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Interest grows in ISO 14000
General news
Shuttle O-rings cleared for liftoff Hot rocket gas damaged two wiper O-rings at the base of each of space shuttle Columbia’s boosters during liftoff last February. NASA says the singed seals did not endanger the lives of the crew as they are not required to seal during flight. The damaged O-rings differ from those used to secure hot fuel inside the solid rocket booster, in that they are used during assembly to keep glue away from the primary, protective O-rings. The problem manifested itself to the crew during blastoff when an indicator showed that one of the three main engines was not operating at full power. The cause was revealed after a routine examination of the solid fuel rocket boosters, upon retrieval from the ocean, and although wiper O-rings have been discovered to be singed on nine previous occasions, this was the first time the seal was scorched in two places. Extensive analysis of the flights and test data was carried out before the Atlantis was cleared for launch on 2 1st March by NASA managers, who concluded that the nozzle-to-case joint was robust and sturdy, and that the joint’s design was safe to fly. Contact: Rob Navias, Johnson Space Centre, Houston, Texas, USA. Tel: +1713 483 5111.
Jet stream containment technology A new system developed by A&A Environmental Seals, captures fugitive emissions from pumps and other rotating and reciprocating machinery. The Seal-Assist System uses jet stream containment technology to provide near zero containment of primary seal emissions even under adverse operating conditions.
Leakages are captured in a high speed jet flow circulating through the entire system, and can then be: l l l
Vented to a flare system for disposal. Recycled back into the original process stream. In the case of non-hazardous air pollutants, emission vapours can be vented to atmosphere and product leakage reintroduced back into the original process stream.
In order to establish the effectiveness of the Seal-Assist System, tests were carried out on shaft sizes up to 4 in with stuffing box pressures up to 200 psig. Shaft speeds ranged from 50 to 2200 fpm. The system was exposed to axial movement and radial runout conditions without loss in containment efficiency. In service on one test pump, cycling every 12 minutes in an abrasive service, the containment system stopped and started over 12 000 times without a detectable emission leak. The system is suitable for services including hot acids, caustics, coking or crystallising fluids, slurries and other abrasive processes. The makers describe the equipment as a secondary containment system that is adaptable to most primary seals or primary containment systems, and that alleviates the cost of liquid barrier systems and problems with barrier fluid compatibility. Contact: AclrA Environmental Seals, Inc., PO Box 177, 3213 Texas Avenue, La Marque, Texas 77568, USA. Tel: +1409 935 1600; Fax: + 1 409 938 3925.
Interest grows in IS0 14000 A free booklet on the IS0 14000 Environmental Standards has been made available. IS0 14000 has generated an enormous amount of interest in the industrial community around the world, as a method for assisting companies in handling their environmental protection duties. One of the main benefits of the standards is that they support the understanding that environmental issues do not respect national boundaries and are transnational concerns. One suggestion is that IS0 14001 will become a prerequisite for registration to the European Union’s Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS), making it a key competitive factor for foreign companies considering exportation to the EU. Japan is reported to be encouraging organisations to meet IS0 1400 1 requirements for environmental management plans within the year, while in the US, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are considering putting together QS-14000, a standard set to exceed the requirements of IS0 1400 1, especially for the auto industry. Contact: Chris Fasau, 3000 Town Center, Suite 2960, Southfield, Michigan 48075. Tel: +l 810 356 4410; Fax: +l 810 356 4822.
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Sealing Technology
No. 28
Shuttle O-rings cleared for liftoff Hot rocket gas damaged two wiper O-rings at the base of each of space shuttle Columbia’s boosters during liftoff last February. NASA says the singed seals did not endanger the lives of the crew as they are not required to seal during flight. The damaged O-rings differ from those used to secure hot fuel inside the solid rocket booster, in that they are used during assembly to keep glue away from the primary, protective O-rings. The problem manifested itself to the crew during blastoff when an indicator showed that one of the three main engines was not operating at full power. The cause was revealed after a routine examination of the solid fuel rocket boosters, upon retrieval from the ocean, and although wiper O-rings have been discovered to be singed on nine previous occasions, this was the first time the seal was scorched in two places. Extensive analysis of the flights and test data was carried out before the Atlantis was cleared for launch on 2 1st March by NASA managers, who concluded that the nozzle-to-case joint was robust and sturdy, and that the joint’s design was safe to fly. Contact: Rob Navias, Johnson Space Centre, Houston, Texas, USA. Tel: +1713 483 5111.
Jet stream containment technology A new system developed by A&A Environmental Seals, captures fugitive emissions from pumps and other rotating and reciprocating machinery. The Seal-Assist System uses jet stream containment technology to provide near zero containment of primary seal emissions even under adverse operating conditions.
Leakages are captured in a high speed jet flow circulating through the entire system, and can then be: l l l
Vented to a flare system for disposal. Recycled back into the original process stream. In the case of non-hazardous air pollutants, emission vapours can be vented to atmosphere and product leakage reintroduced back into the original process stream.
In order to establish the effectiveness of the Seal-Assist System, tests were carried out on shaft sizes up to 4 in with stuffing box pressures up to 200 psig. Shaft speeds ranged from 50 to 2200 fpm. The system was exposed to axial movement and radial runout conditions without loss in containment efficiency. In service on one test pump, cycling every 12 minutes in an abrasive service, the containment system stopped and started over 12 000 times without a detectable emission leak. The system is suitable for services including hot acids, caustics, coking or crystallising fluids, slurries and other abrasive processes. The makers describe the equipment as a secondary containment system that is adaptable to most primary seals or primary containment systems, and that alleviates the cost of liquid barrier systems and problems with barrier fluid compatibility. Contact: AclrA Environmental Seals, Inc., PO Box 177, 3213 Texas Avenue, La Marque, Texas 77568, USA. Tel: +1409 935 1600; Fax: + 1 409 938 3925.
Interest grows in IS0 14000 A free booklet on the IS0 14000 Environmental Standards has been made available. IS0 14000 has generated an enormous amount of interest in the industrial community around the world, as a method for assisting companies in handling their environmental protection duties. One of the main benefits of the standards is that they support the understanding that environmental issues do not respect national boundaries and are transnational concerns. One suggestion is that IS0 14001 will become a prerequisite for registration to the European Union’s Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS), making it a key competitive factor for foreign companies considering exportation to the EU. Japan is reported to be encouraging organisations to meet IS0 1400 1 requirements for environmental management plans within the year, while in the US, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are considering putting together QS-14000, a standard set to exceed the requirements of IS0 1400 1, especially for the auto industry. Contact: Chris Fasau, 3000 Town Center, Suite 2960, Southfield, Michigan 48075. Tel: +l 810 356 4410; Fax: +l 810 356 4822.
6
Sealing Technology
No. 28