SOLUTIONS for FLUID MOVEMENT,

MEASUREMENT & CONTAINMENT

Pharmaceutical
SINGLE New devices make

USE their mark

Also Inside

Homogenizer valve
maintenance
Smarter VSDs for
centrifugal pumps
Sealing in special
applications
MARCH 2017 • Vol. XXIII, No. 3
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Table of Contents | March 2017 • Vol. XXIII, No. 3

Cover Series
Pharmaceuticals
10 Liquid flowmeters for bioprocessing
By John Benson, PendoTECH
An overview of the diverse technologies available

iStock/Gannet
14 The right pharma plant accessories
By Michael Curnutte, L.J. Star Inc.
Speed up and simplify cleaning, maintenance
and process control.
10
Special Section
Valves & Actuators
17 Valve stem seal selection criteria 17
By K.S. Patil, Jaisingh Jadhav & Ram Viswanathan,
L&T Valves
Consider service specifications, bonnet design and more.

21 Winning homogenization strategies

By Anders Kold, Con O-Driscoll & Leif S. Larsen,
SPX FLOW Technology
The right design and materials lead to longer life. 28
24 with
Improve total cost of ownership
valves
By Christof Lindner, Pentair Valves & Controls
Equipment, supplier and process standardization can
help save money without spending it.
Departments
4 From the Editor
Best Practices & Applications 6 News & Notes
28 pump
Smarter VSDs improve centrifugal
operation
8 Application Corner & Quiz Corner
16 Featured Products
By Adarsh Iyengar, ITT PRO Services
Variable speed drives have better control, protection 27 Trade Shows & Events
and functionality. 31 Advertiser Index
32 FlowControlNetwork.com

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From the Editor

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
LORI DITORO | 205-408-3744
lditoro@grandviewmedia.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF
ROBYN TUCKER | 205-981-4698
rtucker@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR
AMY W. RICHARDSON | 205-408-5050
arichardson@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP ASSOCIATE EDITOR
AMANDA HOSEY | 205-408-3784
ahosey@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP SENIOR EDITOR, CONTENT MARKETING
MATT MIGLIORE | 484-255-9032
matt@grandviewmedia.com
Millipore Sigma presented its COLUMNIST
bioreactor (above), and Editorial DAVID W. SPITZER
Director Lori Ditoro visited with ART DIRECTOR
Garlock (left) at INTERPHEX 2016. RYAN CARLSON
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
JAIME DE ARMAN | jdearman@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP PUBLISHER
MICHAEL C. CHRISTIAN | 908-507-5472
mikec@grandviewmedia.com
DISTRICT MANAGER

W
hen the industry gathers in standardization’s importance on page JAY HAAS | 205-572-1058
New York this month for the 24, which is followed by SPX Flow’s article jay@grandviewmedia.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
International Pharmaceutical on homogenizer valve maintenance ADDISON PERKINS | 205-861-5303
Expo (INTERPHEX), it will take in the (page 21). a.perkins@grandviewmedia.com
latest in pharmaceutical innovation and Variable frequency drives are an NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER
JIM SEMPLE | 908-963-3008
knowledge from key players in the market. important piece of pump systems, so jsemple@grandviewmedia.com
Pharmaceutical manufacturing contains ITT PRO Services discusses a next-gen- ACCOUNT MANAGER
challenges unique to its process, and fluid eration solution for pump control and LISA WILLIMAN | 205-332-5915
lwilliman@grandviewmedia.com
handling professionals must take care to protection on page 28. Finally, don’t MARKETING DIRECTOR
ensure they contribute to sanitary, efficient forget to check out David W. Spitzer’s ANNEE COOK
and precise methods. While you’re explor- Application Corner and Quiz Corner on MARKETING MANAGER
NICK PHILLIPS
ing the show floor, stop by and visit with us page 8.
DIGITAL BUSINESS DIRECTOR
at Booth 4034. Meanwhile, see a preview As trade show season begins to STUART ANDERSON
of the show on page 27. ramp up, I am excited to learn more DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
MARY BETH ROMANO
This issue focuses on the pharmaceu- about the industry and experience its
AUDIENCE MARKETING MANAGER
tical industry. The cover series opens continual progress. Follow us on Twitter ANNA HICKS
with an article by PendoTECH on flow and visit FlowControlNetwork.com for SUBSCRIPTION & REPRINT REQUEST
flowcontrol@omeda.com
sensing technologies for biopharmaceu- the latest updates.
tical applications (page 10). L.J. Star CORPORATE TEAM
PRESIDENT
continues the series on page 14 with an Sincerely, VICKI DENMARK
overview of improved sight glass acces- CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
MARY BETH SHADDIX
sories for the market. AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Next in our special section on valves & ANALYTICS DIRECTOR
HEATHER THOMPSON
and actuators, L&T Valves Limited dis- Robyn Tucker
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
cusses thermoplastic technologies rtucker@grandviewmedia.com RANDY LYLE
and bonnet extensions (page 17). @FlowControl_Mag PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
ANDY ESTILL
Pentair then presents a case for valve PRODUCT DIRECTOR
JENNIFER RICHARDS

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Jeff Jennings: Equilibar LLC Tom O’Banion: Emerson Process Management, Micro Motion
MitchJeff
Johnson: JMSEquilibar
Jennings: SoutheastLLC | Mitch Johnson:DavidJMS Southeast Gobind
W. Spitzer,|PE: Khiani:
Spitzer Fluor Canada
and Boyes LLC Ltd.
Gobind Khiani:JimFluor
Lauria: Mazzei
Canada, Injector Company |George
Ltd. John Merrill, PE: EagleBurgmann
Weihrauch: Baldor Electric Industries
Company
Jim Lauria: Steve Injector Endress+Hauser
MazzeiMilford: Company U.S. | Andrew
Tom O’Banion: Emerson
Yeghnazar: Automation
Blacoh Solutions
Fluid Control WINNER
DavidPE:
John Merrill, Spitzer, PE: Spitzer
W.EagleBurgmann and Boyes LLC
Industries | George
Jesse Yoder:Weihrauch: Baldor Electric Company
Flow Research
Andrew Yeghnazar:
Steve Milford: Endress+Hauser U.S.Blacoh Fluid Control | Jesse Yoder, Ph.D.: Flow Research

