1/2011

Proven quality Advanced measuring Prevention of outage

Innovation Development of Monitoring of motors
through testing plastic products and generators

Testing and quality

EDITORIAL

Sulzer today
The Sulzer brothers laid the foundations of
today's company in 1834 in Winterthur,
Switzerland. Sulzer is active in the fields of
machinery, equipment manufacturing, and
surface technology in more than 160 locations
around the world. Its divisions are global
leaders in their respective markets, including
the oil and gas sector, the hydrocarbon
processing industry, power generation, pulp
and paper, aviation, and the automotive
industry. Sulzer employs more than 13 000
professionals who develop innovative new
technical solutions. These products and services
enable Sulzer's customers to achieve sustained
improvements in their competitive positions.
www.sulzer.com

Sulzer Pumps
Sulzer Pumps offers a variety of centrifugal
pumps, ranging from custom-built models to
standardized series. The division's market-
leading position reflects its research and
development activities relating to process-
Test procedures for the develop- oriented materials as well as its reliable service.
It serves customers in the oil and gas, hydro-
carbon processing, pulp and paper, power
ment of high-quality products generation, water distribution and treatment
sectors, as well as other specialized areas.
www.sulzerpumps.com
Dear Technology Professionals, Customers, and Partners,
Sulzer Metco
Continuous innovation and product improvements are often supported by Sulzer Metco specializes in thermal-spray and
sophisticated, state-of-the-art test and measurement methods. The articles of the thin-film processes for surface technology
applications. The division coats and enhances
current issue of the Sulzer Technical Review (STR) will present test equipment,
surfaces, produces materials and equipment,
measuring methods, and specific competencies of the Sulzer divisions that are crucial and develops machining processes for special
for research and development, for quality assessments, and for the improvement components. Its customers are active in the
aviation and automotive industries, the power
of our products. generation segment, and other specialized
Sulzer Pumps operates test facilities around the globe. Learn more about the markets.
www.sulzermetco.com
world's largest string testing facility in Leeds (UK), as well as our expertise and test
facilities in Suzhou (CN), Kotka (FIN), and Winterthur (CH). Sulzer Chemtech
Modern development and production facilities and globally coordinated teams Sulzer Chemtech is the market leader in the
fields of process technology, separation
allow Sulzer Metco to produce new application-tailored coating materials. Learn more columns, static mixing, and cartridge tech-
about our new pilot plant in Troy (MI, USA), which can efficiently produce test nologies. The division has sales, engineering,
production, and customer service facilities
powders in amounts of 5 to 100 kilograms. throughout the world that enable it to meet the
In the article from Sulzer Chemtech, you will learn more about the importance of needs of its customers in the oil and gas,
modern analysis during the production and processing of plastics. Sulzer Turbo chemical, petrochemical and plastics industries.
www.sulzerchemtech.com
Services uses a variety of monitoring methods to assess the status of motors and
generators during operation. This measurement technique protects the customers Sulzer Turbo Services
Sulzer Turbo Services is a leading independent
from long downtimes and production losses. Sulzer Innotec’s engineering, testing provider of repair and maintenance services for
and interpretation skills have allowed for new ways of analysis and evaluation of turbomachinery, generators, and motors with
pump impeller measurements. expertise in rotating equipment. The division
also manufactures and sells replacement parts
In the other contributions, you will learn more about our solutions for energy for gas and steam turbines, compressors,
recovery, our research capabilities, and our services for repairing motors and generators, and motors. Sulzer Turbo Services’
customers are located in the oil and gas, hydro-
generators. carbon processing, power generation, transport,
mining, and other industrial markets.
I hope you enjoy this issue. www.sulzerts.com

Sulzer Innotec
Sincerely yours, The research and development unit supports
the development projects of Sulzer's own
divisions as well as projects of industrial
companies around the world by providing
contract research and special technical services.
Sulzer Innotec has considerable expertise in
Ton Büchner materials engineering, surface engineering,
fluid technology, as well as in the field of
CEO Sulzer mechanics. Its core competencies in the area of
contract research also focus on these traditional
disciplines.
2 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 www.sulzerinnotec.com
 CONTENTS

