FABRIC
FILTER       NEWSLETTER 

 

November, 2020
No. 541

EMISSIONS 

BIOMASS

GAS TURBINES

WASTE-TO-ENERGY

COMPANY NEWS

PRODUCT NEWS

 

EMISSIONS 

Global Emissions Now Down by Seven Percent

On the opening day of the virtual e-LPG Week, Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), addressed attendees about the role of energy in the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic has been huge, with declines in energy usage of around 5 percent and some 20 percent reduction in investment, a situation not seen since World War II. Corresponding expected drops in global emissions of around 7 percent are the biggest in history but, as Dr. Birol reported, this is not necessarily good news.

"This decline (in emissions) is not happening because of the right energy policies or new technologies," stated Dr. Birol, "this is happening because of the economic meltdown around the world. Low economic growth is not a low emission strategy and if governments do not take the right measures to push emissions down, as the global economy recovers, emissions will return to previous levels," added Dr. Birol.

Dr. Birol went on to say, "We are very well aware of the critical role of LPG in industry, in transportation and most importantly in households across the world, especially in the emerging world. To date about 2.6 billion people, 5 times the population of Europe, have no access to clean cooking. They are using coal, kerosene, agricultural waste, animal waste in certain cases, for cooking. And this is one of the top three reasons, according to a study we carried out with the World Health Organization (WHO), for premature deaths around the world because of the respiratory diseases that it causes and here, of course, LPG can be a very important option to address this problem and we have seen several good examples."

The WHO estimates that nearly four million people die prematurely each year from illnesses attributed to polluted household air. LPG is an important and immediate solution to this problem, which not only improves air quality but also lowers global carbon emissions, stops increasing deforestation and improves the lives of women and children.

One example of policy that has gained global recognition for helping poorer families access green cooking fuel, is that of the Indian government with its Ujjwala program. In his address to e-LPG Week, Mr. Shikrant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC), spoke about the success of this program and the importance of e-LPG Week in forming policies and strategy at both global and local level. He said, "During the pandemic, the scheme has been invaluable in giving relief to vulnerable sections of society through national lockdown."

The Indian government gave three free refills of LPG cylinders between the months of April and June to those below the poverty line. Mr. Vaidya went on to say, "LPG has become an indispensable part of the Indian kitchen, with a surge in demand over lockdown of around 17 percent."

While offering a life-changing solution to rural communities and a way of lowering global emissions, Dr. Birol continued to explain how the LPG community can do more in terms of increasing the availability of renewable LPG. He praised several refineries for their efforts in processing renewable feedstock into various oil products, including bioLPG and concluded that, "bioLPG is still in modest quantities but it can, and promises to, play a greater role in years to come."

Mr. Vaidaya concluded by summarizing the importance of new energy. While acknowledging the roles of hydrogen and CNG, he said, "LPG plays a vital role in the continuing use of clean energy and ensuring inclusive growth and enhanced sustainability."

BIOMASS

Andritz to Supply Another High Efficiency Powerfluid Circulating Fluidized Bed Boiler for a Biomass Power Plant in Japan

International technology group Andritz has received an order from Toyo Engineering Corp., Japan, to deliver a PowerFluid circulating fluidized bed boiler with a flue gas cleaning system.

The boiler will be part of a new biomass power plant to be built in Gamagori in Aichi Prefecture, Honshu Island, some 300 km southwest of Tokyo, Japan. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in 2023.

The PowerFluid boiler to be supplied by Andritz features low emissions, high efficiency and availability, as well as high fuel flexibility. It forms an essential part of a high-efficiency biomass power plant for supply of green energy to the national grid. The biomass power plant fired with wood pellets and palm kernel shells will generate around 50 MWel of power.

This is the eighth order in two and a half years for supply of an Andritz PowerFluid circulating fluidized bed boiler for the Japanese market.

Doosan Lentjes is to Deliver Lot 1 of the New Wood-fired Combined Heat and Power Plant in Dinslaken

Doosan Lentjes has been awarded a contract by DHE (Dinslakener Holz-Energiezentrum) to build the lot 1 of the new wood combustion plant, located in Dinslaken. The order comprises the turnkey delivery, installation, and commissioning of two incineration lines on a chute-to-stack basis. Start-up is expected to be in mid of 2023. 

