 



Picture: KSB 

High-efficiency motor 

Together with scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of 

Technology, KSB specialists developed a very compact 

22-kW synchronous reluctance motor. Semiconductor 

technology facilitates the cooling management that ensures 

removal of heat emerging from the power electronics. 

The element’s volume could be reduced by 

25 %, due to the integrated frequency inverter. The 

drive exists as prototype, which was built to demonstrate 

the potential of silicon carbide components in 

terms of higher motor ratings. While most of the stand - 

ardised pumps operate at constant motor speed with an 

impeller, that has been mechanically trimmed for the 

desired operation point, this motor operates with a 

„virtually trimmed impeller“. Thus trimming is even 

possible after the pump set has been commissioned. 


Online search: cpp0218ksb 

Hall 8.0, Booth H14 

End-of-the-Line-Powder-Mixing 

KoneSlid®-Mixer (patented) 

A symbiosis of excellent hygienic 

and ergonomic design. 

✓ 

Extremely gentle mixing 

process with short cycle 

times 

✓ Ideal mixture qualities 

✓ 

✓ 

✓ 

✓ 

Filling levels can vary from 

10%- 100%. 

 

of stabilizers, nanoparticle 

agents, pigments, plant 

protection chemicals 

and medicine 

Mixer available, if desired, with 

several large, hygienically designed 

CleverCut® inspection doors 

Cleaning: comfortable, safe, 

ideally ergonomic, wet or dry, 

manual or automatic 

Additive components 

Fluidized bed 

dryer and 

cooler 

Picture: Wika 

Replacement service for diaphragm seals 

Wika has put together a service 

package, with which the longterm 

benefit and the overall cost 

of diaphragm seals with 

mounted process transmitters 

can be optimised. In the case of 

a failure of such a system, it is 

not always necessary to replace 

both the diaphragm seal and the 

transmitter. As part of the replacement 

service, the measuring 

system is taken apart, checked, 

and its functionality is certified 

again. The diaphragm seal will 

be replaced by an equivalent 

one and a calibration of the new 

seal system is made. If necessary, 

the mounting and the system 

fluid will be optimised and also 

the new material test certificates 

issued. With this service, the 

process transmitter can be fully 

utilised over its entire service 

life, while diaphragm seals may 

be exchanged preventively at 

planned shut downs to further 

reduce plant downtime. 


Online search: cpp0218wika 


✓ 

✓ 

✓ 

✓ 

On request with typeexamination 

Ex II 1D 

(for Zone 20) 

Optionally, the mixer is 

manfactured as a pressureshock-resistant, 

pressure-resistant 

and vacuum-proof version. 

All components of the amixon®mixers 

are made in Germany. 

The production of the machines 

takes place exclusively in the 

amixon® factory in Paderborn. 

Virtually complete discharge in 

a few seconds 

amixon ® GmbH 

Halberstädter Straße 55 

33106 Paderborn (Germany) 

Tel.: +49 (0) 52 51 / 68 88 88-0 

Fax: +49 (0) 52 51 / 68 88 88-999 

sales@amixon.com · www.amixon.com 

Packaging 

Please visit us! 

Hall 6.0 Booth C76 

June 11-15, 2018 

Frankfurt am Main, Germany 



© REMBE | All rights reserved 

Made 

in 

Germany 

Your Specialist for 

EXPLOSION SAFETY 

and 

PRESSURE RELIEF 

SOLUTIONS 

Consulting. Engineering. Products. Service. 

Gallbergweg 21 | 59929 Brilon, Germany 

F +49 2961 50714 | www.rembe.de 

T +49 2961 7405-0 

info@rembe.de 

ACHEMA 

Hall 9.1 

Stand C4 

Feeder with reduced footprint 

Coperion K-Tron has designed 

the K3-PH-line of loss-in weight 

feeders to meet the growing demands 

of continuous processing 

in the pharmaceutical industry. 

The feeder design features a 

modular concept and a reduced 

overall footprint thanks to a 

smaller D4 platform scale incorporating 

the patented Smart 

Force Transducer weighing technology. 

This scale provides an 

accurate weight signal with a 

resolution of 1:4,000,000 in 

80 ms. The modular quick 

change design allows the easy 

exchange of feeder types and 

sizes as well as of hoppers or 

agitators using the same scale 

and drive. Thus the system may 

easily be adjusted to new processes 

and formulations and also 

ensures easy cleaning and maintenance. 

Depending on the application, 

the feeder can be 

Picture: Coperion K-Tron 

equipped with a material flow 

aid and with electronic pressure 

compensation. The devices are 

available in volumetric and 

gravimetric, single and twin 

screw models. 


Online search: 

cpp0218coperion 


Concentration measurement in containers 

Picture: Berthold Technologies 

ENGINEERING 

SEPARATORS 

FOR DECADES. 

CUSTOMIZING 

SOLUTIONS 

DAILY. 

SWECO invented the Vibro-Energy® 

Round Separator in 1939. Every year 

since we have strived to perfect our 

equipment by designing systems to 

fit our customers’ exact needs. 

Contact SWECO today and let us 

engineer an innovative solution for 

your application. 

Vistit us at 

ACHEMA 

hall 5.0 A34 

TM 

Round Separator 

Berthold offers container probes 

for microwave concentration 

measurements that have removable 

plastic caps with internal 

thread, which can be replaced 

on site if necessary. The antenna 

technology inside the probe has 

been completely redeveloped. It 

halves the transmission losses by 

better matching and field focusing. 

This ensures higher 

measurement accuracy and provides 

more dynamics. The probe 

is offered in two versions, with 

and without flushing device. 

The container probes are delivered 

as a standard with a removal 

aid. Two large ringbolts 

on the front of the probe make 

it easy to disassemble. In case of 

sugar crystallisers, the probes 

are often stuck firmly because 

of the process. In this case, the 

ring bolts can be replaced by 

longer screws for disassembly. 

These push the probe out of the 

insertion on the customer’s process 

flange. 


Online search: cpp0218berthold 

Hall 11.1, Booth E88 

34 cpp 02-2018 

We put technology in motion. www.sweco.com 

info@sweco.com

Energy efficient vacuum pumps 

Leybold has reduced the energy 

consumption of their diffusion 

pump series DIP and DIJ by applying 

intelligent technologies 

and optimising the design. Now 

a number of optimised models 

and accessories are available. The 

DIJ family offers connections for 

both ANSI and ISO flange components 

as well as various electrical 

variants. The five-stage 

nozzle system of these pumps 

has been improved for the 

pressure range from 10 -2 to10 -3 

bar. The greatest energy savings 

potential was achieved by selecting 

an improved heating system 

and adjusting it to produce 

the propellant stream. In addition, 

energy is saved by an optimised 

arrangement of the heating 

elements in the boiler 

room, the loss-free energy 

transmission and the thermal 

insulation. An integrated energy 

regulator that is based on monitoring 

the oil and heater temperature 

in the boiler room 

makes sure that the applied propellant 

fluid works at its optimum 

temperature. In total, 

energy savings of up to 50 % 

compared to unregulated stand - 

ard pumps are possible. 


Online search: cpp0218leybold 


Picture: Leybold 

Precise control of 

low flow rates 

The Flow-control series by 

Bronkhorst is a series of manually 

operated, pressure compensated 

control valves that are 

designed for low flow gas and 

liquid applications. The desired 

flow rate is set via a needle 

valve. Any upstream or discharge 

pressure variations are 

automatically compensated by a 

built-in membrane-operated 

valve to ensure a steady, constant 

flow. The valves are available in 

four different models to control 

gas flow rates in the range of 

0.02 to 50 l/min (N 2 -equiva- 

lent) and liquid flow rates from 

3 to 1800 ml/min (for water). 

While process connections are 

optionally available, the in-line 

valve assemblies are usually 

equipped with G 1/4" BSPP female 

in- and outlet ports. 



cpp0218bronkhorst 


Picture: Bronkhorst 

Welcome to the 

World Champion 

Pumping · Dosing · Measuring · Controlling 

Pumping, dosing, measurement and control – our lineup 

is strong. In the age of Industry 4.0, let our team lead your 

company to victory with every application! 

Visit our team in Frankfurt! 

Visit us: 

ACHEMA 

2018 

11.-15.6.2018 

Frankfurt a. M. 

Hall 8, 

Booth J38/J44 

Lutz Pumpen GmbH 

Erlenstraße 5-7 · D-97877 Wertheim · www.lutz-pumpen.de 

Lutz-Jesco GmbH 

Am Bostelberge 19 · D-30900 Wedemark · www.lutz-jesco.com 



Intelligent electric valve actuators 

Sieve analysis made easy 

Picture: Badger Meter 

Badger Meter launches Seva 

(smart electric valve actuator), 

which has been designed as 

cost-sensitive solution for extreme 

conditions. The actuator is 

immediately available as 100 

and 200 lbf models that have 

the ability to replace the former 

EVA-1, EVA-100 and EVA-200 

models. The actual actuator 

offers a Dual Port Industrial 

Ethernet card and comes with 

an ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendors 

Association) certificate. It 

allows for both linear and ring 

network topology. The position 

accuracy is ±0.1 % of full scale. 

In the cases of a loss of power 

or a loss of signal power the actuator 

features the option to select 

one of five and four positions 

respectively. Its universal 

AC input with voltage protection 

will work with 115 and 

240 V(AC) as well as with 

24 V(DC). The analogue input 

signals may be 4...20 mA, 0...5 

or 0...10 V. 


Online search: cpp0218badger 


Hosokawa offers an operating concept for retrofitting 

older models of their Alpine air jet sieve e200 LS. These 

devices can be equipped with an intuitive touch display 

(HMI) and state-of-the-art operating software. The software 

offers application-specific functions that facilitate 

heavy-duty tasks with high throughputs in the minerals 

and cement industry as well as strictly regulated and document-intensive 

processes in the pharmaceutical or food industry. 

A total of four software packages offer the optimum 

solution for every type of process. Clearly understandable 

symbols and the choice between ten different languages 

ensure high operating comfort. To guarantee trouble-free 

operation in even the most rugged production and environmental 

conditions, the touch panel is covered with a 

layer of safety glass that is 3 mm thick. 


Online search: cpp0218hosokawa 

Hall 3.1, Booth A27 

Picture: Hosokawa Alpine 

HOW INDIVIDUAL AND RELIABLE 

DO YOU WANT YOUR PROCESS 

SOLUTION? 

11 - 15 JUNE 2018 

FRANKFURT, GERMANY 

HALL 8, STAND D38 

LET’S TALK 

We would be pleased to present you personally how individual and reliable the design of your 

process solution can be - with customised engineering and an extensive series of process gas 

blowers and compressors made by AERZEN. 

Innovative technologies and our special quality standards ensure maximum process reliability 

and sustainable plant availability. With worldwide references, the engineering knowledge from 

over 150 years of experience and a distinctive consulting competence, AERZEN can implement 

your wishes flexibly and individually. 


www.aerzen.com

Photo reactions in industrial scale 

Picture: Ekato 

The agitated photo reactor by 

Ekato was designed for multiphase 

reactions with liquids, 

gases and solids. The reactor is 

available in sizes up to 50 m 3 

and beyond. As light sources, 

mercury lamps or LED are positioned 

inside a quartz glass 

tube. Between 4 and 20 tubes 

are submerged into the reaction 

mass, passed through nozzles in 

the tank head, where they connect 

to the power supply and 

the cooling medium. Cooling is 

necessary to prevent high surface 

temperatures of the tubes, 

which might damage the product. 

The agitator has to provide 

high pumping rates and thereby 

a permanent renewal of the 

reactants in the irradiation zone. 

For reactions with gases, 

bubbles are efficiently dispersed 

to ensure high conversion rates. 

With suspensions, agitation facilitates 

heat removal during 

reaction. Sealing of the agitator 

shaft towards the atmosphere is 

obtained by double or triple 

acting mechanical seals or by 

using hermetic magnetic drives. 


Online search: cpp0218ekato 


Flexible tripod agitators 

Picture: Geppert 

Geppert offers complete tripod 

agitators, equipped with up-to 

date process control. These machines 

offer flexibility of application 

and are easy to clean and 

maintain. Due to the tripod agitators’ 

stand-alone statics they 

may be applied with various 

container sizes, shapes or volumes. 

Data aquisition and processing 

make even online viscosity 

measurements possible. 

For special requirements arising 

from the product or the production 

area, tailor-made versions 

of the tripod agitators are available. 

So the devices can be 

delivered as explosion-proof 

models according to Atex RL 

2014/34/EU for use in hazardous 

zones 1 and 2 as well as 

containers with zones 0 to 1. In 

addition, special designs like tripod 

agitators for fixed container 

mixers or fully automated 

plants, which are used in clean 

rooms or areas of nuclear waste 

processing, complete the product 

range. 


Online search: cpp0218geppert 




Robot arm for clean rooms 

Monitoring pumps from the cloud 

Stäubli present their completely 

redesigned Scara robot arms, 

which are now also suited for 

clean room applications. These 

four-axis machines are equipped 

with the company’s proprietary 

hollow shaft drives, which are 

characterised by the absence of 

any external cabling. All media 

and supply lines are located inside 

the machine, thus there are 

no irregular contours, sources 

of mechanical failure or avoidable 

particle emissions. Furthermore, 

hygienic design is 

achieved by completely sealed 

housing, the quill optionally 

Picture: Stäubli 

protected with a cover and affixed 

with special screws, concealed 

connections under the 

robot pedestal (if desired)and 

the exclusion of dead spaces. 

The robot arm comes in four 

sizes with working radii from 

400 to 1000 mm. Besides the 

standard model, different versions 

that are specialised for 

pharmaceutical, medical, and 

food applications are announced. 


Online search: cpp0218stäubli 


Picture: KSB 

KSB present their pump monitoring 

system called KSB guard, 

which consists of networked vibration 

and temperature sensors 

fitted directly to the pump. The 

system makes sure that changes 

in the operating behaviour of 

the machine are detected at an 

early stage, and maintenance 

work can be better planned, 

even from a distance. The system 

is ideally suited for retrofitting, 

because the battery-powered 

sensor unit is attached to the 

bearing bracket or the drive lantern 

of the pump using a magnet 

or adhesive. This can be 

done during operation. Every 

hour data are transferred in encrypted 

form to the company 

cloud via a gateway. The current 

pump data, recorded trends as 

well as additional information 

about the pump are available on 

mobile phone, tablet, or PC. If 

data exceed a pre-defined limit 

value, the system creates warnings 

or alerts. 


Online search: cpp0218ksb 

Hall 8.0, Booth H14 

3-D metal filter cloth 

Mechanical overheat protection 

Picture: Haver & Boecker 

The Minimesh RPD Hiflo-S filter 

medium is manufactured using 

a special weaving technology 

developed by Haver & Boecker, 

which results in a three-dimensional 

pore geometry. Compared 

to conventional filter cloth having 

the same pore size, the 

three-dimensional pore geometry 

increases the open surface 

area significantly. In addition, 

the flow conditions are 

optimised and turbulence 

around the filter cloth is 

avoided. The pore size within a 

batch can be calibrated from 5 

to 40 μm. As this cloth can be 

woven from standard diameter 

wires, the fabrication is also 

opened up for special materials 

like Avesta, Hastelloy, Inconel or 

titanium. Until now, fabrication 

of meshes below 40 μm has not 

been possible with these materials. 

The depth structure of the 

three-dimensional meshes offers 

a high separation effect as well 

as a high dirt holding capacity 

without rapid blending. 


Online search: cpp0218haver 


Picture: Dr. Thiedig 

The temperature protection valve Autosafe from Thiedig 

is a simple, mechanical valve that automatically and 

reliably closes without any auxiliary power in case of 

excessive temperature. After tripping, the valve must be 

manually reset for safety reasons. In the first instance, it 

is intended to protect persons and equipment and additionally 

prohibit an over heating of typically downstreamed 

components such as sampling coolers for 

example in cases of loss or lack of cooling water. Due to 

its compact construction, the function without any auxiliary 

power and the pressure resistance also at the valve 

outlet up to 310 bar, it is ideally suited for the upgrading 

of older systems in order to increase plant safety. 


Online search: cpp0218thiedig 




Continuous ring layer mixer 

The basis of the robust Corimix 

continuous ring layer system 

from Lödige is the high circumferential 

speed of the mixing 

unit, which forces the product 

into a concentric ring layer. The 

process demonstrates its true 

strengths wherever liquids have 

to be distributed very efficiently 

at high to very high throughput 

rates. Corimix is offered in a 

variety of sizes as both laboratory 

and production mixers. 

Depending on the product, 

throughput of up to 0.50 m³/h 

in a laboratory setting and up to 

500 m³/h in production can be 

achieved, with an effective volume 

of between 5 and 3000 l. 

The spectrum of applications 

ranges from mixing, wetting, 

compaction and granulation to 

dispersion, gluing, agglomeration, 

dissolving and melting. 

Liquid components are fed directly 

into the product ring 

layer separately from the dry 

components. This ensures very 

even distribution within the 

mixture. The system also allows 

the mixing chamber to be divided 

into zones of different 

shearing intensity. The mixing 

container is divided centrally 

along its entire length and can 

be opened out. This makes the 

mixing system easy to clean, 

maintain and, if necessary, adapt 

to new requirements. Optional 

linings for the mixing container 

also make it possible to process 

products with a tendency towards 

adhesion or abrasion. 


Online search: cpp0218lödige 


Picture: Fritsch 

Dry and wet particle sizing 

The Fritsch laser particle sizer Analysette 22 Nanotec is 

used worldwide for measuring the particle sizes in dry as 

well as wet dispersions. The device is able to measure particle 

sizes from 0.01 to 2100 μm within a short measuring 

time that is often less than 1 min. The device consists of a 

compact measuring unit that can quickly and easily be 

combined with various dispersion units. Operators can 

switch between dispersion units by simply changing the 

cartridge containing the measuring cell. The measurement 

runs fully automatically and the results are directly visible 

on the screen. In addition, results can be printed or saved 

as reports customised to individual needs. 


Online search: cpp0218fritsch 

Hall 4.1, Booth J49 

Picture: Gebr. Lödige Maschinenbau 

Hoses and couplings from one source 

Elaflex provides standardised 

hoses and couplings for the 

transfer of dangerous goods and 

sensitive fluids. The Elasil silicone 

hose range conforms to 

FDA and USP Class VI and meets 

the 3-A sanitary standard. The 

hose sizes DN 13 to DN 102 are 

assembled to customer specification, 

with crimped couplings. 

