The Monitor

Production Process Insights

Manufacturers Should Align with Internationally Certified Suppliers

Posted by Dan Quigley on 6/23/16 7:00 AM

As companies continue to find ways to compete globally, they are expanding their worldwide reach. Operating manufacturing plants in various countries can result in a distinct competitive advantage. However, if you are working with suppliers that are not aware of and do not meet international certifications in operations and materials, delays and product rework could cost you that competitive edge.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Downstream, Mining, Upstream & Midstream, Pharmaceutical, Any Application

­­The Most Popular Analyzers Used in North American Power Plants

Posted by Paul Williams on 6/21/16 7:30 AM

As the industry leader in steam and water analysis systems (SWAS) for power generation, we maintain and service those systems including the analyzers – from any brand – in power plants nationwide. Our long history and breadth of experience has given us a unique vantage point on the types and brands of analyzers most requested and used in North America.

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Topics: Power, Steam & Water

Match Your Sampling Solutions to Our Best Suppliers

Posted by Mike Keister on 6/14/16 1:00 PM

You trust your strategic sampling partner to help you solve your representative sampling challenges. You also rely on them to tell you when, occasionally, your needs are better met by a solution they do not currently offer.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Food & Beverage, Downstream, Mining, Upstream & Midstream, Pharmaceutical, Any Application

Prevent Magnetite From Plugging Your Steam And Water System

Posted by Brad Taylor on 6/9/16 7:52 AM

Magnetite is a form of iron particulate that naturally forms on the inside of steam and water pipes. In many aging power plants during plant startup and cycling, particles of the coating can shed – known as a crud burst or iron throw. These magnetite particles can cause issues and damage within the plant’s steam and water analysis system (SWAS) by jamming and plugging sample conditioning components and analyzers. And when the SWAS does not operate properly, the water chemistry for the whole plant is at risk.

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Topics: Power, Steam & Water

Find the best samplers for solids and powders

Posted by Rich Gaffney on 6/7/16 10:14 AM

A number of industries routinely conduct solid and powder sampling, ranging from cement and food and beverage, to pharmaceutical, petrochemical, mining, oil and gas, and power generation. This list illustrates the wide variety of solid and powder sampling applications, and it also proves that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all sampling solution.

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Topics: Power, Cement, Food & Beverage, Downstream, Mining, Upstream & Midstream, Solids & Powder, Pharmaceutical, Any Application, Steam & Water

Can One Analyzer Cause an Unscheduled Power Plant Shutdown?

Posted by Paul Williams on 5/25/16 3:31 PM

The answer is yes.

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Topics: Power

How to radiographic test for welding quality in your heat exchanger

Posted by Krista Drager on 4/19/16 4:20 PM

Sample coolers and heat exchangers cool samples from process streams. A sample flows through the tube side of the heat exchanger, and the cooling fluid, usually water, flows through the shell side to cool the process gas or fluid so it can be monitored or analyzed.

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Topics: Power, Downstream, Any Application

Power plant retrofit solutions require knowledge, creativity

Posted by Sentry Equipment on 3/8/16 2:08 PM

Because many of the nation’s power plants were built some time ago, it often is a challenge for project managers to update the steam and water analysis (SWAS) system by retrofitting the plant with needed new technology within the existing facility footprint.

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Topics: Power, Steam & Water

Power Plant Identifies Corrosion Sources with Portable Sampler

Posted by John Powalisz on 3/3/16 4:16 PM

Metal corrosion within a power plant has the potential to cause catastrophic assets failure, injuring operators and damaging the environment and communities – plus causing costly downtime. For those reasons, identifying sources of, controlling and preventing corrosion are primary concerns of water chemists in a power plant.

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Topics: Power

Super sample cooler meets supercritical power application

Posted by Kevin Kirst on 2/4/16 10:23 AM

Many regions of the world are experiencing ever-growing demand for electricity, and at the same time, permitted emissions from power plants have been reduced to meet air quality standards. Fossil fuel power plants are a source of CO2, which is one of the greenhouse gases that is regulated and of global concern due to its impact on climate change. The burning of coal, an abundant fuel resource in many of the worlds’ developing regions, produces CO2 – but coal is likely to remain a dominant fuel source for electricity generation in many countries for years to come.

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Topics: Power