Once in operation, the new plant will thermally treat about 200,000 tons of waste wood (class l-lll) per year. Applying effective incineration technology will ensure that the maximum of the climate-friendly energy contained in the wood is harnessed to generate sustainable electricity and heat. This will reduce the share of fossil fuels required to meet local energy needs and save more than 125,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, helping the City of Dinslaken to pursue its strict decarbonisation policy. 

Doosan Lentjes’ scope of delivery will include the fuel supply and transports as well as the combustion and boiler plant based on water-cooled reciprocating grate technology. In addition, the company will provide a complete dry flue gas cleaning system, stack as well as electrical and control systems. 

The modern air quality control facility will ensure compliance with emission limit values according to the revised European BREF (best available techniques reference) documents. Harmful acid gases, hydrocarbons and heavy metals will be treated and separated in the Circoclean® gas cleaning system to be installed, while the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) will remove nitrogen oxides. 

GAS TURBINES

Gas Turbine Inlet Filter Designers Cite Improvements

Turomachinery interviewed experts from companies supplying gas turbine inlet filters and reported some trends and improvements. Interviewees noted  trends such as the development of better hydrophobic (tending to repel water) media, greater attention on the prevention of salt and hydrocarbon ingestion, and a wider range of filtration options to suit different budgets, performance objectives, and equipment or retrofit needs.

The Gas Turbine Systems Division of Donaldson provides engineered filtration solutions for all environments and most air intake and lubrication systems for gas turbines, industrial compressors, and generator sets. Donaldson Turbo-Tek Cartridge Filters use an Er|W|P rating system instead of capture efficiency, as measured by MERV ratings. It also tests for water tightness and pulsability, and rates on a 0 to 5-point scale:

·         Efficiency (Er0 to Er5) — what proportion of airborne contaminates does it capture?

·         Watertightness (W0 to W5) — how does it handle high humidity and moisture?

·         Pulsability (P0 to P5) — How readily do the filters in self-cleaning systems recover peak performance after pulsed with

      compressed air?

These attributes differ from one filter to another. In combination, they drive operating costs and performance under specific environmental conditions. Donaldson’s filter line can be divided into three categories:

·         Base medias are economical options that consist of cellulose and synthetic fibers. They are moisture-resistant with a high-

      water tightness rating; however, they have a lower capture efficiency rating (Er1 – Er3) and do not provide HEPA-level

      efficiency.  

·         Performance synthetic range of medias offer F9/MERV 15 efficiency, combined with a P5 pulse recovery rating. This option

      is for users not needing a high capture efficiency but are dependent on strong pulse recovery in desert or arctic

      environments; for example, where there is exposure to dust, snow, and ice buildup, or sudden episodes of heavy loading.

·         Premium (H)EPA filtration captures over 99.5 percent of 0.1p penetrating particle size. Turbo-Tek H20+ is the most

      watertight option, rated Er5|W5|P1. Its synthetic media acts as a barrier to water. It is suitable for coastal environments,

      stopping salts and other corrosive water-soluble contaminants. Turbo-Tek HEPA Pulse has surface-loading blended media

      with a rating of Er5|W1|P4. The P4 pulse recovery rating and high Er5 efficiency rating are best for deserts or areas with a

      high dust load that depend on a strong pulse recovery.

Cassandra Light, Manager of Gas Turbine Systems for the Americas and APAC, Donaldson Co., gave the example of a plant on the humid Australian coast using Turbo-Tek H20+ filters. The air was laden with sea salt and smoke from nearby brush fires, yet filter life rose from 18 months to 48 months with 0 percent loss in compressor efficiency, stable differential pressure across the filters (DP), clean blades, and elimination of on-line water washes of the filters. “A site in a harsh environment in China with a high volume of hydrocarbons has increased filter life from one year to nearly three years and has eliminated water washes (on-line or off-line) altogether,” said Light.

In addition to filtration for gas turbine air intake systems, the Donaldson Gas Turbine Systems Quick Lock Yoke filter retention system ensures secure installation and reduces filter changeout time. Light said that in a test, the time required for filter replacement could be reduced by a little less than half. 

