An Economic Remote Power System Solution Providing Unparalleled Reliability

Qnergy (pronounced "q-ner–gy") provide reliable remote power with output in the 1 to 10kW range. Their core technology is a state-of-the-art, free-piston, Stirling engine which was recently recognized by NASA as the most reliable heat engine technology ‘in history’. Qnergy remote power generation platforms are designed for high-reliability, no-maintenance, long-life missions.

Qnergy’s free-piston, Stirling engine.

Qnergy’s engine can use any heat source, the most common being natural gas, propane and biogas. Utilizing a  200 year old technology, Qnergy is the only company that has perfected a Stirling engine based, stand-alone power generator known as the PowerGen. It was introduced in the summer of 2017 to a variety of potential customers in a pilot ‘try and buy’ program. The results were so successful, all pilot customers ended up purchasing their systems. Since then, Qnergy has developed multiple specific use products around the PowerGen including cathodic protection, freeze-off prevention, well pad automation, solar power backup, and replacing methane bleeding with compressed air. This success has allowed Qnergy to become the preferred remote power source for many Fortune 500 gas companies.

For more information about Qnergy, contact M.S. Jacobs and Associates. Call them at 800-348-0089 or visit them at https://msjacobs.com.

Innovative Adapter Allows Easy, Less Costly Upgrade of Level Transmitter

An installed view of the Model 706 Adapter.

Magnetrol International, a global leader in level and flow measurement instrumentation, has introduced an innovative product that allows for the retrofit and upgrade to a higher level transmitter package for existing guided wave radar (GWR) level probe applications.

The new Eclipse Model 706 GWR Adapter allows users to keep existing Eclipse 705 GWR probes in place, and upgrade to the Eclipse 706 transmitter and its advanced electronics and DTM.

The ECLIPSE 705 guided wave radar transmitter, with its patented easy-access, angled enclosure has gained wide popularity and has a huge installed base around the world.

The Eclipse 706 transmitter supports both the FDT/DTM and enhanced DD standards. A DTM (Device Type Manager), similar to device drivers used in computers, provides a user-friendly graphical interface to make device configuration, maintenance, diagnostics and troubleshooting a breeze. The DTM allows viewing of valuable configuration and diagnostic information such as the echo curve in tools such as PACTware™, AMS Device Manager, and various HART® Field Communicators. 

In many cases, GWRs are installed in hard to access areas, where removing the sensing probe from
the tank or vessel is prohibitive. Additionally, or the integral electronics and cumbersome DTM of older Eclipse Model 705s is less comprehensive and less user-friendly than the newer Model 706s. 

The Model 706 Adapter allows existing Model 705 probes to be retrofitted with the Model 706 transmitter without breaking the process seal, gaining the best-in-class GWR performance that comes along with the Model 706 including the highest Signal-to-Noise (SNR) ratio in the market.  High SNR is particularly helpful in low dielectric liquids often found in refineries.

Aside from the increased performance, the technician could now use the latest Model 706 DTM for troubleshooting.  The main DTM features emphasized by users are:

• The capability, on a single screen, to view not only the echo curve itself but also the operational conditions of the transmitter along with the configurable parameters.  You can then change parameters and refresh the curve to see immediate results without going into multiple screens.
• Data logging capabilities where you can capture all of the data associated with the last nine events, which include configuration parameters, echo curve, echo curve history and event history.
• The Model 706 has the capability to monitor build-up as a percent of level threshold or as a rate.  Meaning the user can potentially track the build-up percentage or rate through a HART variable to trigger a flushing process or for timely maintenance / cleaning intervals.

Benefits of the Eclipse® Model 706 GWR Adapter:

• Backwards compatibility with existing Eclipses probes.
• Extends the lifecycle of existing Model 705 probes.
• The added benefit of facilitating the upgrade without opening up the process.
• Lower cost because you are only replacing the transmitter and not the probe.
• Compact design adds 3.15” of installation height.
• Customers get all the features of the Model 706 Transmitter while using their existing Model 705 probes.
• Adapters are in stock at Magnetrol

For more information, contact M.S. Jacobs and Associates. Call them at 800-348-0089 or visit their web site at https://msjacobs.com.