4 | March 2017 Flow Control

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News & Notes
Industry news
Average crude oil prices
forecast to rise
Benchmark North Sea Brent and West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices are ex-
pected to average $53 per barrel (b)
and $52/b, respectively, in 2017, close
to their levels during the last three
weeks of 2016, noted the U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA). Aver-
age forecast prices will rise to $56/b and
$55/b, respectively, in 2018.
Strong demand and recent agree-
ment to reduce production among Or-
ganization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) members and key
non-OPEC oil producers put upward
pressure on crude oil prices.
Crude oil prices up in 2016,
still below 2015 averages
Crude oil prices were above $50/b at the
end of 2016. The annual average West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price
in 2016 was $43/b — down $5/b from
2015 — and the WTI price ended 2016
at $53/b, $16/b higher than at the end
of 2015. Brent prices ended 2016 up
$17 from the end of 2015 at $54/b,
while the 2016 $44/b annual average
was $8 below the 2015 average, ac-
cording to the EIA.
US gasoline prices in 2016
were lowest since 2004
U.S. 2016 regular retail gasoline pric-
es averaged $2.14 per gallon (gal),
29 cents/gal (12 percent) less than in
2015 and the lowest annual average
price since 2004. The main cause of
lower gasoline prices were lower crude
oil prices in 2015.
Specialty chemicals market
expected to reach $233.5B
worldwide by 2020
The Specialty Chemicals Market Report,
published by Allied Market Research,
forecasts that the global market is
expected to generate $233.5 billion
by 2020. In 2014, construction
chemicals and food additives segment
collectively accounted for about half
6 | March 2017
of the market share and this trend is
expected to continue during the forecast
period. In 2014, the Asia-Pacific region
contributed around 35 percent share of
the specialty chemical market.
EPA amends risk
management regulations for
chemical facilities
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) finalized a rule amending
its Risk Management Program (RMP)
regulations to reduce the likelihood of
accidental releases at chemical facilities
and improve emergency response activi-
ties when those releases occur.
The Accidental Release Prevention
regulations — also known as the EPA
RMP regulations — require covered fa-
cilities to develop and implement a risk
management program, which will be
shared with state and local officials to
help them plan for and prevent chemical
accidents and releases.
Company news
Nidec acquires Emerson
businesses
Emerson Electric Co.’s motors, drives
and electric power generation business-
es are now Nidec subsidiaries. Six ac-
quisitions, including Emerson Industrial
Automation USA (to be renamed Nidec
Industrial Automation USA) and Kato
Engineering Inc., were completed Feb.
1. Other acquisitions, including Leroy
Somer Electro-Technique, will be final-
ized Sept. 30.
FSA appoints vice president
The Fluid Sealing Association (FSA) ap-
pointed Robert (Rob) S. Coffee as vice
president. He is currently the vice presi-
dent of sales and marketing for Proco
Products Inc. and serves as a member
of the Marketing Committee and as
chair of the Membership Committee.
ITT names new COO
ITT Inc. named Luca Savi as chief
operating officer (COO). He will focus
on driving business performance by
expanding and strengthening ITT’s
comprehensive management system
and processes while continuing to grow
world-class operational capabilities
across the company.
MCAA announces new board
members & officers
The Measurement, Control & Automa-
tion Association (MCAA) President Te-
resa Sebring certified the election of of-
ficers and directors for the association
for 2017. The new leadership includes
Peter Martin, vice president strategic
ventures for Schneider Electric Systems
USA Inc., and Bharat Naik, president of
Reotemp Instruments, as vice chairman.
ASTM International begins
year with new chairman
Thomas Marsh, president and CEO of
Centrotrade Minerals and Metals Inc.,
began his term as 2017 chairman of the
ASTM International board of directors.
Marsh has served on several commit-
tees since becoming an ASTM Interna-
tional member in 1990. FC
Send news and events for consider-
ation in this section to Group Associ-
ate Editor Amanda Hosey at ahosey@
grandviewmedia.com.
Upcoming events
MCAA Industry Forum
April 23–25
Atlanta
measure.org
Offshore Technology Conference
May 1–4
Houston
otcnet.org
CPhl North America
May 16–18
Philadelphia
cphinorthamerica.com
EASA Convention
June 25–27
Tampa, Florida
easa.com
Flow Control
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 Application Corner
By David W. Spitzer
Steam flowmeter audit
Part 1: Discovering the problem
A
bout 10 years ago, I was asked
to audit the flowmeters used
to bill a chemical plant for its
steam consumption. In general, hiring
a consultant to audit the flowmeters
illustrates the importance placed on
having accurate measurements that
ensure the multimillion-dollar annual
steam bill is as accurate as possible.
This activity makes financial sense be-
cause hundreds of thousands of dollars
of steam can flow through one flowme-
ter annually. A measurement error of 1
percent will cause the flowmeter to be
in error by thousands of dollars per year.
Spending a few thousand dollars to have
the flowmeter installations, operation
Quiz Corner
A. One pump feeding one user | B. One pump feeding multiple users
D. Two operating parallel pumps feeding multiple users
I
nstalling a variable speed drive to
operate one pump that feeds one
user (Answer A) allows the variable
speed drive to manipulate that flow
as part of a feedback control loop.
This configuration lends itself to being
viable when the energy savings associ-
ated with operating with the variable
speed drive sufficiently offsets the cost
of the installation. Similarly, using two
operating parallel pumps (Answer C)
can be viable, although two variable
speed drives will likely be required to
8 | March 2017
and maintenance audited can be money
well-spent, especially when conflicts be-
tween parties can be prevented before
they even start. That said, most people
do not think this way, so I typically get in-
volved when something is wrong or when
the parties are fighting — or both.
In this case, something was wrong be-
cause the “As Found” quarterly calibra-
tion check on a flowmeter was almost
always in error despite acceptable previ-
ous “As Left” calibrations. The usual fixes
had already been implemented to include
switching and then replacing the trans-
mitter, yet the error continued. Nothing
seemed to work. Recognizing that a prob-
lem existed and hiring a consultant to
Which of the following configurations lend themselves
to becoming potentially viable applications of variable
speed drives?
| C. Two operating parallel pumps feeding one user
operate the system.
Installing a variable speed drive to
operate one pump that feeds multiple
users (Answer B) allows the variable
speed drive to manipulate the header
pressure. This configuration may lend
itself to being viable when header
pressure reductions (as compared to
the existing header pressure) result in
energy savings that offset the cost of
the installation. Similarly, using two
operating parallel pumps (Answer D)
can be viable while two variable speed
audit the system was suggested.
Keep in mind that measurements are
implemented using a flow measurement
system where the key word is “system.”
While problems often lie where the
symptoms occur, it is not uncommon
to stumble across problems located in
other part(s) of the flow measurement
system. For example, the flowmeters
may not have sufficient straight run, or
the pipe diameter is not per specifica-
tions, or the flowmeter is coating, or the
calculations are incorrect, or the input
electronics are set up incorrectly, etc.
Hundreds of problems can potentially
exist in the flow measurement system.
More next month. FC
drives will likely be required to operate
the system.
Additional complicating
factors
These configurations generally focus
on energy savings. Making process
improvements as a result of applying
variable speed drives in other
configurations can reduce operating
costs significantly. FC
Flow Control
 A measurement error of 1 percent will cause the flowmeter
to be in error by thousands of dollars per year.

David W. Spitzer is a regular contributor

to Flow Control magazine and a principal
in Spitzer and Boyes LLC, which offers
engineering, seminars, strategic, mar-
keting consulting, distribution consulting
and expert witness services for manu-
facturing and automation companies.
Spitzer and Boyes is also the publisher In- Line Sensors:
of the Industrial Automation INSIDER. He
• No calibration required
has more than 40 years of experience
• Sensors connect to monitors that can be
and has written more than 10 books and integrated to a control system or PC
350 articles about flow measurement, • The sensor can be disposed of after use to
instrumentation and process control. eliminate cleaning of product contact areas
Spitzer may be reached at 845-623- • Available in different sizes
1830 or via spitzerandboyes.com. Pressure
Click on the “Products” tab to find his
Consumer Guides to various flow and
level measurement technologies.

Temperature

Did you • Manufactured in an ISO 13485 facility

• Pressure Sensors for use from -7 psi to 75 psi
and Temperature from 0-70°C

know? • Ideal for use in biopharmaceutical

process applications
• Manufactured of polysulphone

The variable frequency/

speed drive (VFD/VSD) mar-
ALSO AVAILABLE!
ket is expected to grow at a PendoTECH Coriolis Flowmeter Liner
CAGR of close to 7 percent Eliminates the need for cleaning of
internal surfaces
from 2015 to 2022. VFD us-
age helps improve quality of
the product and reduces the
production cost.
Princeton, NJ USA
www.pendotech.com
– Grand View Research
grandviewresearch.com
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www.flowcontrolnetwork.com March 2017 | 9

Cover Series: Pharmaceuticals

Liquid flowmeters for

bioprocessing
An overview of the diverse technologies available
By John Benson, PendoTECH

L
iquid volumetric flow rate is an
important process parameter in
several bioprocess operations.
This includes but is not limited to:
depth filtration, tangential flow filtration
(TFF), chromatography and perfusion.
Different applications require different
core flow measurement technologies.
Coriolis, mechanical rotary, ultrasonic
and electromagnetic measurement prin-
ciples are discussed.
It is important that the right core mea-
surement technology be selected for
each application’s specific requirements.
Factors such as cost, availability of
single-use products (disposable), flow
rate range and potential density/viscos-
ity changes should be considered. Each
core technology has positive and negative
attributes that must be deliberated. With
the right planning and due diligence, the
best flowmeter can be selected for each
application’s unique needs.
Unique to the biopharmaceutical
industry, single-use bioprocessing
equipment has become widely accepted
technology in a relatively short time.
Single-use devices differ from traditional
biopharmaceutical process systems in
that they are disposed of after each
use, as opposed to being cleaned and
Coriolis
Coriolis flowmeters utilize the power of
the Coriolis Effect to measure the mass
flow rate and density of liquids. The
operating principle involves a vibra-
tion of the tubes through which liquid
passes. Sensors monitor and analyze
changes in frequency, phase shift and
amplitude of the vibrating flow tubes.
Products that utilize Coriolis tech-
nology provide high accuracy and pre-
cision (usually ±1 percent of reading),
wide flow rate ranges and unparalleled
ability to handle viscosity and density
changes. This is because the flowme-
ter is technically a mass flowmeter at
heart. It follows that when the density
of the liquid is known, volumetric flow
rate can be calculated. No calibration
of the flowmeter is required, even if
multiple types of liquids are used. This
presents a distinct advantage com-
pared to other technologies.
Example of a Coriolis
flowmeter
These flowmeters are ideal for a
retentate line in a TFF process since a
change in viscosity might occur. Single-
use options were traditionally not avail-
able because of the unique operating
principle, but they are now beginning to
appear in the marketplace.
Rotary/Turbine
Rotary flowmeters use a more tradi-
tional/mechanical measurement meth-
od where a small turbine (sometimes
referred to as “worm”) is located directly
in the liquid flow path. The turbine wheel
is set in the path of a fluid stream. The
flowing liquid comes in contact with the
turbine blades, imparting a force on the
blade surface and setting the turbine
in motion. The rotational speed of the

reused. Disposable devices and com- All graphics courtesy

of PendoTECH
ponents have created market niches
and new segments that continue to
evolve. The growing demand for single-
use equipment has driven development
and innovation in the flowmeter indus-
try, with the recent launch of disposable
Coriolis and ultrasonic flowmeters.