The company also produces 

stainless steel couplings themselves. 

These include female 

couplers Easyloc with automatic 

lever lock to avoid unwanted 

disconnection during operation, 

e. g. due to excessive pulsation. 

The couplings are available in 

sizes DN 13 to DN 50. All cou - 

plings are guaranteed to 

Picture: Elaflex Gummi Elhlers 

EN 14420-7. They are reliable, 

leakproof and operationally safe. 


Online search: cpp0218elaflex 

Hall 8.0, Booth L93 

Retrofit solution for valve systems 

Gemü has expanded its Conexo 

range for lifecycle management 

of plants to include a retrofit 

solution of existing systems as 

well as a cloud connection. The 

system actually consists of valves 

equipped with RFID chips and a 

corresponding IT infrastructure. 

Thanks to serialisation, every 

relevant component such as the 

body, actuator or diaphragm can 

clearly be traced using the company 

RFID reader. Furthermore 

the corresponding app for mobile 

devices makes the mainte - 

nance process much more transparent 

and easier to document. 

Finally, the internet portal acts 

Picture: Gemü 

as a central element, helping to 

collect, manage and process 

data. The retrofit solution enables 

company valves as well as 

products from third parties to 

be integrated into the system. 

Various options are available to 

identify the components: plastic 

shields with cable tie, adhesive 

labels for plastic components, 

and captive stainless steel seal. 

The cloud connection facilitates 

network-independent access to 

data without local installation of 

the company portal. 


Online search: cpp0218gemü 



cpp ACHEMA SAFETY, SECURITY 

Combination enhances plant availability 

RUPTURE DISC AND 

SAFETY VALVE 

Changes in the law and ever stricter environmental regulations are forcing 

plant owners to reduce their emission levels. This also applies to pressure 

relief devices such as safety valves. To avoid having to use far more 

expensive valves – which are often difficult to retrofit – it is a good idea to 

install a rupture disc upstream of the safety valve. 


The first step towards fulfilling the regulations was to try and find 

better safety valves, which were simple to build into the design of 

new valves. However, substantial investments were necessary to upgrade 

the older designs of existing plants with newer ones – not an 

economical choice in the majority of cases. Even with new plants, 

there was a significant increase in safety valve costs in the endeavour 

to meet the lower emission levels required for certification and 

permits, to be allowed to start up a plant or continue operating it. 

Although the capabilities of safety valves were expanded considerably, 

they were still not able to comply with the requirements envisaged 

for future zero targets. In fact, it was believed that they never 

would do and so an alternative solution was needed. 

Safety valve versus rupture disc 

Rupture discs have been around for decades but have always been 

seen as a second-choice alternative for overpressure compared to 

safety valves – the poor relation of the safety valve industry, as it 

were, a title they do not deserve. This lack of understanding of rupture 

discs continues to this day. Discs are a “problem”: they open 

and let the pressure out, when in fact that is exactly what they are 

designed to do. Many operators remain blissfully unaware that when 

the disc performs correctly, this is not the problem but the solution. 

So how do rupture discs help safety valves perform better in use? 

Well, when it comes to isolation, they partner safety valves and deliver 

the superior performance needed to realise zero emissions 

which a stand-alone safety valve cannot provide. Although safety 

valves can achieve good performance levels on their own, one 

hundred percent isolation and better operational stability require 

Special safety valves and KUB 

Clean are used in hygienic 

applications 

the use of rupture discs. For several years now, rupture discs have 

been regularly installed upstream of safety valves. Operators are 

starting to appreciate that a properly engineered rupture disc will 

help lower their operating costs and increase plant uptime. The belief 

that this arrangement adds more cost to a project has been 

proven to be false; in fact, the opposite is true and the costs actually 

come down. 

Pictures: Rembe 

Every child 

is one of a kind and unique. Each child needs individual support 

according to their needs. Please help us by donating. Thank you! 

Tel.: 0800/50 30 300 (free of charge) 

IBAN DE22 4306 0967 2222 2000 00 

BIC GENO DE M1 GLS 

www.sos-kinderdoerfer.de 

2016/1 

This year 

you can not only score 

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stark im Team 

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stark team im Team 

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building un successful 

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en équipe 

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STARK IM TEAM bui 

 

 

 

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Phone: +49 5228 779-0 

Fax: +49 5228 779-190 

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im fuerte 


info@ventiltechnik.de 

un team forte un team Team forte www.ventiltechnik.de 

 

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cpp 02-2018 43 

Innovative Valve Technology 

GSR-SP-SK-180425


Reverse acting rupture disc KUB clean 

In-situ test to check whether the safety valve is functioning correctly 

Let us take a typical installation where the safety valve faces a process 

condition with a high concentration of corrosive materials, 

elevated temperatures and an operating pressure close to the valve’s 

set pressure. The safety valve’s limits are put to the test, leading to 

poor performance below the expected levels for operational stability 

and leakproofness. High maintenance costs are incurred to keep 

the valve as close as possible to the original specs, along with increased 

downtime for routine valve servicing and/or repairs and 

higher manpower costs to handle the work. 

The solution suggested by safety valve manufacturers is a valve with 

a higher specification, more exotic materials with higher capex 

costs and more expensive spares for maintaining the valves. In an 

average petrochemical plant with several hundred safety valves, this 

capex translates into a dramatic increase in valve inventory costs. 

Economical solution 

Rupture discs fitted upstream of the safety valve, in a material that 

will isolate and withstand the process conditions, let the plant 

owner install lower grade materials in the valve while still meeting 

all the design requirements, though with a significant reduction in 

the safety valve capex. 

The costs for the rupture disc and holder are negligible compared 

to the capex for an exotic or higher-specification safety valve. If account 

is also taken of the lower expenditure on maintenance, the 

disc and holder are free of charge. In fact, this is a win-win path 

with more production uptime, less emissions, greater safety, lower 

overall maintenance costs and reduced inventory. 

Yet, we still see safety valves with an upstream rupture disc failing, 

needing maintenance and stopping production or causing safety issues. 

So what went wrong? Remember that a safety valve also has an 

outlet. In many cases, this outlet is not a separate line to discharge 

but is manifolded together with other parts of the plant, allowing 

process gases or vapour to enter it and provoke safety valve failures. 

This is something easily eliminated by a downstream rupture disc, 

which prevents any process gases from entering the safety valve on 

the outlet side. The rupture disc will also block any back pressure 

attempting to enter the safety valve and eliminate such concerns 

during valve selection. 

With burst sensors installed both upstream and downstream, rupture 

discs can be monitored and connected back to the control 

room for system reporting across the plant, so that operators know 

instantly which valves and discs are in a green or red state. 

The rupture disc manufacturer can collaborate with design and process 

engineers to select the discs giving the best possible safety and 

isolation performance. Unfortunately, this is still a rarity and is a 

factor in the rupture disc being blamed for poor performance when 

all it is actually doing is what it was designed to do, namely be the 

most important safety device in the plant – the only fail-safe device 

that always opens when faced with an overpressure situation. 

Case history – a practical example 

Rembe was approached by a refinery to help overcome serious issues 

with its safety valves due to process conditions attacking the 

metal structure. The requirement was to enable the plant to be operated 

for three years without having to remove the safety valves for 

servicing and recertification except in an emergency. When the 

safety valves were removed during a scheduled shutdown, several of 

them were found to have broken or cracked springs while others 

were corroded to failure point. Bellows were corroded and broken. 

Several safety valves were so badly affected that the disc and nozzle 

were corroded solidly together and the valve was unable to open. 

This raised major safety concerns that the plant could no longer 

meet its three-year maintenance-free plan and it was decided to return 

to the old test method of regular safety valve removal and replacement. 

An analysis carried out in conjunction with Rembe showed that aggressive 

process gases were present both upstream and downstream 

of the valves, and that isolation with rupture discs in a suitable material 

would offer the best protection. What’s more, the user would 

stand a more realistic chance of meeting the three-year target, with 

the ultimate goal of extending this to five years. 

In addition, the use of KUB V rupture discs allows for in-situ lift 

testing of the safety valves on site during the three-year period, to 

ensure that they are still operational. As a further benefit, the costs 

are lower because the Rembe rupture discs can be removed, inspected 

and reused, and are still in serviceable condition. 


Online search: cpp0218rembe 


AUTHOR: 

ORHAN KARAGÖZ 

Business Development Director, 

Rembe 


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Enhanced 24 V(DC) protection 

Physical isolation prevents 

return supply 

Processing equipment often requires a number of different control rooms and 

cabinets as well as sub-distribution boards. The systems are frequently rebuilt or 

extended due to the long operating periods. Selecting the correct potentials for 

GND and the supply voltage is not always easy. Many design engineers therefore 

prefer an electronic solution for protecting a 24 V(DC) power distribution. 

The ESS30-S electronic circuit breaker and 

the Module 18plus power distribution system 

provide a flexible and reliable solution 

for applications in process automation. The 

advantages of electronic protection compared 

to traditional, thermal-magnetic circuit 

breakers are significant. When using 

switch mode power supplies, the available 

current is normally limited to 1.5 times the 

rated current. Control cabinets are usually 

equipped with switch mode power supplies 

rated for 10 to 40 A. This means that in the 

event of a short circuit, the maximum current 

can briefly reach a value of 15 to 60 A. 

This is not sufficient for quick magnetic 

disconnection of the thermal-magnetic circuit 

breaker. As a result, the power supply is 

overloaded. In this case, it protects itself by 

reducing the output voltage automatically, 

leading to a voltage dip at all connected 

loads rather than just the affected circuit. 

Hence, the failure of a single device can 

cause the whole system to malfunction. The 

ESS30-S electronic circuit breaker protects 

the power supply against overload and prevents 

one small failure from shutting down 

a complete system. 

The active current limitation limits the current 

to 1.2 times the rated value in the event 

of a short circuit or overcurrent. Overload 

of the power supply is effectively prevented, 

as is a breakdown of the entire supply voltage. 

If a short circuit occurs, the ESS30-S 

Pictures: E-T-A 

The ESS30-S electronic circuit breaker: owing to the plugin 

design and physical isolation, it is ideal for the chemical 

industry 

The Module 18plus power distribution system is modular 

and flexible and supplies up to 80 A 


The ESS30-S provides physical 

isolation, interrupting the 

load circuit reliably with a 

clearance distance 

ensures electronic disconnection after 

150 ms. The circuit is physically isolated 

after 5 s. 

Physical isolation 

Standard electronic circuit protectors normally 

do not offer physical isolation. They are 

fitted with a power Mosfet to disconnect or 

switch off the load circuit. If the Mosfet is 

conductive, its low resistance allows current 

to flow through the electronic circuit protector. 

If the power Mosfet is blocked, it has 

high impedance and thus prevents current 

flow. High resistance of the Mosfet, however, 

cannot prevent leakage currents from 

flowing in the blocked state. In addition, 

each semi-conductor switch has an integral 

inverse diode. In the event of a linked failure 

on the load level, the diode may allow a 

direct return supply from this level to the 

24 V(DC) level. Additional physical isolation 

ensured by the electronic circuit protector 

would prevent such a return supply. 

This physically isolating switching element 

is connected in series with the power Mosfet. 

A short circuit causes the Mosfet to first 

of all disconnect the circuit electronically 

and protects the switch mode power supply 

against overload. This happens within 

150 ms. The electronic circuit breaker has 

an additional mechanical switching element 

which opens the load circuit within 5 s in 

the event of a failure, creating a clearance so 

that the circuit is physically isolated. Hazardous 

system conditions are reliably prevented. 

In addition, a faulty return supply 

to the 24 V(DC) control level can be ruled 

out. 

Modules increase hazard potential 

Modular system and plant designs will become 

increasingly prevalent in the chemical 

and pharmaceutical industries in the 

coming years. The importance of power distribution 

and wiring in the field will continue 

to grow. In conduits or drag lines, 

there are often a large number of cables laid 

in parallel. Although separating the different 

voltage levels is a requirement, it is very 

often not implemented in practice. Particularly 

with existing systems, space is limited 

and so are the installation options. A return 

supply of the 230/400 V(AC) load voltage 

to the control voltage level can have catastrophic 

consequences. The ESS30-S limits 

the failure by means of physical isolation, so 

that only one circuit is affected. Damage to 

the entire system at once is excluded. The 

ESS30-S provides extra safety and increased 

system availability. This is the reason why 

major German chemical companies request 

not only electronic protection in their plants 

but also physical isolation. In addition, as 

described above, leakage currents may cause 

the circuit protector’s visual status indication 

to glow. Service technicians are frequently 

unsure about what to do in such 

cases, so that they eventually decide to replace 

the installed devices. Today, the chemical 

company in question relies exclusively 

on electronic circuit breakers with physical 

isolation. 

Perfect power distribution 

E-T-A’s ESS30-S is ideal for use in the 

chemical and pharmaceutical industries because 

it combines active current limitation 

with physical isolation. It unites the advantages 

of an electronic circuit protector with 

the added value of physical isolation. It is 

due to this function that the ESS30-S is approved 

to DIN EN 60934 as a circuit breaker 

for equipment protection. In combination 

with the Module 18plus, it forms a modular 

and flexible power distribution system 

which offers a complete overview of the 

24 V(DC) supply and allows a modular design, 

tailor-made to the plant’s requirements. 

Enhanced flexibility and reduced 

wiring time are further advantages. The system 

also includes a supply module for up to 

80 A. A busbar system provides interconnection 

of all modules. Owing to the plug-in 

design, the individual circuit breakers can 

be exchanged at any time and system adjustments 

implemented easily. The integral 

group signalling rounds off the system. 


Online search: cpp0218eta 


AUTHOR: 

THOMAS KRAMER 

Business Field Manager, 

Division Automation & 

Process Control, 

E-T-A 



Fulfils the highest quality and safety requirements 

Inerting concept for 

centrifuges 

The Heinkel Centripurge SIL 3 inerting system guarantees compliance with 

the latest safety regulations as per TRGS 725 for hazardous, potentially 

explosive atmospheres. Developed by the Heinkel Group, this system is 

particularly suitable for applications demanding the highest levels of quality 

and safety, such as the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients, 

agrochemicals or dietary supplements. 

Explosion risks in chemical and pharmaceutical 

production plants arise due to a 

number of factors in work processes such as 

filtering, screening, agitating and separating: 

the type of substance or medium, for 

example solvents or flammable hazardous 

substances, as well as handling and processing. 

The safety characteristics of these substances 

are key for the risk assessment. To 

achieve a high safety level in areas exposed 

to explosion hazards, plant operators are 

obliged to implement the specifications of 

the relevant laws, directives, rules and standards. 

This includes ensuring a proper operational 

condition at all times as well as frequent 

maintenance of safety systems by 

qualified personnel. 

Improved safety in zone 0 

Centripurge is a TÜV-tested SIL 3 inerting 

concept which makes it easier for operators 

to adhere to the applicable safety regulations 

and fulfil the requirements of TRGS 

725. The design is based on the highest 

requirement level, where an explosive atmosphere 

and a source of ignition are assumed 

to be continuously present in a noninerted 

process area (Zone 0). This results in 

a SIL 3 monitoring device with a hardware 

failure tolerance of 2 (HFT2). In other 

words, Centripurge guarantees safe operation 

of equipment in explosion-proof areas 

in accordance with current statutory 

requirements. Operators do not need to 

have any validation measures of their own 

in place. This standardisation saves time and 

money. Centripurge has a modular structure 

and can be adapted to suit individual needs, 

for instance in Zone 1 or 2, where reduced 

safety requirements apply in the process 

area. In this case, both the SIL requirement 

and the hardware failure tolerance are 

lower. Heinkel also has the experience and 

know-how to support its customers with 

inerting updates for third-party equipment. 

Existing installations or obsolete systems 

can be retrofitted and modernised using 

Centripurge. Furthermore, the manufacturer 

provides expert assistance regarding the 

legally stipulated annual audit of the inerting 

facilities, so that continuous compliance 

with all relevant standards and guidelines is 

ensured. 

Pictures: Heinkel 

Typical applications of the Centripurge inerting system 

Flow-through inerting 

The purpose of inerting systems or parts of 

systems is to displace the atmospheric 

oxygen content within the equipment by 

adding inert gases to the extent that the 

formation of an explosive atmosphere is 

avoided. These inerting measures have to be 

monitored reliably. The use of suitable 

measuring and control devices as part of the 

explosion prevention measures reduces the 

probability of an explosive atmosphere 

forming and hence also the risks due to explosive 

mixtures and ignition sources. The 

reliability of these devices is regulated by 

TRGS 725, which was most recently toughened 

up in 2016. With several decades of 

experience and process know-how from numerous 

customer projects, Heinkel has suc- 


ceeded in realising an inerting concept for 

centrifuges which complies with these strict 

standards and guidelines and offers operators 

a high degree of flexibility when it 

comes to installation-specific requirements. 

The Centripurge inerting concept for centrifuges 

is based on the principle of flowthrough 

inerting and has been awarded a 

positive SIL 3 test certificate for its optimal 

risk reduction in areas exposed to explosion 

hazards. Whereas the inverting filter centrifuge 

has a continuous inert gas flow to 

avoid condensation, inert gas is only supplied 

in other types of centrifuge if the 

pressure falls below a set value, in order to 

ensure a minimum pressure in the process 

area. Plant operators profit from a level of 

safety that is virtually unprecedented in 

inerting systems. The safety integrity level, 

or SIL for short, is used to quantify risk reduction 

in connection with functional 

safety. It is a safety assessment criterion 

which provides information on the reliability 

of the safety functions in automation engineering. 

The risk associated with each individual 

safety function is assessed with reference 

to the relevant standards. The SIL is 

determined by analysing the failure behaviour 

of the components concerned and 

checking them for redundancies, continuity 

and errors. When the TÜV-tested inerting 

concept was developed, the leak tightness of 

the process area and the connecting pipework 

was tested during a first diagnostic 

The various zones during pre-inerting 

phase. The system was charged with inert 

gas for this purpose. Both the supply of 

inert gas and the achievement of the test 

pressure are monitored redundantly. The 

second step entailed pre-inerting, that is the 

expulsion of oxygen in all areas of the centrifuge. 

This is time controlled; the flow of 

inert gas is monitored redundantly. The final 

phase of inerting served to ensure a continuous 

supply of inert gas to compensate 

for leakage flows. As in the diagnostic 

phase, both the supply of inert gas and the 

minimum pressure are monitored continuously 

as well as redundantly. The protection 

concept is realised with a safety instrumented 

control system. Heinkel’s inerting 

concept – the hardware components, the 

TIA/S7 control software and the necessary 

documentation – was repeatedly optimised 

until finally the fulfilment of all relevant 

requirements in all areas was confirmed by 

the testing institute. 