4 News
Exhibitions, Events

Testing and quality

6 Proven quality
Innovation through testing—test facilities that support product development

10 The key to application-tailored coating materials

Driving development through an expanded “global-local” organization

14 Filter and fit

Revealing and interpreting hidden features using dedicated signal analysis

17 Sulzer analogy
Testing poisons

18 A crucial factor in product development

State-of-the-art measurement technology

22 Prevention of outage major downtime

Condition-based monitoring of motors and generators

25 Sulzer innovation
The ideal solution for corrosive media

Panorama
26 Reducing pressure—increasing efficiency
When pressure has to be reduced in a process,
using pumps as turbines increases
the overall efficiency significantly

30 Characterization of arbitrary distributions

A new method

33 Sulzer world
Welcome to Sulzer Pumps in Suzhou

34 Interview
John Allen, Sulzer Dowding & Mills

35 Imprint

On the cover:
The vibration responses of an impeller of a centrifugal compressor is measured without contact with a laser vibrometer.
The post-processing of the measurement results uses a method developed by Sulzer Innotec that enables the determination
of the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of the wheel — for quality control and for safe operation.

Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 3

 Geographical expansion, innovation,
Exhibitions, Events
and selective acquisitions
In 2010, Sulzer proved its ability to adapt
April 7–9, 2011, Shanghai, China quickly to changed market conditions.
China International Engineering Expo & Symposium 2011
www.seexpo.net The company achieved a strong double-
Information for Sulzer Metco: Simon Xiao digit profitability with a return on sales
Phone +86 21 5226 4713 of 12.8% and an improved return on cap-
simon.xiao@sulzer.com
ital employed of 28.1%. Sales (CHF 3.2
April 10–13, 2011, Rotorua, New Zealand billion, –5.0%) were still impacted by the
APPITA 2011 notable decrease in order intake in 2009.
www.appita.com Net income increased by 11% to
Information for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia Pröger
CHF 300.4 million, corresponding to
Phone +41 52 262 39 04
claudia.proeger@sulzer.com earnings per share (EPS) of CHF 8.92.
Sulzer’s global presence was further
April 10–14, 2011, Palm Beach, FL, USA strengthened as major investments in the
Spring CTOTF emerging markets went into operation.
www.ctotf.org
Information for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie King The service business was substantially
Phone +1 713 567 2748 enhanced through acquisitions. Based
stephanie.king@sulzer.com on a healthy balance sheet, Sulzer contin-
ues to assess additional acquisitions. sales on an adjusted basis. The divisional
April 11–16, 2011, Beijing, China
The 12th China International Machine Tool Show For 2011, Sulzer expects a moderate operating income is anticipated to be
www.cimtshow.com growth in order intake and increased moderately higher.
Information for Sulzer Metco: Simon Xiao
Phone +86 21 5226 4713
simon.xiao@sulzer.com

April 12–14, 2011, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Ahoy Rotterdam
www.maintenannext.nl
Information for Sulzer Turbo Services: Sulzer to strengthen tower field
Elisabeth van den Houten
Phone +31 181 282 088
elisabeth.vandenHouten@sulzer.com
service activities in Canada
May 2–6, 2011, San Diego, CA, USA On February 11, 2011, Sulzer Chemtech acquired the company Black Magic Crew
ICMCTF 2011 Ltd. in Canada. Black Magic Crew’s annual sales is approximately CAD 1.5 million.
www2.avs.org All staff, including the former owner, will be retained after the acquisition. With
Information for Sulzer Metco: Corinna Heinz this acquisition, Sulzer Chemtech will enhance its competitiveness of the tower field
Phone +49 2204 299 215
corinna.heinz@sulzer.com service activities in Canada by adding the competencies of a local contractor with
a skilled crew.
May 2–5, 2011, Houston, TX, USA Black Magic Crew Ltd. is a recognized specialist in the installation of tower
OTC 2011 internals and general maintenance of gas and ethanol plants as well as refineries;
www.otcnet.org
Information for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia Pröger it is mainly active in the Alberta region. The
Phone +41 52 262 39 04 company is listed as an aboriginal-owned cor-
claudia.proeger@sulzer.com poration with registered and records offices
in Turner Valley, Alberta. Sulzer Chemtech, a
May 9–11, 2011, Adelaide, Australia
Ozwater 2011 global market leader for components and
www.ozwater11.com.au services for separation, mixing, and cartridge
Information for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia Pröger technology, is present in all significant markets
Phone +41 52 262 39 04 in the areas of sales, engineering, production,
claudia.proeger@sulzer.com
and customer support. As a main supplier of
May 9–13, 2011, Houston, TX, USA mass transfer components and provider of
GE 7FA Users Group Conference tower field services, it is Sulzer Chemtech’s
http://ge7fa.users-groups.com
strategy to strengthen its ability to supply
Information for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie King
Phone +1 713 567 2748 installation and maintenance services to its
stephanie.king@sulzer.com customers in all geographic regions.