10 | March 2017 Flow Control


Single-use rotary
flowmeter cross-section
turbine is proportional to liquid velocity
when a steady speed has been reached.
Rotary flowmeters have two very
strong advantages: their low cost and
availability of single-use products.
While calibration of the pulse constant
(K-value) is usually necessary, an aver-
aged value may be found over the flow
range of the particular unit. Performance
can be improved at specific flow rates
by calibrating (determining the K-value)
at said flow rate.
Downsides include the inability to
handle viscosity/density changes, and
their comparatively poor accuracy speci-
fications (±5 percent of reading over
the range of the flowmeter). In addition,
the presence of particles and debris in
the liquid could impair the rotation of
the turbine. This would have a negative
effect on performance, so these flow-
meters are best used after a filter.
Example of an inline ultrasonic flowmeter
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic flowmeter technology uses
high-frequency sound waves to noninva-
sively measure the flow rate of a liquid.
In biotech applications, two main variet-
ies are generally in use: inline designs
and designs that clamp on to existing
bioprocess tubing.
Inline ultrasonic technology has many
distinct advantages. It has high accura-
cy/precision — usually 1 percent of flow
rate. It is scalable from 1 milliliter per
minute (mL/min) or even lower, all the
way up to 80 liters per minute (L/min)
depending on size. It is noninvasive and
thus presents no risk of contamination.
It has no moving parts, which means no
particle generation occurs. Single-use
options are also available. One other
advantage of ultrasonic flowmeters is
that they can measure the flow rates of
a wide variety of liquids if the speed of
sound through that liquid is known.
Clamp-on technology allows these
flowmeters to simply clamp on to exist-
ing flexible tubing. In this manner, the
flowmeter has no parts that come in
contact with the liquid being measured.
This is advantageous because the flow
rate of liquids in a disposable tub-
ing assembly can be measured with
no reoccurring costs. On the down-
side, clamp-on flowmeters generally
have lower accuracy and precision than
inline, and their calibration requires that
the process tubing, temperature and
liquid be measured.
Electromagnetic
Electromagnetic flowmeters use mag-
netic fields applied to the flow tube,
which results in a potential difference
proportional to the flow velocity. The
potential difference is sensed by elec-
trodes aligned perpendicular to the flow
and the applied magnetic field. The elec-
trodes must not corrode when in con-
tact with the process liquid, and some
electromagnetic flowmeters even have
auxiliary transducers installed to clean
the electrodes in place. Measurement
is independent of density, temperature,
viscosity and pressure.
These flowmeters are extremely accu-
rate, have a wide flow measurement
range and are less expensive than a com-
parable Coriolis meter. Electromagnetic
flowmeters also have no moving parts or
obstructions in the flow path.
The main negative property that must
be considered with this particular tech-
nology is that the liquid must have
some conductance. In general, the liq-
uid must have a conductivity of at least
20 uS per centimeter for the flowmeter
to function properly. Another downside
is that this technology struggles with
low flows. Even the smallest magnetic
flowmeters have higher minimum flow
rates (≈700 mL/min) than others, which
could exclude them from being consid-
ered for certain small-scale bioprocess
applications. Finally, no single-use
options are available.
March 2017 | 11
 Applications
Conclusion
This article has summarized the differ-
ent types of flowmeter technology com-
monly used for bioprocess operations.
The bioprocess industry has unique
flowmeter needs, in particular for sin-
gle-use products not present in other
industries. This demand for disposable
12 | March 2017
flowmeters resulted in exciting new
product releases in 2016.
Above all, in the bioprocess industry it
is important that the right measurement
technology be selected for each applica-
tion’s specific requirements, and factors
such as cost, availability of single-use,
flow rate range and potential density/
Top: Chromatography.
A flowmeter can be used
to confirm proper flux
reading and flow regime.
Middle: Depth filtration.
A flowmeter can be
used to confirm pump
performance as pressure
increases.
Bottom: TFF/crossflow
filtration. A flowmeter can
be used as a totalizer
on the permeate line in
place of a scale and for
retentate flow control.
viscosity changes should be considered. FC
John Benson is a design engineer for
PendoTECH. He may be reached at
john.benson@pendotech.com or 609-
799-2299. Visit pendotech.com for
more information.
Flow Control
Free info: Enter 204 at fcm.hotims.com
Cover Series: Pharmaceuticals
The right pharma plant accessories
Speed up and simplify cleaning, maintenance and process control.
By Michael Curnutte, L.J. Star Inc.
A
s Benjamin Franklin reminds us,
little problems left unaddressed
can have serious long-range
consequences. Nowhere is this truer
than in a pharmaceuticals plant. Small
maintenance concerns can quickly lead
to expensive problems. Fortunately for
pharmaceutical manufacturers, a grow-
ing variety of options is available to
address these concerns. This article
offers a brief overview of some of the
latest trends in accessories optimized for
use in liquid pharmaceutical processing.
Wiper options
Consider a viewing port clouded by con-
densation that does not allow operators
to clearly observe the process going on
inside a vessel or to confirm that clean-
ing or sterilization procedures were con-
ducted correctly. Without the ability to
make regular visual checks and correct
14 | March 2017
problems early, managers could later
be forced to discard a contaminated or
misprocessed batch, leading to product
loss that could cost millions.
Other seemingly minor maintenance
issues can also have unintended con-
sequences. For example, a viewing port
wiper can complicate the facility’s clean-
in-place (CIP) or sterilize-in-place (SIP)
procedures. If the wiper remains in con-
tact with the port’s glass, the spray wand
or spray ball might not be able to deliver
the SIP/CIP solution to that spot, intro-
ducing the potential for contamination.
One of the most widely used port
wiper options is the combination of a
sight glass disc with a central bore hole
and a Teflon wiper blade that mainte-
nance personnel can rotate manually to
squeegee condensation or other non-
viscous liquids off the highly polished
inside surface (see Image 1). These
wipers operate vacuum-tight — and
pressure-tight up to 90 psi — depend-
ing on the size of the sight glass disc.
This approach offers the most eco-
nomical way to add a wiper to an
existing sight window. Wipers of
this type are also customizable
to allow maintenance person-
nel to push the handle down
and lock the wiper shaft in
place so the wiper blade is
no longer in contact with the
glass, allowing more thor-
ough cleaning.
Another manual wiper
option gaining in popularity
is particularly appropriate for
use in new construction of
pressure and vacuum vessels
that require test certification in
Image 1. Type I sight glass wiper fitted
into a sight glass assembly
All graphics courtesy of LJ Star Inc.
explosion hazardous and nonhazardous
operating areas. In Type II wipers, rather
than being mounted through a hole in
the middle of the glass disc, the wiper
assembly is designed to go through the
weld pad and retainer. The wiper is oper-
ated with a flexible shaft that engages
at one end in the wiper blade holder
and at the other in a lever-operated
ratchet drive mechanism (see Figure
2). Because no bore exists through the
glass, this wiper design is suitable for
vessels that must be vacuum-tight and
pressure-tight to much higher levels.
For environments that require remote
monitoring of processes, wipers can be
used in conjunction with an Ex-class
motor drive and Ex-type camera to allow
process engineers to observe what is
going on in the vessel from a central
control room. This option enhances
worker safety by eliminating the need to
climb to the top of a vessel.
Spray options
For applications in which a simple wiper
blade is insufficient to clear liquids or
particles from the port, a variety of
spray units have been developed (see
Figure 1), often for use in conjunction
with a wiper assembly or a luminaire
to increase visibility. These units are
designed for intermittent, continuous or
automatically controlled pressure clean-
ing of the glass’ inside surface. The
spray nozzle connects to a supply line
that delivers air, deionized water or
another liquid that is compatible with
the product during processing.
Spray rings (see Figure 4) are
designed to deliver high-pressure,
360-degree cleaning to remove sol-
ids and liquids that obscure the view.
Inserted between the connection flange
and the sight glass assembly, a spray
Flow Control
Figure 1.
A cross-section
of a sight glass
window assem-
bly with a spray
unit in operation
ring distributes rinsing fluid through a
series of spray holes along the inside
circumference of the ring. The spray
holes are angled independently to clean
the entire glass surface. The spray
ring accepts liquids compatible with
the product, or in the case of powder
removal, high-pressure gases can be
used such as air, nitrogen, carbon diox-
ide, etc. Spray rings are easily adaptable
to automatic timed interval cleaning as
well as manual valve-operated cleaning.
Shields up
In pharmaceutical applications, it is
important to consider the effect of
various process chemicals on the sight
glass over time. Although borosilicate
glass is significantly more resistant to
chemicals than soda lime glass, glass
is not chemically inert and will react
even with water. Chemical resistance
charts that illustrate the weight loss
of glass when it comes in contact with
various chemicals are available online.
Glass can suffer chemical degradation
from caustic or acidic substances and
pitting from mild abrasion. These condi-
tions may weaken glass to the point at
which normal operating conditions may
lead to a catastrophic failure. They can
also obscure its transparency and pos-
sibly create crevices where bacteria can
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
hide or leach into the process media.
However, it is possible to extend the
useful life of a sight glass with shields
mounted on the process side of the
glass. Made of mica, FEP or Kel-F mate-
rial, these shields are not as transparent
as glass, so some level of visibility trade-
off is required.
Put a clamp on it
Reliable, long-lasting clamps are critical
to holding together the complex net-
work of vessels, piping, tubing, valves,
pumps, compressors, etc., in a batch
process facility. They are essential to
maintaining the required joint safety,
cleanliness and efficiency in high-pres-
sure and high-temperature manufactur-
ing processes. To prevent leaks, these
clamps must provide a consistent level
of engagement around the circumfer-
ence of the connection. Until recently,
many of the clamps used in these set-
tings were susceptible to galling, which
occurs when a clamp’s bolt and nut
become bound or locked together. A
galled clamp can be extremely difficult
to open to service the connection.
In some cases, galled clamps have
forced maintenance personnel to cut
the clamps off vessels and piping to
remove them.
Various factors can contribute to
clamp galling, including the use of
clamps made of the same grade of
stainless steel for the bolt and nut.
Image 2. Anti-galling clamp design
When over-torqued, they can become
“cold-welded” together. Over-torqued
clamps also exert excess pressure on
the connection, which can lead to gas-
ket intrusions into the connection, inter-
fering with the flow of process material
and allowing particles to collect. Over-
torqueing a clamp can cause pieces of
the gasket to shear off and be carried
away, contaminating the product.
The cleaning procedures used in
pharmaceutical plants can also play a
role in clamp galling. Cleaning a clamp
in a parts washer prior to installation
can leave behind trace amounts of the
sodium hydroxide used in cleaning solu-
tions. Solution left behind in the grooves
of the clamp will dry. This dried residue
can contribute to galling by further bind-
ing the parts together.
The newest clamp designs optimized
for pharmaceutical use (see Image 2)
are made of 316-grade stainless steel,
which offers higher performance than
the 304-grade stainless steel used in
most “commodity” clamps. The bolt,
however, is made of a much harder
Nitronic 60 stainless steel alloy. The
clamp’s wing nut or hex nut is made
of the 316-grade stainless steel. This
change allows the clamp to withstand
over-torqueing; If the nut is damaged, it
can be replaced easily and inexpensive-
ly. In earlier designs, the nut would have
been formed of the harder material and
would have stripped the clamp bolt if
over-torqued, which would have required
scrapping the entire clamp. FC
Michael Curnutte is the director of sales
for L.J. Star Inc. He joined L.J. Star in
2009. He may be reached at
mcurnutte@ljstar.com.
March 2017 | 15
Featured Pharmaceutical Products
Visit fcm.hotims.com for free information about the products on this page.
Use the number listed with each product to learn more. Send products for
consideration in this section to ahosey@grandviewmedia.com.
Sanitary seal alternative
The Kalrez LS390 from DuPont Performance
Materials is a perfluoroelastomer
sanitary seal alternative for phar-
maceutical and food and beverage
applications in which FDA, USP VI
at 121oC and Japan Pharmacopeia
compliance are required. Offering longer seal life and
tighter sealing, the parts improve productivity and
process optimization to create a safer environment.
The hardness properties, low stiction, high temperature
resistance and broad chemical resistance of the material
overcome contamination or leakage issues.
FREE INFO: 100
Fluorescence microscope camera
The Olympus DP74 color fluores-
cence microscope camera combines
advanced image processing technol-
ogy, a low-noise design and easy-to-
use software for true-to-life images in
demanding life science and industrial
applications. Features include a frame rate of up to 60
frames per second, high-resolution images up to 1,200
pixels, fine detail at low magnification, overall location
navigator for high magnification, accurate color repro-
duction and integration with Olympus imaging software.
FREE INFO: 102
Cold chain management
Onset expanded its InTemp
line of pharmaceutical cold
chain management products to
include the InTemp CX500 Series
temperature loggers and the
InTempConnect cloud-based data warehousing service.
The products work with other Onset solutions to provide
end-to-end visibility throughout the pharmaceutical sup-
ply chain. Enabled with Bluetooth Low Energy, the log-
gers provide in-transit temperature monitoring, reducing
temperature excursions and handling errors. The service
offers control over all logger deployments.
FREE INFO: 104
16 | March 2017
Analyzer transmitter
Endress+Hauser’s Liquiline
CM44P multichannel analyzer
transmitter accepts up to 16
parameters from analytical sensors
and transmits them via 4-20mA
HART, Profibus, Modbus or Eth-
erNet/IP. Capable of simultaneously accepting inputs
from up to two process photometers and four analytical
sensors (including pH, ORP, conductivity, dissolved oxygen,
nitrate and turbidity), the device calculates measured
values on the basis of multiple input values and performs
diagnostics on all connected sensors and analyzers.
FREE INFO: 101
Chromatography system
Pall Life Sciences' Cadence
BioSMB Process system is a
single-use flow path, continu-
ous multicolumn chromatogra-
phy system designed for linear
scale-up of an existing PD-
scale continuous purification process to a GMP-compliant,
process-scale continuous purification using feedstreams
derived from fed batch bioreactors of up to 2,000 liters.
Capable of operating with up to eight chromatography
columns, it features a valve cassette, sensors and a flow
path for chromatographical step support.
FREE INFO: 103
OEM flowmeter
Titan Enterprises offers off-the-shelf
flowmeters or fully bespoke OEM flow
systems for challenging pharmaceu-
tical applications as well as food
and beverage, petrochemical and
others. All flowmeters are designed and
manufactured to ISO9001 standards and calibrated to
an uncertainty of plus or minus 0.25 percent. Chemically
resistant and designed to be highly accurate, the com-
pany’s digital flowmeters are engineered for long-term,
reliable performance. Flowmeters include ultrasonic, oval
gear and turbine.
FREE INFO: 105
Flow Control

