Issue 17 of ERIKS Know+How the leading magazine for maintenance engineers - this edition is dedicated to the chemical industry.

1. The leading magazine for mainTenance engineers from eriKs
ISSUE 17
The right
chemistry
The formula for chemical
plant construction p12
It’s not about
the parts
sometimes the
know-how counts
more
p6
LS
HE
M IC
A
S ON
CU
LS
HE
M IC
A
S ON
CU
LS
www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
C
All hands to
the pumps
chemicals
pumping
challenges
p18
The Hose Bible
eriKs creates
the national hose
database
p26
•
• FO
C
enhancing supply
chain efficiency
•
• FO
C
S ON Demand better
CU
supply
•
• FO
p20

2. Contents
Motor Driven systems Conference
aims to help industry professionals
generate huge savings.
electric motor driven systems make up a massive 65% of the uK’s
industrial electricity consumption, but many businesses are actually
unaware of the technology available to them with the potential to
significantly reduce their energy costs. recent legislative change to the
international efficiency code has redefined the way in which we define
efficiency in motors. now is the time for energy efficient motors to be
given serious consideration, benefiting the environment and our planet
but also saving companies money, which the government estimate could
reach £200 million.
The motor driven systems (mds) conference is addressing this
important issue by assembling some of the world’s most qualified
experts aimed at helping industry professionals who are looking to
incorporate or learn about a systems’ engineering approach to electric
motors for optimum energy efficiency.
ERIKS’ very own nigel Jones, sales manager for drives and power
transmissions, will be presenting his paper – cool, calculated
efficiency at the conference. he will be talking through a tool ERIKS
has developed called the ‘Total cost of ownership calculator’. it is
an extremely effective online tool that enables engineers to make an
objective, cost-effective decision when deliberating over whether to
repair or replace a motor.
The MDs 2013 Roadshow
will be stopping in:
scotland
wednesday, 9th october
Broxburn – Hosted by Eriks
North
wednesday, 23rd october
Rotherham – Hosted by Rittal
Midlands
tuesday, 5th November
Redditch – Hosted by WEG
south East
wednesday, 20th November
Hatfield – Hosted by Mitsubishi
south West
wednesday, 4th December
Bristol – Hosted by ABB
Welcome to Know + How…
LatESt NEwS
...Bringing you The laTesT indusTry sTories from around The
world, plus Technology updaTes, feaTures and commenT.
our indusTry focus This issue is The chemical secTor.
uK chemical industry seeks government
support for expansion
The industry is facing increasing demand for product, tighter legislation and mounting
sustainability targets, so operational efficiency is paramount. all this can be achieved
through enhanced engineering solutions and we cover some of these with a special
Best practice feature on the products currently on offer for chemical use, and a look
at the importance of lubrication in the chemical industry.
other solutions covered this month include pTfe hoses extensively used in the
chemical industry due to this material’s chemically non-reactive characteristic.
There’s also industry comment on how process re-engineering can help the chemical
industry meet those demand and sustainability targets.
we also offer a time-saving piece on national hose databases, a service offered by
eriKs to set up and monitor the maintenance of your hoses to minimise risk, and an
in-depth article on supply chain management.
if you have any issues you wish to raise or comments to make you can email the
editor at: knowhoweditor@eriks.co.uk, not forgetting Know+how’s own website:
www.eriks-knowhow.co.uk where you can register for your own personal copy and
make enquiries about something you have read or contact one of the contributors.
i look forward to hearing from you.
04
manufacturers ready to invest in new kit
our £5,000 engineering challenge
competition
could ‘powdered rain’ make drought
a thing of the past?
IN-DEpth
06
releasing the supply ball and chain
tEchNoLogy UpDatE
08
eriKs flow Technology centre offers
60-minute turnaround
making selection easier – the new ‘eriKs
lubrication essentials’ Brochure
a cost-effective means of monitoring
non-critical machines from sKf’
Top 10 Tips for selecting the right gasket
pLaNEt pLUS
10
rewarding energy reduction
FocUS oN chEMIcaLS
12
re-engineering the chemical process p12
The automatic choice p14
maintaining the maintainer p16
Alan Whetstone
Commercial Director, Editor in Chief
published by eriKs uK, amber way, halesowen, west midlands, B62 8wg
extreme pumping in the chemical industry p18
more than just bearings p20
experts in their field p21
The mobster, the frying pan,
the fishing hook and the hose p22
real life can be tough p23
don’t stick with oKs p24
NEW QR CoDE ACCEss
To make it easier to get all the latest industry news
straight to your mobile device or smartphone,
simply scan the Qr codes throughout.
tIME SavINgS
26
how long is a piece of hose
BESt pRactIcE
28
spills with fewer thrills
UNREGISTERED
3

3. Latest news
Latest news
UK chemical industry
seeks government
support for expansion
The chemistry growth strategy group (cgsg)
has put together an interim report showing how
the uK chemical industry could grow by 50% in
less than two decades. set-up to examine how
the chemical industry can continue to prosper
in the current economic and industrial climate,
the cgsg presented the report – ‘strategy
for delivering chemistry-fuelled growth of the
uK economy’ – at a meeting on 10th July with
michael fallon, minister of state for Business
and enterprise.
as well as calling for rapid exploitation of shale
gas, accelerating innovation, and rebuilding
uK chemistry supply chains, the report also
suggests that a partnership should be set up
between the industry and government to tackle
these three major priorities.
for instance, a part of the chemical growth
partnership’s (cgp) role would be to help
industry undertake projects to secure
competitive energy and feedstock supplies, such
as ensuring the development of unconventional
gas resources. accelerating innovation in
the sector would also be crucial, as well as
encouraging small and medium enterprises to
help rebuild uK supply chains that have been
eroded through the sourcing of cheaper,
global suppliers.
Manufacturers ready
to invest in new kit
in a recent government-funded survey conducted by the
manufacturing advisory service (mas), half of the 682 small and
medium-sized manufacturing firms they contacted were planning to
invest recent profit in new equipment and premises. That’s a 12%
rise on the same period of last year.
moreover, 80% of the companies surveyed reported that investment
in new products over the past 24 months has led to increased sales
and profits. encouragingly, 40% also indicated that they would be
funding exploration into new technologies.
according to mas area director david caddle, it’s a clear indication
that companies are intent on remaining competitive through
investment, with the aim of taking advantage of significant
opportunities both at home and abroad. indeed, mas’s own new
product development programme has been specifically set-up to
encourage innovation in smes, providing support in developing,
validating, and bringing new ideas to market.
4
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
our £5,000 Engineering
Challenge competition
The ERIKS automation uK engineering
challenge 2013, a new competition offering
a prize of £5,000 worth of design time, has
now been launched.
entrants must submit an outline of an
automation project they are currently
building or improving. These submissions
will then be judged by an expert panel
including an ERIKS automation specialist,
with the winner and the two runners-up
being announced in January 2014. The
winner will receive up to £5,000 of design
and development work (equivalent to 40
engineering hours). The winner, as well as
two runners-up, will also receive a land
rover experience.
weaver, application engineer, motion
control, ERIKS automation uK.
“That translates not only into a
competitive advantage, but also
in better financial results.”
more information,
including rules, terms
and conditions and how
to enter, can be found at
www.eriks.co.uk/automation.
The downloadable registration
form should be emailed to
sarah.evans@eriks.co.uk
by the competition closing date:
13th december 2013.
“faster and improved innovation and
development means a shorter time to
market for the machine,” says andrew
Could ‘powdered
rain’ make
drought a thing
of the past?
a powder capable of expanding up to 500 times its size when water
is added may help plants survive and thrive in the middle of a drought.
absorbing enormous amounts of water and releasing it slowly over
a year, ‘solid rain’ is claimed to have the potential to overcome the
global challenge of growing crops in arid conditions. The solid rain
company responsible for the product has been selling it in its native
mexico for over ten years, and according to government tests there
crop yields increased by up to 300% when it was added to the soil.
a type of absorbent polymer originally pioneered by the us
department of agriculture (usda) back in the 1970s, its most
commercial application to date has been as an absorbent filler in
disposable nappies. mexican chemical engineer sergio Jesus rico
Velasco, however, developed and patented a version that can be
mixed in with soil to hold water; this can then be slowly released to
feed crops, with a litre of water being absorbed by as little as 10
grams of the material.
5

