MechChem Africa January-February 2023

MechChem JAN-FEB 2023 AFRICA

COMMERCIAL BANKING Want a bank that thinks bigger than business banking?

This month: LNG: a vital component for SA’s energy transition

Oxidation condition and lubricant refreshment in turbine oils

Industrial automation, air handling and energy efficiency

A practical and cost-effective approach to CFD

Condition Monitoring is at the heart of machine reliability

WearCheck, Africa's leading condition monitoring company, specialises in a range of sophisticated condition monitoring techniques which help to boost the availability and reliability of machinery, thereby helping our customers to operate more efficiently and save money on maintenance costs.

Machines speak, we listen, you save!

Branches Botswana DRC Ghana Mozambique

+267 311 6829 +260 977 622 287 +233 54 431 6512 +258 85 792 7933 +264 81 141 7205 +256 78 529 6994 +260 212 210 161 +263 24 244 6369

Namibia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

+ 27 31 700 5460 support@wearcheck.co.za www.wearcheck.co.za South Africa (Head Office)

Testing and Analysis | Lubricant-Enabled Reliability | Asset Reliability Care

18

10

CONTENTS 30 Maintenance solutions and asset management 6

42

Oxidation condition and lubricant refreshment in turbine oils MechChemAfrica presents a summary of WearCheck’s Technical Bulletin 81, which details how lubricant refreshment life for turbines can be accurately estimated to achieve lean operation. 8 Top tools for efficient operations 10 Atlas Copco’s SmartLink optimises compressor rooms 11 Metso Metrics offering extended to stationary crushers Water, wastewater and pumping solutions 12 Pump rental offers benefits that are hard to beat LeeVine of pump rental specialist IPR, presents some of the advantages to consider when deciding to rent or buy pumping equipment. Minerals processing and materials handling 16 Mines increasingly seeing value in digital systems Mining companies are increasingly looking to invest in digital technologies to enable them to make informed decisions.Weir Minerals Africa’s Tiisetso Masekwameng explains. 17 Biomass gasification: the alternative hydrogen beneficiation pathway 18 Avoiding load losses by keeping buckets in good shape 19 Molefi Letsiki Diamonds awarded De Beers Group Sightholder contract 20 Mobile crushing with less fines, more value 21 Casting innovation forWeir Minerals’ Isando plant Heating ventilation and air conditioning 22 Heat recovery, energy efficiency and decarbonisation goals Bosch Projects' new dimple tube technology is set to transform the capacity of vacuum pan heat exchangers. 23 HVAC leader takes high-tech approach to prototyping PowerGen, PetroChem and sustainable energy management 24 LNG: a vital component for SouthernAfrica’s energy transition MechChemAfrica talks toStephenRothmanof LNGHubabout the reliable,financially viable,environmentally sustainableandsocially responsible services his company is able to offer to SouthernAfrica industries wishing to start transitioning away from heavy-oil-based fuels. 27 Emerson and Neste to optimise Fintoil biorefinery 28 Concentrated solar thermal plant with molten salt central receiver Local manufacturing and food processing 30 Steel import tariffs destroying local manufacturing efforts Tal-Tec’sGregTalbot,MDof theBrits-based localmanufacturer ofmodular farming solutions formanaging livestock,describes howSouthAfrica’s steel import tariffs are impacting the competitiveness of his business. 31 Can SA’s steel master plan revitalise the local steel sector? 33 Tetra Pak ® SouthAfrica joins PETCO Corrosion control and coatings 34 SA’s nuclear build programme a bonanza for galvanized steel Simon Norton of the International Zinc Association (IZA) Africa talks about SA’s proposed nuclear build programme and the opportunities it presents for galvanized steel. 35 Prevent CUI with injectable, vapour-phase corrosion inhibitor Automation, hydraulic and pneumatic systems 36 Industrial automation, air handling and energy efficiency MechChemAfrica talks toSMCproductmanager,BrianAbbott,about localmanufacturingandengineeringexpertise;air andenergyoptimisation solutions; and support for industrial automation. Innovative engineering 42 A practical and cost-effective approach to CFD Thomas Sprich of SimSpire talks about the use of computational flow dynamics (CFD) for improving process-mixer, pump and fan design. Regulars 2 Peter’s comment:Agility, long-term resilience and sustainability 4 On the Cover: Nedbank Business,Manufacturing 38 Products and industry news 44 Back page: Sandvik improves sustainability of packaging 13 Revamp for EC water treatment works 14 JoJo water solutions acquires Calcamite

Published bimonthly by Crown Publications (Pty) Ltd Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za www.mechchemafricamagazine.co.za Editor: Peter Middleton Design: Katlego Montsho Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis Circulation: Brenda Grossmann The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors. e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Advertising: Elmarie Stonell e-mail: elmaries@crown.co.za

Transparency You Can See Average circulation Jul to Sep 2022: 10 363 Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape Town

Front cover: Nedbank Commercial Banking - Manufacturing

Contact: Amith Singh Tel: +27 83 638 2220 AmithSin@nedbank.co.za nedbank/manufacturing

