Chemical Technology May 2016

Goodbye transmitters!

All-GRP enclosure is ideal for ultra-corrosive environments

An enclosure that eliminates all metal parts, for housing outdoor equipment operating in ex- tremely corrosive oper- ating conditions, was recently announced by the field instrumentation protection specialist Inter- tec. The enclosure is made from GRP (glass reinforced polyester) a material offering intrinsically high resistance against the corrosive media and environmental conditions found in many field protection applications. Metal components on the ex- ternal surfaces of the enclosure can corrode quickly in aggressive environments such as offshore and coastal plants in oil, gas and chemical, power generation and other processing industries. Intertec’s field enclosures are made from GRP, but are typically fitted with a number of metal parts such as hinges, clasps, nuts and bolts, made from 316 stainless steel. However, to meet a request from a customer building instru- mentation systems for emissions monitoring in a petrochemical refinery, an application that can be exposed to extremely corro- sive atmospheres, Intertec has developed a version of its Multibox outdoor enclosure with nuts, bolts, clasps, hinges and other accesso- ries fabricated entirely from GRP. Intertec’s Multibox is a two- part, oblong-shaped enclosure that can be mounted vertically or horizontally. It has a deep and shallow section for further versa- tility of equipment mounting and access, and either of the sections can be used as the door. There are nine standard sizes available providing instrumentation and control engineers with a range of volumes from 25 to 277 litres. The two enclosure pieces can be fitted with hinges and clasps, or left separate and joined together using only clasps. Intertec manufactures its en-

closures using high-performance GRP. The GRP sheet material used has a very high thermal resistance compared to metal, with an efficiency that is over 1 000 times better. GRP has proven to be a highly superior structural material for building enclosures to protect field-based instrumentation, control and com- munications equipment. The main competitive material used in this application sector is sheet metal. Intertec’s GRP is produced using long-fibre glass strands which makes it almost as strong as stainless steel, yet around 75 % lighter. GRP does not rust or degrade in any mean- ingful way for this field protection application. Combined with its ex- cellent insulation characteristics, these properties make GRP an excellent choice for the construc- tion of robust outdoor enclosures, allowing maintenance-free life- cycles of 30 years and more. Intertec has been using the technology for over 50 years and can cite many examples of GRP enclosures that have operated for 30 years and more in harsh and aggressive outdoor environments. For more information contact: Intertec Instrumentation on tel: 0800 756 1102; or email: sales@intertec-inst.co.uk; or go to www.intertec.info

SMARTPAT –The first family of analytical sensors that no longer require transmitters

It integrates all of the transmitter technology in its head. This not only reduces the costs of ownership, eases installation and maintenance but also allows for direct usage in explosive (zone 0) and hygienic areas. SMARTPAT sensors can be easily configured and calibrated via PACTware™ FDT/DTM or HART ® DD. Due to the offline calibration and regeneration, they feature accurate measurement and an extended service life. So, you see – it’s time to say goodbye to your external transmitter!

KROHNE South Africa 8 Bushbuck Close Corporate Park South Randtjiespark, Midrand Tel.: +27 113141391 Fax: +27 113141681 Cell: +27 614258488 John Alexander j.alexander@krohne.com www.za.krohne.com

goodbye-transmitters.com