Valve stem seal selection criteria
Consider service specifications, bonnet design and more.
By K.S. Patil, Jaisingh Jadhav & Ram Viswanathan, L&T Valves
I
n the world of valves, no “one solu-
tion fits all” approach exists when
it comes to sealing technology.
Selection depends on a myriad of fac-
tors such as the media to which the
seals are exposed, temperature, pres-
sure and the leakage tightness required.
In a process plant, several failure modes
for valves are possible, including bonnet
and flange leaks and leaks through the
seat, but 77 percent of them are caused
by stem packing leaks.1 Therefore, valve
sealing solutions must be tailored to
meet the specific application require-
ments. The solutions can range from
selecting the right valve type and cus-
tomizing bonnet design to installing the
valve in a specific orientation.
Valve seal selection criteria
Service-specific selection
Fugitive emission service — “Fugitive
emission” can be defined as a chemical
or mixture of chemicals, in any physical
form, which represents an unanticipated
or spurious leak from equipment on an
industrial site and can be broadly classi-
fied as a volatile organic compound and
hazardous air pollutant. The American
Petroleum Institute’s API 622 is the
type test standard for qualifying process
valve packing for fugitive emissions.
Many valve type test standards exist
for fugitive emissions such as API 624,
API 641 and ISO 15848-1. These stan-
dards specify the performance criteria
for the valve qualified such as number
of mechanical cycles, thermal cycles,
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Special Section: Valves & Actuators
temperature and pressure and leakage
tightness achieved.
Hydrogen service — Hydrogen is an
unstabilized and combustible gas often
used in combination with other hydro-
carbons. Any media containing hydro-
gen gas with a partial pressure of 7
Bar and above will be considered as
hydrogen service. Because hydrogen
is very permeable, hybrid packings are
preferred with live-loading. Reducing
leakage by impregnating graphite with
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is unac-
ceptable since PTFE can evaporate in a
fire with disastrous results.
Steam service — Valves used in com-
bined cycle and supercritical power
plants pose unique challenges to the
stem seal selection. Combined cycle
power plants involve high temperatures,
high pressures, high Delta Ps and fre-
quent “cycling” of valves because of
load variations for plants that are not
purely base-load plants. In coal-based
power plants, plants operating above 24
millipascals (mPa) (3,480 psi)/593°C
(1,100°F) are regarded as ultra-super-
critical (USC), and those operating
below 24 mPa (3,480 psi) as sub-
critical.2 For these applications, graphite
packings without PTFE and binders are
most suitable. These graphite packings
could also have an oxidation inhibitor
and, optionally, be live-loaded to com- Figure 1. Triple offset butterfly valve with heat
pensate for frequent thermal cycling. dissipation fins for high-temperature service
Graphic courtesy of L&T Valves
March 2017 | 17
 Valve type test standards for fugitive emissions
Parameters API 624 API 641
Mechanical cycles 310 610
Leakage class 3 3
100 ppm 100 ppm
Thermal cycles
Methane Methane
Table 1. Fugitive emissions standards for valves
Oxygen service — When designing a
valve for oxygen service, it is important
to identify potential sources of ignition
and the factors that aggravate propaga-
tion because all three elements — oxy-
gen, fuel and heat (source of ignition)
— are required to start and propagate
a fire. As nonmetals form an important
part in the kindling chain in an oxygen
system, gland packings and other non-
metallic seals are chosen for design
temperature-pressure conditions based
on tests conducted for autogenous igni-
tion temperature, aging resistance, igni-
tion sensitivity to gaseous oxygen and
liquid oxygen impacts.
Temperature & pressure
As per API RP 615,3 high-temperature
service is typically defined as a service
with a temperature higher than 205°C
(400°F) for soft-seated valves and
400°C (750°F) for metal-seated valves.
Low-temperature service is generally
defined in the process industry as ser-
vices that range from -196°C (-320°F)
to -30°C (-21°F). These services include
liquefied natural gas liquefaction and
gasification, natural gas liquid produc-
tion and ethylene production. While
temperature determines the thresholds
for the use of nonmetals/metals as
seals, pressure determines the perme-
ability and extrusion behavior of seals
over time. Graphite packings are rein-
forced with Inconel to give the blowout
proof strength.
Leakage tightness
External leakage tightness can either be
expressed in parts per million (ppm) or
flow rate. Different standards specify
leak tightness for valves. API 624 and
API 641 are standards for 100 ppm
fugitive emissions for rising and rotating
18 | March 2017
ISO 15848-1
205; 1,500; 2,500
3, 4, 5
50, 100, 500 ppm (Methane)
Class AH, BH, CH (Helium)
stem valves, respectively. ISO 15848
has methane and helium leakage class-
es and can be extended to isolation and
control valves. Valve stem seal selec-
tion depends on whether the intended
leakage class is Class AH, BH or CH.
In a rising stem valve, Class AH would
require a metal bellows while Class BH
would require a live-loaded low fugitive
emissions packing.
Customized bonnet
designs
Extended bonnet design
For lower or higher temperature ser-
vices, the bonnet arrangement/instal-
lation could be changed to ensure that
a conventional graphite packing system
works for the desired temperature and
pressure. The heat dissipation length
has two functions: to clear the lagging
and to have sufficient length outside
the lagging to dissipate the heat so
the graphite-packing skin temperature
remains in an operable range.
Extended bonnet lengths for low tem-
perature are covered in standards such
as BS 6364 and MSS SP-134 that
address low-temperature/cryogenic
applications. Shell MESC SPE 77/212
is a specification that covers “valves in
high-temperature services.” This speci-
fication suggests that for valves for
temperatures above 450°C (842°F) the
length of the extension shall be suf-
ficient to maintain the stem packing
at a temperature less than or equal to
400°C (750°F) to minimize the potential
for the oxidization of graphite, which can
affect the valve’s performance.
Other bonnet arrangements
• A lantern ring could be used in
conjunction with compression
packings for cooling the packing or
acting as an injection chamber for
a sealant or as a water sealing con-
nection for vacuum service.
• Jacketed valves can be installed for
cooling or heating. When a cooling
medium is circulated, the jacketing
is concentrated around the bon-
net so the packing temperature is
reduced sufficiently.
• In high-temperature services, it can
be effective to install the bonnet
below the valve. If the bonnet is
below the valve, no convection
occurs and the heat from process
fluid is transferred by conduction in
the bonnet wall only.
• Special cooling arrangements such
as a stem cooling arrangement
could be used where liquid sodium
or water can be used to cool the
valve stem and consequently the
sealing system.
Bellows-sealed gate & globe valve
A bellows-sealed valve is designed with
a metal bellows that expands or con-
tracts with the linear stroke of the valve
while providing a solid, permanent bar-
rier between the fluid medium in the
body and any potential leak paths to
the atmosphere. The purpose of a bel-
lows seal is to provide a metal barrier
between the stem at its point of entry
through the pressure boundary and the
process fluid within the valve to elimi-
nate stem leakage.
Alternate & complementary
sealing materials
At present, graphite is a popular packing
material for all general sealing applica-
tions in the form of gasket and packing
rings. The service temperature limit of
graphite packing rings has precluded
its application for high-temperature ser-
vices above 450°C (842°F) in oxidizing
atmospheres. Conventionally in such
high-temperature applications, bonnet
extensions are provided in valves that
ensure the temperature at the packing
remains below 450°C (842°F). However,
the use of bonnet extensions becomes
prohibitive in some cases where end
users want compact piping layouts.
Flow Control
 The packing material/configuration
selected would have to be stable at high
temperatures without any deterioration
in the chemical properties and still
achieve sealability at elevated tempera-
tures. Following are the sealing mate-
rials considered for high-temperature
applications:
• High-purity graphite (greater than 99
percent) with oxidation inhibitor
can be used at temperatures up to
550°C (1,022 °F).
• Packings made from Vermiculite, a
natural mineral that expands with
the application of heat, are resis-
tant to temperatures up to 1,050°C
(1,922°F) but are hygroscopic in
nature.
• Packings made from silica fibers are
resistant to high temperature and
pressure, but silica packings tend to
harden at high temperatures.
• Glass wool-based packings are
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Seals
Valve Type
Metallic bellows + graphite packing
Gate, Globe
Vermiculite/Mica + graphite packing
O-ring + sealant + graphite packing
PEEK/PTFE + graphite packing
Ball, Plug, Butterfly
Thermoplastic lip seal + graphite packing
Metal seal + graphite packing
Table 2. Examples of multibarrier seals in valves
porous but resistant to tempera- Multibarrier seals
tures up to 1,000°C (1,832°F). In valves, the concept of independent
• Mica-based packings can be used at sealing barriers has been in use for a
temperatures up to 1,000°C long time. Primary and secondary stem
(1,832°F), are partly hygroscopic and seals were first used in plug valves and
can be used for low pressures only. later in ball valves where the primary
Spring-energized metal seals made from seal is responsible for leak tightness
Inconel can work up to 700°C while the secondary seal is merely a fire-
(1,292°F), though the finish and hard- safe seal when used in process applica-
ness requirements of the stuffing tions. However, with the demands for
box and stem could be demanding. low-emission valves, or Low-E valves,
Free info: Enter 207 at fcm.hotims.com
March 2017 | 19