4. In-depth
In-depth
As Professor Alan Braithwaite, Head of the
Supply Chain Research Centre at Cranfield
School of Management, pointed out in a
recent ERIKS Whitepaper on Acquisition
Cost Saving, purchasing and procurement
are ‘accountable for between 55% and
85% of companies’ revenue as an intake
cost [so] the consequential costs of waste,
markdowns, write-offs, variances and lost
revenues due to non-supply can easily
overwhelm the direct costs of procurement
and the conventionally anticipated associated
cost impacts’.
At the same time, too often the burden of
purchasing and procurement falls on staff
whose key skills lie in other areas and who
would be far more effectively employed
carrying out their principal tasks. In fact,
Andy Silver, Commercial and Operations
Director, On-Site Solutions, for ERIKS UK,
estimates that approximately 20% of MRO
spend takes approximately 80% of
purchasing time to source, and engineers
who are highly paid to keep plants running
can instead spend 30–40% of their time
sourcing and buying product.
Releasing the
supply ball
and chain
BUSINESS’S opERatIoNS. BUt aS SUppLy chaINS havE BEcoME MoRE
coMpLEx, aND thE pUSh to IMpRovE EFFIcIENcy aND REDUcE opERatINg
coStS haS ShowN No SIgNS oF aBatINg, thE SUppLy chaIN caN BEcoME
pRoDUctIvIty. DoES It havE to BE thIS way?
6
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
The direct spend can have a real influence
on a company’s profitability. This is where
maintenance engineers and others given
purchasing responsibility have the most
knowledge, and therefore the best
opportunity to build relationships with
suppliers, develop efficiencies in the
purchasing process, and create savings.
However, indirect spend – which can
range from maintenance parts to janitorial
supplies – is usually outside the scope of
most engineers’ experience, and therefore
provides fewer opportunities for achieving
positive influences.
One possible solution is to – in effect – turn
the indirect supply chain into a direct one.
MaNagINg thE SUppLy chaIN IS cLEaRLy a cRUcIaL aSpEct oF aNy
a BaLL aND chaIN whIch haMpERS RathER thaN hELpS EFFIcIENcy aND
One of the most challenging issues is
achieving the balance between managing
the indirect and direct supply chains.
andy Silver
Commercial and Operations
Director
ERIKS UK
Change of direction
This change can be achieved by handing
responsibility for indirect supplies to a
company for whom these materials are
actually direct supplies. In other words, to
a supplier of everything from maintenance
parts to janitorial supplies, whose daily
business is sourcing and purchasing these
types of items.
A company of this kind will have the same
kind of relationships with their suppliers,
the same kind of knowledge and expertise,
and the same kind of opportunities to have
a positive influence on supply, quality and
price, as engineers have on their own
direct supply chain.
Of course no supply chain manager
– however reluctantly they might be at
tackling the task – would want to hand
over complete control to a third party
operation. And no reputable operation
would expect to make a complete
take-over. Rather, they would work with
the supply chain manager to actually
increase their control, by providing
high levels of useful data, setting KPIs
which identify how well they are
performing, and enabling the in-house
manager to have a clear view of what’s
happening, and therefore to manage it
more effectively.
In many cases, companies lack a
detailed breakdown of their indirect
purchasing spend, of what it is spent
on and where it is spent. They lack the
data – and perhaps the experience
and expertise – to analyse the limited
figures available, and therefore have
no chance whatsoever of changing or
improving them. However, with the
support of a company with indirect
purchasing know-how, they can expect
to quickly gain a clear picture of
everything from part numbers to
prices, including:
n what they have in stock
n what they need to stock
n how it is stocked
n how it is utilised
n what is overstocked
n what is understocked
n where it is purchased
n how it could be purchased better
n how much it costs and, perhaps
more importantly
n how much less it could cost
The result will be that, far from losing
control to the outside supplier, whoever
has responsibility for indirect purchasing
within the company will be regaining
control and accountability, and gaining
the information and tools to make more
effective decisions which can lead to
more cost-effective purchasing.
And it should not be forgotten that this
increased control and increased opportunity
to make efficiencies and savings is in addition
to the benefits to be gained from allowing
indirect purchasing experts to handle indirect
purchasing. With less time spent managing
indirect purchases, supply chain managers
will be freed up to concentrate on their area
of expertise, to make their direct purchasing
even more efficient and cost-effective. And
inevitably, this will have a positive effect on
the whole production process.
The reverse of Andy Silver’s managementto-procurement-spend ratio, is that supply
chain managers can spend as little as around
20% of their time managing approximately
80% of their spend. But by employing a
knowledgeable indirect supply chain
management company, they can increase the
time spent, with predictably positive results.
As a manufacturer of luxury cars admitted
recently to ERIKS’ Andy Silver: “We make
cars. We’re not experts at supply chain
management. So we employ a company
which has that expertise.”
If you would be interested in improving your
indirect supply chain management, ERIKS
has supply chain experts who are ready to
discuss the available options with you.
For more information email
andy.silver@eriks.co.uk
7

5. Technology update
Technology update
ERIKS Flow Technology Centre
offers 60-minute turnaround
SPECIFICAlly DEvElOPED TO OFFER THE lOCAl MARKET
THEIR GASKET SEAlInG nEEDS, OUR FlOW TECHnOlOGy
CEnTRE In lIvERPOOl CAn OFFER A REMARKABlE
60-MInUTE TURnAROUnD On MOST GASKETS.
The centre also holds a large stock of sheet
jointing, gland packings, and spiral wound
gaskets, all available for immediate delivery,
while a complete range of valve products
and hose assemblies are also offered.
manned by two experienced specialist
gasket technicians, the centre is
also supported by the technical and
manufacturing skills of the flow
Technology core competence centre
and the commercial skills of the liverpool
distribution Branch.
so visit our Flow Technology Centre
in Liverpool – and seal the deal in
60 minutes!
Making selection easier – the new
‘ERIKS Lubrication Essentials’ Brochure
SPECIFICAlly DESIGnED TO MAKE lUBRICAnT SElECTIOn AnD ORDERInG AS SIMPlE AnD
EASy AS POSSIBlE, OUR nEW ‘ERIKS lUBRICATIOn ESSEnTIAlS’ BROCHURE SHOWCASES
OUR KnOW-HOW AS An EASy TO UnDERSTAnD, STAnDARDISED OFFER.
The ERIKS lubrication essentials range
is a multi-brand offer of around 30 core
products. all are established, high quality,
readily available items designed to meet
the most common industrial lubrication and
maintenance applications.
The key benefits of this brochure:
• Proven performance
hand picked, by our lubrication engineers
from the leading brands. all established
popular products with an impeccable track
record of performance and consistency
• Simplify and reduce inventory
designed to cover as wide a range of
applications as possible with the most
manageable number of items
• Ensure compliance
products from the leading brands with
all the relevant certification
The brochure even provides an extensive
and easy to use glossary with clear and
simple explanations of any technical terms
used. There’s also a two-page spread on
that’s ideal as a simple guide for selection
based on the categories and names of
the products.
every maintenance fitter and engineer
will find the brochure invaluable, as will
maintenance, health and safety, and
environmental managers. for many, all the
or
lubricants they’ll ever need are available in
the ERIKS lubrication essentials range.
• Excellent availability
all stocked in volume at the ERIKS
national distribution centre
8
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
SKF HAS lAUnCHED THE MACHInE COnDITIOn InDICATOR (MCI), An ECOnOMICAl vIBRATIOn
SEnSOR AnD InDICATOR FOR THE MOnITORInG OF nOn-CRITICAl MACHInES.
A FAST, EFFECTIvE 24/7 SERvICE RESPOnSE FOR All
located within the existing liverpool
distribution Branch, the flow Technology
centre is an ultra-modern facility benefiting
from a significant investment in technology
and skilled staff. a specialist centre
particularly relevant to the chemical industry,
with its new state-of-the-art aTom cnc
reciprocating knife cutting machine has
the ability to cut a wide range of gasket
materials, including those with metallic
inserts. as well as offering profile design
facilities, gaskets can be manufactured
from a customer’s own cad files, with high
quality gaskets being available in a wide
variety of materials.
A cost-effective means of monitoring
non-critical machines from sKF
ideal for machinery previously left
unmonitored, and serving as either a
complementary or additional coverage
for an established condition monitoring
programme, the device can be compared to
a warning “check engine” light in a car. once
the mci is illuminated, it alerts the predictive
maintenance technician to complete a rootcause analysis on the machine. The top of the
unit features three leds to indicate warnings
based on changes in the surface temperature,
the enveloped acceleration (to detect bearing
degradation), and velocity (checking on
misalignment, imbalance etc.). it also features
built-in intelligence to avoid false alarms.
non-critical machinery can often be left off
an otherwise extensive and professional
condition monitoring programme due to
the costs involved, but the mci can fill in
those gaps to give you a cost-effective
way of increasing your coverage. whereas
unexpected failures and unplanned
downtime can cost you dearly, any indication
of a change in operating parameters
from the mci can give you time to plan
for replacement or indicate the need for
invaluable adjustments to a maintenance
plan (i.e. such as if additional or reduced
lubrication is required).
ToP 10 TIPs
TIP
FOR SElECTInG
THE RIGHT GASKET
1. value your gaskets. gaskets are often the forgotten heroes in
manufacturing and process operations, providing a vital interface
and seal between mating surfaces. it’s only when they start to fail
that their importance is recognised.
components without transferring contaminants to the gasket. ERIKS
UK operates a dedicated gasket cutting operation that has increased
wider gasket availability and reduced unnecessary downtime in
machinery overhauls.
2. Establish the correct specification. in many instances,
failure arises because gasket material, shape or thickness has
been incorrectly specified – often because basic criteria such
as chemical, temperature or mechanical compatibility have been
overlooked.
7. gaskets can be over-specified as well as under-specified.
The best gasket is not necessarily the most expensive one.
sometimes a simple gasket is more cost-effective because it is
perfectly adequate for the application, which is good news when
the plant requires the cutting of thousands of gaskets.
3. Consider the temperature of the application. a typical
cause or premature failure is a lack of attention to the issue of
temperature during the specification process. gaskets become
brittle at low temperature, leading to a lack of flexibility in the seal
and, ultimately, the ingress of contamination.
8. Consult an expert supplier. The points made above illustrate
why it is so important to consult with an expert supplier from
ERIKS gasket Technology, who can establish, for example,
whether the performance requirements of your application are
well met by a simple, inexpensive gasket.
4. In high temperature applications, consider graphite.
as the process temperature rises, the number of suitable gaskets
available for specification reduces but graphite gaskets offer robust
resistance to high temperatures.
9. Make cost savings by rolling out new specifications
plant-wide. if you establish that current components have been
over-specified, the result of consultation with an expert supplier
from ERIKS gasket Technology may be that your production plans
incorporate a planned reduction of gasket quality to avoid any
unnecessary expense.
5. In hygiene-critical applications, consider ptFE.
The issue of chemical contact is especially critical within the food
and pharmaceutical industries, where process substances can
rapidly degrade gasket materials that are not compatible with the
application. however, a range of chemical-resistant gaskets are
now available using materials such as pTfe, which can be used to
manufacture exceptionally resilient gaskets.
6. Get custom-cut gaskets fast with CAD/CAM services.
Today’s state-of-the-art cutting systems use cad/cam to deliver
fast results to a range of specifications and can cut custom-sized
10. time spent reviewing gaskets will bring measurable RoI.
it pays to take expert advice and specify the right solution,
especially when you consider the costly results of wastage and
downtime that occur when contamination enters the production
line. ERIKS gasket Technology can give this advice 24/7 based
on years of hands-on experience, from on-site assistance – helping
you to make the correct gasket selection, and advising on the
correct method of preparing the flanges and fitting the gasket – all
the way through to the actual manufacturing process.
9