4 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4327


Shell Global Solutions and Sulzer
Chemtech extend strategic alliance
Shell Global Solutions International B.V.
and Sulzer Chemtech Ltd have renewed
and extended their strategic alliance
agreement, originally concluded in 2000.
The new agreement further strengthens
the long-standing relationship between
Shell Global Solutions and Sulzer
Chemtech, a leading globally active
supplier of separation and mixing tech-
nology.
Under the previous agreement, Sulzer
Chemtech became the world-wide
licensee for Shell Global Solutions’ high-
capacity tray and phase separation tech-
nology. The agreement proved mutually
beneficial and, due to its success, both
parties have agreed not only to continue
but also extend their collaboration to
include provisions to support and for-
malize the joint development of new
mass transfer and separation equipment.
Both Shell Global Solutions and Sulzer
Chemtech are of the firm belief that the
extended alliance can result in improved
utilization of resources and can yield
truly exciting products, combining all
aspects from process requirement and
utilization to manufacturing and market-
ing.
“By joining forces in common devel-
opment, Shell Global Solutions and
Sulzer Chemtech will be in a unique
position to develop products that are
well-adapted to the challenges of the
future”, said Dr Dave Clark, General
Manager, Process Licensing, Shell Global
Solutions International B.V.
“We are satisfied that we can continue
our successful cooperation with Shell
Global Solutions and excited about the
opportunity of joint product development
with an operating process licensor,” said
Philipp Süess, Senior Vice President,
Mass Transfer Technology, Sulzer
Chemtech Ltd.
Exhibitions, Events
May 10–12, 2011, Rosemont, IL, USA
Electric Power
www.electricpowerexpo.com
Information for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie King
Phone +1 713 567 2748
stephanie.king@sulzer.com
May 11, 2011, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
ERTC Energy Efficiency Conference
www.ev551.eventive.incisivecms.co.uk
Information for Sulzer Chemtech: Claudia von Scala
Phone +41 52 262 61 41
claudia.vonscala@sulzer.com
May 17–19, 2011, Stockholm, Sweden
SPCI 2011
www.spcievent.com
Information for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia Pröger
Phone +41 52 262 39 04
claudia.proeger@sulzer.com
May 18–19, 2011, Bari, Italy
3rd Carbon Capture and Storage
www.wplgroup.com/aci/conferences/eu-ecc3.asp
Information for Sulzer Chemtech: Loris Tonon
Phone +41 52 262 61 89
loris.tonon@sulzer.com
May 18–20, 2011, Yokohama, Japan
Automotive Engineering Exposition 2011
www.taiseisha.co.jp
Information for Sulzer Metco: Aiko Usami
Phone +81 3 5920 3800
aiko.usami@sulzer.com
May 23–28, 2011, São Paulo, Brazil
FEIMAFE 2011
www.feimafe.co.br
Information for Sulzer Metco: Andre O’Czerny
Phone +1 305 477 25 25
andre.oczerny@sulzer.com
May 24–27, 2011, Denver, CO, USA
NPRA Reliability and Maintenance Conference
www.npra.org
Information for Sulzer Chemtech: Rodney Alario
Phone +1 281 441 5807
rodney.alario@sulzer.com
May 26–28, 2011, Shanghai, China
The 6th China International Starch & Starch
Derivatives Exhibition
www.cisie.cn
Information for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia Pröger
Phone +41 52 262 39 04
claudia.proeger@sulzer.com
May 30–June 2, 2011, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Global Refinery Expansion and Upgrading
www.praxis-global.com
Information for Sulzer Chemtech:
Claudia von Scala
Phone +41 52 262 61 41
claudia.vonscala@sulzer.com
For more exhibitions and events:
www.sulzer.com/technicalevents
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 5
TESTING AND QUALITY

Innovation through testing — test facilities that support product development

Proven quality
Continuous innovation requires state-of-the-art tools and equipment. Though numerical flow
simulation (computational fluid dynamics, CFD) has evolved tremendously over recent years,
it is the correct correlation of CFD prediction and real fluid testing that enables the develop-
ment of pumps that fulfill the most stringent needs of clients and industry. Sulzer Pumps
therefore operates test beds for both product development and final design validation.