Online search: cpp0218heinkel 


AUTHOR: 

TOBIAS HÄNLE 

Manager After Sales 

Automation, 

Heinkel Process Technology 

T +49 2961 7405-0 | info@rembe.de 

Gallbergweg 21 | 59929 Brilon, Germany 

F +49 2961 50714 | www.rembe.de 

Your Specialist for 

EXPLOSION SAFETY 

and PRESSURE RELIEF 

ACHEMA 

Hall 9.1 

Stand C4 

Consulting. Engineering. Products. Service. 

© REMBE | All rights reserved 

Our competence for your success. 

Gear pumps for the chemical industry. 

Hall 8, Booth F38 

Pump Sizes: 

0.2 cm 3 /rev up to 12,000 cm 3 /rev 

Viscosity: 

0.5 up to 1,000,000 mPas 

Temperature: 

Up to 300 °C (580°F) 

Inlet pressure: 

Vacuum of max. 15 bar 

(215 psig) 

WITTE PUMPS & TECHNOLOGY GmbH 

Lise-Meitner-Allee 20 

25436 Tornesch 

Tel. 04120 70 65 9 -0 

www.witte-pumps.de 

sales@witte-pumps.de 



Software restores order to system safety inspections 

An end to paper chaos 

PEC, the multi-user software, restores order to the paper chaos of system 

safety inspections: it can be used very effectively for planning, documenting 

and performing essential inspections of all kinds. It integrates and improves 

the inspecting of explosion or functional safety as well as other industrial 

safety and quality inspections based on all relevant laws and directives, such 

as BetrSichV, IEC 60079–17, IEC 61508, IEC 61511 and VDE. 

Keeping an industrial plant running is not 

that easy. Operators are responsible not only 

for smooth production but also, and primarily, 

for compliance with a large number 

of legal and technical safety regulations. 

This involves a multitude of tasks: for 

example, system operators are compelled to 

carry out regular electrical and mechanical 

inspections on hundreds of components, 

each of which are subject to their own inspection 

schedules. Furthermore, the inspection 

results must be analysed and a 

proven inspection concept developed on 

that basis. To do this, the inspection status of 

the entire system has to be reviewed and the 

documentation of the safety strategy and inspections 

compiled and prepared. 

A veritable jungle of rules 

The requirements for functional safety and 

operating regulations generate a considerable 

workload of inspection obligations. In 

the case of equipment located in potentially 

explosive atmosphere, there are even more 

regulations and technical rules in addition to 

the complex, underlying set of stand ards. 

The German Ordinance on Industrial Safety 

and Health (BetrSichV, Annex 2, Section 5.1) 

prescribes inspecting of explosion protection 

at least every six years for systems in 

hazardous areas. Ventilation systems, gas 

warning devices and inerting equipment 

must be inspected annually (Betr SichV, 

Annex 2, Section 5.3) while safety systems 

and electrical and mechanical devices must 

undergo inspecting every three years in accordance 

with Directive 2014/34/EC (BetrSichV, 

Annex 2, Section 5.2). 

To satisfy all these requirements, system operators 

have to collect data from various 

sources and incompatible systems – data that 

is often only available on paper. Nevertheless, 

they bear full responsibility for managing 

the entire life cycle of the system reliably. 

Picture: Westend61 – Gettyimages 

Tablet always to hand: the results are en tered in PEC either immediately online or later 

offline and are thus always correct, up-to-date and centrally available 

PEC enables smarter working 

The PEC (Plant Engineering Centre) software 

is an IT solution that makes it much easier to 

plan, organise and carry out inspections. It 

helps operators of technical systems satisfy 

the requirements laid down in laws and 

standards in connection with explosion protection, 

functional safety and operating 

safety and quality. The programme, which is 

sold by R. Stahl and was created by software 

development firm AGU, is designed for practical 

use on mobile devices. 

The Plant Engineering Centre stores data 

centrally and integrates all interfaces 

required for existing IT systems. This ensures 

full data consistency, which minimises the 

effort for acquisition. The system also has 

other advantages: PEC includes an app (PEC 

Mobile) for Android and Windows. The software 

can be used either online or offline. Its 

precisely designed input screens make light 

work of inspections. The data is synchronised 

with the PEC server application via 


ised and saved for reuse. Within PEC-FS, all 

phases of functional safety can be documented 

– from the safety requirement specification 

(SRS) and SIL calculation through 

the generation of the inspection plan, the 

inspection concept for the safety instrumented 

function (SIF) and the inspection 

object for mechanical and electrical inspecting 

to the scheduler and all the way to 

archiving of inspections. The PEC-SQ module, 

in turn, allows convenient processing of 

mechanical inspections on systems such as 

conduits and containers. 

Picture: R. Stahl 

The extensive device database in the PEC-EX explosion protection module makes 

it particularly easy to inspection equipment with different types of protection 

USB or WiFi. If desired, the programme can 

be set up for multiple users with different 

read and edit rights. Data is stored in PEC in 

accordance with auditing requirements, enabling 

efficient and completely paperless inspecting. 

PEC generates time schedules for upcoming 

inspection tasks and outputs automatic re - 

minders of deadlines, so that users always 

have a clear view of when a inspection needs 

to be carried out and which specific tasks are 

required to complete it. The programme 

evaluates the inspections, issues statements 

regarding the system status and archives data 

records, documents and inspection logs. 

Powerful search and reporting functions 

simplify audit and attestation discussions. 

All objects to be inspected are entered in 

PEC. The operators retrieve device (or manufacturer) 

data from an integrated database, 

in which the data records for devices of the 

same design can be maintained centrally. 

PEC-EX, the module for inspecting explosion 

protection, automatically generates 

inspection texts for each device, system 

and/or equipments in accordance with its 

type of protection and the type of inspection 

(visual, close or detailed) as well as 

with the current BetrSichV and IEC 60079. 

The software can be scaled for all operating 

variables. 

Various optional modules are available, such 

as PEC-FS for checking safety functions in 

accordance with IEC 61508, IEC 61511 and 

Namur or PEC-SQ for additional operational 

inspections. Templates exist for creating object-specific 

inspection plans with PEC-FS 

and PEC-SQ, which can be edited, custom- 

Consulting for system operators 

The collaboration between R. Stahl and AGU 

combines the latter’s software and problemsolving 

expertise with the former’s vast 

experience in – and tried-and-tested technology 

for – system safety and explosion 

protection. R. Stahl’s Services division is 

focused on providing customers with comprehensive 

support in matters of explosion 

protection, functional safety or operational 

safety and quality in both safe and hazardous 

areas. 


Online search: cpp0218rstahl 


AUTHOR: 

MATTHIAS LANGE 

Business Development 

Manager Service, 

R. Stahl 

11. – 15.06.18 

Hall 11.1 · A41 

Offering diversity. 

Ensuring protection. 

Perfecting performance. 

Electrical Explosion Protection Equipment 

Wide range of terminal boxes, control units and 

stations, Ex d/Ex de control and distribution 

panels as well as many more products and 

solutions 

Covering Ex d, Ex e, Ex p, and Ex i types of 

explosion protection and combined Ex de 

solutions 

Highest degree of protection for all applications 

from the leading authority on explosion protection 

www.explosionprotection.com 



Picture: Rommelag 

Single-use containment provides safety 

The Flecotec system (short 

name for flexible containment) 

was developed by Rommelag for 

powder handling procedures to 

reliably protect staff and products 

from contamination. The 

system is based on single-use 

containment made from plastic 

films. Containment of single 

processes like sampling, weighing, 

filling and transferring bulk 

materials do not affect existing 

Dust filtration in small spaces 

certificates of plants and processes. 

No cost and efforts for 

additional validation occur. The 

films are disposed off after the 

processes are finished. Time 

consuming and costly cleaning 

and validation processes are 

reduced to a minimum. 



cpp0218rommelag 


The smallest filter systems for de-dusting by Infastaub 

are named AJM 150 and INF 150. They have a total 

height of 51 cm and a diameter of 17 cm. Due to the 

minimum construction height, the filter units can be 

installed in areas with height limitations that do not 

allow installation of other versions. The type AJM is 

equipped with only one cleanable filter bag. The version 

INF is designed as non-cleanable secondary filter. 

The housings of both are made of stainless steel by 

default. On demand, they may be welded absolutely 

gap-free or two-sided, for applications in the chemical 

or pharmaceutical industry. 


Online search: cpp0218infastaub 


Picture: Infastaub 

Picture:Bosch 

Flexible systems for injection solutions 

Bosch presents their SVP250 LF processing system together 

with the ALF 5000 filling and closing machine 

for vials and ampoules in a complete line that enables 

the seamless transport of the product from the processing 

to the filling machine. The transport can be tracked 

by LED visualisation. Data of both machines are fed into 

a single system and are made available for an Industry 

4.0 application. The processing machine is designed for 

small batches from 15 to 250 l. The system features a 

module for two-stage sterile filtration for aseptic preparation, 

which is located between preparation and storage 

vessel. An integrated clean room wall separates the 

process vessels completely from the technical area. The 

connected filling machine immediately continues to 

process the transferred fluid. The filling machine may 

be equipped with up to twelve filling heads. A maximum 

output rate of 600 containers/min may be 

achieved. 


Online search: cpp0218bosch 


VISIT US! HALL 5.0 - STAND B8 

11. – 15. JUNE 2018 | FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY 

OPTIMIZE YOUR PROCESS WITH OUR CORE COMPETENCIES 

SUSPENSION 

FILTRATE 

WET CAKE 

DRY PRODUCT 

REACTOR 

AGITATORS 


CENTRIFUGES 

MECHANICAL 

SOLID-LIQUID 

SEPARATION 

BSV 

FILTER 

DRYERS 

AGITATORS 

BUFFER TANK 

AGITATORS 

THERMAL 

SOLID-LIQUID 

SEPARATION 

DRYERS 

AGITATORS 

BSV

Change-over valves with smart coupling 

The typical lockable combinations 

of change-over valves 

available in the market often 

have a number of limitations. 

Some require the same nominal 

size of the change-over valve at 

the inlet as at the outlet of the 

safety valve. Therefore, the adaption 

of different sizes requires 

unstandardised modifications by 

using additional reducers, weldings 

or pipings. The downside to 

this solution: overall dimensions 

of the installations will grow in 

an unpredictable way. There are 

no standard solutions for lockable 

combinations including 

differently sized change-over 

valves. With the flexible and optimised 

lockable combination 

Leser’s change-over valves are 

adaptable to different inlet and 

outlet sizes of the safety valve. 

The unique features of the smart 

coupling like standardised 

flange distances through different 

sets of elbows make it possible 

to combine a smaller and 

bigger sized change-over valve 

also with different pressure ratings 

if required. Like this, no 

additional reducers, weldings or 

pipings are needed. 


Online search: cpp0218leser 

Hall 8.0, Booth J83 

Valve islands for water treatment 

The valve islands Airline type 

8652 and Airline type 8648 by 

Bürkert offer numerous adjustable 

monitoring and diagnostic 

functions. These functions improve 

system availability and 

and process reliability, while at 

the same time enabling preventive 

maintenance. The valve islands 

are intended to be applied 

in water filtration processes 

such as ion exchange or reverse 

osmosis. The valve islands are 

equipped with integrated displays, 

which directly show key 

information, e. g. the current 

switching statuses or errors 

such as cable breaks. The elements 

communicate via a 

range of common field bus 

protocols, e. g. Ethernet/IP, 

Profinet IO and Profibus DP. If a 

high network availability is 

needed, the Media Redundancy 

Protocol from Profinet IO may 

be used. The valve islands comprise 

up to 64 hot-swappable 

valves. One-way valves provide 

additional safety, because they 

prevent pressure peaks in the 

vent line. While type 8652 is 

particularly compact to fit in 

small cabinets, type 8647 is 

compatible with the I/O system 

Simatic ET 200SP. 


Online search: cpp0218bürkert 


Picture: Bürkert 

Picture: Leser 



Picture: Schubert 

Automation modules for packaging line 

Picture: Windmöller&Hölscher 

Windmöller & Hölscher offer an 

integrated automation and operating 

concept called Easy Control 

for their FFS (form, fill, seal) 

packaging line. The solu tion consists 

of various modules that can 

be individually tailored to the 

needs of the customer. One of 

the modules allows the integration 

of third-party equipment, 

such as metal detectors, 

inkjet printers and weighing 

scales, into the line management 

systems. Thus the operator has 

only to learn one system. Another 

module enables making 

status alerts available on mobile 

devices. The machine can report 

upcoming roll change, for 

which the most efficient route 

can be planned in advance. An 

office function offers the opportunity 

to pull and analyse all of 

the production data in the backoffice. 



cpp0218windmöller 


Digital platform facilitates service 

Schubert offers the digital platform 

Grips.world, which opens 

up the opportunity for predictive 

maintenance of the TLM 

packaging machines and communication 

with customers. The 

platform will enable customers 

to access the system production 

data from anywhere worldwide. 

Data sovereignty lies entirely 

with the customer, who has the 

opportunity to activate an access 

for a service technician. The collected 

data help to identify potential 

problems at an early 

stage, thereby avoiding downtime 

and unplanned service 

calls. In the future, the system 

will forward error messages or 

possible causes of an impending 

failure to the responsive employee, 

e. g. via mobile devices. 

The packaging machine is 

equipped with a particularly developed 

machine interface for 

secure remote maintenance and 

data transmission. 



cpp0218schubert 


Picture: Krones 

Online monitoring of valve seals 

Krones presents an intelligent valve with the option to 

monitor the seal’s situation in the installed state. This valve 

is an outcome of a development project launched by Evoguard 

and Syskron. Seal monitoring is achieved by a sensor 

cable connected to the seal for signal interchange. Signal 

lamps on the valve that light up in the colour codings 

green (OK), amber (schedule replacement) and red (replace) 

provide the operator with a visual indication of the 

valve’s condition. In parallel, the data additionally obtained 

directly from the seal are integrated via an A/D converter 

to the data pool of the key performance indicators (KPIs). 

They supplement information with regard to a machine’s 

performance, such as the number of valve strokes and their 

duty time, which are thereupon automatically available in 

a cloud solution. The client can then access the data for life 

time analysis using an app on a smartphone or tablet. Alternatively, 

the valve could automatically send a notification 

to the manufacturer that replacement is required 

and evoke a purchase order. 


Online search: cpp0218krones 

Forum 0, Booth E1 

Easy to use X-ray powder diffractometer 

Aeris from Malvern Panalytical 

is an easy to use X-ray powder 

diffraction (XRD) instrument. It 

is accessible for everyone – its 

built-in touch screen with the 

intuitive interface directly displays 

all results. At the same 

time Aeris is designed for low 

cost of ownership – it only 

requires a single-phase power 

outlet and needs neither cooling 

water nor compressed air. 

Nevertheless, as the instrument 

incorporates many technologies 

proven on Panalytical’s high-end 

systems, its performance is exceeding 

typical benchtop X-ray 

diffractometer performance. 

Data quality and speed of data 

acquisition have so far only 

been observed on full-power 

systems. Additionally, Aeris is 

fully automatable and can be incorporated 

easily in industrial 

production control. 



cpp0218malvern 


Picture: Malvern 


cpp ACHEMA PUMPS 

Pictures: Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems 

The Dolphin LM/LT vacuum pumps have been completely redesigned but are based on the proven liquid ring vacuum technology 

Classic vacuum technology and yet still state of the art 

Liquid ring vacuum pumps 

Due to their simple and robust design, liquid ring vacuum pumps are suitable for 

generating vacuum in moist gases or vapours. They are used, amongst other things, 

for rough vacuum generation in the chemical industry. The modular design of the 

new Dolphin series of liquid ring vacuum pumps, which Busch Vacuum Pumps 

and Systems will present at Achema, has significantly reduced the number of 

components. 

The principle behind the liquid ring vacuum 

pump was developed back in 1890 as 

the “water ring pump”. Due to their simple 

and robust design, liquid ring vacuum 

pumps are suitable for vacuum generation 

in applications where moist gases or vapours 

are evacuated or where condensation 

inside the vacuum pump tends to take place 

during the compression process. They are 

therefore ideal for wet processes and are the 

system of choice for low vacuum generation 

in process technology, the chemical industry 

and many other industrial applications. 

Operating principle 

Liquid ring vacuum pumps use water, or a 

liquid which is compatible with the gas or 

vapour to be evacuated, as the operating 

fluid. Ethylene glycol, mineral oils or organic 

solvents are also employed, as are 

other liquids that are already part of the 

process. The basic principle is the same for 

all sizes and versions. 

An eccentrically mounted impeller rotates 

within a cylindrical housing. This housing is 

filled with operating fluid to the extent that 

the impeller vanes are immersed in it. The 

rotary motion of the impeller and the resulting 

centrifugal force cause the fluid in 

the housing to form a so-called liquid ring. 

The gas is pumped into the spaces between 

the individual vanes and the liquid ring. 

Thanks to the eccentric arrangement of the 

impeller, the volume of these spaces 

changes, causing gas to be sucked in, compressed 

and discharged again. The liquid 

ring seals the individual spaces down to the 

cylinder. It is therefore sometimes referred 

to as the sealing fluid rather than the operating 

fluid. 

Mechanism 

Due to the operating fluid, this mechanism 

can only be used in the rough vacuum 

range. The reason for this is that the achievable 

vacuum level depends on the vapour 

pressure of the operating fluid which is 

pumped constantly through the vacuum 

pump. This allows a liquid ring vacuum 

pump to be operated at relatively low temperatures; 

in addition, the temperature rise 

of the medium is kept to a minimum during 

the compression process. Liquid ring 

vacuum pumps are hence perfect for pumping 

vapours and gases with a high moisture 

content. The low temperatures in the vacuum 

pump are favourable for the condensation 

of process vapours. To a certain extent, 

this means that the vacuum pump 

simultaneously functions as a condenser and 

because condensation takes place when the 



mixture enters the vacuum pump, the volume 

is drastically reduced. Apart from the 

condensation effect, this also results in an 

increase in the nominal pumping speed. 

The operating fluid absorbs the heat of 

compression and since liquid ring vacuum 

pumps are virtually isothermal, they offer 

advantages when pumping temperature 

sensitive products such as polymers. 

