MechChem Africa September 2018

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Smart IS-certified gas monitoring

Pail tipper for dense bulk materials

Becker Mining South Africa has extended its range of safety and communications systems to include a new atmospheric andenvironmentalmonitoring system, de- signedforuseinindustrieswherethepres- ence of gases may pose a safety or health risk for employees and the environment. The high accuracy Becker Varis Smartsense ® gas monitoring system, which meets stringent quality, safety and environmental specifications, enhances safety in diverse sectors. Adherence to Intrinsically Safe (IS) certification means this system can be safely deployed in hazardous andpotentiallyexplosiveareas. Environments that require depend- able atmospheric and environmental monitoring include general industry and manufacturing facilities, petrochemical, oil and gas plants and mines. “Becker’s high accuracy Smartsense system – with integrated features for the detectionof ambient temperature, humid- ity and barometric pressure – forms an essential part of critical communications and safety systems in the workplace,” says Andrew Trentelman, senior general manager for electronics at Becker Mining South Africa. “Some factories make use of manu- facturing methods that can produce high levels of poisonous gases, or even explosive gases. In these environments, it is important to monitor gases emitted into the atmosphere in real time and have a reliable system to take immediate auto- matic action to eliminate the possibility of poisonous or explosive environments. “Apart from the accurate detection and monitoring of ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure, every device can monitor up to four gases, in- cluding oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), car- bon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbonmonoxide (CO), hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S), chlorine (CI 2 ), hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). The Smartsense unit can also be fitted withdifferent gasmonitoringheads to suit specific environmental monitoring needs. An important advantage of the Smartsense SSFM-100 device over con- ventional monitoring systems is that all features are integrated into one compact device. There is no need for complex cable connections, troublesome programming or difficult calibration. Additional analogue/digital input ports provide compatibility with other devices or to accommodate a plant’s expansion requirements. For example, additional sensor connectivity could be for airflow. Smartsense SSFM-100 gas monitors/

AnewTIP-TITE™Pail Tipper fromFlexicondumps pails containing high-density bulk solidmaterials into downstream processing or storage vessels, without generating any dust. The unit accommodates pails of up to 19 ℓ measuring up to 380 mm in height, and weighing up to 340 kg. Intended for powdered metals, chemicals, pigments, minerals or other heavy, dense bulk solids, the unit features dual hydraulic cylinders that work in tandem to raise and seat the pail rim against a specially-configured, elongated discharge cone, and then tip the pail to an angle of 45, 60or 90degreeswith amotion-dampening feature. At full rotation, the discharge cone seals against the inlet of the receiving vessel, creating a dust-tight connection and allowing controlled, dust-freedischargethroughapneumaticallyactu- ated slide gate valve. An optional pneumatically actuated vibrator on the discharge cone promotes complete evacu- ation of non-free-flowing materials. The pail tipper is constructed of carbon steel withdurableindustrialfinishes,withmaterialcon- tact surfacesmade in stainless steel. All-stainless steel models are also available, which arefinished to food, dairy, pharmaceutical or industrial standards. The company also manufactures drum/box/ container tippers, bag dump stations, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag conditioners, bulk bag fill- ers, drumfillers, flexible screwconveyors, tubular cable conveyors, pneumatic conveying systems, weigh batching and blending systems, and en- gineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls. www.flexicon.co.za

The Becker Varis Smartsense ® SSFM-100 device can monitor up to four different gases. controllers allow for localised use or for system-wide installation using industry standard communication protocols, such as Modbus RTU and OPC connectivity or for legacy systems using 4-20 mA. This hybrid system is customisable to all installation requirements, including copper (RS485/Ethernet), radio frequency (UHF – VHF data radio/Wifi) and fibre optics data connectivity. There are vari- ous graphical representation methods to display data, including Becker Mining Systems’ application for smart phones, or integration into existing SCADA systems. Web-based remote viewing of an entire environmentalmonitoring system ismade possible through theOPC interface over a customer’s existing LAN network. The Becker Varis team has designed this system for easy installation and ef- fortless calibration. There is no need to remove the monitoring head for external calibrationand the systemcanbe adjusted even during operation. TheSmartsenseSSFM-100fixedmoni- tor has three fully programmable alarm set points for alarm and output controls, with a Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) andTimeWeightedAverage (TWA) limits, displayed on a large LCD screen. It is pos- sible to view the reading from up to 5.0 m away. An adjustable backlight makes this device suitable for both underground and aboveground applications. An internal battery provides power backup for use in remote areas for up to eight hours and robust industry power supplies ensure safe operation in harsh conditions. This system, with low power consumption, has an Ingress Protection IP67 rating against dust and liquids. Preventative maintenance of this low maintenance system requires simple monthlytoquarterlyprocedurestoensure optimum performance and extended ser- vice life. It is important that sensor intake areas are kept clean, withnoobstructions. www.za.becker-mining.com

Flexicon’s TIP-TITE™ Pail Tipper handles pails containing up to 340 kg of high-density bulk materials.

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 35