The following senior management appointments have been made, all reporting to Goertzen: Jerry Fraelic, president US; Ivan Heidecker, president Canada; Bill Moore, president international; Caspar De Jong, managing director Europe; Toufic Khalik, managing director Middle East and North Africa; and Steve Dropulich, managing director AustralAsia. Goertzen will be supported by an experienced corporate team including James Harbilas, vice president and CFO; Rachel Moore, vice president Human Resources and Greg Stewart, vice president and CIO.

Toromont said that the decentralized structure of the merged company “capitalizes on the very strong managers coming out of both organizations while minimizing the actual integration effort that will be required. As a result, our executive team will remain focused on their primary role of providing superior service to our customers around the world.”

“We are excited about the prospects for Enerflex Ltd. It is now a well capitalized global leader in the compression market built on the complementary strengths of its predecessor organizations,” said Robert M. Ogilvie, chairman and CEO of Toromont. “With a strong leadership team in place, the prospects for this business are excellent and will become more evident when the demand for compression equipment picks up.”

For more information: www.toromont.com

The requirements placed on belt conveyors have become increasingly complicated with respect to predictable and reliable operation and the reduction of fugitive, especially dust, emissions. The proven techniques of using engineered-flow chutes and air-supported belt conveyors can be found at many coal-fired power plants and this equipment can be retrofitted to any station.

No longer is it sufficient for the conveyors merely to move material from point A to point B. Now these systems must be able to produce a specified continuous flow, enabling a plant to operate without peaks and valleys in the amount of delivered fuel. In addition, the conveying system must provide effective material control to minimize the problems and costs associated with the escape of fugitive material. These problems include unscheduled shutdowns, premature equipment failures, regulatory concerns, poor relations with neighbors, and health and safety issues.

However, new technologies are available that can improve the performance of conveyors handling coal and other bulk materials. Two of these technologies are air-supported belt conveyors and engineered-flow transfer chutes. Used separately or in combination, they offer a plant the opportunity to dramatically improve material-handling operations and overall plant efficiency. Conveyor designers are also making an effort to accommodate needs for future upgrades and special components that improve performance before the equipment is actually built.

Engineered-Flow Transfer Chutes
The loading and discharge of conveyor belts is the area where many, if not most, of the problems in solids conveying occur. Fortunately, a new technology provides chutes to accomplish conveyor loading and discharge without blockages while minimizing the dust generated: engineered-flow transfer chutes.

Traditionally, chutes have been an afterthought in material-handling design. They are installed to connect two structures—one conveyor to another, a conveyor to a vessel, or a vessel to a conveyor. Little consideration has been given to the flow of material through the chute beyond making sure the chute was big enough to be (mostly) out of the way of the material stream. Chutes were kept small to avoid running up expenses for steel. Because these enclosures were designed with the minimum cross-section, they were prone to buildups and blockages.

Conventionally designed chutes also generate dust. When a granular material moves through an enclosure like a chute, the material imparts momentum to the air surrounding the body of material and filling the chute. The effect is the induction or “carrying along” of quantities of air with the stream of material. If, in its passage through the chute, the body of material is allowed to disperse or open up, even more air is carried along, both on the inside and on the outside of the moving stream. Then, when the stream of material “crash lands” on a receiving conveyor, the profile of the material is compressed and the induced air is driven off. This air takes with it the smaller particles of material as airborne dust. If the stream carries large amounts of induced air, then more dust is released into the air. If the cargo lands in the loading zone with higher impact energy—if it has fallen farther or was moving faster when it hits—it releases this air with a higher velocity, again creating larger amounts of dust. If the material has been allowed to move in a disorderly, turbulent stream—which could be called “billiard flow,” where the lumps bounce off each other and the walls—the material lumps will degrade, creating more dust that can be carried out.

However, if the material is kept as a tight, coherent stream, the amount of induced air is minimized. Less air is released and less airborne dust created. The material moves smoothly—like water through a faucet—rather than with the starts and stops, the acceleration and deceleration that cause problems. The material slides on itself in a “fluid flow” rather than bouncing in the typical billiard-flow fashion.