AAF International offers a wide range of filters. It recently launched the DuraShield S filter cartridge to protect gas turbines and reduce compressor fouling, as well as cold and hot end corrosion. The DuraShield S has a high MERV 15 (F9) initial efficiency that provides sustainable performance over its operational life.

Other features include a high dust holding capacity, low pressure drop and cartridges that act as a water barrier, withstanding high humidity, mist, fogs or rain. This means differential pressure (dp) can remain predictable and stable and dp spikes are not a concern.

The company provides an online platform to help customers determine the best filtration approach for their plant. As well as the geometry of the filter, it takes into account climate, environmental and operating conditions, high humidity, extreme temperatures, coastal and offshore locations, and other variables such as the presence of hydrocarbons, dust and gas turbine mode of operation.

Stuart Blackburn, Product Management Director at AAF International, noted a change in attitude recently to address the disparity that often occurs between onshore and offshore filtration systems. In the onshore environment, higher grades of filtration are well adopted but are not found as frequently offshore. Yet the offshore environment must deal with salt, which if untreated will drastically reduce the efficiency, performance and life of any GT.

The latest generation of Camfil filters includes three models. The CamGT 4V-300 (12” depth), the New CamGT 3V-440 (17”), and the CamGT 3V-600 (24”). CamGT filters are offered from ISO ePM1 75 percent (F7) to E12 efficiency and fulfill standards for efficiency, burst strength and water repellency. Camfil offers a value rating feature on its website to help evaluate filtration effectiveness and economics.

“This line is designed for all environmental conditions including extreme conditions of humidity, salt, and heavy pollution that threaten gas turbine performance,” said Marc Van den Eynde, Vice President at Camfil Power Systems.

He offered some general advice on filter selection: Efficient Particulate Air filters (EPA) static filters are well-suited for wet, salt-laden or coastal/offshore environments. Pulse filters are recommended for dusty environments with low humidity. Depending on location, application, construction, ambient conditions, and particulate type/amount, the filter solution could vary from one stage to multiple stages with a variety of filter options.

Camfil is introducing a service that digitizes the coupled performance of the inlet system and GT. Known as PowerEye, it digitally monitors inlet system and GT metrics to provide trend analysis and forecasting. Ambient aerosol and weather conditions, current pressure drop, turbine load and heat rate are some of the metrics that can be analyzed to determine such things as future power output, and an optimized schedule for off-line compressor washes or filter replacement.

Mark Arsenault, USA Turbomachinery Sales Manager for Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, emphasized the capabilities of the Viledon hydroMaxx. It can convert any single-stage filter house into a multi-stage filtration system, is equipped with a clip-on system that allows close coupling to the intermediate or final filter in one filter wall and drops out moisture before it causes problems in the inlet system. It also sheds snow and ice from its leading edge, preventing blinding and allowing air to pass through.

“The Mann+Hummel Aircube Pro Power S and Nanoclass Cube Pro Power S for GTs are designed to meet the extreme operating conditions found, for example, on oil platforms at sea. They provide low pressure drop, high burst pressure and a high dust holding capacity (DHC). The media that Mann+Hummel developed in cooperation with a partner is water and salt repellent. Testing showed a burst resistance of 35.000 m3/h above a pressure of 8000 Pa.

“The air filter market for this application has been dominated so far by micro glass fiber media, which has disadvantages such as sensitivity to mechanical stress and low water resistance,” said Mohammed Asif, Business Development Manager, Middle East & Africa, Mann+Hummel. “The synthetic media in the Aircube and Nanoclass Cube offer higher resistance to mechanical stress than glass fiber media and stable high efficiency during operation.”

He has noticed a trend toward the adoption of greater filtration efficiency on each stage, often using EPA filters at the final stage. This may increase pressure drop, but better air filtration efficiency improves overall GT efficiency of the gas turbine, he said. It also heightens performance in challenging environments such as offshore.

All Gore Turbine Filters contain Gore’s 3-layer synthetic composite with a depth loading layer, hydrophobic ePTFE membrane, and strong pleated backer for long life, low pressure drop, and protection from airborne contaminants, salt ingestion and hydrocarbons.