6. You and the
REWARDINg ENERgY
REDUCTIoN
a xylem brand
aN ERIKS’ cUStoMER who haS USED thE ERIKS tco (totaL
coSt oF owNERShIp) MotoR caLcULatoR to MakE SIgNIFIcaNt
ENERgy EFFIcIENcy gaINS, haS BEEN awaRDED thE coMpaNy’S
pREStIgIoUS poSItIvE ENERgy REDUctIoN awaRD IN
REcogNItIoN oF ItS achIEvEMENt.
positive energy reduction is one of the four
cornerstones of ERIKS’ planet+ initiative
(together with positive pollution reduction,
positive waste reduction and positive risk
reduction). montupet uK ltd – supplier
of precision-manufactured cast aluminium
components to the global automotive
manufacturing sector – decided it wanted to
take steps towards positive energy reduction
at its Belfast site, to reduce energy costs and
improve its environmental profile by reducing
its carbon footprint.
with an ongoing carbon reduction target
of 3% per tonne of components sold,
montupet identified its electric motors –
responsible for 70% of a £3 million annual
electricity bill – as the most promising area
to target. They decided to use the awardwinning ERIKS Tco motor calculator to
ensure they took the correct actions to
achieve the most significant savings.
montupet used the calculator to compare
annual running costs of existing motors
and potential ie3 replacements, plus the
amount of co2 generated per annum,
and if a replacement was fitted, tested
it afterwards to confirm the calculator’s
figures were correct.
Fifteen and counting
Thanks to data from the calculator,
montupet has replaced fifteen motors with
ie3 equivalents, achieving capital payback
within two years. Twenty-five more motors
are due for replacement in the coming
months, to complete phase one of a major
motor upgrade project.
The benefits have convinced montupet to
apply the ERIKS Tco motor calculator
across its other five manufacturing sites.
Compare, contrast – and cut costs
The ERIKS Tco motor calculator uses
data relating to the current motor to
calculate key statistics such as annual
running cost, carbon footprint and energy
usage in kilowatt hours. The user can then
view the Tco for any period from one to
fifteen years, with a comparison of the cost
of repairing and running the motor, replacing
it with a standard ie2 motor, or replacing it
with an energy-efficient ie3 model.
10
THIs FoCUs AND
DETERMINATIoN To REDUCE
CARBoN CoNsUMPTIoN,
CUT CosTs AND INCREAsE
oPERATIoNAL EFFICIENCY
HAs LED To ERIKs
PREsENTINg THE CoMPANY
WITH THE PREsTIgIoUs
PosITIvE ENERgY
REDUCTIoN AWARD.
“The ERIKS Tco motor calculator has
provided robust and reliable information
to enable our business to make the right
energy-saving decisions,” said robert
mcKenzie of montupet. Jon sansom from
ERIKS added: “The secure website has
already registered a high level of usage, so
it is obvious that montupet has fully utilised
the calculator and seen a real benefit.
we have also provided support from our
Belfast service centre and are working
with them to aid montupet in reducing
its motor running costs.”
THE CLEAR
CHOICE
FOR STERILE
APPLICATIONS
Jabsco Rotary Lobe and Flexible Impeller Pumps incorporate the very latest in hygienic design
concepts making them ideal for a wide range of food and drink applications. With 40 years’ experience
in the field Jabsco lead the way in the world’s most demanding markets.
With rugged design, adaptability, low maintenance and ultimate hygienic standards the Jabsco range of
hygienic pumps are the clear choice for the food and drink industry.
Jabsco
www.xylemflowcontrol.com
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow

7. Focus on Chemicals
ELECTRo
MECHANICAL
sERvICEs
FUNCTIoNs:
Pump repairs and new pump supply
S ON
CU
Spare part and kitting capability
Full in-house fabrication and machining facilities
Reverse and surface engineering
•
• FO
Re-engineering
the chemical
process
Pump coating approved contractors
Stock rationalisation and obsolescence projects
C
HE
LS
Pump energy audits and testing
Why eRiKs:
A
INcREaSED DEMaND FoR
M IC
Technical and trading partnerships with most
major pump suppliers
chEMIcaLS IN thE pRoDUctIoN
Reliability improvements and up-rating
oF pRoDUctS SpaNNINg aLL
Obsolescence risk management
INDUStRIES pLacES EvEN
Energy efficiency audits
Active members of the Pump Centre
DESIgN aND coNStRUctIoN
S ON
CULaRgER, MoRE coMpLEx
oF
•
• FO
gREatER DEMaNDS oN thE
chEMIcaL pLaNtS. thIS MUSt
Pump services
BE achIEvED whILE woRkINg
to coMpLy wIth StRINgENt
LS
The importance of bringing new plants
online more quickly is a major challenge
to both plant owners and engineering
companies, necessitating continued
reductions in project schedules while
enhancing design integrity. and like all
other industries, the chemical sector
must also meet sustainability targets, so
operational efficiency is paramount. all
this can be achieved through enhanced
chemical plant design, construction, and
maintenance solutions.
S ON
CU
LS
C
DESIgNED to
H E I C A pRotEct pEopLE
M
aND thE ENvIRoNMENt.
•
• FO
C
StaNDaRDS aND coDES
H Eis whereC A with a specialised
This M I working
supplier with in-depth application
knowledge and manufacturing experience
can pay dividends. This kind of partnership
can help create a comprehensive brief and
REPAIR oR ovERHAUL
detailed specification that adds real value
to the overall system, while ensuring that
budgets and delivery deadlines are met.
process re-engineering can overcome
these challenges because it requires us
to look at things differently. By taking the
time to re-assess what’s really required
engineers can tap into every conceivable
process area, ensuring, for example, that
the right actuators are being used to get
the best possible performance, right the
way through to engineering the hardware
or software that controls it for them.
for many companies, the answer is to
gain these advantages by working with
an experienced solutions provider.
not only does this create excellent solutions
for customers, it also allows them to focus
on what they do best. so, instead of trying
to work out how to optimise the system,
the chemical processing plant can focus
on how best to manufacture its product.
you can read ERIKS’ whitepaper
on process re-engineering by scanning
the below Qr code on your mobile device.
innovative engineering solutions will help
chemical processing plants with fasttrack project execution, process flexibility,
lowering of operational cost and minimising
risks in operating and maintaining the plant.
This will relieve pressure on the chemical
industry as it meets high market demand
for its base products.
repair work carried out at the customer’s site or if required the
equipment can be removed and sent to a core competence centre
for further investigation or repair.
MAINTAIN AND MoNIToR
preventative maintenance and condition monitoring carried out using
the latest technologies, submitting reporting and recommendations.
REPLACE
if the two remedial actions above have not been or cannot be carried
out then a more energy and waste efficient replacement product can
be recommended for your specific requirement.
CALL: 0800 055 66 44
to contact your local workshop
12
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow

8. Focus on Chemicals
Focus on Chemicals
The automatic choice.
wIth ovER 50 yEaRS’ ExpERIENcE IN aUtoMatIoN tEchNoLogy,
FESto havE LoNg BEEN thE aUtoMatIc choIcE FoR aUtoMatIoN
SoLUtIoNS IN thE chEMIcaL aND pEtRochEMIcaL INDUStRIES.
BUt thEy aRE Not oNLy a SaFE choIcE IN EvERy SENSE oF
thE woRD. thEy’RE aLSo a qUaLIty choIcE – whEthER yoU
aRE pRoDUcINg pEtRochEMIcaLS, BaSIc, FINE oR SpEcIaLIty
chEMIcaLS, oR yoU’RE aN END USER oR oEM.
Qualified experts in 57 national companies
in over 176 countries demonstrate festo’s
comprehensive involvement in – and
acceptance by – the various industries in
which it works. But even so, the company
doesn’t rest on its laurels. instead, it invests
7.5% of turnover in continuing research
and development, to ensure that festo
automation solutions don’t just keep pace
with, but set the pace for, the chemical and
petrochemical industries.
The safe choice
There are few operating environments
more hazardous than in the petrochemical
industry – yet even in these conditions
the highest standards of process reliability
are expected. hardly surprising, when you
consider the exceptionally high costs of
an unplanned shutdown of an otherwise
continuously operating system.
The harmful environmental influences
encountered within the industry include
wildly fluctuating temperatures, high levels
of moisture, corrosion, and potentially
explosive atmospheres. so all festo
products and system solutions for use in
petrochemicals are specifically designed
14
for these environmental and operating
conditions – to maximise productivity,
minimise downtime, and enhance system
efficiency.
Quality, quantity and economy
systems for producing large quantities of
chemical base materials vary widely – just
like the locations in which they may operate.
out in the open, or inside in corrosive or
explosive atmospheres, the equipment
needs to be robust, reliable and safe.
in this highly competitive market, it also
needs to be an economical choice: in terms
of purchasing costs and Total cost of
ownership.
festo’s range of products for basic
chemistry – for gaseous, liquid or powder
products – includes highly corrosion
resistant products, and products with
explosion protection. naturally, in such a
dangerous operating environment, you
would want nothing less, but with festo you
also get more: the assurance of the highest
possible quality of processes and products.
and of course, the highest possible quality
of processes and products.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Adding value
The maxim for fine and speciality chemicals
production is nothing less than ultimate
quality at all times. which means that the
automation equipment must also be of the
highest quality and reliability. There’s simply
no other way to ensure the very high added
value of these continuous processes.
usually located indoors, the systems are
operated in batch mode, covering a wide and
varied range of products including colour
pigments, liquid crystals, fibres, lubricants,
household cleaning products and cosmetics.
for oems – process valve manufacturers,
container builders, sensor and pump
manufacturers, and suppliers of subsystems and small system parts – festo
is a valued and reliable partner. with
experience in a wide range of processes,
a worldwide presence, and extensive
expertise in solving automation problems in
pneumatics, festo can help oems in these
markets to create competitive, effective and
reliable equipment.
festo’s success in this market comes from
the high reliability of the product range, and
the optimum system availability it provides.
however, as in all areas of the chemical
and petrochemical industry, safety is also
an important consideration, and the festo
range includes products with high corrosion
resistance and effective explosion protection.
for end users, the same festo qualities
lead to different – but equally important
– benefits. so experience, reliability and
expertise mean end users can depend on
festo for systems which operate smoothly
and efficiently; for standardised components
for ease of purchasing; for products,
modules and systems such as complete
valves and fittings and preassembled
control cabinets; and for plug-and-play
equipment.
From builder to user
festo products in the chemical and
petrochemical markets are as trusted
by oems as end users.
in addition, festo’s comprehensive offering
extends beyond the products themselves
to on-site assistance, and consultation and
service packages.
Reducing costs, increasing availability
sophisticated diagnostics and condition
monitoring concepts are available from
festo to help reduce system lifecycle
costs and provide a more rapid return
on investment – together with increased
competitiveness.
Transparent, easy to integrate, and forward
looking, the festo diagnostics portfolio
includes concepts which guarantee near
100% system availability.
safety first
The last thing you hope to need, but the first
thing you need to consider, is the safety of
the products you are choosing.
festo products conform to a range of
safety standards, applicable in a variety
of countries, as follows:
ATEX: Europe, North Africa, Middle East
FM = Factory Mutual/UL = Underwriter
Laboratories: USa
cSa: canada
NEpSI: china
t.I.I.S.: Japan
IEc-Ex: australia, New Zealand,
South Africa
goSt: Russia
Inmetro: South america
festo products are also designed to be
resistant to aggressive media (vapours, acids,
oils etc.) and to protect against moisture
and foreign body penetration. high-alloy
stainless steel and corrosion-protected
coatings are also used, together with control
cabinets and fittings made of stainless steel,
tetrafluorethylene tubing and special sealing
and scraper materials for the actuators.
so no matter what explosion protection
zones are to be found in your facility, and
no matter how unfriendly the operating
environment, festo has suitable conforming
products for the entire pneumatic control
chain, together with extensive documentation
and declarations of conformity.
15

9. Focus on Chemicals
kieran Neale
Marketing Manager
Ambersil
MaINtENaNcE chEMIcaLS aRE vItaL to thE EFFIcIENt pERFoRMaNcE oF aNy
pRoDUctIoN FacILIty – INcLUDINg thE oNE whERE thEy aRE MaDE. aS yoU woULD
ExpEct, at thE aMBERSIL FactoRy, UNLIMItED accESS to thESE MRo chEMIcaLS IS
USEFUL, ESpEcIaLLy coNSIDERINg thE chaLLENgES FacED By thE ENgINEERINg tEaM.
out in the open
raw materials, predominantly bulk
chemicals, arrive onsite and are processed/
offloaded into the bulk storage tanks
located in the ‘tank farm’ outside of the main
building. here the complex tangle of pipes,
valves, controls and the tanks themselves
allow the on-demand supply of the chemical
constituents that enable ambersil to
process the base chemicals into useful
products. as with any structures exposed to
the elements, maintenance is an on-going
task, made more complex by the nature
of the exotic solvents and gasses stored.
control valves are cleaned with amberklene
fe10 (rapid drying solvent degreaser) then
lubricated with ambersil 40+ multi-purpose
lubricant and ambergrease eXl.
The chemical mixing and dosing is largely
controlled by automated systems, so there
is a significant need for electrical systems
maintenance, using ambersil air duster,
pcB cleaner, and (for the touch screens)
ambersil universal screen cleaner.
where repair work is carried out on the
steel infrastructure, whether it is welding
(ambersil Bioweld anti-spatter), drilling
(Tufcut) or corrosion prevention (cold
galvanise and galva colour); the ambersil
range offers every mro solution required
for right first time results.
16
Taking a bath
on the filling lines, the chemicals are turned
into the finished ambersil product. The
conveyors, motors, bearings and chains of
these lines require a variety of maintenance
chemicals, along with the usual bearings,
chains, motors and fasteners which are all
part of the ‘maintenance jigsaw’. products
such as ambersil dry film anti-stick on
guide rails to ensure smooth product flows,
chainspray on drive chains, and amberklene
fe10 to degrease bearings are used.
Throughout the site, the recently nsf
registered (food grade) Tufcut metal cutting
lubricant and tapping fluid is used for drilling
steel panels and supports during equipment
repair and installation.
Before shipping, aerosols are pressure
tested in a heated water bath. water bath
drive chains are lubricated with ambersil
chainspray, bearings with ambergrease
eXl (due to its very low water washout),
and ambersil copper anti-seize is used for
drive wheel unit assembly – premium highcopper content and performance.
finally, in the warehouse, a fleet of forklifts
requires regular maintenance. yet again,
ambersil products are used, including
Battery Terminal protector – with its colourchanging dye providing a visual warning
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
of acid leakage. general panel and surface
cleaning is taken care of with amberclens
anti-static foaming cleaner.
Where “normal” isn’t normal
The aggressive, unusual, or pervasive
nature of the fluids and gasses utilised in
the chemical industry mean that “normal”
operating conditions for bearings, motors,
and maintenance chemicals often lie at
the edge of manufacturers’ specifications.
fortunately, ambersil provide the
“complete chemical solution™”, with over
200 products formulated to the highest
standards: including ral matched paints,
fast-drying zinc coatings in a range of
finishes, and protective oils in multiple
viscosities and with extensive industrial/
military approvals. ambersil also specialise
in solvent degreasers and solvent
technology, backed up with metalworking
fluids, spatter releases, wipes, sealants, and
much more. equipment at the ambersil plant
experiences greater maintenance burdens
than in most factories. however, unexpected
downtime at the facility is virtually nonexistent, thanks to the robust maintenance
schedule and the use of ambersil’s own
world-class quality maintenance chemicals,
which perform every time.
NEW PRODUCTS
FROM AMBERSIL