One significant benefit of liquid ring vacuum 

pumps is that both the operating fluid 

and the materials used for the components 

can be adapted to fit the medium being 

pumped. Corrosive or explosive gases and 

vapours can thus be pumped, too. Due to 

the low operating temperatures, pumping 

explosive materials can, in any case, be considered 

much less problematic than with 

other mechanical vacuum pumps. 

Construction 

A basic distinction is made between single 

and two-stage liquid ring vacuum pumps. 

Cross-sectional view of a 

Dolphin liquid ring vacuum 

pump compression chamber 

ASK THE EXPERT 

NEW SERIES OF DOLPHIN PUMPS 

Uli Merkle, Head of Marketing Services, 

Busch Dienste 

Busch is presenting new series 

of Dolphin liquid ring vacuum 

pumps at Achema. What 

changes have you made? 

Both series have been completely 

redesigned. Visually, it is 

immediately obvious that the 

flow channel is now integrated 

into the pump housing. This and 

the directly flange-mounted 

motor make the vacuum pumps 

more compact, and a base frame 

is no longer required. In addition, 

these vacuum pumps are 

perfectly suited for installation 

or as individual vacuum mod- 

ules in vacuum systems. Thanks 

to the modular design, it was 

possible to considerably reduce 

the number of components. 

What are the main technical 

features of the new vacuum 

pumps? 

The difference between the two 

series lies in the ultimate pressure 

that can be achieved, i.e. the 

maximum vacuum level. With 

the Dolphin LM, the two compression 

stages work in parallel 

on one shaft. This makes it possible 

to achieve an ultimate 

pressure of 130 hPa (mbar). 

With the Dolphin LT series, the 

two compression stages are connected 

through the flow channel 

so that air, gases or vapours 

to be extracted go through them 

one after the other. This results 

in two-stage compression and 

therefore means that an ultimate 

pressure of 33 hPa (mbar) can 

be reached. 

What are the special advantages 

of the new series? 

In order to prevent corrosion 

within the vacuum pumps, stainless 

steel impellers are used as 

standard, while the standard version 

of the housing is made of 

cast iron. This material configu - 

ration allows for a variety of applications 

in processing technology 

to be covered. We also offer 

stainless steel housing for handling 

highly corrosive media. All 

sizes are also available in different 

Atex versions and temperature 

classes. As a result, these 

vacuum pumps can be used in 

almost all processes in the 

chemical and pharmaceutical industry, 

as well as in many other 

branches. All vacuum pumps 

from the Dolphin LM/LT series 

are equipped with IE3 standard 

motors which guarantee energy-efficient 

operation. The optimized 

shaft seals contribute to a 

significant increase in service 

life. Depending on the pumped 

medium, Viton and FFKM are 

available as material variants. 

What will Busch‘s other exhibition 

focuses be at this year‘s 

Achema? 

In addition to the new Dolphin 

LM/LT series, we will also be 

showing solutions for processes 

in which the pumped medium 

should not condensate inside 

the vacuum pump. For this purpose, 

we will be presenting a 

dry Cobra NC screw vacuum 

pump, one that does not use 

operating fluids. These vacuum 

pumps achieve a considerably 

higher vacuum level compared 

to Dolphin liquid ring vacuum 

pumps. We will demonstrate the 

Cobra NC in a vacuum system in 

combination with a vacuum 

booster. As individual solutions 

for vacuum generation are often 

required, particularly in chemical 

processing technology. We 

will round off our presentation 

at Achema with an explosion 

shock-proofed R 5 RE rotary 

vane vacuum pump. They are 

designed to convey explosive 

gas/air and vapour/air mixtures. 

The Atex-certified vacuum 

pumps are suitable for extracting 

almost all substances from 

explosion group IIB3 as well as 

petrol vapours. 



In the single-stage version, the compression 

process described above is performed in 

one compression stage. In the two-stage 

vacuum pump, the pre-compressed medium 

from the first stage is conveyed to a second 

stage and compressed again. Ultimate pressures 

of 130 hPa (mbar) can be realised 

using single-stage liquid ring vacuum 

pumps, while two-stage versions can 

achieve up to 33 hPa (mbar). 

Even the sizes vary significantly. Busch 

Vacuum Pumps and Systems has several 

different series and versions of the Dolphin 

liquid ring vacuum pumps in its portfolio, 

with pumping speeds ranging from 25 to 

26,500 m³/h. 

Variants 

The operating fluid can be supplied and removed 

in three ways: 

• Non-recirculating or once-through operation: 

This is the simplest method of operating 

a liquid ring vacuum pump and is 

possible whenever there is sufficient operating 

fluid available. The compression 

stage is constantly supplied with fluid, 

which is subsequently discharged together 

with the gas and the condensate. 

• Open fluid circuit or partial recirculation 

operation: In an open circuit, the operating 

fluid is diverted into a liquid separator 

together with the gas after it exits the vacuum 

pump. The liquid and the gas are 

then separated. The gas is discharged or 

transferred while the operating liquid 

flows back to the pump. Additional fresh 

operating fluid is supplied via the liquid 

Gas flow through a two-stage liquid ring 

vacuum pump 

separator. This guarantees that there is 

enough liquid in the circuit and that the 

temperature does not rise. An open-circuit 

design can reduce the consumption of 

fluid by up to 50% compared to non-recirculating 

operation. 

• Closed fluid circuit or total recirculation 

operation: There is also a liquid separator 

downstream from the pump in a closed 

circuit. Gas is discharged from the sepa - 

rator, while the operating fluid is diverted 

by means of a heat exchanger prior to reentering 

the vacuum pump. The operating 

fluid is thus maintained at a constant temperature 

and only small amounts of fresh 

fluid need to be added via the liquid separator. 

A closed circuit is therefore recommended 

whenever sufficient operating 

fluid is not available or as much fluid as 

possible needs to be conserved. 

Dolphin liquid ring vacuum pump with an 

open operating fluid circuit 

Tailored vacuum systems 

Liquid ring vacuum pumps are exceptionally 

well suited for use as modules in vacuum 

systems and installations. Lower ultimate 

pressures can be realised in combination 

with gas, air or steam ejectors (jets) 

or with Roots type vacuum boosters. Technically 

and economically optimum solutions 

can be achieved using vacuum systems that 

are directly tailored to the individual application. 

The various Dolphin liquid ring vacuum 

pump sizes from Busch are also available 

in Atex-certified versions. 

www.prozesstechnik-online.de 

Suchwort: cpp0218busch 


AUTHOR: 

ULI MERKLE 

Head of Marketing Services, 

Busch Dienste 

Hall 8, Booth D54 

www.dickow.de 

Made in 

Germany 

PRM acc. to API 685 

Application range for 

oil and gas industry 

100% leakproof – the GREEN one! 



Pictures: Flux 

Lukas Lehmann, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of cpp, interviewing Klaus Hahn, Managing Partner of Flux Geräte GmbH, and his Sales 

Manager Jürgen Rabenseifner 

Drum and container pumps with a modular design 

Built with a heart of steel 

Flux originally launched its 400 series of drum pumps in the market sixty years ago. 

Today, the series includes eight different drum and container pumps for vertical or 

horizontal delivery. Read on for an interview with Klaus Hahn, the company’s Manag - 

ing Partner, and his Sales Manager Jürgen Rabenseifner to discover how Flux has continuously 

expanded this series over time. 

Flux brought the first electric drum pump to market in 1950. 

Mr. Hahn, what was the idea behind its development? 

Klaus Hahn: Before that, drum pumps were always manually operat - 

ed. This was both time-consuming and strenuous. Because of this, 

our company had the idea of combining drum pumps with an electric 

motor. Flux has traditionally had a high level of competence in 

the electric drives area, which is probably why we were able to come 

up with this particular invention. That’s how the world’s first electric 

drum pump came into being back in 1950. An explosion protected 

version followed in 1953. We were also the first supplier in the 

world to offer this product. In 1957, we then introduced the 400 series 

of pumps, which will celebrate its 60 th anniversary this year. 

How did your company gain its expertise in the electric drive 

technology field? 

Hahn: Flux started out manufacturing electric motors for Progress 

vacuum cleaners, which at the time were made in Stuttgart. 

Back to the 400 series. These are axial centrifugal pumps. What advantages 

does this type of pump offer users? 

Hahn: These pumps can be used universally. However, their biggest 

advantage is that they work without pulsation, creating a very even 

flow. 

Over the last sixty years, the company has built an extensive prod - 

uct family based on the 400 drum pump series. What was the driving 

force behind this family’s consistent expansion? 

Hahn: That’s always been our customers, who continue to confront 

us with new pumping tasks they want to handle with the 400 series. 

For our engineers, this means the pumps regularly need to be 

adapted to new process conditions in a wide range of industries. 

And that’s how the first 400 series became a product family, which 

today comprises eight different drum and container pumps. 

Could you give us a quick overview of the various pumps that are 

part of the 400 series? 

Hahn: The 400 series basically includes drum and container pumps 

with or without a mechanical seal for vertical or horizontal pump 

delivery. They can be used for different kinds of media. 


Could you also describe a few examples of pumps in the series? 

Hahn: The F/FP 430 is a pump with a mechanical seal for vertical 

standard applications. It is available for submerged depths of up to 

3 m. Its counterpart for standard applications without a mechanical 

seal is the F/FP 424. Both pumps have their own unique strengths 

and fields of use. The F 426 mixing pump is designed for conveying 

and mixing non-homogeneous media with a tendency to separate. 

And then I’d also like to mention the F/FP 425 residual drainage 

pump, whose strength is conveying especially expensive media. 

Can you explain that please? 

Hahn: This vertical conveying pump with a mechanical seal pro - 

vides up to 99.98 % drum drainage. That means just 40 ml remains 

in a 200 l drum after the pumping process. A non-return valve that’s 

closed before the pump is removed makes this possible. The medium 

is prevented from flowing back into the drum. 

Do pumps for hygienically sensitive applications in the food and 

pharmaceutical industries also exist in the 400 series? 

Hahn: Yes, the F/FP 427 for example. This vertical delivery drum 

„Our customers continue to confront us 

with new pumping tasks for the 400 series. 

That’s the driving force behind the development 

of these pumps.” 

and container pump has a sealless design in the liquid area. It is 

manufactured from stainless steel and can be disassembled completely, 

which makes it very easy to clean. We also offer it in a 3A sanitary 

version for the American market. 

Up to now, you’ve only discussed pumps for vertical applications. 

Could you please also describe one for horizontal delivery? 

Hahn: The Miniflux container pump was developed for horizontal 

use on IBCs. Despite its extremely compact design, it achieves a 

strong flow rate. 

As the examples you’ve mentioned indicate, the pumps in the 400 

series are very well tailored to a wide range of tasks. This is due to 

their different seal designs and rotor types. What rotor versions 

does the portfolio include? 

Hahn: Before I come to the rotor types, I’d like to say one more 

thing about the seal designs: all our plastic pumps with mechanical 

seals have a heart of steel. This is a steel pipe coated on the exterior 

with plastic in which the pump shaft is housed, with a mechanical 

seal on the bottom end. On the one hand, the steel pipe creates a 

defined position for the mechanical seal – even if the temperature 

fluctuates. On the other, it stabilises the travel of the pump shaft, 

which is a very important factor especially at submerged depths of 

over 2 m. 

And why is the steel pipe coated with plastic on the outside? 

Hahn: To create chemical resistance to the conveyed media. 

Versioned catalog production 

Perfect project management for highly complex jobs 

Tools for an efficient workflow 

druck@konradin.de 

www.konradinheckel.de 

katalog_V5_188x32_1c_en.indd 1 24.01.2011 15:14:15 

portable probes 

Gas Analysis 

11.06. - 15.06.18 / Frankfurt 

hall 11, stand A43 

Welcome! 

cpp 02-2018 61 

BUEHLER-TECHNOLOGIES.COM >> product introduction / data sheets / contact person


Let’s get back to the rotors. What kinds of design are available? 

Hahn: We equip our pumps with axial or semi-axial rotors, which 

are also called centrifugal rotors, depending on the customer’s 

needs. 

When is which kind of rotor used? 

Hahn: We recommend axial rotors for applications where a high 

delivery rate is desired. Semi-axial rotors are preferred whenever 

the medium needs to be conveyed over long distances at high pressure 

or if it has to overcome a big difference in height. 

In which materials does Flux offer its 400 series drum and 

container pumps? 

Hahn: That depends firstly on their resistance to the media to be 

conveyed and secondly on whether the pumps will be operated in 

explosion hazard areas. The spectrum of possible materials for components 

that come into contact with the product ranges from polypropylene 

or polyvinylidene fluoride to aluminium and stainless 

steel or Hastelloy C. 

The F/FP 430 vertical pump with a 

mechanical seal can be quickly disassembled 

into interior and exterior pipes 

Are all pumps approved for use in explosion hazard areas? 

Hahn: No. The F/FP 427 hygiene pump, which can be fully disassembled, 

and all plastic pumps like the F 430 PP 100/50 container 

pump, which is made of polypropylene, must not be used in explosion 

hazard areas. Apart from these, all other pumps in the 400 series 

and made of stainless steel or Hastelloy C have Atex approval. 

Not even the best pumps can function without a drive. What 

options does Flux offer for the 400 series? 

Hahn: Depending on the customer’s needs, the pumps either have 

an electric or a pneumatic drive. Of course, the highest demand is 

for electric drives and above all commutator motors. 

Which Flux also manufactures in-house. 

Hahn: That’s right. We manufacture them ourselves here in Maulbronn. 

Why does the company make its own motors? 

Hahn: For quality and flexibility reasons. Our customers value the 

high quality of our products. By manufacturing our own commutator 

motors and implementing our own accompanying quality man - 

agement system, we can keep a handle on quality ourselves. In addition, 

we can react very flexibly to different country-specific requirements 

with respect to the voltage and frequency at which the 

motors can be operated. 

Jürgen Rabenseifner: By producing our own motors, we’re better 

able to react to customer requirements. I’m thinking of one case we 

recently handled for customers from the Middle East. They were 

looking for an explosion protected pump unit that could be operat - 

ed up to an ambient temperature of +60 °C. The Atex approval only 

covers a temperature range up to +40 °C. With this requirement in 

mind, we developed our explosion protected F 460 Ex commutator 

motor to handle the desired ambient temperature. Then we had PTB 

certify the entire pump unit, consisting of the F 460 Ex HT motor 

and the sealless F/FP 424 (HT) pump, in accordance with Atex requirements. 

The 400 series also includes so-called pump sets. Mr. Raben - 

seifner, what are these sets exactly? 

Rabenseifner: They’re pre-configured units consisting of a pump, 

motor, hose and pump nozzle. They offer two major advantages for 

In the polypropylene version of the F 430, a 

heart of steel in the inner pipe compensates 

temperature fluctuations, ensuring that the 

mechanical seal remains tight 

users: We tailor all the components to the medium to be conveyed 

as well as to the application. Secondly, these units can be put into 

operation immediately. 

Could you describe a typical example of how a 400 series drum 

and container pump is used in the chemical industry? 

Rabenseifner: That’s quite difficult because these pumps are used in 

such a wide range of applications in that industry every day. One 

frequent use is delivering hazardous materials such as amines to a 

tank, then filling them into holding tanks. The FP 425 Ex S with a 

non-return valve is used for this purpose, for example. In conjunct - 

ion with a flow meter, an overfill protection device and appropriate 

emission control equipment we can create a semi-automatic filling 

system that fulfils the highest safety requirements. 


Online search: cpp0218flux 


THE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED BY: 

LUKAS LEHMANN 



Industrie 

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Information, inspiration and networking 

for professionals and industry executives 

Practical knowledge spanning all media 

channels: Trade journals, websites, newsletters, 

whitepapers, webinars, events 

Your qualified partner for future topics 

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Discover the appropriate media for 

you and your specific industry sector: 

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Achieving optimum service lives with hydrodynamic shaft seal 

Shaft protected by 

whirlwind 

The horizontal and vertical pumps by Bungartz cope with complicated, difficult 

or dangerous process conditions since the company’s very first days. 

For each and any specific application, a technically and economically perfect 

solution has been developed. The key component is the hydrodynamic shaft 

seal, which operates like a whirlwind without wear and tear. 

More than 70 years ago, the sturdy slurry 

pump MOR conveyed the difficult to handle 

medium corn mash for Maizena (now Cargill). 

The “M” in the name remained as well 

as the numerous benefits characteristically 

representing today’s durable horizontal 

pumps MOS and UMOS, which are capable 

of dry running. One of the fundamental 

prerequisites for the success of these centrifugal 

pumps is the hydrodynamic shaft 

seal. This seal basically consists of a distinctive 

blading on the impeller’s rear side. 

Thus, the pumping medium is carried away 

Circulating pump M-UMOR 

with semi-axial impeller for 

conveying ammonium nitrate 

Pictures: Bungartz 

from the shaft opening protecting the 

downstream shaft seal system. Depending 

on the application case, many of the pump 

ranges by Bungartz combine the hydrodynamic 

seal as primary seal with a downstream 

secondary seal (gland, mechanical or 

lip seal, or magnetic coupling). No sealing 

(no gland, no mechanical seal) is required 

during the operation of the horizontal centrifugal 

pumps MOS and UMOS. The hydrodynamic 

shaft seal operates without any 

friction and wear. It is well known that it is 

suitable for solids: “Some time ago a MOR 

was removed. It had been working since 

1948 and was fully functional all the time,” 

tells Frank Bungartz, General Manager of 

the company of the same name. This pump 

type still has its merits. An example for this 

represents the big circulating pump 

M-UMOR (900 m 3 /h), which is, for instance, 

used to convey ammonium nitrate. 

The pumps of the ranges MOS/UMOS and 

MOR/UMOR (designs for high/low suction 

heads) achieve best results for pumping 

media which are corrosive, abrasive, viscid, 

gas-laden, crystallising or gelling. Thanks to 

their high reliability, very high availability 

and low maintenance costs, they are used in 

a wide variety of plants. They are used globally 

to convey ammonium nitrate, ammonia, 

urea solutions or phosphoric acid. 

Toxic, outgassing and hazardous 

Toxic waste water, hazardous or outgassing 

liquids, or solid-laden, sludgy, crystallising 

or corrosive media require leak-free pumps 

with hermetic seals. Conventional magnetcoupled 

centrifugal pumps or canned motor 

pumps do not meet these specific requirements. 

