July/August 2019

Air conveyors, also known as air hopper fillers, can be a convenient way of moving powdered or granulated products around a factory and a new range introduced by THE SPRAY NOZZLE PEOPLE GROUP (SPG) is said to be a good example of these types of product. Manufactured by Nexflow and sold under The Air Nozzle People sub-division of SPG, these compact conveyors offer important advantages over conventional conveyors, such as no moving parts, high reliability and easily controllable flow. The conveyors work by converting a compressed air stream into a strong moving air current with a partial vacuum at one end and a positive air flow at the other. This allows light product to be moved through a tube system with no moving parts and no external power source other than the compressed air feed line. t | 01273 400092 e | ivan@spray-nozzle.co.uk w | www.airnozzle.co.uk EGE has announced it has extended its DGC line of hydrostatic level meters, adding a new sensor for measuring liquid media levels up to 20 m. The sensor consists of a measuring head with integrated electronics and an IP68 probe attached to a cable. The cable is up to 20 m long to ensure the probe can be lowered to the bottom of large tanks. The electronics unit is enclosed in a rugged stainless-steel housing with a G 3 ⁄ 4 thread for attachment, for instance on the tank cover. A line of LEDs integrated in the measuring head indicates the level at a glance. The sensor requires a 24 V DC supply. It can be used in ambient or media temperatures from -20 °C to 75 °C. Measured values are transmitted via a 4...20 mA output. t | +49 . 4346 . 4158-0 e | info@ege-elektronik.com w | www.ege-elektronik.com CARLO GAVAZZI reports it has launched the SCTL55 IO-Link smart configurator, a user-friendly wireless handheld solution that significantly simplifies the configuration, adjustment and diagnosis of many IO-Link Sensors, making every minute matter. The company says the SCTL55 can aid troubleshooting and improve production processes by providing data on sensor status, including current temperature, quality of run and process data and easily change the operating sensor parameters, such as switch point mode, sensing distance, timing functions, output configuration (PNP/NPN/push-pull, NO/NC), to better meet the process requirements. The smart configurator operates on the Android platform and is housed in a polycarbonate body rated IP30 and comes complete with a 5.5” HD touch screen and dedicated apps to help access advanced diagnostics, check operating hours, number of detections, operating cycles, alarms events and much more. t | 01276 854110 e | alison_stevens@carlogavazzi.co.uk w | www.carlogavazzi.co.uk Monitoring compressed air usage within industrial applications has become increasingly important as the associated costs continue to rise dramatically. Compressed air systems are often the largest excess user of electricity for a business, with air leaks or poorly performing components contributing to a significant amount of wasted energy. In this age of energy efficiency to ensure a greener footprint, it is becoming more important for all businesses to identify and rectify any potential energy wastage situations. Problem areas in compressed air systems can be identified by fitting thermal mass flow meters, strategically positioned to calculate outflow generated air with downstream usage. BELL FLOW SYSTEMS offer a range of thermal mass flow meters designed for measurement of compressed air and Nitrogen. Visit www.pwemag.co.uk to read the full release. t | 01280 817304 e | mail@bellflowsystems.co.uk w | www.bellflowsystems.co.uk Managing losses in compressed air systems Fillongley Spring Water boasts one of the UK’s most efficient bottling facilities and offers a high-speed and cost-effective way for bottled water cooler distributors to access the high-quality product demanded by their customers. But with the demand for bottled cooler water increasing, Fillongley needed a new bottling line. However, with the two existing FULTON boilers not having the capacity to reach the target temperature for the new plant’s washing line, Fillongley started looking at alternative steam raising solutions. Commenting for Fillongley Spring Water, technical and quality manager Martin Whitehead says: “We looked at several alternatives – including vertical and horizontal firetube boilers – but, with advice from our main contractors and installer, a decision to specify one of Fulton’s recently-launched VSRT-30 steam boilers was taken and, overall, the results have exceeded expectations!” Instead of running two boilers for the washing line, a single VSRT boiler is now being used to achieve an increased target temperature of 60°C for the detergent. The company says the combination of the new line and Fulton’s energy-efficient VSRT also means the company has been able to increase the throughput of the line by 40% – from 1,200 bottles per hour to 2,000 – and Fillongley has reduced its gas consumption by about a third. “A reduction in gas consumption wasn’t something we set out to achieve, so this is a real bonus for the company and means the payback period for the bottling line is reduced.” says Martin. t | 0117 972 3322 or e | sales@fulton.co.uk w | www.fulton.co.uk Improving efficiency IO-Link smart configurator 36 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk July/August 2019 Process, Controls & Plant Hydrostatic level sensor Compact, reliable air conveyors