As per API RP 615,3 high-temperature service is
typically defined as a service with a temperature
higher than 205°C (400°F) for soft-seated valves
and 400°C (750°F) for metal-seated valves.
Free info: Enter 213 at fcm.hotims.com
20 | March 2017
stem seal configurations have changed
where a number of independent barriers
are used in conjunction to create a leak-
tight seal. Examples of multibarrier seals
are given in Table 2. FC
References
1. McJones, S. & Sobilo, R. (Sept.
26, 2014). How a Refinery
Significantly Reduced Fugitive
Emissions.
2. Ultra Supercritical Turbines —
Steam Oxidation, DOE/ARC-2004-
064
3. API RP 615, Valve Selection Guide,
Second Edition
K.S. Patil is head – product design,
research & development, at L&T
Valves Limited. He holds a Bachelor
of Technology (B.Tech) degree in
mechanical engineering. He has
more than 30 years of experience
in the valve industry. He is respon-
sible for design and development of
industrial valves of different types. He
holds nine patents related to valves.
Jaisingh Jadhav is senior deputy gen-
eral manager – business develop-
ment and heads the North American
business of L&T Valves Limited. He
holds a Bachelor of Engineering
degree in mechanical engineering and
has worked with L&T for 24 years.
Ram Viswanathan has 12 years of
experience at L&T Valves in differ-
ent engineering roles in valves design,
research and development and reli-
ability engineering. He holds a Bachelor
of Engineering (B.E.Hons.) degree in
mechanical engineering, is profession-
ally registered as a CFSP (Exida) and
as an Incorporated Engineer (ImechE).
ONLINE
MORE
For more on valve selection,
visit flowcontrolnetwork.com.
Flow Control