January - February 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

Agility, long-term resilience and sustainability

“In the past year, leaders of public and private sector organisations have been confronted with a lifetime’s worth of disruption and crises.” This is the opening line of an article by WEC president, Børge Brende and Bob Sternfels of McKinsey & Company published on Day 3 of the World Economic Forum’s (WEC) annual general meeting in Davos. “Global conflict, energy uncertainty, food short ages, accelerating inflation and severe climate events have rocked a world still unsettled by the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, leaders now recognise that our societies and organisations must function in an environment defined by continuous natural and man-made disruptions,” the article explains. In response, Brende and Sternfels call for longer term perspectives that embrace resilient growth strategies. “An isolated, short-term focus on a discrete recovery from every crisis is not a feasible path — there aren’t enough resources in the world to do that … This is the key leadership challenge of our epoch.” They argue that future growth strategies require more resilient societies and institutions – beyond survival capacity – to enable long-term, sustain able and inclusive growth. “To stand still is to lose precious time and fall further behind. We must act to make real progress on massive challenges in critical areas. “To support agreed climate objectives and supply our homes and economies with secure and afford able power, we need a green-energy transition. This means spending an additional US$3.5-trillion annu ally on related physical assets until 2050. Food and water security must be attained for a billion people who do not have this. Healthcare must become more preventative; digital and technologi cal innovation must be developed strategically and made more inclusive with wider access to poorer populations. Geopolitical fragmentation has to be peacefully managed and reversed where possible. “We have to work out trade and supply-chain vul nerabilities to secure and stabilise value chains and address inflationary pressures,” they write. Where should organisations start? McKinsey’s Raising the resilience of your organisation report based on research and work over decades with organisa tions seeking to be more resilient, points to the need to bolster capabilities at four levels. • Developing agility by shifting towards faster, federated, data-informed decision making with ‘good enough’ outcomes. Building self-sufficient teams that feel empow ered to carry out strategic plans and stay close •

to customers.

Peter Middleton

• Finding and promoting adaptable leaders who don’t just react when faced with, say, a natural disaster, a competitor’s moves, or a change in team dynamics. Investing in talent and culture—now and for the future. Leaders and senior management, according to McKinsey, will need to tackle all four of these capa bilities in the short term – probably simultaneously. Despite the challenges of the ongoing disruptive environment, Brende and Sternfels see long-term opportunity for sustainable growth. “… the op portunity of acting on this resilience agenda can boost global GDP by 20% while adding years of higher-quality life to today’s vulnerable popula tions.” A glimpse of the full resilience agenda that our disrupted world is now facing includes issues such as climate risks, technology risks and funding – “and these challenges are interconnected and they shift dynamically over time,” they point out. “The world needs more leaders who can stay focused on long-term resilience objectives while addressing the short-term challenges, who can embrace uncertainty and provide guidance for the joint resilience agenda. “Sustained collective action by the public and private sectors is the only path forward. Through it we can preserve and strengthen our natural en vironment and enable our societies and economies to flourish,” note theWEC President, Børge Brende, and McKinsey & Company’s Bob Sternfels. Back in South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa had to cancel plans to attend the Davos Forum due to an other escalation of the power crisis. South Africa’s power infrastructure is neither agile nor resilient, but South Africans have long been exposed to these and other disruptions and are clearly able to navi gate through them. In the public and private sectors, let’s strive to see opportunity in the current challenges facing our country. Our own “full resilience agenda” can be developed by adopting green and sustainable solu tions – as householders, businesses or state-owned enterprises – to simultaneously helpwith the climate crisis, while reducing the impact of load shedding on our own lives and the economy. We can also support and promote raised education and skills training lev els to reduce unemployment and boost productivity; and invest in the many initiatives striving to improve living standards and reduce inequality. Long-term resilience with social, economic and environmental sustainability have got to be oppor tunities worth prioritising. •

Comment

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023

Commercial Banking

Want a bank that thinks bigger than business banking? Whether you’re a new or established manufacturer, or want to expand your business locally or abroad, Nedbank Commercial Banking can help with your growth aspirations in the manufacturing sector. Our team of experts simplifies the complexities associated with financial decisions, making it easier and quicker for you to make informed decisions to grow your business. Do you want just any financial partner, or one that manufactures the right partnership for your business?

For more information send an email to manufacturing@nedbank.co.za orvisit nedbank.co.za/manufacturing.

32758

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023 Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Licensed financial services provider (FSP9363) and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

Nedbank partners with the automotive industry to drive competitiveness amid turbulence

By Amith Singh | National Manager: Manufacturing

These include embracing technology to create more connected, reliable, efficient and predictive processes; carefully reviewing cyberdefences and resilience in the event of cyberattacks; and closely monitoring the fast-evolving environmental, social and governance (ESG) landscape and adjusting operations accordingly. Proactive approaches to these challenges will help automotive manufacturers mitigate setbacks while creating a competitive advantage. Nedbank’s deep understanding of the manufacturing industry has enabled it to develop tailor-made solutions in this field, making it the expert strategic banking partner to grow its clients’ businesses. The bedrock of our manufacturing portfolio is the deep, lasting and value-adding relationships we develop with our clients and key industry stakeholders. These solutions are underpinned by our continuous drive to innovate in our financial and administrative functions, enabling you to take your business to the next level. Through this profound insight we provide bespoke, innovative financial solutions to help grow our clients’ businesses and strengthen their competitiveness in the market. For example, because we know that current macroeconomic challenges coupled with power supply issues lead to having cash flow constraints that could prohibit delivery and growth, we have a range of solutions to mitigate that risk.