Usually, they are equipped with 

liquid-lubricated slide bearings, which are 

not safe to run dry and are subject to high 

wear. They require a clean, solid-free liquid 

for bearing lubrication. The pumping medium 

is typically used for this purpose. 

The design of MPCV-AN follows a different 

approach. The vertical pumps function 

without bearings in the pumping liquid. In 

this case the shaft seal concept of the permanently 

dry-running pump is also based 


® 

Sadko Meusel explains the pump principle 

of the safe to run dry magnet-coupled 

vertical pump MPCV-AN by means of a 

functional model 

on the completely hydrodynamic relief of 

the bearing and seal unit. The concept is 

based on permanently grease-lubricated 

roller bearings. They are protected against 

the product vapours by a gas barrier. An 

eddy current-free magnetic coupling seals 

the pump hermetically from the surrounding 

environment. Roller bearing service 

lives of more than five years continuous operation 

are the norm. Also thanks to the vertical 

orientation of the pump, the bearing 

and sealing unit runs entirely without product 

contact, even in the event of a sealing 

gas failure. Even high volumes of solids and 

gases are permitted. Like all pumps in the 

V-AN range, the MPCV-AN works with 

special control characteristics, i. e. the 

pumps adapt automatically to variable feed 

rates – without any mechanical or electrical 

regulation equipment. And as with all 

pumps of the V-AN range, considerable cost 

advantages can be achieved through the correct 

pump selection. Through early planning, 

there is no need for the construction 

of pits, scaffolding or vessels, while regulator 

valves, signals, etc. can be dispensed 

with completely. 

On-site operation 

Substances are heated to temperatures of up 

to 1000 °C and blended at a company. The 

resulting highly hazardous medium that 

forms hydrochloric acid vapours upon contact 

with humidity, ought rather be a job for 

the already described pump type UMOR 

with hydrodynamic seal. The disadvantage: 

This pump type, equipped with mechanical 

seals, would have to struggle with chlorine 

ions diffusing through the sliding clearances 

of the mechanical seals. This type of 

seal would reach a service life of approx. 

two years. This is why Bungartz counts on 

another pump type: the magnetically 

coupled pump MPCV-AN was installed in 

October 2008. According to the operating 

manual, the pump should undergo a maintenance 

service after two years. The operator 

carried out vibration measurements each 

month. No malfunctions on the bearing 

were found until that time. This is why the 

operator ignored this specification. Even in 

the following years no malfunctions or failures 

occurred. The reserve pump, which 

was acquired at the same time as the MPCV- 

AN, has not been put into operation at all. It 

is still waiting to be used. In the meantime, 

the installed MPCV-AN is running for more 

than 50,000 h – permanently and without 

any incidents. Eventually, the operator asks 

Bungartz what is about to happen with the 

necessary reserve pump. 

After extensive discussion with the team at 

the centrifugal pump manufacturer, the responsible 

engineer at the operator’s decides: 

The reserve pump is to be activated so that 

the used pump could undergo the recommended 

maintenance after more than six 

years of operation. In the meantime, the 

bearings and seals of the reserve pump are 

replaced. Thus optimally prepared it takes 

over its duties – just as smooth as the removed 

pump. Meanwhile, the removed 

MPCV-AN, which did not have to experience 

an inspection since its installation, is maintained 

at the production site in the Eifel region. 

Here also, it shows no anomalies. 


Suchwort: cpp0218bungartz 


AUTHOR: 

ANNETTE VAN DORP 

Freelancer 

Innovations for heating 

Flexible 

electical 

heating technology 

• Chemical heated hoses 

• Transfer- / delivery hoses 

• Ex-heated hoses 

• Barrel heaters 

• Pipe trace heaters 

• Heating plates 

• Special solutions 

We exhibit at: 

Achema 11.–.15. June 2018 

hall 11.1. booth E15 

We are looking forward to see you! 

Hillesheim GmbH 

Am Haltepunkt 12 

D-68753 Waghäusel • Germany 

Phone.: +49 72 54 / 92 56-0 

E-Mail: info@hillesheim-gmbh.de 

www.hillesheim-gmbh.com 


cpp ACHEMA INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL, AUTOMATION 

Profinet takes on a leading role in future automation concepts 

One network for every 

application 

When it comes to cloud connections, modular systems, optimised maintenance 

activities, etc., digitalisation is quite simply a must for the process industry. Current 

efforts are focused on easy access to sensor and actuator data, and communication 

technology is playing an increasingly important role. 

Today’s control systems don’t make it easy 

to connect supplementary tools, such as 

those for optimisation, because an engineering 

process is generally necessary for integration. 

Accessing a sensor via the control 

system’s controller normally entails a lot of 

effort. Since it is not desirable to modify an 

operable system, most people choose not to 

bother. Yet to many users, this situation just 

isn’t good enough. At the same time, incorporating 

this data in asset management, 

condition monitoring or other IT systems 

requires higher bandwidths and Ethernet 

support. It is very likely that these requirements 

will increase again in the context of 

digitalisation and Industry 4.0. 

This is why a whole host of concepts and 

processes enabling access to the data in 

question have been developed over the last 

few years. One current example of this is 

NOA (the Namur open architecture concept), 

which allows monitoring and optimisation 

applications to be initially integrated 

as a prototype, for a limited time 

only or permanently without having to engineer 

the system. 

Ethernet-based communication technologies 

like Profinet are a crucial pillar of future 

automation designs, as they are responsible 

for the secure transmission of information. 

By using industry-specific profiles, 

Profinet is also able to provide the data 

with semantics, so that it takes on useful 

meaning. Profinet facilitates the integration 

not only of other networks, such as upstream 

or downstream production steps like 

packaging lines, but also of diagnostic and 

maintenance tools or additional, individual 

sensors. The advantage here is that Profinet 

can work with such a wide variety of networks 

whereas the user has only one. 

With OPC UA, the connection to higher levels 

is very easy to implement without an 

additional network on account of the NOA. 

For a long time now, PI has been cooperating 

with the OPC Foundation with the goal 

of utilising OPC UA in PI technologies. The 

FDI specification actively promoted by PI in 

cooperation with the FieldComm Group 

uses OPC UA services, for example. The OPC 

UA for Devices specification which is already 

established there is also used to map 

Profinet. Thanks to the TCP/IP channel in 

Profinet networks, which is traditionally 

open, OPC UA access to lower-level devices 

is possible via the controllers and gateways 

or even directly. 

An OPC UA Profinet companion specification 

targeted for completion in mid-2019 

is currently in preparation. Device manufacturers 

can continue to integrate proven 

Profinet services; information on OPC UA 

services can then be displayed in the relevant 

devices according to the defined mapping 

and depending on the customer’s 

requirements. 

Profinet offers suitable solution concepts to meet the increased requirements arising from digitalisation 

and Industry 4.0 

Pictures: Profibus 

Process-specific requirements 

This isn’t the only way that Profinet has 

been adapted to the specific needs of the 

process industry over the past five years, 

though. Cyclic and acyclic data exchange, 

the integration of fieldbus systems using 

proxies, time synchronisation and time 


APL – Extension of the IEEE 802.3cg standard 

for use in the process automation 

Architecture of an Ethernet network with APL 

stamping, diagnostics and redundancy or 

configuration of the system on the fly are 

likewise possible. The industry’s characteristic 

requirements have meanwhile also 

been integrated into Profinet Tester, which 

is used to carry out automated test runs at 

accredited PI test laboratories by testing 

both the interface functionality’s conformity 

with the standard and the interoperability 

of devices from multiple manufacturers. 

New paths in hazardous areas 

Every step was carried out in very close cooperation 

with Namur. This will also apply 

to the next set of tasks when field devices 

with a Profinet interface are made accessible 

to explosion-protected areas. 

A little background information is needed 

here: the use of Ethernet-based interfaces 

with field devices for process instrumentation, 

for example when explosion protection 

requirements must be taken into account, 

has its limitations. Apart from explosion 

protection, the process industry also 

needs two-wire communication. Segment 

lengths of up to 1000 m are necessary in 

large-scale chemical plants, and the process 

sensors and actuators must be powered via 

the two-wire connection parallel to communication 

(loop power). 

Since it makes sense to standardise this kind 

of development, numerous representatives 

from production, process and building 

automation, as well as PHY manufacturers, 

got together to initiate an IEEE call for interest 

in July 2016. Just six months later, the 

IEEE 802.3cg Task Force was ready to start 

work on the specification of a new standard. 

Based on this, ASIC manufacturers can now 

develop an Ethernet PHY which is suitable 

for an array of applications like the building, 

manufacturing and process industries. 

The special challenges of explosion protection 

cannot be solved by IT experts, however. 

This is why the three organisations – 

FieldComm Group (FCG), ODVA and PI 

(Profibus & Profinet International) – as well 

as eleven industry partners of the APL (Advanced 

Physical Layer) project have taken up 

the gauntlet. On the one hand, an APL interface 

with a very low energy requirement is 

called for to enable intrinsically safe field 

devices to be implemented. DEKRA EXAM is 

presently collaborating on this. On the 

other, this interface must be designed in 

such a way that it is still economical. After 

all, there are thousands upon thousands of 

very simple temperature and pressure transmitters 

at any chemical facility, so that expensive 

interfaces simply aren’t realistic 

here. 

The APL project thus supports the current 

work of the IEEE 802.3cg Task Force. The 

framework for the new Ethernet standard 

has already been defined: a data rate of 

10 Mbps, simultaneous transmission and 

reception via a two-wire line (full-duplex 

communication) and optional an power 

supply to connected terminal devices over 

the same line (power over data line). 

One central task of the APL project team is 

to ensure the interoperability of APL components. 

This includes specifying intrinsically 

safe communication and supply as well 

as the associated profiles, so that industrial 

Ethernet field devices can be used in 

hazardous areas up to Zone 0 or Class 1/ 

Division 1. Ensuring the conformity of 

these devices, and hence their interoperability, 

is likewise a top priority. 

Working together with users 

In the meantime, conformance and EMC 

tests are already being defined, guidelines 

for installation and test scenarios developed 

and reference implementations addressed. 

The APL team now needs to install a pilot as 

soon as possible, so as to gain experience 

with the new technology together with 

users. The first certified APL devices are expected 

in 2021. 


Online search: cpp0218profibus 

Hall11.0, Booth C43 

AUTHOR: 

DR. PETER WENZEL 

Executive Director, 

PI (Profibus & Profinet 

International) 



Pictures: Emerson Process Automation 

DeltaV Mobile seamlessly integrates with existing platforms in such a way that no additional DCS configuration is required, and there is no separate 

database of tags to manage 

Mobile solutions deliver the right information at the right time 

Put the digital plant in the 

palm of your hand 

Mobile solutions put plant operations at the fingertips of users, providing access to 

real-time process data, diagnostic information, trends and alarms and enabling these 

to be monitored by the person best suited at any time, wherever they happen to 

be. This 24/7 access to operational intelligence, beyond the confines of the control 

room, facilitates quick and well-informed decisions. 

Distributed control system (DCS) workstations 

in a control room typically allow 

operators to access data quickly from 

whichever systems fall within their realm of 

responsibility. Should a problem arise, the 

operator is directed to displays from which 

they can troubleshoot and take appropriate 

remedial action. However, what happens 

when an operator needs assistance from 

other plant personnel who are outside the 

control room yet require access to the same 

data? This is one of the challenges mobile 

applications are helping to solve. By securely 

delivering the right information to the right 

people, well-designed mobile platforms are 

transforming the way in which data on the 

safety, reliability and performance of devices 

and facilities is accessed and consumed. 

Data access beyond the control room 

In industrial applications, mobile solutions 

are being integrated into automation workflows, 

in order to increase efficiency and 

improve plant operations by making operational 

intelligence securely available on demand, 

beyond the confines of the control 

room. Mobile solutions enable real-time 

process values, diagnostics, trends and 

alarms from multiple sources to be monitored 

by relevant personnel anywhere at any 

time. The ability to monitor operations in 

this way – without being restricted by regular 

business hours or manual reports, and 

without being tied to a particular computer 

– provides insights that enable faster and 

better-informed decisions. 

Multilayered mobile solutions that collect 

data from historians and other systems 

require significant engineering effort for 

configuration and maintenance, primarily 

because they are not tightly integrated with 

a particular DCS or historian. This can pre - 

sent a significant barrier to implementing 

such solutions. However, platforms like 

Emerson’s DeltaV Mobile seamlessly integrate 

with existing platforms in such a way 

that no additional DCS configuration is 

required, and there is no separate database 

of tags to manage. 

Furthermore, the tight coupling with the 

DCS leverages existing configurations, 

equipment hierarchies, diagnostics, control 

logic and alarm rationalisation by bringing 

what has already been configured in the 

DCS to simplified, intuitive mobile views. 


These mobile platforms provide the same 

rich information that is shown on the operator 

console – any parameter or alarm that 

has been configured in the DCS. The alarms 

update in real-time, exactly as they would 

on the DCS operator workstation. 

Filtered alerts 

A wide variety of roles are incorporated 

within manufacturing and process industry 

organisations; each one requires access to 

different information and with varying degrees 

of urgency. Well-designed mobile so - 

lutions are more than just remote views of 

an existing DCS – they simplify information 

which is often scattered across various business 

systems and databases in intuitive mobile 

screens that are easy to read and navigate, 

and that are filtered to meet the user’s 

specific needs. 

Mobile applications provide customisable 

filtering via a configurable series of watch 

lists and notifications, which can be used to 

cover a broad range of equipment, user 

roles and times when the user is active in 

plant operations. This can include periods 

when they are either physically present in 

the plant but away from their workstation, 

or when they are away from the plant but 

still on-call. A customisable interface provides 

data filters such as area, unit, equipment, 

module or alarm priority. This resolves 

the problem of irrelevant nuisance 

alerts and allows personnel to receive only 

essential, actionable notifications. 

Furthermore, the alarm information 

supplies important context, such as trends 

of relevant process values or recommended 

actions. With this added context, users can 

make better decisions regarding operational 

events that could affect bottom-line business 

results. 

Extended collaboration 

One advantage of mobile applications over 

traditional DCS operator workstations is the 

way in which they facilitate information 

sharing and collaboration. Mobile solutions 

connect plant managers, automation supervisors, 

process engineers and subject matter 

experts with access to essential real-time 

data, contextualised alarms and historical 

trends that can be shared easily, thereby extending 

secure organisation-wide expertise 

beyond the plant. 

Screenshots of alarm details, process data 

and trends can likewise be shared simply by 

e-mail or text, even if the recipient does not 

have the mobile application. Sharing a link 

with other users via an e-mail or text mes - 

sage directly connects recipients to the same 

live mobile view, so that the sender and recipient 

can view the same synchronised information 

which is updating simultaneously 

in real-time. 

Data security 

Transferring critical data from the plant 

floor in a secure manner is a top priority for 

companies everywhere. Thus, cybersecurity 

is traditionally a key consideration in the 

design of mobile platforms. Data transfer to 

mobile devices utilises several crucial aspects 

of secure connectivity, including 

multi-level segmented architectures, user 

authentication and authorisation or data encryption. 

Whether viewing lists on a mobile device or 

graphics in a web browser, mobile solutions 

for monitoring are strictly read-only, preventing 

users from inadvertently executing 

operations. Process and diagnostic data is 

sent to intermediate, secondary servers that 

are located above the DCS or automation 

control network and isolated by firewalls. 

Mobile platforms access these servers via a 

secure VPN or Wi-Fi, creating a built-in 

means of transferring plant data securely. 

Secure mobile platforms also provide 

whitelisting and data encryption as part of 

their multi-layered network security features. 

In addition, users can connect to 

multiple DCSs or other systems using OPC 

(the interoperability standard for the secure 

and reliable exchange of data in the industrial 

automation space). This enables them 

to obtain real-time data and trends from a 

growing number of sources and translate 

them into consolidated views. 

Improving business results 

DeltaV Mobile is reshaping the status quo 

by putting the digital plant in the palm of 

operators’ hands, wherever they happen to 

be located, thus empowering them to improve 

operational performance, safety and 

reliability. By making it easier for managers 

and engineers to share critical information, 

it helps to streamline workflows and improve 

business results. DeltaV Mobile provides 

a number of key benefits in the digital 

plant environment, for example operations 

managers can maintain high visibility on 

operations, monitor critical process values, 

KPIs or alarms for the entire site, receive 

notifications of critical alarms and communicate 

with the team to resolve issues. 

Safety engineers can monitor safety-critical 

data and alarms for specific responsibilities, 

maintain situational awareness by receiving 

notifications and view alarms in real time, 

monitor safety instrumented functions (SIF) 

The mobile solution connects plant 

managers, automation supervisors, process 

engineers and subject matter experts with 

access to essential real-time data, alarms and 

historical trends 

such as bypasses or partial stroke tests as 

well as critical suppressed alarms. Process 

engineers can access and view critical realtime 

data, alarms and trends in order to 

diagnose issues, evaluate what happened by 

seeing alarms in context with process information, 

obtain notifications for critical 

alarms, quickly communicate issues and 

troubleshoot with operators and remote experts. 

Operators can maintain situational 

awareness while away from the control 

room by receiving critical notifications, respond 

in the right way by always having access 

to vital alarm information that includes 

relevant process data and recommended actions, 

and collaborate easily and securely by 

sharing critical alarms and process data with 

SMEs, no matter where they are located. 


Online search: cpp0218emerson 


AUTHOR: 

SANJIN BIŠEVAC 

Service Sales Manager 

Europe, 

Emerson Automation 

Solutions 



Picture: evgenii-stock.adobe.com/Wika 

The resistance thermometers from Wika also defy the adverse conditions of the polar regions 

Electrical thermometers for low ambient temperatures 

Braving freezing cold 

weather 

Extreme cold is one of the harshest of all ambient conditions. What special design 

requirements must electrical thermometers meet if they are to be used to control 

and monitor processes at outside temperatures of -50 °C or less? Unfortunately, no 

handy thermal jacket exists which can simply be slipped over them. 

New oil and gas fields are still being developed 

and mined despite far-reaching 

concepts for alternative energy sources. The 

majority of these activities are concentrated 

in parts of Siberia and northern Canada, 

where an Arctic climate prevails for several 

months of the year. The increase in oil and 

gas extraction in these regions and the need 

to process it locally have resulted in a growing 

demand for electrical thermometers 

which are suited for low ambient temperatures, 

notably for monitoring and controlling 

processes in petrochemical plants. 