S
ulzer Pumps delivers pumps
for demanding applications and,
at the same time, continuously
improves the technology in order to
be able to meet tomorrow’s customer
challenges. According to the testing
requirements of these two tasks, Sulzer
runs test beds all over the world—each
dedicated to the needs of specific
products and markets. Among these
are the world’s largest installations
for full pump string testing at Leeds
(UK)—with an installed drive power
of 30 MW— and the recently opened
largest Sulzer Pumps factory in
Suzhou (China) with a test bed featur-
ing eight stations and a total power
supply of 15 MW. Key to the success of
Sulzer is its capability to fully test every
pump prior to shipping to ensure
performance and problem-free commis-
sioning.
Adapted test installation
In Sulzer’s competence center for process
pumps in Kotka (Finland), the test loop
is set up to allow the rapid testing of
end suction pumps of all sizes for the
pulp and paper, food, metal, and
fertilizer industries, as well as desalina-
tion processes. The relatively high pro-
duction volume of the process pump
range requires adapted installations. In
order to deliver thousands of pumps per

1 Kotka (Finland)
research center.

6 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4328


year, the test setup needs to be standard-
ized with a high turnover. The required
rapid setup and breakdown is achieved
with modular pump interface piping
that can be quickly rotated into position
using custom-built rotating assemblies
holding the required range of suction
and discharge pipe sizes.
At the factories there are test beds for
each pump type with multiple test beds
for different sizes. Apart from a general
test station for vertical pumps, process
pumps, and multistage pumps with
power up to 500 kW, the newest and
largest operation test bed of Sulzer
Process Pumps is the test station for large
process pumps. In this test bed, mea-
surements can be carried out with high
flow together with low pressure on the
suction side. Such tests with pressures
close to the vapor pressure in the suction
pipe in combination with high flow rates
are very important in the design phase
of high specific speed pumps. One use
of this low-pressure test rig is the simu-
lation of pumping conditions in large
evaporators.
Energy efficiency
Very similar test beds are available
in the product development test bed
in the Kotka research center 1. The
medium-consistency pulp pump loop—
with power up to 600 kW, flow rates up
to 1200 l/s, and pressures up to 25 bar—
conforms to the requirements of the pulp
2 Energy recovery system.
and paper industry. In this loop, the
usual test materials are multiphase sus-
pensions with gas, most commonly a
mixture of water, pulp fibers, and air.
To optimize the energy efficiency of
the tests, equipment for energy recovery
will be installed in the multistage pump
loop in Finland 2. A Pelton turbine con-
nected to the same shaft train as motor
and pump will recover the high pressure
created by the pump. This setup will
allow testing of multistage pumps at
2.7 MW power while taking only 1.4 MW
from the grid. At optimum conditions,
only one quarter of the pump energy is
taken from the grid. At the same time,
the turbine reduces pressure with high
efficiency and with much lower noise
emission than when dissipating— and
thus losing—the energy in the valves.
The hydraulics group in Finland has
optimized both the energy efficiency of
the new multistage pump for reverse
osmosis and of the associated test bed.
This test bed will be used to validate the
hydraulic and mechanical improvements
to the existing multistage pump range
and to develop new pump sizes. Needle
valves with electric actuators control the
turbine of the energy recovery system,
which means the test loop operator
using a Pelton turbine will see no differ-
ence in the loop operating philosophy.
A test series for a pump with a drive
power requirement of 1.4 MW will be
carried out with just 400 kW of loss.
TESTING AND QUALITY
3 With seven singular test loops, the test bed in Oberwinterthur
is highly flexible.
Comparisons with a traditional test
setup shows that the test rig will save
8000 kWh of electric power in a single
day. As a usual test series for one pump
hydraulic takes about 20 days, with the
new energy saving test rig, the environ-
mental benefits and cost savings are
significant.
Testing before delivery
In addition to aiding the development
of new products, testing also ensures the
quality of the output. All pumps leaving
the production plant of Sulzer in Leeds
are fully tested to both international stan-
dards and customer-specific require-
ments. On this test bed, highly engineered
pumps and packages (including the
contract driver) for the upstream oil and
gas industry are tested before delivery
to site.
This enormous facility is equipped
with the required systems to test pumps
driven by gas turbines of up to 30 MW,
large diesel engines, and high-voltage
electric motors. Recent modifications
to the power grid gave Sulzer in the
