TRADE SHOW PREVIEW

AHR EXPO
Page 28

WIRELESS
INSTRUMENTATION
FOR NATURAL GAS

Implementing MQTT in
industrial IoT applications
Page 12

Case Study: A utility standardizes

its automation practices
Page 16

Q&A: Workforce development and

addressing the skills gap
Page 25

JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com

 TRADE SHOW PREVIEW

AHR EXPO
Page 28

WIRELESS
INSTRUMENTATION
FOR NATURAL GAS

Implementing MQTT in
industrial IoT applications
Page 12

Case Study: A utility standardizes

its automation practices
Page 16

Q&A: Workforce development and

addressing the skills gap
Page 25

JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com

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 INSIDE
JANUARY 2020 | VOL 26 | ISSUE 1

COVER STORY
Natural gas instrumentation
10 The latest instrumentation for
natural gas continues to improve
monitoring and safety, decrease
downtime and provide better
data analytics.

FEATURES
How MQTT is advancing
12 automation and control
For industrial automation and control
projects, engineers can incorporate
the MQTT communications protocol
to realize IIoT benefits.

10 16 Case Study: Standardization of

automation practices improves
operations at water utility
cover: Sushiman/iStock A utility standardized and defined best
practices for its applications, improving
operations while saving time and money.

DEPARTMENTS Boosting performance in hydraulic

4 Editor’s Note
19 systems with alternative coatings
Taking a holistic approach to sealing
6 Industry News solutions in hydraulic systems using
chrome alternatives helps engineers
8 Application & Quiz Corner achieve optimum function.

28 Trade Shows & Events The flow of air and water in HVAC
30 Product Focus 12 22 and ventilation systems
Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning
31 Advertiser Index (HVAC) systems require proper
flow management in chemical
32 FlowControlNetwork.com processing, pharmaceutical and
food processing facilities.

Q&A: Offering the latest training

Facebook
facebook.com/lowcontrolmagazine 25 on automation technologies helps
upskill the workforce
Twitter
@lowcontrol_mag Flow Control speaks with Mike Brouse,
LinkedIn manager of global workforce
linkedin.com/groups/4068011/proile development with Emerson’s
Online Educational Services, about the skills
lowcontrolnetwork.com 19 gap, its challenges and opportunities.

2 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020

 Vice President & Group Publisher

EDITOR'S NOTE
Michael C. Christian
mchristian@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

Publisher Jim Semple

908-963-3008 | jsemple@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

CONTENT
appy New Year! I hope yours Sealing Solutions on boosting perfor- Editor in Chief Molly Rogers
mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

H is off to a good start. As you

might notice, we began
2020 by giving Flow Control
mance of sealing systems. The authors
explain how to optimize the tribology
effect within hydraulic systems using
Contributing Editor Jesse Osborne
josborne@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

Contributing Editor Marie McBurnett

a refresh — new fonts, colors and a few chrome alternatives. mmcburnett@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
other design tweaks. Kudos to art direc- Returning author Amin Almasi dis-
Group Assistant Editor Daniel Daddy
tor Ryan Carlson for all of his hard work. cusses proper flow management in dgaddy@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
This issue focuses on a range of mea- HVAC systems, particularly for chemi- Columnist David W. Spitzer
surement and management solutions for cal processing, pharmaceutical and food
Art Director Ryan Carlson
fluid and gases in industrial processes. processing facilities. And for more on rcarlson@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
First, we spotlight wireless instrumenta- HVAC, be sure to check out the AHR Production Manager Amanda Porter
tion in our cover story from Joseph Zulick Expo preview before you head to Orlando aporter@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

with MRO Electric and Supply. He talks in February.

about trends in natural gas instrumenta-
tion that can improve monitoring and
safety, decrease downtime and provide
better data analytics.
We also cover several areas of con-
trol and automation. In an article by
Josh Eastburn with Opto 22, read about
implementing MQTT so that remote
equipment can be cost-effectively inte-
grated into a smart network. He offers
two application examples: one for a hy-
draulic fracturing operation in the Perm-
ian Basin with a small group of mobile
pump control skids, and another for an
industrial organization with remote sites
including plants and tank farms.
Improving operations through auto-
mation and control is also described in
a case study by David Reagan with Helix
Water District. Reagan and his team
share how the utility benefited by stan-
dardizing on AutomationDirect prod-
ucts and best programming practices for
pump stations.
Next, you’ll find an article from Beth
Figliulo and Michael Cook with Trelleborg
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Lastly, I want to thank Mike Brouse,
manager of global workforce develop-
ment with Emerson’s Educational Services,
for chatting with me about workforce
development. Read our Q&A for his
insights into the skills gap challenge,
benefits of training with a portable au-
tomation platform and partnering with
universities. Mike’s advice is: “When you
look at ways to upskill, you become a
vital part of transforming the workforce
for both current and future employees.
This gives you the opportunity to expand
on partnerships and attract top talent.
You will find that when you invest in
your employees, retention will improve
because their knowledge and expertise
is increasing.”
Thanks for reading!
EDITOR IN CHIEF
mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
@FlowControl_Mag
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281-980-5831 | jhaas@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
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MARKETING
Marketing Manager Sarah De Vos
Digital Product Director Nick Phillips
Digital Operations Manager Mary Beth Romano
Audience Development Manager Anna Hicks
CORPORATE
Chief Executive Officer Chris Ferrell
Chief Operating Officer Patrick Rains
Executive Vice President Scott Bieda
Flow Control (ISSN 2641-6735) is published 12 times a year by Endeavor Business
Media. Editorial and Executive Offices: 3918 Montclair Road, Ste. 210, Birmingham,
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Jeff Jennings, Equilibar LLC | Mitch Johnson, JMS Southeast | Gobind Khiani, Fluor Canada Ltd. Jim Lauria, Mazzei Injector Company
John Merrill, PE: EagleBurgmann Industries | Steve Milford, Endress+Hauser U.S. | Tom O’Banion, Emerson Automation Solutions
David W. Spitzer, PE: Spitzer and Boyes LLC | George Weihrauch, ABB Motors & Mechanical | Andrew Yeghnazar, KRE Consulting
Jesse Yoder, Ph.D., Flow Research

4 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020

 INDUSTRY NEWS
J AN UARY 2 0 2 0
COMPANY NEWS
SEPCO welcomed distributors
to its Fluid Sealing School
Sealing Equipment Products Com-
pany Inc. (SEPCO), a global sealing
solutions provider based in Alabas-
ter, Alabama, welcomed more than
20 distributors during its annual
Fluid Sealing School on November
19–21, 2019. Attendees gathered
to learn about pump systems and
other rotating equipment and how
to seal these often dificult-to-seal
machines. An in-depth look at
mechanical seals, including ap-
plication, installation operation and
maintenance, and compression
packing selection, installation and
maintenance were highlights from
the event. Experts also presented
on topics including pump system
basics; lubrication reliability and
bearing isolators; plastic technol-
ogy advancements and shaft sta-
bilization with bushings; and air
seal beneits and operation.
Cook Compression opens
satellite service center in Italy
Cook Compression celebrated the
grand opening of its satellite service
facility in Sicily, Italy. The service fa-
cility supports the rapid recondition-
ing of compressor valves for ISAB
S.r.l, a part of Lukoil Oil Company,
and other reineries in the region.
ISAB awarded Cook Compres-
sion a multiyear contract to provide
technical support, reconditioning
and upgrades for reciprocating
compressor valves. Service person-
nel received in-depth training from
the Cook Compression European
Operations headquarters in the
6 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
T HE LAT ES T N EW S & EVENT S F RO M A RO UND T H E I ND US T RY flowcontrolnetwork.com
targets faster and more eficiently.
The PRIZe project will become the
irst integrated reining and petro-
chemicals complex in Kuwait.
Valtorc announced as a
2019 GLOBE award winner
Valtorc International met the crite-
ria for a GLOBE Award, determined
by the Georgia Department of
Economic Development (GDEcD),
by having had export sales in at
least one new international market
 (Left) Darryl K. Boyce, P.Eng., 2019-20 ASHRAE president;
in 2019. Valtorc, along with other
(Right) Chris Jahn, ACC president and CEO GLOBE awardees, will receive ofi-
cial recognition by the Governor at
ASHRAE and American Chemistry Council sign MoU the Georgia State Capitol. Award-
ees will receive their 2019 GLOBE
ASHRAE and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) signed a Award certiicates at the event.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the organizations’
relationship. The agreement deines parameters on how the two orga- Rockwell Automation partner
nizations will collaborate to continue promoting the advancements of a program helps simplify digital
more sustainable built environment. The organizations have com- transformation
mitted to work together on objectives including: engaging in projects The new Rockwell Automation
and activities whose purpose is to help improve the health, safety and Digital Partner Program connects
welfare of communities through the built environment; supporting companies to expertise and solu-
the development, adoption and enforcement of building codes and tions from market leaders such
standards that support those improvement goals; promoting the use as Accenture, Microsoft, PTC,
of sound science in the development and assessment of building ANSYS, and EPLAN to streamline
standards and codes; and enhancing building performance by fos- the implementation and enhance
tering improvements in energy eficiency, resiliency, indoor air qual- the quality of digital initiatives.
ity and the health, well-being and productivity of building occupants. Through the Digital Partner Pro-
gram, businesses can consult
with industry advisors to create
U.K., and ISAB has completed a full Company (KIPIC) selected Hon- roadmaps for their digital initia-
audit of the repair facility. The Sicily eywell Process Solutions (HPS) to tives and learn how industrial IoT
service facility has room to expand be the main automation contrac- concepts like digital twin, the fac-
its capabilities in support of the re- tor for its new Petrochemicals and tory of the future and a connected
gion’s compressor service, repair Reinery Integration Al Zour Project workforce can improve their
and upgrade needs. (PRIZe). Under the agreement, HPS uptime and efficiency. During
will provide KIPIC with front-end implementation, businesses will
KIPIC selects Honeywell as engineering design and advanced have access to integrated hard-
main automation contractor for process control technology for the ware, software and turnkey sys-
integrated refinery complex complex, which will help KIPIC tems from industry leaders that
Honeywell announced that Kuwait expedite production startup and improve business performance,
Integrated Petroleum Industries assist with reaching production leveraging their existing assets.

