Engineers from the University of Pittsburgh have used a Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope to view the phase changes in aluminum alloys. The scale at which the observations are made can pin-point atoms as the materials go from solid to liquid and liquid to gas under different environmental situations. Data garnered by the engineering team will help better model the properties of these alloys for manufacturers and engineered material designers.
Prior to the advent of the DTEM, we could only simulate these transformations on a computer. We hope to discover the mechanisms of how alloy microstructures evolve during solidification after laser melting by direct and locally resolved observation.
Many industries that touch every aspect of daily life use advanced fluid flow systems. The materials in these flow systems must be measured and tracked, and the simplest way to do this is with totalizers. Basically, totalizers are efficient and advanced counters, and they can be used in several ways to provide accurate statistics and information. Most commonly in fluid flow systems, they can measure the amount of liquid moving through a particular system and keep track of and count operational cycles. Totalizers are an integral part of today’s complex fluid flow systems.
Industries That Need Totalizers
A number of modern industries that support the nation’s infrastructure need totalizers to keep track of flowing liquids. The agriculture industry uses totalizers to measure the least amount of water needed to support crops. Totalizers can be used in residential settings to track water usage by a particular house. Industrial applications need them to measure expensive fluid products to keep waste at a minimum and, in some cases, to ensure mixtures are combined in the proper proportions so that the final products are safe and efficacious.
Key industries that use totalizers include:
Energy
Chemical and petrochemical
Laboratory
Pharmaceutical
Food
Aerospace and aviation
General
The Importance of Advanced Design
In today’s complex industries, advanced technology and careful planning in all aspects of operation are imperative, including in the way that liquid products are measured. The best totalizers provide high accuracy and efficiency, fast reset times, multiple modes, easy-to-read displays and security features such as lockout modes.
When the first totalizer was invented in 1913 by George Alfred Julius, this mechanical aid to calculation was a marvel of engineering that revolutionized industrial metrics. Through the decades, totalizers have evolved. From the first version of a mechanical counter, modern versions of this important regulating tool are intricate and complicated. Advanced features include:
Multiple display options
Separate scaling for multiple inputs
Security options such as passwords and lockouts
Fast readouts
The Bottom Line
Totalizers are needed in so many of today’s dynamic industries because they provide fast, accurate information, measurements and feedback on flow movement and composition. At a glance, to-the-minute analyses and conditions can be recorded and studied to ensure maximum efficiency. Some companies even use totalizers to prevent the release of potent greenhouse gases such as sulfur hexafluoride into the atmosphere.
In addition to measuring gaseous outputs to help keep the environment safe, these advanced counters ensure that life-saving medicines are mixed and measured correctly and quickly, that the precious resource of water is not wasted and that materials in so many products people use daily continue to flow so that production can continue.
There are many important applications for these advanced monitors and measurement tools. From more basic operations to powerful tracking, signal transmissions and alarms, totalizers have become integral parts of modern industrial operation and production. Their fast and accurate monitoring help ensure that daily processes are safe and that overall output is maximized, both today and in the years to come.
If you are reading this on any other blog than Flowmetrics it is stolen content. Follow us on Twitter@Flow_metrics. Come and visit our blog at https://flowmetrics.com/blog/.
Before the personal computer, operation controllers had PLCs, programmable logic controllers, to manage what machinery was doing. Now we have PACs and IPCs to add to the mix, and the confusion over which does what and where each is best grows.
A PLC is the origin of control specific machinery, built to last through extreme environments and relaying on/off instructions to machinery based on input from sensors. The most applicable situation is amusement park rides. An operator pushes the command to execute the ride, and the PLC takes over from there. Some can be as simple as automating the order of events of one precise schedule, and some can manage variables to adapt the schedule as needed.
PACs are programmable automation controllers, and these do much the same as PLCs but without the option of inputs. A PLC can function as a PAC, but usually the reverse is not true.
An IPC is an industrial personal computer, and these carry out much more computationally heavy tasks. One common situation that IPCs excel at is mixes of materials that vastly change properties at different ratios.
Pressure Systems International, PSI, has been developing a dynamic actuator system to improve the aerodynamics of semi-trucks for fuel conservation. A new investment with Plasma Stream Technologies will lead to widespread distribution of the fuel saving system.
