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8 WHAT’S HAPPENING AT
AHR EXPO

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10
THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL
38
Meet our
TURBOMACHINERY DESIGN #PumpTalk
SIMULATION AND Celebrity Shannon
OPTIMIZATION FOR THE HVAC Tymosko
INDUSTRY
Computational turbomachinery design and the use of
commercial computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes
to solve industrial engineering problems has come a
long way since it was first introduced in the early 1990s.

40
That’s when Ralph Peter Mueller started working as an
independent CFD consultant in Germany.

18 VISIT THE
INFORMATION AND
CONNECTION HUB
A Day in the Life with
Stephanie Hajducek

23 ARE YOU FOLLOWING

THESE INDUSTRY
INFLUENCERS?
3
COMMUNITY : a unified body of individuals
Author: Charli K. Matthews

As we begin a new year, it is natural to look back. We look back

to make plans for another productive year! One thing I know
for certain is that when I look back on 2021, I was surrounded
by a loving community. 2021 marked our 10th year building
the #pumptalk community and we truly appreciate the oppor-
tunity to elevate and empower the industry that takes care of
everything that is vital to life!

For this reason, you will see us building even more ways to
connect, inform, and educate industry. Pulling together the
best of the best to share their knowledge and expertise, we will
continue what we started more than a decade ago and truly
connect the global pump industry!

This is me at the beginning of my career learning from a pro.

This is me pulling an application engineer out of his comfort
zone to recreate this memory for me. I have changed… The
pump has improved… but the Knowledge is still being shared.
This is also me pulling an application engineer.

As you enjoy reading the amazing stories in this digital maga-

zine, please consider subscribing to the Empowering Industry
Podcast and hear updates from me and Bethany each week!

4
Contacts
Charli K. Matthews
Founder & CEO of
A Letter from Bekah
Empowering Brands and
Publisher of Empowering
Building Decarbonization & Resiliency
Pumps & Equipment
cell: 205-391-8422 As we’re getting ready to head to AHR Expo at the end
charli@empowering-brands.com of the month, my mind is all things HVACR! Every indus-
try should be looking to find ways to be more energy ef-
Bethany Womack ficient and sustainable and it’s something that is very
Brand Development Manager important to myself and our company – but what does
cell: 281-610-2212 that mean for the building industry?
bethany@empowering-brands.com
When it comes to building decarbonization, it’s about the process of reducing the carbon (or the
CO2 equivalent) that’s attributable to buildings. Sounds simple but this involves many different
Vince Marino
factors such as the building design, its construction, its operation, and then also how it’s occupied.
Director of Business Development
cell: 205-310-2491 With so many working parts, why do we need to strive for building decarbonization? “The build-
vince@empowering-brands.com ings and buildings construction sectors combined are responsible for over one-third of global
final energy consumption and nearly 40% of total direct and indirect CO2 emissions.” That’s why!
Rebekah Mechtensimer Thankfully, we have many experts in our industry and in Governments around the world that are
Director actively trying to find ways to curb the emissions that we’re emitting and build more sustainable
cell: 814-289-9964 infrastructure.
rebekah@empowering-brands.com
Last year we hosted a Sustainable Infrastructure Summit and H.J. Dewes from ABB talked about
circularity across the supply chain for manufacturers. He talked about the need to re-think the sup-
Amber Brewster-Graning
ply chain and how it’s going to feed your business, how it’s going to feed your customers, how it’s
Multi-media Communications
going to feed the world, and how do you get that back?
cell: 309-750-0250
social@empowering-brands.com Just like the different factors that go into building decarbonization, how can we be looking at it
from that circularity viewpoint? How can we be planning systems with everyone in mind, from the
Carter A. Matthews design engineers to the contractors to the building owners to the operations/maintenance people
Co-Founder and Digital Media Specialist to the occupants?
cell: 205-792-2778
In the buildings sector we have a lot of excess waste from job sites, technology advancements gar-
carter@empowering-brands.com
nering old systems obsolete, increasing demands for electricity with an already stressed electrical
grid, among many other challenges. But we also have a global issue around carbon emissions and
Key Contributors
upcoming generations that are becoming much more aware of the environment around us, the
ways we are contributing to climate change, and looking for solutions to integrate sustainability
Bob Latino
into our daily lives.
Root Cause Analysis
If there’s something we have all learned (or been reminded of) as a society over these last two
Kristin Graybill years, it’s that human beings are resilient. Resiliency is the capacity to recover. Even though it’s not
MAPI a quick fix, climate change, building decarbonization, sustainability – we are all a part of this and
can all make an impact.
María Elena Rodríguez Hernández
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) has the vi-
Water Engineering Director
sion, “a healthy and sustainable built environment for all” and they are doing their part to live and
breathe this. They have been educating people about the new energy future and have also created a
Heinz P. Bloch, P.E.
task force for Building Decarbonization. They acknowledge that the United States is way behind the
Engineering, Reliability
rest of the world when it comes to this and they are actively working to lead change and help move
us closer to where we need to be.
Randal Ferman
Engineering There’s no one solution but if we’re all working together with the common goal to reduce the nearly
40% of global emissions that the buildings and building construction sector currently makes up,
Stan Riddle I believe that we can effect change. And that starts with us and the HVACR community actively
Machinist and Millwright working towards building decarbonization!