PEOPLE NEWS
Batra of Siemens USA
elected as chair of NEMA
board of governors
The National Electrical Manufactur-
ers Association (NEMA) announced
that Raj Batra, president of Digi-
tal Industries, Siemens USA, was
elected chair of the NEMA board
of governors. Batra has held a
wide range of high-level manage-
ment strategy and sales positions
since joining Siemens in 1993. He
currently oversees development,
marketing, sales, research and
development, vertical industry and
manufacturing aspects for Digital
Industries in the U.S.
In addition to Batra, the NEMA
board of governors elected new of-
icers for 2020: vice chair Annette
Clayton of Schneider Electric, trea-
surer Jack Nehlig of Phoenix Con-
tact, and immediate past-chairman
David Nord of Hubbell Incorporated.
Sullivan with Nidec Motor
Corporation receives award
The Power Transmission Distributor
Association (PTDA) Foundation pre-
sented Sandy Sullivan, Nidec Motor
Corporation’s national account di-
rector, with its prestigious Wendy B.
McDonald Award. The award is giv-
en to a woman who has established
herself as a critical contributor to
her company’s success and has
affected positive change within the
power transmission/motion con-
trol industry. Sullivan joined Nidec
Motor Corporation/U.S. Motors
in 2003 with a role in business
development. She has served on
a variety of PTDA committees and
task forces and was instrumental in
establishing PTDA’s Women in the
Industry community. The PTDA is a CALENDAR
leading association for the industrial
power transmission/motion control AHR Expo
Orlando
(PT/MC) distribution channel.
Feb. 3–5
ahrexpo.com
VMA appoints president
The Valve Manufacturers Associa- FiltXPO
tion of America (VMA) appointed Chicago
Heather Rhoderick, CAE, as presi- Feb. 26–28
dent. Rhoderick takes on the role iltxpo.com
previously held by William “Bill”
Sandler, who retired after a 40- INTERPHEX
year tenure with the organization. New York City
Rhoderick joins the VMA after April 28–30
serving the American Composites interphex.com
Manufacturers Association (ACMA)
for 11 years in various roles, most
recently as senior vice president of
events and information. She has
Send news and events for consideration
24 years of experience in trade to Molly Rogers at
organization operations. FC mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com.

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JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 7

 APPLICATION CORNER
By David W. Spitzer
Principal,
Spitzer and Boyes, LLC
David W. Spitzer is a principal
at Spitzer and Boyes, LLC,
which offers engineering,
focused market research,
writing/editing white papers,
strategic marketing consult-
ing, distribution consulting,
seminars and expert witness
services for manufacturing
and automation companies.
Spitzer has written more than
400 technical articles and 10
books about flow measure-
ment, instrumentation and
process control. He can be
reached at 845-623-1830 or
via spitzerandboyes.com.
8 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
Measuring gravity flow, Part 2
In this example, the total pressure drop associated with the flowmeter
and control valve is greater than the available head in the liquid separator.
n previous columns, we discussed liquid into the separator. Note that different
I the three situations that should be
carefully considered: operation under
vacuum, measuring downward liquid
size flowmeters were used to measure effec-
tively the same flow rates.
Be careful … and remember to install flowme-
flow and gravity flow. In part 1 of measuring grav- ters and control valves in piping that ensures that
ity flow, flowmeter sizing in gravity flow applica- both remain full of liquid at all times. FC
tions was discussed. In particular, the pressure
drop across the flowmeter often needs to be low
in order to pass the desired flow lest the liquid
accumulate upstream. This can be accomplished
by increasing the flowmeter size, which tends to
degrade accuracy because the larger flowmeter is
operated lower in its flow range.
Consider a 1-meter-high liquid separator fed by
a pump operated with a variable speed drive with
a tangential inlet, gravity underflow and grav-
ity overflow with flow rates of 100, 98 and 2 flow
units respectively, where it is desired to measure
the inlet and underflow flow rates for operational
purposes. A 1½-inch inlet flowmeter was selected
based upon operation at a reasonable flow veloc-
ity and pressure drop. As a side note, the variable
speed drive will increase the inlet pump speed to
generate more pressure as needed to provide the
desired flow to the separator.
These inlet and underflow flow rates are ef-
fectively the same (100 and 98 respectively) so
one might expect to use identical flowmeters in
both applications — but, not so fast. The pres-
sure drop across the 1½-inch inlet flowmeter
was approximately 1 meter of water column at
the design flow. However, the liquid must also
pass through a control valve that develops an
additional pressure drop. Therefore, the total
pressure drop associated with the flowmeter and
control valve is greater than the available head
in the separator so the underflow flowmeter and
control valve cannot pass the entire design flow
without backing up liquid in the separator and
causing an inappropriately high overflow of im-
proper composition.
Increasing the size of the underflow flow-
meter to 2 inches reduced the pressure drop
sufficiently to allow the flowmeter and control
valve to operate properly without backing up
 A differential pressure transmitter with an accuracy specification of ±0.05% of span calibrated in the shop
and set for 0-100 differential pressure units will be used to measure the flow through an orifice plate.
What is the approximate performance of the orifice plate flow measurement system at 20% of flow?
A. ±0.7% B. ±1% C. ±1.5% D. ±2%
Despite apparent detail in the question, the information pre- of rate should be statistically combined with the transmit-
sented could be more precise. For example, over what range ter performance at 20% of low, which is approximately
of differential pressures was the transmitter calibrated? Is 1.25% of rate (assuming performance is based on set
transmitter performance predicated on maximum, calibrated span). Answer C would be an appropriate estimate.
or set span? Conditions under which the transmitter will
operate can signiicantly affect performance and are not Additional complicating factors
stated. How well the oriice plate installation conforms to The aforementioned (and other) signiicant issues plus

QUIZ applicable published standards will affect low measurement

system performance. Is the oriice plate operating properly?
the reality that most noncustody oriice plate installations
do not conform to published standards suggest that the

CORNER Ignoring these potentially signiicant issues and other

details, oriice plate performance of approximately 0.7%
actual installation will likely exhibit signiicant additional
performance degradation.

HAYKIRDI/iStock

JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 9

 WIRELESS INSTRUMENTATION

COVER STORY

NATURAL GAS
INSTRUMENTATION
The latest instrumentation for natural gas continues to
improve monitoring and safety, decrease downtime and
provide better data analytics.
By Joseph Zulick, MRO Electric and Supply

10 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020

 atural gas opportunities and
N trends continue to evolve due
to the need of municipalities
to better monitor natural gas
usage as well as equipment maintenance.
As a natural resource, natural gas is an
outstanding available commodity that
needs to be nurtured and managed.
How will this happen in 2020? It will
be through the internet of things (IoT)
systems and instrumentation. As good
stewards of the resources, we see the
newest trends in industry gear up to lead
the IoT sectors.
The key to IIoT is getting the right
information to the right person at the
right time.
On the resource extraction side, new
methods and new transport technol-
ogy reduce costs but require a more
Six Sigma-based approach to reliability
and predictability. This means data.
Six Sigma and analysis of the data-
gathering systems provide informa-
tion to limit downtime, and analyzing
the data with artificial intelligence (AI)
predicts future failures.
In the field of natural gas and instru-
mentation, safety is a high concern that
needs to be constantly monitored and
maintained. Leaks can be expensive and
dangerous — and a problem that can
go undetected.
The good news is, technology is creat-
ing new, safer instrumentation. Mixing
in the gas (mercaptan), which is used
to give it that rotten egg smell, can be
monitored. Natural gas is odorless and
colorless in its natural state. Mixing
and blending valves, sensors and in-
struments help determine the percent-
ages mixed in, and analyzers are used
for checking the gas spectrum range to
keep the gas in the optimal range. Moni-
toring instruments provide feedback
Sushiman/iStock
to the pressure levels that help detect
leaks. Testing instruments measure con-
taminant levels in the gas. Some of these
contaminants can cause corrosion and
premature wear.
The same concerns of carbon monox-
ide poisoning that make it a hazard for
consumers is also a hazard in transport
and in production, so careful monitoring
is required.
Where do we get this data? Sensors.
In the valves, external to valves, en-
closed in noncorrosive environments
— basically everywhere. The more in-
formation and data points acquired, the
better the picture is.
In the past, a minimal number of sen-
sors were used that had a higher failure
rate of their own. Now, improvements
in the packaging that the sensor is en-
closed in and the sensor can work with
limited parts, and optimized hysteresis
curves allow the sensors to run longer
with less movable parts in less than op-
timal environments.
“Monitoring instruments
provide feedback to the
pressure levels that help detect
leaks. Testing instruments
measure contaminant levels
in the gas.”
Transducers are being developed with
improvements that allow them to pro-
duce data without direct contact that
was necessary in the past.
Transmitters are transmitting more
data with less downtime and using
smarter communication protocols. In
the past, data was gathered in old sys-
tems that would bog down when it
processed too much information. Also,
the transmitters were slow to respond
and were running open loop, in many
cases, without a confirmation that the
data was received. Now, smarter com-
pilers store the data until confirmation
is received, and then it resets the mem-
ory stack and continues to store, even
through system outages.
Lower power requirements allow
these systems to operate for longer pe-
riods of downtime and still gather data.
All of the aforementioned develop-
ments are now incorporated into the in-
strumentation and field systems — from
the natural gas fields to the consumers.
The hardware used to transport, gather
and regulate are all optimized with IoT.
One of today’s concerns relates to ex-
treme temperatures with the instruments
in extreme heat and extreme cold. Being
exposed to the elements means that re-
mote access and transmission are more
important than ever. In rural locations,
this is particularly imperative.
Other safety concerns include flam-
mability and combustibility. Improved
monitoring and regulation allow for sys-
tems to integrate their own pressurized
system, so if a leak occurs, it can be han-
dled with automatic shutoffs performed
remotely and monitoring the environ-
ment. Even spectrum analyzers can be
drone-operated. This can also perform
air quality inspections and leak monitor-
ing with video analysis.
Today’s instrumentation is evaluated,
and data is fed back into the systems for
artificial intelligence (AI) analysis to pre-
dict failures and forecast replacement
schedules. We can also map data from one
instrumentation package to another, thus
giving a better cross-reference of informa-
tion from multiple sources and analyzed
for key performance indicators, which
can be used to set automatic actuation se-
quences in place. This might mean some-
thing as simple as adjusting a pressure
automatically or it might mean schedul-
ing replacement and downtime so we can
route a source to another pipe or line.
Data analytics will continue to change in-
strumentation in the natural gas world. FC
Joseph Zulick is a writer and
manager at MRO Electric and
Supply. For more information,
go to www.mroelectric.com and
josephzulick.com.
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 11
 CONTROL & AUTOMATION