WASTE-TO-ENERGY

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and Doosan Lentjes to Deliver Their First Joint Waste to Energy Project in Poland

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction (DHIC) and its subsidiary and consortium partner Doosan Lentjes have been awarded the turnkey contract to supply a new waste-to-energy (WtE) plant in Olsztyn, Poland. It is the first joint WtE project between the Korean EPC company and its German engineering technology subsidiary. The new plant will be based on Doosan Lentjes’ proven water-cooled counter-reciprocating grate and boiler as well as flue gas cleaning technology.

Contracted by the plant owner and operator, Dobra Energia dla Olsztyna, the consortium will deliver the entire one-line plant including combustion grate, boiler and dry Circoclean flue gas cleaning, and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Furthermore, civil works and two gas-fired peak load boilers (PLB) along with site management will be part of the supply.

Co-funded by the EU, the plant will meet all European requirements with regard to recycling and disposal, while, at the same time, complying with the emission limits according to the new BREF documents (Best Available Techniques Reference).

The new plant, scheduled to be completed in 2023, will be capable of processing up to 110,000 tons of refused derived fuel (RDF) per year produced by the citizens of the greater Olsztyn area. Covering roughly 30 percent of the district heating demand in the region, the new plant will help to compensate for the heat loss that will accompany the closure of the local coal-fired Michelin power plant in the near future. This will ensure a continuously reliable and secure supply of district heating to the local citizens. At the same time, using the energy contained in the waste offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. In addition, the thermal treatment of the waste makes it possible to reduce the landfill space required.

Sumitomo SHI FW Awarded CFB Boiler Modernization Project in Austria

Sumitomo SHI FW has been awarded a contract by Sappi Europe to modernize an existing circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler, which will result in a 30 percent CO2 emissions reduction at the Gratkorn Pulp & Paper mill.

SFW will design, supply and erect the project, which includes modifications to the lower furnace, new heat shift system, biomass feeding system, bottom ash extraction system, and emissions control system, as well as dismantling and commissioning. The modernization will allow the plant to completely shift from coal to multiple sustainable and renewable fuels. The new emissions control system include bag filters and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR), which will ensure the plant meets the newest Best Available Technologies (BAT) standards, especially regarding dust and NOx emissions.

“SFW’s mission is to help our customers achieve their climate targets efficiently and cost-effectively. With this project, Sappi will be one step closer to achieving their decarbonization commitments, while reaping the benefits of reliable energy supply and extending the lifetime of their current assets”, says Kari Kohvakka, SVP Service at SFW.

The project will be completed at the end of 2021.

COMPANY NEWS

B&W Quarterly Bookings Show Increase

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. reported financial results for the 3rd quarter ended September 30, 2020.

Beginning with the 3rd quarter of 2020, B&W is reporting its financial results under three new reportable segments aligned with the company's strategic, market-focused organizational and rebranding initiative announced this past August to accelerate growth and provide stakeholders with improved visibility into its renewable and environmental growth platforms. Segment results for prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes.

 

·         B&W Renewable segment: Cost-effective technologies for efficient and environmentally sustainable power and heat

       generation, including waste-to-energy, biomass energy and black liquor systems for the pulp and paper industry. The 

       segment's leading technologies support a circular economy, diverting waste from landfills to use for power generation and

       replacing fossil fuels, while recovering metals and reducing emissions.  

·         B&W Environmental segment: A full suite of best-in-class emissions control and environmental technology solutions for utility

       and industrial steam generation applications around the world. The segment's broad experience includes systems for  

       cooling, ash handling, particulate control, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides removal, chemical looping for carbon control, 

       and mercury control.

·         B&W Thermal segment: Steam generation equipment, aftermarket parts, construction, maintenance and field services for

       plants in the power generation, oil and gas, and industrial sectors. The segment has an extensive global base of installed

       equipment for utilities and general industrial applications including refining, petrochemical, food processing, metals and 

       others.

 

Consolidated revenues in the 3rd quarter of 2020 were $132.5 million compared to $198.6 million in the 3rd quarter of 2019. The company's focus on core technologies and profitability, combined with the adverse impacts of COVID-19, were the primary drivers of the revenue decline.

