The Monitor

Reducing and managing downtime in any process operation is vital to ensuring uninterrupted production and the safety of your plant operators. You need to obtain representative samples reliably to assess plant and product condition to control your process effectively.

Regularly scheduled maintenance keeps your sampling solution operating at peak performance and extends their life. Over time, however, the efficiency of samplers and sampling systems decreases. For example, in a steam and water analysis system, sample coolers lose capacity due to calcification and wear. Analyzers may not deliver consistently accurate measurements which can compromise regulatory compliance. Wear and leakage of valves and safety devices can cause unnecessary risk to operator safety. While much of this can be a result of normal operation, it is often a direct result of improper maintenance, calibration or obsolescence.

As your sampling solution ages, it requires ongoing maintenance, service, and in some cases refurbishment, with replacement of components or at worst, complete replacement. You need qualified technicians to service your equipment and recommend the correct course of action. Operator safety and protection of production is not something to take lightly. While some organizations have in-house capabilities, many don't  and under these circumstances, you need to look to an outside service partner.

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Topics: Any Application

Thanks to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), manufacturing is smarter and faster than ever before. Equipment is increasingly autonomous as technology allows it to not only manage data, but collect and share it in relevant ways: man to machine, machine to man and machine to machine. As a result, “smart” equipment introduces objective processes that dictate how components will interpret and adjust to information, including monitoring service needs and correcting output before bad products are made.

Applying IIoT principles to samplers and analyzers demonstrates that using technologically intelligent equipment isn’t just a matter of convenience. Wired or wireless electronic data collection from sampler sensors – such as temperature, pressure, flow and weight – is advantageous in optimizing process parameters through real-time data collection, interpretation and application.

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Suppliers are an essential part of any large engineering project. They’re needed to complete specialized designs and builds that meet the quality standards of the companies that hire them. Yet, not all suppliers are capable of delivering on their promises. This costs engineering firms time and money. 

Overcoming bias when it comes to selecting a supplier can be a major hurdle. Especially, when existing relationships are already in place. So, it’s essential to know how to separate a preferred supplier from a strategic supplier before you partner with them. Here are five crucial traits of a reliable, strategic supplier.

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Many organizations, across a number of industries, engage representative sampling as a matter of course. It’s a pivotal process for quality control, process control, custody transfer and regulatory compliance. The benefits of representative sampling are well known, but the cost of not doing so is not always wholly considered.

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Heat exchangers are used in a variety of industries to transfer heat from one medium to another. They can heat within a process, and may be used to cool a liquid, vapor or gas (referred to as a fluid within this article) representative sample to make it safe to handle or transfer.

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As companies continue to find ways to compete globally, they are expanding their worldwide reach. Operating manufacturing plants in various countries can result in a distinct competitive advantage. However, if you are working with suppliers that are not aware of and do not meet international certifications in operations and materials, delays and product rework could cost you that competitive edge.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical, Any Application

You trust your strategic sampling partner to help you solve your representative sampling challenges. You also rely on them to tell you when, occasionally, your needs are better met by a solution they do not currently offer.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Food & Beverage, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical, Any Application

A number of industries routinely conduct solid and powder sampling, ranging from cement and food and beverage, to pharmaceutical, petrochemical, mining, oil and gas, and power generation. This list illustrates the wide variety of solid and powder sampling applications, and it also proves that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all sampling solution.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Food & Beverage, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Solids & Powder, Pharmaceutical, Any Application, Steam & Water

Sample coolers and heat exchangers cool samples from process streams. A sample flows through the tube side of the heat exchanger, and the cooling fluid, usually water, flows through the shell side to cool the process gas or fluid so it can be monitored or analyzed.

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Topics: Power, Hydrocarbon Processing, Any Application

Our cars wouldn’t run very well if we didn’t fill them with gasoline, change the motor oil, or conduct routine maintenance and repairs. In the same way, your facility’s sampling equipment needs regular preventative maintenance.

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Topics: Cement, Food & Beverage, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Solids & Powder, Pharmaceutical, Liquid & Slurry, Any Application, Gas