The South African automotive industry, which generates around 18,7% of domestic manufacturing output, plays a significant role in our country’s economy, with a GDP contribution comparable to that of mining and agriculture. The 2022 Automotive Export Manual, released by the Automotive Industry Export Council earlier this year, also revealed that vehicle and automotive component exports increased by 18,1% in 2021 to comprise 12,5% of total South African exports. Unfortunately, the industry has been hit hard by recent global and local events, including global supply chain disruptions and operational levels at South African ports being at well below international standards, further exacerbated by riots and cyberattacks. More recently, the flooding in automotive-intensive KwaZulu-Natal and onerous load-shedding schedules resulted in the manufacturing production figures released for April 2022 showing a substantial decline of 7,8% year on year. With most of these setbacks hopefully behind us, and efforts being made to stabilise electricity supply and improve the situation at our ports, savvy automotive manufacturing firms should consider the five trends that Deloitte’s 2022 manufacturing industry outlook highlighted. With business agility critical for organisations to operate through unprecedented turbulence, the report identifies key strategies to drive competitiveness.

Similarly, as the green bank, we offer a comprehensive range of solutions to promote the sustainability of our clients’ businesses, giving them the competitive advantage that is so vital in the market. Our vast experience in global trade enables quicker, more efficient cross border transactions when importing and exporting, and easy access to funds smooths out cash flow fluctuations between production cycles, enabling clients to take advantage of discounts and bulk offers. But the real value we offer is our partnership approach, which means clients benefit from a committed partner with industry expertise who will advise on growth, investment and financial strategies based on their deep insight into each client’s unique financial situation. For more information about our specialist manufacturing services, email us at manufacturing@nedbank.co.za. Singh is Nedbank Commercial Banking’s national manager for the manufacturing sector. He holds a degree in business management from the University of Cape Town, a postgraduate degree in sales management, and is a qualified Neethling Brain Institute practitioner. He has been in banking for 19 years.

January-February 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

Oxidation condition and lubricant refreshment in turbine oils

WearCheck’s Technical Bulletin 81 features a comprehensive article by Andres B Lantos of WearCheck Argentina that details how lubricant refreshment life for turbines can be accurately estimated to achieve lean operation. MechChem Africa presents a summary. T urbines are critical pieces of equip ment for power plants and industries, with varnish formation being the first root cause of downtime and

It is usually accepted that turbine oils can be used until their remaining active antioxi dants aredown to25%of theoriginal formula tion. Inmanycases, however, dependingon the oil, varnish issues arise well before this point. Both laboratory tests and turbineoil condition monitoring show that varnish may start to build up evenwhen remaining antioxidants in the lubricant are as high as 60%. To keep tur bineoperations between safeboundaries, suf ficiently high levels of antioxidants should be maintained so that varnish potential remains low and to proactively ensure high oxidation resistance. Membrane Patch Colorimetry (MPC) is a method for determining varnish formation in mineral turbine oils. MPC (ASTM D7843) is the standardisedprocedureused for turbines, inwhich the lubricant is heated at 60 °C for 24 hours tomimic the turbineoperation tempera ture and to redissolve varnish. After heating, the oil has to stand for 72hours in the dark for varnish to re-precipitate. After filtering through a 0.45 μm pore membrane, the colour intensity (ΔE) of the patch is measured. The higher the ΔE orMPC indication, themorevarnishhas been retained by the membrane patch. Consensus for tur bine oil is that an MPC>30 is condemning, MPC>20 is alarming and anMPC<15 iswithin the safety zone. RPVOT: The Rotating Pressurised Vessel Oxidation Test (ASTM D2272) is an oxida tion simulator. Briefly, a sample of lubricant is pressurised at 190 psi under an oxygen atmo sphere at 150 °C and rotated in the presence Complementary tests: MPC, RPVOT and RULER

of a copper catalyst and water vapour. The time curve of the vessel pressure is re corded. During the test, the lubricant tends to oxidise due to the high oxygen potential. In the first stages of the test, antioxidants are sacrificed to protect the base oil and there fore oxygen pressure remains steady. Once antioxidants are fully depleted, however, the bulk of the base oil oxidises and oxygen pres sure drops. To accommodate different oil types, we have learned that the RPVOT test should not be stopped after a 25.4 psi pressure drop, but instead be continued until the pressure drops by at least 90 psi. RULER: Remaining Useful Life Evaluation Routine (ASTM D6971) is a voltammetric method for dosing antioxidants. Briefly, an oil sample (aliquot) is diluted in a vial, which extracts the antioxidants and decants the base oil. The sample is then probed under a potentiostat, with a linear increasing voltage applied. Each antioxidant, depending on its nature, is oxidised at a specific potential and an am perometric peak arises. In oils with added aromatic amines and phenols, two peaks can be observed. The area under the curve for each peak is proportional to the antioxidant concentration. The area of an in-service lubricant com pared to that of its original formulation dic tates each remaining antioxidant percentage in the in-serviceoil. Aneducatedreadingof the amperogramprovides additional information on the health of the in-service oil. As the oil degrades, it is seen how the antioxidant peaks become shifted from their original potential. Given that themethodoxidises the antioxi

