FABRIC
FILTER NEWSLETTER
January 2010
No. 411
In a recent E-Alert we cited the need to standardize terms if for no other reason than that the Asians would create their own English. We provided the example of the Asians using Denitration when writing in English, whereas we would use DeNOx.
In the high sulfur coal particulate webinar McIlvaine made a case for decisive classification of particulate options. This starts with standardization of terms. Due to the length of the session, McIlvaine promised to provide the details in the Alert today rather than extend the webinar into a third hour.
Google is a great tool but it declassifies. On the other hand decision making is sequential classification. McIlvaine has coined the term “decisive classification” to cover purposeful classification. This is all explained at http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Universal_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Decisive%20Classification.htm
Decisive Classification is the creation of a foster family with carefully selected genetic children. McIlvaine explained that industry input is needed to standardize the genetic lineage of particulate control equipment, media, fuel chemistry and any other subject which would influence the product selection. Here is an example of a foster family.
|
Pulse Jet |
The specifier needs to find experienced suppliers of PFTE membrane bags for a specific application.
This foster family was created by selecting “air quality” instead of a sibling such as “combustion.” In the genetic fuel chemistry sibling listing low sulfur coal was the selection over high sulfur or high chlorine or low chlorine. Note that in decisive classification only relevant factors are classified. For SCR selection the genetic fuel chemistry family may include arsenic. The pulse jet sibling has been selected over reverse air. The cleaning type was selected as a decisive classification whereas bag shape was not.
We now have a decisive foster family classification which pinpoints a bag requirement in the minimum number of words and phrases. It can be accompanied by a process diagram which further indicates the use of the product. McIlvaine has developed a large number of search options to maximize the ease in finding the right solution. This system can easily be translated into other languages because of the clarity a minimal language use.
The system is only as good as the genetic lineages. Standardization is important. The genetic standards can be linked to aliases, costumed versions, and cousins. This linkage will eliminate a great deal of confusion.
Here are some examples:
|
Genetic Child |
Aliases |
Cousins |
Costume |
Parent |
|
Fabric filter |
Baghouse |
Dust Collector |
|
Particulate Capture |
|
Spray Dryer |
Spray Drier |
Semi-dry |
|
FGD |
|
Circulating Dry Scrubber |
Circulating Fluid Bed Scrubber |
Dry Scrubber |
Gas Suspension Absorber |
FGD |
|
DeNOx |
Denitration (but wrong) |
NOx Reduction |
|
Air Quality |
|
Lignite |
Brown Coal |
Low Rank |
|
Fuel Rank |
|
Bubbling Reactor |
Sump Scrubber |
Fan Powered Scrubber |
Jet Bubbling Reactor |
Absorber |
Many people use baghouse instead of fabric filter. So baghouse is an alias. Dust Collector generally means fabric filters but could also mean cyclone, e.g. cyclone dust collector. But most practitioners mean fabric filters, so it is a cousin. Particulate control is the most popular parent description. Americans use spray dryers; Europeans use spray drier with the exception of the Germans, they use halb trocken or semi dry. So a cousin can be the identification of a technology by a different characteristic.
With the established ink between genetic standards, aliases, cousins, costumed versions, and parents a search engine can display all the relevant data even if the word does not appear in the text of the material displayed.
Standardization will be both important and to some extent controversial. A supplier of a technology has a big stake in carrying the sibling label rather than the “costumed version.” Some years ago McIlvaine resisted classifying “flameless oxidation" as a separate technology to thermal oxidation. Technically auto-ignition is different than use of a fuel for ignition purposes, but from a practical standpoint there was very little advantage. So it was treated as a costumed version. Wall Street failed to recognize this and there were some significant investment losses. Standardization is a function of usage. Therefore it is desirable to obtain input from as many suppliers and end users as possible. We look forward to any comments. Just email Bob McIlvaine at rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
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