Activity

  • Rugged and Reliable Molecular Sieve Dryer Switching Valves

    Jim Cahill
    Natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids undergo many processing steps to final products. Dehydrating hydrocarbons is a key step before further processing, such as fractionation and liquefaction. Molecular sieve dryers, known for their efficiency and based on the adsorption principle , are the standard way to accomplish dehydration. Emerson’s Olivier Beyerman shared some background and considerations on this application. …

  • Control Valve Selection for PEM Electrolyzers

    Jim Cahill
    Renewable or `green’ hydrogen, produced by the electrolysis of water, using renewable electricity, has been described as the `fuel of the future’. However, companies such as Plug Power are building cost-effective green hydrogen ecosystems that are already rapidly advancing its role in decarbonizing industry and transport. Plug Power is the world’s largest user of liquid hydrogen, and has also developed its own proton…

  • Crucial Role for Valves, Regulators & Actuators in Blue Hydrogen Production Podcast

    Jim Cahill
    You may have heard of various color adjectives used to describe hydrogen production based on the amount of CO2 produced as a byproduct. Green hydrogen comes from renewable energy sources, powering an electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Blue hydrogen is produced from typical sources like natural gas, but the CO2 produced as a byproduct is captured and stored away. This decarbonization process is one…

  • Valve Trim Innovations in Aerodynamic Noise Attenuation

    Jim Cahill
    Noise from flowing fluids can be a problem in many production processes. Control valves can sometimes be the source of some of the noise being generated. This pipeline noise is unfavorable to personnel safety, regulatory compliance, and plant reliability. With the demanding challenges from day-to-day operations, an unpredictable future, and nearing deadlines for sustainability goals, how do you address this challenge…

  • Moving Beyond Pneumatic Standalone Controllers

    Jim Cahill
    Scattered across oilfield sites, tank farms, and isolated process units, standalone pneumatic controllers have been used for decades to locally control level, pressure, flow, and temperature in remote locations. However, these traditional devices have limitations, and many vendors no longer offer or support them. My article in the April 2024 issue of InTech , titled “ When Pneumatic Standalone Controllers Age Out ,…

  • Moving Beyond Pneumatic Standalone Controllers

    Jim Cahill
    Scattered across oilfield sites, tank farms, and isolated process units, standalone pneumatic controllers have been used for decades to locally control level, pressure, flow, and temperature in remote locations. However, these traditional devices have limitations, and many vendors no longer offer or support them. My article in the April 2024 issue of InTech , titled “ When Pneumatic Standalone Controllers Age Out ,…

  • Avoiding Unplanned Downtime with Smart Pneumatic and Hydraulic Valve Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    A Forbes article, Unplanned Downtime Costs More Than You Think , cites this statistic: An overwhelming 82% of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime incident over the past three years. Most have suffered two or more. In an Industrialvalves.de article, Outperforming traditional Valve design meets smart monitoring system for pneumatic and hydraulic valve actuators , Emerson’s Knut Riegel shares ways…

  • Avoiding Unplanned Downtime with Smart Pneumatic and Hydraulic Valve Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    A Forbes article, Unplanned Downtime Costs More Than You Think , cites this statistic: An overwhelming 82% of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime incident over the past three years. Most have suffered two or more. In an Industrialvalves.de article, Outperforming traditional Valve design meets smart monitoring system for pneumatic and hydraulic valve actuators , Emerson’s Knut Riegel shares ways…

  • 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…

  • Addressing Incorrectly Specified Valves

    Jim Cahill
    Discrepancies between actual operating conditions and initial design specifications often lead to equipment problems, requiring coordinated and prompt action from plant personnel and partners. K+S Potash Canada faced such challenges with their control valves in a new plant near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Our article on pages 45-48 in the April 2024 issue of Global Mining Review , titled “ Under Control ,” describes how…

  • Addressing Incorrectly Specified Valves

    Jim Cahill
    Discrepancies between actual operating conditions and initial design specifications often lead to equipment problems, requiring coordinated and prompt action from plant personnel and partners. K+S Potash Canada faced such challenges with their control valves in a new plant near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Our article on pages 45-48 in the April 2024 issue of Global Mining Review , titled “ Under Control ,” describes how…

  • Selecting the Right Isolation Valve for Renewable Diesel Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Selecting components that are inappropriate for their operating environment is a major cause of issues that can be extremely costly to rectify. As Olivier Beyerman, director sales and business development at Emerson explained during his presentation at Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 in Düsseldorf, the right isolation valve design for deployment in renewable diesel production can have a major impact on unplanned downtime.…

  • Selecting the Right Isolation Valve for Renewable Diesel Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Selecting components that are inappropriate for their operating environment is a major cause of issues that can be extremely costly to rectify. As Olivier Beyerman, director sales and business development at Emerson explained during his presentation at Emerson Exchange EMEA 2024 in Düsseldorf, the right isolation valve design for deployment in renewable diesel production can have a major impact on unplanned downtime.…