istorically, industrial auto-

How MQTT is advancing H mation was isolated to lo-

cal pieces of equipment or

automation and control

For industrial automation and control projects, engineers
can incorporate the MQTT communications protocol
to realize IIoT benefits.
By Josh Eastburn, Opto 22
manufacturing locations.
This was especially the case for remote
operating locations such as pumping
stations (see Figure 1). However, with
the proliferation of consumer digital ser-
vices delivered via mobile devices, Wi-Fi
and high-speed cellular networks, many
engineers are looking for similarly im-
proved remote access capabilities with
their industrial automation systems.
In recent years, mobile capabilities, re-
mote access and more powerful edge com-
puting options are being added to industrial
control systems, devices and connectivity
platforms. These technologies have created

12 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020

 Figure 1. It can be dificult and expensive to
acquire data from remote pumping stations.
hanhanpeggy/iStock
the industrial internet of things (IIoT) —
networks of secure, internet-connected de-
vices and systems working together to solve
industrial problems.
One technology in particular, the MQTT
communications protocol (formally known
as MQ Telemetry Transport), has been
gaining traction for IIoT applications be-
cause it securely and eiciently integrates
devices, such as remote instrumentation
and flow controllers, at the far edge of
communications networks.
This article traces MQTT from its
birth in the supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) industry to open
source IoT and back to industry via the
Sparkplug specification. The following
briely outlines what these technologies
 Figure 2. MQTT delivers
simple, lightweight data
communications essential
for remote instrumentation
networks, making it one of
the most popular
Source: ©2019, Eclipse Foundation, Inc. "IoT Developer Survey IoT-speciic protocols.
2019 Results" https://iot.eclipse.org/resources/iot-developer-survey/
iot-developer-survey-2019.pdf. Courtesy of Opto 22
do, explores why they are so effective It is used by or with popular con-
for industrial automation and IIoT tasks sumer and enterprise applications such
and identiies some helpful tools for get- as Facebook Messenger, Raspberry Pi,
ting started with them. Amazon Web Services and other major
cloud computing services. It also makes
A brief history of MQTT smart energy, health and banking ser-
In 1997, ConocoPhillips (now Phillips vices possible.
66) installed a TCP/IP VSAT infrastruc-
ture — for remote, satellite-based com- All about the bandwidth
munication — as the transmission back- What is it about MQTT that has made it
bone for a SCADA system monitoring suitable for everything from SCADA host
pipelines. Most SCADA systems require applications to millisecond chat services
constant communications with ield sys- to home automation and smart enter-
tems, and since VSAT carriers charged prise infrastructure?
for each byte of data transmitted, the Think of it this way: When you are
standard continuous poll-response com- heading to lunch, you might send out a
munication protocols for SCADA were tweet with your plans. Friends who fol-
proving to be cost-prohibitive. low you on Twitter might see your tweet
IBM Pervasive Computing partnered and respond back to coordinate a group
with SCADA engineering firm Arcom lunch. So, with only intermittent com-
Control Systems to develop a solution to munication and without knowing the
more efectively use the network for real- details of anyone’s location or device,
time pipeline data. he protocol they de- your whole group can meet. MQTT does
veloped — later called MQTT — allowed something similar for data.
telemetry data from remote sensors to be Due to the often-critical and always-
transmitted more eiciently and made it on nature of low control systems, con-
available to other areas of the organiza- stant communication has traditionally
tion (discussed later in more detail). been required between devices. Once
MQTT client code was released into in service, traditional communication
the public domain in 1999. Ten years later, protocols poll devices cyclically at a
MQTT became available under a royalty- predefined rate, and each device re-
free license, and in subsequent years, sponds back with all of its data, even if
v3.1.1 was adopted as an OASIS and ISO/ nothing is changing in the ield. his is
IEC standard. MQTT has grown to be- called a poll-response model. It is great
come one of the most popular IoT-speciic for maintaining a constant awareness of
protocols for developers (see Figure 2). connection states, but it consumes a lot
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 13

 Figure 3. Many different sites, devices and applications
can share data eficiently through an on-premise or
cloud-based MQTT server. Legacy devices can join in by
using an MQTT gateway like Opto 22’s groov EPIC.
of data transfer capacity, or bandwidth.
MQTT uses a publish-subscribe model
to significantly reduce the required band-
width. In this model, each device on the
network transmits (publishes) data only
when it changes. All that data is sent to
a central server, which is like a radio sta-
tion, broadcasting updates but only to
other network clients that have tuned in
(subscribed) to receive these updates.
Clients, which can be software appli-
cations or other field devices, subscribe
to only the data they need. Instead of
requiring constant chatter, communi-
cation happens as needed, and state
awareness is maintained with only a
small heartbeat from each device over a
persistent, secure connection.
What this means for remote equip-
ment and IIoT applications is that even
low-power devices on low-bandwidth net-
works can form smart integrated systems.
They can scale up to millions of connec-
tions easily, and all data published by each
device can be subscribed to by any num-
ber of client applications, such as mainte-
nance databases, performance monitoring
tools, inventory and financial systems, or
cloud-based analytics platforms.
Sparkplug takes it to the next level
In parallel with MQTT’s development,
one of its co-creators started Cirrus Link
Solutions, which created an additional
14 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
specification called Sparkplug to enhance
MQTT for mission-critical applications.
Sparkplug adds three requirements, each
with corresponding benefits:
Standard topic namespace
MQTT devices publish data to an MQTT
server as “topics” instead of address-
based tags. Subscribers select the topics
they want from the MQTT server and
get updates on changes. A topic can be
named almost anything, which provides
a lot of lexibility but can make it diicult
to manage large networks, especially if
they include devices from many diferent
vendors. Sparkplug ensures interoper-
ability and discoverability by defining a
standard naming format for topics.
Enhanced state management
The MQTT standard includes several
mechanisms for staying aware of the
state of each connection, but there is
no guarantee that every vendor takes
advantage of each mechanism. Spark-
plug requires and expands these func-
tions so the state of each client and its
data can be shared from the time it joins
the network, efectively ensuring all par-
ticipants are always aware of the whole
system state.
Data-rich payload
As a transport protocol, MQTT does
not care what data it transmits, which
contributes to its lexibility but requires
each subscriber to know what the data
format is in advance. Sparkplug defines
a standard payload format, letting each
subscriber know how to use any data it
receives, whether it is user-defined data
types (UDTs), datasets, historical data
or file data; all of which can be enriched
with useful metadata without compro-
mising bandwidth.
MQTT and Sparkplug in action
For industrial automation and IIoT ap-
plications, Sparkplug combined with
MQTT delivers a comprehensive solution.
MQTT creates an efficient data-sharing
infrastructure built on top of the industry-
standard security protocols used with
TCP/IP. Using Sparkplug-compliant cli-
ents ensures data payloads are organized
and usable, with data and connection
quality reported in real-time. See an ex-
ample of a MQTT network in Figure 3.
The following examples show what
this looks like in small- and large-scale
applications.
Example #1: Simple remote
data collection
A hydraulic fracturing operation in the
Permian Basin uses a small group of mo-
bile pump control skids for water man-
agement. Each skid is equipped with an IP
radio device for local communication and
a cellular modem for connection to a wide-
area network (WAN). Telemetry data from
the skid’s sensors and genset controller are
gathered by an Opto 22 groov EPIC indus-
trial controller, which normalizes the data
and acts as a gateway to publish changes
in pump status to the MQTT server.
Since each skid has only a few dozen
data points, the integrator who de-
signed the system chose to use a simple
data connectivity tool called Node-RED,
which is built into the EPIC. Node-RED
is used to publish data to an open source
MQTT server, Mosquitto, running in a
cloud-hosted virtual server. Regardless
of where the skids are located on a given
day, they can relay data to the cloud for
historization and analysis, and the entire
network of pumps can coordinate con-
trol by subscribing to each other’s status.
Example #2: Distributed
multisite SCADA
A geographically dispersed, multina-
tional corporation hired high-cost net-
working consulting companies to build
complex poll-response networks over
leased circuits, metropolitan area net-
works, virtual private networks (VPNs),
and more, to aggregate data from their
many remote sites, such as plants, tank
farms and warehouses. In some cases,
the remote sites did not have the re-
quired IT staff to manage these connec-
tions, and the prospect of maintaining
this network was becoming less feasible
as growth and complexity increased.
To address these and other issues, this
company is moving in a different direc-
tion. They have installed an enterprise-
grade SCADA solution called Ignition,
which can also act as an MQTT server
for their global network. With low-cost,
no-maintenance MQTT clients at each
of their remote sites publishing produc-
tion and status information on change
via Sparkplug payloads, data collection
across the globe can be managed by one
IT group at corporate headquarters. Ig-
nition also supports historization and re-
dundant MQTT servers with automatic
failover groups for robust fault tolerance.
Had they started with MQTT from the
beginning, they could have leveraged ex-
isting public networks, since MQTT can
apply user authentication requirements
and transmit securely using SSL/TLS en-
cryption and certification.
Conclusion
Unlike the common SCADA protocols of
the past, MQTT relies on a publish-sub-
scribe architecture that decouples data-
producing devices from data-consuming
applications and permits flexible, light-
weight networks that facilitate data
propagation across the organization. Be-
cause of this, remote equipment can be
cost-effectively integrated into a smart
network, creating new possibilities for
management, engineering, operations
and maintenance functions. These net-
works are inherently more secure and
easier to design, deploy and maintain
than networks built on the traditional
poll-response communication models.
When looking to implement MQTT
for equipment, engineers will find many
open source tools available, such as those
mentioned here. However, for mission-
critical applications, engineers should
evaluate the need for interoperability, real-
time state management and rich data
provided by Sparkplug-compliant hard-
ware and software. These features may
be particularly beneficial when integrat-
ing equipment from multiple vendors or
retrofitting brownfield applications, and
they are essential where scalability and
fault tolerance are concerns. FC
Josh Eastburn is director of
technical marketing at Opto
22. After 12 years as an au-
tomation engineer working in
the semiconductor, petrochemical, food and
beverage, and life sciences industries, East-
burn works with the engineers at Opto 22
to understand the needs of tomorrow’s cus-
tomers. He is a contributing writer at blog.
opto22.com.

