Processing serves professionals who are focused on the development, management, maintenance and improvement of industrial processing operations to maximize product quality, output and profitability.
With this mission, our annual Processing Breakthrough Products Awards honor innovative technology solutions that made significant contributions to improvements in the process industries within the past year.
After reviewing product releases submitted to our editorial staff over the course of the year, Processing's editorial staff is proud to present the 10 winners of the 2019 Breakthrough Products Awards. The manufacturers recognized this year introduced solutions that help end users effectively manage tough processing environments, meet stringent safety and security needs, reduce unplanned downtime and drive overall profitability.
From ball bearings and bushings to flowmeters and drum dumpers, these awards celebrate major innovations as well as incremental improvements in technology that increase efficiency, productivity, safety and, ultimately, the bottom line.
Congratulations to the 2019 winners!
Thermex 210 Bushings — SEPCO
Launched in August 2019, Thermex 210 Bushings and bushing material from Sealing Equipment Products Company (SEPCO) are the solution for vertical turbine pumps (VTPs). They provide the same reliable results as other self-lubricated composite bushings or bearings for VTPs. Domestically manufactured, Thermex withstands wear, even in dry-run situations.
Features & Benefits
Manufactured in Texas for quick, delay-free delivery
Operates as well as or better than other composite bushing or bearings for VTPs
Wear-resistant, even during startup or other dry-run events
More affordable than other composite materials
Available as fully machined bushings, machined as a bearing or as tubes and rods for machining at any end-user facility
FDA-compliant
End users no longer wait weeks or months for machined bushings or bushing material. Thermex, manufactured in Texas, is delivered quickly, making it the most readily available on the market.
Independent tests show that Thermex outperforms other composite bushing material (see Table 1). All measurements in Table 1 are after 160 hours of operation.
Table 1. Standard ASTM Test in Dry-Run Conditions with No Lubrication
| Test Measurement | Thermex | Material 999 |
| Wear | 0.00196 | 0.00261 |
| Wear factor | 61.1 | 81.6 |
| Dynamic coefficient of friction | 0.277 | 0.304 |
| Static coefficient of friction | 0.315 | 0.334 |
Thermex 210 operates well in many applications in addition to VTPs. It may be used by OEMs. It will also be effective in the mining, oil and gas, power generation, pulp and paper, and water and wastewater industries.
Dodge Food Safe Bearings — ABB
ABB’s Dodge Food Safe mounted ball bearings are designed to withstand caustic, high-pressure cleaning and sanitation processes. The Food Safe bearings are the first industrial bearings to achieve the IP69 water protection rating without the use of an end cover, making them ideal for use in the food and beverage industry, where equipment must be aggressively cleaned. They are the only bearings to carry a warranty against failure due to water ingress.
Consumers and stringent health regulations increasingly challenge food manufacturers to guarantee higher food safety and hygiene standards. However, harsh chemicals and high-pressure sprays used in clean-in-place (CIP) procedures can quickly deteriorate product reliability. ABB’s Food Safe bearings are resilient against these cleaning agents. The bearings’ 100% stainless steel insert design combined with a revolutionary topcoat, KleenTec, offers superior protection against corrosion. The smooth housing without a grease fitting minimizes contamination harbor points and is easy to clean. The bearing is sealed and lubricated for life to minimize maintenance costs.
To prevent grease wash-out, the leading cause for bearing failure in washdown environments, the Food Safe bearing is equipped with industry-leading lubrication protection. The Hydro armor sealing system, with a stainless-steel flinger and four contact lip seals, prevent water and contamination from entering the bearing. ABB’s patented ball retainer, the Maxlife cage, retains a large volume of grease in compartments around the rolling elements to prevent wash-out during high pressure cleaning.
Food Safe bearings are available in a variety of housing styles, including pillow block, tapped base, flange and take-ups ranging in sizes from ½-inch (20mm) up to 1-15/16 inch (50 mm).
PKS Series Air to Air Heat Exchangers — Pfannenberg USA
Pfannenberg’s PKS Series Air to Air Heat Exchangers use a revolutionary next generation cooling technology — Pfannenberg Kinetic System — that out-performs conventional heat exchangers.
Industrial air conditioner cooling units are typically the go-to solution for cooling sealed enclosures. What many people fail to consider is that a cooler ambient environment could be used to help cool your warmer electrical enclosure. Lightweight and easy to install, this new air-to-air technology takes advantage of a cooler ambient environment when closed-loop cooling is required, sealing against gas, humidity and dust.
Designed for indoor, outdoor, remote and washdown applications that require a closed loop system to protect electronics, Pfannenberg’s PKS Series Air to Air Heat Exchangers are perfect for cooling industrial electrical and IT components that need dust protection. They are also ideal for keeping rain and dust from sensors and drives on outdoor systems and protecting against corrosion and contamination in the food and beverage industry.
This is a perfect solution for those looking to reduce the energy, maintenance and footprint associated with traditional enclosure cooling units. This new technology offers considerable saving compared to a traditional AC unit. With only two mechanical elements, PKS Series Air to Air Heat Exchangers require less maintenance and ensure greater uptime.