An engineered-flow chute incorporates a “hood” that directs the material flow down in a cohesive stream and a “spoon” to place the cargo on the receiving belt. Source: Martin Engineering

Chutes with “engineered flow” represent the application of the principles of fluid mechanics and the understanding of particulate movement to provide the basis for the design of a transfer chute. These chutes are designed so that the material stays in continuous motion though the transfer chute.

The Hood and Spoon
Engineered-flow chutes are designed to provide a continuous stream of material in conveyor loading and discharge applications. These chutes include a “hood” discharge chute and a “spoon” receiving chute (Figure 1). In addition, they feature a flow-engineered enclosure that contains the stream of material as it leaves the head pulley until it is deposited onto the receiving belt at as close to belt speed as practicable without increasing the risk of plugging. This reduces impact that degrades the material and wears the belt, and it minimizes air expulsion that drives dust into the air.

Please read more at: CoalPower

The micro AC drives are available with power ratings from 0.25 to 2.2 kW for use with single-phase supplies and 0.37 to 5.5 kW for use with three-phase supplies. The micro AC drives from Vacon range in size from 66 x 157 x 98 mm to 100 x 262 x 109 mm depending on rating and are suitable for screw fixing or for mounting on DIN rail.

All micro AC drives in the Vacon range offer PI control and basic application macros for fan, pumps and conveyors. All versions of the micro AC drives can be optionally supplied with internally mounted EMC filters which comply with the Category C2 requirements of EN 61800-3.

Vacon 10 micro AC drives feature fully programmable I/O, comprising three digital inputs, one analogue input and one relay output for standard models. Versions are also available with six digital inputs, two analogue inputs, one digital output and two relay outputs. An RS485/Modbus interface is a standard feature on all models.

One series of the ORBIT scroll compressors is optimized for air-cooled applications and heat pumps, while the other is suitable for water-cooled chiller operation. The ORBIT 8 Series of scroll compressors from Bitzer includes 6 displacements with cooling capacities from 15 to 40 tons at 60 Hz and has been specifically designed for R410A.

The ORBIT Boreal for water-cooled system reaches European seasonal energy efficiency ratio (ESEER) levels up to 15% higher than with a conventional scroll design. This has been achieved by an optimal compression ratio for lower condensing temperatures, such as those found in water-cooled applications. Adapted motors are used, resulting in better efficiency during part-load operation. The ORBIT 8 Series scroll compressors also feature a low oil circulation rate of less than 1%, which improves heat transfer.

“The Wärtsilä Slow Steaming Upgrade Kits will give these ships considerable flexibility for adapting to the prevailing challenging market conditions. They offer considerable cost savings when slow steaming the ships, while retaining the capability for full speed whenever necessary,” comments Mr Herm Jüngerhans, Managing Director, Jüngerhans.

In response to over-capacity in the market and a desire to cut overall fuel consumption, during recent months charterers have adjusted both their services and the speed of their ships. Slow steaming has become an established way of operating vessels, particularly in the container segment. Slow steaming offers clear benefits for charterers in terms of substantially reduced fuel consumption and considerable savings in overall ship operation costs.

Wärtsilä Slow Steaming Upgrade Kit
For ships powered by Wärtsilä RTA and RT-flex low-speed engines with more than one turbocharger, Wärtsilä introduced its Slow Steaming Upgrade Kit in 2008. The kit enables ship owners and operators to achieve major savings in fuel costs by allowing them to slow steam their ships.

“The Slow Steaming Upgrade Kit both extends the load range of the engine for continuous operation, and significantly reduces BSFC (brake specific fuel consumption) in the low-load range,” explains Jürgen Gerdes, Director, Services, Wärtsilä in Switzerland.