10. Focus on Chemicals
Focus on Chemicals
Extreme pumping
Munsch Mammut performance data
in the chemical industry
pump capacity [Q]: up to 2000 m3/h
differential head [h]: up to 70m
solids content: up to 10 Vol.-%
particle size: up to 15mm
motor rating [p]: up to 450kw
Milton Roy performance data
pump capacity:
0.009 ml/h to over 70,000 l/h
pressures: from 7 torr to 700 bar
Temperature range:
- 70 degrees c to over 300 degrees c
pUMpS USED IN thE chEMIcaL INDUStRy caN RaNgE FRoM DoSINg pUMpS
wIth MINIScULE FLow RatES, to MaSSIvE pUMpS wIth ENoRMoUS FLow
RatES. BUt at Both ExtREMES, MaNy oF thE chaLLENgES aRE SIMILaR,
andy cruse
aND thE NEED FoR SaFEty, RELIaBILIty aND qUaLIty IS paRaMoUNt.
Pumps Business
Development Director
ERIKS UK
containing and transporting potentially
hazardous products simply goes with the
territory for pumps in the chemical industry.
There is no room for error or complacency,
and design, manufacture, service and repair
must all be of the very highest quality to
ensure risk-free operation. however, simply
by doing the job they are designed to do,
the pumps are exposed to aggressive and
often damaging substances, which can have
a detrimental effect on their service life.
Exotic solutions
Traditionally, building-in resistance to these
aggressive chemicals and abrasives has
required major expenditure on exotic metals
and their alloys.
a more recent development has been
the use of plastics with chemical resistance.
when combined with steel casing armour
to provide mechanical integrity, this type
of pump construction offers a costeffective alternative. probably one of the
largest-ever plastic pumps in this category
has recently been built by munsch. The
munsch mammut has a discharge size of
18
400mm and can handle flow rates of up to
2000m3/h. specifically designed to handle
acids, alkalis or chemically contaminated
fluids – with or without solids – the mammut
is a horizontal centrifugal pump with volute
casing and single-entry, and a single-stage
radial impeller. The casing armour meets
en-Js 1025.
Typical applications for the pump include
not only chemical transfer, but also flue gas
cleaning systems and exhaust gas
scrubbing.
Big challenges
at the other end of the scale, chemical
dosing pumps often have to meet equally
big challenges and operate in equally
harsh environments, but whilst handling
flows at a fraction of those of the larger
pumps. however, pressures can be as
high as 700 bar. milton roy is a world
leader in dosing equipment and a major
manufacturer of chemical dosing pumps
for over 50 years – manufacturing not only
dosing pumps but also dosing valves and
complete dosing systems.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
ERIKS dudley and aberdeen are
authorised service centres and engineers
have undergone comprehensive training at
the milton roy factory. engineers are now
fully competent to carry out every aspect of
maintenance and repair of the pumps, from
commissioning through to complete
overhauls. in addition, ERIKS’ aberdeen
facility is able to design and build bespoke
milton roy dosing pump systems, that can
either be skid mounted for offshore
installation, or fully integrated into the
production process of a chemical works.
Positive pumping
milton roy dosing pumps are reciprocating
positive displacement pumps, with a variable
flow rate than can be adjusted whether the
pump is running or not. in contrast to their
outsize cousins, milton roy dosing pumps
can handle a range of doses from
0.0009ml/h to over 70,000l/h, at pressures
from 7 torr to 700 bar, and at temperatures
ranging from –70°c to over 300°c.
The huge variety of fluids
the pumps can handle
includes most chemicals of
varying viscosities, including
slurry-laden, abrasive,
corrosive, pyrophoric and
radioactive substances.
safer servicing
even the most robust and high-quality
pumps clearly still need servicing.
and when they do, as when they are
operational, the overriding concern
is for health and safety.
ERIKS ensures potential exposure
of staff to chemicals is minimised, by
insisting on thorough decontamination of
the pumps on site before they are moved
to the workshop. successful completion
of the decontamination process must be
certified prior to collection. msds sheets
must be attached to the pumps when they
are moved to the workshop, to alert staff
to what products they have been in contact
with, which may still be present despite
the decontamination.
ERIKS has developed exacting workshop
procedures aimed at minimising risks
of exposure to potentially dangerous
substances. segregation is an important
element of repair processes for the
chemical industry, and ERIKS operates
a strict policy to avoid chemical pumps –
and the equipment used in their service
and repair – coming into contact with
other pumps.
have severe consequences. so ERIKS
goes to the extreme to ensure that milton
roy dosing pumps are serviced and
repaired to the highest standards: not just
maintenance but also for health and safety,
standard pump repair request forms and
processes ensure safe procedures are
adhered to at all times. all repair work
to centrifugal pumps is carried out to
iso13709 standards, to guarantee
consistent quality when addressing
clearances, tolerances and fits, during
pump overhauls and repairs.
when dealing with chemical pumps, any
mistake – whether in handling during
maintenance or when the pump is
reinstalled in the production line – may
Dousing pump manufactured in Aberdeen
19

11. Focus on Chemicals
Focus on Chemicals
More than
just bearings.
EURopE IS cURRENtLy LEaDINg
gLoBaL ExpENDItURE oN R&D IN thE
chEMIcaL INDUStRy. wIth RESEaRch
aND DEvELopMENt coME INNovatIvE
pRoDUctS whIch oFtEN NEED NEw wayS
oF haNDLINg thEM. whEN NEw thINkINg
oN pUMpS IS REqUIRED, oNE coMpaNy
haS a hERItagE oF pUMpINg pRogRESS
whIch IS haRD to BEat, aND aN ExpERt
oFtEN It’S Not JUSt thE paRtS, BUt thE kNow-how,
SERIES oF pUMpS whIch MoRE thaN
ExpERIENcE aND SUppoRt whIch goES wIth thEM that MakE
MEEtS thE INDUStRy’S cURRENt
a REaL DIFFERENcE to cUStoMER SERvIcE. that waS thE
REqUIREMENtS.
caSE whEN NSk caME to thE REScUE oF a pEtRochEMIcaL
REFINERy wIth a BEaRINg pRoBLEM.
The petrochemical refinery was
experiencing recurrent failures of a
cylindrical roller bearing in a critical
centrifugal pump. The criticality of the
pump meant that every bearing failure
resulted in costly downtime. after several
replacement bearings had failed, the
refinery decided to seek help, and turned
to nsK to resolve the issue.
Proven improvements
nsK operates its asset improvement
programme (aip) to help customers
unlock additional profitability, through
improved machine reliability and increased
working knowledge.
aip has achieved many impressive
results, by combining customers’ own
knowledge of their working environment,
culture, processes and problems, with the
engineering expertise and innovation of
nsK. The key to its success is the close
working relationship nsK develops with
the customer’s employees, establishing a
dialogue which efficiently and effectively
helps identify the issues and problems that
affect them, helps with the understanding
of these issues and problems, and
quantifies their financial impact on
the business.
in this particular case over a one year
period a total of €27,800 was lost due
to bearing replacement, fitting time and
production downtime cost.
20
EXPerts
in their field
Rather than simply providing
another replacement bearing,
NSK sent engineers into the
refinery to investigate further.
They found that there was a transition from
a belt drive to a direct drive on the pump, and
that this was resulting in a drastic reduction
in the radial load on the bearing. The
reduction led to rollers slipping on the inner
raceway, which caused the bearing failures.
Money-saving solution
The nsK engineers’ solution was to
replace the cylindrical roller bearing with
an nsK hr deep-groove ball bearing.
The advantage of this bearing in this
particular application was that its minimum
radial load was lower than that of the
cylindrical roller bearing, and the load
capacities were sufficient to match the
application requirements.
with the new nsK bearing in place, the
pump has since run smoothly and reliably,
without a single breakdown. The corrective
measure has led to a longer bearing life,
reduced maintenance and repair, and –
crucially – the elimination of downtime.
The new bearing actually costs less than
the original but more importantly due to
no failures in service within the first year
has managed to save the customer more
than €27,800 per annum. That’s more than
just small change, thanks to nsK providing
more than just bearings.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
The chemical industry represents one of the
most demanding environments for pumps
to work in, with some of the most diverse
pump applications to be found. from small
chemical dosing pumps to larger pumps for
tanker unloading or bulk transfer, pumps
are used throughout the production process
for handling all manner of chemicals and
chemical-based products.
processes such as formulation, supply,
packaging and filing, batching and
blending, system flushing, recirculation and
reclamation, waste water treatment and fluid
filtration all demand pumps of one kind or
another.
Reliability
diaphragm pumps are the most widely used
in the industry due to their reliable design,
which ensures maximum safety when
handling volatile fluids. for the transfer
of abrasive fluids, peristaltic pumps are
popular and practical, as they do not actually
come into contact with the media. This
type of pump also offers a low Total cost
of ownership, and flexibility which makes
the pumps suitable to be adapted to a wide
range of uses.
A leading world-class manufacturer
of diaphragm pumps, with no less
than eighty years’ experience in the
market, is ARO.
aro has a record of innovation in pump
technology, reflected in best-in-class
pumps and dispensing technologies. new
technological developments spring from
the company’s extensive knowledge of
the chemical industry, and the need for
productivity, quality and safety.
Lowest TCo
aro eXpert series diaphragm pumps offer
the lowest Total cost of ownership of any in
the industry, and are supported by a lengthy
5-year warranty. aro pumps are in use in
the chemical and other industries worldwide,
and in chemical facilities are used
throughout the process – but particularly
for transfer and batching of caustic fluids,
hydrocarbons, solvents and other fluids.
caustic fluids – such as nitric, hydrochloric
and sulphuric acid, hydroxides and
ammonias – require the pumps’ construction
materials to be highly accurately and
correctly specified. To optimise performance
in these applications, aro pumps can be
manufactured using stainless steel, pVdf,
hastelloy, pTfe and Viton.
liquid hydrocarbons, including mineral oil,
gasoline and diesel fuel are easily handled
with selected aro diaphragm pumps or
piston pumps, which are in use in distillation
processes around the world.
lastly, for common solvents such as paint
thinners (toluene, turpentine), glue solvents
(acetone, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate),
spot removers (hexane, petrol ether), liquid
detergents (citrus terrenes) and perfumes
(ethanol), aro recommends pumps
manufactured from groundable acetal and
stainless steel for safe and efficient transfer
and a longer pump service life.
21

