The pulsation inherent in vane-type pumps turns out not to be a problem for Coriolis flowmeters—Coriolis flowmeters offer users many advantages over positive-displacement (PD) meters. But can they be used with PD pumps? Engineers from pump manufacturer Blackmer decided to investigate.

Will the visitor record of 16,000 for the previous event be broken this year? There is no reason why it should not be like that with regard to the focus topics of Powtech 2017. And the challenges of the bulk solid process industry are unabatedly high. Containment, traceability and, of course, digitalization demand new ideas and technologies.

Scientists at Cardiff University in the UK have created methanol from methane using oxygen from the air.

Shenyang Chemical launched China’s first metallocene polyethylene project. The company is producing four different grades of metallocene, an annual capacity of 30,000 tons is planned.

For the industrial production of pure oxides such as iron oxide, alumina or magnesia as well as for mixed oxide products, the thermal chlorides decomposition in hydrochloric solutions has gained world wide importance. Typical, these processes use spray roasting in gas fired reactors to supply raw materials for the ferrite industry, pigments and heat resistant refractories and different types of special ceramics.

The drum emptying system Viscoflux lite for high-viscosity media is now available as an Ex version. The new explosion-proof variant is suitable for use in hazard areas of zone 1 as well as for pumping most flammable media (zone 0/1).

Together with its Westphalia-based parent company Haver & Boecker and machine builder Möllers, Feige Filling received its biggest order in its more than 40 year company-history from Foster & Wheeler and their customer Sadara Chemical Company. The order is part of the world’s largest petrochemical plant currently in planning and slated to be constructed in a single step.

Flottweg will present a special decanter centrifuge for soft sediment. The Sedicanter separates solids from liquids.

The new facility Pfieffewiesen of B. Braun Melsungen AG in Germany is a masterpiece of engineering – from architecture to logistics to the office organisation. The core is the ‘Leading Infusion Factory Europe (LIFE),’ the most modern manufacturing of infusion solutions in Europe. LIFE was automated with excellent valve terminal technology in pre-assembled cabinets from Festo.

Roughly 50 % or more of substances used in the chemical industry are solids which need to be processed, handled and transported, so it is hardly surprising that exhibitors and visitors at ACHEMA have an interest in bulk solids technology. A learning curve is associated with the handling of powder and granulate.