The recently-launched AMPHIBIO Remote from Industry Superstore – the online source for industrial, factory and premises management equipment and consumables – is a remote-controlled floating fire pump that, thanks to its compact size, is portable and ideal for tackling challenging fires in inaccessible locations, evacuating water from flooded areas or used to fill a fire service tender’s water tanks.
In recent field-tests by firefighters from Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service in Coalville, the AMPHIBIO Remote succeeded in pumping water from a lake for over three hours without refuelling and without interruption. The floating fire pump’s buoyancy and manoeuvrability also allowed the firefighters to navigate various terrains, including water bodies and debris-filled areas.
Commenting for Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service, a spokesperson says: “The integration of Industry Superstore’s AMPHIBIO Remote floating fire pump has helped to add to Coalville's firefighting capabilities and will prove an invaluable tool when tackling fires, including wildfires in remote locations, a growing threat and one witnessed on numerous occasions in the UK in recent years.
“The fire pump's easy and swift deployment in very shallow water, such as streams, will allow wildfires to be rapidly extinguished without any manual water transfer. Its remote-controlled operation also allows firefighters to monitor the situation from a distance.”.
Commenting for Industry Superstore, Warren Eburn says: “Coalville's implementation of the floating pump has demonstrated a significant positive impact on its firefighting operations. The device's versatility, adaptability, and remote-controlled functionality have expanded Coalville's capabilities, enabling it to effectively combat fires in challenging environments.”.
He goes onto say that the innovative AMPHIBIO Remote has enhanced Coalville's firefighters' safety while improving incident response and mitigating property damage. The successful integration of the remote-controlled floating pump has also highlighted Coalville's commitment to embracing technological advancements to better serve their community and protect lives and assets.
Equipped with a six-litre fuel tank and powerful water pump, AMPHIBIO Remote is capable of flow outputs from 380 to 1075 l/min and delivery heights up to 45m even when located in natural water sources as little as 15mm deep.
The ergonomic design and structure of the fire pump ensures it can be easily carried; and its streamlined and compact shape enables convenient vehicle storage and enhanced water surface stability.
Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division has today announced the launch of Powerchair Manager, an end-to-end, total powerchair solution, ranging through design, manufacture, user experience, remote servicing and data analysis; and a solution claimed by the company to be an industry first with significant benefits for OEMs, Providers, Users and Service
Features and benefits of Powerchair Manager include
- Customer Software: Enhances powerchair functionality and creates unique features with R-net’s Customer Code Space.
- Manufacturing: Streamlines production with Curtiss-Wright’s Manufacturing Programming tool.
- Enhanced Data-Logging: Learn more about how powerchairs are used and cared for.
- My Powerchair App: Enables users to learn more about their powerchairs.
- Cloud Connectivity: Transmit logged data and store in the Cloud.
- Web Portal: View and analyze Cloud-stored data, enabling remote diagnostics, management of extended warranties and informed future design decisions
Powerchair Manager will be officially unveiled at this year’s REHACARE International Trade Fair for Rehabilitation and Care in Düsseldorf from 13th to 16th September, where Curtiss-Wright can be found on Stand C41 Hall 6.
There are numerous industries, processes and applications where steam boilers are still used. Thanks to their efficiency, versatility, and reliability in generating steam for various purposes, they are widely used in commercial and industrial buildings for space heating, hot water and process hot water production. In healthcare facilities, for example, they are used for sterilisation of medical equipment and supplies; and within the food and beverage industry for cooking and distilling applications. And so, the list goes on, with manufacturers using steam boilers throughout the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, textiles, paper and pulp industries and many others.
Processes and applications using steam have revolutionised over the years, however, the same cannot be said for steam boilers themselves. That was until, in 2018, Fulton launched the VSRT vertical steam boiler.
Claimed to be the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since it first pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler in 1949, Fulton’s VSRT has rocked the steam boiler market since its launch to become class-leading and a symbol of efficiency, with many users benefitting from excellent savings in gas and water consumption and reductions in CO2 and NOX emissions.
