Southern California Gas Offers Technical Help
For Energy-Efficiency Projects
To help overcome the need for technical expertise as a the barrier to large energy-efficiency projects, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has develop a free service to help its industrial customers evaluate complex projects. The Industrial End User (IEU) program offers expert analyses on energy-efficiency improvements for any industrial natural gas application, including process heating and steam systems, gas engines, air compressors, oxidizers and steam turbine drives.

"We have aggressive goals for helping our customers save money through energy efficiency," said Mark Gaines, SoCalGas’ director of customer programs. "To that end, we’re willing to send a team of DOE qualified specialists to visit our industrial customers and make detailed assessments of their energy-savings opportunities. They’ll also show how to save more money through our rebates and incentives, which could exceed $1.2 million per customer per year."

In less than two years, the IEU program has conducted more than 60 site visits and identified energy-saving opportunities of more than 4 million therms per year. For instance, SoCalGas’ Bryan Warren (pictured, on left) helped Matt Rickerd, chief engineer at Puritan Bakery, Carson, Calif., verify a savings of about 84,000 therms a year by retrofitting an incinerator with a thermal oxidizer.

Solar Products Marks 50th Year and Revamps Site
To help celebrate its 50th year in business, Solar Products Inc. , Pompton Lakes, N.J., has improved its web site. The company was founded in 1957, by Richard Eck when he engineered specifications for a radiantly efficient infrared electric panel heater and marketed his product in several custom designs. More than 50 years later, the ideas behind that heater are an essential part of the company’s commitment toward providing industrial process applications with high-quality infrared heaters and quartz products. The company manufactures custom infrared electric heaters for the OEM market.

Visitors to www.solarproducts.com can view a range of electric infrared heaters that can be custom made to exact specifications, as well as high-purity quartz material. The web site allows users to view all the company’s products, download product specifications and industry handbooks, and learn about the diverse applications that use infrared heating by reviewing its in-depth case histories.

Recycling PET Packaging
The ubiquitous water bottle, which seemingly accompanies consumers everywhere, creates a challenge for recyclers. One heat processing equipment supplier suggests environmentally friendly, cost-effective recovery technologies that promise acceptable returns to the recycler.

Fluid Phraseology
Use this heat transfer fluid glossary to speak the language of thermal fluids effectively.

Aluminum Advantages
Using aluminum can provide advantages in weight, performance, defrost, corrosion resistance and cleanability.

Three Cool Solutions
Learning about the factors involved in designing or specifying a process water cooling system can help you successfully match a cooling strategy to your process.

Special Report: Electrotechnologies Review
End-users who are hoping to speed up production, save on natural gas costs and reduce emissions are taking another look at electrotechnologies such as infrared, ultraviolet, microwave and electron beam.

Safety First
NFPA 86 requires ovens, furnaces and related equipment to be designed to minimize the fire hazard inherent from equipment operating at elevated or high temperatures. Limit controllers are an integral tool in complying with the safety standard.

Angle-Seat Control Valve
With control characteristics and high flow rates, Type 2702 is suited for use with heat exchangers, autoclaves, sterilizers, washers, distilling apparatus and packaging and filling machinery. The angle-seat control valve has a 316L angle-seat body with a pneumatic piston actuator. The unit's trim results in a flow characteristic approximately 35 percent larger than conventional control valves, says the manufacturer. Type 2702 is available in either stainless steel on stainless steel or with a PTFE seal for tight shutoff.

Burkert Fluid Control
(949) 223-3100

Coating Provides Erosion-Corrosion Control
High temperature coating Type 1391 is intended for wet flue gas desulfurization units. According to the company, the coating is immune to chemical attack from high caustic lime slurry, offers abrasion resistance and is suitable for the elevated temperatures present in emission-control equipment. In less severe situations, Type 5891 can be used for corrosion resistance. The high-temperature coatings can be applied in situ without the use of hot work.

Belzona Inc.
(305) 594-4994

Environmental Monitoring Systems
As part of the Falcon F-Series, the F1000 and F3400 stand-alone systems enable remote environmental monitoring of critical operating parameters. Embedded firmware handles all data-collection, alarm-reporting and multiple concurrent-communication mediums. The standard systems allow for direct plug-and-play integration with up to eight of the company’s leak-detection systems via Modbus connectivity.

RLE Technologies
(970) 484-6510

Dataloggers
Models TR-71W and TR-72W incorporate an integrated Ethernet/LAN interface for monitoring both temperature and humidity. The interface allows collection of recorded data and monitoring of current conditions. The 71 model of the Thermo-Recorders can send warning e-mails and text messages to cell phones. Both units can be connected to a LAN through a standard 10/100 Base-T Ethernet or through an 802.11b wireless LAN connection.

T and D Corp.
(518) 669-9227

High Temperature Materials for Lining Heated Vessels
Rather than mixing with water like traditional refractories, Thermbond employs a phosphate-based liquid activator in combination with proprietary dry components to create an exothermic (heat-releasing) chemical reaction. This reaction causes the material to set quickly. By using a liquid activator, the material heats up more rapidly than traditional refractories, says the manufacturer.

Stellar Materials Inc.
(561) 330-9300

Pipe-Mounting Collars
Collars can be used to rigidly mount tubing and pipe. They include PTFE bushings that help compensate for thermal expansion and variations in pipe size, as well as reduce vibration and noise. The two-piece collars have flats on both outside surfaces, are drilled and tapped for stacking to each other, and have a countersunk hole for mounting. Machined from aluminum, steel and stainless steel, they are offered in six pipe sizes from 0.25 to 1.25" OD. The PTFE bushings can be supplied with one or two flanges and are split to fit inside the collars.

Stafford Manufacturing Corp.
(800) 695-5551