ChE Plus Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 2

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MS Excel Spreadsheet Contest, $100 Cash Prize!
(Ends June 30, 2005)

New Articles Available

The ABCs of Process Safety and Risk Management
From our new guest author, Mike McCue, learn the basics of process safety and risk management.  Read the full article.

Managing Wild Yeast Contamination in Fermentation
Can wild yeast contaminate the fermentation process?  They sure can!  Here, you'll learn about how yeast get contaminated in alcohol fermentation.  We'll examine the sources, isolation methods, and how to identify contamination.  Also, learn about the problems caused and how to take preventative measures to prevent contamination.  Read the full article.

Rupture Pin Technology

Mr. Julian Taylor, owner and CEO of Rupture Pin Technology, invented the Buckling Pin Valve to solve the many problems that rupture disk users have come to accept as hassles of doing business.  The ASME and API accepted Rupture Pin Valve offers accuracy, reliability, and dependability.  It will allow higher working pressures for longer time periods without the fear of premature failure of the pressure relief devices.

The Rupture Pin Valve obeys Euler’s Law of Compressed Columns to buckle a metallic pin that senses an axial force from a piston that senses system pressure.  The pin will buckle precisely at set pressure allowing instantaneous full bore relief. The Rupture Pin Valve has only one moving part, the piston. It will maintain a bubble tight seal (ASME Class 6) until the set pressure is reached. ASME allows a variance of +5% from set pressure, but less than +2% is normally seen on actual valve certifications. The Rupture Pin Valve does not have the additional “manufactures tolerance of +10%” that the rupture disk is allowed. The pin is held in place with tight tolerance inserts and will never fatigue or be affected by pulsation. The pin has two stable conditions, straight or buckled - providing an excellent visual indicator.

Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Wanna, Oregon is one of the many paper mills around the country saving money by using the Rupture Pin valve.  Don Berry, Bleach Plant Maintenance Planner / Supervisor, has stated “I would like to thank you for introducing me to your product. Previously we were using a rupture disc.   While this was a good product, the time to change the disc is 10x as much as the time to change the buckling pin.  In  addition to the ease of maintenance, I am impressed with the amount of (or lack of) preventative maintenance on your Pressure relief device.  Again, your buckling pin has saved us money already and will continue to do so in the future.”  You may download the full “GP Testimony” from the Rupture Pin website (www.rupturepin.com).

Many companies using the Rupture Pin Valves have found the cost savings advantage over using a rupture disk, you can find a list of these companies on the Rupture Pin website.  Also on the website is a “Rupture Pin vs. Rupture Disk cost comparison” MS Excel work sheet so you can estimate your savings.

While many companies are replacing rupture disks, Shell Offshore has found success with the Rupture Pin valve replacing conventional spring loaded pressure relief valves installed on high pressure positive displacement pumps.   The pulsation created by positive displacement pumps will fatigue the springs in conventional pressure relief valves.  Because the Rupture Pin Valve is immune to pulsation, Shell Offshore is installing the Model H Rupture Pin Valve on their chemical injection pumps.  The set pressures on the valves are 15,000 psig and 9500 psig.   Cost savings for Shell Offshore was quoted in the millions of dollars range!

Rupture Pin Technology is currently (April 2005 delivery) building a valve for NASA at the John Stennis Space Center in Gulfport, MS.  This 3 inch valve is our Model I with a set pressure of 9350 psig.  This valve will be installed on one of NASA’s rocket engine test facilities.

By adding a small Rupture Pin Valve to your existing Pilot Operated valve, you can make the valve a fail open valve.  This was the very first application for the Rupture Pin Valve.  Contact Rupture Pin Technology for additional information if you are having problems with your pilot operated valves.