At launch, the seven-model VSRT range was available with outputs from 160 to 960 kg/h, but with demand increasing for an energy efficient boiler with larger outputs, Fulton is now expanding its range and introducing two new, re-designed VSRTs (VSRT-100 and VSRT-125) with outputs of 1565 and 1956 kg/h. But what are the benefits of these two larger output models for end users?
As Fulton’s managing director Carl Knight explains, these models are ground-breaking for their output range: “When you consider the new models, there are no truly efficient tubeless vertical steam boilers in the marketplace with similar output ranges, the VSRT is the only tubeless boiler available with the capability of efficiently producing nearly two tonnes per hour of steam. In short, what we are delivering with these new models is much higher output versions without compromising efficiency!”
The new VSRT models maintain exceptionally high operating efficiencies (up to 86% gross thermal efficiency compared to approximately 80% from typical boiler designs), which results in lower operating and lifecycle costs and improved return on investment. In fact, using the lower-output VSRTs as an example, many of Fulton’s customers are achieving fuel savings of between 20% and 30%, with the University of East Anglia reporting a reduction in gas consumption from a recent installation of nearly 28% and over 57% for water. In addition to the gas and water savings, the University’s sustainability report also identified an 85-tonne reduction in CO2 annually, savings that can be credited towards its net zero goals, and an approximate 40% reduction in NOX emissions throughout the burner firing range.
And, as Carl explains, Fulton fully expects the VSRT-100 and VSRT-125 to achieve the same savings. “Like lower output models, the latest VSRTs boast the same impressively high 10:1 turndown capability and continue to achieve ultra-low NOX emissions of less than 20ppm or 40mg/Nm3 at 3% O2, which falls well below MCPD’s requirement of <100mg/Nm3., The VSRT also therefore complies with the stringent City of London Air Quality Strategy requirements.”
These advanced, energy-saving and environmentally beneficial features are standard across the now expanded VSRT range. Compared to other steam boilers, the VSRT is also a more durable and, in many cases, compact boiler that is energy-efficient, produces an increased output of higher quality steam and is easy to maintain.
So how do the new VSRTs compare to other steam raising solutions with similar outputs?
As already mentioned, the new VSRTs are the only tubeless boilers available with the capability of efficiently producing nearly two tonnes per hour of steam. To achieve similar outputs, end users would have to consider horizontal shell and tube boilers or steam generators.
The water volume of the VSRT is equivalent to or greater than these alternatives yet, combined with an impressive steam chest volume, can react quickly to changes in steam demand. And despite the larger water volume, the larger VSRTs still boast a start-up time of less than one hour (compared to between 3 and 24 hours for a typical boiler) and achieve a steam quality of >99.75%, a detail most manufacturers are unwilling to publish.
Thanks to its unique design, the VSRT’s patented spiral-rib heat exchanger virtually eliminates thermal stress, so Fulton has therefore created a longer-lasting boiler that not only improves boiler efficiency but one that the company believes will beat the competition in every category of durability. This is why all VSRTs come with the assurance of a 10-year ‘unparalleled’ warranty on the pressure vessel, double that of the industry standard.
With features including a vertical tubeless design with no refractory whatsoever, and thanks to its industrial control platform and easy access to the pressure vessel, the VSRT is also extremely easy to maintain. Additionally, as it contains no refractory there is no requirement for five-yearly, non-destructive testing, which contributes to reduced lifecycle costs when compared to standard horizontal boilers.
Efficiency and operation stats aside, the VSRT’s footprint can be as little as 25% of an equivalent horizontal boiler, a significant saving when designing buildings, and a major factor when considering the lease cost of real estate.
But what does this all mean for the end user in terms of lifecycle costs?
The following 15-year comparative costs example uses a single boiler installation. Here, a typical three-pass, horizontal shell and tube steam boiler (without economiser) is replaced by Fulton’s new VSRT-125, both firing on natural gas, with each boiler having a steam output of 1,956kg/h. For this comparison, we have conservatively assumed the VSRT to be 20% more efficient than an equivalent horizontal boiler; and that each boiler has a total annual run time of 4,200 hours.