The PKS Series Air to Air Heat Exchangers are available in five configurations: 22-, 45-, 64-, 100-, 150- and 180-Watts per °C.
ControlLogix EtherNet/IP Communication Module — Rockwell Automation
Industrial companies can improve their security and system performance with the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix EtherNet/IP communication module from Rockwell Automation.
The module is among the first EtherNet/IP products on the market to leverage the new ODVA security enhancements, known as CIP Security. CIP Security creates a more robust level of protection in control applications by making sure that information is exchanged between authenticated devices, without interference or theft.
CIP Security uses three key capabilities to provide this advanced level of protection:
Authentication: limiting communications to only authorized devices
Integrity: preventing packet tampering or modifications
Confidentiality: encrypting communications to prevent snooping or unauthorized data disclosure
The module provides CIP Security capabilities to ControlLogix systems. And when combined with the ControlLogix 5580 controller and the Kinetix 5700 drive, it allows a CIP Security zone to be created. A CIP Security zone defines a set of devices that share a common set of security requirements, providing another degree of access control.
In addition to helping strengthen security, the ControlLogix EtherNet/IP communication module can increase performance in networked operations. It has 1-gigabit per second communications speeds and can support future network or infrastructure expansions.
FactoryTalk Policy Manager software and FactoryTalk System Services are used to configure CIP Security. They allow users to tell devices who to trust. And they allow security configurations to be consistently modeled, validated and deployed to all devices, which can reduce the risk of human error.
Allen-Bradley, ControlLogix and FactoryTalk are trademarks of Rockwell Automation Inc.
CCS51D Amperometric Sensor — Endress+Hauser
Endress+Hauser recently launched the Memosens CCS51D amperometric sensors for free chlorine measurement in process water, drinking water, water and wastewater treatment, cooling water and all utilities and processes requiring clean, treated water.
Free chlorine is the most important disinfectant in water treatment due to its easy handling, the strong disinfecting effect and the residual effect. A precise dosing control of free chlorine can only be achieved by a fast and sensitive free chlorine measurement. The Memosens CCS51D features a special membrane design providing an extremely fast response time. It helps plant operators run their disinfection processes on tight limits and save on chemicals.
The sensor's convex membrane made of dense, dirt-repellent material prevents soiling and makes it extremely resistant to biofouling. Ultrasonic welding of the membrane to the sensor cap ensures its integrity, preventing dilution of the electrolyte and thus a drift of the measuring signal. This guarantees long-term stable measurements and gives water plant managers the security that the disinfection process is running smoothly, and the required disinfection results are achieved.
The CCS51D is equipped with proven Memosens technology. Memosens allows for direct commissioning of new sensors without further calibration. During ongoing operation, plant operators can pre-calibrate sensors in the lab, swap them into the process with plug and play, and thus continue measuring faster. Finally, non-contact data transmission eliminates all measurement errors or even failures caused by humidity or corrosion.
OPTISWIRL 4200 Vortex Flowmeter — KROHNE, Inc.
The OPTISWIRL 4200 vortex flowmeter from KROHNE, Inc. is ideal for advanced energy management systems. Used to measure both conducting and non-conducting liquids, gases and steam, the new OPTISWIRL 4200 vortex flowmeter can be used for internal monitoring of energy flows for saturated and superheated steam or hot water, and heat metering applications. It is also a perfect choice for such applications as steam boiler monitoring, burner consumption measurement or compressed air network monitoring, including free air delivery applications.
Equipped with comprehensive communication options and designed in accordance with international IEC 61508 functional safety standards, the OPTISWIRL 4200 is a major update to the original OPTISWIRL 4070. With one temperature sensor integrated as standard, the device can be installed as a heat meter in the feed line directly connected with an external temperature sensor in the return line. The gross and net heat calculation can be fed into a distributed control system to support advanced energy management.
The all-in-one solution features integrated pressure and temperature compensation and can perform both gross heat calculations for steam and net heat calculation for steam and condensate (hot water). The OPTISWIRL 4200 is available in a remote version equipped with a field housing converter with a connection cable up to 164 feet. Temperature and pressure compensation options are also available, which enable calculation of standard flow volume under fluctuating pressures and temperatures. By measurement of flow, temperature and pressure in one 2-wire-device, the line needs to be opened only once for installation.
In addition to the standard sensor range, another available option features an integrated reduction of nominal diameter up to two sizes, ideal for space-saving installations and large measuring spans. A dual version with two independent sensors and two signal converters is also available for multiproduct pipelines, redundant measurement or increased safety demands.
Dust-Tight Drum Dumper for Difficult Materials — Flexicon Corporation
Flexicon’s TIP-TITE drum dumper is designed for use with poorly flowing or agglomerated materials, allowing rapid transfer of free- and non-free-flowing bulk solid materials dust-free. Similar in performance to open-chute dumpers but with total dust containment, the outlet on the downstream end of the dumper is nearly equal in area to that of the drum opening, allowing agglomerated materials and large chunks to be discharged with minimal possibility of material bridging.