The new innovation uses plasma actuator technology to reduce aerodynamic drag on semi-trucks and trailers, resulting in fuel savings. The active flow control system that manipulates airflow around the vehicle, offers aerodynamic benefits without the added weight and maintenance issues associated with bolt-on aero devices.
The new design will be more adaptable and compatible with more door mechanisms than current boat-tail designs making this technology a better fit for transportation and freight shipments.
Click here for the full article by Fleet Equipment.
Modern industries are extremely advanced with demanding manufacturing schedules. Liquid product flow must be tracked and measured thoroughly and accurately throughout every process. To accomplish this vital task, manufacturers depend upon ratemeters. These instruments work in tandem with totalizers to monitor, measure and analyze liquid flow rates in many industrial production applications. Ratemeters are a pivotal part of many essential production processes.
Industries That Need Ratemeters
Ratemeters and totalizers are modern measurement tools that are critical to numerous production routines and schedules. Sometimes one instrument can perform the tasks of both devices. The agricultural industry measures the minimum amount of water necessary for sustained crop life while general industrial production requires accurate measurement and tracking of expensive liquid products and components.
Some critical industries that utilize ratemeters include:
The complexity of modern manufacturing demands exceptional equipment to initiate and monitor every step of the process. Accurately measuring liquid product flow is essential for making a high-quality end product, and ratemeters with sophisticated features are fundamental components of today’s manufacturing processes.
Ratemeters work in tandem with totalizers to monitor and measure liquid flow. The first electronic counter was created in 1913 by Australian engineer George Julius, and in just over a century, ratemeters have evolved into highly sophisticated measurement tools with intricate functions that include:
Fast readouts
Easy-to-read displays
Multiple input capabilities
Security features such as passwords and locking
Tracking liquid product flow movement and composition is so vital to so many industries that ratemeters have become standard equipment in manufacturing facilities. Because they are extremely important, there are numerous models ranging from those with basic operations to sensitive and precise versions that can detect tiny leaks or miniscule anomalies in flow patterns. With this many choices, there is a ratemeter that will work for any and every budget and project scope.
The End Products of Exceptional Planning
Excellent ratemeter design has evolved over the decades in order to meet today’s needs. Ratemeters are necessary components of almost all modern manufacturing processes, but they are also crucial in many other important applications, including research projects, radiation monitoring and measurement and healthcare. Just as their design has evolved, the practical functions of ratemeters have increased exponentially—they help manufacturers ensure that important medicines are safely made and delivered on schedule; they keep nuclear power plants safe and help companies conserve water.
Programmable ratemeters provide quick, easy-to-read measurements that are real-time accurate. Such precise monitoring is crucial in today’s cutting-edge production processes. The best ratemeters easily deliver basic functions but then add to their value by offering additional innovative options such as transmissions, alerts and alarms and tracking.
Modern industrial processes depend on accurate, timely monitoring to keep production safe and efficient. Sophisticated equipment such as a ratemeter with multiple, programmable functions is a vanguard of secure, optimized manufacturing, both today and in the future.
If you are reading this on any other blog than Flowmetrics it is stolen content. Follow us on Twitter@Flow_metrics. Come and visit our blog at https://flowmetrics.com/blog/.
Centrifugal pumps shine when a processing line may require a wide range of flow rates. Altering the flow rate by closing or opening a discharge valve will stress a pump by causing it to operate outside of its best operating point. When the situation requires significantly more or less flow than the pump is producing net positive suction head, NPSH, cavitation, or vibrations can cause irreparable damage.
As a centrifugal pump operates pressure changes from inlet to outlet; negative pressure “pulls” fluid into the pump, and positive pressure “pushes” the fluid out of the pump. Because fluids may change phase at lower pressures, cavitation commonly occurs near the inlet of the pump. This phase change will cause the pumps to run dry, producing vibrations that wear bearings prematurely. These vibrations are caused by small bubbles returning to liquid as the pressure increases.
To prevent dangerous cavitation, net positive suction head is a measurement of the pressure at the pump inlet above the vapor pressure of the pumped fluid. NPSH is usually 3 to 5 feet, more if possible, meaning that at least 3 feet of head pressure more than the is required by the system.