Lifecycle Service/Maintenance Costs (Inspections, etc.)
Horizontal Boiler: £68,700.00
VSRT Boiler: £39,000.00
Additional Recommended & Mandatory Maintenance Costs (NDT, Inspections, etc.)
Horizontal Boiler: £36,954.00
VSRT Boiler: £4,400.00
Extraordinary Maintenance & Repair Costs (D Patch, Re-tube, Refractory)
Horizontal Boiler: £44,000.00
VSRT Boiler: £2,000.00
Fuel Costs (Based on 0.06p per kW/h inc. Standing Charge)
Horizontal Boiler: £5,862,213.00
VSRT Boiler: £4,594,060.80
Footprint Costs (Based on £9/sqft/annum)
Horizontal Boiler: £74,250.00
VSRT Boiler: £19,440.00
Total Lifecycle Costs (Exc. Supply and Water Treatment)
Horizontal Boiler: £6,167.765.00
VSRT Boiler: £4,700,300.80.00
In summary, as these figures demonstrate, with lifecycle cost savings approaching £1.5 million over 15 years and payback achieved within a matter of months, Fulton’s VSRT delivers a solution to help with both the financial and environmental challenges that are at the forefront of mind for many decision makers.
In this article, Steve Moorey of Industry Superstore – the online source for industrial, factory and premises management equipment and consumables – looks at absorbent wringers and why they make an excellent investment for your company by improving absorbents life and creating efficiencies for your bottom line by reducing waste.
Disposing of oil and other containments recovered in absorbent pads is a daily problem, with many companies often losing precious raw materials – such as oil from accidental spills or during day-to-day overflow leakage while handling coolants and hazmat liquid chemicals – through their inability to recover valuable resources after absorption. This inability to recover these fluids can prevent companies from meeting environmental standards by forcing them to waste or dispose of fluids when they could be recycling them.
Additionally, the expense of using universal absorbent mats or pads just once before disposal quickly adds up. As do the monthly bills of paying for waste removal services.
However, using an electric or manual (hand) absorbent wringer can easily solve these problems by increasing the lifecycle of absorbent materials, enabling you to keep and reuse or repurpose the liquids you recover and therefore improve your environmental compliance.
What are the benefits of using an absorbents wringer?
In short, their return on investment is excellent. On average, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that a hand wringer pays for itself in just three-to-five weeks, with cost savings quickly adding up by spending less on supplies and reducing waste disposal costs. Imagine buying your absorbents by the box instead of high-volume pallets!
Help your business go green!
A hand wringer allows you to recycle fluids, improving your environmental compliance. This efficient chemical recovery and collection system aides waste stream separation, allowing you to meet waste minimisation goals by sending less materials to landfill, which can also help minimise risks from potentially leeching toxic hazmat chemicals.
Save money on annual operation spend!
By utilising an electric or hand absorbent wringer, the EPA reports annual savings of 51-75% on the purchase of new absorbent mats and pads, not to mention reducing overall spend on chemicals. That's because you can easily recover fluids so they last longer, your purchase frequency reduces, and you'll be reducing your monthly waste disposal management services bill.
Which absorbents can you wring and re-use?
Mats and pads are examples of absorbent supplies you can wring and re-use, which means you can extend the service life of the most common contents found in spill kits. Additionally, you can also improve the drying process for wet industrial floor or ground protection mats, and fabric shop rags and wipes.
Once you finish a spill clean-up, be it from an IBC or drum leak, wet absorbents can be passed through an absorbent wringer to easily recover and recycle the waste fluids. However, recovered fluids must be non-flammable, which typically excludes many solvents, paints, or combustible fuels.
What options are available?
Having been used comprehensively in the USA and now offered to UK and European markets exclusively via Industry Superstore, the SRM-22 spill recovery machine is just one example and features dual-driven, chemical-resistant rollers.