Winning homogenization
strategies
The right design and materials lead to longer life.
By Anders Kold, Con O-Driscoll & Leif S. Larsen, SPX FLOW Technology
H
omogenizers are widely used
across many industries includ-
ing food, beverage, pharmaceu-
tical, biotechnology and chemical. The
processes they operate in have a huge
variety of conditions and may require
consideration for sterile conditions,
abrasive fluids, a wide range of fluid
viscosities, high pressures or high flow
rates. What can be done to ensure the
best is obtained from a homogenization
process for a specific application, and
how can that perfor-
mance be maintained
through the lifetime of
the machine?
The homogeniza-
tion process is
designed to give an
even distribution of
components within a
fluid. This may be to
improve texture, sta-
bility, properties of the
fluid (e.g. to obtain
better fuel combus-
tion), clinical effec-
tiveness (better active
ingredient dispersion
in pharmaceuticals)
or to disrupt cells in biotech processes
without chemicals or solvents. Although
the principles of operation of a homog-
enizer are pretty much the same across
different models, selecting the correct
materials, geometry and configuration
are vital to the machine’s performance.
Once operational, understanding how
to maintain optimal performance of
the homogenizer is also key to ensur-
ing smooth operation and high-quality
process results throughout its lifetime.
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Homogenizing valves
At the heart of a homogenizer is the
homogenizing valve. The homogeniza-
tion process works by forcing the basic
product within the process through a
small area between the valve and seat
at high pressure. This creates a rapid
increase in the velocity of the prod-
uct and a decrease in the pressure.
The subsequent turbulence and pres-
sure differences this generates tears
particles within the fluid apart. While
Figure 1. Schematic homogenizing
valve arrangement
All graphics courtesy of SPX FLOW
Technology
multiple passes through a homogenizer
can produce narrower particle size dis-
tribution within the fluid, many different
valve and material configurations are
available to best suit the characteristics
of the process fluid. Understanding the
products involved, their compositions,
structures and abrasiveness ensures
correct selection of the required type of
homogenization valve.
Special Section: Valves & Actuators
Why materials & geometries
are vital
Valves, including valve seats, are
designed for specific applications by
configuring several factors such as
geometry and material of construction.
In terms of geometry, the radial dis-
tance through which the fluid travels in
the homogenizing valve/seat gap (land)
is critical.
By putting a large inner chamfer on
the flat valve, a short-land valve seat is
produced. The “land”
is the surface on the
seat that the fluid
passes over as it trav-
els through the gap
between the valve and
the seat. The short-
land valve is benefi-
cial when processing
emulsions with the
lowest homogenizing
pressure possible to
achieve normal shelf
stability. This valve
usually requires a sec-
ond-stage valve or a
back-pressure device.
The overall goal in
valve design is to provide the best
homogenizing effect for the least energy
consumption while providing the longest
service life. Through experimental tests
and experience, it has been found that
certain valve geometries are more effi-
cient at homogenization than others,
depending on the product or process
involved.
Certain applications are specified with
a two-stage homogenizing arrangement.
In such cases, the valve type and
March 2017 | 21

The overall goal in valve design is to provide the
best homogenizing effect for the least energy
consumption while providing the longest service life.
Image 1. Worn homogenizer valve and seat
Valve Solutions
3-Year • Protect your assets
Warranty Isolate measurement
devices from the process
• Reduce down time
Replace measurement
devices without shutting
down the process
• Lower maintenance costs
Perform in-line calibration
on measurement devices
Patented valve design provides
exceptional performance and
increased pressure capabilities
All valves 100% helium leak tested
Multiple valve configurations,
Made stem tip, o-ring, packing and
in U.S.A. handle options
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Free info: Enter 212 at fcm.hotims.com
22 | March 2017
material for the second stage are also
carefully matched to the requirements.
Low-pressure applications
Operating under 250 Bar (3,600 psi),
low-pressure homogenization tends to
use valves in stellite alloy or tungsten
carbide material. The fluids typically
do not contain abrasive particles, for
example, wax and grease emulsions.
Medium-pressure applications
Many fluids are homogenized in the 250
to 600 Bar (3,600 to 8,700 psi) pres-
sure range and will often contain abra-
sive particles; Examples include silicone
suspensions, carbon black and various
emulsions. The valves for such applica-
tions are generally available in materials
such as stellite alloy, tungsten carbide
or ceramic. Tungsten carbide is selected
for more abrasive fluids because of its
hard-wearing characteristics.
High-pressure homogenizing
These applications operate at pres-
sures above 600 Bar (8,700 psi)
and include cellulose fiber suspension,
titanium dioxide suspension, bacteria
cell disruption and algae cell disrup-
tion. The standard material is ceram-
ic though stellite alloy and tungsten
carbide are available as alternatives.
Tungsten carbide is more hard-wearing
than ceramic in many applications;
However, ceramic is preferred at higher
operating pressure drops.
Maintain to optimize
For a given pressure and flow of a single
emulsion, the user should expect con-
sistent results from the homogenizer. By
its nature, however, the homogenizing
valve is a wear part and requires good,
predictive maintenance strategies to
ensure maximum run times without
unscheduled downtimes. The environ-
ment within which the valve sits is also
important to its operation, so correct
maintenance of the complete homog-
enizer is needed to optimize its reliability
and maintain its performance.
Flow Control
 Save time & money
Image 2. The following are some top tips and
A single-stage
tricks that may help keep a homogenizer
or two-stage
homogenization performing at its best:
valve for all • Always protect the homogenizer from
products
the possibility that foreign bodies/
particles could enter the machine.
• Introduce preventative mainte-
nance for the homogenizer wear
parts, especially the homogenizing
valve parts.
• Conduct regular inspection of the
condition of valve, seats and impact
rings following the manufacturers’
recommendations.
• In many cases, it is possible to
regrind the valve seat to restore
optimal performance.
• Where the valves and seats are
worn, they should be replaced
immediately. Image 1 shows con-
tinuous radial wear marks, which
will give a poor homogenizing result.
• When testing new formulations or
recipes, always check that the
homogenizer is designed for the
flow, pressure and level of particles.
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www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Summary
The art of producing efficient, reliable
and consistent homogenization results
is based on an in-depth understand-
ing of emulsions and production goals,
whatever the application. FC
Anders Kold is global product sales
manager, homogenizers; Con O-Driscoll
is global product manager, dispersion
products; and Leif S. Larsen is devel-
oping engineer, homogenizers, for SPX
FLOW Technology. Based in Charlotte,
North Carolina, SPX FLOW supplies
highly engineered flow components,
process equipment and turnkey sys-
tems along with the related aftermar-
ket parts and services, for the food
and beverage, power and energy, and
industrial end markets. To learn more
about SPX FLOW, visit spxflow.com.
March 2017 | 23
Special Section: Valves & Actuators
Improve total cost of
ownership with valves
Equipment, supplier and process standardization
can help save money without spending it.
By Christof Lindner, Pentair Valves & Controls
Figure 1. Typical example of mini-
mum attributes required to specify
a ball valve
All graphics courtesy of Pentair
Valves & Controls
S
afety. Cost-effectiveness. Optimal
valve selection. Inventory reduc-
tion. Plant operators are familiar
with these terms that require time,
effort and a lot of money to address.
Correct? Well, not necessarily so.
Many plant owners and operators
spend a tremendous amount of money
on Front End Engineering and Design
(FEED) and perhaps long negotiations
with Engineering, Procurement and
Construction services (EPCs), but the
aim is common: to optimize the process
of selecting the correct equipment for
the safe, reliable operation of the plant.
Optimizing the process can be achieved
with a relatively simple, but logical,
approach to a company’s Total Cost of
Ownership (TCO) program.
Owners of chemical and petrochemi-
cal plants throughout the world con-
tinually seek effective approaches for
achieving measurable improvements in
their TCOs. To address this customer
need, a new collaborative project with
major chemical and petrochemical com-
panies is designed to develop, promote
and implement standardization pro-
grams and processes. These initiatives
will focus on the goal of increasing effi-
ciency and reducing TCO related to the
24 | March 2017
procurement, installation and mainte-
nance of valves and controls equipment,
and inventory control processes across
multiple plant sites.
Some companies embrace and ben-
efit from standardization programs. The
project allows suppliers to support them
with their standardization initiatives.
Customers can potentially save mil-
lions of dollars annually by standardizing
the models of valves and control equip-
ment that they use enterprise-wide. This
increases reliability and efficiency and
delivers proven results. The standard-
ization process described begins with
an evaluation. Once the evaluation is
completed, a team then works in col-
laboration with the customer to develop
and implement a customized standard-
ization plan across their facilities over a
period of several years.
Some TCO benefits that customers
can expect from this standardization
project include, but are not limited to:
• Cost savings by commonly used
processes across the enterprise
to define, specify and order tech-
nical equipment
• Availability of products on short
notice to allow quick response and
delivery to solve problems
• Technology-driven product stan-
dardization with reliable, high-qual-
ity products that significantly reduc-
es plant downtimes, unexpected
outages and operational issues
• Technical support and consultancy
provided by dedicated representa-
tives to enhance partnerships and
identify new areas for improve-
ments for customers
• Long-term commitment and a solu-
tions-oriented team approach to
help customers with their toughest
challenges and deliver the best
value and TCO
• Standardization on best possible
product selection across multiple
facilities. These products must
be suitable to the application to
increase reliability and lifetime.
(Note that specifying, purchasing
and installing valves and other tech-
nical products that are the best-in-
class may not be the least expen-
sive approach, but it is the best
approach for safety and reliability.)
Flow Control
Standardization for success:
How it works
The approach to achieving an effective
standardization process and program
includes three primary components:
Availability of accurate specifica-
1 tions and datasheets for com-
monly used valves and other technical
components is of prime importance.
In the business process, the end user
provides the specification for products.
When more detailed information and
accurate data is provided by the end
user, the supplier can address the cus-
tomer’s specific need more effectively.
Major design criteria must be accurate
so that “assumption” work — which
can cause significant problems such as
increased downtime and/or retrospec-
tive refit work — can be significantly
reduced with the goal of eventually
being completely eliminated. Having
accurate and complete specifications is Figure 2. Typical annual valve spending
critical to unlocking a facility’s potential
to reduce costs, improve efficiency and
ensure safety by standardizing on valves
and controls equipment.
The potential of having an incorrect or
inaccurate order specification can have
a negative impact on operational safety.
Specifications that allow interpretation
of key design elements can cause cata-
strophic accidents like failures of valves
critical for safety or stable production.
The goal is to reduce downtime and
improve reliability and efficiency.