. Join the Discussion Empowering Women in

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9
The Evolution of Digital
Turbomachinery Design
Simulation and Optimization for the HVAC Industry
Author: Michelle Segrest and Ralph-Peter Müller
Computational turbomachinery design and the use of commercial
computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes to solve industrial en-
gineering problems has come a long way since it was first intro-
duced in the early 1990s. That’s when Ralph Peter Mueller started
working as an independent CFD consultant in Germany.
“It was, indeed, the beginning of a new era,” says Mueller, who is
now the president of CFturbo, Inc., a sophisticated technology
company that offers an intelligent 3D-CAD system specifically for
rotating machinery equipment. “In the early years, CFD was mainly
limited to aerospace and defense applications, funded by govern-
ments, and run by scientists on colossal mainframe computers.”
However, over the years, CFD and the optimization of rotating parts
has become an affordable, straight-forward process, and it’s no
10
longer technology used only for large corporations or academia.
Small to medium-sized companies and start-ups have been en-
abled to create the new designs of pumps, blowers, fans, compres-
sors, and turbines very effectively and in a short period of time.
“Instead of the usual ‘trial and error’ engineering, we consequently
focus on virtual methods, which we call ‘Digital Turbomachinery
Modeling,’” Mueller explains. “It requires a modern, user-friendly,
powerful, robust software toolchain to produce accurate simula-
tion results before building physical prototypes and testing.”
The quicker path toward better products, higher efficiency, more reli-
able operation, and longevity of HVAC rotating equipment is already
available. Taking technology another step forward, an intuitive soft-
ware like CFturbo plays the vital role in the digital development pro-
cess. Its interoperability with open-source and commercial codes
for CFD/FEA/CAD is essential for the engineering process.
Moving forward, parametric turbomachinery component design
will be the key factor for any automated product development pro-
cess that includes simulation, design exploration, and optimization.
Evolution of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Through the years, Mueller has witnessed a clear evolution of CFD
technology first hand.
“From my first days in college, I have been fascinated by numeric-
al methods, heat transfer, and fluid flow simulation, aerodynam-
ics, and propulsion,” Mueller says.
He studied mechanical engineering with a special focus on Fluid
Dynamics, Thermodynamics, and Turbomachinery followed by a
successful professional career in Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD). As an early adopter of the technology, he worked more
than 15 years as a CFD consultant for various industries before
co-founding CFturbo in 2008 in Dresden, Germany. In 2017 he be-
came the President of CFturbo, Inc. in Brooklyn, NY.
“From the early days of turbomachinery development it has been sole-
ly an expert business,” Mueller explains. “It is a complex task. Very
often it was complicated, time-consuming and a lot of resources were
required for simulation and testing. Today we want to empower any
engineer or scientist for automated design exploration, simulation,
and optimization to create better turbomachinery equipment.”
In the early 1990s the age of desktop RISC workstation had
begun. CFD became affordable to a broader group of scientists
and engineers. Manufacturers like DEC, Silicon Graphics, SUN,
and others used Linux as their operating systems.
For example, Silicon Graphics Workstations (SGI) became very
popular first and later legendary.
“I was proud and excited when I purchased my first SGI workstation
in 1993,” Mueller remembers. “The machine had 64 MB RAM, and
was more than $30,000. That sounds crazy today! My current note-
book has 64 GB RAM and cost me about $3,000. And, besides the
new hardware, there was the first generation of commercial CFD
codes available on the market. Brand names like CFX (AEA, now
Ansys), FINE/Turbo (NUMECA, now cadence), StarCD (CD adapco,
now SIEMENS), and TASCflow (ASC, now Ansys) among others.”
Mueller remembers that the codes were expensive and not at all us-
er-friendly—they required significant expertise to work with them.
“Even for grid generation and modeling, you had to be an expert,” he
says. “And we were always lucky when a CFD run had converged af-
ter many hours or days of simulation. Depending on the resources,
typical mesh sizes were around 100k to 1m nodes, which often lim-
ited the representation of full geometric complexity in all details.”
Especially with the automotive industry, CFD was pushed to the lim-
its in the early years, driven by continuous product development,
the need for innovation, and usually complex geometries. External
Aerodynamics, Underhood Thermal Management, Cooling, HVAC
modules, passenger compartment comfort, and engine develop-
ment with turbochargers, gas exchange, and injection systems
were critical CFD applications.
Alternatively, the oil and gas industry and the power-generation
equipment manufacturers were the second industry catalyzing
CFD in the ‘90s. Turbomachinery design and simulation were al-
ready a part of CFD from the beginning.
According to Mueller, some of the most significant improvements
during the last 30 years in CFD technology include:
• Most CFD codes became available on Windows, which
made it popular with a new group of users.
• CFD codes, meshing tools, and post-processing software
became more and more user-friendly, as some of them
were integrated into 3D-CAD systems.
• A dramatic increase in computational power for everyone
went along with a significant drop in hardware cost.
• More geometrical details were incorporated into computa-
tional models.
• Substantial progress was made in grid generation, which
has allowed highly complex geometries/meshes.
• Transient flow simulations and better turbulence models
provided more reliable predictions, also in absolute values
not only showing tendencies like in the past.
• In recent years, seamless workflows combing design,
simulation, and optimization were established, which is the
critical part of automated design exploration
• HPC Cloud computing seems to be a promising possibility
to come to bring CFD to the next level.
Each Turbomachinery application is designed for a specific task
in a certain operating range, but there is only one particular oper-
ating point of best efficiency.
“For pure hydraulic or aerodynamic tasks, modern Turbomachin-
ery design and simulations systems can achieve single-point
performance target at excellent overall efficiency pretty easily,”
Mueller says. “However, if there are conflicting performance tar-
gets because of a wide operating range, or if there are constraints
determined by structural integrity or manufacturing methods,
multi-objective optimization would be the right choice. Only with
seamless, robust, and accurate software tools can development
goals be reached in a relatively short period of time. It is mainly a
matter of development time and cost.”
To establish an automated workflow for Turbomachinery design
exploration the following is needed:
• A versatile, parametric free-form modeler for 3D CAD
• Reasonable initial conceptual designs based on fundamen-
tal physics and empirical correlations
• Excellent data export functionality to all major CAD, CFD
and FEA software tools
• Interoperability to set-up automated simulation workflows
and digital twins
In future the key factors for CAE/CFD based “Digital Turbom-
achinery” will include:
• Fully automated, robust design and optimization work-
flows, combining different CAD/CFD/FEA codes, based on
users preferences, even combining software from competi-
tive vendors
11
 • Digital Twins of Turbomachinery assemblies in develop-
ment, production, and operation
• Data mining, data management, and AI algorithms to cre-
ate, produce and operate Turbomachinery – more reliable,
more efficient, more cost effective
How End Users Benefit from CFD Technology
In general, it is the primary motivation to use CFD for a wide range
of applications to manufacture and to operate energy-efficient
equipment and systems. The latest legislation in the US and EU
drives development activities in that direction. No other technology
like CFD helps to improve products and systems and helps shorten
development time and operational costs, according to Mueller.
For all kinds of end-users, their utility bill will be lower thanks to
the sophisticated simulation technology.
Additionally, there has been a massive impact from the aerospace
industry to CFD applications in the last decade. Private compan-
ies, along with government agencies, have recently entered into
the “New Race to Space.”
“This change is a significant technology driver for the whole CFD
community,” Mueller explains. “It is about aerodynamics, propul-
sion, rocket turbopump design, and many more subjects which pro-
pel CFD applications, including automated design optimization and
HPC in the cloud.”
Even though the HVAC industry was not one of the early adopters of
CFD, much has been improved throughout the last 15 years. There
are several functional areas that use CFD within the HVAC industry
in a broader range. Besides simulation of ventilation systems and
predictions of airflow room comfort, there are at least three signifi-
cant examples from Turbomachinery for HVAC systems:
1. Chiller (refrigerant) compressors
2. Axial and centrifugal fans for ventilation
3. Circulator pumps for efficient heating of buildings
“All three types of Turbomachinery equipment play a critical role in
HVAC systems for commercial and residential buildings,” Mueller
says. “Besides the energy efficiency of the Turbomachinery itself,
there is a need to know what happens and various operating con-
ditions. In many applications, the rotating machinery equipment is
running off-design, which means the machines are not running in a
defined duty point, which is supposed to be the best efficiency point.”
Turbomachinery simulation can now accurately predict whole per-
formance maps of compressors, blowers, fans, and pumps if the
user does it correctly. This means applying geometrical details, gen-
erating appropriate computational grids, and choosing the correct
solver settings. There is still a need for some expertise in CFD, Muel-
ler emphasizes.
The Future of CFD for the HVAC Industry
Companies like CFturbo are paving the road for fully automated
Turbomachinery design, simulation, and optimization.
“It combines our software with various meshing tools and CFD
12
simulation codes to streamline the whole process of Turbomachin-
ery design exploration of pumps, blowers, fans, and compressors,”
Mueller says. “Our mission is to provide the software tools enabling
ordinary mechanical and aerospace engineers to create excellent
Turbomachinery components. Such new developments or re-de-
sign of rotating machinery can be made on powerful notebooks,
desktop workstations, clusters, or in the cloud.”
The combination of 3D-CFD simulations and 1D-systems simula-
tion seems to be a promising approach. It is essential to consider
both the Turbomachinery equipment as well as the system.
“I also see good possibilities in building Digital Twins for our cus-
tomers, monitoring operations 24/7, predicting unusual condi-
tions, and preventing failure,” Mueller explains. “HPC computing
would be essential for such a task.”
In general, CFD will become more and more utilized in all rel-
evant areas of HVAC, not only Turbomachinery design and opti-
mization, but also for ventilation, thermal comfort and building
simulation.
Case Study Example 1
Refrigerant R134a Centrifugal Compressor: Aerodynamic design,
CFD simulation, and optimization
As a major trend in the HVAC industry, more and more turbocompres-
sors are used in refrigerant cycles, replacing other types of compres-
sors, like piston or scroll-type machines. There is a need for high-per-
formance high-efficiency components and systems. By its working
principle, turbocompressors can achieve better efficiency and per-
formance over a wide operating range.
By combining CFturbo with Ansys Workbench, the design and de-
velopment process have been streamlined. Now, it is possible to
create a new, optimized high-efficiency refrigerant compressor de-
sign within a few days, instead of weeks or months, like in the past.
Case Study Example 2
Submersible, Vertical Multistage Pump: Hydraulic design, CFD-simu-
lations, design exploration (DoE), and optimization.
Designing highly efficient pumps is crucial. However, for mult-
istage vertical turbine pumps, which are key components in the
freshwater supply infrastructure, the first pump stage’s suction
capability is also an essential attribute.
To resolve a problem with conflicting targets, a multi-objective de-
sign exploration must be done. CFturbo, integrated in Ansys Work-
bench, can provide such a solution. It is a user-friendly, streamlined,
robust design and simulation process with excellent accuracy to
predict performance, efficiency, shaft power, and NPSHR.
Case Study Example 3
Contra-rotating Axial Fan: Design, Simulation, Testing, Develop-
ment – ILK, Semi-Therm papers 2018, FAN 2018
Contra-rotating fans are rarely used in HVAC or other industries
because of their complex drivetrains. Usually, an expensive gear-
box is needed, making it difficult from a commercial perspective.
Images Case Study Example 1. Images Case Study Example 2.