12. Focus on Chemicals
Focus on Chemicals
The
mobster, the
frying pan,
the fishing
hook and
the hose
(real) life can be
tough
a coMpoNENt caN Look pERFEct IN caD, aLL thE SpEcS caN
WHAT Do THE FoUR THINgs ABovE HAvE IN CoMMoN?
FoUR sIMPLE LETTERs: P, T, F AND E – oTHERWIsE KNoWN As
PoLYTETRAFLUoRoETHYLENE. HERE’s HoW THEY’RE RELATED.
PTFE was discovered by accident. It
began with a scientist trying to make a new
refrigerant, and ended with him sawing in
half a bottle of tetrafluoroethylene gas to
find out what was happening inside. luckily
what he found led to the patenting of PTFE
by his employer, or he could have been out
of pocket to the tune of one gas bottle, and
maybe out of a job too.
The discovery was made in 1938, but it
was the 1950s before PTFE was first used
for one of its most well-known applications.
A French engineer had been using PTFE
to stop his fishing tackle sticking, when
his wife asked him to try it on her frying
pan. Thirty years on, the slippery, nonstick qualities of PTFE (branded ‘Teflon’ in
1945) were so well-known that the head of
the Gambino crime family – who avoided
conviction in three major US Mafia trials –
was nicknamed The Teflon Don.
22
MEaSURE Up, BUt thEN It gEtS oUt INto thE RoUgh aND DIRty
carl Lilley FcMI
CCC Manager
ERIKS Hose Technology
ShINy aND EFFEctIvE. aND thE RoUghER aND toUghER thE
appLIcatIoN, thE SooNER thE SpaRkLE RUBS oFF.
And where does the hose fit in? Just
about anywhere in your process that you
want unreactive and non-contaminative
properties.
that to enable easy cleaning. This all takes
time – but so does replacing a hose which
has failed or, worse still, a product batch
which has been contaminated.
PTFERIKS
The ERIKS range of PTFE hoses is growing
steadily, and ERIKS is also manufacturing
its own PTFE hose products. So now you
can get PTFE qualities in your hose, with
ERIKS’ quality of service.
A clean sweep
Across the chemical, pharmaceutical and
food industries, PTFE hose has a clean
sweep of approvals for its non-absorbent,
non-reactive, non-contaminative properties.
ERIKS uses the best quality compounds
and the best manufacturing and assembly
processes in the industry. Because unlike
some hoses, producing a ready-to-use
PTFE hose is not just a matter of cutting to
length and fixing on an end.
Phalite-free and anti-static, PTFE hose
is approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration, and not only is it safe to use
with chemicals, drugs and foodstuffs, it’s
also inert to reaction with the sometimes
even more aggressive products used to
clean hoses between processes.
A PTFE process hose, for example, will
have a PTFE inner, but will be wrapped in
metal braid to provide additional structural
strength, and silicone wrapped on top of
So it may have come a long way from
fishing hooks and frying pans, but PTFE
hose from ERIKS is still as tough as a new
york mobster.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
REaL woRLD aND SUDDENLy It DoESN’t Look qUItE So BRIght,
fortunately, sKf have designed and
engineered explorer angular contact
Ball Bearings for the real world – which
doesn’t get much more real than in the
chemical industry.
a large number of pumps of all shapes and
sizes are used in the industry, they face a
wide and varied range of challenges, and
they are required to be highly reliable.
By its nature, the industry tends to use
pumps for moving all kinds of aggressive
media and, if a gasket fails, it may not long
before the bearing suffers. if that’s not
spotted early, a relatively minor problem
can lead to major damage and expense, as
the impeller or even the casing is affected.
These are definitely tough conditions to
operate under, but they’re the perfect
proving ground for a bearing.
a bearing as robust as the sKf explorer
cannot only resist misfortune and
mistreatment more effectively, but when
it does fail it does so more slowly, and
more consistently. so there’s more time to
identify the fault, and less risk of a sudden,
catastrophic, expensive failure.
Bearings built better
pumps that can accommodate higher
loads and speed, that may run under poor
lubrication or contaminated conditions,
and that may experience cavitation –
leading to increased bearing loads, impeller
damage, increased vibrations and shaft
deflections – need bearings that can take
the strain.
The sKf explorer bearings have been
specifically engineered for these types
of operating conditions.
featuring cleaner steel with fewer
impurities, they have also been heat treated
with a unique sKf process to provide
temperature stabilisation up to 150°c.
They’re manufactured to p5 running
accuracy so they run smoother and cooler
with less vibration, and p6 dimensional
accuracy for greater control of mounted
clearance or preload, for better ball control.
combine with a cage and raceway contact
surfaces that provide a superior oil film
even when lubrication is inadequate, and
you have a bearing that lasts substantially
longer than most.
That means that in a sealed-for-life pump,
you can be confident that the bearing will
easily match the life of the pump and the
lubricant, and even exceed them. and in
pumps which do require lubrication, even if
they are over- or under-lubricated the sKf
explorer bearing will carry on operating
efficiently and safely.
in fact, the life of an explorer angular
contact ball bearing can be at least three
times longer than a conventional bearing,
depending on operating conditions.
so life can be tough,
but with the right
bearing it can also
be long.
23