A glance at the climate chart shows that operators 

will not get far with standard products 

under these conditions. Resistance thermometers 

are normally rated for ambient 

temperatures down to -40 °C. In regions 

where extreme cold is a common occurrence, 

that is not enough. A test temperature 

of at least -60 °C is meanwhile used for all 

measuring instruments destined for these 

latitudes. Developing and specifying suitable 

thermometers presents manufacturers with 

daunting challenges. The materials, components 

and design must ensure permanent 

resistance to low temperatures. 

In the field or in the control cabinet 

At the heart of any resistance thermometer 

are the electrics. The measuring resistor 

itself – usually a Pt100 sensor – can survive 

low ambient temperatures without any 

problems. However, it’s a different situation 

with the transmitter which converts the 

measured value into an interference-free 

output signal. In this case, users must decide 

whether the transmitter should be integrated 

into the measuring instrument’s connection 

head or installed in the control 

cabinet in the control room. 

With head-mounted types, the transmitter 

is close to the sensor, so that the resistance 

signal’s susceptibility to failure is reduced to 

a minimum. On the other hand, it is directly 

exposed to the extreme sub-zero temperatures. 

Transmitters installed in the control 

cabinet work at the specified room tem- 


Picture: Wika 

Picture: Wika 

The instruments are cooled to -70 °C in 

special climatic test chambers 

Used plastics must be able to withstand the low temperatures. The values shown in the diagram are 

approximate and may vary according to the manufacturer and the type of plastic. 

perature and hence provide better overall 

accuracy. Then again, users must check upfront 

for possible impacts on the connection 

between the measuring point and the transmitter 

and counter them if necessary by 

choosing a higher cable quality. 

They must also clarify in advance whether a 

local indication is required at the measuring 

point, because physical effects due to cold 

are often observed on thermometers with 

an LC display. The crystals start to freeze at 

ambient temperatures below -20 °C. If the 

temperature rises above this value again, the 

display function may be restored following 

a time delay, especially with low loop currents. 

The LC display must not be destroyed 

at temperatures down to at least -60 °C, and 

the instrument must work normally again 

after the temperature rises. 

If the measured values must be indicated 

continuously on site, either a second 

measuring point with a dial thermometer 

must be provided or a mechatronic measuring 

arrangement selected. Additional effort 

is necessary to specify either of these so - 

lutions as low temperature resistant. 

Use of suitable materials 

The service life and functionality of electrical 

thermometers at extreme sub-zero temperatures 

are principally determined by the 

behaviour of the plastics which are used. As 

a rule of thumb, the brittleness of a plastic 

increases the lower the ambient temperature. 

At a test temperature of -60 °C, standard materials 

soon reach their limits and become 

brittle. Extensive damage can be caused to 

the device in this way, so that the process no 

longer functions reliably. Certain components 

such as cable glands are often made of 

metal from the outset for this reason. 

In spite of this, measurement solutions 

which are completely devoid of plastic remain 

a utopia (take the seals, for example). 

The materials which are selected must consequently 

be suitable for low ambient temperatures. 

Although this condition is nominally 

fulfilled by high-quality plastics, right 

down to -250 °C, the optimum choice is in 

fact guided by the place of use during the 

measurement because it is this that determines 

the required elasticity. Seals which 

work in static environments are less of a 

problem. 

This does not apply when it comes to the 

sheaths for insulating cables, for instance. 

These should not normally be moved, in 

order to prevent micro-cracks and moisture 

ingress. That also includes vibration and 

thermal effects (expansion or contraction). 

All cables must therefore be laid so that they 

are stationary. Outgoing cables should be 

laid in ducts along a wall or – provided the 

process temperature does not distort the 

measured value – the piping. 

Apart from seals and cable sheaths, various 

other components containing plastics exist 

which must likewise be considered, for 

example sealing compounds, adhesives or 

painted surfaces. Particularly if the devices 

are used in hazardous areas, the electrical 

conductivity of these materials must be 

taken into account as well. 

Caution is similarly advised with components 

made of metal. Stainless steel poses no 

problems whatsoever at low ambient temperatures. 

Aluminium alloys are far more 

vulnerable, as a comparative drop test 

shows: aluminium parts exhibit different 

kinds of – and also more severe – damage at 

low temperatures than they do at room 

temperature. Critical components like connection 

heads or cable glands are generally 

manufactured from stainless steel for this 

reason. Aluminium alloys should only be 

used at those measuring points where 

physical effects (impact or shock) can be 

ruled out. 

Complex test series 

Complex test series are unavoidable to verify 

whether an electrical thermometer is capable 

of withstanding the extreme requirements 

described here in practice. Both the 

ready-to-use measuring instrument and its 

individual components undergo tests to determine 

their temperature cycling resistance 

as per IEC 60079-0 and their IP protection 

according to IEC 60529. The fully assembled 

device is additionally subjected to an impact 

resistance test, which is explicitly carried 

out at the weakest points on the outside. A 

tool is applied to the surfaces concerned by 

a machine to see whether flaking or cracking 

is likely. Thermometers intended for 

hazardous areas (EAC-Ex) are required to 

complete these tests with a “safety margin”: 

instead of being tested at an operating temperature 

of -60 °C, they are placed in a 

special climatic test chamber at -70 °C to 

preclude every conceivable risk to process 

reliability. 

The results of the test series are comprehensively 

documented. Once the device has 

been approved, this is confirmed to the customer 

with a comment in the delivery note. 


Online search: cpp0218wika 


AUTHOR: 

JOACHIM BRÜCKNER 

Product Manager 

Electrical Temperature 

Measurement, 

Wika 



Cooling circulation thermostats 

VISIT US AT 

ACHEMA 2018 

CONTAINMENT 

11–15 JUNE 2018 

HALL 3.1 

REACH it. 

STAND A75 

Müller Containment Systems 

Does your process comply with the requirements of REACH 

in full? By using Müller Containment Systems these special 

 

 

GMP-compliant Containment Valves MCV 

 

Dustfree Systems with dust extraction 

devices 

 

Precise positioning and safe docking 

 

 

3 

(MCV) 

REACH it now! 

For more information, please contact: 

MÜLLER GmbH · Industrieweg 5 

79618 Rheinfelden · Germany 

+49 7623 969-0 

processing@mueller-group.com 

www.mueller-group.com 

since 1919 

Will & Hahnenstein GmbH 

The Heating Specialist ! 

heating and cooling jackets 

for standing or lying 

blending tanks 

tailored to your 

specific 

requirements 

PHARMA DRYERS 

HEATING + DRYING + COOLING 

for trays, containers, 

component cleaning 

Options 

solvent condensation and recovery, 

vacuum operation 

L Talbahnstr. 1, D-57562 Herdorf 

Tel. +49 (0) 2744 9317-0 - Fax +49 (0) 2744 9317-17 

E-Mail: info@will-hahnenstein.de 

E www.will-hahnenstein.de 

Lauda has extended its PRO 

portfolio to include two new 

low temperature circulation 

thermostats designed for the 

specific requirements of test 

benches, reactors, climatic 

chambers and distillation plants. 

With a temperature range of 

-90 to 200 °C and a cooling capacity 

of 0.8 kW, the RP 290 E 

and RP 290 EC low temperature 

circulation thermostats are ideal 

as a substitute for dry ice in external 

low-temperature applications, 

for monitoring organometallic 

reactions, and as a cooling 

source for Brookfield tests, 

to name but a few examples. The 

RP 250 E and RP 250 EC models 

offer a cooling capacity of 

1.5 kW. All devices have a heating 

output of 2.5 kW. A minimum 

filling volume of 2.4 l and 

an additional expansion volume 

of two liters serve as a buffer to 

counteract thermally induced 

volume expansion, even on 

larger consumers. The standard 

use of natural refrigerants and a 

Picture: Lauda 

Large-scale solvent recycling 

Ofru Recycling launches the 

ACS-3000, a distillation plant 

with which a separation of over 

99 % purity can be achieved on 

an industrial scale. The system 

separates valuable solvents from 

impurities such as water or 

other liquid chemicals in a 

highly-automated 24-h-operation. 

A packed column with 

Picture: Ofru Recycling 

powerful, adjustable pressuresuction-pump 

round off the 

range of technical equipment 

together with a hybrid cooling 

system that cools the air of the 

refrigerating machine and simu - 

ltaneously allows water cooling 

to reduce the dissipation of heat 

into the environment. All PRO 

devices are fitted with a detachable, 

intuitively operated control 

unit. 


Online search: cpp0218lauda 


automatic reflux is used to increase 

the separation efficiency. 

To process sensitive chemicals 

carefully, distillation is carried 

out under vacuum. Depending 

on the substances to be sepa - 

rated, the plant allows to recover 

up to 10 t/d of liquid 

recyclable materials. The benefit 

of the plant is that the operator 

is able to carry out very economical 

treatment on his own 

premises, thereby saving high 

disposal and transport cost. An 

investment of this kind is said to 

have an amortisation period of 

less than twelve months. 


Online search: cpp0218ofru 


We exhibit at: ACHEMA, Frankfurt, 11.06.–15.06.2018, hall 4.0, booth B66 


Rotating cleaning nozzle with high impact 

The Xactclean HP+ from 

Lechler is made for higher flow 

rates and offers additional 

power especially for bigger 

tanks. It is based on the same 

successful functional principle 

like the well known Xactclean 

HP. The HP+ closes the gap between 

static spray balls or free 

spinning nozzles and cost-intensive, 

high impact tank cleaning 

machines. It enables the cleaning 

of tanks and equipment also 

at higher pressures up to 10 bar. 

Special flat fan nozzles provide a 

very uniform cleaning with 

high impact. The robust drive 

unit enables optimal rotational 

speed and reliable function even 

by using contaminated cleaning 

media. This increases the process 

reliability. 

The high impact of the nozzles 

enables shorter cleaning and ac- 

celerates the overall cleaning 

process. The Xactclean HP+ is 

made of high quality, food 

graded materials like stainless 

steel 1.4404 and Peek. It can be 

used in many applications of the 

chemical industry as well as in 

diverse processes of the food 

and beverage industry. 


Online search: cpp0218lechler 


Picture: Lechler 

FDA compliant 

hydrogen ball valve 

Picture: Hartmann Valves 

Designed for hydrogen and 

fitted with a metal-to-metal 

sealing between the ball and 

seat ring, Hartmann Valves’ ball 

valve fulfils a leak rate of A or 0 

and also complies with the high 

level purity requirements of the 

FDA. With FDA conformant 

components such as O-rings 

and the hard coating of the sealing 

system, the valve is also 

suitable as a reliable shut-off for 

use in the foodstuffs industry. 

Additional safety is provided by 

the double piston design in the 

upper seat ring which constitutes 

a second barrier. A leaktightness 

check can be made at 

any time in the installed state by 

means of an integrated drain 

valve and injections are also 

possible by this means. 



cpp0218hartmann 


Make your 

system smart. 

DULCOnneX for digital 

fluid management. 

June 11.-15. 

ACHEMA 

Hall 8.0 

Booth J94 

ProMinent‘s DULCOnneX is an intelligent way to digitally network 

your system components. Our innovative fluid management 

solution allows you to monitor, analyse and optimise metering 

processes with ease. 

Find out more www.prominent.com/dulconnex 



Picture: Siemans 

Integrated platform for IE3 motors 

With its Simotics XP motors, 

Siemens is providing a technologically 

integrated platform 

concept encompassing all explosion-proof 

low-voltage motors 

in efficiency class IE 3. 

Based on a modular system, this 

platform covers all types of explosion 

protection. Standardised 

selection and engineering tools 

as well as uniform documentation, 

which can be flexibly 

adjusted to individual requirements, 

accelerate the planning. 

Process control system 

Short delivery times and the 

elimination of project-specific 

system tests also cut project run 

times. In addition, all important 

global, country and industryspecific 

certificates are already 

available. By digitally mapping 

the real plant and all its components 

to create a digital twin, 

the platform becomes a part of 

the digital enterprise. The data 

matrix code applied to the 

motor including all technical 

data, the spare parts list and 

certificates allows the information 

to be displayed in full 

using the corresponding app. 

Typical applications for the 

motor platform include pumps, 

fans, compressors, extruders, 

mixers and agitators. 


Online search: cpp0218siemens 


The process control system Aprol R 4.2 from B&R Automation, 

contains numerous software functions, including 

improved cloud communication via OPC UA and 

MQTT. The software functions help to optimize the efficiency 

of plants and processes, e. g. by means of asset 

performance monitoring, further condition monitoring 

features, an extensive business intelligence solution and 

optimized alarm management. The process control system 

has also been expanded with more features such as 

a PID tuning block based on the finite frequency 

method. The control system comes with a „dark 

style“that is said to give the operator a clean, modern 

interface and to make operation easier. The overall state 

of a process can be viewed in a radar chart. A full range 

of redundancy options at every level are now integrated 

as standard features of the system. 


Online search: cpp0218bur 


Picture: B&R Automation 

Picture: Lewa 

Modularly designed metering pump 

Lewa’s Ecoflow series of diaphragm metering pumps, 

which are suited for hazardous, toxic, abrasive, viscous or 

critical media, has been supplemented by the 15 kW version 

LDZ. This pump fills the gap between the LDG (6 kW) 

and LDH (20 kW) sizes. The pump can be used as a single 

or multiplex drive unit. Thanks to its modular design, customers 

may choose between five different pump head 

types, among which there are also designs available for the 

use in food or pharmaceutical industries. The pump 

achieves a maximum flow rate of 18 m 3 /h, and it can 

handle many applications in areas including the chemical 

and petrochemical industry in refineries as well as the oil 

and gas sector. During development of the pump, special 

attention was paid to optimising the components with 

regard to the manufacturing process. The company announced 

to pass on the resulting cost benefits to the 

customers. 


Online search: cpp0218lewa 


Tablet for hazardous areas 

The Pepperl+Fuchs brand Ecom 

presents the compact lightweight 

industry tablet Tab-Ex 02, 

which is suited for hazardous 

areas. Compared to predeces - 

sors, it allows further applications 

like augmented reality. 

Based on the Samsung Galaxy 

Tab Active 2, the industry tablet 

commands the Android 7.1 

Nougat operating system and 

features a powerful Octa Core 

processor with 1.6 GHz and 

3 GB RAM. It is suited for IoTcapable 

applications and simplifies 

data exchange with 

Scada/DCS systems, enterprise 

resource planning systems, project 

management systems and 

computer-aided resource planning. 

It may be used for a wide 

range of tasks such as inventory, 

material tracking, maintenance, 

and supply chain or asset management. 


Online search: cpp0218ecom 


Picture: Ecom instruments 


cpp ACHEMA PROCESS ENGINEERING 

Hygienic mixer for powdery products 

Rouge without stripes 

Expectations are high when it comes to powdery cosmetic products such as eye 

shadow, powder or rouge: they should be easy to apply to the skin, last a long time 

and not crumble or create dust. In addition, they have to be treated particularly 

hygienically like high-purity pharmaceuticals. 

The powder mixture is primarily 

composed of talcum powder, colour and effect 

pigments and mica powder. Further 

components such as powdery or liquid 

binding agents are added to make these 

powders compressible and extrudable. Adhesion 

promoters ensure that the powder 

remains on the skin all day long until the 

make-up is removed. Colour and effect pigments 

have a tendency to agglomerate due 

to their fineness. If they are not sufficiently 

well distributed in the powder matrix, they 

can leave coloured stripes when applied to 

the skin. The mixing step must therefore be 

performed with a lot of shear energy. The 

challenge in the mixing process is to distribute 

the components as homogeneously 

as possible so that they are deagglomerated, 

in order to achieve a reproducible colour 

and a fine-powdered end product. Other 

components create opalescent and holographic 

effects and must be added with particular 

care. 

High mixing quality fast 

Such multi-step operations are guaranteed 

in the Amixon mixer by the zero-clearance 

circulation. A patented Sinconvex mixing 

tool rotates in the centre of the mixing 

chamber. The helical blade collects the mixture 

at the edge of the chamber and carries 

it upwards. When it reaches the top, it flows 

downwards again in the centre of the vessel. 

The components are optimally mixed at a 

slow rotational speed irrespective of their 

particle size, bulk density and flow properties. 

Technically ideal mixing qualities, 

which cannot be improved any further in 

practice, are achieved after about 40 to 160 

revolutions of the mixing tool. High-shear 

blades are used in the Amixon mixers to 

avoid agglomerates. They protrude laterally 

into the mixing vessel and work at speeds of 

up to 3000 rpm, deagglomerating, breaking 

up lumps and activating the surfaces. 

The cutting rotors also support the next step 

in the manufacture of cosmetics: the ultrafine 

distribution of the liquid binding 

agents. The use of cutting rotors enables 

liquid additives to be homogenised particularly 

effectively. Highly viscous liquid additives 

can be distributed into the powder. 

They are injected below the filling level, directly 

into the operating area of the cutting 

rotor, using a feeding lance. The distribution 

of the fluid thus takes place immediately 

due to vortex, friction and centrifugal effects 

when the energy input is increased. 

The lance can optionally be equipped with a 

nozzle and tempered if desired. 

Discharge rates of up to 99.8 % 

Following a short post-mixing time, the 

manufacturing process in the mixer is complete. 

The mixing chamber is completely 

discharged without de-mixing. In practice, 

discharge rates of up to 99.98 % or more 

can be achieved under ideal conditions. Finally, 

automatic wet cleaning can be carried 

out using the patented WaterDragon system. 

The requirements for a preparation mixer 

are always determined by the individual application. 

Amixon has over 30 different test 

mixers, vacuum dryers and synthesis reactors 

available for test trials, ensuring optimal 

results. All apparatus have a hygienic 

design and meet EHEDG, GMP and FDA 

requirements. 


Online search: cpp0218amixon 


AUTHOR: 

MATTHIAS BÖNING 

Sales Manager, 

Amixon 

Pictures: Amixon 

Powdery cosmetics are manufactured in 

accordance with pharmaceutical standards, 

which is why the mixers have to comply 

with the same hygienic regulations 

Two types of wetting are available: left, 

through an injector nozzle and right, 

through a multi-component nozzle 



Polymer structure undamaged 

Maximum dispersion 

at the right moment 

When polymer powders are added to the surface of the liquid, numerous 

agglomerates form which then have to be broken up again through prolonged 

dispersion under shear. However, subsequent dispersion damages the structure 

of the polymer that has already been hydrated and cross-linked. This loss of 

efficiency is typically compensated by an excessive proportion of polymer in the 

formulation, which the Conti-TDS dispersing machine renders superfluous. 

