The halogen-free flame retardants market will increase from USD1.62 Bn in 2005 to USD 2.72 bn in 2010 worldwide
The halogen-free flame retardants market will increase from USD1.62 Bn in 2005 and to USD 2.72 bn in 2010 worldwide. Halogen-free flame retardants will show this strong increase worldwide. In Western Europe, USA and Japan, the public consciousness of the hazardous halgonenated products, the industrial end-user initiatives and the environmental legislation push together the market trend to halogen-free products.

In China, Eastern Europe and other parts of Asia, the booming economy and the strengthened fire protection standards stimulate the market of fire retardants overall, from which the halogenated and non-halogenated products both benefit.

The highest increase is to be seen in China with more than 13 percent.

Slightly slower growth in Western Europe and USA, ranging from 9%-11%, The world market in total will grow from USD 1.62 Bn in 2005 and to USD 2.72 Bn in 2010.

The average global annual growth rate is more than 10%, in comparison with 5% of the general flame retardants market.

Salary data collected by IChemE shows that the average earnings for chartered chemical engineers in the UK and Eire now exceed GBP53,000
Salary data collected by IChemE shows that the average earnings for chartered chemical engineers in the UK and Eire now exceed GBP53,000. Published this week, the biennial salary survey reveals that salary increases have kept ahead of inflation across all industry sectors and chemical engineering maintains its position as the best paid of all the mainstream engineering disciplines. Results from over 3,500 respondents show that the oil sector continues to be the most lucrative area to work in, with salaries averagingGBP70,000 for chartered engineers.

Contracting and consultancy rank in second and third place, with salaries averaging GBP59,000 and GBP53,000 respectively.

Income in the power sector has seen the most dramatic rise of 17% over the past two years, and the survey now reports a median salary of GBP50,000 for chartered chemical engineers.

The value of chartered status is reinforced by the survey findings.

Professional chemical engineers with full corporate membership of IChemE can expect to earn GBP42,000 at the age of 30, a figure that compares very favourably with their non chartered colleagues, for whom the equivalent figure is GBP36,000.

The survey also provides good news for recent graduates.

Chemical engineers from the class of 2005 can expect to earn on average GBP24,000 with salaries exceeding GBP32,000 for the high flyers.

'The salary survey provides a valuable insight into earnings trends across all sectors and in all parts of the UK and Ireland', says IChemE Director, Andrew Furlong.

'The 2006 Survey reveals that chemical engineering continues to be a well paid profession and this is certainly reflected in the number of applications to study the discipline.

The intake to first degree courses continues to climb and graduates can expect to secure highly competitive salaries when they enter the world of work'.

The Royal Academy of Engineering has selected Davy Process Technology as a finalist in this year's competition for the MacRobert Award for innovative engineering, the most prestigious in the UK
The Royal Academy of Engineering has selected Davy Process Technology as a finalist in this year's competition for the MacRobert Award for innovative engineering; the most prestigious engineering award in the UK. Davy Process Technology was chosen for the development of its ethyl acetate technology; a process that uses bio-ethanol as the sole feedstock. This demonstrates to the global chemical industries how to convert a regenerable feedstock into an industrial solvent without adding carbon dioxide to the environment.

Ethyl acetate technology has been licensed in three plants: a 50,000 MTPA facility in South Africa and two plants, 100,000 MTPA and 50,000 MTPA in China.

This technology has also won the Kirkpatrick Honour Award for process innovation in 2003 and the Crystal Faraday Award for Green Technology in 2005.

Davy Process Technology has a global business in chemicals technology development and technology licensing.

The company has its headquarters in London and a Technology Centre in Stockton-on-Tees, UK.

It owns a range of proprietary process technologies including Methanol, Gas Conversion, Butanediol, Natural and Synthetic Detergent Alcohols, Oxo Alcohols, Industrial Amines, Ethyl Acetate and Phosphatic Fertilisers.

Enhanced background gas compensation on a new oxygen analyser makes it ideal for applications with undefined hydrocarbon gases: the rugged low-maintenance design ensures long-term reliability
Enhanced background gas compensation on the new APX Advanced Paramagnetic Oxygen Analyser from GE Panametrics makes it ideal for applications with defined or undefined hydrocarbon gases, while a rugged low-maintenance design ensures long-term reliability and accuracy. By measuring gas heat capacity and viscosity as well as thermal conductivity, the APX has an advantage over traditional paramagnetic analysers, as it is better equipped to differentiate background gases with significantly different or varying diamagnetic effects. It reliably measures oxygen in a broader range of applications, including vapour recovery, flare and refinery gases, olefins and pure hydrocarbons.