UK access to 45 MW of electrical power
and two in-house variable-speed drives
(VSD). The test bed provides sufficient
space to install multiple skids, including
pump and driver, and, if required, the
contract VSD plus all of the support
equipment, such as mechanical seal and
lubrication systems.
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 7
TESTING AND QUALITY
4 Rapid prototyping
using NC machining
speeds up the
manufacturing of the
test components.
This ability to rapidly test large
amounts of equipment shows the
facility’s testing flexibility and highlights
the knowledge base available at Sulzer
Pumps. These tests ensure that all
systems are working in synergy before
their arrival on site, thus removing
potential delays to the site’s commission-
ing program.
Testing validates CFD design
In Oberwinterthur (Switzerland), Sulzer
Pumps operates a dedicated test bed,
which supports product development,
large contract-related development
projects, and fundamental research 3 .
5 String test of a gas-turbine-driven pump at Sulzer facility in Leeds, UK.
8 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011
This development test bed is part of the
development process for new products
or pump ranges as well as of special
large engineered pumps. The hydraulics
group in Switzerland has significantly
contributed to the design of new pump
ranges with a greenfield approach. For
example, the model testing in Winterthur
verified the CFD analysis and hydraulic
design of pumps developed for a new
pipeline in Eastern Asia.
The main goal of the development test
bed is the validation of all characteristics
of a newly developed hydraulic before
it is used in a new pump design. For
this purpose, the validation tests are
executed on scaled model pumps
produced in aluminum using rapid pro-
totyping (mainly NC machining) 4. The
test bed features seven small-to-medium
size loops that are designed to allow
high flexibility in terms of the type of
pumps that can be tested—with one
loop devoted to two-phase testing for
the development of the Sulzer multiphase
pumps.
During these development tests, all
standard pump characteristics, such as
flow, head, power, efficiency, and net
positive suction head (NPSH) are
recorded. NPSH is an important value
relating to cavitation behavior of the
pumps; it describes the difference
between the actual pressure of a liquid
and its vapor pressure at a given tem-
perature. Additionally, all relevant infor-
mation is measured that may be needed
for the final design of a pump or in order
to ensure its proper behavior under site
conditions. These additional tests include:
• internal pressure measurements in
order to identify the losses in the dif-
ferent hydraulic components
• radial- and axial-static and -dynamic
load measurements
• pressure pulsation measurement at
suction and discharge
• visualization of cavitation bubbles on
the suction side and occasionally on
the pressure side of the vanes
• measurement of pressures, vibrations,
or stresses in the rotating parts of the
pump, i.e., within the impellers in
very special cases
Research on the impact of surface
roughness
For the development of high-perfor-
mance pumps, both advanced CFD and
high-accuracy measurement are needed;
these involve specialized tools and
highly trained personnel. Sulzer Pumps
has invested heavily into both to ensure
continuing success and has used the
test results to validate CFD data for
many years. Due to these efforts, the
Sulzer experts know the application
limits of CFD for the design of pump
hydraulics. Within these limits, design
correlations linking CFD results and
geometric design parameters give essen-
tial support during the design of new
hydraulic contours.
Modern research requires the interac-
tion of measurements and CFD calcu-
lations in order to improve the accuracy
of the design process. Currently, Sulzer
specialists are particularly engaged in
examining the use of CFD calculations
in predicting the influence of surface
roughness on pump performance. In
order to calibrate the various models
for surface roughness in the CFD codes,
the developers need surface quality
measurements of the pump parts, mea-
surements of their hydraulic per-
formance, and CFD calculations, includ-
ing manufacturing-quality models.
In the Finnish R&D location, an exten-
sive test program for new multistage
pump hydraulics and mechanics will
start in 2011. For this pump, every
wetted surface has been calculated by
CFD. Consequently, expected hydraulic
performance, leakage losses, and force
balancing are based on CFD calculations.
During these tests, the Sulzer engineers
expect to gain more in-depth knowledge
about the validity of the applied CFD
surface roughness model.
Visualization of cavitation
For projects with demanding suction
performance or where high-suction
energy leads to a high risk of erosion
due to cavitation, Sulzer performs
bubble tests on the test rig in Oberwin-
terthur. These bubble tests are used to
assess the extent of cavitation develop-