GAAP operating income in the 3rd quarter of 2020 was $14.1 million, including the impact of a non-recurring loss recovery of $26.0 million recognized in the B&W Renewable segment under an October 10, 2020 settlement agreement with an insurer in connection with five of the six historical European EPC loss contracts, compared to an operating loss of $3.2 million in the 3rd quarter of 2019. The increase was partially offset by lower volume in each of the segments and customer delays as a result of COVID-19, as well as restructuring and settlement costs and advisory fees of $6.2 million. GAAP net income was $34.7 million, a $91.7 million improvement compared to 3rd quarter 2019, primarily driven by the non-recurring loss recovery and favorable foreign exchange effects, partially offset by lower interest expense. Adjusted EBITDA improved to $25.6 million compared to $10.1 million in the 3rd quarter of 2019.

Babcock & Wilcox Environmental segment revenues were $25.3 million in the third quarter of 2020 compared to $45.0 million in the 3rd quarter of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the completion of large construction projects in the prior year and the postponement of new projects by customers as a result of COVID-19. Adjusted EBITDA was $1.1 million compared to $1.8 million in the same period last year, driven primarily by the impact of COVID-19 and lower volume. Adjusted gross profit declined to $5.9 million in the third quarter of 2020, compared to $9.0 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to the decrease in revenue partially offset by favorable product mix. At September 30, 2020, the segment had two remaining significant loss contracts, previously reported as part of B&W SPIG's U.S. entity. The first was approximately 100 percent complete at the end of the 3rd quarter of 2020 with only performance testing remaining, which is expected to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2020. The second was approximately 97 percent complete at the end of the 3rd quarter of 2020 and is expected to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2020.

“Our 3rd quarter results improved significantly, driven by a loss recovery from our historical European EPC loss projects, and reflecting the ongoing execution of our turnaround strategy," said Kenneth Young, B&W's CEO. "Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19 and its impact on revenues across our segments, adjusted EBITDA was roughly break-even for the quarter before the benefit of the loss recovery, demonstrating the benefits of our cost-savings initiatives. Our rebranding initiative announced in August, coupled with our reorganization and international expansion, is accelerating our growth and drove our bookings of $177 million in the quarter, an improvement of 106 percent compared to the third quarter of 2019. Our pipeline of over $5 billion of identified project opportunities that we expect to bid through 2023 continues to strengthen, and the expansion of our international presence is progressing as planned."

“While COVID-19 impacted all of our segments in the third quarter, a number of projects that were previously delayed or deferred due to the pandemic are restarting," Young added. "We continue meeting customer and market needs by providing technology solutions to help achieve a clean, sustainable energy and industrial infrastructure. This includes our broad suite of advanced renewable, environmental and thermal technologies, such as high-performance waste-to-energy systems, innovative submerged grind conveyor systems, and flexible natural gas-fired package boilers, as well as strategic partnerships to accelerate advanced energy storage solutions."

CECO Starts to See Emerging Momentum 

CECO Environmental Corp. reported its financial results for the 3rd quarter and year-to-date of 2020. 

Highlights of the 3rd Quarter 2020*

·         Revenue of $77.4 million, compared with $85.3 million

·         Gross profit of $24.8 million (32.0 percent margin), compared with $28.8 million (33.8 percent margin)

·         Operating income of $1.0 million, compared with $4.1 million

·         Non-GAAP operating income of $5.9 million, compared with $7.0 million

·         Net loss of $(0.2) million, compared with net income $1.9 million

·         Non-GAAP net income of $3.8 million, compared with $4.2 million

·         Adjusted EBITDA of $7.3 million, compared with $8.4 million

·         Net loss per diluted share was $(0.01), compared with net income per diluted share of $0.05

·         Non-GAAP net income per diluted share of $0.11, compared with $0.12

·         Bookings of $66.8 million, compared with $115.7 million

·         Backlog of $189.1 million, compared with $204.6 million as of June 30, 2020

* All comparisons are versus the comparable prior-year period, unless otherwise stated

Todd Gleason, CECO's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "During the 3rd quarter, the CECO team continued to deliver solid execution for our customers and the company started to see emerging momentum in various industrial markets. Additionally, the company maintained its focus on streamlining costs which partially offset declines in revenue.  Unfortunately, the energy markets remain challenged as global capital spending continues to be disrupted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Mr. Gleason added, "We expect the markets to remain choppy and uncertain in the near-term, but we believe we can maintain our customer-focused execution and cost management to deliver future solid results.  The company is also launching new strategic growth programs to expand into adjacent markets and more repeatable revenue streams.  Furthermore, the company has kicked-off our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program which will highlight the many good and important areas of leadership CECO drives and is committed to advance across each component."