Easy programming in hazardous areas is facilitated by a through-the-glass IR keypad.

A multi-level menu driven interface gives convenient access for changing defaults, analogue output scaling and calibration.

The microprocessor has the power to provide automatic oxygen signal compensation and integrated signal-processing algorithms, enhancing linearity and improving accuracy for long-term reliability.

The ATEX certification of the APX allows the complete analyser package to be installed at the measurement point to simplify wiring and give trouble-free operation.

A unique sensor design resists contamination while minimising temperature and flow sensitivity.

Error-checking software with user-programmable defaults and error limits detects abnormal measurement conditions, including loss of flow or a pressure spike.

Latest version of the GE Panametrics FGA-311 in-situ flue gas oxygen transmitter differs from conventional designs by enabling its sensor/heater to be removed and serviced in the field
Latest version of the GE Panametrics FGA-311 in-situ flue gas oxygen transmitter differs from conventional designs by enabling its sensor/heater to be removed and serviced in the field, while the transmitter housing and probe remain installed on the stack or duct. Maintenance costs and downtime are reduced. The competitively priced and compact FGA311 was developed to give sustained operation, with sensor life also extended by proprietary coatings.

The unit has ATEX certification for hazardous area installation and its microprocessor-based electronics are IP66 protected.

The transmitter provides an isolated linear 4-20mA output and allows interface with a laptop PC for set-up, calibration and diagnosis.

It is ideal for generally clean applications such as natural gas boilers, process heaters or furnaces and also offers an economical solution for multiple installation applications.

A gas mixing system with an integrated O2 analyser and receiver has been applied to steelworks injector cleaning, to determine the optimal oxygen percentage for the cleaning processes used
The Witt Gas MG500-2ME gas mixing system used with an integrated O2 analyser and receiver, can be used by steelworks, when cleaning pipework to determine the optimal oxygen percentage for the differing cleaning processes that are used. This mixer has a capacity range from 0 - approximately 270Nm3/hour and is easy to operate with a control knob and % scale providing infinitely variable mixture settings. It has a +/- 1% setting accuracy.

During steel production, argon and nitrogen are added to the liquid steel to achieve the best possible mix.

An after effect of this process is that the pipework often clogs up and the gas supply is cut off, therefore regular cleaning becomes essential.

Compressed air is mainly used to clean the pipework of the converters in the steel production process.

The results of this cleaning can be improved by using higher proportions of oxygen in the compressed air.

However a note of caution is added, too much oxygen and the mix could detonate, too low a percentage not all the contaminations can be burnt away.

Around 30% of oxygen in the nitrogen produces the best results.

The MG500-2ME gas mixer ensures that the correct control and volume of oxygen is used.

An EEx version for flammable gases using a separate control cabinet is available as an option, monitoring of the gas supply is an option using pressure switches; if the inlet pressure becomes too low, an optical or audible alarm is triggered and the machinery being monitored is shut down reducing risk of any problems occurring.

Also available is an integrated gas analysis for monitoring, control and documenting the gas mixture.

The MG500-2ME gas mixing system is available from Witt Gas Techniques, the Warrington based gas safety, control, mixing and analysis equipment supplier.

Highly durable, custom-made mixers from Landia are helping Cleanaway, one of the UK’s leading waste management companies, successfully treat leachate at its Rainham landfill site in Essex
Highly durable, custom-made mixers from Landia are helping Cleanaway, one of the UK’s leading waste management companies, successfully treat leachate at its Rainham landfill site in Essex. One of only two landfills in the whole of the UK capable of receiving waste by river-borne transportation, this strategically important Cleanaway site is utilising Landia specially-coated POD-I submersible mixers to suspend solids in two underground 160m3 leachate tanks. Working to very tight confines, with only a 6mm margin to spare, Landia custom-designed the POD-I mixers to fit the narrow access points of the Rainham site leachate tanks.