ment as a function of suction pressure
or NPSH. For this purpose, model
pumps are equipped with large windows
allowing visual access to the entire eye
of the suction impeller over 360°. Sulzer
Pumps uses the high competencies of
Sulzer Innotec in complex NC machining
for the production of these model
pumps. These skills are needed to suc-
cessfully machine the complex 3D
contours of casings and impellers out
of solid blocks of aluminum.
The window at the suction side allows
the experimental confirmation of the
suction pressure at which the first
bubbles are visible on the vane surface
at all positions of the impeller within
the pump inlet casing. It also allows the
identification of the cavitation length for
a given suction pressure and, conse-
quently, the estimation of the according
risk of erosion.
Because the pressure side of the vane
is not visible in the impeller eye if fully
metallic vanes are used, in order to also
confirm the cavitation development on
the pressure side of the vanes, one or
two vanes of the development impellers
are machined from acrylic glass. The esti-
mation of cavitation is especially impor-
tant for large injection pumps for the
petroleum industry or for large boiler
feed pumps for thermal power plants
for which the suction energy and the
risk of cavitation erosion may be very
high.
6 Subsea test bed at Sulzer facility in Leeds, UK.
Focus on prototype performance
When a model pump is used in the devel-
opment of new suction impellers for
these applications, it is designed at pro-
totype scale. This procedure allows the
job impellers to be tested in order to
confirm cavitation-free operation on site.
Because of the presence of a window
that limits the suction pressure, as a com-
promise, tests are performed at a
reduced speed compared with site con-
ditions, and the full-speed performance
is calculated using standard affinity
laws.
The development test bed is also used
to check the mechanical performance of
key elements of pumps, such as bearings
or seals. For example, dedicated testing
equipment has been developed in order
to test different material combinations
for the product-lubricated line shaft
bearings under real site conditions using
water charged with sand.
Prepared for future demands
Sulzer Pumps continuously develops
and improves the testing methods for
new products and for machines. For
example, the demand for subsea
pumping is growing, along with the
requirements that pumps operating
under water have to fulfill. To be able
to test subsea processing equipment
under realistic conditions, Sulzer is
investing in a dedicated multiphase
TESTING AND QUALITY
subsea test bed in the UK. This state-of-
the-art addition to the already impressive
string testing facilities in Leeds 5 will
position Sulzer as the market leader with
respect to pump-testing facilities. In this
installation, it will be possible to
examine subsea pump/motor packages
with weights approaching 100 tons in
water depths of up to 10 m 6.
When deployed in the open ocean,
these pumps will operate in many kilo-
meters of water depth and are designed
to take high external and internal pres-
sures whilst delivering the high pressure
rises that customers require. The first
pump that will be tested once the test
bed is commissioned will be a 3 MW,
6000 rpm multiphase pump able to
deliver over 100 bar pressure rise—well
suited for many of the current subsea
applications.
Current specifications and market
ideas set the standards for capabilities
and capacity of any new test bed. Sulzer,
however, follows the motto “designing
for the future” and requires that new
test installations must consider future
possibilities for expansion. Sulzer thereby
plans to keep these investments opera-
tional and useful for many years, as both
products and markets mature and adapt.
This philosophy makes it possible for
Sulzer Pumps to deliver pumps adapted
to market and client requirements now
and in future years.
Matt Bourne
Sulzer Pumps (UK) Ltd.
Manor Mill Lane
Leeds, LS11 8BR
UK
Phone +44 113 272 5704
matt.bourne@sulzer.com
Matti Koivikko
Sulzer Pumps Finland Oy
P.O.Box 66
48601 Kotka
Finland
Phone +358 50 555 0268
matti.koivikko@sulzer.com
Philippe Dupont
Sulzer Pumps Ltd.
Zürcherstrasse 12
8401 Winterthur
Switzerland
Phone +41 52 262 40 30
philippe.dupont@sulzer.com
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 9
TESTING AND QUALITY

Driving development through an expanded “global-local” organization

The key to application-tailored

coating materials
Sulzer Metco produces coating materials with clear customer benefits thanks to state-
of-the-art facilities, globally coordinated teams, and superior manufacturing capabilities.
Customers profit from many application-tailored new materials and solutions.