Identifying and adopting best prac-

2 tices related to specifications and
inventory management and suppliers
using a standardized approach are key
parts of the overall process. The stan-
dardization approach includes:
a) Standardizing specifications for
pipe class and valve class develop-
ment (i.e., customers and suppliers
must look at the bigger picture).
Valve manufacturers must work
closely with customers to align their
processes for maximum, mutual
benefit. Original equipment manu-
facturers (OEMs) need to identify a
valve’s prime function before pro-
ceeding to identify and standardize
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www.flowcontrolnetwork.com March 2017 | 25

 on the use of the pipe class and
valve class by identifying the most
common fluids; using a common
pipe class system; selecting major
vendors; developing basic rules
— technical delivery conditions;
defining valve specification forms
and requirements across a variety
of fluids; developing common valve
specifications; starting with top 10
valve types; and expanding to all
valve types.
b) Adopting an inventory management
approach. How does this work best?
Standardize — Analyze previous
usage with standardized item num-
bers to determine inventory and
know the current state of inventory.
Optimize — Use findings to
develop a centralized material man-
agement system and supply chain.
Localize — Assess and ensure the
availability of correctly specified
equipment and parts for distribu-
tion to the local site. Make parts
available to reduce delivery time
and increase access in time (time,
cost and availability).
c) Working with suppliers who adopt
and maintain a consistent, stan-
dardized approach (i.e., all compet-
ing suppliers use the same product
and equipment description, which
leads to a simpler procurement
process) leads to better collabora-
tion and a streamlined work flow.
Ensuring consistent execution by
3 all parties and early supplier
involvement leads to program success.
Having the highest level of manage-
ment commitment within the end user’s
organization is extremely important.
However, to be truly effective, develop-
ing a trusting relationship between end
users and key suppliers facilitates early
supplier involvement and allows suppli-
ers visibility within that end user’s orga-
nization. the common goal between an
end user and a supplier is to work within
their core competencies to provide a
powerful formula for joint success.
Critical steps to ensure consistent
execution and early supplier involve-
ment are: Define project concepts while
leveraging the OEMs’ expertise and
knowledge; provide technical support
and advice during specifications plan-
ning; reduce time and costs by bet-
ter interfacing with the EPC provider;
enable the OEM to dedicate manufac-
turing capacity for project-specific activi-
ties; and identify engineering cut-off
points and capture changes to engineer-
ing requirements before progressing to
the assembly stage, mitigating cost and
scheduling implications.

Impact on the bottom line

By implementing an effective standard-

WE CONTINUE TO REVOLUTIONIZE
ization program, customers can expect
to reduce their TCOs by up to 25 per-

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Suppliers of valves, controls and other
plant automation equipment and solu-
tions must continually address and
adapt to add value to the customers
they serve. The relationship between
valve manufacturers and end users can
often change dramatically because of
new technologies, innovative processes,
rapid execution of capital investments
and other unplanned factors that affect
operations. The best way to develop
and enhance the relationship between a
supplier and a customer is for the sup-
plier to care enough about that custom-
er’s business as if it were its own. FC

Christof Lindner is director of Pentair

Valves & Controls global accounts for
the chemical and petrochemical indus-
try. He may be reached at christof.
lindner@pentair.com. For more infor-
singervalve.com mation, visit valves.pentair.com/en/
industries/chemical_and_petrochemical.
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26 | March 2017 Flow Control