Able to withstand very harsh conditions, these 2-component-coated cast-iron mixers, all with 316 stainless steel submerged equipment, continuously agitate and homogenize to ensure that solids are not allowed to settle.

Operating around the clock, the 700rpm mixers have replaced aeration units that were no longer suitable for the high standard of leachate handling required by Cleanaway, as their Environmental Scientist Mr Andrew Whiteman explains: ‘Landia equipment is proving very reliable and effective at Rainham.

We have every confidence in the long term performance of these mixers which meet our established, stringent criteria for a highly engineered, professionally managed landfill site’.

He added: ‘Cleanaway recognise considerable experience in Landia in providing top quality mixers and pumps for leachate, as well as their impressive customer support’.

Microjet Fluid Technology overcomes the limitations of conventional mixing and homogenizing techniques, and offers particle size reduction and a process control capability that is second to none
Christison have launched Microjet Fluid Technology, a system which overcomes the limitations of conventional mixing and homogenizing techniques. Developed in-house in conjunction with the University of Northumbria, the system offers particle size reduction and process control capability that is second to none. Produced in the UK, Microjet systems are engineered for liquid/liquid and liquid/solid processing of pharmaceuticals, coatings, inks, pigments, vaccines, lotions, creams and disruption of cells.

Operating at up to 24,000 psi in the laboratory, each unit is fitted with unique diamond-wear interaction chambers.

The Microjet produces extremely high levels of shear resulting in very fine, tight particle size distributions and very small particle sizes.

These are of exceptional consistency and ensure better products, longer shelf life, increased yield, and improved texture.

Temperature control is an integral part of the device which is also very easy to ‘clean in place’.

Since no grinding media is used there is no product contamination.

The process is fully scaleable, and can be made fully cGMP compliant.

Altenburger Maschinen Jaeckering has appointed G W Consumables to market their air turbulence based range of milling and micronising machines within the UK
Altenburger Maschinen Jaeckering has appointed G W Consumables to market their range of milling and micronising machines within the UK. Jaeckering builds machines for milling and simultaneous milling and drying on the basis on a unique principle - the use of air turbulence. Under the brand name Ultra Rotor - a universally adaptable mill - many successful projects have been executed world wide.

More that 2000 mills have been installed world-wide, many of the early models still in operation today.

Our engineers are constantly working on improvements as well as developing new ideas for new applications.

References exist in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and general industries.

A large test centre is available and in constant use with trials on customers samples.

The Niro Soavi NS2002H Twin Panda table-top laboratory/pilot plant homogenizer is ideal for feasibility testing and process development in the food, food ingredients, and dairy industries
The Niro Soavi NS2002H Twin Panda table-top laboratory/pilot plant homogenizer is ideal for feasibility testing and process development in the food, food ingredients, and dairy industries. The Twin Panda homogenizer is a tabletop model designed for the laboratory/pilot plant needs of companies processing food and dairy products. It is a unique unit, with the ability to process small volumes of liquids and pumpable fluids.

The Twin Panda is designed to homogenize samples at pressures up to 8700 PSI.

The internal design has special features permitting the homogenizer to handle feeds at high viscosity up to 20,000 cP and at temperatures up to 90C (194degF) without any feeding pump.

The Twin Panda 600 homogenizer is an ideal piece of equipment, easy to commission and operate.

It can easily be dismantled for maintenance and cleaning by the laboratory operator.

Homogenization conditions can be optimised and the results used in scale-up to industrial operations.

The Twin Panda 600 homogenizer is supplied with an analogue pressure gauge (0-600 bar).

The feed system is by gravity through a feed funnel, without any feeding pump.

For high viscosity products a pneumatic feeding system with jacketed stainless steel feeding hopper is available.

The jacket can be used both for cooling and heating the test product.

An integral stainless steel casing enables easy cleaning and maintenance.

The standard toothed direct drive belt incorporates an AC high-duty motor which is supplied with a main switch including magnetothermic motor protection.

The Twin Panda 600 is delivered ready to use complete with a set of special tools, spare parts, and operation/maintenance manual.

KA Master Plant all-in-one mixing provides improved product quality, reduces maintenance and eliminates costly equipment
IKA Master Plant presents ‘All-In-One Mixing’ to eliminate costly equipment, reduce maintenance and improve product quality.