Mitsubishi Electric’s First Half Revenue Decreases

Revenue in the first half decreased by 280.5 billion yen from the same period of the previous fiscal year to 1902.0 billion yen as a result of decreased revenue in all segments. Energy and Electric Systems segment saw a decrease in the building systems business in Japan and Asia due to the impact of COVID-19 causing global stagnation of urban development and construction, while the social infrastructure systems business increased particularly in the transportations systems and the power systems businesses in Japan.

Industrial Automation Systems segment saw a significant decrease of the automotive equipment business due to decreased demand for new cars in all regions except for China. The factory automation systems business also decreased due to stagnation in automotive-related demand worldwide and machinery- and building-related demand in Japan. Home Appliances segment saw a decrease in air conditioners due to limited economic activities outside Japan and restrained capital expenditures worldwide.

Operating profit decreased by 52.8 billion yen from the same period of the previous fiscal year to 61.3 billion yen due mainly to decreased profits in Industrial Automation Systems and Home Appliances segments, while profits increased in Energy and Electric Systems, Electronic Devices and Information and Communication Systems segments. Operating profit ratio decreased by 2.0 percent from the same period of the previous fiscal year to 3.2 percent.

Profit before income taxes decreased by 48.3 billion yen from the same period of the previous fiscal year to 75.6 billion yen due primarily to a decrease in operating profit despite an improvement in non-operating expenses owing to decreased loss on foreign exchange. Profit before income taxes to revenue ratio was 4.0 percent.

GE Transformation Continues

GE Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. said, “I am proud of the GE team’s work in the 3rd quarter to build momentum while continuing to protect the safety of our employees, serve our customers and communities, and preserve GE’s strengths. We are improving our profit and cash performance with organic margin expansion in every segment except Aviation, though orders more broadly remain under pressure."

Culp added, "We are managing through a still-difficult environment with better operational execution across our businesses, and we are on track with our cost and cash actions. While our work continues, GE’s transformation is accelerating, and we expect Industrial free cash flow to be at least $2.5 billion in the fourth quarter and positive in 2021. We remain focused on unlocking upside potential for the long term.”

Gas Power is supplying the first purpose-built hydrogen-burning power plant in the U.S. with 7HA.02 turbines, which can transition to 100 percent hydrogen over time. GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy and TerraPower also won U.S. Department of Energy funding for their Natrium™ sodium-fast reactor.

Renewable Energy launched the uprated 13-megawatt Haliade-X offshore wind turbine to power what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, at Dogger Bank.

Camfil Group to Build New Manufacturing Facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas

Camfil Air Pollution Control (APC), announced the construction of a new manufacturing facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to replace its previous building that was destroyed by a tornado in March. The new factory and office space will be located at Craighead Technology Park. The target date for completion is early 2022.

Committed to continuing development in the area, Camfil APC has operated in Jonesboro for over 20 years, providing jobs, investing in the local economy, and contributing to the community. Since the tornado, the company has been conducting manufacturing operations out of a rented local facility. Sales offices, filter cartridge production, warehousing, and shipping were not damaged. All these functions will move to the new facility.

“We are grateful to everyone who has helped us move forward and make this new production facility possible, especially our parent company, Camfil Group, for committing the resources to help us rebuild. We also thank the city of Jonesboro, the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce, architects Fisher Arnold, our dedicated employees, our extremely supportive customers and the people of Jonesboro,” said Graeme Bell, Vice President of Camfil APC Americas.

Camfil APC is a part of the Camfil Group, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 30 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 30 countries, and 4800 employees and growing.