However, there is vast progress in electric powertrains, so that one

could use two electrical motors rotating in opposite directions. The
critical advantage of the contra-rotating fans can come into play:
compact, variable speed, high pressure, high-efficient, low noise.
CFturbo provides the design and simulation platform for this
innovative contra-rotating design concept. For specific applica-
tions, contra-rot fans can replace traditional centrifugal fans or
multistage axial fans with vaned stators.
To learn more about the CFturbo software and service, visit them at
AHR 2022 booth #9312 or register for a free trial at www.cfturbo.com

About the Authors:

Michelle Segrest is president of Navigate Content,
Inc., a full-service content creation firm and has cov-
ered the industrial processing industries since 2008.
Find her podcast, “Factory of the Future” wherever you
listen to podcasts

About Ralph-Peter Müller born and raised in Germany.

- Technical University of Dresden; Studies of Fluid
Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Turbomachinery
- M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
- Development Engineer at General Motors, Russelsheim, Germany
- CFD Consultant, Founder and Director of CFDnetwork, Munich,
Germany
- Co-Founder and Managing Director of CFturbo GmbH, Dresden,
Germany
- Co-Founder and President of CFturbo, Inc. Brooklyn, NY
Images Case Study Example 3.

13
 Are you a woman in Industry looking to connect and grow personally and
professionally? Join us for the Empowering Women Locally Conference! The
day will be spent learning and networking with some of the best women in
Industry. Topics discussed will include: overcoming limiting beliefs, personal
branding, networking, mental toughness, communication, and more.
Visit www.empoweringwomeninindustry.com to learn more.

March 3, 2022
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Bryant Convention Center
240 Paul W Bryant Dr.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Empowering Brands is partnering with Charli K. Matthews to
host a 5-week online workshop. The workshop will walk you
through how to maximize your strengths, build your personal
brand, and discover your thought leadership. Charli will cover
how to navigate through obstacles all while staying true to
yourself and much more.

SIGN UP TODAY
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their partner showcase pages!
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Thank you to all of our #empoweringwomen2021 sponsors that
made the Empowering Women in Industry 2021 Conference and
Awards Gala such a successful and memorable event. If you
are interested in sponsoring #empoweringwomen2022 contact
Charli: charli@empoweringwomeninindustry.com

19
Leadership: The Human Side
By Michelle Lemoi
Leadership starts with us, individually. When
we work to develop, improve, and master
ourselves, we can then extend leadership
outwards to those we interact with. Leader-
ship comprises technical knowledge and
expertise and human skills. How we relate
to others, how we connect with others, and
how we foster personal development - can
arguably be more important than technic-
al knowledge and expertise. Without the
balance of human skills to technical know-
ledge and expertise, we do a disservice to
ourselves, others, and organizations by not
allowing for full potential growth, we lose
the opportunity to increase profitability, and
we run the risk of not attracting or retaining
qualified talent.
Here are 5 human skills to develop, im-
prove, and master in 2022:
1. Empathy
Having the ability to understand and share
feelings starts with understanding and
being compassionate with ourselves first.
Can we be open with ourselves and release
judgement? Do we let go of the need for
perfectionism? Do we allow ourselves to
make mistakes and not hold ourselves to
20
an unattainable standard? Can we then ex-
tend that grace, compassion, and aware-
ness to others we interact with? Developing
empathy and fostering compassion allows
us to hold ourselves and others account-
able, set clear boundaries, and understand
diverse perspectives.
2. Connectedness
Leadership isn’t defined by a title. A lead-
er is a beacon, a role model that holds a
vision and is connected to all the parts.
When leaders are connected to their en-
vironment and people, that sense of con-
nectedness allows for big visions, buy-in,
efficiency, profitability, improved overall
health, and a sense of cohesion. Without
connectedness, individuals feel unmotiv-
ated, unsupported, and unengaged. Hav-
ing connection lowers the risk of despair,
anxiety, and depression and increases
self-esteem, empowers individuals to have
empathy, and improves mental health.
3. Communication
Communication is key in everyday conver-
sation as well as problem solving and man-
aging conflict. How we navigate communi-
cation and express ourselves can mean the
difference between being understood and
misunderstood. Good communication in-
volves asking questions to ensure the mes-
sage is delivered as intended. It involves lis-
tening, being aware of our nonverbal cues,
and truthfulness. We use these skills to help
us navigate conflict and in situations that
require understanding, empathy, and con-
nectedness. The end result of good com-
munication is being understood quickly and
accurately and it creates a safe space for all
to engage.
4. Listening
Strong listening skills is a practice and a
key component of good communication.
Actively listening requires hearing the mes-
sage fully, interpreting and asking ques-
tions, and providing productive feedback.
Mirroring back to another what has been
stated is empowering, motivating, and al-
lows the other to feel heard. Listening re-
quires being present. This means shutting
out all the noise including interruptions
and distractions. In this fast paced world,
listening is increasingly difficult, but when
 we honor each other by listening, we foster
empathy, connectedness, and trust.

5. Support
Support is the cornerstone for increased
motivation, engagement, and empower-
ment. When we take the time to encourage
the direct result is fostering competence,
growth, learning, the generation of ideas,
and increased input. Providing support
results in feeling valued, being seen and
heard, and elevates us to show up as our
best selves. This support is crucial to the
viability of an organization. Without sup-
port, there can be no sense of obligation or
drive to grow, excel, improve, or even stay
with an organization.
These 5 human skills ultimately build trust.
Building trust fosters improvement and ex-
cellence. Improvement and excellence con-
tributes to efficiency, productivity, safety,
quality, service, mental health, and profit-
ability.
Happy New Year 2022! Let this be the year
we improve, develop, and master the hu-
man side of ourselves, others, and organ-
izations. Cheers!