13. Focus on Chemicals
Focus on Chemicals
StIck wIth okS FoR yoUR ScREw LUBRIcatIoN, aND yoU caN
BE SURE yoUR ScREwS woN’t StIck NExt tIME yoU coME to
UNDo thEM, DURINg MaINtENaNcE oR REpaIR opERatIoNS.
a single seized-up screw can cause
problems out of all proportion to its
size. and when you multiply that by the
huge number of screws to be found in a
chemical plant, you’re looking at a problem
which can, literally, screw up everything.
spare me the copper
of course, every maintenance engineer
worth their salt knows the kind of problems
that can arise, and generally takes steps to
avoid them with some form of lubrication to
the screws.
for example, at a routine shutdown of a
refinery in Vienna, it was estimated that
around 130,000 screws, of sizes m5 to
m130, had to be loosened and checked
at pipings, instrumentation and process
control devices, valves, fittings, tanks and
containers, and heat exchangers.
unfortunately this is often the cheapest
non-specific solution, using a copper paste.
if only a tiny percentage had proved
difficult or impossible to release, the
time wasted would have been significant.
and in cases where a seized screw has
necessitated cutting out the affected joint
and length of line, the time wasted and
money spent soon escalate.
24
although copper can be effective in the shortterm and the right conditions, most screws are
in place for the long-term, and in the chemical
industry the conditions are usually far from the
right ones. so when the time comes to undo
the screws which were lubricated, perhaps
as long ago as 10 years, with copper paste,
they can be just as solidly seized as ones with
no lubrication at all.
That’s why it makes sense to use a
lubricant which has been proven in the
chemical industry, and developed by a
leader in the field.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
More than oK
oKs, a manufacturer with 30 years’
tribological expertise, is the leader in
the german mro lubricant market, and
specialises in industrial greases and highperformance oils for maintenance and repair
purposes. The company’s expertise are
pastes and greases, with a range of no fewer
than 16 different oKs assembly pastes
available. These range from basic copperand aluminium-based pastes to complex
formulations with a range of additives,
developed for specific applications.
The high standard of the products and their
manufacturing processes is evidenced by
their breadth of certifications: from
iso 9001: 2008 for quality, and iso 14001:
2004 for environmental standards, to
ohsas 18001: 2007 for work protection.
within this high-quality range, oKs 217
is the high-temperature, high-purity paste
proven in use in the chemical industry.
Chemistry for chemicals
The formulation of oKs 217 paste makes
it particularly effective for use in the
chemical industry. The potential for contact
with aggressive substances,
and the inherent dangers should reactivity
or corrosion lead to leaking connections,
make this a particularly challenging
environment for a lubricant paste.
To meet these challenges, oKs 217 has
been formulated from a semi-synthetic
oil base, with a mixture of various solid
lubricants, and additives for additional
protection against, for example, corrosion.
The benefit of the specially created
combination of solid lubricants is the
prevention of reaction with metal
surfaces, which removes the risk of
burning together.
as well as an extremely low metal and
metal alloy content, the oKs 217 lubricant
paste contains only traces of sulphur,
chlorine, and fluorine, whilst there are no
lead compounds, sulphides, chlorides or
fluorides present at all. This helps to greatly
reduce the possibility of reactivity with other
chemicals which may be present in the
environment in which the paste is used.
Though the paste may not normally come
into contact with process materials, it only
takes the failure of a single gasket for it
to happen.
Apply now
oKs 217 paste is applied when the screws
are being tightened, but its main benefit
is when the screws come to be loosened:
whether that’s in a few months or a few years.
however, the paste does also aid assembly
and tightening, by ensuring a constant
co-efficient of sliding friction, enabling
the optimal ratio of tightening torque and
attainable pre-tension whatever the screw
dimensions or the materials involved. at the
same time, cold welding is avoided.
available in a 250g brush tin for easy
application, in a 1kg tub, or in larger
quantities, oKs 217 is as essential to
tightening screws as a screwdriver.
Complementary oKs
products for the
chemical industry
oKs 1110
For lubrication of fittings, seals,
plastic parts etc. in operation
or assembly
oKs 611
For rust removal, lubrication
oKs 641
For rust removal, cleaning, protection
and lubrication
oKs 701
For lubricating measuring instruments
oKs 2611
For cleaning lubrication points
before use of lubricants
oKs 2621
For cleaning electrical contacts
and switches
oKs 2801
For ensuring imperviousness
of lines under pressure
25

14. Time savings
Time savings
How long
is a piece
of hose?
how LoNg IS a pRoBLEM wIth a pIEcE oF hoSE goINg to hoLD Up yoUR pRocESS?
a FEw MINUtES? a FEw hoURS? a FEw DayS? It aLL DEpENDS oN thE NatURE oF
thE pRoBLEM, thE typE oF hoSE, thE kNowLEDgE avaILaBLE IN-hoUSE, aND thE
avaILaBILIty oF a SUItaBLE REpLacEMENt. BUt By EStaBLIShINg a NatIoNaL hoSE
DataBaSE FoR cUStoMERS, ERIkS aIMS to cUt hoSE pRoBLEMS aND RESULtINg
DowNtIME to thE MINIMUM.
hoses aren’t a problem until they’re a
problem. But then, whether it’s a minor
leak in a water hose or a major burst in a
hose carrying dangerous chemicals, the
consequences can range from extended
downtime to employee injury, or anything
in between. and once something goes
wrong, the difficulties are only beginning.
for example, when a failed hose needs
replacing, it often turns out there’s no
inhouse documentation or knowledge of
what type of hose needs to be specified
– depending on the temperatures it has
to cope with, the pressure of the media
flowing through it, the size and the
flow rate required. That’s bad enough if
you’re specifying a hose to carry a lowtemperature fluid or air, but could be fatal if
you’re transporting a corrosive chemical or
high-pressure steam.
on the other hand, the maintenance
engineer who decides to be proactive,
26
carl Lilley FcMI
CCC Manager
ERIKS Hose Technology
and not wait for an accident to happen, will
often find that there is little or no inhouse
documentation or knowledge of when hoses
were last tested or replaced. so it’s impossible
to identify which hoses are due for replacing,
never mind what hose to specify.
Everything you ever wanted to
know about hoses…but no-one
bothered to record. That’s the amount of
information which ERIKS will collate into a
national hose database for any customer
who requires it.
of course there’s always some supplier who
will tell you the hose you need and provide
one which will do the job – more or less.
But how much time do you waste by going
through that process every time there’s a
hose failure; how much can you depend on
the supplier’s knowledge; and can you rely
on the quality of the hose they supply?
from the full hose specification to the in
date, out date, due date of next test and
result of previous test, the national hose
database makes all essential information
easy to find online, 24/7. in addition, a traffic
light system highlights any hose which has
failed a test or is overdue for testing, so
it’s easy to see which hoses need urgent
attention. if there’s a recommendation that
a hose should be replaced within the next
six months – even if it has passed its most
recent test – this can also be recorded.
lastly, if proof of testing is required for
health and safety or other purposes, the
database will enable a hose test certificate
to be printed directly from the site.
It’s to overcome all these
time-wasting difficulties and
eliminate all the uncertainties,
that ERIKS is developing
National Hose Databases for
individual hose customers.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
straight from the hose’s mouth
To ensure the ERIKS national hose
database is as effective as possible, it does
not rely on second-hand information about
the hoses at a customer’s facility. instead, it
is based on the most up-to-date information,
collected and collated by ERIKS’ own hose
experts during a site visit.
This takes the form of a walk-around
survey of the hoses on site, during which
all hoses are inspected, identified, and – if
they have not already been – tagged for
easy identification in the future. The ERIKS’
survey results can also be cross-checked with
any existing client hose register, before the
customer’s hose specifications, test results
and testing calendar are uploaded to the
ERIKS national hose database, as a onestop, always accessible, definitive record.
once the database has been set-up,
ERIKS will also establish a testing regime
at a frequency agreed with the customer
– whether this is every six months or just
once a year, depending on the type of
hose, types of media carried and so on. The
uniquely comprehensive tests, carried out
by experienced ERIKS hose experts – can
include pressure testing with water, nitrogen
or air, and internal inspections with cameras.
A hose by any other name…
ERIKS is the largest hose supplier in
europe, holding £9m of high-quality hose
stock in the uK and €16m in holland, and
is the only hose supplier able to supply any
hose a customer may require. This means
most hose orders can be fulfilled and
dispatched by courier on the same day
as they are placed.
ERIKS supplies only the highest-quality
hoses, and also manufactures hoses and
supplies all necessary ancillary components.
inferior and cheaper hoses are readily
available from other suppliers, but only
ERIKS can supply all the hoses you may
require, and of a standard you can depend
on for safety and long life.
THE UNIQUELY
CoMPREHENsIvE
TEsTs, CARRIED oUT BY
ExPERIENCED ERIKs
HosE ExPERTs, CAN
INCLUDE PREssURE
TEsTINg WITH WATER,
NITRogEN oR AIR, AND
INTERNAL INsPECTIoNs
WITH CAMERAs.
it is this comprehensive offering which
has recently led a major multi-site uK
chemical manufacturer to establish a
national hose database with ERIKS, and
to become an ERIKS customer for steam,
air, chemical, water, powder, soap and water,
low temperature, high temperature and
cryogenic hoses for all its ten uK sites.
They realise there’s more to a hose than just
a length of pipe, and there’s more to a good
hose supplier than just the hoses they supply.
27