PRODUCT NEWS

SICK Dust Hunter Discussion

A recorded discussion on September 29, 2020 relative to measuring dust emissions from bag filters and electrostatic precipitators is now available on YouTube.

Phillip Zyskowski 

Phillip Zyskowski, Regional Sales Manager at SICK

John Chitty

John Chitty, Application Engineer at SICK

SICK has a wide range of instruments to measure gases and particulate in power plants and industrial fugitive dust and air pollution applications. Particulate monitors, using triboelectric principles, have been used for measuring dust emissions to determine broken bags in dust collectors. Accuracy of this approach is limited and depends on assumptions of constant humidity and other parameters. SICK is now offering a Dust Hunter particulate monitor which is based on the forward scattered light principle. Its accuracy is +/- 2 percent.  This device is competitively priced and extends the uses and value to a number of applications. One would be fine tuning rapping processes in electrostatic precipitators. Its accuracy allows identification of specific bags with holes rather than just large groups. In this recorded discussion, Phil Zyskowski drew on his many years of experience to explain the principles, advantages and use of Dust Hunter. His presentation was accompanied by discussions which included John Chitty of SICK and Bob McIlvaine.

The DUSTHUNTER SP30 can be used to locate defective filter bags in cyclically cleaned hoses or filter bags.

Prerequisites

·         Cyclic cleaning of filter bags

·         Debounced synchronizing signal (DI4) with a duration of 100 ... 900 ms

·         Pulse interval at least 0.5 s and greater than 2x T90 time for the dust concentration measurement

       Input parameters required

·         Number of filter hoses in a filter bag

·         Impulse interval

·         Delay time between purge bursts

The advantage of this forward light scattering approach is the higher accuracy over triboelectric technology. This allows analysis of process parameters and is, in general, superior for use relative to process management.

The power points are shown at link http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/images/SICK_Dust_Measurement_for_ESP_and_Baghouse_PZ_JS.pdf.

The YouTube can be viewed at https://youtu.be/yi7TNxjG6G4.

Donaldson Introduces Rugged Pleat Baghouse Dust Collector

Donaldson Company, Inc. has introduced the Donaldson Torit® Rugged Pleat (RP) baghouse industrial dust collector. The collector is designed to capture heavy and abrasive dust inherent to woodworking, mining, grain processing and other industries.

The new RP baghouse collector features Donaldson’s SuperSep™ inlet which pre-separates up to 97 percent of the dust before it hits the filters and the PerfectPulse™ cleaning system focuses cleaning energy directly over the filters, supporting long life. With its new Ultra-Web® Spunbond filters, the collector is capable of providing up to 94 percent fewer emissions as compared to baghouses equipped with standard 16-oz singed polyester bags, which makes it ideal for heavily regulated industries and operations that recirculate conditioned air in their facilities.

“The Rugged Pleat baghouse collector offers unrivaled performance and efficiency,” said Joe Kiolbasa, Product Manager in the Industrial Air Filtration division of Donaldson. “This new technology will help facility managers tackle air quality and occupational health and safety issues, while providing a lower total cost of ownership over the life of the collector.”

The new RP baghouse dust collector utilizes 44 percent fewer filters than traditional baghouse collectors, resulting in a 72 percent reduction in change-out times. In keeping with Donaldson’s commitment to providing comprehensive filtration solutions, the RP baghouse includes the iCue™ connected filtration monitoring service which allows customers to remotely monitor, manage, and optimize the operation of the dust collector.

Camfil PowerEye Guides Operators on Inlet Filter Operation

Camfil Power Systems introduced PowerEye™  — claimed to be the industry’s first predictive analytics engine that quantifies the impact of ambient conditions on the performance of air inlet filtration and combustion turbines. These insights drive higher power output and reduce operational expenses.

PowerEye predictive analytics engine provides:

·         Turbine performance data

·         Prediction of day-ahead power output

·         Pressure drop trends and predictions

·         Most economical filter replacement recommendations (patented technology)

·         Optimal offline water wash schedules

The PowerEye engine provides specialized analysis because it pulls from Camfil’s proprietary filtration knowledge base. With years of field-testing experience on a variety of filter types, Camfil has developed algorithms to predict how different filter and atmospheric conditions will react and affect the performance of gas turbines.