reliability loss. The lubricant’s oxidation con dition can be effectively monitored in many ways, such as RULER (Remaining Useful Life Evaluation Routine), MPC (Membrane Patch Colorimetry) and RPVOT (Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test) tests. Besides the nominal ASTMvalue for these tests, significant information can be gathered from integrating their outcomes which is particularlyuseful for estimating theoptimum lubricant refreshment period for lean opera tions. Through lab tests, this canbe accurately estimated so thatmaintenance interventions can be plannedwell in advance of related reli ability issues. In turbines, the main root cause of failure is the formation of deposits, which produce several detrimental effects, such as sticking valves, orifice obstruction and inefficient heat exchange. In the case of gas turbines, where the lubricant suffers mainly from thermal stress, depositsareusuallyassociated with varnish, which is a common product of oxidation processes. Varnish is composed of sacrificedantioxidantsandoxidationproducts that coalesce to form sticky soft matter. The costs can be very high, both in downtime and in equipment replacement. For this reason, monitoring of the oxidation condition of tur bine oils is of vital importance. To prevent the base oil fromoxidation and varnish formation, turbine lubricant additives include about 1% antioxidants, which are sacrificed to protect the base oil from free radicals and thermal and oxidative stress.

Figure 1 . MPC is a standardised method in which precipitation time is critical. The MPC test measures the colour intensity (ΔE) of a patch after varnish has been precipitated through it.

6 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023

⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

dant, the result is an accurate representation of the real remaining antioxidant potential. However, when the remaining antioxidants are very low and the peaks are shallow, it is possible to make errors in the antioxidant quantification, typically in excess. To avoid falling into this analytical pit, it is possible to better estimate the remaining antioxidant % by extrapolation. This involves preparing and testing a few new and used oil refreshment samples to cover 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 100% oil refreshments. In the case of a Gas Turbine using ISO VG 32mineral lubricantwithanR&Opackageand 43 000 operation hours, for example, RULER resulted in28.3%remaining antioxidant, very close to the condemning limit. Tobetter assess the RULER value, the extrapolation method wasperformed,withmixturesof newandused oil covering 0% to 100% refreshments. After thoroughhomogenisation, Figure3(a) and3(b) show the RULER outcome. Given that the prepared samples are a mixture of new and used oil, the remaining antioxidant % must be linear. However, if we plot these results (Figure 3b), we can see how the in-service oil (0% refreshment) clearly falls out of the linear curve. Hence, the actual remaining antioxidant concentration in the in-service oil is 14,9% (y-intercept) and not 28,3% as would have been estimated by the traditional RULER method. ThroughRULERanalysis, it is also possible to check the synergy between antioxidant chemistries. Turbines usually operate using a mixture of phenol and amine antioxidants in the lubricant. Amines are reactive anti oxidants which rapidly take free radicals, protecting the base oils by terminating chain reactions, which would degrade the base oil. Hindered phenols are slower reactants but they have the potential to regenerate the oxidised amines and become stable free radi cals themselves (see the full technical bulletin paper for more detail). Estimating lubricant refreshment Inorder tobuild amodel for lubricant refresh ment for turbines, onemust assess the differ ent scenarios that exist between the actual condition of the turbine and a hypothetical situation resulting in a full lubricant change. WearCheck’s Technical Bulletin 81 pres ents the details of such a study based on a gas turbine that is lubricated with a Group I – ISOVG32oil with aminic antioxidants. The lubricant has been in service for 43000hours. Refreshment strategies There are several strategies for maintaining high doses of antioxidants and oxidation con dition within reliability parameters. The first

Figure 2: RPVOT curves for different base oil formulations.

species taking place inside the turbine to form varnish. To achieve high reliability, the compatibil ity and performance of both the concentrate and the reformulated oil must be extensively tested in a laboratory. Testing must include characterisation of the resulting physical properties, functional properties such as foaming, air release, demulsibility and prog nostics on the ageing and resulting oxidation condition of the reformulation. Lastly, tests defying deposit formation must bepassed. Once the chemistryof the ad ditive replenishment is adequately tested, the in-plant executionmust be carefullydrivenby recognised technicians. This accounts for as suring adequatemixing of the fluids, avoiding precipitation, and having a contingency plan if deposit formation should arise. In conclusion, additive replenishment is the best option fromthe economical perspec tive. Fromthe technical perspective, excellent