15. Best practice
Best practice
spills with
fewer
thrills
IF a thRILL IS SoMEthINg whIch gEtS thE hEaRt RacINg, thEN chEMIcaL aND
oIL SpILLS cERtaINLy FIt thE BILL. BUt thEy’RE Not thE kIND oF thRILL aNyoNE
woULD SEEk oUt. howEvER, EvEN IN thE BESt-RUN FacILItIES thEy caN happEN,
paul Skade
Category Manager Tools
and Maintenance
ERIKS UK
aND – Not JUSt FoR yoUR owN pEacE oF MIND aND SaFEty, BUt aLSo to coMpLy
MakE SURE
that coRREct
ppE IS woRN
IDENtIFy what
typE oF LIqUID
haD BEEN
SpILLED
IDENtIFy thE
SoURcE oF thE
SpILL aND USE
MINIBooMS
to SURRoUND
aND coNtaIN
thE SpILL to
pREvENt FURthER
SpREaDINg oR
LEakagE INto
DRaINS
USE appRopRIatE
typES oF
SoRBENtS to
aDSoRB LIqUIDS
REvIEw
pRocEDURES
aND
coNtINgENcy
pLaNS
REpLENISh kIt
wIth aBSoRBENt
MatERIaLS aND
othER SaFEty
EqUIpMENt
DISpoSE oF aS
coNtaMINatED
waStE, IN
appRopRIatELy
LaBELLED
waStE BagS
wIth LEgISLatIoN – yoU NEED to BE pREpaRED.
The legislation which applies to the storage
of chemicals and oils is the pollution
prevention guidelines: safe storage of
drums and intermediate Bulk containers
(iBcs): ppg26. The main points of the
legislation concern inspection of primary
containers for leaks, rust and damage;
provision of secondary containment;
inspection of secondary containment;
and repair or replacement of secondary
containment if damaged.
But however closely you adhere to the
guidelines, the nature of accidents is that
if they can happen, they will. when they
inevitably do, eriKs rX can help.
Taking steps
dealing with a spill is something which
has to be done quickly and methodically,
to avoid it spreading and avoid it leading
to another problem – whether that’s
something as minor as a slip on an oily
floor, or as major as an injury or health risk
from contact with hazardous materials, to
wider contamination of a large area or a
watercourse, for example.
28
IF SpILL IS too LaRgE
to haNDLE, NotIFy
aLL RELEvaNt paRtIES
(FIRE BRIgaDE,
SaFEty MaNagER,
ENvIRoNMENtaL
oFFIcER, Etc)
Best practice is to follow eriKs’ 8 steps
to control a spill, as outlined in the diagram
(opposite). and as step 5 indicates, if the
spill is small enough for you to deal with,
you need to use the appropriate types of
sorbents to adsorb the liquids and make
the area safe and clean once more.
soaking it up
for smaller spills, the most important thing
is to clear it up as quickly and effectively as
possible, to leave a clean and spill-free area.
some people rely on adsorbent granules,
but these can leave as much mess as they
remove, as well as posing potential health
risks from dust and silicates, and potentially
causing damage to machinery too.
The cleaner and more effective alternative
is eriKs rX melt Blown polypropylene
(mBpp) sorbents.
able to adsorb up to 25x its own weight,
compared with granules’ adsorbent
capability of just 1x their own weight,
mBpp adsorbs faster than granules, as
well as being easier to clean up afterwards.
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
it can also be used as a preventative –
placed under a joint that’s being undone, for
example – rather than just reactively once a
spill has happened.
The pads are perforated to minimise waste,
and the rolls are not only perforated across
their width but also down the centre, to help
cut costs further.
with no health risks, and no risk of
damaging machinery, mBpp is not only
cleaner and safer to use, but is also cleaner
after use, leaving just 0.02% residue after
incineration. so with less consumption and
less waste, mBpp can save as much as
25% against the cost of using granules –
and that’s excluding the additional reduction
in labour costs.
static-resistant for greater safety when
handling flammable liquids, both pads and
rolls are yellow in colour, to provide a visible
warning of a spill when in use.
stronger and longer
eriKs rX perform+ chemical pads and
rolls have a spunbound layer on one side,
which provides a hard wearing cover for
light foot traffic. This makes it ideal for
use where a spill creates a slip hazard
as in a walkway.
The pads and rolls adsorb chemicals
and other hazardous liquids, up to a total
capacity of 134l for the 100 41x46cm
pads in a dispenser box, and 267l or 134l
total capacity for the 81x46cm roll and
41x46cm roll respectively.
A wardrobe of solutions
socks and pillows may not be the first
things you think of for preventing or
cleaning up spills, but eriKs rX chemical
socks and chemical pillows are actually
ideal for the job.
The chemical socks are highly flexible
and highly adsorbent, so they can be
shaped around leaky – or potentially leaky –
machinery or drums, to soak up or prevent
a leak or spill. Their flexibility also makes
them ideal for shaping to surround and
contain liquids during a land spill.
available in a choice of two lengths,
the chemical sock has a total adsorption
capacity of 85l for the box of fifteen
7.6 x 122cm socks, and 84l for the box
of six 7.6 x 305cm socks.
chemical pillows are designed for soaking
up larger spills which are concentrated in
one specific area. measuring 46x46cm,
they come in a box of 10 pillows, which
has a total adsorption capacity of 78l.
The rX range also includes a full range
of oil-only adsorbents - which adsorb
petroleum-based liquids whilst repelling
water - and a maintenance range which
adsorbs most industrial liquids, whether
oil- or water-based.
Handy solutions
no matter what products you have to
deal with spills, they are no use if they’re
not quickly and easily accessible so they
can be utilised as quickly as possible. so
in any area where you have chemicals or
oils stored, make sure that you have the
appropriate eriKs rX product stored
nearby, and that all relevant personnel know
where to find it, and how to use it.
Because the less thrilling you can make a
spill, the more thrilled you’ll be in the long run.
29

16. The Tig
separating Frack
from Friction
Fenner Select
Drive Design Assistant
®
thERE’S aN aREa whERE FRackINg IS REaLLy goINg oFF thE
SEISMIc ScaLE – aND It caN BE wItNESSED whENEvER thE
oppoSINg FoRcES oF ItS aNtI aND pRo LoBBIES cLaSh.
Boost your drive efficiency
Optimising your drive at the design stage can
contribute significantly to the operating life,
reliability and overall efficiency of your application.
much of the media coverage voiced the
fears of the plucky little band fighting to
save the planet from oblivion; toxic
chemicals polluting the water, the high risk
of earthquakes, the industrialised disruption
to the sleepy, peaceful hamlet of Balcombe.
The problem being, of course, that no
fracking was taking place. The site was
being drilled conventionally, with the aim
of gauging potential oil reserves in that
part of the weald Basin. so it was all a
great deal of fuss over nothing.
at least, that’s what the pro-frackers would
have you believe. and that’s how their
backers in the media reported it.
The truth – as is so often the case – lies
somewhere between the two opposing
30
points of view. any substantial discoveries
might well lead to a decision to use fracking.
But even then, fracking can only proceed
when any applications to the environment
agency are approved.
The real problem here is that when people
take up opposing positions within an
argument, their aim changes from seeking
ways to finding a solution to finding ways to
win the argument. each side will deliberately
ignore any facts that might endanger their
chances of emerging triumphant. and each
side digs in, immovable, irrevocably resistant
to any calls for a more amicable approach.
as another example of this phenomenon,
anti-frackers recently gleefully announced
that an article published in science
magazine has found fracking is
accompanied by an increase in quakes
triggered by distant seismic events.
in fact the report stated that, although over
100,000 wells across the us have been
subjected to fracking in recent years, the
largest induced earthquake recorded was
too small to pose a serious risk, being of a
magnitude of 3.6. however, the report went
on to say, wastewater is often injected into
ISSUE 17 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
a nearby disposal well. and due to the
weakening of a pre-existing fault through
elevating the fluid pressure, several of the
largest earthquakes in the us midcontinent
in 2011 and 2012 may have been triggered
by these disposal wells. (Thankfully, this is
extremely rare.)
so, in their briefings to the media, the
anti-frackers deliberately fail to mention
the existence and inherent problems of a
second kind of well. and in their briefings
to the media, the pro-fracking lobby, quoting
the safety record of the 100,000 fracking
wells, also fail to mention the existence and
inherent problems of a second kind of well.
Is this really the way to debate and
arrive at workable solutions to Britain’s
growing energy problems? Shouldn’t
we be talking purely in terms of science
and technology, rather than taking
up positions more akin to sci-fi
and theology?
“
“
in Balcombe, sussex, the battle lines
were drawn between the drilling
company cuadrilla and the anti-fracking
protesters. as far as the latter were
concerned, it could have been the townmunching godzilla they were preparing to
fight, a company that wasn’t so much trying
to earn a crust as wickedly undermine the
earth’s crust.
With this in mind, we developed easy-to-use
Fenner Select® on-line drive design assistants,
providing engineers with a structured, detailed
approach to achieving optimum
drive performance.
Visit http://selectors.fptgroup.com
and check out this invaluable, FREE resource!
The family of on-line drive design
assistants include:
Friction belt drives
Synchronous belt drives
Chain drives
COMING SOON... Couplings
Fenner : The Language of Power Transmission
http://selectors.fptgroup.com
For Fenner, call ERIKS
T : 0845 006 6000
ERIKS UK Amber Way, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 8WG
Tel: 0121 508 6000 Fax: 0121 508 6255
Fenner is a registered trade mark of J. H. Fenner & Co.

17. PARTNERSHIP BASED ON TRUST –
AND TRUST BASED ON QUALITY
ADvERT
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Refineries and chemical plants: giant, complex mazes comprising kilometers of piping and
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night and day. Bearing failures in any of these components can lead to expensive downtime.
So, in our constant drive for total quality at NSK, we´ve developed a new generation of HPSTM
angular contact ball bearings to help you avoid such costly situations. Combining high speed
and high load capacity, these tough, state-of-the-art bearings are the perfect partners for
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More about NSK at www.nskeurope.com or call us on +44 (0) 1636 605123
Angular Contact Ball Bearing
NSK UK Ltd · Northern Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2JF · Telephone +44 (0) 1636 605123 · info-uk@nsk.com