The French power-group EDF will review possible dangers of upcoming British nuclear power plants on July 28. At the present, two billion euros have been spent of the budgeted 22 billion, and some of the initial partners have already refused to continue with the project. EDF will most likely need to restructure and cut costs to complete funding this project, endangering jobs for the goal of creating more.
In principle, EDF has a guaranteed price for the future production at Hinkley Point for 35 years. But there is no guaranteed demand for all the output and 35 years is a long time in Britain not to have any changes to a major contract. While EDF could normally use any excess production at Hinkley Point to feed into the continental electricity grid, there are exchange rate risks and perhaps market access issues.If there are no other financial backers, UK funds or companies, EDF could better turn its back on Britain.
Click here for the full article by Marel Michelson.
Engineered bacteria is beginning to streamline biofuel productions. The bacteria being used is a strain of E. coli that has been adapted to withstand liquid salt solutions used for breaking down plant matter into sugars. As these cells adapt better to this type of environment, biofuel processing will no longer need to remove the liquid salts from the mixture before introducing the bacteria, the process would be a “one pot method.”
Yields are currently significantly lower as the tests are using less pure sugar than other processes. Further refining of the E. coli strain will hopefully boost the returns seen from this vastly easier method.
Currently, we have only engineered the strain to digest cellulose so it can use the resulting glucose to grow and make the biofuel,” explains Mukhopadhyay. “We can also engineer it to digest hemicellulose, another large component of plant biomass so that it can use the resulting xylose for growth and production also!”
Click here for the full article by ChemicalProcessing.
Flow meters are used in many industries to measure and control the movement of gases or liquids. Accuracy is crucial in order to ensure that the manufacturing process is going smoothly. Precise measurements are key to many kinds of manufacturing, processing and transfer processes. For this reason, manufacturers look for the highest quality flow meters available on the market.
Why Regular Calibration Is a Must
However, even the most durable and sensitive meter can become imprecise and lose accuracy after prolonged use. Some common causes are regular wear and tear, exposure to moisture or corrosion due to chemicals. Flow meter function can also become disrupted due to accumulation of dirt, impact or faults in the installation process. Regular inspection and calibration of your flow meter is necessary in order to ensure consistently precise readings. To ensure that your calibration of your flow meter achieves the results you want, it is smart to follow the following best practices.
Use Accurate Testing Equipment
First of all, make sure that your testing equipment is up to standard. This means that before you can start using your standard to test your flow meter’s measurements, you must take care to test your standard against another recognized standard and document the results. This will help you maintain a high degree of accuracy when checking the precision of your flow meter’s measurements.
Test Your Testing Equipment
In addition to comparing your standard’s accuracy to that of an already known standard, make sure that its measurements are sufficiently accurate. When you are using a standard to calibrate your flow meter, your standard typically needs to be four times as accurate as the meter you are testing. In some cases, the accuracy requirement can be different based on the specific type of calibration.
Ensure Typical Environment
Now that you have checked your testing equipment, you need to make sure that the testing environment is conducive to precise results. If you want to know how your flow meter is operating on a daily basis, you should test it under conditions that are as similar as possible to its typical environment. The type of substance whose movement is measured by the meter can affect operation, so be sure to test using the same substance. Factors such as heat, density and rate of movement can also affect operation; thus, for optimal testing accuracy, these should also be similar to the regular operating environment.
Consistent Flow
When testing, it is important to keep the flow rate steady. In a typical testing scenario, you will be making a real-time comparison between the flow rate of your meter and your testing standard. Thus, variations in system flow can lead to imprecise results and suboptimal calibration.
Eliminate Variations in Heat and Volume
For best calibrating results, your testing unit will need to measure everything your flow meter regularly measures, simultaneously. This means that it is important that there not be any variations in temperature or volume during the testing process. Before beginning the calibration, check the system for leaks or other irregularities that could compromise test results.
If you find that you are unable to calibrate your flow meter successfully, it may be time for a repair or an upgrade. Flow meters can lose function when they are being used in applications where a particular type or model is not optimal. Improper installation can also lead to damage that may not be easily fixed by recalibrating. Consult your manufacturer as to the best type of flow meter for your purposes.
If you are reading this on any other blog than Flowmetrics it is stolen content. Follow us on Twitter@Flow_metrics. Come and visit our blog at https://flowmetrics.com/blog/.