The Wärtsilä Upgrade Kit Slow Steaming also helps ship owners, operators and charterers to increase the flexibility of their engines, permitting them to run anywhere from 10% to 100% maximum load without operational restrictions, and to decrease the risk of engine fouling and excessive component temperatures. The BSFC figures that can be achieved are strongly dependent on the final NOX emission balances over the entire load range. For ships that must comply with the IMO NOX emission regulations, the restrictions imposed by the emissions limits will be evaluated in each case and a customized solution package offered.

“Operational flexibility was a major factor in our decision to choose Wärtsilä’s solution. We foresee that the upgrade kit will give our vessels even more competitive advantages. We wanted to have a reliable slow steaming solution in order to be attractive in the market and this gives us an advantage over other charterers,” adds Mr Herm Jüngerhans.

Other orders and first operating results
With the order from Jüngerhans, the total amount of ordered upgrade kits has increased to twelve, and Wärtsilä is already able to assess the initial operating results for its Slow Steaming Upgrade Kit. For an 8-cylinder Wärtsilä RTA62U engine, it was possible to achieve fuel savings of up to 6-10 g/kWh in the optimal load range. On a 12-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex96C engine equipped with three turbochargers, the measured fuel savings of 8-12 g/kWh were slightly higher because the achievable savings are related to the number of turbochargers. Since installation, the vessels have been running successfully and the customers have had the flexibility of choosing whether to slow steam or not

Source: Wartsila

Previously, OMNOVA Solutions used a deionized water system to treat the incoming city water to be used in the plant’s manufacturing processes. OMNOVA decided to upgrade to new technology due to the high cost of maintaining the old system as well as reliability issues that threatened to affect plant production and product quality. Environmental, health and safety concerns related to the use of caustic and sulfuric acid for regeneration of the old system also were key considerations.

The implementation of two of GE’s Pro-50 RO systems, along with GE’s Continuum AEC Alkaline treatment program, resulted in a substantial reduction in fresh water usage and a yearly net savings for OMNOVA of $120,000. The new system also is much safer for employees and the environment since there is no more acid or caustic usage. Recognizing OMNOVA’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, the Green Bay project received today a GE ecomagination Leadership Award.

“Innovation and a commitment to reducing our environmental footprint are both hallmarks of the way we do business at OMNOVA Solutions,” said James Hohman, president of OMNOVA’s Performance Chemicals business unit. “Partnering with GE on this important project for our Green Bay area plant provided an excellent opportunity to apply a novel approach to the treatment of our process water, and in doing so, to significantly reduce our water usage. This has had a major positive impact for OMNOVA and for the surrounding community. We are delighted that GE has chosen to honor these efforts with their ecomagination Leadership Award.”

Ecomagination is GE’s corporate-wide sustainable business strategy to address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy, reduced emissions and abundance sources of clean water. The GE ecomagination Leadership Award is given to the top one percentile of GE’s customers who demonstrate significant environmental and economical performance improvements, striking a balance between today’s environmental, industrial and sustainability challenges.

“We are pleased to present OMNOVA Solutions with an ecomagination Leadership award in recognition of their significant efforts in reducing water usage and improving the environment while maintaining safety,” said Adrian Peace, North American business leader, GE Power & Water. “Our ecomagination leadership awards are given to the best of the best. This project with OMNOVA Solutions is a great example of working together to deliver positive economic and environmental impact with quantifiable results.”

The OMNOVA Solutions facility is located just northwest of Green Bay in the Village of Howard. Village President Burt McIntyre offered congratulations, saying, “The Village of Howard is proud to celebrate with OMNOVA Solutions their significant achievement and the receipt of the prestigious award from GE for work in water and process technology. Businesses that put in place programs which contribute to improving environmental conditions not only benefit themselves, but also the communities in which they operate. We are proud of OMNOVA and recognize, as did GE, their quality achievement.”

OMNOVA Solutions Inc. is a technology-based company with 2009 sales of $696 million and a current workforce of 2,300 employees worldwide. OMNOVA is an innovator of emulsion polymers, specialty chemicals and decorative and functional surfaces for a variety of commercial, industrial and residential end uses. OMNOVA’s Green Bay, Wis., plant is North America’s newest specialty latex facility. It produces synthetic latex used in paper coatings and various specialty chemical applications such as nonwoven products. The facility employs 54 people.