Polymers in powder form are used as 

thickeners, gel forming agents, binders, flocculants 

and functional additives in a variety 

of applications from pharmaceuticals to 

waste-water treatment. Processing polymer 

powders in liquids is problematic, as these 

products are highly shear sensitive after developing 

their polymer structure. They tend 

to stick and agglomerate as soon as they 

come into contact with liquids. Moreover, 

they are very light, fine and often dusty. They 

can only be mixed into liquids with difficulty 

and are liable to float on the surface. With 

the Ystral Conti-TDS, the powder is not 

added to the liquid surface. Instead, the machine 

is installed outside the vessel; it recirculates 

the liquid and inducts and disperses 

the powder into the liquid stream. 

In a fraction of a second 

Powders consist of individual particles, 

which contact each other in the unreacted 

state. There is, of course, air between these 

particles that expands under vacuum. The 

Conti-TDS uses this effect to separate the 

powder particles before they are mixed into 

the liquid. The machine creates an extrapowerful 

vacuum directly in the dispersing 

zone. The powder is inducted into this zone 

precisely. The closer the powder comes to 

the dispersing zone, the higher the vacuum 

and the larger the distances between individual 

particles. No air is added – the air 

which was already present in the powder 

beforehand simply expands. 

The individual powder particles and the 

liquid come into contact under maximum 

turbulence in the dispersing zone, where 

they are fully wetted and colloidally dispersed. 

No agglomerates are formed. No 

further dispersion is required. At the moment 

of wetting the powder is not yet hydrated 

and the polymer structure not yet 

formed. This means that the product is not 

yet shear sensitive. Maximum dispersion is 

desirable and encouraged at precisely this 

moment; it is no longer wanted afterwards 

in a downstream dispersion stage or machine. 

The shear forces only last for a fraction 

of a second. 

Pictures: Ystral 

Processing system with the Conti-TDS for polymer powders 

Agglomerates broken up 

Even if the powders contain hard and dry 

agglomerates, they are fully wetted in this 

way and the agglomerates are not stabilised 

– as they would be if they were simply injected 

or stirred in – but broken up. This is 

due to the fact that agglomerates also contain 

air internally between the particles. This 

internal air expands when approaching the 

dispersing zone, which is under vacuum. 

The air escapes from the agglomerate without 

the agglomerate disintegrating. The agglomerate 

is fully wetted on the outside in 

the dispersing zone. Wetting takes place 

under maximum vacuum. 

The agglomerate, which is fully surrounded 

by liquid, then advances together with the 

liquid and emerges from the zone of maximum 

vacuum and maximum dispersion 


Separation and wetting of the powder particles in the dispersing zone under vacuum 

into the zone of maximum excess pressure 

and maximum centrifugal effect. The internal 

air now contracts similar to an implosion 

under the excess pressure acting on it 

and draws in the surrounding liquid to its 

centre as a result. The agglomerates immediately 

disintegrate owing to the simultaneous 

strong dispersion. 

The air which was previously contained in 

the powder, but is now separated from it, 

coagulates under the centrifugal effect of 

the rotor into large air bubbles and is transported 

to the process vessel together with 

the liquid, where it escapes via the liquid 

surface. 

Economical operation 

The process is characterised by particularly 

gentle, rapid dispersion and maximum wet- 

ting of the powder. Manufacturers of paints, 

cleaning products, cosmetics and adhesives 

are able to reduce the amount of polymer 

thickener by 10 to 15 % when using this 

machine. Users in water and waste-water 

treatment save up to 15 % of their floccu - 

lant this way. More than 25 % of the gelling 

agent can be dispensed with when manufacturing 

medical pain relief gels. This proportion 

has always been destroyed by shear 

up to now, either in a vacuum process tank 

with an integrated disperser or in another 

dispersion machine installed downstream. 

However, applications also exist where 

polymer structures have to be sheared and 

dispersed exactly on the spot. This is the 

case, for example, with dish-washing detergents 

in order to create a silky touch without 

sticking, with anti-foaming agents to 

avoid wetting failures or with products that 

have been adjusted to a high viscosity for 

transport but must have a reduced viscosity 

for application. Here, too, the Conti-TDS 

offers several advantages, as the dispersion 

is controlled and dosed in combination 

with improved wetting. 


Online search: cpp0218ystral 


AUTHOR: 

DR. HANS-JOACHIM 

JACOB 

Process and Application 

Engineering, 

Ystral 

20037 

Heading for Industry 4.0: 

Intelligent, bus-compatible connection system for digital sensors used in liquid analysis – JUMO digiLine 

• Modular system for flexible implementation options: from the standalone measuring point to the sensor network with 62 sensors 

• Reduction of installation costs as a result of minimized cabling effort 

• Reliable process monitoring through digital data transmission 

• Reduced startup and maintenance times with the automatic recognition of the 

connected sensors (Plug and Play) 

• Cost reduction due to reusability of the electronics (only the sensor is exchanged) 

• Easy management of the sensor data through JUMO DSM (Digital Sensor Management) 

• Mobile monitoring of the process data with the free JUMO Device App 

Welcome to JUMO. 

http://digiline-en.jumo.info 

Visit us at the following trade fairs... 

June 14-18 in Frankfurt a.M. (Germany) 


Sensor + Test 

June 26-28 

in Nuremberg (Germany) 

Hall 5, Booth 217 



Hot water process controlled by steam 

Starting hot into the process 

Nothing is more unpleasant than standing under the shower in the morning and 

being suddenly hit by a harsh, cold stream of water. Just like homes, numerous 

processes also need hot water, which is quickly made available at the desired 

temperature. This is ensured by the ready-to-connect Steamaqua compact heat 

exchanger station. 

Pictures: TLV 

Many processes with a heating temperature 

of around 60 to 90 °C are carried out 

using instantaneous water heaters, which 

feed water into hot water tanks. These 

require both space and constant temperature 

control in order to compensate for heat 

radiation. In addition, circulator pumps are 

often installed. The temperature in a water 

tank is frequently also controlled by water 

heaters. When the water tank is empty, another 

heating period starts; it must finish in 

order to reach the right temperature. A heating 

coil only heats up water slowly since 

this water is not flowing. Hot water mixes 

with cold water more slowly as if it were 

actively swirling. The heating process is terminated 

or cooled either by discarding the 

tempered water trap or by the heat radiation 

releasing excess energy into the environment 

during the waiting period. 

Effective use of steam 

Steam-powered heat exchanger stations are 

primarily used for heating temperatures 

above 100 °C. They utilise the high condensation 

energy of the steam in order to bring 

the media to the desired temperature. Since 

this energy exchange is so high, steampowered 

building heating systems which 

are supposed to reach temperatures of 

merely 70 to 80 °C rather than 130 °C need 

to have safety devices. Regulation and control 

equipment monitors normal operation 

and its set switching properties guarantee a 

safe shutdown of the system if limit values 

are exceeded. Normal operation can then 

only be resumed subject to an inspection 

and release. 

These safety settings are, of course, taken 

into account by the Steamaqua heat exchanger 

station. This compact stainless steel 

unit (water side 316 L & 316 Ti, steam side 

304) has a footprint of just 0.7 m 2 . The 

station can be placed anywhere using a 

fork lift or rollers. The system is delivered 

ready to connect and start up. The nominal 

temperature is set on the touch panel and 

hot water is available following a short heating 

phase after having activated the system. 

The ready-to-connect Steamaqua heat exchanger 

compact station provides hot water 

for industrial processes in no time at all 

Perfectly conditioned saturated steam sup - 

plies energy, and condensate is discharged 

quickly and reliable by Steamaqua 

Safe condensate removal 

Steam, introduced via a regulating valve 

with a cyclone separator, is used for heating. 

The now dry, perfectly conditioned saturated 

steam first flows through the safety 


The setpoint temperature is set on the touch panel, which is available after a 

short warm-up phase 

valve before reaching the spiral heat exchanger. 

The condensing steam heats up the 

water on the secondary side and the condensate 

which builds up is removed quickly 

and efficiently via a pump steam trap. Effective 

drainage is especially important for operation 

at partial loads. This is because, 

when the target temperature is reached and 

only a small amount of steam is left in the 

heat exchanger, the steam condensates and a 

vacuum is created in the vertical heat exchanger. 

Even though this condensate reaches 

the collector thanks to gravity, it still cannot 

flow freely. This backlog or stall phenomenon 

causes so-called “flooding” in 

standard heat exchangers since the heating 

surface is filled with water. Steamaqua has 

an integrated PowerTrap, which works 

either as a steam trap or as a steam operated 

pump; by removing any condensate which 

occurs, it guarantees trouble-free operation 

of the station. The hot condensate is guided 

via a preheater and cooled. The residual 

energy is transferred to the inflowing water. 

This water then flows through the spiral 

heat exchanger, the corrugated pipes of 

which ensure turbulent flow and maximise 

the heat exchange. The steam feed is regulated 

by the PLC, so that water leaves the 

heat exchanger at the nominal temperature. 

It is also possible to start up the station via 

Modbus TCP and control the nominal temperature 

in this way. 

To avoid unwanted overheating, thermostats 

and pressure switches are used to monitor 

both the water temperature and the water 

pressure. The steam feed is interrupted if 

limit values are exceeded. The integrated circulation 

pump cools the heat exchanger by 

introducing cold water into it from the inlet 

via a bypass in the counter current, thus 

protecting the core of the station from thermal 

stress. This symbiosis of TLV components 

and expert know-how is why the 

Steamaqua compact heat exchanger station 

truly stands out. Not only is the station’s 

energy balance optimised by the spiral heat 

exchanger and preheater; in addition, a 

tailored insulation package helps reduce unwanted 

heat radiation and simultaneously 

serves as touch protection against burns. 

Short reaction times 

The reaction time is short compared to standard 

hot water systems. Fluctuations in the 

water circulation intake cause minor differences 

in the temperature of the hot water. 

The quick response of the steam-regulated 

heat exchange station is perfect for controlling 

the temperature of water circulation 

systems with or without withdrawal. Even if 

the hot water is used directly, a constant target 

temperature is achieved after a short 

warm-up phase, so that the system is suitable 

for replacing large water tanks. 

An unwanted drop in water temperature 

during high-load periods – similar to a 

“cold shower” – is thus prevented. 


Online search: cpp0218tlv 


AUTHOR: 

DR. MARIA L. 

WINNERTZ 

System technology, 

TLV Euro Engineering 

PROCESS VACUUM 

100% CARE FREE 

no downtime 

chemically 

resistant 

oil-free 

ACHEMA 2018 

Hall 8.0 Stand F53 

Hall 4.1 Stand K49 

www.vacuubrand-process.com 



Pictures: SGL Carbon 

Liquid distributor made of carbon fibre composites for hydrochloric acid at temperatures greater than 150 °C 

Hydrogen chloride recovery system for weak acid 

Increased demand for 

efficient processes 

SGL Carbon is designing an HCl recovery system to recover and purify HCl 

gas from a contaminated weak acid based on the pressure swing distillation 

concept. This process produces pressurised HCl gas free of impurities. New 

materials and an integrated heat recovery concept promise economical 

operation and high reliability. 

The customer is a leading manufacturer of 

refrigerants, fluoropolymers and siliconbased 

products in China. Methyl chloride is 

an intermediate in the production of silicon. 

It is obtained by reacting methanol 

and hydrogen chloride. Hydrogen chloride 

is typically produced by distilling concentrated 

hydrochloric acid. Due to the corrosive 

properties of hydrochloric acid, corrosion-resistant 

materials such as graphite 

and PTFE-lined steel are required for such 

applications. 

Increasing costs for the disposal of weak 

acid are forcing manufacturers to use HCl 

recovery systems to produce hydrogen 

chloride. For this purpose, SGL Carbon is 

implementing a customised system in 

China that almost fully recovers hydrogen 

chloride from contaminated acid. 

Process options 

Extractive rectification is typically applied 

for the complete separation of hydrochloric 

acid. Additives such as calcium chloride or 

sulphuric acid are used to selectively increase 

the volatility of hydrogen chloride in 

order to break the azeotrope. One disadvantage 

of this process is that the addition of 

the entrainer results in a higher boiling 

point in the rectification column. Due to 

the limited temperature resistance of the 

materials employed, only a lower HCl gas 

pressure can be achieved. Consequently, the 

subsequent processing of the hydrogen 

chloride either requires elaborate compressors 

or the lifetime of the equipment is 

reduced. Since such processes can only be 

operated efficiently with a high salt content, 

there is a risk of crystallisation when 

using alkaline salts as the extractive compound. 

Additionally, impurities such as F - , 

(SO 4 

) 2- , etc. may form salts that result in 

severe scaling, thus endangering the reliability 

of the complete system. 

Pressure swing distillation systems avoid 


these disadvantages since entrainers are not 

required. They include a pressurised column 

that generates clean HCl gas free of 

impurities and entrainer residuals at elevated 

pressure at the top of the column. The 

azeotropic acid bottoms of the pressurised 

column is further processed in a second 

column operating under vacuum. Due to 

the pressure sensitivity of the azeotropic 

point, it is now possible to distil water at 

the head of the column. By using two 

columns, hydrochloric acid can be split 

completely into hydrogen chloride and 

water. One specific advantage of the pressure 

swing distillation system is its very 

high HCl recovery rate. This is economical 

with respect both to high HCl yields and to 

wastewater processing, since the impurity 

and HCl content in wastewater is increasingly 

becoming the focus of tightened 

environmental regulations. 

Further design developments 

Furthermore, SGL Carbon is gradually going 

over to carbon fibre composites (Sigrabond 

Chemical) for the internals in HCl recovery 

systems. This new material is suitable for 

use in highly corrosive hydrochloric acid at 

a long-term application temperature of 

170 °C. In contrast to the heavy-walled carbon 

grids which were previously the norm, 

the outstanding mechanical properties of 

the new materials enable grids to be produced 

with huge free cross-sections that are 

not subject to hydraulic limitations. This 

material can also be employed to design 

distributors with complex geometries, leading 

to improved liquid distribution on the 

packing and minimising energy consumption. 

The superior thermal shock resistance 

and pseudoplastic fracture behaviour qualify 

Sigrabond Chemical as the perfect material 

for the harsh conditions of the pressure 

column. 

Material know-how required 

Due to the corrosive properties of the me - 

dium, it is important not only to consider 

process aspects in the design of the system, 

but also to align the process conditions 

with the application boundaries of the 

selected material. As a specialist for pressure 

vessels made of graphite and PTFE-lined 

steel materials that is also capable of pro - 

viding complete system solutions in the 

field of HCl recovery, SGL Carbon combines 

historical material expertise and process 

know-how. 

Accordingly, the process includes columns 

and vessels manufactured from the proven 

material Polyfluron (PTFE-lined carbon 

Selected products used during the pressure swing process 

steel). This material is characterised by high 

density and crystallinity, which limits HCl 

permeation through the liner. Due to 

clients’ extensive positive experience with 

weldable PTFE material, a loose liner is used 

in the equipment, allowing a simpler mechanical 

design of the nozzle and correspondingly 

higher reliability. 

The reboilers selected for the process are robust 

shell & tube heat exchangers made of 

Diabon impregnated graphite. The tubes and 

monolithic tube sheets feature Carboguard 

carbon-fibre reinforcement to ensure maximum 

operating reliability. 

Highly efficient, compact Diabon plate & 

frame heat exchangers are installed for HCl 

gas cooling. To minimise the water content, 

the HCl gas is chilled to double-digit, subzero 

Celsius temperatures. The plate & frame 

heat exchanger features a design that is corrosion 

resistant on both the process and the 

service sides. Hence, the equipment is also 

perfectly suited as a gas recuperator, utilising 

the chilled product gas for additional 

cooling and reducing the running costs. At 

the same time, the HCl product gas is superheated, 

which minimises the risk of acid 

condensation and corrosion in the downstream 

process. 

Thanks to SGL’s HCl process expertise and 

state of the art materials, the plant is a customised 

solution that meets the customer’s 

specific requirements. 


Online search: cpp0218sgl 


Installation diagram of the pressure swing 

process 

AUTHOR: 

CHRISTIAN WOLTZ 

Global Process Design, 

SGL Carbon 



Tubular centrifuges with automatic solids discharge 

The piston is the secret 

of success 

The Rina SRP AD supercentrifuge is based on the proven, conventional 

technology of tubular centrifuges. However, instead of manual solids 

discharge, the “AD” features fully automatic solids discharge. The central 

element is a special piston inside the rotor. 

Rina supercentrifuges are vertical axis machines 

fitted with a hanging cylindrical 

bowl, which rotates at high speed to generate 

a centrifugal force of up to 20,000 g. 

They are used for solid-liquid separation, 

for instance for solids recovery or the removal 

of suspended impurities as well as for 

separating immiscible liquids of different 

densities. Blood fractioning, gamma globulin 

recovery, the separation of plasma and 

red cells in human or animal blood and the 

separation of viruses and bacteria are typical 

applications in the pharmaceutical industry. 

The clarification of wine, the separation of 

nanoparticle suspensions and cleaning of 

used machine oil are other examples. 

The machines are characterised by a modern, 

sturdy design in conformity with GMP 

regulations and are easy to operate. All 

models have a wide-opening, hinged casing 

to facilitate the withdrawal of the rotor 

from the front. Rina SRP supercentrifuges 

can also be supplied for use in potentially 

explosive atmosphere, in which case they 

are Atex certified. Other optional features 

such as cooling and heating coils, CIP and 

SIP capability or the integration of ancillary 

equipment in the control system can be 

provided if required by the intended application. 

Pictures: Riera Nadeu 

The technology of the Rina SRP AD supercentrifuge is based on Riera 

Nadeu’s standard tubular centrifuges but with automatic solids discharge 

Traditional operating modes 

Riera Nadeu offers different rotor types 

with different operating modes such as discontinuous 

solid-liquid separation (C) or 

continuous liquid-liquid separation (S). 

Solid-liquid separation works discontinuously 

(i. e. in batches), the solid being the 

heavy phase. The “C” (clarifier) rotor has 


Section through the Rina SRP AD: the piston is 

pulled upwards to operate and down again to 

discharge the solids 

State of the art facility, tailor made 

machines, manufactured exclusively in 

Western Europe 

Until now, the rotor had to be removed for 

emptying and opened manually. This can be 

problematic, especially with toxic media. 

only one liquid outlet for the lighter 

(liquid) phase. The solids are retained inside 

the rotor. If the product is conveyed directly 

from the inlet to the discharge without 

clarification, this is an indication that the 

rotor’s retention capacity is exhausted and 

that the rotor must be emptied or replaced. 