Drums from 30 to 55 gallons are positioned on the dumper platform, which is raised by a hydraulic cylinder, seating the rim against the circular end of the discharge transition. A second hydraulic cylinder tips the platform-hood assembly and drum, stopping at dump angles of 45, 60 or 90 degrees with a motion-dampening feature. At full rotation, the transition outlet mates with the gasketed square inlet on the lid of a hopper or downstream process equipment, allowing a pneumatically actuated slide gate valve to be opened and closed for total or partial discharge with no dusting.
The stainless-steel transition can be supplied with a square or rectangular outlet as shown, as well as with circular outlets, with corresponding gasketed flanges for installation on downstream hoppers and receiving vessels. Non-product-contact materials of construction can be specified in carbon steel with durable industrial finishes, or stainless steel finished to industrial or sanitary standards.
Sanitary Lump Breaker — Munson Machinery Company, Inc.
The DeClumper lump breaker model RDC-3030-SS from Munson Machinery reduces agglomerates and compacted materials to original particle sizes. At 11 inches high, it fits in restricted spaces between bulk storage, handling, processing and packaging equipment. With optional feed hoppers and support bases, it can also operate independently.
Material entering the 30-inch square inlet is reduced in size by four rotors with three-point, single-piece breaking heads rotating with minimum clearance inside twin, curved, perforated bedscreens. On-size material exits through apertures in the bedscreens ranging from 1/32 in diameter to 2-1/2 inches square.
Unlike conventional units that must be unbolted from upstream and downstream equipment to access bedscreens, the unit is equipped with interlocked side-removal bedscreens that can be removed without tools for cleaning, changing or inspection. Dual, independent 10 HP motors with gear reducer and chain and sprocket drives provide added capacity and redundancy, rotating the synchronized shafts at approximately 120 RPM to avoid heating the product.
The unit is recommended for deagglomeration of free- or non-free-flowing bulk chemicals, fertilizers, flakes, cement powders, carbon black pellets or hygroscopic products, and size reduction of large chunks of friable products and compacted powders.
The RDC-3030-SS is constructed to withstand heavy usage and is simple to maintain. Bearings can be lubricated through external fittings and are isolated from the product processing area with air purge block seals and can be fitted with optional air purge packing seals with split housings. It is constructed of #304 stainless steel finished to sanitary standards and is available in #316 stainless steel, carbon steel and abrasion-resistant steel (AR-235).
Series 9000 Preformed Spray Scrubber — Bionomic Industries, Inc.
Bionomic Industries, Inc., an industry-leading manufacturer of proven air pollution abatement, product and heat recovery technologies, introduced new high-performance Series 9000 Preformed Spray Scrubber.
Designed to simultaneously remove solid and gaseous particulates from dryers and other processing operations, the Series 9000 features a specially designed fine droplet scrubbing liquid spray zone within a confined involute section that eliminates any bypass of untreated gas. A fully open, cyclonic entrainment removal section without internal droplet removal components makes the scrubber highly reliable with extremely low maintenance.
The scrubber consumes less energy than a venturi scrubber, is designed to meet PM 2.5 and PM 10 regulations for particulate in the 1-to-more-than-5-micron range, and is available in sizes to handle gas volumes from 1,000-75,000 cfm.
Non-Contact Radar for Complex Liquid Level Measurement — BinMaster
Processing operations facing challenging conditions measuring liquid levels in storage tanks will welcome this 80 GHz non-contact radar level sensor. Measuring distances up to 98 feet, the BinMaster NCR-84 80 GHz radar is designed specifically for reliable measurement in demanding liquid conditions including excessive steam, vapor, condensation or surface foam. The signal is focused in a very narrow beam angle, allowing for precise aiming to avoid obstructions in the tank such as agitators, mixers, fittings or heating coils. The NCR-84 is also appropriate for use in tanks with turbulent product surfaces, viscous media and slurries.
This sensor is offered in threaded, flange and hygienic versions for a wide variety of industries and applications, plus a plastic antenna option for use in low pressure or temperature ranges. The threaded 1-1/2” version mounts conveniently in existing small process fittings without the expense of costly mounting modifications. An optional ¾” NPT process fitting makes it easy to mount in small tanks and space-constrained areas, while its compact design makes reliable measurement possible in small tanks. Hygienic and 3A fittings are available for use in food and pharmaceutical applications where sanitary standards apply.
Data from the NCR-84 can be sent to the BinView web application or Binventory software for live data monitoring from a smartphone, tablet or PC. For real-time data access in the plant near the tanks, the DPM-100 digital panel meter can display readings in gallons, headspace or level for multiple tanks.
This liquid level sensor offers plant-friendly operation and is compatible within a network of many types of sensors. Setup and diagnostics can be done in minutes using the BinDisc module under the unit lid. The NCR-84 is simple to configure and commission, even in complex vessels. Plus, its encapsulated PFTE antenna is resistant to buildup and is maintenance-free.