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JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 15

 CONTROL & AUTOMATION
CASE STUDY
Standardization of automation practices
improves operations at water utility
A utility standardized and defined best practices for its applications,
improving operations while saving time and money.
By David Reagan, Helix Water District
ndustrial automation instal-
I lations come in many shapes
and sizes. Applications vary
from standalone machines
up to large processes, and the operating
organization may have just one mainte-
nance person or field an entire engineering
group. But a common theme is the need
for standardization to streamline design
eforts, simplify support and reduce costs.
As these control projects are designed
or upgraded, the standardization challenge
spans many disciplines. Process and equip-
ment control schemes, design and engi-
neering practices, hardware and software
product selections, and programming and
configuration methods all play interrelated
roles — and standardization efforts must
thus integrate all of these and other areas.
There is no single best method for ex-
ecuting these tasks because of the number
of variables for each area. Furthermore,
many automation projects are implement-
ed and upgraded over years or decades,
adding to the diiculty.
Because end users may not always have
access to large engineering departments
able to churn out optimized standards and
procedures, they must look at other op-
tions. his article shows how a water util-
ity with a moderately sized staf was able
to recognize the increasing diiculty and
expense of supporting numerous operat-
ing sites of varying vintages and to then
internally take action to implement stan-
dardization. Just a few practical steps re-
sulted in many benefits for new and retrofit
projects, as well as ongoing operations.
16 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
A water district controls its future
Helix Water District is a public water dis-
trict in east San Diego County, California.
Helix’s operations include a 106-million
gallons-per-day water treatment plant,
along with 25 pump stations supplying
about 270,000 customers. Typical for these
operations, the pump stations are geo-
graphically distributed over a wide area
(see Figure 1).
A supervisor and four technicians sup-
port the existing supervisory control and
data acquisition (SCADA) system. The
technicians use their control system and
electrical expertise to work on motors,
instruments, controls and the networked
SCADA system.
With some installed assets over 40
years old and showing their age, the Helix
engineering department created a 10-year
capital improvement plan that included
pump station rebuilds and the replace-
ment of several of the oldest motor con-
trol centers (MCCs). hese projects were
typically performed by engaging outside
design and contracting entities to execute
the detailed work.
Previous experiences had informed the
SCADA group that even for straightfor-
ward MCC replacements, each design con-
sultant might choose diferent equipment
and ways of doing the work, even as they
complied with the general specifications.
his problem extended to the associated
controls and theory of operation. These
variations from site to site made it diffi-
cult for the SCADA group to maintain and
troubleshoot the systems.
 For these reasons, the SCADA group
proactively teamed up with their internal
engineering department and an external
electrical engineering firm to ensure stan-
dardization of their upcoming projects.
Template for success
The goal of the teaming effort was to
create an MCC design template that
could be retrofitted at all current
pump stations and implemented for
any new stations. This template would
include sufficient detail to ensure a
highly standardized result for the design,
hardware and software, but with enough
flexibility to adapt to field variations.
Existing sites generally used MCCs with
automation components installed within
them for a compact installation minimiz-
ing field wiring. This concept was desir-
able moving forward for new installations.
However, for retrofit locations, the new
automation elements also had to be ar-
ranged so they could be installed into ex-
isting MCCs. Because pump stations come
in various sizes, the MCC and automation
components also had to accommodate
diferent size motors, varying pump quan-
tities and sometimes optional I/O signals.
After a detailed review, the team speci-
fied the most crucial automation items
without allowing substitution. This in-
cluded the core AutomationDirect pro-
grammable logic controllers (PLCs), input/
output (I/O) modules, human-machine
interfaces (HMIs) and associated compo-
nents. While Automa-
tionDirect offers other
commodity-oriented
components, substitu-
tions were allowed for
non-core parts.
The resulting stan-
dardized layout was a
compact arrangement
of terminal blocks,
power distribution and
PLC components that
could fit in any typical
MCC while still provid-
ing plenty of working
space (see Figure 2).  Figure 2. Retroitting standardized PLC panels the same level of at-
Consistent compo- into MCCs allows Helix technicians to more easily tention. Standardizing
nents and designs en- troubleshoot and maintain their control systems, the graphical objects
as well as stock fewer parts while remaining
able Helix technicians ready to deal with any issues.
to be instantly familiar
with the automation at
any pump station, making it easier to trou-
bleshoot and maintain the control systems.
hey can stock fewer parts at the mainte-
nance oice and in their trucks, yet still be
prepared to deal with any issues in the ield.
 Figure 1. Helix Water District realized beneits by
standardizing on AutomationDirect products and best
programming practices for this new pump station, and
the team applied similar concepts to retroitted stations.
All images courtesy of AutomationDirect and
Helix Water District
Codifying code
Standardizing the hardware served to sim-
plify physical design eforts for subsequent
projects, both new and retroit. However,
the team wisely applied signiicant efort
to software design as well. Specifying the
AutomationDirect PLC and HMI families
was just the first step. How those plat-
forms were programmed would play a cru-
cial role for implementing, deploying and
maintaining these projects.
Software programming and conigura-
tions are intangible compared to physical
designs, and if the code is not arranged
logically and documented thoroughly, it
can be downright inscrutable to all but
the original programmer. Helix’s irst task
was to define the PLC logic to reliably
handle the basic functional needs of a
general pump station.
he team then went to great lengths ar-
chitecting the logic so
that a typical program
could be used for dif-
ferent pump quantities,
signal ranges and even
network technologies
simply by making mi-
nor adjustments. Mem-
ory locations and I/O
address assignments
were also standardized
to promote consistency
from site to site.
HMI graphics de-
velopment received
made the configura-
tion effort more effi-
cient and consistent.
In turn, the resulting screens are easier for
operations personnel to use at each of the
pump stations.
With all of the software design pieces
coming together, the next step was testing
to validate the entire concept.
The big picture
For a water utility like Helix, there is one
main operational site and many distrib-
uted remote sites. Significant wired and
wireless networking infrastructure is in
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 17