Two models are available, the standard SRM-22 hand-cranked version or SRM-22e with integrated electric motor drive. Both models feature two 38cm heavy-duty rollers through which saturated absorbent mats and pads are effortlessly drawn to extract the fluids, which are then collected in either a connected 45-gallon (204 litre) drum or 5-gallon (22 litre) plastic container placed on a wheeled trolley.
In tests conducted by Industry Superstore, it was found that using the SRM-22 with highly-absorbent, polypropylene pads was an ideal combination for the recovery of oils and chemicals.
Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division has today announced that it will be exhibiting at this year’s REHACARE International Exhibition in Germany.
The company, which has been designing, manufacturing and marketing sophisticated medical-mobility control systems for more than 40 years, will use the occasion to showcase its latest medical mobility vehicle solutions and provide connectivity demonstrations, including remote access to powerchair data.
Thanks to its world-leading range of powerchair control systems and mobility scooter controllers, Curtiss-Wright is renowned as one of the world's foremost suppliers of control solutions for electrically-powered mobility vehicles.
For further information and to see what’s new in medical mobility, visit Curtiss-Wright Industrial on stand C41 in Hall 6 at Rehacare 2023.
Deemed the can't-miss trade show for construction professionals, this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG show in Las Vegas certainly didn’t disappoint Curtiss-Wright who has today hailed the show, its first in North America since before the pandemic, a success for its Industrial Division.
Commenting for Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division, general manager Jason Watkins says: “It felt good being back at CONEXPO for 2023! The bold approach we took to our stand and a growing portfolio of traction inverters and power distribution modules reflects Curtiss-Wright’s vision and commitment to vehicle electrification and the Power Electronics sector. Combined with a comprehensive range of joysticks, pedals, sensors and throttle controls, all of which continued to draw huge interest, we were proud to have our global sales team there to present the very best on- and off-highway vehicle components and sub-systems.”
Curtiss-Wright’s highly-efficient and innovative traction inverters (CWTIs) have demonstrated improvements of >38% on peak torque and power, and 3% efficiency improvement of the drive system resulting in an increase of >14% in from a single battery charge. Its latest generation of power distribution modules are designed to enable the electrification of on/off-highway vehicles while offering protection of both occupants and electrical/electronic components from potentially harmful currents.
Beyond vehicle electrification, new joystick controllers, rocker switches and rotary position sensors features on the stand, alongside the company’s HMI capabilities with solutions incorporating multiple functions that can be operated with the use of just one hand, or via finger or thumb activation.
Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division has announced the launch of the JC8100 – an updated version of its well established JC8000 series joystick controller – featuring a center detent for enhanced return-to-center operation and offering high mechanical strength for very heavy-duty construction and material handling applications, including wheeled loaders, telehandlers and rough-terrain lift trucks.
While maintaining an overall minimum under-panel depth of the joystick body to 83mm, the JC8100 joystick controller’s shaft pivot-point position has been designed to be as low as possible to ensure high strength capability in the small body space envelope. The low pivot point reduces the angular deflection whilst maintaining operator hand movement, and reduces wear on base-to-grip wiring to enhance overall reliability.
Hall-effect sensor technology eliminates contact wear and provides safety functionality via dual analogue outputs with sense options per axis or J1939 or CANopen output options. Electronic robustness is assured with sealing of the internal PCB to a rating of IP66 and IP69k. Simplified connector detailing using industry-standard, integrated sealed connectors ensures product integrity throughout the product’s five million cycle lifetime.
A choice of multi-function grips is available, including those with up to four axes of additional proportional control and featuring up to ten finger/thumb controls including pushbuttons, rocker and momentary switches, proportional rollers, etc. The joystick can also be supplied as ‘base-only’, enabling custom grips to be fitted.
Heat transfer specialist Fulton will be using BeerX to promote how its class-leading fuel-fired and electric steam boilers and portfolio of aftercare solutions can help with a brewery’s or distillery’s decarbonisation strategy and put your company on the Road to Net Zero.