Experience science through
commercialization
Latest pharma, biotech and medical devices on display
M
ore than 11,000 global indus-
try professionals and 600 sup-
pliers are expected to gather
for the International Pharmaceutical
Expo (INTERPHEX) in New York City.
Sponsored by the International
Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering
(ISPE), the premier pharmaceutical, bio-
technology and medical device devel-
opment and manufacturing event at
the Javits Convention Center promises
to offer attendees a no-cost techni-
cal conference, exhibits, demonstra-
tions, workshops, and partnering and
networking opportunities. With the
theme “Experience science through
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Trade Shows & Events
commercialization,” the show focuses
on the entire product development life
cycle, according to event organizers.
In addition to experiencing new tech- March 21–23
nologies in the industry, attendees can Javits Convention Center, New York City
attend technical sessions and witness
EXHIBIT HALL HOURS
INTERPHEX Live, a series of interactive Tues., March 21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
panel discussions with subject matter Wed., March 22, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
experts from the various pharmaceutical Thurs., March 23, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
specialties. Experts will participate in a
live moderated Q&A to answer industry TECHNICAL CONFERENCE HOURS
Tues., March 21, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
questions on topics such as personal-
Wed., March 22, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
ized medicine, the Drug Supply Chain
Thurs., March 23, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Security Act, biosimilars, capsules, sup-
ply chain concerns, continuous manu- INTERPHEX.COM
facturing and flexible manufacturing. FC
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March 2017 | 27
Best Practices & Applications
Smarter VSDs improve
centrifugal pump operation
Variable speed drives have better control,
protection and functionality.
By Adarsh Iyengar, ITT PRO Services
O
ver several decades, variable
speed drive (VSD) technology
has undergone major improve-
ments in how it controls and monitors
pumps. From pump flow to efficiency,
VSDs are essential in improving the
performance of centrifugal and posi-
tive displacement pumps. In the past,
the short life cycle and reliability of
VSDs were major concerns. Today, VSD
manufacturers estimate a mean time
between failures to be greater than 10
years. With the reliability of this technol-
ogy nearly perfected, it was time VSDs
became smarter — adding more func-
tionality and value for customers.
In recent years, VSDs have added sen-
sorless functions, giving users the
ability to control the process and pro-
vide critical information on pump
28 | March 2017
efficiency and pump health. VSDs have
added multipump control to allow for
more accurate, safe and reliable pump
operations while operating multiple
pumps in series or parallel. These tech-
nologies allow for improved diagnostics,
allowing operators to understand how
pumps are operating along with other
key performance indicators (KPIs) such
as percent of best efficiency, pump flow
output and flow economy. With these
improvements and the introduction of
smart VSDs, the pump industry is see-
ing improved pump control, more reli-
able operation and increased accuracy in
pump monitoring.
Sensorless technology
Operators can identify where a pump
operates on the pump curve with or
without sensors. With suction pressure,
discharge pressure and flow transmitters,
the user can know whether the
pump is within its operating
range or in an upset condi-
tion based on feedback from
external instruments. Without
sensors, the user can moni-
tor pump speed and torque,
correlate them to pump per-
formance data and achieve
similar results. Pump load
information is transferred from
the pump shaft to the motor
shaft, interpreted by the VSD
With today’s smart variable
speed drives, the pump industry
is seeing improved pump con-
trol, more reliable operation and
increased accuracy in pump
monitoring.
Image courtesy of ITT PRO Services
and used to calculate pump performance
data. This information can be used to
provide sensorless pump control to match
process demands in some applications.
The relationship between speed, torque
and power can be used to monitor pump
performance.
Pump-specific algorithms available in
today’s smart VSDs can accurately pre-
dict where a pump operates on its curve.
This helps users identify upset conditions,
protects pumps from premature failure
and provides information on the pump
and pump system’s overall efficiency.
Depending on what part of the curve a
centrifugal pump is operated, its efficiency
changes. If it operates around the sweet
spot (a.k.a. best efficiency point), it is
highly efficient. If it goes left or right of
that sweet spot, the efficiency starts to
decrease. Smart VSDs use speed, torque
and power data to know where the pump
operates on the curve and can be set
up to take action based on those fac-
tors. However, the drive technology can
also vary. For a typical pump running off
a less-sophisticated drive, the torque,
speed and power feedback may not be
as reliable as a more sophisticated drive.
For example, scalar drives may command
a motor to run at a specific speed but
typically do not offer high accuracy levels
on speed and torque feedback. On the
other hand, sensorless vector drives or
direct-torque-controlled drives will com-
mand the motor to run at a particular
speed and onboard algorithms accurate-
ly control speed and torque with high
accuracies. VSDs’ high levels of accuracy
and repeatability enable translation of
VSD data to pump-specific information.
Flow Control
Improved pump control
The latest improvements in smart VSDs
factor in the effects of speed on the
pump’s hydraulic performance to better
control processes. This is accomplished
through embedded pump-specific algo-
rithms that utilize information such as
torque, speed and power received from
the VSD to escalate KPIs specifically
related to pumps and pump systems. An
example is smart VSDs controlling pro-
cesses using torque rather than speed.
This can result in significantly improved
process control compared to traditional
speed control when controlling pumps
with relatively flat performance curves.
Because of the significant advancements
in drive technology and the informa-
tion’s accuracy and reliability, industry
professionals can better estimate pump
performance parameters such as flow
and head solely by utilizing drive output
torque and speed data.
Better protection
Identifying and protecting against upset
conditions is essential. If properly set
up, traditional VSDs can offer protec-
tion against upset conditions like dry
run, minimum flow and cavitation with
feedback from external instruments.
Extrapolating speed and power data,
smart VSDs can calculate pump health
information and protect against upset
conditions without external process
instrumentation. By determining the
pump operating state, smart VSDs can
quickly recognize and respond to upset
conditions to prevent catastrophic fail-
ure. As an example, seal failures caused
by dry run are some of the most com-
mon failure modes in centrifugal pumps.
They are often a result of changing
system conditions, operation outside
the recommended range or failures of
instruments like level transmitters or
flow switches. Smart VSDs embedded
with pump-specific logic can provide
protection against such failures inde-
pendent of these instruments.
Multipump functionality
Balancing multiple pumps in a system
can be a challenge. No two pumps are
identical and a slight difference is inevita-
ble because of manufacturing tolerance
variations. These variations can include
wear ring clearances, impeller geome-
tries, volute throat area, surface finishes,
etc. Traditional multipump systems can
be difficult to control and are often
manually controlled, leading to uneven
loading and wear. For example, when
multiple pumps are present in a system,
they can be run at the same speed but
they may not deliver at the same flow
and pressure. This often causes pumps
to work against each other, causing inef-
ficient or unreliable operation.
To reduce initial investment, multipump

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systems are at times controlled with
a VSD on one pump while operating
the other pumps in the system at fixed
speeds. This is not ideal since the
pumps are not truly balanced. A pump
at full speed generates higher pressure
and flows than the pump running and
controlled by the VSD at reduced speed.
The next most common way of control-
ling multiple pumps is running pumps at
the same speed. To work optimally and
efficiently, all pumps must have similar
performance and be operated in a sym-
metrical system where each one experi-
ences similar system resistance and
back-pressures. In a practical environ-
ment and with a dynamic pump system,
balancing these factors can be difficult.
The third way is by using smart VSDs
that can balance the flow output of each
pump regardless of pump performance
or system symmetries. This allows mul-
tiple pumps to work together optimally
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30 | March 2017
and decreases excess energy in the
system. Ultimately this balance helps
prevent failures such as seal damage,
mechanical shaft damage, vibration,
high temperatures and other issues that
are often a result of pumps operating
against each other. Multipump control
on smart VSDs automatically sequenc-
es pumps to match the demand and
balance load evenly. It also provides
automatic staging and destaging to
only run the pumps necessary to most
efficiently meet demands while ensuring
pumps systems are balanced, leading to
increased operating efficiencies, better
reliability and lower costs.
What is next in
VSD technology?
With the many benefits of VSDs, many
challenges must be solved. Retrofitting
VSDs to existing pumps and motors
is one of these challenges. Harsh
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environments, hazardous conditions, instal-
lation constraints and motor suitability can
prevent electrical equipment like VSDs
from being used. With new technology
and upgrades to VSD systems, the indus-
try should expect more cost-effective,
safer and easier solutions. Greater adop-
tion of VSDs on different types of pumps
and applications and further computation
of VSD output data to optimize overall
system performance, predict equipment
behavior and improve process control can
also be expected. FC
Adarsh Iyengar is ITT PRO Services’ glob-
al director for monitoring and controls.
In 14 years with ITT, he has focused on
developing and implementing variable
speed pump solutions for pump applica-
tions across many industries including
water, oil & gas, power, mining, phar-
maceuticals and general industry.
Flow Control
 FREE Find information on the products and/or services found
PRODUCT
INFORMATION
in the pages of Flow Control.

FCM.HOTIMS.COM

AD INDEX
Free Info: Enter reader service (RS) number at fcm.hotims.com

Advertiser RS# Page# Advertiser RS# Page#

Assured Automation ...................................... 200 ........................ 25 KROHNE Inc.................................................. 210 ........................IFC

Bronkhorst USA ............................................ 201 .......................... 3 Neoperl Inc. .................................................. 211 .........................29

Check-All Valve ............................................. 202 ........................ 29 NOSHOK Inc. ................................................ 212 .........................22

Collins Instrument Co. ................................... 203 ........................ 27 O’Keefe Controls ........................................... 213 .........................20

EASA (Electrical Apparatus Service Association) ..204 ........................ 13 Omega Engineering Inc. ................................ 214 ...........................1

Endress+Hauser Inc...................................... 205 ........................ BC PendoTECH .................................................. 215 ...........................9

Fluid Line Products Inc. ................................. 206 ........................ 23 Rotork Controls Inc........................................ 216 ........................IBC

Gorman-Rupp Company ................................ 207 ........................ 19 Singer Valve.................................................. 217 .........................26

Hoffer Flow Controls ...................................... 208 .......................... 5 Spitzer and Boyes LLC................................... 218 .........................30

John C. Ernst Company ................................. 209 ........................ 30 Viega LLC ..................................................... 219 ...........................7

BC = Back Cover IBC = Inside Back Cover IFC = Inside Front Cover

www.flowcontrolnetwork.com March 2017 | 31

This month on
FlowControlNetwork.com
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE From our Twitter feed

FlowControl_Mag
Feb 4, 11:55am
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@SKFUSAInc
1

FlowControl_Mag
Feb 2, 12:55pm

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A well-designed #HTF will
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Infographic: How digital liquid flowmeter FlowControl_Mag

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32 | March 2017 Flow Control Magazine

Keeping the World Flowing

Improving
efficiency &
minimising
downtime
It’s in our DNA

For sixty years our customers

have relied on Rotork for
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flow control solutions. A Client Support Programme
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 Reliable flow measurement.

Proline 300/500
Flow measuring technology for the future
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