 Figure 3. The Helix team performed extensive
bench-testing to ensure their AutomationDirect PLC
programming and HMI conigurations would control
locally as needed while communicating as required.
place to bring all of this together into an
integrated whole under a single SCADA
umbrella. Each of the remote locations
must be capable of operating locally as an
“island” of operation in case of communi-
cation failure, yet under normal circum-
stances, they must integrate seamlessly.
Local control at any given site was
straightforward. The irst level of compli-
cation was ensuring that PLCs could com-
municate peer-to-peer, which was needed
if a pumping PLC required information
about a downstream tank level handled by
another PLC. Because this communication
afected pump starting and stopping, it re-
quired the utmost reliability.
Another required attribute for the
automation architecture was a cen-
tralized data collector PLC at the main
plant for monitoring system values,
handling start/stop setpoints, logging
other events like communication fail-
ures, and alarming on faults. This data
collector would also support more ad-
vanced systemwide functionality such
as identifying time-of-use periods for
shedding load during peak hours to re-
duce energy costs.
Knowing the necessary characteris-
tics, Helix performed preliminary test-
ing. hey were able to individually prove
out all basic communication, control
and visualization functionality, with the
assistance of available documentation,
online videos and free support from
AutomationDirect. This gave the team
conidence that the pieces could be inte-
grated into a whole as required.
This multitiered approach of local
control, peer communications and
centralized data collection was not
deployed to the field in a single effort.
Instead, careful benchtop testing was
performed in advance to ensure the
18 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
concept would perform as expected (see
Figure 3).
By assembling multiple PLCs config-
ured as local stations and networking
them with a data collector PLC and each
other, the team was able to simulate and
pretest all levels of control functionality
and communications to their satisfac-
tion. HMI operation was also veriied dur-
ing the test phase. Extensive benchtop
testing was key to ensuring success for
initial and subsequent ield installations.
“Team members can remotely
connect to the PLCs and
HMIs to inspect the situation,
troubleshoot as necessary
and initiate a course of action.”
Proof in deployment
Helix’s standardization eforts, using Au-
tomationDirect hardware and software
in particular, have been successful for
the entire team for both new construc-
tion and retroit situations. hey have ef-
fectively developed a hardware and soft-
ware template adaptable to their varied
sites, and the team has now completed
multiple deployments.
A completely new pump station was
built by a subcontractor following the
template, and three existing pump sta-
tions were retroitted with new MCCs and
PLC controls by subcontractors using the
same approach. Helix also self-performed
the retrofit of an existing pump station
with new PLC controls. This proves not
only the technical suitability of the stan-
dardization work, but also how the work
can be executed in multiple ways from a
commercial standpoint.
The new installations have worked
reliably with no signiicant functional or
component faults, but the team knows
that eventually there will be some sort of
problem requiring troubleshooting.
An added beneit of the new designs
are the many options for remote moni-
toring and notification. The team has
built in provisions so local or system fail-
ures can be alerted through the SCADA
system. During the course of normal
operation, or when trouble is indicated,
team members can remotely connect to
the PLCs and HMIs to inspect the situa-
tion, troubleshoot as necessary and initiate
a course of action. his provides substan-
tial time and cost savings compared to
older pump stations where a site visit by a
technician was required.
Standard automation practices
are attainable
Most industrial automation end users
understand the benefits of incorpo-
rating standardization, but they may
be concerned as to whether they can
implement it based on their staing, or-
ganization and the types of automated
processes involved. he Helix Water Dis-
trict team eforts to proactively upgrade,
standardize and improve their automa-
tion systems are a case study in how to
approach the task methodically from the
bottom up, starting small and adding
value at every level.
here are many options along the path
to standardization. End users can do
as much of the work as they like or can
retain the assistance of contractors. Be-
cause each company's end user knows
their operations and practices the best,
it is recommended for them to play a
strong role in specifying the most crucial
control platforms, components and ar-
chitecture aspects.
Another key is pretesting basic auto-
mation elements and then performing
integrated testing on the bench to en-
sure functionality and buy-in of all stake-
holders. A staged deployment can then
be undertaken with confidence. Even
once the system goes to the ield, there is
still an opportunity to learn and improve
the deined standards.
All end users will benefit from in-
corporating standardization, following
practical and common-sense steps to
deine and achieve their goals. FC
David Reagan, along with Henry Palechek,
Bobby Fortuno, Gary Richardson, Kyle James
and Jeremy Boone, make up the SCADA team
at Helix Water District, a group of operations,
maintenance and engineering personnel.
Each were involved in the standardization ef-
forts and continue to operate and support the
system on a daily basis.
 SEALING SYSTEMS

Boosting performance in hydraulic

systems with alternative coatings
Taking a holistic approach to sealing solutions in hydraulic systems using
chrome alternatives helps engineers achieve optimum function.
By Beth Figliulo and Michael Cook, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions

n 2017, the Registration,

I Evaluation, Authorization
and Restriction of Chemi-
cals (RE ACH) directive
placed restrictions on the use of any
coating or plating using hexavalent
chromium (CR6) to protect humans and
the environment from potentially harm-
ful chemicals.
As a result, alternative coatings are
becoming more common for coating pis-
ton rods in hydraulic systems. However,
most surface-inish guidance from seal
suppliers is still based on 2D inish char-
acteristics for use with chromium layers.
This can significantly affect performance
and system life in hydraulic systems be-
cause the lubrication within these sys-
tems is fundamentally affected by the
surface finish of the mating surfaces.
Instead, a 3D approach is needed, tak-
ing into consideration the intersection
of seals, fluid and mating surface inish.
Tribology — the science and engineering
of interacting surfaces in relative mo-
tion, including the study and application
of the principles of friction, lubrication
 Closeup of hydraulic cylinders on industrial equipment where proper surface inish is critical for a long service life.
and wear — should be optimized. This
article explains how to fully optimize the
All images courtesy of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
tribology effect within hydraulic systems
using chrome alternatives.
its friction characteristics, maximizing The most commonly used roughness
Understanding roughness and performance and minimizing wear. Those parameter is the Ra, which is the arith-
surface finishes coatings are finished to roughness rec- metic average of all absolute values of the
Whether single- or double-acting, a hy- ommendations from seal suppliers so proile height deviations from the mean
draulic cylinder converts energy stored that seals achieve optimum function. — the average of a set of individual mea-
in the hydraulic fluid into a force used to Surface roughness describes devia- surements of a surface’s peaks and valleys.
move the cylinder in a linear direction. tions in the direction of the normal vec- Two other 2D measures are also com-
The cylinder barrel contains a piston con- tor of a surface from its ideal form. Large monly used: Rz and Rz1max. Rz is the
nected to a piston rod. Coatings are usu- deviations mean a rough surface; small average measurement of the vertical
ally applied to the piston rod to improve deviations indicate a smooth surface. distance from the highest peak to the

JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 19


lowest valley in ive sample lengths. The
Rz1max takes the largest of the five Rzi
values from the five sampling lengths
over the total measured length.
The issue with continuing to use these
2D measures is that alternative coatings
have a fundamentally different topography.
Alternative coatings
The two main types of alternative pro-
cesses used to coat piston rods are high
velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and laser
metal deposition (LMD). The former
uses the combustion of a gas (e.g., oxy-
gen) and a liquid fuel (e.g., kerosene) to
spray a layer of tungsten carbide, chro-
mium carbide or nickel onto the rod in
a thickness of about 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.
The latter uses a laser to generate a mol-
ten bath on the existing surface into which
one or more metal powders is sprayed.
Typical materials sprayed onto the surface
include nickel, steel and/or carbide blends.
These materials coat the rod in thick-
nesses between 0.2 mm and 4 mm and are
often softer than HVOF or chrome layers.
The typography of both HVOF and
LMD differ significantly from chrome
in their Ra, Rz and Rmax values, hav-
ing significantly fewer 2D profile height
deviations. This means that to ensure
proper film formation, other surface fin-
ish parameters must be considered.
20 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
Understanding tribology
In hydraulic systems, tribology refers to
proper tuning of the seal, the hydraulic
fluid and the mating surface. To optimize
a hydraulic system using either HVOF or
LMD, the suitability of the surface should
be based on 3D parameters: the mate-
rial ratio curve (Rmr), the reduced peak
height (Rpk), the reduced valley depth
(Rvk) and the core region (Rk).
This creates a roughness proile based
on the average depth of the grooves project-
ing from the core area into the material,
the average height of the peaks protrud-
ing from the material and the depth of
the roughness kernel profile. This is a
much more accurate way of describing
mating surfaces than Ra alone or even
Ra with Rz and Rmax.
However, to truly optimize system tribol-
ogy, one must also take into consideration
coatings, piston manufacturing methods
and piston type. This requires evaluating the
run-in behavior of the seal and mating sur-
face by measuring the surface topography
with different depths of cut, with a cutting
reference of 0%, 2% and 5%. This will allow
the different wear behaviors of each surface
coating to be considered.
Holistic analysis
By differentiating in terms of coating,
manufacturing process and distinction
 Table 1. Extended
approach to the
description of
mating surface.
of piston rod or piston tube, an extended
approach for describing mating surfaces
can be created. This includes the stan-
dard measurements of Ra and Rz and
extends them to include Rpk and Rvk
along with Rmr at various percentage
cutting references based on the coating.
Additionally, upper and lower limits can
be set to properly describe the full topog-
raphy of the various surfaces.
Extensive dynamic tests using a vari-
ety of sealing loads and materials in both
rod and piston configurations were con-
ducted to provide the data for Table 1.
The leakage of the system and the wear
behaviors of both the seals and mating
surface ultimately determined the limits
for each parameter.
Lubricant-optimized hydraulic
sealing systems
Although surface topography plays a
critical role in system life, as emphasized
in the previous section, it is not the only
factor that can affect how long equip-
ment performs at optimum levels. An
increased understanding of surface fin-
ish and tribology can be combined with
lubrication management technology to
realize a fully optimized hydraulic seal-
ing system.
Lubrication management involves us-
ing a tandem sealing arrangement where
the primary seal has a rounded contact
surface that enables an ideal lubrication
film to be formed that also extends to
the secondary seal.
This phenomenon has been proven
through side-by-side testing on laser-
clad piston rods with identical surface
topography based on the previously
highlighted recommendations. The re-
sults showed significant reductions in
surface smoothing for the system em-
ploying lubrication management.
Importantly, the system with lu-
brication management experienced
reduced friction and up to four times
less seal wear on both the primary and
secondary seals.
This outcome effectively demon-
strates how lubrication management
can further extend system life. How-
ever, it is important to understand this
can only be achieved with a surface-
inish recommendation that allows the
efective tuning of the tribology of the
hydraulic system.
Conclusion
Detailed surface finish measurements
have shown that recommendations for
chrome-plated surfaces do not com-
pletely characterize the necessary pa-
rameters for surfaces using alternative
coatings. With an extended approach to
measurements and analysis, numerous
tests have allowed for the benchmark-
ing of proper surface inish recommen-
dations for the full spectrum of surface
coatings and hardware conigurations.
Furthermore, testing on these tuned
surfaces has shown that the current
performance limits of sealing systems
can be considerably extended by add-
ing lubrication management technology,
thus producing an even higher degree of
robustness than tribologically assessed
mating surfaces alone. FC
Beth Figliulo is the luid power
segment manager for Trel-
leborg Sealing Solutions.
She is responsible for the
coordination of all aspects of Trelleborg’s
fluid power operations and sales. Figliulo
has held various technical, engineering
and sales roles at Trelleborg. She has a
degree in engineering design from North-
ern Illinois University and an MBA from
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Michael Cook is a luid power
technical specialist for Trelle-
borg Sealing Solutions. He is
focused on the technical and
training aspects of Trelleborg’s luid power
segment. Cook has worked in various tech-
nical and engineering roles for Trelleborg,
Coiling Technologies, and Wyle. He has
a degree in biomedical engineering from
Texas A&M and a master's in engineering
management from Ohio University.
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 21
 HVAC SYSTEMS
The flow of air and water in
HVAC and ventilation systems
Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems require proper flow
management in chemical processing, pharmaceutical and food processing facilities.
By Amin Almasi
VAC and ventilation systems
H play a major role in chemical
processing, pharmaceutical
and food processing facili-
ties, but these sophisticated units are of-
ten overlooked.
Many buildings, rooms and facilities
in processing plants should be air-condi-
tioned. There are many buildings, work-
ing areas or enclosures in these facilities
that need a type of HVAC system. Some
of them need sophisticated ventilation
for temperature adjustments and other
process and operational requirements,
such as cleanliness and sterilization, and
others may only need HVAC for person-
nel and operators working there. There
are also enclosures and buildings where
excessive quantities of heat are liberated,
so they need special provisions to remove
heat and to control the temperature.
22 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
HVAC
The goal of HVAC is to provide thermal
comfort and acceptable indoor air qual-
ity. HVAC system design is based on the
principles of luid mechanics, thermody-
namics and heat transfer. Ventilation is
the process of exchanging air in a space
to provide high indoor air quality, which
involves temperature control, oxygen re-
plenishment and removal of moisture,
odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne bac-
teria, carbon dioxide and others. Venti-
lation removes unpleasant smells and
products, introduces outside air (after
iltration), keeps interior air circulating
and prevents stagnation of the air.
Fresh air makeup is needed for any
air-conditioning system. It should be
iltered, temperature-regulated and then
properly fed to the indoor space, which
provides a positive pressure in the build-
ings, rooms or enclosures. The exhaust
air should be properly located so that
exhaust will not be drawn into any air-
conditioning air intake.
There are diferent codes and standards
for HVAC systems; a common set of stan-
dards has been developed by the Ameri-
can Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE),
which are widely used worldwide.
Chilled water systems
Packaged air-cooled chilled water units
serving fan coils and fresh air-handling
units are used in many industrial units
and buildings such as control buildings,
administration buildings and industrial
indoors. In this system, the chilled water
subsystem provides chilled water to the
various HVAC air-handling units, which
ensure a suitable temperature adjust-
ment for buildings and rooms. In other
words, this is a closed-circuit chilled wa-
ter system that supplies chilled water to
the various air-handling units at strate-
gic positions and locations to minimize
the amount of air ducting required.
Spare or standby water pumps are
needed for the chilled water circuit. Some
systems use 2×100% pumps, and others
employ 3×50% pumps. Chilled water
pumps are usually centrifugal, single-stage
horizontal types. The chilled water is usu-
ally from service water of the plant and
facilities; it needs makeup. A control valve
system is often used for such a makeup of
chilled water systems. The water in the
closed-loop circuit could be contaminated,
and its quality could be deteriorated. Chem-
ical injection of suitable inhibitors and
others are needed. In most cases, in paral-
lel with the water pumps, a chemical dos-
ing system is provided that will dose the
pump suctions with the necessary chemi-
cal solutions and inhibitors to maintain
the requisite quality of water in the circuit.
There are many types and models for
packaged air-cooled water chillers —
available in many diferent conigurations
and sizes. Air-cooled water chillers are
usually fully packaged and factory-tested,
comprising of two hermetic refrigera-
tion compressors (one for operating and
another for standby), two independent
refrigeration circuits, air-cooled con-
densers, shell and tube-type evaporators,
weatherproof enclosure and required
control and instrument items.
A robust and high-performance con-
trol system is needed for any refrigeration
 An example of a ventilation installation for an
industrial application.
Courtesy of Amin Almasi
package, including those for chilled water
systems. This control system should au-
tomatically start and stop the unit and
should control the unit cooling capac-
ity in accordance with a signal from the
chilled water subsystem.
Refrigeration compressors
Diferent types of refrigeration compres-
sors are used in chilled water packages.
Compressors are often hermetic scroll
types with unloading capacity control
arranged for eicient operation between
about 25% and 100% of the rated capac-
ity for small packages. Some packages
use small-size reciprocating compres-
sors for the refrigeration system. Large
packages use screw compressors or even
centrifugal compressors.
Condensers and evaporators
The condenser is usually an air-cooled
type with proper construction materi-
als. Some condensers use aluminum or
aluminum alloys for optimal thermal
performance, mechanical strength and
reliability. The condenser coil block is
usually mounted for vertical air dis-
charge. The heat exchanger circuiting
is arranged to give the correct amount
of refrigerant liquid sub-cooling for ef-
ficient operation of the refrigeration
system. Fans are needed for these air-
cooled units. These fans are usually axial-
flow type with contoured blades pro-
vided to deliver high air volumes at low
tip speeds and with a minimum of noise
and blade tip recirculation.
In most cases, evaporators are a shell-
and-tube heat exchanger type. Refrigerant
passes through the inner tubes. Pressure
rating should be high with ample mar-
gins. As indications, a typical evaporator
might be designed for 18 Barg working
pressure on the refrigerant side (tubes)
and 6 Barg on the chilled water side.
Air-handling units
The chilled water or, in some special
cases, the refrigerant, is used in air-han-
dling units to cool the air and deliver it
to the indoors. The low of chilled water
through each air-handling unit is regu-
lated by a proper control valve system,