While Fulton will continue to promote the many features and benefits of its Classic and award-winning VSRT vertical steam boilers the company will, at a time when fuel costs are soaring and efficiency is vital to an organisation’s on-going strategy, also be promoting its range of electric steam boilers.
Some believe that electric steam boilers are superior to fuel-fired steam boilers in many ways, believing that using electric boilers may be less expensive than using a fuel-fired boiler in the long term, whilst also possibly being more environmentally friendly.
Using Fulton’s portfolio of electric steam boilers as an example, including Compack, Electropack and Europack models, less ancillary equipment is required than a traditional steam boiler, therefore helping to reduce the installation costs that come with a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers also generally have a smaller footprint and can therefore fit into smaller areas thanks to the way they are constructed and the lack of ancillaries that a fuel-fired boiler needs to operate. Additionally, because no flue system nor fuel supply is required, electric steam boilers can sometimes be located closer to the process, which reduces pipe work losses and improves steam system efficiencies.
However, this doesn’t mean the end for fuel-fired boilers which, given the correct infrastructure and process requirements, will play a huge role in a company’s decarbonisation strategy.
Beyond its product portfolio, the company will also be showcasing the many solutions on offer from its aftercare division, which can support Fulton’s own installations and those from other boiler manufacturers.
As well as offering boiler spares and repair service for all makes and types of heat transfer equipment, Fulton’s aftercare portfolio also includes accredited boiler operator training to INDG436 and BG01-R2, technical boiler house risk assessments, boiler and water treatment service contracts, water treatment training to BG04 and EN12953, steam trap surveys, site mass balance assessments and system design, etc
For further information on Fulton’s heat transfer and aftercare solutions, visit stand 85 at BeerX, call +44 (0)117 972 3322 or click www.fulton.co.uk.
Heat transfer specialist Fulton will be using BeerX to promote how its class-leading fuel-fired and electric steam boilers and portfolio of aftercare solutions can help with a brewery’s or distillery’s decarbonisation strategy and put your company on the Road to Net Zero.
While Fulton will continue to promote the many features and benefits of its Classic and award-winning VSRT vertical steam boilers the company will, at a time when fuel costs are soaring and efficiency is vital to an organisation’s on-going strategy, also be promoting its range of electric steam boilers.
Some believe that electric steam boilers are superior to fuel-fired steam boilers in many ways, believing that using electric boilers may be less expensive than using a fuel-fired boiler in the long term, whilst also possibly being more environmentally friendly.
Using Fulton’s portfolio of electric steam boilers as an example, including Compack, Electropack and Europack models, less ancillary equipment is required than a traditional steam boiler, therefore helping to reduce the installation costs that come with a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers also generally have a smaller footprint and can therefore fit into smaller areas thanks to the way they are constructed and the lack of ancillaries that a fuel-fired boiler needs to operate. Additionally, because no flue system nor fuel supply is required, electric steam boilers can sometimes be located closer to the process, which reduces pipe work losses and improves steam system efficiencies.
However, this doesn’t mean the end for fuel-fired boilers which, given the correct infrastructure and process requirements, will play a huge role in a company’s decarbonisation strategy.
Beyond its product portfolio, the company will also be showcasing the many solutions on offer from its aftercare division, which can support Fulton’s own installations and those from other boiler manufacturers.
As well as offering boiler spares and repair service for all makes and types of heat transfer equipment, Fulton’s aftercare portfolio also includes accredited boiler operator training to INDG436 and BG01-R2, technical boiler house risk assessments, boiler and water treatment service contracts, water treatment training to BG04 and EN12953, steam trap surveys, site mass balance assessments and system design, etc
For further information on Fulton’s heat transfer and aftercare solutions, visit stand 85 at BeerX, call +44 (0)117 972 3322 or click www.fulton.co.uk.
In this article, Hollie Dixon from leading machinery safety specialist Euchner UK highlights some of the often-overlooked aspects of machinery risk assessments.