	Rupture Pin Technology is currently (April 2005 delivery) building a valve for NASA at the John Stennis Space Center in Gulfport, MS.  This 3 inch valve is our Model I with a set pressure of 9350 psig.  This valve will be installed on one of NASA’s rocket engine test facilities.
Model B-ESV
By adding a small Rupture Pin Valve to your existing Pilot Operated valve, you can make the valve a fail open valve.  This was the very first application for the Rupture Pin Valve.  Contact Rupture Pin Technology for additional information if you are having problems with your pilot operated valves.  Rupture Pin Valves are successful as emergency shutdown valves.  Using the same principles, the Buckling Pin Technology can be applied to emergency shutdown on pipelines and other pressurized systems, providing the user security from over pressure problems.  The Rupture Pin Valve has minimal maintenance requirements.  The assurance that the piston is free to move is all that is required.  Changing the o-rings can be done in a matter of minutes, definitely less time than necessary to inspect a rupture disk for damage.  The Pin is rolled on a flat surface to insure no damage.
	Model B-ESV offset

The Buckling Pin Valve, invented and manufactured by Rupture Pin Technology will have a larger initial investment than inferior pressure relief devices, but after installation of the Rupture Pin Valve, you may pick the day your return on investment is achieved; because that is the day you didn’t have a premature failure.

The Rupture Pin Valve is custom made to solve individual problems.  Rupture Pin Technology has made valves as small as 1/8” to 36” and pressure ranges from inches of water column to 15,000 psig.  Rupture Pin Valves are in gas and liquid services all over the world, in all industries.

For a Rupture Pin Technology informative CD mailed to you or more information, log on to our website at www.rupturepin.com or contact Rupture Pin Technology at 405.789.1884 or sales@rupturepin.com.

FREE Pump Curve Constructor Spreadsheet

Determine how a pump will operate in a new duty by projecting a new curve based on the original curve.  Great tool for changing the duty of a pump.   Provided cortesy of Langley Ventures.  Grab this free spreadsheet here.

MS Excel Spreadsheet Calculation Contest - Ending June 30, 2005

We're looking for the best process engineering calcuation spreadsheets out there.  Enter our contest and a chance to win a $100 prize!   The spreadsheets will be judged on the following criteria:

• Usefulness of the calculation(s) performed

• User-friendly interface

• Accuracy of the calculation

Email us your spreadsheet today.  The winner will receive a $100 cash prize!

Overheard in the Online Forum

Problems at a Gas Processing Plant

"I'm working on a project where the operations folks say that the devices they have at the inlet to a pair of recip compressors are not effective.  They have 2 parallel horizontal separators that seem to do basically nothing (no liquid ever drains from these vessels), and a vertical scrubber that I think is plugged.  The latter has a vertical element, containing wire mesh and vanes, a liquid collection pan, and a diptube to drain coalesced liquid to the bottom of the vessel.   The bottom should contain enough liquid to form a seal. Unfortunately, the bottom is dry, and attempts to fill it with water have resulted in liquid slugs to the compressors.  Compressor maintenance has been a problem.  Operations suspects that some burnt glycol got into the system (perhaps pretty long ago) and has been slowly sloughing off the pipes and equipment where it resides. Recently, gas production has been accompanied with some very fine solids (referred to as "doughy").  We could call it fine sand though some refer to it as clay-like.  The gas contains very, very little liquid normally, though there are wellhead drying systems at each well.   Upsets or misoperation could possibly generate liquids.

Given this situation, I am looking for a solution to propose to them.  What do you think of a high-quality reverse flow cleaning device (a la King Tool)?  Will only disposable filters work?  Are there other solutions that might work?"

Read the replies to this message

Software Spotlight

TANKJKT is one the best selling software titles in our online store, and it's little wonder.  The author, Stephen Hall, based the program on years of experience in designing heat transfer systems with jacketed vessels and vessel with internal coils.  The interface is extremely user-friendly and can be previewed here.

When you're ready to get your copy of TANKJKT, you can purchase from the online store and download the software immediately.

Discounts on CE Credits

Did you know that you can get a 10% discount on a variety of online CE courses offered by RedVector.com?  Visit the CE Credit section of our online store for instructions.   Remember, don't put the course in your "basket", use the link provided with each course description to order from RedVector.com.

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