The Master Plant is the newest and most advanced complete processing system including vessel, circulation piping, valves, controls and two revolutionary mixers.

It is designed to emulsify, homogenize or mix virtually any materials.

The new Malvern Insitec D is a fully integrated on-line particle size measurement solution designed for use in environments where there is the potential for dust explosions
The new Malvern Insitec D is a fully integrated on-line particle size measurement solution designed for use in environments where there is the potential for dust explosions. Underpinned by Malvern’s long-established Insitec particle sizing technology, the Insitec D has both NEC500 and ATEX approval. It is an ideal choice for manufacturers seeking a highly reliable, continuous particle size analyser that is able to comply fully with the ATEX 137 Worker Protection Directive 1992/92/EC.

The ATEX 137 Worker Protection Directive 1992/92/EC, which became mandatory in July 2003, requires that new equipment for use in potentially hazardous environments is ATEX approved.

Dust explosion protection falls under the directive: zones analogous to those that are already well established for gas explosions have been defined.

The Malvern Insitec D is designed and approved for use in Zone 22 areas - those where a hazardous explosive atmosphere would only be expected to occur fleetingly, or as the result of an abnormal operation.

With respect to North America the instrument has NEC 500 rating for Classes II and III, Divisions 1 and 2.

The Malvern Insitec is a particle size analyser based on the technique of laser diffraction and is designed specifically to meet industrial requirements for on-line measurement.

The working range is 0.5 to 1000 microns.

To meet the requirements for ATEX approval, the Insitec D has a limited maximum equipment temperature.

Captive connectors and enclosures are also used to ensure system integrity.

Narrowspan achieves powders with uniform-sized particles, creating a largely dust free, easily wettable product with a high flowability, from a rotary atomiser wheel
Until now, powders with uniform-sized particles were achievable only in large nozzle towers. Narrowspan, however, achieves this uniformity, creating a largely dust free, easily wettable product with a high flowability, from a rotary atomiser wheel. This reduces costs and allows the use of smaller buildings to house the plant equipment.

The Narrowspan is suitable for new-build projects, or for retrofit to improve the efficiency of existing production plants.

The Narrowspan produces a low-dust product, which is important for explosion safety, personal health, and the environment.

The uniform particle size distribution means a controlled functionality of the final product.

A high bulk density can be achieved together with a free flowing product with large particle size.

The product does not break into fines, compared with agglomerates that are generally more brittle.

Narrowspan products are easier to disperse and wet in their respective solvents.

Large, uniform, free flowing particles allow easy handling and packing.

Variation in particle size from fine to coarse is possible while running the plant by controlling the rotation speed of the atomiser wheel.

Large particles can be produced in smaller diameter chambers.

Rebuilding of existing plants allows for the manufacture of added value products, with low building height and hence investment costs, compared to nozzle towers.

These features are all proven in tests and have been working in industrial applications for the last decade.

Researchers at Valois Pharmaceuticals are using a Malvern Instruments Spraytec system to develop robust droplet size test methods for quality control and product development applications
Researchers at Valois Pharmaceutical Division, a leader in the design and manufacture of spray delivery systems, are using a Malvern Instruments Spraytec system to develop robust droplet size test methods for quality control and product development applications. The Spraytec provides a routine method of verifying the batch-to-batch product consistency of the different nasal pump delivery systems produced by Valois, in line with recently proposed FDA guidelines. The design of new delivery systems can also be optimised.

Spray droplet data has been especially useful in the development and performance testing of Equadel, a new nasal spray pump designed to generate user-independent performance.

Spray droplet data collected using automated actuation stations illustrate how droplet size, a key variable in defining drug bio-availability, can vary with actuation profile.

Normally significant changes in pump output are observed as the actuation profile is changed.

However, data generated using the Spraytec confirms that Equadel pump system is insensitive to the applied actuation profile, as was the design intent.

This new design will therefore be more consistent, in terms of delivery performance, from patient-to-patient.

Spray characterisation, such as spray droplet size measurement, has become routine in the testing of nasal spray products and devices.

For production quality control purposes FDA guidelines recommend that a certain number of devices from each batch are tested prior to despatch.

Spraytec, a laser diffraction system, specifically designed to meet industrial requirements for the efficient measurement of spray droplet size, is proving to be highly effective in this application.

