Industrial Factory Automation

Sembcorp will supply steam in varying pressures to the Sabic Olefins 6 'Cracker' plant in Wilton, after the companies signed a five-year contract. As well as providing a new customer for high-pressure (HP) steam from the new Sembcorp GBP36m gas turbine, the move also means that in unscheduled flaring situations, Sabic will be able to safely operate at a reduced rate without needing to bring the plant offline altogether, saving on the amount of product being flared. The partnership deal comes at an important time for both companies, as they seek to minimise the impact of the closures of the Invista, Dow and Croda operations at Wilton in the past year. Covering the existing supply of intermediate pressure (IP) steam to Sabic, the five-year deal also includes provision for an additional 100 tonnes per hour of HP steam if required. The supply will be made via a connection from the new gas turbine into an existing steam pipeline to the Cracker.

Spirax Sarco has added four new courses to its 2010 training schedule and has extended another. Highlights include new modules on controls and heat exchanger applications, combustion efficiency and metering. The 2010 training programme comprises 79 courses, covering 13 different topics and encompassing all aspects of the design, operation and maintenance of steam systems, from water treatment to energy management. A new addition to this year's schedule is the Boiler Operation Accreditation Scheme (BOAS) refresher course. To retain the BOAS accreditation, delegates are required to take a refresher course on the fifth anniversary of gaining the award and every five years thereafter. Spirax Sarco's first BOAS refresher course is due to be held on 8-9 June, with additional courses throughout the year. Specialist training can help steam users to identify efficiency improvements and gain energy savings from their existing steam and condensate systems, according to the company.

TLV has won a contract to provide regular steam-trap surveys of all 13 BOCM Pauls animal-feed processing sites throughout the UK, using its latest Trapman TM5 testing equipment. BOCM Pauls has 13 sites in the UK producing animal feed for all types of livestock, including dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. The sites located on the west side of the country, where rich dairy grass is more common, are predominantly dedicated to ruminant feed, while those on the east side are dedicated to pig and poultry feed. The majority of the steam generated by the plants is used for direct steam injection, which sterilises the meal to eliminate salmonella and conditions it with moisture to help begin the cooking process before it is extruded and pelletised. Steam is also used to maintain the required temperature in storage tanks, which pre-heat liquids that are added to the meal during the cooking process. As the BOCM sites are regulated by the Environment Agency, their Environmental Stee...