line in keeping the antioxidants high is regular lubricant top-up, which refreshes up to about 5% of the lubricant per year, adding some fresh antioxidants into the system, but not usually enough to satisfy the total oxidation rate in a turbine. So, an additional strategy must be applied. There are two possible paths to follow: either bleed and feed or antioxidant replen ishment. Bleed and feed is the conservative option. This option is expensive from an eco nomical perspective, because when bleeding oil from the turbine, unless the oxidation has gone too far, the base oil molecules are usu allynot oxidised (Livingstone, 2014). Only the antioxidants (1%) typicallyneed refreshment, while 99%of the base oil is wasted. However, performing bleed and feed is the safest pro cedure for refreshing lubricant and is a fast operation. Depending on the turbine and on the required refreshment %, bleed and feed can be donewithout stopping operations and with minimal down time. The second possible strategy is additive replenishment. In this strategy, anantioxidant concentrate is slowly fed to the turbine oil with minimal in-service oil bleed. In this way, thebaseoil is conserved, and antioxidants are re-dosed toadesired level. This strategymust be carried out by an experienced formulator who has an intimate knowledge of the chem istry of the base oil and the antioxidants in the system, along with the chemistry of the deposits formed in this system. Additive chemistries interact, and this interaction can either be synergistic or antagonistic. Synergy accounts for the re generation of aminic front-line antioxidants by fresh phenolic antioxidants. On the other hand, when turbine oil forms varnish, these are heavily composed of both fresh and oxidised antioxidants. When reformulating in-service oil, it is of utmost importance that formulation-derived deposits are not formed. One major issue is that when adding antioxidants toan in-serviceoil, the total anti oxidant concentration, deador alive, rises and, without keen knowledge of the system, this may easily result in antioxidant precipitation or undesired reactions between antioxidant

results can be achieved, and successful projects have multi pliedmany in-service periods of turbine oils. www.wearcheck.co.za/ shared/TB81.pdf

RULER can be quantified by extrapolation in degraded samples: Figure 3(a) shows amperograms for refreshment samples of a Group I Turbine Oil together with their quantification. In Figure 3(b), the data is plotted, showing the original sample (0% refreshment) falling off the linear plot.

January-February 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

Top tools for efficient operations Paul Feenstra from Fluke – the global technology leader in the manufacture of compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, locally represented by COMTEST – shares the top three trends that are enhancing operational efficiency in today’s industrial environments. R ising energy costs and more strin gent legislation guiding sustain able practices are spurring compa nies to re-evaluate processes and calculates the energy savings once the leaks are repaired. Using data to deliver predictive maintenance ing hardware to spark a revolution in the use of AI/ML in maintenance operations.

Now a new race has emerged to pair that hardware and software with ML and AI algorithms. Companies such as Fluke are working to combine technologies so that the software can identify trends, recognise data patterns and make specific recommenda tions for equipment maintenance. The accelerated uptake in digital measure ment solutions for industrial applications can save time and money whilst facilitating a shift towards predictive maintenance for systems. Although modern measurement digital devices are typically not fit-and forget solutions, the increase in digital measurement solutions paves the way for verification technologies that can help to reduce the maintenance burden on person nel, without compromising on accuracy or reliability.Digital SI (International System of Units), an initiative created as part of the in dustry 4.0 revolution, relates to the creation of a globalised systemto transmit calibration certification information electronically. This is critical as the exchange of data and the Digital SI speeds integration of equipment measurements

seek new tools and technologies to reduce waste and overcome operational challenges in today’s industrial environments. Challenges posed to industrial operations managers by the pandemic have now been superseded by the rising cost of energy, and the need to deliver on net zero ambitions. As the price of energy continues to increase, the need to reduce costs and deliver on shared sustainability goals intensifies for small-to-medium sized enterprises through to large corporations. Paul Feenstra, Vice President Fluke for Europe, the Middle East and Asia (EMEA) at Fluke says: “We are working together with our customers to help drive new initiatives to improve operations, increase efficiencies, and take reliability to a new level in the 21 st century.” Reducing energy costs with upgraded technology and cloud based data monitoring Approximately 90% of all companies use compressed air in some aspect of their operation, such that it is often referred to as the fourth utility. Recent developments in industrial acoustic imaging technology have enabled the fast identification of leaks in compressed air systems used in industrial and manufacturing environments. Fluke’s ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager features an array of microphones, providing visu alisation of sound field within an expanded field-of-view and at a distance of up to 70 m. This enables maintenance teams to visually locate air leaks very quickly and accurately in compressed air systems. Beyond the improvement of rugged hand held tools, monitoring practices are also evolving with the use of internet-connected instruments. Analysis and data are captured on a cloud platform allowing operators to monitor the key performance indicators (KPI) of compressed air systems, including energy, electric power, flow, pressure and leakage flow. Fluke’s LeakQ Report Generator cre ates detailed air compressor leak reports from images captured by Fluke ii900 or the Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imagers and

For generations, maintenance professionals have used preventive maintenance to avoid equipment failures and turned to reactive maintenance when assets fail. With the emergence of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, maintenance profes sionals can now connect tools, software and sensors to collect, store and analysemultiple data sources in one place. The pandemic accelerated investment in these technologies that make remote monitoring possible. The technology en ables reliability and maintenance teams to meet up-time requirements no matter how fluid on-site staffing might be. The trend for remotemonitoring will continue, with small scale operations turning to remote condition monitoring services. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have held the promise to quickly identify trends and adapt quickly to changing operational conditions. Software armed with prescriptive analytics is finally meeting up withmodern condition-monitor

Fluke's ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager has dual uses: for the detection of compressed air leaks and particle discharge.