Armed with intelligence from PowerEye, operators can conduct predictive maintenance and address potential issues before they become costly problems resulting in downtime and equipment failure.

PowerEye data is delivered through an annual service subscription that is backed by an experienced team of Camfil filtration specialists. These experts provide actionable reports, valuable analysis and critical insights into the status of filters and the performance of gas turbines. Three different subscription levels are available—Lite, Pro and Max—to best accommodate the needs of the operation and budget.

“The information that PowerEye delivers lets power plant operators maintain better control of their facilities and helps them make strategic decisions to improve power output across the fleet,” said Marc Van den Eynde, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing, Camfil Power Systems. PowerEye pulls data from three main sources — Camfil’s proprietary PowerEye Air Monitoring Station telemetry device (installed at each facility), the facility site historian and online weather services. Data is securely transferred back to the central PowerEye server for analysis, then run through the PowerEye predictive analytics engine. The PowerEye engine calculates the impact of ambient conditions on the performance of air inlet filtration and combustion turbines and gives actionable maintenance recommendations to increase plant profitability.

Up to 25 users per site can access PowerEye data and predictions via a web-based dashboard. This user-friendly dashboard makes it easy to monitor multiple assets across fleets to spot trends and quickly identify underperforming assets, enabling operators to take appropriate action.

GEA Redesigns its SANCIP® Bag Filter for Better Efficiency, Cost Savings and Easier Maintenance for Spray Dryers

GEA has made a series of important changes to its trusted SANICIP® bag filtration system for food- & dairy spray dryers in a long-term development project that will provide valuable operational benefits to users of the new equipment.

The new SANICIP® II (patent pending) maintains and controls the pressure drop through the filtration bags more effectively by promoting longer production times and reducing CIP intervals. Combined with other advances, such as easier maintenance and better space utilization than its predecessor, bag life is now up to 50 percent longer. These developments add up to more reliable operation, financial savings and a better working environment for operators. 

Following extensive studies with customers, GEA identified key areas where design modifications could be made in this new generation of SANICIP® technology. Using the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to optimize airflow within the filter, GEA was able to reduce the length of the filter bags from up to 7 meters to just 4.5 meters and, by reducing the diameter, and increasing the number of bags within the filter chamber, retained the total filtration surface area of the system.

This fundamental change results in increased practicality and efficiency while contributing several additional benefits:

Each filtration bag is supported by an internal cage structure. The 4.5-meter cages are much lighter in weight than their longer predecessors making maintenance easier. Likewise, the shorter cages can be fabricated as a single piece, rather than joining two structures, allowing the cage to come more easily and more quickly into position. And its rigidity makes it more structurally sound. GEA has also made the fixing system for each cage obsolete, thereby eliminating the need for loose bolts, nuts and brackets which were difficult and time consuming for engineers to handle during routine maintenance. The shorter filtration bags are exposed to less turbulence making them less prone to mechanical wear and thereby extending their operational life by up to 50 percent.

GEA has also looked closely at the design of its dedusting system, essentially comprising super-sonic nozzles and rapid diaphragm valves. The system ensures the powder that builds up on the bags is pulsed down into the bottom of the filter. Using CFD techniques combined with full-scale testing, has allowed GEA to make precise adjustments to the profile of the super-sonic nozzles and their position, and to the design of the diaphragm valve. This, combined with the shorter bags and the novel inlet system (see below), ensures that the powder on the bags is carefully controlled and never exceeds the desired level. As a result, the need for frequent cleaning, which would otherwise seriously affect production schedules, is drastically reduced and the pressure loss through the bags can be maintained indefinitely. Improved dedusting capability was already made available in more recent SANICIP® models and with these additional updates, is now fitted as standard on the SANICIP® II.

GEA made another important change by redesigning the inlet from the spray dryer, which is now vertical instead of horizontal. This facilitates a much more even distribution of air within the filter, reduces the footprint required and allows for a more adaptive plant layout. Moreover, this adaptive layout may in some instances allow for lower building heights, thereby lowering capital investment, which can be substantial, particularly in areas with high regulatory cost and requirements, such as in earthquake-prone zones.

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