Malvern Instruments has extended its provision of contract testing services for particle characterisation in France following the conclusion of an agreement with LGC, based in Toulouse
Malvern Instruments has extended its provision of contract testing services for particle characterisation in France following the conclusion of an agreement with the Laboratoire de Genie Chimique (LGC) based in Toulouse. The agreement covers services related to both wet and dry particle size analysis. Testing will be carried out by LGC scientists and technicians skilled in the application of advanced particle sizing techniques.

Enquiries about contract services and the initiation of projects will continue to be handled in the first instance by Malvern application specialists.

Full details can be found on the Malvern website, or by telephoning the company.

LGC is an academic research department linked to the French national research organisation CNRS and to two local Universities (Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse and Universite Paul Sabatier).

More than 230 researchers and students conduct projects covering most aspects of modern chemical engineering, including particle and interfacial engineering.

Commenting on the new relationship, Jane Bishop, Malvern Commercial Director, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome LGC as a partner as Malvern expands its provision of contract services in France.

In addition to bringing extensive experience and expertise in particle characterisation, LGC university connections will help inform our future work to ensure that we offer comprehensive testing services appropriate to the needs of both commercial and academic organisations’.

Dr Joel Bertrand, head of the LGC department said: ‘Our researchers and technicians have developed considerable expertise, over a long period, in the characterisation of dispersed media, mostly using Malvern equipment.

We believe that this agreement will help us to apply this expertise and extend it to new techniques.

A new CD-based catalogue brings together information on the company’s full range of standards for particle sizing, sieve calibration, filter testing et al, using precision glass microspheres
A new CD-based catalogue from Whitehouse Scientific brings together information on the company’s full range of standards for particle sizing, sieve calibration, filter testing and a wide range of other specialised applications for precision glass microspheres.

Included on the CD are detailed product specifications, including technical reports, price lists and instructional video clips.

Many industrial particle sizing applications now require the continuous measurement of particle size in liquid streams: the new Insitec LPS provides the complete solution
Many industrial particle sizing applications now require the continuous measurement of particle size in liquid streams: the new Insitec LPS provides the complete solution for continuous wet particle size measurement. To provide this complete solution, Malvern Instruments has introduced the new Insitec LPS (Liquid Process Sizer). Designed for continuous industrial use at-line or on-line, the Insitec LPS can accurately and reproducibly measure a very wide range of process streams, from highly concentrated mineral slurries through to lipid emulsions.

Each component of the system - sampler, pre-diluter, cascade diluter, measurement cell, and software - can be individually tailored to the process, ensuring that even the most challenging applications can be tackled effectively.

The Insitec LPS sampler extracts 2.5 ml liquid slugs from the full pipe section.

There is never any cessation of sample flow, thus avoiding blockages.

The process interface is designed for high pressure (where necessary) and for easy installation and maintenance.

The Insitec LPS pre-diluter and cascade diluter work together to bring the sample to an optimal concentration for analysis whilst avoiding dilution shock.

These components have few moving parts, are self-cleaning and designed to minimise diluent consumption.

Consistent dilution is achieved efficiently with no manual intervention.

At the heart of the Insitec LPS is the Malvern proven and industrially rugged Insitec laser diffraction-based particle size analyser.

With abrasion-resistant, self-cleaning sapphire windows, and a purge to prevent condensation, this is an analyser designed for 24/7 operation.

It requires no calibration and little maintenance.

The data produced are presented using established Malvern Link and RTSizer data handling systems.

Integration with existing control platforms is straightforward, and so is customised data presentation.

Building on the continuing success of the company’s glass microsphere sieve calibration standards, Whitehouse Scientific has now extended the range and resolution of the series
Building on the continuing success of the company’s glass microsphere sieve calibration standards, Whitehouse Scientific has now extended the range and resolution of the series. The aperture size of every sieve manufactured from 20 to 3350 microns can now be certified to NIST traceability. This extends the range’s capabilities from the 30 ‘primary’ sieves that originally could be calibrated to include a further 30 intermediate sizes.

This new development is important not only in precision particle size analysis, but also for accurate separation processes.

It is now possible, for example, to accurately distinguish between a 100 and a 106 micron sieve.

The Whitehouse sieve calibration standards are available in single shot bottles, minimising the possibility of sampling errors by the operator.