Did you know that it is a legal requirement for every machinery manufacturer to carry out a risk assessment before anything is placed on the market? However, even when risk assessments are undertaken, they are often not of a suitable standard. Guidelines on risk assessments can be found in EN ISO 12100, a standard that describes basic risks that can occur and identifies steps with which a risk assessment can be carried out.
Content of a risk assessment
The risk assessment itself consists of the sections:
· Risk analysis consisting of:
1. Determination of the limitations of the machine
2. Identification of the hazards
3. Risk estimation
· Risk evaluation
Risk assessment using EN ISO 12100
One of the central points of the standard is a general strategy on how to reduce the risk on a machine and here, the following three-stage process must be applied:
Step 1: The risk of injury must be reduced as far as possible by means of a suitable design. For example, spoked wheels and pulleys can be designed with a solid infill to the prevent trapping and shearing fingers and limbs.
Step 2: If all hazards cannot be eliminated or adequately minimised with Step 1, technical measures for risk reduction must be applied where applicable. Generally, these measures involve physical guarding with control system interlocking to suit the risk/hazard involved. The safety related control functions also require an assessment to determine safety integrity. EN ISO 13849-1 gives further information on this aspect.
Step 3: Additional protective measures are the last option within the hierarchy requiring users of the equipment to protect themselves from harm through the use of PPE, training and warning signs. Unfortunately, there are too many instances where designers of equipment jump straight to this step without safeguarding or considering designing the hazard out.
This process should be well documented and included as part of the Technical Construction File (TCF) for all manufacturers of machinery and equipment covered under the Machinery Directive.
Machinery Lifecyle
EN ISO 12100 also provides guidance on which phases of the life of a machine must be considered and which of the various hazards must be assessed. These phases of life include transport, assembly and installation; commissioning; use; and dismantling, disabling and scrapping.
The erection and dismantling of a machine are included in the phases of life but often overlooked by many machine manufacturers, despite there being significant hazards during these phases, including:
· Setting up
· Teaching/Programming
· Start-up and stopping the machine including emergency stopping
· All modes of operation
· Feeding and removal of the material from machine
· Recovery of operation from jam or blockage
· Restarting after unforeseen stopping
· Fault finding/troubleshooting
· Operator interventions
· Cleaning and housekeeping
· Maintenance (Preventative and corrective)
During all these tasks, hazards in the risk assessment must be taken into account and, if there is a danger, it must be reduced in accordance to the risk assessment. An additional point to the risk assessment that is frequently overlooked is the unintentional behaviour of an operator or the reasonably foreseeable misuse of a machine. Malfunctions on a machine, due to the failure of a component for example, are also to be considered.
It is not uncommon for hazards originating from a machine or installation to be missed during the risk assessment. For this reason, there are also examples for the various possible hazards in the Annex to the standard, including (but not limited to):
· Crushing due to moving elements
· Crushing due to lack of stability of the machine or part of the machine
· Electrical shock or electrocution due to electrical equipment, parts of which become live under fault conditions.
· Permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to noise
· Respiratory disease due to inhalation
· Musculoskeletal disorders, e.g. repetitive activity
· Burns due to contact with excessive temperatures or chemicals
Taken altogether, this can be a very complex task for the design engineer although there is wide range of external support available including training, risk assessments and safety concept design services from companies like Euchner.
Methodology for risk estimation
There are various factors that define the risk in a danger zone on a machine. Primarily, there is of course the possible extent of the harm. However, a risk is lower if the exposure to a hazard is only infrequent or brief, for example with fully automated machinery. The second factor is the frequency and duration of usage. The third factor is whether the person can avoid the hazard because, for example, the motion that causes the hazard is so slow that it is possible to leave the danger zone by simply moving away. A fourth factor is the probability of the hazard actually occurring.
In summary, EN ISO 12100 provides guidelines for the safety of machinery. It is intended to help manufacturers design safe machinery and to assist in the creation of national regulations for the safety of machinery. The standard covers a wide range of topics, including risk assessment, and is meant to help ensure the safety of machinery by reducing the risk of accidents and injuries to workers and other people who may come into contact with machinery.