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 February 14th

Empowering Pumps & Equipment is committed to working towards achieving sustainable

development goals as outlined by the UN. We are able to do this using our thought leadership
and advocacy in our industry to bring about these conversations and highlight the ones in our
industry who are putting in the work to create a more sustainable world for all. We talk about
this topic all year long because it’s important, but we knew we had to round up our experts
and talk about all things sustainability and how it’s affecting our industry. You can join in LIVE
on February 14th starting at 9:00 am CT. We’ll have it available on-demand after the event.

Discussions for the day will include:

• Infrastructure
• Building Decarbonization & the Electrical Grid
• Green Solutions
• Digital & Service Solutions
• Pump & Equipment Efficiency
• Diversity & Inclusion

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 Industry #Influencers
In this issue, Empowering Pumps & Equipment honors #Influencers in Industry! A Special ‘Thank You’ to these
individuals below who are actively working to Be the Change we need to see in the world! Whether it’s empowering
women, inspiring students into STEM fields, being role models and keeping our water clean and our systems
operational, these individuals are our heroes!

23
 INCREASE PUMP STATION EFFICIENCY
DECREASE LIFE CYCLE COSTS

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Our AMS hydraulics have a
proven track record in the most
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CONTROLLED RADIAL PERMACOOLTM: Our patented AVAILABILITY: Our over $15 Million
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expensive maintenance or jacket clogs not weeks or months
adjustments required

Homa Pump Technology | info@homapump.com | (203) 736 - 8890 | www.homapump.com

KNOWLEDGE:
SHARED
Empowering Pumps & Equipment is the information and
connection hub for the pump and related equipment
industries with a mission to Connect, Inform, and
Educate. Our community shares their knowledge
so we can continue to address the issues of an
aging workforce, encourage and educate
professionals that are new to the
industry, and be your ‘go-to’ resource
for information and access to
industry professionals who
can support you!

25
Circular Economy
By H.J. Dewes
ABB Motors & Drives
Sustainability has become a familiar
foundation to many company strategies,
focusing on energy savings and minimiz-
ing environmental impact. A rising term
in this movement is Circular Economy, or
more simply, circularity. Circularity is a key
component of a long-term sustainability
strategy. While the idea of a circular econ-
omy has been around for years, sustaina-
bility challenges are rapidly increasing the
demand for a circular focus. We simply
cannot continue to advance as a global so-
ciety with our historical, linear take-make-
waste economy.
A circular economy is one where all as-
pects of a product’s life are planned to
minimize dependence on raw materials
and consumption of earth’s limited resour-
ces. This includes concepts such as de-
signing waste out, extending equipment
life, planned recovery at end of effective
life and resource redeployment into more
efficient and environmentally friendly solu-
tions. It is circular, not linear.
The idea of circularity challenges manufac-
turers and end users to re-evaluate each
stage of a products lifecycle to ensure that
we aren’t simply moving a potential prob-
lem out of sight to meet our own sustain-
ability goals. Circularity requires us to take
responsibility for the entire life of the prod-
uct- even after it leaves our facilities- until it
is recovered for reuse in some way.
Why can’t we just focus on recycling? The
answer is simple - Recycling starts at the
26
end of the process, or useful life of a prod-
uct. The goal of recycling is to make sure
the product doesn’t end up in a landfill, or
our waterways, etc. It’s a good start, but it’s
not holistic. Circularity starts at the begin-
ning- Asking questions such as How can I
design waste out? How can I eliminate my
dependence on raw materials? And, how
can I ensure my product comes back to me
when it is outside of its useful life?
Circularity means including the ideas of
sustainability into every aspect of what
we do. Before a product is manufactured
or installed in an application, it must be
designed to perform reliably and efficient-
ly for an extended amount of time and to
be recovered in a way that the materials
can be effectively redeployed or re-used.
Circularity demands that we design waste
out with an emphasis on knowing what will
happen to the product after its useful life,
in addition to efficient performance during
its active phase.
Modularity is one way this can be achieved.
By identifying which components are the
limiting gate factor on life, manufactur-
ers should design pieces that can be effi-
ciently interchanged to extend life of the
equipment, such as replacing inefficient or
damaged windings in electric motors and
then easily ensuring recovery and repur-
posing the windings to something useful,
not wasted. Designing with modularity in
mind allows users to interchange compon-
ents and effectively repurpose them to ex-
tend the efficient lifecycle of products and
meet sustainability goals. In true circular
fashion, these materials would be fully
recovered for use in future, more efficient
solutions, fueling progress toward net zero
operation - zero carbon footprint; zero
dependence on raw materials, and zero
waste from outdated or expired products.
Digitalization and connectivity are also
useful tools in an efficient circular strat-
egy. Digitalization helps to monitor a prod-
uct during its active life-ensuring that it
operates efficiently, while communicating
when it is time for replacement. The abil-
ity to trace a component in the transition
of removal from active use to recovery
enables users to ensure that the product
is truly removed from use and recovered
for reuse in a sustainable manner. For ex-
ample, an inefficient motor replaced with a
higher efficiency motor and drive package
being reused in another country versus
true recovery simply transfers the ineffi-
cient system somewhere else.
Many people do not realize that these ob-
solete technologies are often resold, under
the premise of recycling, for redeployment
in areas of the world where environment-
al concern is less than in many advanced
countries. While the end user feels they
are making the right investment to replace
inefficient equipment and reduce their
carbon footprint, they are often simply
passing an outdated and inefficient “prob-
lem” on to someone else while doing little
holistically for sustainability. Connectivity
through digitalization enables end users
and original equipment manufacturers to
see a product through the entire cycle en-
suring the above example doesn’t happen.
End users also have a responsibility to pick
the right products for sustainable applica-
tions. Documentation shows that utilizing
electric motors and variable speed drives
are common practices to save energy and
reduce operational impact on the environ-
ment. Digitalization also makes it possible
to monitor motor performance transpar-
ently and remotely. For example, in a large
building’s HVAC system, the resulting data
can make it possible to optimize process-
es and realize significant efficiency gains
and energy savings.
Finally, to be most effective, a circular ap-
proach must reach throughout the value
chain. This means we must consider re-
lationships and awareness that we haven’t
in the past, including everyone from source
supply, equipment providers, end users
and recovery partners. How do we create
partnerships throughout the value chain
to ensure that all members act in driving
sustainability and recovery as opposed to
take-make-waste? It’s easy to focus on
one’s own organization, but we must take
responsibility to ensure that those before
and after us in the value chain have the cir-
cular economy rooted in their organization
fabric. Reevaluating how we each partici-
pate in this chain will be critical to enabling
and maintaining a circular economy. Digit-
al tracing throughout the value chain by the
equipment manufacturer is key.
As the environmental and economic im-
pacts of obsolete technologies have grown,
the advantages of embracing new and im-
proved ways to operate is clear. First and
foremost, we must take responsibility for
updating our facilities with more efficient
technologies. Second, we need to take
responsibility to ensure those products
aren’t redeployed as is- simply passing the
buck with little long-term impact on sus-
tainability. And third, equipment manufac-
turers and end users must partner with or-
ganizations who understand the long term
benefits of moving toward a circular ap-
proach where we all reduce our waste foot-
print and work to minimize our dependence
on raw materials.
Will regulation drive this movement in
the future? There clearly is an increasing
focus on efficiency and environmental
legislation through much of the world.
However, thought leaders across indus-
try and in the commercial sector see the
opportunity to drive meaningful change
ahead of regulation by operating more effi -
ciently, reducing their carbon footprint, and
eliminating dependence on limited natural
resources as key components of their sus-
tainability agendas. They see the need to
make changes from limited life, resource
dependent and environmentally unfriend-
ly and unsustainable practices of the past
to a more sustainable future now, with or
without regulation. Imbedding circularity
principles into our businesses now is not
only the right thing to do, it is necessary to
sustain our planet for the next generations.
The faster we can make this happen, the
more we all stand to benefit.
27
How the Capabilities for Performance Tracking in
Pump Manager Can Alert Operators and Help Avoid
Unnecessary HVAC Costs
By Armstrong Fluid Technology

