Activity

  • Delivering Hydrogen to Consumers Where and When it is Needed

    Jim Cahill
    In a Global Hydrogen Review article, Emerson’s Laura Chemler examines what new hydrogen infrastructure will look like. As the world looks to hydrogen as an alternative fuel, we must address transportation challenges in addition to production and utilization challenges. Historically, hydrogen production and utilization happen within a refinery, ammonia synthesis plant, or chemical plant. There are some exceptions to…

  • Measurement Strategies for Optimizing Fired Heaters

    Jim Cahill
    Energy costs, a significant portion of any industrial plant’s operating budget, present a promising opportunity for cost savings. As per the Energy Star Guide for Energy and Plant Managers , between 30% to 50% of an operating budget is typically allocated to energy. This implies that any enhancement in energy efficiency cannot only revolutionize your cost management but also bolster your corporate sustainability efforts…

  • Are All Your Field Instruments Functioning Properly? Device Diagnostics Can Tell You

    Jim Cahill
    One of the frustrations of dealing with a sick infant or pet is that they can’t tell you what’s wrong. Diagnosing the situation is difficult because you can only infer the cause from their behavior or perform diagnostic tests. For a long time, that was also the problem with field instrumentation. An instrument tech would have to look for signs of malfunction, and hopefully identify the problem by trying different possibilities…

  • Are All Your Field Instruments Functioning Properly? Device Diagnostics Can Tell You

    Jim Cahill
    One of the frustrations of dealing with a sick infant or pet is that they can’t tell you what’s wrong. Diagnosing the situation is difficult because you can only infer the cause from their behavior or perform diagnostic tests. For a long time, that was also the problem with field instrumentation. An instrument tech would have to look for signs of malfunction, and hopefully identify the problem by trying different possibilities…

  • Lithium-Ion Battery Component Manufacturing Measurement Solutions

    Jim Cahill
    Achema 2024 , the World Forum and 34 th Leading Show for the Process Industries, is happening this week in Frankfurt, Germany. The focus of the conference this year is on six innovation themes: digital, green, lab, pharma, process, and hydrogen. Emerson’s Michael Machuca will present Measurement Solutions for Lithium-Ion Battery Component Manufacturing on Thursday afternoon. Here is the abstract of his presentation…

  • Lithium-Ion Battery Component Manufacturing Measurement Solutions

    Jim Cahill
    Achema 2024 , the World Forum and 34 th Leading Show for the Process Industries, is happening this week in Frankfurt, Germany. The focus of the conference this year is on six innovation themes: digital, green, lab, pharma, process, and hydrogen. Emerson’s Michael Machuca will present Measurement Solutions for Lithium-Ion Battery Component Manufacturing on Thursday afternoon. Here is the abstract of his presentation…

  • Emerson Partners with Innovative Startups to Speed Deployment

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson is a global company serving many large customers, but we also work with many smaller firms, particularly in areas where rapid change and significant innovation are taking place. While large, global customers often have significant capital project and operating experience, along with large internal support staff, most smaller firms do not. This means these firms often look to Emerson for their wide range of products…

  • Emerson Partners with Innovative Startups to Speed Deployment

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson is a global company serving many large customers, but we also work with many smaller firms, particularly in areas where rapid change and significant innovation are taking place. While large, global customers often have significant capital project and operating experience, along with large internal support staff, most smaller firms do not. This means these firms often look to Emerson for their wide range of products…

  • Control Valve Selection in Plastic Pyrolysis Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Since their introduction over a century ago, plastic products have become ubiquitous. Unfortunately, plastic waste degrades very slowly, and over time it breaks down into microplastics that harm the environment. Some efforts to address this problem involve replacing plastics with biodegradable alternatives, while others seek to recycle plastics after use. However, recycling plastic is difficult compared to materials…

  • Control Valve Selection in Plastic Pyrolysis Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Since their introduction over a century ago, plastic products have become ubiquitous. Unfortunately, plastic waste degrades very slowly, and over time it breaks down into microplastics that harm the environment. Some efforts to address this problem involve replacing plastics with biodegradable alternatives, while others seek to recycle plastics after use. However, recycling plastic is difficult compared to materials…

  • Better Magnetic Flow Meter Sensors Increase Productivity

    Jim Cahill
    Based on many plant visits and discussions with Emerson customers, I have concluded that handling slurries is one of the biggest problems for operators and reliability teams. The most frequently mentioned issues are clogging and erosion, which certainly take their toll, but there is also a more subtle challenge related to measuring flow. Why slurries cause this problem and what companies can do about it are the main…

  • Tools for Solving Compressible Fluid Flow Challenges with Today’s DP Technologies

    Jim Cahill
    In an automation.com article, Emerson’s Michael Flesch explains how advances in DP flow metering technology solve measurement challenges of compressible fluids. One of the perpetual instrumentation challenges that engineering students and working technicians face is measuring the flow of a gas, or worse, steam. The main problems emerge due to the compressible nature of such fluids, resulting in far more variables entering…

  • Tools for Solving Compressible Fluid Flow Challenges with Today’s DP Technologies

    Jim Cahill
    In an automation.com article, Emerson’s Michael Flesch explains how advances in DP flow metering technology solve measurement challenges of compressible fluids. One of the perpetual instrumentation challenges that engineering students and working technicians face is measuring the flow of a gas, or worse, steam. The main problems emerge due to the compressible nature of such fluids, resulting in far more variables entering…

  • How to Understand and Use a Great Tool: Instrumentation Diagnostics

    Jim Cahill
    In a Process Instrumentation article, Emerson’s Kelly Albano looks at a powerful but often underutilized tool, instrumentation diagnostics, and shows how you can use them to improve operations. Recently, while loading some software onto my computer, I saw a message at the end: Software Installed Successfully! Maybe this doesn’t sound like much, but it’s always reassuring when something has worked as it’s supposed to…