If two immiscible liquid media are involved, 

the process is continuous. Due to 

the differences in density and the centrifugal 

force, the heavy phase moves towards 

the wall. The lighter phase, the so-called 

supernatant, forms a film over the heavy 

phase and follows the same upward direction. 

At the top of the rotor, a diaphragm 

guides the media into two different liquid 

outlet devices. 

As a third option, an “S” rotor can be used 

for discontinuous liquid-liquid-solid sepa - 

ration. Solids are retained inside the rotor as 

described above. The two immiscible liquid 

phases are guided via a diaphragm to two 

different liquid outlets according to their 

density difference. 

Fully automatic solid-liquid separation is 

now possible thanks to the Rina SRP AD. 

Working principle of the SRP AD 

The main working principle of the Rina SRP 

AD is the same as for all other supercentrifuges 

used for solid-liquid separation, except 

that manual intervention is no longer 

necessary for the solid discharge. This is carried 

out fully automatically with the help of 

a piston inside the rotor. The most impor - 

tant advantage here is that no additional 

mechanical devices are needed in the product 

area. The piston is moved up and down 

under vacuum and high pressure. To achieve 

automatic solid discharge, the piston is 

pushed down at high pressure, thus forcing 

the solids towards the outside through a 

three-way valve. After the solids have been 

discharged, the piston returns to its working 

position under vacuum pressure. The 

switch between high pressure and vacuum 

is possible thanks to a special valve located 

in the centre of the piston. 

This highly complex solution was developed 

with the aim of maintaining the proven 

working principle and peculiarities of a 

tubular centrifuge. It provides several clear 

benefits: 

• Simple mechanics and hence affordable 

manufacturing costs and final product 

price 

• Compact design (small footprint) 

• Machine as a whole is not pressure equipment 

even though it works with pressure 

and vacuum 

• Proven process and operating principle of 

the supercentrifuge retained: feeding and 

discharging from the bottom, light phase 

drained through the top collector on the 

upper part of the rotor 

• Same solid-liquid separation processes as 

are currently performed with conventional 

supercentrifuges are also possible with the 

new Rina SRP AD 

Suitable for difficult products 

Apart from applications which have been 

the domain of conventional high speed 

supercentrifuges until now, the Rina SRP AD 

can also be used for processes where a fastrotating 

supercentrifuge is desirable but so 

far not feasible due to the manual solids discharge, 

typically involving toxic products or 

ones where extremely high hygienic stand - 

ards are stipulated. Riera Nadeu has a SRP 

AD supercentrifuge at its own test centre for 

trial purposes. 

The Rina SRP AD 8 has a solids retention capacity 

of 8 l, with a footprint of 750 x 1225 

x 2000 mm, and weighs about 950 kg. A 

maximum of 18,000 g can be produced. 

The wetted parts can be made from AISI 

316L, Duplex or titanium. The Rina SRP AD 

is suitable for temperatures from -10 to 

+60 °C as standard. 


Online search: cpp0218rieranadeu 


AUTHOR: 

CAROLA LANGROCK 

Sales Engineer Europe, 

Riera Nadeu 

AUTHOR: 

JÉRÉMIE BARDO 

Head of Business 

Development, 

Riera Nadeu 



Short path evaporators equipped with optimised liquid feed distribution 

High product quality with 

a lower temperature 

To achieve high product quality, a homogeneous distribution of the liquid feed is a 

central requirement in the production process with short path evaporators. For this 

reason, Buss-SMS-Canzler (SMS) has optimised the design of their liquid distribution 

system. This results in a very uniform, thin film and optimum usage of the internal 

heating surface. 

Thermal separation processes like evapo - 

ration allow valuable products in a liquid 

mixture to be separated or enriched. Different 

fuel qualities, pharmaceutical grade glycerine, 

ethanol or solvents like acetone are 

typical examples of evaporation products. 

However, some of these high-boiling products 

are very sensitive to heat and cannot be 

handled using conventional evaporators. In 

this case, they can be treated by means of 

short path evaporation. 

Pictures: Buss-SMS-Canzler 

How short path evaporators work 

Pictures 1 and 2 illustrate the working principle 

of a short path evaporator, which belongs 

to the category of thin film evapo - 

rators. It operates at very low absolute 

pressure of between 1 and 0.001 mbar in 

order to keep the evaporation temperature 

as low as possible. 

The liquid mixture is fed to the top of the 

rotor and distributed to the machine’s 

heated jacket surface. The rotor creates a 

thin, mechanically agitated product film on 

the heating surface inside the body. The 

product flows downwards in a spiral path 

due to gravity; the volatile portion of it 

evaporates in the process. The vapour takes 

the shortest route and reaches the internal 

condenser with practically no pressure loss. 

The non-volatile portion moves to the lower 

part of the evaporator and is discharged 

Picture 1: One of the industrial size 

evaporators from SMS. It can be heated 

electrically in order to fit the very specific 

demands of the process. 


Picture 2: During the process, the distillate condenses on the outer 

surface of the tubes, which are supplied with cooling water 

Picture 3: The heating surface of the former, conventional SMS design 

(left) is only partially used, whereas the flow field for the optimised 

model (right) shows a uniform liquid pre-distribution all around the 

circumference 

through the bottom outlet. The residual vapours 

and inert gases flow through the vacuum 

nozzle to the vacuum system. The distillate 

– the condensate from the condenser 

– is removed as a liquid, also at the bottom 

of the evaporator. 

Useful for a variety of applications 

Short path evaporators offer very good results 

with evaporation, concentration, distillation 

or degassing of high-boiling, temperature 

sensitive products. This type of 

evaporator is therefore very useful in applications 

like: 

• stripping isocyanates from pre-polymers 

• evaporating oil and wax from petroleum 

• distilling monoglycerides from di- and 

triglycerides 

• concentrating Omega-3 fatty acids 

• fractionating waxes into hard and super 

hard waxes 

• concentrating vitamin E (tocotrienol and 

tocopherol) 

To match the requirements of all these 

applications, the rotor design has to be 

adjusted in order to obtain high-quality 

end products. SMS can supply short path 

evaporators with several different rotor 

types for this reason. They are manufactured 

in a hygienic design optionally using 

PTFE or graphite wiper elements, spring 

loaded PTFE wiper elements, metal wiper 

elements or polymer or graphite rollers. In 

addition, the rotors can be equipped with 

specially designed splash guards, protecting 

the internal condenser from droplets in the 

vapour stream and ensuring high distillate 

quality. 

Focus on liquid distribution 

One of the design challenges with short 

path evaporators is the distribution of the 

liquid feed on the internal heating surface. 

Owing to the working principle, the liquid 

has to be fed from the top of the evaporator, 

i.e. from the top of the rotor, and then distributed 

as uniformly as possible on the internal 

heating surface. Non-uniform distribution 

can result in the heated surface 

not being covered with feed material as well 

as in unintended splashing. Heated surfaces 

which are not used for the evaporation process 

increase the evaporator size and therefore 

the cost of the equipment. Severe 

splashing creates droplets which can get 

into the distillate and lead to a product that 

is not properly mixed. Both these effects 

should be avoided in the interests of optimum 

results. 

Due to the importance of the liquid feed 

distribution on top of short path evapo - 

rators, Buss-SMS-Canzler (SMS) developed 

an optimised liquid distribution system. 

This system can be designed according to 

the process requirements, for example the 

material properties of the feed, the operating 

temperature and various other param - 

eters. Picture 3 shows the liquid flow on the 

top cover of the rotor of a short path evaporator; 

it was calculated using CFD (computational 

fluid dynamics). The flow field on 

the left was calculated for the former, conventional 

SMS design. The liquid only leaves 

the distributor in a very limited section of 

the circumference, so that part of the internal 

heating surface is not used for evaporation. 

Picture 4: The internal condenser of a short 

path evaporator is shown here 

The flow field on the right-hand side exhibits 

a very uniform liquid pre-distribution 

all around the circumference. After reaching 

the internal heating surface, the entire 

liquid can be distributed evenly by the 

wiper blades. This results in a very uniform, 

thin film and optimum usage of the internal 

heating surface. After experimental verification, 

the CFD computations were translated 

into design equations and the opti - 

mised liquid feed distributor incorporated 

in the standard SMS rotor design. 


Online search: cpp0218Buss-SMS-Canzler 


AUTHOR: 

DR. BERND 

GENENGER 

Head of sales & marketing, 

Buss-SMS-Canzler 


cpp ACHEMA PHARMACEUTICAL ENGINEERING 

Pictures: Bausch+Ströbel 

Variosys consists of two components: a standardised Skan cleanroom isolator and an interchangeable 

machine module by Bausch+Ströbel 

Machine module for tub opening and RTU vial denesting 

More flexibility for 

small batches 

Flexible production is a focal topic of Achema 2018. Yet, what does flexible 

production mean in the context of pharmaceutical product filling? Bausch+Ströbel’s 

answer to this question is the modular Variosys production system, which will 

feature a new component in Frankfurt. Thanks to a machine module for fully automatic 

tub opening and RTU vial denesting, Variosys is now even more user-friendly. 


Thanks to a machine module for fully automatic tub opening and RTU vial denesting, 

Variosys is now even more user-friendly 

A Variosys module can be easily pushed into the insulator 

from behind 

Today, Variosys is an established brand 

name in the pharmaceutical sector. Developed 

in collaboration with Böhringer Ingelheim, 

it essentially consists of two components: 

a standardised Skan cleanroom isolator 

and a similarly standardised, interchangeable 

machine module by 

Bausch+Ströbel which works on the keylock 

principle. 

This space-saving modular system owes its 

tremendous scope and versatility in part to 

the possibility of combining a speciality 

isolator with a range of different machine 

modules. In addition, multiple isolator 

chambers can be linked together to build a 

production line in combination with sterilising 

tunnels, cleaning machines or a 

special GEA freeze-dryer. This means that Variosys 

is just as suitable for small-batch processing 

in the laboratory as it is as a fully 

automatic, low-volume production line. 

Variosys machine modules can process vials, 

syringes, cartridges and ampoules, both as 

RTU containers packed in various makes of 

nest, tub or tray and as bulkware, in combination 

with a Bausch+Ströbel cleaning machine 

and sterilising tunnel. Harro Höf - 

liger’s product portfolio includes a suitable 

IV bag filling module. 

Depending on the application, machine 

modules are available with various degrees 

of automation – from manual and semiautomatic 

to fully automatic. It is even pos - 

sible to convert a laboratory system with 

manual handling steps into a fully automatic 

production line, or vice versa, at any 

time. 

In-nest processing of vials 

Thanks to a newly developed machine module 

for fully automatic tub opening and 

RTU vial denesting, Variosys is now even 

more user-friendly. This module comes 

equipped with special cleanroom robots. 

When used together with the KSF5105 bulk 

filling and closing machine, it offers fully 

automatic in-nest opening, denesting, filling, 

stoppering, crimp capping and tray 

loading of RTU vials over a length of just 

four metres, i.e. inside two isolator 

chambers. The advantage is that nested vials 

can now be processed with 100 % in-process 

control (IPC) at maximum machine 

output (up to 60 tubs per hour). 

The module is designed primarily for processing 

RTU vials, but can also be used in 

combination with a nest filling module by 

deactivating the denesting function. 

High-tech in a small package 

The modules meet exacting requirements 

within a tiny footprint. Although each production 

module is only two metres long 

and one-and-a-half metres wide, cuttingedge 

drive and control systems provide 

aseptic-toxic filling and closing of RTU vials 

to the same high standard as industrial production 

systems – and using identical technology. 

This has the benefit that process data 

can be transferred between Variosys and 

conventional B+S filling systems. 

“We use container-specific machine modules 

for the production process. This enables 

customers to achieve a higher level of process 

reliability with less expenditure on validation, 

as well as ensuring a highly robust 

production process”, explains Heiko 

Schwarz, the engineer in charge of Variosys 

development in the Product Management 

department at Bausch+Ströbel. “Versatility is 

always at the top of our minds. We achieve 

this, firstly, through fast and simple module 

changes but also through short isolator sterilisation 

cycle times”, he adds. 

Another important consideration for 

Schwarz is the system’s ease of expandabil- 

Each production module is only two metres 

long and one-and-a-half metres wide 

ity. “Variosys is not so much a machine but 

a system solution. For example, a system 

originally used solely for bulk processing 

can also be used to process RTU syringes by 

adding a nest filling module. What’s more, 

the line concept can be expanded subsequently 

to include additional isolators, machine 

modules and freeze dryers”, he explains. 

Low cost thanks to standardisation 

As a time and space saving system for smallscale 

production, Variosys can not only be 

converted easily – it can also combine a 

wide variety of components individually or 

be adapted simply to new requirements by 

adding extensions. Moreover, this can be 

done with a minimum of investment as well 

as (thanks to standardisation) short qualification 

and validation times – a major advantage 

in the race to bring new developments 

to market. 


Online Search: cpp0218bausch 



cpp ACHEMA PHARMACEUTICAL ENGINEERING 

The versatile design options are the driver for the economic feasibility 

Liquid-liquid extraction 

The process of liquid-liquid extraction is an economical alternative for 

sepa rating compounds that are difficult to purify by distillation. Operation 

at low temperatures is beneficial for what are in many cases heat sensitive 

products. Careful piloting is a must for successful installation with a short 

payback period. 

Separation by extraction is based on the 

different affinities of components in two 

immiscible liquid phases. The feed containing 

a desired component is mixed intensively 

with an immiscible solvent. This solvent 

has a certain affinity to the desired 

component. Part of the component is therefore 

transferred to it from the feed. One 

flow at the outlet (the extract) is enriched 

with this component while another (the 

raffinate) is depleted of it. 

The component and the solvent are sepa - 

rated using suitable evaporators. A small 

portion of the solvent from the raffinate 

stream is stripped out by another evaporator. 

The solvent is then recycled back to 

the extraction process. 

Assembly of a skid mounted modular extraction plant 

Pictures: Technoforce 

From batch to continuous process 

When extraction is carried out conventional 

batch kettles, fresh solvent for extraction 

is added several times to the same 

vessel. Each washing cycle incrementally 

extracts the desired product, producing dilute 

extract in each subsequent cycle. As a 

result, solvent use is high and the large volume 

of extract leads to higher recovery 

costs. 

Changing from a batch to a continuous 

process can provide an attractive return on 

investment. As one example, an agrochemical 

was previously manufactured using an 

established batch extraction process where 

10 tons of solvent were required to process 

7 tons of aqueous mass. A total of five 

washes achieved 85 % recovery. 

Equilibrium data generated in the labo ra - 

tory indicated potential for improvement 


Centrifugal extractor (left), asymmetric rotating disc contactor column – ARDC (centre) and sieve tray column (right) 

by switching over to continuous and 

counter-current extraction. Trials were subsequently 

conducted on the pilot ARDC 

(Asymmetric Rotating Disc Contactor) 

column. 

A production scale extractor was designed 

and commissioned based on the trial results. 

The recovery rate increased from 85 

to 93 % while solvent use was reduced 

from 10 to 7 tons. These improvements ensured 

a payback of less than 12 months. 

ARDC and centrifugal extractor 

The ARDC column has a stack of mixers and 

settlers arranged vertically inside a long vertical 

column. The heavy phase enters the 

column at the top and the light phase at the 

bottom. The desired component is transferred 

from one phase to another as these 

two phases flow counter-currently through 

the series of mixers and settlers. The continuous 

operation ensures consistent results. 

The column is easy to automate and saves 

space. 

The large hold-up in the ARDC column 

tends to deter customers in the pharmaceutical 

industry. A centrifugal extractor 

with a very small hold-up and the ability to 

change over quickly from one batch to another 

addresses their concerns. 

The two phases are mixed with a high intensity 

in the mixing chamber of the centrifugal 

extractor. The mixture then enters a 

rotating cylinder, where it experiences high 

centrifugal force and quickly separates into 

two phases. The accelerated mixing and separation 

result in a very small hold-up in the 

extractor. 

The sieve tray column as extractor 

If the feed and solvent have low surface tension 

values, the use of an ARDC column or a 

centrifugal extractor can result in a stable 

emulsion, making these options unviable. A 

classical sieve tray column is well suited for 

such cases. The sieve tray facilitates controlled 

formation of droplets in the dispersed 

phase with little shear. An optimised 

tray design ensures good mass transfer characteristics 

without leading to emulsion 

formation. 

Piloting is a must 

Prior to a new application, careful investigation 

in the laboratory will establish the 

phase equilibrium data which reveals the 

relationship between the number of extraction 

stages and the possible feed-to-solvent 

ratio. Further data on the densities and surface 

tension values gives an idea of the type 

of extractor which is best suited for this 

particular scenario. 

However, it is not advisable to base decisions 

solely on laboratory data if unpleasant 

surprises are to be avoided. It is important 

to validate the design assumptions at the 

pilot scale level with scaled-down equipment 

geometries which are close to those of 

the production scale apparatus. 

In view of the significance of this step, 

Technoforce has invested in pilot plant test 

facilities for all three types of extractor. Customers 

are encouraged to use these facilities 

extensively to generate confidence in the 

design concept. The pilot tests also provide 

essential data for the scale-up. 

Technoforce generates added value to support 

the successful implementation of production 

scale projects. The sizing data for an 

evaporator and stripper downstream of the 

extraction step is likewise determined by 

the pilot facilities. After successful piloting, 

these two technologies can also be supplied 

as a modular system together with the 

extractor in a single skid-mounted package. 

This integrated system cuts down on the 

execution time and costs. 


Online search: cpp0218technoforce 


AUTHOR: 

RAOSAHEB PATIL 

Executive Chairman, 

Technoforce Solutions 



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LIST OF ADVERTISERS 

Aerzener Maschinenfabrik GmbH, Aerzen 36 

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Heinkel Process Technology GmbH, 

Besigheim 52 

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Jessberger GmbH, Ottobrunn 91 

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Amandus Kahl GmbH & Co., Reinbek 25 

Lutz Pumpen GmbH, Wertheim 35 

Müller GmbH, Rheinfelden 72 

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Rembe GmbH Safety + Control, Brilon 34, 49 

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Schrage Rohrkettensystem GmbH, 

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Vacuubrand GmbH + Co KG, Wertheim 79 

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GmbH & Co., Offenbach 53 

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Tornesch 49 

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ystral – A Think Tank in Process Technology

cpp - Process technology for the chemical industry 02.2018

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