As facility managers, contractors and service professionals gain

experience working with remote performance tracking capabil-
ities for intelligent pumps, the hvac industry is learning how valu-
able this type of subscription service can be. It seems that many
customers originally agreed to the purchase of a performance
tracking subscription service on the assumption that it would
serve only as a security blanket, but would be mostly unneces-
sary. Based on the testimonial stories provided by customers
describing service, maintenance and performance management
scenarios, the subscription service has proven its value many
times over. Examples detailing how remote performance tracking
prevented a serious negative outcome, organized into categories,
are presented below.
Where the current market offering for performance tracking servi-
ces includes a range of different options, the leading
subscription services provide data storage, local performance
read-outs as well as performance reports and trends, secure-
ly available from any connected device. Data points and trends
available include flow and head, vibration, flow profile, energy con-
sumption and carbon footprint. Performance alerts can be deliv-
ered to report instances of excessive vibration, broken coupling,
pump in hand, deadhead, cavitation.

Dead-Head
A key success of Pump Manager is illustrated with an example
from a project in Bahrain. Armstrong was alerted of a dead-head-
ing situation. The customer was relying on the data displayed on
a bms interface for the system health. The operator doubted that
the Design Envelope pumps were not running, since the bms sys-
tem showed the valve was open and cooling requirements for the
zone were being met. A technician from Armstrong explains: We
told them we could view the pump performance remotely, that the
pumps were running close to shut-off heads and that there was
a small power draw even at zero flow in the system. The custom-
er agreed to conduct a physical examination and was shocked to
learn that valve was actually closed and there was no flow.
Left unaddressed, the dead-head status of the pumps could have
led to seal failure, motor failure and, in the extreme case, fluid
leaks. As a result of the remote tracking capabilities of Pump
Manager, and the attentiveness of an Armstrong technician, these
results were all avoided. The maintenance issue was addressed,
and the site returned to efficient HVAC operation.
Design Versus Actual Demand
Another site-related issue that can be addressed with Pump
Manager is the disparity between design conditions and actual
requirements. Consulting engineers normally include safety fac-
tors when designing for a project, partly to allow for future sys-
tem demand, partly to make up for any missed aspects of design
or demand, and partly to account for any shortfall in equipment
performance. While this practice is embedded in the industry, it
means that actual requirements for head and flow may be much
lower than specified.
For Constant Speed pumps, this can result in over-pumping in
head and flow, beyond what is required, needlessly consuming
more power than necessary. For Variable Speed pumps that do
not have demand-based control, while the speed of the vsd can
be permanently lowered to a fixed value, not being able to adjust
shaft rpm in real time to match changing demand can result in
large amounts of energy waste.
This type of scenario can be avoided with Pump Manager, as the
motor power output can be analyzed in detail, relative to typical
flow and head levels. With sufficient data, operators can reduce
the maximum shaft rpm to recommended levels, and still meet
dynamic system flow and head demands. A recent example
from a project in Dubai illustrates this perfectly. Armstrong rec-
ommended that the customer reduce the operating limits for the
pump motor from 2900 rpm to just 2600 rpm. This allowed the
pump motor to operate in a more appropriate range. More import-
antly, system demand for flow and head was 100% satisfied, and
the pump energy use was reduced by 20%.

28
Mode Change Alerts
In certain regions of the world, the built environment, and the re-
quirement for experienced operators, can outpace the availabil-
ity of qualified individuals. Most sites and plant rooms are main-
tained by third-party facility management companies or service
contractors. Employee turnover in these companies is frequently
quite high, so the individuals supplied often lack the experience
required to properly manage sophisticated hvac systems. Main-
taining and operating equipment so that hvac systems function at
best efficiency levels is often challenging due to the propensity of
operators to manually override manufacturer and bms settings.
In a recent incident, a set of Armstrong Design Envelope Pumps were
set to run in Auto Mode at a customer site in Al Jaddaf, Dubai. The
pumps were manually over-ridden by a night technician who noticed
the pumps were not operating and wanted to ensure they had not
failed. On the notion that system flow should be managed by restrict-
ing mechanical valves, the technician changed both pumps to oper-
ate at full speed and left them set to In-Hand mode. In reality, just one
of the two pumps could have met the relatively low overnight demand
for chilled water and would have been operating at levels close to the
best efficiency point. An Armstrong technician was notified of the
mode change by sms and e-mail. In turn, the customer was advised
of the situation, and the pumps were returned to the proper settings.

Remote Performance Tracking

Dubai is home to many high-end residences in large complexes. Ob-
serving and tracking hvac performance by walking to each installa-
tion in a campus is impractical. In a recent success story, the remote
performance tracking capabilities of Pump Manager allowed site
management staff to identify and resolve issues in multiple locations.
In the last year, there were about 5-6 service issues that came up
and it’s noteworthy that all of those were addressed remotely with
the help of Pump Manager.
In one instance, a valve closure left pumps in dead-head state.
Pump Manager provided alerts to identify the problem. Later on,
a 2-way valve that served a fan coil unit (fcu) experienced issues,
resulting in a zig-zag pattern in the hvac mapping. The auto-bal-
ancing feature of Design Envelope cloud-connected pump helped
address the issue, but the capabilities for remote performance an-
alysis embedded in Pump Manager made the diagnosis possible.
These are just a few examples of the many instances around the
world in which intelligent, cloud-connected systems create an en-
vironment that supports active management of performance in
mechanical systems. In return for careful evaluation and compari-
son of components and system designs, engineers, contractors
and owners can have access to this type of advanced subscrip-
tion service and the benefits thereof.
Isolation of Noise and Vibration in HVAC and Plumbing
Piping Systems – Why Rubber is the Best Choice
By Marty Rogin, FSA Member, Metraflex

The requirements of HVAC and plumbing piping systems can be

very different from the process industry. HVAC systems use pip-
ing to convey fluids for the transfer of energy between different
areas of a building. Plumbing piping brings in fresh water while re-
moving the waste from a building. This energy transfer and water
movement must all happen efficiently and quietly without disturb-
ing the people living and working in a building. It can be quite a
challenge for the system designers.
The heat transfer fluid (usually water) and fresh water are pumped
throughout the building. Pumps vibrate and create noise as they
move water. Pumps are also located in a central mechanical
room. Architects are notorious for locating these rooms in the
worst possible place in a building, usually adjacent to the office of
someone important. Even if the equipment room is in a remote lo-
cation, noise and vibration may be transmitted through the pipes
and annoy a V.I.P. in a completely different area of the building.
These problems can be most infuriating to HVAC/Plumbing con-
sulting engineers because, by the time they show up, the building Image 1. Typical standard detail for a base-mounted HVAC
is nearly finished and may even be occupied. Changes at this point
pump. Note the neoprene spherical joints, spring hangers and
in a project are generally expensive and result in very unhappy
inertia base.
owners. The key to effectively minimizing pump noise and vibra-
tion is to properly isolate the equipment in the design stage of a
ene, (PTFE), connectors. Which option is best for vibration isola-
project, as is shown in Image 1.
tion through the piping? HVAC and plumbing systems normally
Noise and vibration alone is not necessarily a problem. There operate at relatively low pressures and temperatures, which make
must be three elements present to make it a problem – a source them perfect candidates for elastomeric connectors. Stainless
(the pump or other rotating equipment), a path (the piping or struc- hose and braid and elastomeric connectors are all commonly
ture) and a receiver (the building occupants). Take away any of the seen in equipment rooms. Let’s look at how elastomeric connect-
three elements, and the problem cannot exist. ors compare with stainless hose and braid for vibration isolation.
There are two paths for vibration transmission from a pump –
through the building structure and through the piping. This article Hose and Braid
will focus on noise and vibration transmitted through the attached
piping. Typically, engineers will specify springs or rubber pads to Hose and braid connectors consist of stainless steel or bronze
isolate the pumps from the building structure. For piping, there corrugated hose with stainless or bronze braid, (Image 2.)
are several choices. A specifier may choose a hose-and-braid as- These connectors can have various end fi ttings (flange/weld/
sembly. Other options available are rubber or Polytetrafluoroethyl- threaded/grooved or a combination) and can handle higher tem-
peratures and pressures. Hose and braid connectors do not sub-
ject the mating pipe ends to hydrostatic end loads. Stainless/
bronze connectors are intended to be a life-of-system product,
meaning that no periodic inspection or maintenance is required.
These connectors are designed for lateral movement only and
cannot handle axial movement unless they are combined into
a loop assembly. Also, manufacturers require minimum lengths
for effective vibration isolation.