  • Digital Valve Controller Considerations

    Jim Cahill
    The electro-pneumatic positioner was introduced in the 1970s to correctly align and stabilize control valve position under variable instrument and process conditions. In subsequent decades, the electro-pneumatic positioner evolved into the more capable digital valve controller, but all the new features these devices provided often made configuration and troubleshooting more complicated. My cover story in the March 2024…

  • Digital Valve Controller Considerations

    Jim Cahill
    The electro-pneumatic positioner was introduced in the 1970s to correctly align and stabilize control valve position under variable instrument and process conditions. In subsequent decades, the electro-pneumatic positioner evolved into the more capable digital valve controller, but all the new features these devices provided often made configuration and troubleshooting more complicated. My cover story in the March 2024…

  • Discussing Industry Direction with Peter Chin

    Jim Cahill
    The industrial landscape is undergoing a substantial transformation as environmental concerns gain traction. In an editorial titled “ Exploring Industry Changes ” in the April 2024 issue of Fugitive Emissions Journal , Peter Chin , Vice President of Marketing for Emerson’s Final Control Business Unit, provides insight into the connections between new technologies, operational reliability, and environmental sustainability…

  • Discussing Industry Direction with Peter Chin

    Jim Cahill
    The industrial landscape is undergoing a substantial transformation as environmental concerns gain traction. In an editorial titled “ Exploring Industry Changes ” in the April 2024 issue of Fugitive Emissions Journal , Peter Chin , Vice President of Marketing for Emerson’s Final Control Business Unit, provides insight into the connections between new technologies, operational reliability, and environmental sustainability…

  • Improving Regulatory Compliance with Pressure Relief Device Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    I caught up with Emerson’s Ricardo Garcia , who shared an update on the MON PRD regulations for miscellaneous organic chemical (MON) emissions from pressure relief devices (PRDs). The first U.S. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) were initially required by the 1970 Clean Air Act (CAA). These standards were developed for sources and source categories determined to pose adverse risks to…

  • Improving Regulatory Compliance with Pressure Relief Device Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    I caught up with Emerson’s Ricardo Garcia , who shared an update on the MON PRD regulations for miscellaneous organic chemical (MON) emissions from pressure relief devices (PRDs). The first U.S. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) were initially required by the 1970 Clean Air Act (CAA). These standards were developed for sources and source categories determined to pose adverse risks to…

  • Cryogenic Valve Designs for Liquefied Natural Gas Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Andrea Sutti presented Cryogenic Valve Designs to Meet Demand for Higher Capacity, Emission Compliant LNG Infrastructure at the 2024 Emerson Exchange Conference in Düsseldorf, Germany. Here is his presentation abstract: LNG demand is forecast to grow due to its role in global energy security and its part in the journey to net zero as a cleaner transitional fossil fuel. This is triggering the construction of…

  • Cryogenic Valve Designs for Liquefied Natural Gas Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Andrea Sutti presented Cryogenic Valve Designs to Meet Demand for Higher Capacity, Emission Compliant LNG Infrastructure at the 2024 Emerson Exchange Conference in Düsseldorf, Germany. Here is his presentation abstract: LNG demand is forecast to grow due to its role in global energy security and its part in the journey to net zero as a cleaner transitional fossil fuel. This is triggering the construction of…

  • Tank Venting Basics

    Jim Cahill
    At the 4C HSE conference , Emerson’s Derek Kelly presented Tank Venting Basics – What’s Going On Up There?​ Derek opened by highlighting priorities shared by tank owners, including regulatory/Environmental (e.g., emissions), safety (e.g., undetected failures), cost (e.g., maintenance, blanket gas), product quality, and product loss. The top of the tank requires careful consideration. Operating tanks safely, efficiently…

  • Tank Venting Basics

    Jim Cahill
    At the 4C HSE conference , Emerson’s Derek Kelly presented Tank Venting Basics – What’s Going On Up There?​ Derek opened by highlighting priorities shared by tank owners, including regulatory/Environmental (e.g., emissions), safety (e.g., undetected failures), cost (e.g., maintenance, blanket gas), product quality, and product loss. The top of the tank requires careful consideration. Operating tanks safely, efficiently…

  • Driving Down Emissions with Pressure Relief Valve Leak Detection

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Adam Attig & Ricardo Garcia presented Eliminating Unseen Threats: Innovation in Bellows Leak Detection for PRVs at the 2024 4C Health, Safety & Environmental Conference. They opened their presentation by defining the concept of back pressure. Back pressure is pressure present at the outlet of the pressure relief valve (PRV). There are two main categories of back pressure: built-up and superimposed. Back pressure…

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