Check out the new Grime Newsletter!
The New ND-Double Wall Plate is Here!!!
With our newest plate, the ND double-wall series, GEA PHE Systems has successfully combined a high efficiency heat transfer plate with an extremely reliable double-wall design that eliminates any risk of two fluids intermixing as they pass through the heat exchanger.
This series combines a pair of identical heat transfer plates that are laser welded together at the inlet and outlet port holes to form a small leakage gap between the two plates.
In the event of erosion due to harsh media, a gasket or weld defect due to pressure changes, this clever solution ensures no intermixing of the two non-compatible media while making the leak clearly visible.
A good example of where this design works well is in
oil coolers that use portable water to cool an engine.
Intermixing can create a lot of damage and the extra layer of protection and early leak detection is a must!
The new ND double-wall is more thermally efficient than the former Saftytherm plate line.
Your benefits are:
ðÌðÁ Competitive pricing
ðÌðÁ Shorter lead times
ðÌðÁ A more efficient heat transfer design
ðÌðÁ A plate that gives an extra layer of protection where needed
The ND double-wall plates are currently available in the
4ðÌð port hole sizes and come with all the design features of our NT series:
ðÌðÁ Optiwaveðåð» a design for even flow across the plate resulting in maximum heat transfer and less plates.
ðÌðÁ PosLocðåð» self-aligning plates for faster maintenance, shorter down time, longer gasket life.
ðÌðÁ EcoLocðåð» tool and glue free gasket attachments with plate alignment guides
For more information, contact your Sales Manager.
**Taken from GEA newsletter
We Moved!
As of February 22, 2013 our office has changed locations. Please note that our phone number, fax number, and email addresses have not changed. We look forward to helping you from our new office:
Pentad Associates INC
6551 S Revere Parkway #290
Centennial, CO
80111
Colorado Air Regulators Mull Increased Drilling Oversight
published by NGI’s Shale Daily: July 10, 2013
Colorado drillers may face more scrutiny about emissions from their oil and natural operations under regulations being pondered by the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
The Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission has primary oversight of exploration and production and the state’s growing 500,000-plus wells. The CDPHE oversees the state’s air quality, and air pollution emissions from drilling operations are the No. 1 source of volatile organic compounds and the third-largest source of nitrogen oxides, officials said.
Several proposals are on the table to revamp CDPHE’s regulations, all part of a 2013 rulemaking effort by the department’s Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC). Among other things, regulators want to adopt in full the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) within the Clean Air Act.
EPA last year gave industry until 2015 to eliminate harmful emissions from drilling sites (see Shale Daily, April 19, 2012). The state may adopt rules, but they would have to be at least as stringent as EPA’s. The AQCC also is reviewing “overlaps and gaps” in state/federal oversight. The nine-member AQCC last year postponed fully adopting the EPA standards.
“As we move toward adopting EPA’s rules, we are also looking at cost-effective enhancements to the state’s existing air quality regulations,” CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division director Will Allison said.
The nine-member AQCC has several goals in mind that it hopes to achieve through the expansive rulemaking effort:
Identify and implement strategies to improve the program’s effectiveness and efficiency;
Find ways to reduce permitting burdens on both the division and the regulated community “without impacting environmental benefits” from the permit program;
Address oil and gas development growth by adopting “reasonable” emission reduction strategies; and
Lay the groundwork for ongoing efforts to reduce oil and gas emissions “while minimizing burdens that don’t provide environmental value.”
In line with those goals, proposed regulations are being considered to increase and streamline permit threshold criteria pollutants, and to remove catchall provisions that require permits for all sources subject to NSPS or maximum available control technologies.
New rules being considered include rules governing ozone and ozone precursors for tanks that would include more covered tanks (condensate, produced water, crude oil, etc.) and rules covering emission capture and routing to control devices or sales lines. Rules also are proposed to address:
Fugitive emissions and leaks by increasing their identification and requiring leaks be repaired;
Wellhead venting and flaring; and
Timely tie-ins of wells to natural gas sales lines to reduce venting or flaring.
Doug Flanders, policy director for the industry-led Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), said the industry has pledged a commitment “to the continual pursuit of emissions reductions,” and COGA “will continue to partner with our communities and state regulators” to achieve it.
A meeting to present the AQCC proposals is set for Aug. 7, with a request for a hearing scheduled for Aug. 15
We Welcome Megan Fuller to the Pentad Team
Megan Fuller started with Pentad Associates on February 18th, 2013. She has previous customer service experience. Please say hello to her next time you stop by!
2013 Advanced Facilities Management & Engineering Conference
Come visit us at AFEC in September!
http://www.pentadassoc.com/pdfs/AFEComppassemailREVISED.pdf
Pentad Associates is in Booth #318. We look forward to seeing you there!
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Information
DSIRE: A Comprehensive Database for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives
The DSIRE web site provides information about renewable energy and energy efficiency incentives and policies in the United States. Relevant incentives and policies established by the federal government, state governments, local governments, utilities and non-profit organizations are included in DSIRE.