PTFE Couplings
PTFE couplings are occasionally used for vibration isolation (Im-
age 3). PTFE is a fluoropolymer capable of higher temperatures and
pressures and can be used with many corrosive fluids that would
be unsuitable for metal or other elastomers. These connectors are
flanged, with integral control rods to limit the movement.
Image 2. Hose and Braid Connector

30
Image 3. Typical PTFE connector
Elastomeric Couplings
Elastomeric couplings are usually flanged,
with either spool or spherical-type bodies
(Images 4 through 6). Several types of elas-
tomer compounds are available, with neo-
prene and EPDM the most common material
for HVAC/plumbing systems. Standard con-
struction consists of three main layers; the
tube, reinforcing plies, and cover. Spool-type
bodies have full-face flanges with internal
wire reinforcement or specially-designed
reinforcing flanges. Spherical joints have a
bead seal and are constructed without addi-
tional reinforcement. Control rods are usual-
ly installed with this type of connector, and
the mating flanges can be subject to con-
siderable pressure thrust loads. Elastomeric
couplings are generally not life-of-building
products and must be periodically inspected
and replaced.
Noise Characterization in
Building Piping Systems
HVAC and plumbing noise may originate
from the large components (chillers, boilers,
cooling towers, pumps, air handlers) or any
of the smaller components (fans, valves,
terminal units, diffusers/grilles). The test
results presented will strictly focus on the
Image 6. Typical Wide Arch Coupling
Image 4 .Typical Rubber Pipe Coupling
water moving systems and associated pip-
ing. There are no standard piping configura-
tions, so the results will reflect a somewhat
arbitrary piping arrangement.
Equipment produces sound and vibration
in a wide range of frequencies. Examples
may include large air handling systems
producing low-frequency rumbles (16 to
125 Hz), through fan and pump noise at the
middle frequencies (63 to 1000 Hz). Moving
air-generated noise can go up to 8000 Hz
and be perceived as a whistle or hiss. The
frequencies of most concern in piping sys-
tems are in the middle frequencies from 63
Hz to around 1000 Hz. See Table 1.
Pumps are rarely the source of airborne
noise problems; however, structure-borne
noise problems can be severe. This is
usually the result of inadequate isolation
of the pump or the attached piping. The
noise can be heard as a strong tone at the
impeller blade passage frequency and may
be minimized by specifying the impeller
diameter to be no greater than 85% of the
cutwater radius.
Acceptable noise levels depend on the
room usage. Theaters and recital halls will
have stricter noise requirements than of-
fices or gymnasiums. Engineers will typ-
ically select terminal equipment based on
Image 5. Typical Spherical Coupling
performance and noise characteristics for
each type of room. The selection criteria
may be based on ASHRAE standard dBA,
dBC, RC (room criteria) or NC (noise criteria)
equipment performance.
Comparison of Expansion Joint
Performance
Transmitted noise and vibration will be af-
fected by several variables including the
characteristics of the connected equip-
ment, the number, type and location of pipe
supports, the pipe material, pressure and
pipe geometry. It is important to consider
the entire pipe assembly as a system, with
changes in any one component affecting
the noise and vibration characteristics of
the entire pipe run.
Laboratory and field testing has revealed
several useful results that may be applied to
most installations. Here is a summary of the
test results that FSA member companies
have conducted over several years:
How is noise and vibration
transmitted? Is it through the
pipe wall or through the fluid
medium?
The answer is both, but more through the
pipe wall depending on the equipment.
Chillers and boilers tend to transmit great-
er vibration through the pipe walls, while
pumps may transmit more through the
fluid. Vibration is transmitted through the
pipe wall as a bending wave, and through
the fluid medium as a pressure wave. All
types of flexible couplings provide isolation
by decreasing the pipe wall stiffness. The
elastomeric connectors further decrease
fluid-transmitted vibration by absorbing
the pressure variations. Rubber walls can
expand circumferentially to accommodate
31
these disturbances; metal connector walls cannot. Be aware that
there will be temperature and pressure combinations that only
metal connectors can accommodate.

Which works better for noise and vibration

reduction, metal or rubber?
Rubber, but…
Although this result may seem evident, there are applications that
still require metal connectors and it is important to quantify the vi-
bration reduction difference between the two materials. Also, there
are several types of rubber, so is there an elastomer that performs
better than the others?
The answer to this question is no, all elastomers and polymer test-
ed (EPDM/Neoprene/PTFE) have similar vibration isolating char-
acteristics for water-filled pipe. All did markedly better than hose
and braid isolators when tested in a 30-foot pipe assembly with two
bends, as shown in Table 2.
Table 1. Frequency of different types of Equipment.

How much does the pipe layout affect noise and

vibration?
A lot. And it would be impossible to model or test all the possible
assemblies; however, there are results that may be generalized:
• Flange Effects – flanges and other heavy components like
valves and rigid supports reflect pipe wall vibration and
form standing waves. They essentially act as nodes in the
piping system, making it possible to roughly predict the res-
onant frequencies of the pipe assembly.
• Pipe Support Effects - pipe supports will not affect vibra-
tion transmission unless they are very stiff, which would
essentially make them part of the building structure. Test-
ing showed that the stiffness must be at least 2000 lb./in.
Clevis hangers typically are about this value, spring hangers
are significantly lower and have almost no effect on vibra-
tion transmission to the structure.
• Pipe Bend Effects – pipe elbows transform pipe wall bend-
ing waves into torsional waves, and vice-versa. Tests have
shown that flexible connectors perform well in bending
wave reduction, but not as well in torsional vibration iso-
lation. Locating any type of connector immediately down-
stream from an elbow may not be effective in reducing vi-
bration if the waves are torsional.
• Pressure Effects – increasing the pressure of the fluid
medium has a small effect, generally increasing the vibra-
tion isolation characteristics of the connector. The effects
were negligible over 50 psi.
• Control Rod Effects – a common concern raised by speci-
fying engineers is that the control rods can “short circuit”
the vibration isolation of the rubber joint. Tests have shown
that the control rods have almost no effect on the vibration
isolation characteristics of the connector. Since the flanges
act as nodes in the system, vibration within the connect-
or is reduced by reflection through the connector wall. The
rubber face/steel flange interface is critical here, and the
opposite occurs – the connector is actually short-circuiting
the control rods!
Table 2. Results of vibration testing on a 30-foot pipe assembly
with five different connectors. The insertion loss represents the
amount of vibration reduction from the source to the receiver, in
this case at opposite ends of the pipe run with the connector in
the center.
Vibration testing has demonstrated that elastomers are a superi-
or vibration isolating material when compared to stainless hose
and braid. The flexibility of elastomeric connectors in both axial
and circumferential directions allows them to absorb both pipe
wall and fluid-borne vibration. What may not have been obvious
is that the type of elastomer and connector design does not have
a considerable influence on the vibration reduction. PTFE per-
formed nearly as well as the other rubber types.
Specific vibration characteristics will vary for each building because
these are heavily dependent the piping layout. There are also com-
ponent effects that may be important to isolating system noise.
Author: Marty Rogin
Marty Rogin, PE, is the engineering manager at Metraflex. His
35 years in the field has taken him from the edge of space
down to the bedrock of our infrastructure systems, and several
places between. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in 27
states and holds a M.S. in Engineering Mechanics from the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from
the University of Colorado.