  • How to Understand and Use a Great Tool: Instrumentation Diagnostics

    Jim Cahill
    In a Process Instrumentation article, Emerson’s Kelly Albano looks at a powerful but often underutilized tool, instrumentation diagnostics, and shows how you can use them to improve operations. Recently, while loading some software onto my computer, I saw a message at the end: Software Installed Successfully! Maybe this doesn’t sound like much, but it’s always reassuring when something has worked as it’s supposed to…

  • Managing Equipment Damage Caused by Corrosive Feedstocks Encountered with Biofuel Production (Part 2)

    Jim Cahill
    When we talk about renewable fuels to the general public, many might imagine cars running on gasoline made from wildflowers and meadow grass. However, those who work in the industry recognize that the fats and oils used to make renewable diesel can be just about anything but that, and in fact often come from more prosaic sources, such as meatpacking waste. From a process viewpoint, waste sources can cause serious problems…

  • Managing Equipment Damage Caused by Corrosive Feedstocks Encountered with Biofuel Production (Part 2)

    Jim Cahill
    When we talk about renewable fuels to the general public, many might imagine cars running on gasoline made from wildflowers and meadow grass. However, those who work in the industry recognize that the fats and oils used to make renewable diesel can be just about anything but that, and in fact often come from more prosaic sources, such as meatpacking waste. From a process viewpoint, waste sources can cause serious problems…

  • Micro Motion™︎ G-Series: Precision in a Compact Package

    Jim Cahill
    Over many years working with end users who are trying to solve challenging flow measurement problems, I’ve often suggested that a Coriolis mass flow meter is exactly the technology solution needed, but in some cases an alternative is preferred for a variety of reasons. Just to review, let’s mention a few of the reasons why Micro Motion Coriolis Mass Flow Meters are so versatile in many straightforward and difficult…

  • Micro Motion™︎ G-Series: Precision in a Compact Package

    Jim Cahill
    Over many years working with end users who are trying to solve challenging flow measurement problems, I’ve often suggested that a Coriolis mass flow meter is exactly the technology solution needed, but in some cases an alternative is preferred for a variety of reasons. Just to review, let’s mention a few of the reasons why Micro Motion Coriolis Mass Flow Meters are so versatile in many straightforward and difficult…

  • Solving Corrosion Problems by Treating Metal Deterioration as a Process Variable

    Jim Cahill
    Imagine that you’re called into your plant to solve a recurring problem. The operator states: “We’ve had to replace this valve three times this year due to failures from over pressure.” Your first question is pretty obvious: “How high is the pressure?” The operator shrugs and responds with a perfectly straight face: “We don’t know. We don’t measure it.” As absurd as this scenario sounds, it happens every day in facilities…

  • Solving Corrosion Problems by Treating Metal Deterioration as a Process Variable

    Jim Cahill
    Imagine that you’re called into your plant to solve a recurring problem. The operator states: “We’ve had to replace this valve three times this year due to failures from over pressure.” Your first question is pretty obvious: “How high is the pressure?” The operator shrugs and responds with a perfectly straight face: “We don’t know. We don’t measure it.” As absurd as this scenario sounds, it happens every day in facilities…

  • Modernization and Extension of Existing Batch Production Plants

    Jim Cahill
    In his presentation at the Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 in Düsseldorf, Sven Girgensohn, E-EMC/OT E&I Engineering at BASF Personal Care & Nutrition GmbH , described how a modernized control system is supporting the need for greater flexibility and reliability of both new and existing production lines at its plant in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Düsseldorf plant is BASF’s third-largest site in Europe. The Düsseldorf plant…

  • Modernization and Extension of Existing Batch Production Plants

    Jim Cahill
    In his presentation at the Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 in Düsseldorf, Sven Girgensohn, E-EMC/OT E&I Engineering at BASF Personal Care & Nutrition GmbH , described how a modernized control system is supporting the need for greater flexibility and reliability of both new and existing production lines at its plant in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Düsseldorf plant is BASF’s third-largest site in Europe. The Düsseldorf plant…

  • Retrofitting a New Transmitter to an Existing Micro Motion™︎ Coriolis Flow Meter Adds New Capabilities

    Jim Cahill
    Most of us know someone who carries a really old smartphone, or maybe just a cellphone. Some people do this deliberately as a statement, but others just can’t be bothered with doing an upgrade. Everybody doesn’t need the latest whiz-bang technology, but many truly useful capabilities don’t work on old platforms. Such can be the reality in many industrial environments, where the pinnacle of achievement for some is still…

  • Retrofitting a New Transmitter to an Existing Micro Motion™︎ Coriolis Flow Meter Adds New Capabilities

    Jim Cahill
    Most of us know someone who carries a really old smartphone, or maybe just a cellphone. Some people do this deliberately as a statement, but others just can’t be bothered with doing an upgrade. Everybody doesn’t need the latest whiz-bang technology, but many truly useful capabilities don’t work on old platforms. Such can be the reality in many industrial environments, where the pinnacle of achievement for some is still…

This is the official online community site of the Emerson Global Users Exchange, a forum for the free exchange of non-proprietary information among the global user community of all Emerson Automation Solution's products and services. Our goal is to improve the efficiency and use of automation systems and solutions employed at members’ facilities by sharing our knowledge, experiences, and application information.

User Groups | World Areas | Community Guidelines | Legal Information | Privacy Policy | Contact Community Manager

Website translation provided by Website Translator

© 2015-2022 Emerson Global Users Exchange. All rights reserved.