most often, a three-way control valve.
This control valve is usually modulated
by a temperature controller installed
in the air system associated with a par-
ticular air-handling unit. However, many
other different configurations for such
control functions are used.
Air-handling units are provided with
the necessary filter section, filters (bag
filters, etc.), cooling coil, electric strip
heater (if heating is needed), humidiier
and air fans. Air-handling units are often
provided close to the room or indoors to
avoid substantial air ducting throughout.
Key role of filters
Diferent sets of ilters are needed in air-
handling units. Primary iltration equip-
ment is selected with particular emphasis
on large dust-holding capacity. There
are diferent ilter systems available for
HVAC and air-handling units. Bag ilters
are usually selected as the primary ilter.
They can be large, even 1 meter in length
or larger, and they should be multilayer
media-type requiring no preilters. These
bag ilter systems should preferably give
an eiciency of more than 90%.
Filter media should preferably be ver-
min-proof (or equal), nonhygroscopic
and flame-retardant. It should also be
adequately supported to avoid distor-
tion during operation. Usually, diferent
washable panel filters and disposable
ilter systems are used to clean the air in
diferent stages. The velocity at the ilter
should be low, and the air stream should
be calm and suitable for iltration func-
tion. The ilter panel should usually have
a face velocity of less than 2 m/s. Dispos-
able ilter systems often have an eiciency
of more than 95%. Other additional
filters are mandatory in each specific
industrial application to provide high-
quality, clean air to the working areas.
Fans
Fans play a major role in an air-handling
system and generally HVAC operation.
They should deliver the required air vol-
ume low rates at proper pressure to let
the air low pass through diferent stages
with associated pressure drops and then
deliver it to the intended indoor area.
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 23
 “The flow of chilled water through each air-handling unit
is regulated by a proper control valve system, most often,
a three-way control valve.”
Each fan should be properly selected
with the rated point close to best effi-
ciency point (BEP). The normal operat-
ing range should be well away from the
points of overload. High-efficiency fans
should be selected, as large volumes of
air are handled in typical HVAC systems,
and fan energy consumption is a criti-
cal factor. As indications, the efficiency
of axial-flow fans should be more than
60% for the operating range and prefer-
ably more than 68% for the rated point.
Mixed-flow fans should also reach a sim-
ilar level of efficiency. In fact, for some
sophisticated mixed-flow fans, efficien-
cies of 70% or more can be achievable.
Centrifugal fans are widely used in air-
handling systems and, if selected prop-
erly, they present efficiency between 70%
and 85% (or sometimes more). Sound at-
tenuators are usually needed for fan sys-
tems. Flexible connections to ductwork
are often provided for fan sets. However,
care should be taken, as some of these
have presented low reliability.
Makeup air intake ducting is needed
for an air-handling system, and it is often
arranged at roof levels of the buildings
or enclosures. However, there are differ-
ent layouts and configurations for such
a system. Supply air is usually ducted to
the various areas through ductwork and
distributed through supply air diffusers.
Air should be returned or extracted from
rooms and buildings to make supply
of air easier and more effective. Return
air is usually extracted through ceiling-
mounted return air diffusers. It is often
returned to the air-handling unit by a
duct-mounted centrifugal or axial fan.
Alternatively, this fan may be incorpo-
rated within the air-handling unit.
Ductwork
Ductwork is needed in many different
types of HVAC systems. This is required
to guide and manage the flow of air to and
from buildings, rooms and enclosures. Gal-
vanized mild steel ductwork and fittings
are usually used in HVAC systems. This is
the standard, most common material used
24 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
in the fabrication of ductwork. An ad-
vantage is the zinc coating of this metal,
which prevents rusting and avoids cost
of painting. However, in some applica-
tions, special painting for galvanized
steels are used for better protection.
Aluminum ductwork is used in some
applications. These are lightweight, easy to
handle, slightly expensive, and often con-
sidered custom-made ducts used in spe-
cial shapes and applications. Aluminum
is also used to make round spiral ducts for
some specific applications. Other materi-
als are also used in special ductwork.
Access doors are usually provided on
ductwork systems for cleaning, routine in-
spection and maintenance purposes. Test
holes are also provided and necessary for
commissioning and balancing the system.
Supporting of ducts is a major chal-
lenge for duct systems. All ductworks
should be supported by strong supports
suitable for the type and size of the duct.
Flow management, pressure loss calcu-
lations, proper flow balance and careful
sizing are needed for all ductwork. As an
indication, velocity in main headers of air-
conditioning supply ductwork is often 5
m/s to 7 m/s. For distribution and smaller
ducts, velocities below 5 m/s are com-
monly used. Sometimes, even velocities
around 3 m/s or 3.5 m/s might be used.
Air velocities in return are usually lower
than supply lines, often 2 m/s to 3.5 m/s.
Rectangular ductwork is commonly
fabricated and used in many plants,
buildings and applications. Round duct
is also used in some applications, where
the flow of air is better managed, there-
fore theoretically better. However, rect-
angular ducts are more widely available.
For insulation purposes, metal ducts
can be lined with faced fiberglass blankets
internally or externally if needed. In special
applications, a double-walled duct might be
used; this usually has an inner perforated
liner and then a layer of fiberglass insulation
(or similar). As rough indications, this layer
is often 25 mm to 50 mm in thickness.
Volume control dampers are provided
as necessary for regulation and balancing
of air distribution systems and for shut-
off purposes. Shutoff dampers should be
airtight, and the air leakage through them
should be less than 3% to 5% of the rated
air flow in the duct at a maximum pres-
sure differential as set up by the system
fans. There are many different models
and types for dampers. However, opposed
blade dampers manufactured from stain-
less steel are common. Dampers should
be suitably constructed to prevent distor-
tion and jamming in operation.
Fire dampers are also needed to block
the ductwork in case of fire; otherwise,
HVAC duct network would help to prop-
agate it. Fire dampers should also be
provided where any duct passes through
a fire barrier floor or fire-rated wall.
These should have the same standard of
fire resistance as the partition in which
they are installed. These dampers should
fit closely when shut. As a rough indica-
tion, these dampers should be able to re-
sist fire for more than two or three hours.
There are different models of fire damp-
ers. They may be hinged-single, multiblade
or folded continuous shutter type. A com-
monly used model has a fusible link. In
this type, fire dampers are held in the open
position by a fusible link. In case of fire, the
link is actuated, and it closes the damper.
In addition, smoke detectors and other
suitable fire sensors should be provided in
supply and return ducts. FC
Amin Almasi is a lead mechani-
cal engineer in Australia. He is a
chartered professional engineer
of Engineers Australia (MIEAust
CPEng – Mechanical) and IMechE (CEng
MIMechE) in addition to a M.Sc. and B.Sc. in
mechanical engineering and RPEQ (Registered
Professional Engineer in Queensland). He spe-
cializes in mechanical equipment and machiner-
ies including centrifugal, screw and reciprocat-
ing compressors, gas turbines, steam turbines,
engines, pumps, condition monitoring, reliability,
as well as ire protection, power generation, wa-
ter treatment and material handling. Almasi is an
active member of Engineers Australia, IMechE,
ASME and SPE. He has authored more than
150 papers and articles dealing with rotating
equipment, condition monitoring, fire protec-
tion, power generation, water treatment, mate-
rial handling and reliability. He can be reached at
amin.almasi@ymail.com.
 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Offering the latest training on automation
technologies helps upskill the workforce
Flow Control speaks with Mike Brouse, manager of global workforce development with
Emerson’s Educational Services, about the skills gap, its challenges and opportunities.
Q: What are the current challenges
with the skills gap in industry?
A: With the growth of technology
and digitization, jobs are getting
highly specialized and automated. Th e
type of skills required are changing.
New digital technologies are disrupt-
ing the business landscape with ma-
jor consequences for how industries
are structured and economic activity
occurs. Studies are showing that ad-
vanced manufacturers could create
up to 3.5 million job openings by 2025,
yet nearly 2 million of those jobs may
go unilled for lack of the right skills to
meet modern manufacturing demands.
he working age population is growing
at half the rate of the past century, and
baby boomers are retiring in record num-
ber. Manufacturers are struggling to ind
the talent needed to run their plant. here
is a great need to feed a pipeline of new
workers who see manufacturing jobs as
viable and a successful career path both
for the highly skilled engineer as well as
the process instrumentation tech.
Q: What job requirements
does the current and future
industrial workforce lack?
A: They lack knowledge of the latest
technologies being used in advanced
manufacturing plants to maximize pro-
duction, increase reliability, save energy
and lower operating costs. Also, even the
most advanced engineers are leaving col-
lege with no hands-on experience or real-
time knowledge of how to work a plant.
his applies to both new workers entering
the job ield and existing employees at a
Q+A
with
MIKE BROUSE
Emerson Automation Solutions
plant, so upskilling existing workers is
also critical.
Other skill sets needed in today’s digi-
tally transformed organization include
data scientists/analytics, cybersecurity
expertise and those harder-to-deine but
critical soft skills such as communication
and leadership.
Q: What are the opportunities
in upskilling the current and
future workforce?
A: Adopting approaches that empower
workers to acquire knowledge and
experience faster and more efectively en-
sures they have access to training in flex-
ible formats to increase proficiency with
the technology and processes with which
they interact. Collaborating with higher
education institutions and industry helps
attract people entering the workforce to
the industry as well as facilitates programs
that help train current and future workers.
When you look at ways to upskill, you
become a vital part of transforming the
workforce for both current and future
employees. This gives you the opportunity
to expand on partnerships and attract top
talent. You will ind that when you invest
in your employees, retention will improve
because their knowledge and expertise
is increasing. This type of approach and
strategy is a major resource as digital
transformation makes a mark in the man-
ufacturing industry.
Constantly looking for innovative ap-
proaches in training and upskilling pro-
vides excitement and interest that grow
the pipeline for the manufacturing sector.
Q: How is Emerson addressing the
skills gap challenge?
A: Emerson is continually investing
in new and innovative approaches
to meet the skills gap challenge. We
have invested in a manufacturing in-
cubator facility at Ranken Technical
College in St. Louis and have increased
partnerships with colleges and univer-
sities across various sectors, increas-
ing engineers’ exposure to the latest
technologies at various schools.
In addition, Emerson Educational
Services is designing and implementing
workforce development solutions for
many diferent plant personnel, ranging
from maintenance technicians to opera-
tions to engineering. We also introduced
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 25