Source: GE Energy

Tier III, which will enter into force January 2016, will require a reduction of the existing Tier I NOx level by 80% across the entire speed limit for new marine engines, even if only in defined local areas near shore. These new requirements impose a sense of urgency in developing future emission control technologies to apply to new as well as existing engines. Manufacturers and suppliers to this market are well aware of this situation and their focus is clear.

The skid-mounted exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) scrubber (top) with the cooler and water mist catcher (below) as installed at Alexander Maersk. The scrubber is completely new and was specially designed by MAN Diesel for the EGR upstream system.

“Since our first testing of EGR [exhaust gas recirculation] back in 2004, MAN Diesel has been convinced that EGR technology is the route to decrease emission of NOx from their two-stroke engines,” said Søren H. Jensen, vice president, research and development, MAN
Diesel. “EGR is one of many methods to reduce NOx emissions from marine diesel engines and the method has been used in some four-stroke engines, but has not yet been commercially available on two-stroke engines onboard ships.”

In 2007, MAN Diesel tested an EGR system at its low-speed test engine in Copenhagen, Denmark, and achieved a considerable NOx reduction, with a marginal negative effect on the specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC). Also, other emission parameters and engine components were only slightly affected by the EGR process (see D>W, March 2008).

In 2007 MAN Diesel tested its second EGR system at its low-speed test engine in Copenhagen, Denmark, and achieved a considerable NOx reduction. Only a marginal negative effect on the specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC) was recorded

MAN Diesel is involved in two large projects concerning environmental issues. One is the HERCULES-B, which is a European Commission (EC)-funded project with focus on engine efficiency and emissions. One of the specific tasks has been emission reduction methods, and the task leader comes from MAN Diesel. A major focus has been EGR in order to reduce NOx. The objective is to reduce NOx by 80% (Tier III) on a two-stroke test engine with minimum deteriorations regarding specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC) penalty and other emissions. Other objectives are reducing NOx by 50% on a seagoing vessel, by test of a full-size prototype EGR system, and an investigation of long-term effects on engine components.

Earlier this year MAN Diesel performed what they call an “extreme EGR test” carried out on their 4T50ME-X test engine. One of the results was an 87% NOx reduction obtained at 75% load with an SFOC penalty of 5 g/kWh. An SFOC penalty of only 2 g/kWh was obtained at 80% NOx reduction at 75% load.

“We are now working on the next step of developing our EGR system being the installation of a complete system at Alexander Maersk, a containership of 1092 TEU capacity,” said Jensen. “The EGR system will be installed and tested on the 10 MW MAN 7S50MC engine during early 2010 according to plans.” This is also part of another important project for MAN Diesel, the “Green Ship of the Future,” in which a number of companies besides MAN Diesel are involved, among them Maersk, Odense Lindö, Aalborg Industries and APV to mention a few. Also here, the specification and design of an EGR system is in focus, including system integration with engine room and other auxiliary systems. Alexander Maersk has been identified as the ship for the first EGR installation.

The integration with the engine of Alexander Maersk means removal of the existing two MET 42SE turbochargers and the installation of a new ABB A175-L turbocharger with variable turbine area. A new charge-air pipe will be required and an EGR gas outlet pipe will be fitted. The system will be optimized to achieve for best gas mixing and low pressure drops.

A principal sketch of the EGR system as fitted at Alexander Maersk. The main components are the exhaust-gas wet scrubber, cooler, high-pressure blower and water treatment system.

Early on, MAN Diesel saw the need for an efficient scrubber to clean the exhaust gas and, if possible, also reduce some of the emission components. Accordingly, MAN Diesel started designing its own, completely new scrubber specially made for the EGR upstream system. Over the last few years, the scrubber has been extensively tested as to its influence on engine performance, combustion temperatures and emission data. Measurements confirmed an up to 90% particle trapping efficiency in combination with up to 70% SOx removal, without any water carryover.

