Electricity + Control October 2019

ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION Product News

Temperature checks on conveyor systems The transport of materials is a key activity for most industries and, in many cases, conveyor belt systems offer a cost- effective and efficient solution. However,

Belt slipping can occur when a roller or rollers seize up or when a belt gets worn and slack. Slipping causes friction that can quickly generate enough heat to cause the belt to catch fire. There are some materials, of which coal is a good example, which can self-ignite. This typically happens in pockets that start smouldering and generate an associated heat build-up. If the conveyor is not shut down immediately, or the hot spot cooled down before a fire starts, the conveyor system may be destroyed and/or the fire conveyed from one area to the next, spreading throughout the plant. Once a fire has started on a conveyor belt, it is

with such systems comes a risk of fire due to the heat generated by belt friction and fire hazards that may be associated with the material conveyed.

Conveyor belt systems in industry need to be carefully monitored to track heat build-up and prevent fire risks.

On-line gas analysers to optimise combustion The Tshwane-based RTS Africa Group supplies solutions for a range of industrial applications. These include, among others, spin filtration, laser-based gas detection and electrolysers for hydrogen production. RTS Africa MD Ian Fraser says, "Industrial technology is constantly developing and with this development come challenges. To provide answers for these challenges, RTS Africa searches the globe for appropriate and effective solutions." The company has added a new suite of solutions to its technologies division from IMR Environmental Equipment, Inc – one of the world's leading manufacturers of portable and stationary flue-gas analysers, gas leak detectors, thermometers, manometers and anemometers. For the past 35 years, IMR has been designing and manufacturing combustion analysers. It also offers engineering services and has designed complete mobile measuring laboratories which are now used internationally. Customers increasingly make use of these services because of IMR's recognised know-how and reliability. The IMR range will extend the RTS Group's offering as RTS Africa is already active in the gas analysis market as the agent for NEO Monitors laser gas analysers and H2scan hydrogen analysers.

"IMR offers multiple channel on-line gas analysers and monitoring and recording equipment as well as manufacturing a range of effective portable instruments, all of which will add to the RTS Africa range and capabilities in gas analysis technologies," says Fraser. The introduction of IMR into South Africa is significant for any industry using a combustion process or furnace, such as power stations, refineries, or steel or other smelter plants. The IMR continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) provides simultaneous multiple gas monitoring capabilities as well as monitoring other variables such as temperature, pressure, flow and particulate analysis. "In South Africa, the regulations regarding combustion require that heat-generating plants be operated in such a way that their emissions, related to their heating capacity, do not exceed the values required by law," Fraser explains. "With any combustion plant, if the fuel/air mix is not optimal, the owner could literally be sending their money 'up in smoke'," he adds. The quality of combustion can be clearly established through the exact measurements given by IMR gas analysers, which measure all parameters relevant to optimising combustion. IMR products can also be customised to suit specific, challenging applications.

38 Electricity + Control

OCTOBER 2019