N
ew and emerging markets are
increasing the need for cutting-
edge, engineered coating solu-
tions. At the same time, the challenge in
existing markets is to lower coating
application costs, innovatively reuse and
recycle materials, address and find
suitable alternatives for critical raw
materials, and, in particular, to have
more predictable and robust coatings.
“Designed to cost and purpose” (appli-
cation and service conditions) coating
solutions should start with the choice of
the most suitable coating material. This
method requires an in-depth approach
that examines: how material character-
istics and coating properties are influ-
enced by the choice of materials manu-
facturing processes and parameters; the
subtleties of choosing one raw material
instead of another; and material charac-

The pilot atomizer allows Sulzer to efficiently provide experimental powders in quantities of 5 to 100 kg.

10 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4329


teristics such as apparent density, surface
area, particle morphology and structure,
and other key physical properties. Such
factors must be considered to a far
greater degree than in the past, where
coating engineers would traditionally
just focus on selecting a material
based on chemistry and particle size
distribution and modify coating charac-
teristics by varying the spray equipment
and parameters 1 .
Expanded material research and
development capabilities
Sulzer Metco’s Materials Business Unit
provides powder, wire, and specialty rod
materials for coating applications such
as thermal spray, laser cladding, and
plasma-transferred arc (PTA), as well as
for processes such as high-temperature
brazing, pack diffusion, specialty welding,
and electronic filler applications. The
products offered range from many types
of oxide ceramics, carbides, cermets,
metals, and metal alloys—including
superalloys, MCrAlYs, self-fluxing
materials, and various blends or clad
combinations of these materials.
Sulzer Metco’s mission is not only to
continue to lead this particular market
1 Influence of manufacturing process for
alumina-13 titania powders on deposition
efficiency sprayed with a Sulzer Metco
TriplexPro-200™ gun (similar microstructures).
100 µm
100
80
Deposition efficiency (%)
60
40
20
0
Metco 6221 Metco 130
A&S Mechanical Clad
with lean, high-volume material manu-
facturing using in-place, state-of-the-art
quality systems, but also to address the
need for faster, more efficient, and
higher-impact innovation based on
cutting-edge product development. This
includes fast availability of test powders
for sampling purposes, assurance of effi-
cient prototype-to-production transfer
and scale-up capability, and responsive-
ness to the customers’ needs based on
expert knowledge of how to tailor
coating materials to achieve specific
coating performance and application
demands.
A specialized infrastructure is needed
that allows the rapid manufacture of
small batches of materials with full flex-
ibility to widely vary material processing
parameters, manufacturing technologies,
and chosen raw materials. It also
requires the ability to test the resulting
material and coating characteristics,
properties, and performance quickly.
Consequently, Sulzer Metco has
strengthened and expanded its materials
research and development (R&D) capa-
bilities over the last several years.
Powder development and pilot labs
R&D powder development laboratories
were established at each of the four
material manufacturing sites, and they
were equipped with the latest processing
equipment and cutting-edge characteri-
zation technologies 2. Each powder
development laboratory has specialized
core competencies that, at minimum,
mirror the manufacturing methods avail-
able at that particular plant.
• Westbury, NY, USA: The powder
development laboratory at Westbury,
the largest of the powder labs, has
undergone a major expansion and
refurbishment over the last 2.5 years.
Pilot equipment for high-energy ball
Amdry 6228
milling, attrition milling, jet milling,
F&C/Blend
sintering, mechanical cladding, screen-
TESTING AND QUALITY
2 Cutting-edge characterization technologies:
New scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray
spectroscopy (Materials R&D in Westbury, NY, USA).
ing, and air classification were added.
This laboratory is now able to deliver
HOSP™ ceramics, agglomerated and
sintered ceramics, mechanically clad
metal and ceramic test powders, and
blends of various material families. It
can produce these test lots in quantities
up to several hundred kilograms—
completely independently of the pro-
duction facilities 3.
• Troy, MI, USA: The powder labora-
tory at the Troy plant specializes in