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023

⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

It is a fact that most drinking water comes from groundwater. No longer confined to the Global South, general water scarcity is nowan ever-present issue in technologically devel oped countries aswell. Climate change, forest fires, glacier melting and the resulting rise in world sea levels are all arguments in favour of proper, well-thought-throughmanagement of groundwater resources. Furthermore, monitoring the fill level in tanks or sealed containers of oil or similar liquids is very important, especially on cost grounds, and can also double as theft protec tion. Determining the exact fill level right down to the centimetre can therefore save users a fair amount. Using an additional radio module, a purchase order can be triggered automatically in various applications as soon as the fill level falls belowa certain threshold. The most common form of electronic fill level measurement is hydrostatic pressure measurement. Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure that forms within a liquid or gas at rest due to the influence of the force of gravity. The fluid at rest exerts a dead weight on the layers below as a result of its mass. Neither the type of medium, nor whether the fluid is in motion plays a role here. Dynamic pressure due to flow is not recorded. Hydrostatic pressure can be measured in either an open or freely accessible container or body of water as well as in a sealed tank withpositiveor negativepressure. Inall cases, the actual fill level is determined in consider ation of the ambient pressure. The pressure of the gas trapped above the liquid must also data itself are the basis of highly automated industrial processes. The Digital SI system ensures measure ment traceability from all calibrations per formed and enables sharing of information in a paperless manner. This speeds up the integration of measurements that can be performed using critical test equipment as part of integrated factory-enhancing main tenance and plant efficiency. “The tests we have faced within the past 24-36 months are delivering a growing awareness among top management that fundamental changes in maintenance best practice need to occur in order to protect the bottom line,” says Feenstra. “This is music to the ears of progres sive industrial managers who have long been advocating for investments to improve efficiencies and rel iabi l ity of systems. Now is the t ime to make the case to adopt innovative technologies, tools and proces ses to ensure your company

Fluke's ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager captures still and video images of compressed air leaks at a facility.

ma i n t a i n s a compe t i t i ve edge and t h r i ve s i n t h i s new env i r onmen t ,”

he concludes.

www.comtest.co.za

Keller level monitoring andmeasurement

connection or remote transfer.

• Multi-parameter data loggers suchas the DCX-22-CTDmeasure conductivity and temperature as well as pressure, along with the depth of bodies of water. The integrated Pt1000 achieves an accuracy of ±0.1 °C, and the conductivity can be measured at ±2.5%of the selected range (0.2/2 /20/200 mS/cm). Thanks to their long-lifebattery, they cankeep recording measurement results for years up to 10 years at a rate of one measurement per hour). The logger can be configured us ing the supplied software measurement interval, incident management, delayed measurement start etc – and data that has been read canbe displayed in a graph or chart, corrected using air pressure values, converted into fill levels or other units, and exported. In addition, the KOLIBRI CLOUD Web app can be used for collecting and displaying measuredvalues that are recordedbyKELLER IoT devices and transmitted via mobile radio or LoRaWAN. KOLIBRI Cloud offers a wide varietyof options for device configurationand displays current measured values and logger recordings in graph form. Thanks to the search and filter options, saved measurement data can be organised with ease and can also be exported as an im age, as anExcel orWord report or inother for mats. Existing software solutions can be used toaccess data inKOLIBRI Cloudvia JSONAPI. All products in the KOLIBRI suite are inter compatible and can exchange data with one another. The functions are continually being further expanded and optimised. www.instrotech.co.za

be factored in if the container is sealed. This is done by taking another pressure measure ment on a second transmitter, which is usually screwed into the side of the tank. The formula belowcanbeused to calculate thehydrostatic pressure while factoring in ambient pressure andcanbeapplied toopenbodiesofwater and fluids at rest (static) in containers. p(h, p0) = pgh + p0 Adifferential pressuremeasurement to factor in p0 (lid pressure) is used for sealed contain ers. To factor ambient pressure into open scenarios, measurements are taken using relative pressure probes or AA (absolute absolute) technology. When monitoring groundwater/fill levels in open bodies of water or outdoors, the measuring points may be relatively far away and difficult to reach. For these applications, KELLERPressurehas solutions involving level loggersviashort-rangeradio interfacesaswell as level loggers with a remote data transmis sion unit via GSM or the Internet. Kolibri Cloud/Desktop is used to process, analyse andprepare the collecteddata. These products for hydrostatic measurements feature: • Submersible level probes for level andfill measurement:With a special design and cable and housing materials that have been chosen for compatibilitywith their surroundings, these probes can be used in a wide range of liquids. A var iety of data logger designs for recording pressure and temperature profiles: Depending on the system, the data i s read out v i a a p l ug •

January-February 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 9

Atlas Copco’s SmartLink optimises compressor rooms Atlas Copco is pleased to announce the recent upgrade of its SmartLink remote monitoring system with the release of SmartLink 2.0 as well as the development of the new SmartLink mobile App.