the Performance Learning Platform in
late 2018, as a portable and compact au-
tomation technology training solution
that enables hands-on training and has
innovative capabilities like augmented
reality and virtual reality. It reinforces
the competencies essential to fostering
digital transformation.
As a global industry educator, Em-
erson is helping customers upskill and
leverage their technology investments
with over 100 learning centers around
the world and nearly 500 instructors,
training over 28,000 people annually.
More than 300 courses are delivered
in person or via a live, instructor-led
virtual classroom.
For example, Emerson has recently
partnered with Colorado State Univer-
sity, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Singapore
Polytechnic, and San Jacinto College, to
26 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
name a few, on both industry and role-
specific programs to support incumbent
worker training as well as new workforce
training. Emerson has also developed nu-
merous workforce upskilling programs for
multinational companies to help address
speciic leadership skills gaps within those
respective organizations as part of broader
leadership development programs.
Q: What are the benefits of
companies such as Emerson
in collaborating with educational
institutions or offering training to
its current employees?
A: The growing talent gap will not be
solved by any single strategy alone.
Collaborating with academia, policy-
makers and industry will accelerate
solutions to solving these workforce
challenges. Emerson’s commitment to
 The Performance
Learning Platform, a
portable automation
training solution, is helping
close the skills gap
with hands-on-training
and preparing workers
to maintain their plant
safely and eficiently.
All photos courtesy
of Emerson
the industry as a leader in developing
the workforce of the future is key to not
only our customers, but also to our own
workforce needs. We understand that
engineering graduates will be the future
decision-makers in industries that Em-
erson serves and feed into our own tal-
ent pipeline.
Q: How do training methods differ
with the younger generation
entering the workforce to mature
professionals?
A: What they both have in common
is the need to have hands-on real
working process instrumentation expe-
rience (in a safe environment) to under-
stand the fundamentals from inputs and
outputs, configuration and troubleshoot-
ing. Mature professionals bring a lot of
experience to the table, so understanding
 (Left) Emerson helps its customer personnel upskill and leverage their technology investments.  (Right) Delivering a hands-on learning experience, the Performance Learning
Platform provides access to a wide breadth of Emerson’s latest process technology.
their specific skills gaps and designing
content for those gaps is most effective.
While digital technologies are native to
the future generation of workers, it is
important to use innovative learning
methods, such as virtual reality or gaming
theory, to give the next generation of
workers the experience they need in the
methods/formats they prefer.
Q: Tell us more about Emerson’s
Performance Learning Platform
(PLP). How does it work?
A: Emerson visited many college cam-
puses over an 18-month period,
collecting information about what lab
equipment and curriculum colleges
needed. We also asked our end-user plant
managers and E&I supervisors about
their workforce development challenges.
Emerson then created an internal devel-
opment team that worked for about 12
months on the overall PLP design, fabri-
cation and curriculum. We designed the
PLP for portability and plug and play op-
eration. You add water to the tanks, hook
up a compressed air supply for the valves,
and plug in the power. The robust frame is
mounted on industrial casters to make it
easy to relocate. It will also fit through a
normal 30-inch doorway.
The PLP recirculates water (at low
pressure) between two 35-gallon tanks.
We are measuring and controlling tank
level and flow rate using the latest
technologies. The PLP also includes a
DeltaV distributed control system, Em-
erson’s latest PK controller, electronic
marshalling and CHARMS. The HMI is a
Pro+ touchscreen workstation mounted
on a swiveling strong arm. We’ve made it
safe and easy to use. It’s a lot of automa-
tion on a very small, portable footprint.
Coming soon are augmented reality
features and a virtual reality-based PLP
digital twin.
And, you can learn more about how it
works at www.emerson.com/plp.
Q: What are the benefits of having
the PLP?
A: The PLP enables hands-on train-
ing using the latest automation
technologies. It can be used to teach the
fundamentals to new employees and col-
lege students, and it can be used to teach
more advanced topics like loop tuning
and troubleshooting. It can also be cus-
tomized with the specific instrumenta-
tion that is relevant at the plant. It is also
a portable and scalable solution that
makes it ideal for both a classroom set-
ting and in a manufacturing facility.
The PLP is also supported with its own
curriculum that includes: PLP Perfor-
mance Support Videos, over 50 videos
available directly from the workstation
covering many common tasks associated
with each device; a PLP Lab Book, over 300
pages of industry best practices and over
20 hands-on exercises including the an-
swer key; and eLearning courses. Plus,
augmented and virtual reality were just
debuted at Emerson Exchange 2019 last
September. Although it is still in develop-
ment, feedback has been very good so far.
Q: Since the PLP was released,
who is using it?
Emerson has provided the PLP
A: to several universities, trade
schools and end users since it became
available. In addition to colleges, the
PLP can be used to train incumbent
workers at manufacturing companies
in many different industries including
oil and gas, chemical and petrochemi-
cal, food and beverage, and metals
and mining. FC
Mike Brouse is the manager of global work-
force development, Educational Services, with
Emerson Automation Solutions. Brouse has
worked at various manufacturing companies
for over 43 years. He has been with Emer-
son since 1990. He can be reached at mike.
brouse@emerson.com.
Find more online at
flowcontrolnetwork.com
on automation technologies.
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 27
 TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
AHR EXPO showcases
HVACR technology
HR Expo will be held Feb.
A 3–5 at the Orange County
Convention Center in Orlan-
do, Florida. The show pro-
vides a forum where manufacturers of all
sizes and specialties can share ideas and
showcase the future of heating, ventila-
tion, air-conditioning and refrigeration
(HVACR) technology under one roof.
Since 1930, AHR Expo has offered
OEMs, engineers, contractors, facil-
ity operators, architects, educators
and other industry professionals the
chance to explore the latest trends
and applications and to cultivate mu-
tually beneficial business relation-
ships. The event is cosponsored by the
American Society of Heating, Refriger-
ating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE) and the Air Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
(AHRI) and is held concurrently with
ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.
Attendees vary from major manu-
facturers to innovative new startups.
Exhibitors will showcase and dem-
onstrate the latest HVACR-related
products, including complete systems
engineered for large commercial and
industrial buildings to labor-saving
tools and profit-generating services for
residential contractors.
The AHR Expo’s schedule of ses-
sions for the education program in-
clude more than 200 free seminars,
new product and technology presen-
tations, professional certifications
and continuing education courses.
Each year, the education program dis-
cusses some of HVACR’s biggest op-
portunities and challenges through
a series of comprehensive, informa-
tive and industry-focused sessions
hosted by leaders from every sector of
the industry. This year, the AHR Expo
28 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
will add a series of HVACR trend dis-
cussions led by members of the AHR
Expo Expert Council.
Education sessions
The show will feature 76 free sessions led
by industry experts working with leading
organizations. Each session will range
from one to two hours and will aim to
deliver solutions to some of the HVACR
industry’s most pressing challenges and
opportunities. Attendees are invited to
attend general HVAC-related subjects as
well as those specific to their sector of
the industry and practice. Additionally,
attendees are encouraged to download
the MyShowPlanner app for iOS and An-
droid to manage their show and educa-
tion program schedule.
Highlights for the 2020 AHR Expo’s
free seminar session agenda include:
• Global Trends in the HVACR
Market presented by BSRIA Ltd.
• HVAC as a Service — How Soon
Is Now? presented by BACnet
International
• Fundamentals of Test, Adjust, &
Balance for Engineers, Cx & Energy
Providers presented by Associated
Air Balance Council (AABC)
• Building for a Climate Emergency
presented by AutomatedBuildings.com
• Key Factors for a Successful Snowmelt
Design presented by Radiant
Professionals Alliance (RPA)
• HVAC Retroit Paradigm Shift:
First, Attack Distribution
System; Second, Replace Equipment
presented by National Comfort
Institute (NCI)
• Hydrocarbon Refrigerants presented
by RSES/RSES Journal
• Fundamentals of Working with
Flammable Refrigerants presented by
the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR)
All images courtesy of AHR Expo
“The AHR Expo’s schedule of sessions for the education program include
more than 200 free seminars, new product and technology presentations,
professional certifications and continuing education courses.”
• SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction
Standards — Metal & Flexible
presented by SMACNA
• Fan Energy Index (FEI) as a Rating
Metric and Design Tool presented
by Air Movement and Control
Association International Inc.
(AMCA International)
• Cooling Tower and Water Treatment
Fundamentals presented by Cooling
Technology Institute (CTI)
• Marketing Trends in HVAC
presented by AHR Expo Expert
Council Member Pam Duffy
Continuing education
AHR Expo attendees have the opportu-
nity to participate in professional de-
velopment courses through ASHRAE
Learning Institute (ALI) and short
courses/professional development semi-
nars approved for Continuing Educa-
tion Units (CEUs) that can apply toward
maintaining P.E. licensure. Attendees are
required to register and pay tuition fees
in advance of the show at the ASHRAE
registration website.
Full-day courses account for six
earned Professional Development Hours
(PDHs)/Learning Units (LUs) or 0.6
CEUs. All half-day courses are awarded
three accredited PDHs/AIA LUs. Topics
cover a wide range of industry subjects,
including the fundamentals of the com-
missioning process, complying with the
requirements of ASHRAE standards, lab-
oratory design basics and beyond, opti-
mizing indoor environments and more.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Mon., Feb. 3, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 4, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
ahrexpo.com
Course highlights include:
• Commissioning Authority (CxA)
Workshop and Exam (2 days)
• NAFA CAFS Testing and 2-Hour
Tutorial; NCT Testing
• ASHRAE Certiication Exams
New product and technology
theater presentations
Attendees are also encouraged to sit in on
exhibitor presentations in the New Prod-
uct & Technology heater. More than 100
presentations lasting approximately 20
minutes each are planned across all three
days of the show. hese free presentations
are meant to provide attendees with brief
overviews of new product announcements
and technologies that can be found in ex-
hibitor booths on the show floor. Attend-
ees are invited to follow-up presentations
with a visit to the booth for a more in-
depth explanation and one-on-one inter-
action with products and representatives.
These sessions are set to take place in
special theaters right on the exhibit floor.
No fee or registration is required.
Four 2020 Innovation Award winners
and seven inalists will present. Winners
include: Danfoss (green building); Inter-
play Learning (software); Ininitum Elec-
tric (ventilation); and Matelex (tools and
instruments). Finalists include: Emerson
(heating); Sensirion Inc. (IAQ); NIBCO
Inc. (plumbing); BELIMO Americas
(building automation); Smardt Chiller
Group Inc. (cooling); BCA Technolo-
gies Inc. (software); and American Aldes
(ventilation). FC
JANUARY 2020 | flowcontrolnetwork.com 29
 P R O D U C T
FOCUS
Send products for consideration in this section
to mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
1 | piping system valves
Asahi/America Inc. expanded
its Asahitec PP-RCT piping
system to include the Type-57AT
butterly valve and Type-
21AT ball valve. The butterly
valve meets the pressure and
temperature guidelines in ASTM
F2389 for up to 12 inches and
integrates into Asahitec PP-RCT
piping systems for plumbing
and HVAC applications. The
polypropylene body and disc are
injection-molded for durability,
and the 316 stainless steel stem
is nonwetted. It is available in
wafer and lugged styles.
asahi-america.com
30 FLOW CONTROL | JANUARY 2020
2 | multiphase flowmeter
Emerson’s Roxar 2600 Multiphase
Flow Meter performance monitoring
service provides operators in
shale operations with actionable
recommendations to optimize meter
performance and enable proactive
maintenance based on advanced,
continuous data collected from
an on-site multiphase lowmeter
and analyzed remotely by
Emerson. The multiphase
lowmeter platform offers solutions
for well testing, unmanned
wellhead platforms, production
metering, wellhead monitoring
and shale oil applications.
emerson.com
3 | Coriolis meter
Endress+Hauser’s Proline
Promass A is suited for space-
saving installation, e.g., modular
process facilities and skids. The
sensor system is mounted on a
base plate that acts as a shock
absorber, shielding the Coriolis
measurement from outside
interference. The oscillation
frequency of the measuring tube is
signiicantly higher than traditional
Coriolis lowmeters. The wetted
parts are manufactured from
stainless steel or Alloy C22 and
are compliant with the NACE
MR0175/MR0103 requirements.
endress.com
3
4 | flow sensor
AutomationDirect’s ProSense
VFS series vortex low sensors
offer a cost-effective solution
optimized for monitoring water
and deionized water low in
industrial applications. The VFS
series is available with ½-inch or
¾-inch NPT process connections.
The VFS (-1001) series offers
two separate outputs that can
be used either as a low or
temperature limit switch or to
monitor continuous low rate or
temperature. The VFS (-1002)
series offers two analog low/
temperature monitoring outputs.
automationdirect.com
 Connect
SOLUTIONS FOR FLUID MOVEMENT, MEASUREMENT & CONTAINMENT

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FlowControlNetwork.com

@FLO W C O NTR O L_MAG

Flat-plate #valve technology

and operational characteristics

alacatr/iStock
including #laminarflow and
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The university has more than 60 ultrasonic meters monitoring its HVAC flow
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in #boilers and #steam –Izzy Rivera, FLEXIM Americas
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WHAT'S ON FACEBOOK
Courtesy of ABB

Moving beyond basic

#temperature #measurement
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@EMR_Automation
Using digital instrumentation to
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Modern texture analysis
When it comes to instrumentation,
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digital’s beneits over older analog-based
performance and address
units make it the logical choice for process
root causes of potential
engineers seeking to improve the
leakage | ow.ly/NF0n50xvpIK
eficiency and controllability of their plant.
@DigMetrology
bit.ly/2Q0Ktlo

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ProSense® Vortex VFS Series ProSense® VFL Series Vibration
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