Happy Holidays from M.S. Jacobs & Associates

"May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility."   Mary Anne Radmacher

Fast and Easy Freeze Protection with Pre-Assembled Self-Regulating Heating Cable

Heat tracing a pipe, from start to finish can be time consuming. Selecting the various components, starting with the heating cable itself, extends through termination kits, controllers, mounting hardware and other electrical hardware needed to put the heating system in operation. BriskHeat has a product that, for many applications, offers a very simple and quick solution.

Pre-assembled self regulating heat cable is available in two voltage ranges, two watt densities, and prefabricated lengths up to 150 feet. Each cable is terminated at each end, saving the installer time. The cable is flexible enough for a spiral installation or to wrap around valves in the piping system. The self regulating aspect of the cable negates the need for a controller and power switching devices. Assemblies targeted for 120 volt applications are provided with a factory installed plug. The 208-277 volt cables will arrive with bare wire leads for installation of a customer provided connector. The cable can be easily installed using fiberglass or aluminum tape. Suitable insulation applied over the finished work will improve the performance of the heating system.

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DOWNLOAD THE BRISKHEAT SPEEDTRACE CUT SHEET FROM THE M.S. JACOBS WEB SITE HERE

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For more information about freeze protecting pipes, valves, tanks, or vessels contact M.S. Jacobs. Call them at 800-348-0089 or visit their web site at https://msjacobs.com.

Saying Thanks to Our Veterans

Veterans Day is set aside to honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much in order to serve in the armed forces of the United States. It is a day of observance and celebration for those who have served in our military. 

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day because of the November 11 Armistice that ended World War I. In 1954 it was officially changed to Veterans Day to include Veterans of all wars. 

This day is set aside to honor those who took an oath to defend the United States and our Constitution, from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Through the observance of Veterans Day, we remind ourselves of our Veterans patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

M.S. Jacobs thanks our Veterans, past and present, for serving our country and protecting our freedom.

Minimize Controllable Feedwater Heater Losses Through Heat Rate Awareness

A feedwater heater is a device used in a power plant to pre-heat water being delivered to a steam generating boiler. Preheating the feedwater prior to steam generation improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system. Heat rate is a measure of how efficiently a power plant uses heat energy. You can measure heat rate by the number of BTUs the power plant requires to generate a kilowatt hour of energy. As your heat rate goes up, so do your fuel costs. Considering fuel expenditures account for 70 to 80 percent of production costs and millions of dollars per year, improving heat rate one percent could generate five hundred thousand dollars in annual savings for a 500 megawatt power plant.

To contain fuel costs, power plants must maximize the efficiency of their feedwater heaters. That's why many companies today are focusing on improving heat rate as a way to use their feedwater heaters more effectively and significantly reduce their fuel costs.

The video above (courtesy of Magnetrol) explains ways to focus on heat rate awareness to minimize controllable losses from the feedwater system.

For more information, contact M.S. Jacobs and Associates. Call them at 800-348-0089 or visit their web site at https://msjacobs.com.

Plating Application: Chromic Acid Tank Level

Plating acid tanks.

Chromium is widely used in the metal finishing industry for both decorative and hard-chrome plating. The chemicals used in Chrome plating are very harsh and corrosive. Chromium plating requires that the metal to be plated to be pretreated in a sodium cyanide/caustic soda bath and then plated in a chromic acid bath.

A large international plating company located in the USA needed a cost effective liquid level switching that would perform flawlessly on their chemical plating baths.

Problem

The chemicals used in plating, specifically Chromic Acid, are extremely corrosive. Many times these chemicals need to be kept at elevated temperatures, resulting in corrosive vapors. Controls installed in and around areas where vapors are present are adversely affected.  For this customer, the tank level instruments near the chromic acid tanks were the most problematic.

Solution

Levelpro PLF

Icon Process Controls, a manufacturer specializing in corrosion resistant fluid handling instrumentation, recommended their Levelpro PLF series plastic level switch. The Levelpro PLF provides excellent chemical resistance. Body materials are available in PVC, PP, PVDF, or 316SS. The level switch is available is sizes from 6" to 10 feet, with up to 8 different switch points, and unlike ultrasonic sensors, the PLF Series are not affected by foam, vapor, or turbulence. Additionally, they require no power and are available in N/O or N/C switch positions.

The PLF series can be used to indicate high and low levels, notification of upset conditions or turn pumps or valves on-off. They are also an excellent choice for redundant high| low level indication when used in conjunction with a continuous level sensor.

For more information, contact M.S. Jacobs and Associates. They can be reached at 800-348-0089 or you can visit their web site at https://msjacobs.com.