T hanks to Atlas Copco’s global engi neeringgroup’s relentless innovation drive in developing advanced tech nologies, customers are now able to optimise theoperational performanceof their compressedair installation's using SmartLink, which delivers complete, easily actionable, IoT-driven insights at their fingertips. The proven SmartLink all-in connectivity platform is a web portal that tracks all the vital signs of Atlas Copco air compressors, self-diagnoses the machines and uploads the data automatically to servers in the cloud. Add to this the new SmartLink App and us ers now have everything they need to keep a close eye on their compressed air equipment with all the relevant information available to them on smart mobile devices anywhere and at any time. Max Larue, Business Line Manager at Compressor Technique Service Division, ex plains the difference between the SmartLink portal and theSmartLinkApp. “Thewebportal essentially provides access to all features and benefits, whereas the App is focused on get ting key information directly into the hands of end-users.” The tailored SmartLink 2.0 compressor monitoring service programme gathers, compares and analyses data on the fly via the easy-to-install, integrated, wireless Smart box with 24/7 connectivity. SmartLink actively monitors all the available data points on the compressed air equipment and makes intel ligent assessments, sending the information from all installations to one server. Operators can view parameters such as uptime, energy efficiency, equipment health, recommenda tions, and service timelines on their mobile devices. SmartLink 2.0’s new, simple dashboardswith an enhanced Human Machine Interface (HMI) increase user interaction with their air compressor systems and present information on 'events' such as potential failure, pressuredrops and requiredmainte nance, in a way that makes reaction quicker and easier. In keeping with Atlas Copco’s original SmartLink 1.0 concept, SmartLink 2.0 gives compressor system users the option of selecting from three levels of remote data monitoring – SmartLink Service, SmartLink

Uptime andSmartLinkEnergy – todetermine the amount of interactive information they receive. Larue weighs in on why it is impor tant for users always to know the health and status of their compressed air systems through continuous tracking of equipment vitals. “There are many lucrative advantages that are focused on savings across opera tional processes. SmartLink 2.0 provides customised reports that uncover potential energy savings as well as potential problems and makes recommendations. The program prompts timeous action, reducing the risk of catastrophic failures, improving the overall health of the compressed air system and ultimately, increasing machine and plant uptime.” He adds that recommendations on how to improve compressor efficiency can assist air users in realising potential savings of up to 30%. Atlas Copco developed the customisable SmartLink mobile App to further streamline the process of knowing the status of com pressed air equipment. By downloading the App on any smart mobile device, users will literally have valuable information, including machine manuals and service history, in the palmof their hand. TheApphighlights the key

devices enabling rapid responses sousers can keep their compressed air systems in optimal condition. Larue confirms that any Atlas Copcomachinecanbeaddedbyserial number through the SmartLink App. He also explains that machines don't have to be connected to access all available information. He does recommend, however, that to get the most out of SmartLink, the air compressors should be connected to the SmartLink cloud. Larue adds that downloading and using the App is easy and customer friendly. “Registration to use the SmartLink App is free and time to set up the dashboard is the only investment a customer will need to make.” “The combination of our fully integrated, cutting-edge SmartLink portal and mobile App conveniently provides air users with invaluable insights into their compressed air system’s performance from actionable dashboards. These smart value-added ser vices assist our customers in maximising the performance of their air compressors, subse quentlyboostingproductivityandproduction, andachieving lowest total cost of compressed air system ownership for ultimate business sustainability,” concludes Larue. www.atlascopco.com/en-za

operational statuses of the compressed air installation and sends alerts to smart

SmartLink 2.0 gives compressor system users the option of selecting from three levels of remote data monitoring: SmartLink Service, SmartLink Uptime and SmartLink Energy.

10 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023

⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

Metso Metrics offering extended to stationary crushers Metso Outotec Metrics has extended its comprehensive digital solution to cover stationary crushers and enable new types of services to help customers reach their production targets. M etso Outotec is introducing yet another innovative digital offering expansion to cover stationary crushers and NW

Rapid equipment. The expanded Metrics remote monitoring solution offers full con nectivity to support aggregate contractors and quarries with their critical crushing and screening process. Metrics helps customers to optimise their process, as they can easily see how changes implemented at their site have impacted their operations. For example, continuous, 24/7 real-time data helps customers and service teams to boost equipment availability and reduce unplanned downtime. “All our aggregates customers can now benefit from our remote monitoring solu tion. Accessing all the powerful data through a single Metrics portal is our guiding prin ciple when it comes to the development of our offering. Metso Outotec Metrics is the cornerstone of our digital offering, provid ing customers with optimised uptime and performance throughour aggregates services and solutions. “We want to support our customers in reaching the full potential of their produc tion plants by switching to a higher gear when it comes to performance. ‘Commit to understanding’ is thecrucial first step towards achieving an optimised plant, and we want to be there every step of the way,” says Heikki Laxell, Director, Value Selling Development at Metso Outotec. MetsoOutotecMetrics enables newtypes of Life Cycle Services (LCS) contracts by integrating digital offerings to continuously improve theefficiencyof customer processes. The new remote monitoring solution brings more uptime, capacity and performance, and this supports improvedoperational efficiency and brings multiple sustainability benefits. Being more efficient and having a higher utilisation rate enhances sustainability. In ad dition, thecustomerbenefits throughreduced machine idling and energy consumption as well as improved wear performance, which leads to less waste. “By combining Metrics with our global service footprint, Metso Outotec and its distributor partners can support customers in making data-driven decisions that impact their operations,” he adds.