Source: WWW.DIESELGASTURBINE.COM

GE’s WindBOOST control software makes it possible for GE 1.5sle wind turbines to increase output by up to 100 kilowatts, enhancing productivity from 1.5 to 1.6 megawatts (MW). Depending on wind speed and other site atmospheric conditions, the WindBOOST control automatically activates to increase the energy produced by each unit. Alternatively, WindBOOST can be turned on and off remotely, providing flexibility to ramp up power production.

WindBOOST enables a wind turbine to improve operation within the full IEC Type IIB design envelope. This expanded mode operation is expected to produce up to 4% more annual energy output per wind turbine. WindBOOST also provides “grid-friendly” features that balance increased output with grid integration requirements of a wind farm.

“Upgrading the GE wind turbines in our U.S. fleet gives us the opportunity for increased output with no significant hardware additions,” said Manny Sanchez, vice president, wind operations for NextEra Energy Resources. “Improving resources by increasing the productivity of our installed wind turbines is a significant benefit.”

“WindBOOST is part of a series of continuing GE technology advancements designed to help move the wind industry forward,” said Vic Abate, vice president—renewable energy, GE Power & Water. “NextEra’s investment in the WindBOOST technology is an excellent example of how GE’s development of wind turbine upgrades can allow owners to improve performance and maximize revenue over the life of the turbine.”

WindBOOST is currently designed for both new and existing 60-hertz GE 1.5sle wind turbines, with plans to apply the technology to additional 1.5-MW models. GE is the largest U.S. supplier of wind turbines and the 1.5-MW machine is the workhorse of the company’s fleet, with more than 13,500 units now installed worldwide.

Based in Juno Beach, Fla., NextEra is a subsidiary of FPL Group. NextEra Energy Resources owns and operates various power generation facilities throughout the United States as well as Quebec and Nova Scotia in Canada.

* WindBOOST is a trademark of General Electric Company

Source: GE Energy

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Search and rescue crews dig through rubble looking for survivors

Watch this Abc Video http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/18024324

“For Maersk LNG, this service agreement means improved levels of certainty regarding servicing of the main engines on our LNG vessels. With this monitoring system in place, maintenance work can be proactive,” said Claus H. Thomsen, Director, Maersk LNG. “The contract also guarantees us stable maintenance costs for at least the next five years.”

Wärtsilä has extensive experience in providing long-term operational and management services for about 1000 similar engines installed in ships and land-based power plants all over the world. Shipping is a different market though, which makes it important to create concepts fully adapted to the marine industry.

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Maersk LNG operates a fleet of seven LNG vessels, with one more on order for delivery early 2010. Maersk LNG is part of the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group, which employs about 117,000 people in some 130 countries around the world. The A.P. Moller – Maersk Group fleet includes container vessels, tankers, supply ships and drilling rigs. Besides shipping, the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group is engaged in exploration for and production of oil and gas as well as retail activities.

Significant operational advantages

Wärtsilä offers proactive and dynamic maintenance programmes called DMP (Dynamic Maintenance Planning), which includes the planning and scheduling of engine maintenance based on online monitoring of each engine’s mechanical condition, performance, system efficiency data and other indicators. As data is collected and monitored daily, the sources of faults can be identified before failure occurs.

“Wärtsilä’s service agreements including DMP are mainly about risk management in vessel operation,” says Bo Lindy Jensen, General Manager, Strategic Account Management, Wärtsilä in Denmark. “By providing this service we are supporting our customer’s business.”

“As a designer and manufacturer of marine and power plant engines, Wärtsilä also has the best possible know-how regarding how they should be maintained,” says Jensen. “Long-term service contracts provide us with a continuous flow of information on each engine’s operational characteristics throughout its life-cycle. Combined with our experience, this information helps us develop even better products and service solutions.”

The Wärtsilä DMP system offers clear potential for reducing maintenance costs. Intervals between overhauls are flexible based on actual condition and operational risk profile, the need for unplanned maintenance is reduced, up-time is increased and engine efficiency can be optimized.

Source: Wartsila