Incentives & Policies
The DSIRE home page features a U.S. map for easy access to incentives and policies available in each state. Clicking a state or territory yields a list of available incentives and policies in that state, organized into two categories: (1) Financial Incentives and (2) Rules, Regulations & Policies.
The list of incentives and policies provides links to individual summaries with the following details:
- The incentive or policy type (e.g., tax credit, rebate program, net metering)
- The implementing sector (e.g., federal, state, utility)
- Eligible sectors (e.g., residential, commercial, government)
- Eligible technologies (e.g., solar water heating, wind energy, insulation)
- Links to authorizing statutes, regulations and other relevant legal documents
- A summary of the incentive or policy
- A link to the incentive or policy web site
- Contact information
DSIRE includes information on federal incentives and policies for renewables and energy efficiency technologies, with an emphasis on incentives for end-users. DSIRE does not include research & development incentives, outreach programs, or non-programmatic funding opportunities. Click Federal Incentives on the DSIRE home page to see what’s available.
National & Regional Policy Trends
DSIRE’s Summary Maps provide a geographical overview of certain financial incentives and regulatory policies that promote renewable energy. DSIRE’s Summary Tables provide an overview of renewable energy and energy efficiency incentives and policies available in each state.
DSIRE Searches
The Search tool on the DSIRE home page allows users to search all incentives and policies by state, incentive type, technology type, implementing sector and/or eligible sector. Searching by any of these criteria provides a comprehensive list of applicable incentives and policies, with links to each program summary. To view or print all summaries, click "See All Summaries" at the top of the page.
Other DSIRE Resources
DSIRE also offers the following resources, accessible via the DSIRE home page:
- Lists of new and updated incentives and policies (What’s New?)
- A glossary of relevant terms
- A library of relevant DSIRE publications and presentations
- Links to other organizations and useful resources
- Solar-specific policy resources (DSIRE Solar)
Boiler Equipment: WARE Providing More to its Customers
A good company doesn’t just sell you the boiler equipment you want; they help you determine the exact boiler equipment you need. Companies are discovering that now is a great time to replace aging boiler room equipment and revamp their current steam generating boiler room equipment. With increasing energy costs companies are interested in maximizing cost savings while still providing the operations they need. Such was the case of the Georgia Carpet Mill manufacturing plant.
Increased production demand for boiler rooms, coupled with old, oversized boilers, created excessive cycling and inconsistent pressure and flow fluctuations. There was also growing concern that the lead boiler could fail or cycle in ways that would negatively affect product quality. Gas consumption increased and costs were a major concern. After contacting the experts at WARE it was decided to get a handle on the actual flow rates a series of vortex steam flow meters and monitored the system for 30 days.
Following WARE’s analysis they came up with a boiler room system that reduced their emissions to meet the sub 30 ppm NOx and 3% O2 level across the board from a 17% firing rate to 100% firing rate requirements set by the customer. This plan not only reduced their carbon footprint; it also reduced fuel costs. All of this accomplished with one modification to the ageing boiler room system.
Patrick Gigandet (engineering consultant for WARE) summed up the project well. “The work we did with this Georgia carpet mill is a perfect example of how Ware is not just a boiler equipment provider but a critical partner in the engineering and consultation of the boiler room unit selection process”.
The Dog Leg Vent Pipe: A Potential Problem for Deaerators
Thanks to Kansas City Deaerator for providing some of this information
Many deaerators in the past have been built with vent piping that protrudes through the water box to the external portion of the heater allowing the oxygen to be eliminated from the deaerator. Many manufacturers provided a dog leg type vent with a miter joint which typically fails due to inadequate welding where the vent pipe supports the valve plate. This can cause significant loss or performance and effect your energy savings long term. Annual inspections of the welds are recommended to detect such failures or you may be better off just replacing the piping with a sound solution for your physical conditions. Its easy to overlook or push back these inspections but doing so can lead to more problems than it’s worth.
If your facility is operating an ageing deaerator we’d be happy to discuss modern energy efficient solutions with you specific to your application. We have a great deal of experience that may help you reducce costs through smart energy efficiency.
Ware Unveils A New Mobile Clean Room Trailer
Ware has been quick to respond to their customer’s high expectations by developing a mobile clean room for on-site services. The lab can provide crucial services for industrial gas manufacturing gases such as oxygen, ammonia, and chlorine. Other industries that may benefit from this new service include chemical plants and steel manufacturers. Gas manufacturers require special cleaning processes for valves, particularly safety valves used in the production of gases. The strong reactivity of oxygen in particular requires strict regulations regarding the cleanliness of the equipment used.
Avoiding contaminants in oxygen valves is paramount because of the easily combustible materials like grease and oil. Even though oxygen is not combustible on its own it does assist in combustion. For this reason valves need to be cleaned every one to five years (depending on valve type) to ensure these contaminates are eliminated. Ware’s new clean room lab allows technicians to maintain the high expectations of their customers, the high standards of the industry, and provide that service on site for the quickest possible turn around time and system troubleshooting.