Metrics helps customers to optimise their process and see how changes have impacted operations. Continuous, 24/7 real-time data helps customers and service teams to boost equipment availability and reduce unplanned downtime.

Metrics is built-in to new equipment and legacy equipment can, inmost cases be mod ernised to integrate digital connectivity using a Retrofit Kit. In the first phase, the Retrofit Kit is available for a wide range of track and wheel-mounted units, crushers and screens. Metso Outotec Metrics for stationary crushers is Metso Outotec’s third launch for the aggregates industry this year. The previ ous launches include an upgraded version of Metrics for Lokotrack mobile crushers and screens andMetrics for stationary screening equipment. The Metrics solution is part of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive portfolio. More information about the Metso Outotec’s Metrics offering is available on the company’s website. www.mogroup.com

Metso Outotec Metrics offers unique ben efits, including: • 24/7 online monitoring capabilities, which offer improved safety, increased uptime and throughput, and reduced unplanned maintenance. Operators, controllers and service pro fessionals can see a real-time analysis of performance. The user interface can be tailored to address different customer needs. New features and functions can also be up dated remotely. An easy-to-read dashboard with OEM insights makes it possible to quickly de tect potential issues and take corrective actions proactively. Metrics include CO 2 tracking for sustain ability benefits frommobile Lokotracks. • • • •

January-February 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

Pump rental offers benefits that are hard to beat

While there is sometimes a case for buying dewatering pumps and associated equipment outright, renting offers so many advantages that it should always be given close consideration. This is the view of Lee Vine, managing director of dewatering and dredge pump rental specialist IPR. W hile there is sometimes a case for buying dewatering pumps andassociatedequipment outright, rentingoffers advantages that arehard tobeat saysLeeVine,managing director of dewateringanddredgepump rental specialist

IPR, addingthat IPRisseeingastrongshift towards therentalmodel. “We startedup just sevenyearsagoand, sincethen,we’vehadtocontinuously add pumps to our fleet to meet ever growing demand from a range of industries, most especiallymining and construction,” he says. “Wenowhavemorethan200pumps inour rental fleet, abletohandle almost anypumping task. Our line-up includes submersibledrainage and dewateringpumps, slurryandsludgepumpsanddiesel-drivenpumps.We also offer dredging systems and hydromining solutions.” Vine believes that one of the prime advantages of renting is the elimi nation of upfront capital expenditure, which – depending on the type of equipmentrequired–canbeconsiderable. “Manycompanies–particularly if theyarestart-upsorareexperiencingtoughtradingconditions–simply cannot afford tomake this type of financial commitment,” he says. “If this is the case, rental is the ideal solution.” He points out that purchasing does not make business sense if the equipment required is onlyusedonan intermittent basis. “If you’re going tobuypumps, for example, thenyouneed toget themaximumutilisation outof them. Ifyouonlyhaveanoccasional needforpumping, thenIwould strongly recommend renting. It is madness to buy expensive equipment and then leave it standing for long periods.” Ownership also brings with it the problems of maintenance. “Pumps need to be maintained and this normally means that people with the re quired competence need to be permanently employed to undertake this task,”hesays. “WhenyourentfromIPR,weprovidethisservice.Ourskilled andexperienced techniciansundertakeall servicingandmaintenanceon site on a 24/7 basis. We also, of course, ensure that machines are in top condition before being sent out to customers.” Whenitcomestopumping, thereisnosuchthingas ‘onesizefitsall’ and Vine says this is another compelling reason to rent rather than buy. “IPR candrawfromitsextremelywiderangeofpumpsandotherequipment to providesolutionsthataretailoredtothecustomer’sneeds.Bycontrast,we often notice that companies that elect to purchase their own equipment endupusingpumps that are totallyunsuitedtothe taskathand. Theyare using thembecause that is all they have available.” By renting from IPR, customers also get the benefit of the latest technology. “Obviously, not every unit in our fleet will be the very latest

model but, generally, our inventory consists of new or relatively new machines that offer, amongst other things, excellent fuel efficiency,” says Vine. “Customers can rest assured that wewill never supply out-of-date equipment that is no longer fit for purpose.” While rental is the backbone of IPR’s business, the company also sells pumpsandotherequipment. It is thesoleagent insouthernAfrica for the well-establishedAtlasCopcodiesel-drivenpumpsets aswell as theAtlas Copco range of submersible pumps. AsVinecomments, “We’recertainlynot sayingthat customers should always rent. Under the right circumstances, direct ownership of assets such as pumps can be the best route to follow. We recognise this, which is whywe are geared to rent or sell.” IPR is based in modern premises in Jet Park, Johannesburg, where it has awell-equipped engineeringworkshop that allows it to provide fully customised pumping and dredging solutions to ISO9001 standards. www.pumprental.co.za IPR has more than 200 pumps in its rental fleet, enabling almost any pumping task to be handled.

IPR also offers dredging and hydro mining rental solutions.

Available from IPR is the Atlas Copco PAC H64, which offers a maximum flow rate of 460 m 3 at a maximum head of 150 m.

12 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2023