32
 JOIN US for the Valve Forum
Conference & Exhibits
TECHNICAL
VALVE FORUM
Conference & Exhibits
April 6-8, 2022 I San Antonio, TX
MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT & MARKETING VALVE REPAIR
Open to all professionals in the flow control industry, the
VMA Valve Forum Conference & Exhibits is the most
comprehensive gathering place for all those in the valve
industry value chain. The event offers solutions, content
and business opportunities for the valve, valve actuator and
valve automation industry. Thought leaders will present on
manufacturing, technical, repair, marketing, management,
and other business topics. Business opportunities with
networking and industry suppliers, distributors and others
will showcase their products and services.
This will be the first in person Valve Forum in two years, and
we could not be more excited to see everyone in person. To
learn more and keep up to date on the latest Valve Forum
news, please visit www.vma.org/valveforum
 Be the model
“It’s important to use the voice we have
in any forum we are able to attend.”
- Elena Rodriquez

Facing her fears and embracing her mission to be a

role model for young engineers, Elena Rodriquez is
an inspiration to us all. She openly shares her
struggles and successes as a pump engineer with
Charli K. Matthews during her interview on the
Empowering Industry Podcast.

Elena draws her inspiration from other empowering

women. One of her favorite quotes is from Melinda
Gates: “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a
strong woman.”

Be sure to checkout her interview on YouTube to

learn more about Elena and her journey to
becoming the role model she is today.
 Join us for an ongoing series
where Vince, Empowering
Pump’s Director of Business
Development, brings on
guests to teach him technical
skills useful for those working
in the pump and related
equipment industry.

Click the thumbnails to watch

some of our top videos, or
click below to view the entire
playlist.

LUNCH & LEARN PLAYLIST

To be featured in a Lunch & Learn interview,

contact Vince@EmpoweringPumps.com

36
 Top Episodes
NEW TO THE PODCAST? GO BACK AND LISTEN TO SOME OF OUR
MOST POPULAR EPISODES FROM 2021

Environmental, Social Leading Women in

and Governance (ESG): STEM Forward with
Leadership in the Angel Wileman
Water Industry with
Richard M. D’Amato

Predictive Leveling Up to
Maintenance and 100 Episodes with
IIoT with Dr. Andy WaterWisePro
Zimmerman

To be featured in an interview, contact Charli@EmpoweringPumps.com

 #PUMPTALK
1. How did you get started working in your field?
In 2017, at only 29 years of age, I realized that I did not like my job. I
would come home stressed, did not feel a sense of pride about the
work I was doing, and had to fight for .50 cent raises that did not
reflect the increase in cost of living. I enjoyed a few aspects of my
job, like training and teaching, but overall, this was not a job that left
me fulfilled or able to pay my bills very comfortably. I realized we
spend more time at work than we do at home, and I believe it is so
important to enjoy what you do. There is no perfect job, however one
that makes you feel proud and happy, is a job that feels more like a
hobby than a chore. Additional to mental health and happiness is
financial security. I found myself going further into debt each year. I
needed to find a job where I could thrive, not just survive.
It was during this time my best friend Matt purchased a home and
wanted to complete renovations. Both of us at the time were what you
would call ‘Green’: someone who has no construction experience. With
the help of YouTube, friends, and Google we replaced kitchen cabinets,
renovated bathrooms and completed an unfinished basement. It was
through this process I discovered I loved working with my hands. I felt
empowered and proud of each new thing I completed. I knew then, this
was something I would like to do for a career.
My time spent as a Child and Youth Worker provided me with
the knowledge and know how, to find programs and resources
available to help women get into the trades. I started researching
and found a free government funded pre-apprenticeship program
offered though the YWCA Hamilton for Machining and applied. I
38
CELEBRITY!
did not know what a machinist was, but I knew any education and
resume building experience would be a benefit. I was accepted into
the program in 2018 and successfully completed it along with a
6-month co-op at Arcelor Mittal Dofasco in 2019.
I enjoyed machining, and after my co-op finished, my job and
employer sponsorship search began. The next several months I
applied for every possible machinist position available, on all job
platforms, and removed and changed content on my resume to
appear less female and continued to find myself jobless. However,
I do understand some of the challenges that machine shops may
encounter when hiring a woman. The changes they may have to
make to accommodate a woman (such as a washroom) could be
costly, particularly for small shops.
During my job search the YWCA released the 2019 pre-apprenticeship
programs and electrical was a new one added to the list. Knowing I
enjoyed electrical and thinking that there may be more job availability
and security in that field I applied. I was accepted into the program in
2019 and successfully completed it later that year. These programs
arranged for guest speakers and additional training to help ensure
our success. The IBEW Local 105 Hamilton was one of these parties
and they sent guest speakers, and facilitated Lock Out, Tag Out and
Working and Heights Training. I was able to network throughout this
program and show my potential to the IBEW. So, when I completed
the program I reached out to the local and forwarded my resume
and qualifications in hopes they wou0ld take me on. I am extremely
grateful that they signed me as an electrical apprentice and gave
me a chance to be successful. Since this time, the IBEW has been
nothing but amazing and encouraging, including sponsoring, and
attending the YWCA Women of Distinction awards ceremony in 2019,
and so much more.

2. What do you love the most about your job? What are
you most proud of?
I genuinely love my job, and being an Electrical Apprentice keeps
my physically, and mentally healthy, all while helping me stay
financially secure. I feel challenged, engaged, and proud of the
work I do. There is an amazing sense of pride and accomplishment
you get when you finish a project and can say; I built that. I now
have the confidence to take on different at home projects and
repairs. During COVID-19 I have learned how to change my car oil,
and now I have done 3 and counting. This has allowed me to save
a few bucks while using higher quality oil and filters, than what is
typically used at a random shop. I am not afraid to pick up a new
tool and try something different, and this has helped increased my amazing team, and company that supports me and my endeavors.
self confidence and self-esteem. No two projects are 100% alike in I have a crew that includes me in the process, which allows me
the trades and inevitably I learn something new almost every day I to learn and grow as an apprentice, along with great foreman,
go to work. Because of this I have developed the courage to try new journeyman and apprentices as mentors, brothers, and teachers.
things, fall, stand back up, and repeat until success; confidence is
built by competence and this is the formula. 5. Anything Else you would like to add?
I am most proud and blessed to say this journey has also taken me
One of the big things I have learned from life is you never get a break
on a route of advocacy as an Ambassador for the skiiled trades.
from the demands of bills and most people live life pay cheque to pay
This allows me to take my passion for people that I found while
cheque, unprepared for any unexpected added expense. Due to this
being a Child and Youth Worker and combine it with my new love
I have learnt the importance of loving what you do, along with finding
for the trades. I have been fortunate to be able to do podcasts, be
a job that can allow you to thrive not just survive on your own. I picked
a guest speaker, panelist and run workshops through OYAP for
the skilled trades and electrical because it was a job that I found to
youth, in the effort to try to educate and spread awareness about
love and allowed me to have wants and the potential to retire. It is
the skilled trades. I hope that by sharing my story I inspire others
because of all my experiences that I think it is so important you take
to explore to see if the skilled trades are right for them. I ultimately
time to try different things, research opportunities, get your hands
hope to encourage people everywhere to try to find a career that
dirty, and explore your passions, while being realistic knowing one
they are passionate about and to live a life they love.
day you will have to support yourself on your dreams.

3. What advice would you give to someone considering

6. Please include your social media channels
this line of work or new to the field?
If you are considering the trades but find yourself doubting your
strengths, abilities, and safety, consider there are a lot more laws, @lady.voltz
and policies in place now that help keep employees safe, and tools
that allow them to do the job despite size and strength. Remember
you are not required to be super strong, but sometimes you need https://www.shannontymosko.com/
someone small to do a job.
I have found one of the hardest things about the skilled trades is
Shannon Tymosko https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-
getting into it when you don’t have any connections and you are
tymosko-b160b4a7/
new to the filed. I encourage anyone interested to be persistent
and attempt getting hands on experience you can add to a resume.
Additionally, to women who may be interested search out programs
in your area that help support women transition into a trade.

4. Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?

My first job, starting October 2019, was new build hotel, in
Burlington Ontario. I have been on this construction site since
and have watched the building change from cement walls to
suites, ballrooms, kitchens, and a Spa and it’s amazing to watch
the transformation. This site has given me so many blessings,
and lessons and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have an

39
A Day in the Life
Meet Stephanie Hajducek
In December of 2018, I walked across the stage at the University of
Southern Mississippi to receive my bachelor’s degree. I was 38 years
old, and it had been nearly 20 years since I graduated high school. I
can remember looking up into the audience and seeing my husband,
my three children and my parents watching as I accomplished some-
thing that I never thought I could do. It was one of the most important
moments of my life and a day that I will never forget. It’s also a day
that almost didn’t happen. A couple of years before that I was laid off
from a job that I absolutely loved; a job that was the main reason I had
decided to go back to school. I had convinced myself that I had all
the reasons to give up on my dream of being a college graduate, but
I didn’t quit, I kept going and I am so thankful that I did. Now my goal
is to help empower other women to do the same.
My name is Stephanie Hajducek, and I am an Inside Sales Represent-
ative for Steel Dynamics, Inc. at their new steel mill in Sinton, Texas.
My background is in oil, gas, and chemicals so when I was going
through the interview process with SDI, I was a little nervous because
I didn’t have steel experience. But what I did have was a willingness
to learn and to do what I needed to do to be successful in the position
that I was offered. SDI sent me to their mill in Butler, Indiana for train-
ing and they were very supportive in helping me balance my family
life with my training schedule. Looking back now, it was a small sac-
40
rifice on my part, and I was able to learn so much by putting in a
little extra time and effort. While I was there, I was able to travel to
Chicago for the Empowering Women in Industry Model Call in June
2021. I was a short 3-hour drive away, so I made the trip there and
was able to spend a day with an awesome group of women. I was
also invited back to Chicago to be in the fashion show at the Empow-
ering Women in Industry Conference that was held in October 2021.
I modeled clothing from Dovetail Workwear which is a company that
sells clothes for women that work in non-traditional roles, or as they
would put it “Workwear Fit for Women Who Get Dirty.” I have been
a part of Empowering Women in Industry since 2018 and had the
opportunity to share my story on how I overcame limiting beliefs at
their first conference in September 2019. My passion now is to help
young girls and women overcome their limiting beliefs and help them
reach their full potential.
I spend most of my day working to make sure that our customer’s
are very well taken care of. It’s my job to ensure that our customer
receives their order as promised from us and along the way, I work to
keep an open line of communication with them should there be any
changes. I also spend time talking to our outside sales representa-
tives going over customer information, reviewing orders that are in
production and helping them out with anything they may need my
assistance on. When I am not entering/expediting orders, I am pros-
pecting. I work with an outside sales representative that is working in
a new territory for us and our main goal is to create
new relationships and grow our business in those areas that we ha-
ven’t been able to reach yet. I research their website to see what prod-
ucts and services they offer, and I use LinkedIn to connect with their
people. Every now and then I get to put on my hard hat and steel toe
boots and go out to our mill. Being able to see how everything out
there in the field works together to create our final products is noth-
ing short of amazing. In short, I work with a great group of people
and coming in to work everyday is a lot like getting to hang out with a
group of friends all day long.
Equally important to my work at SDI and my involvement with Em-
powering Women in Industry is the work that I am doing with our lo-
cal school districts. A couple of months ago I asked my manager
if we might be able to sponsor a group of girls from our local high
school to attend the Women in Industry Conference in Galveston, Tx
that will be taking place in March 2022. One of the many things that
I love about working for SDI is the support they give us, their employ-
ees, when it comes to things that we are passionate about. I began
to think that if SDI approved this type of sponsorship, why wouldn’t
some of the other companies in our area do the same. I started mak-
ing connections on LinkedIn and sending messages to people that I
thought might be able to help get me to the right person to hear about
this awesome opportunity. What turned in to me asking my manager
if we could load up a few girls in our company van and take them to
the conference has turned in to busloads of girls from our area get-
ting to go. It truly is amazing to see how one small investment can
make such a huge impact.
When my workday ends, I head home to my family and all our very
many animals. I have twin boys who will be graduating high school
in May and a daughter that is in the seventh grade. They are highly
involved in school activities ranging from football and basketball to
FFA and Ag Mechanics. In our “spare” time, my husband and I raise
Registered Texas Longhorns and in addition to our cattle, we also
have six dogs who are a very important part of our family. My life is
full and so is my heart. I have an amazing family, a job that I love and a
platform to help me accomplish my goal of empowering women and
young girls to not give up on their dreams, to keep pushing when they
feel like they want to quit and that they absolutely can be whatever
they want to be!

41
 W h y Wa t e r’ s W ort h It

Draw one or more images to show

how water is important to you illustrated by:
 Why Water’s Worth It
WORD FIND

S L I M B O Q R E C O V E R T R X X

P T G N A C T I O N G P O S J F N R

E P O I N F R A S T R U C T U R E K

P I R R M O T E C H N O L O G Y F W

A H E O M R V D R I L R U F F D U I

S E U F T W P A F E F N E N B T T M

S A S P F E A I T W C W P D D U U P

I L E N P O C T P I A Y A U U W R A

O T Q N N V R T E E O T C B M C E C

N H K Q I X O T S R S N E L Z P E T

X S N S O R E S P E C T M R E P S J

C A A Z E N V I R O N M E N T M C B

Find the following words in the puzzle.

Words are hidden , , and .

ACTION IMPACT PROTECT RESPECT

EFFORT INFRASTRUCTURE PUMPS REUSE
ENVIRONMENT INNOVATION RECOVER STORMWATER
FUTURE PASSION RECYCLE TECHNOLOGY
HEALTH PIPES REDUCE WATER
 2022 EXPO
T H E P R E M I E R E V E N T F O R H VAC R
January 31 - February 2

Recharged. Renewed. Ready to Rock.