gas atomization, including a newly
installed pilot atomizer. Screening, air
classification, and blending capabilities
are currently in the works. Based on
these, the lab will be able to efficiently
provide experimental powders in
quantities of 5 to 100 kilograms. The
Troy lab is focused on evaluating the
influence of atomization parameters
on powder characteristics and yields,
testing various atomization devices,
and developing new chemistries 4 .
• Barchfeld, Germany (WOKA): The
WOKA powder laboratory, which
started up in 2009, has a small spray
dryer, a tablet press, several furnaces,
crushing equipment with hard metal
tools, and an air classifier combined
with a jet mill. The lab can produce
agglomerated and sintered ceramics
and carbides as well as sintered and
crushed carbides as test powders.
• Fort Saskatchewan AB, Canada
(SMCA): At the SMCA development
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 11
TESTING AND QUALITY
3 High-energy ball mill (R&D lab in Westbury, NY, USA).
laboratory, a large variety of powders
are chemically clad using hydromet-
allurgy technology. The volumes
produced are suitable for thermal-
spray testing and developmental lots
using a laboratory-sized pilot autoclave
5 . This facility also has the capability
to resize, dry, and furnace-heat-treat
powders in different atmospheres,
thereby fully reproducing the capabil-
ities of the actual production facilities.
In this manner, new materials can be
developed in fully scalable conditions.
The materials R&D lab also features
scale-up development and commercial
4 “A new MCrAlY in the making”: pilot atomizer (Materials R&D in Troy, MI, USA).
12 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011
production of high-quality, gold-
coated nickel-based composite
powders using a proprietary process.
These materials are primarily used for
electronic and military applications.
Coating research labs
Beside the powder development labs,
the coating research laboratories are an
important part of Sulzer Metco’s mate-
rials R&D capabilities. The focus of these
labs is to enable initial, fast, in-house
testing of coatings produced using
the experimental powders—an essential
step in screening promising material can-
didates. In this way, correlations can be
drawn quickly between material charac-
teristics and coating properties.
The engineers can then optimize the
materials manufacturing processes and
the manufacturing parameters to tailor
materials to specific application and
service conditions. The available equip-
ment includes salt spray, climate
chambers, and electrochemical equip-
ment for corrosion testing, various wear
testers, and thermal-cycle furnaces. A
burner rig and a cavitation wear tester
were recently added 6 .
For final validation and testing of
coating properties beyond the in-house
capabilities, Sulzer Metco calls on an
extensive partner network of respected
research and testing facilities that extend
its coating testing capabilities even
further. As an example, Sulzer Metco
Materials, through its cooperation with
Sulzer Innotec in Winterthur, Switzerland,
has a cutting-edge abradable test rig at
its disposal. The rig is a vital tool for
Sulzer Metco and its OEM aerospace and
industrial gas turbine partners for joint
abradable development programs.
The facility is the largest and most
sophisticated of its kind—with the
ability to test shroud temperatures
up to 1200 °C using a variety of blade,
knife-edge seal, or labyrinth seal strip
configurations at a wide range of tip
speeds and incursion rates. A recently
installed high-speed infrared pyrometer
provides additional vital risk-mitigation
information on friction heating arising
at shroud-blade interfaces during incur-
sion.
The advantages of a “global-local”
approach
Since each powder development labora-
tory is located at its relevant manufac-
turing site, R&D, production, and
quality control can exchange know-how
efficiently; they can optimize the use of
the analytical instrumentation; and they
can piggyback on the logistics infrastruc-
ture of the plant. Time to market is min-
imized through the effective and timely
introduction of successfully validated
development products into large-scale
manufacturing.
For example, the installation and
operation at Sulzer Metco WOKA of a
new sintered- and crushed-carbide pro-
duction line, based on process develop-
ment by the local R&D group has
resulted in a wide range of new and
more economical products within a very
short time— demonstrating the success
of this concept.

Nevertheless, a global approach is
needed, as well. Good examples are
agglomerated and sintered lanthanum
strontium manganite (LSM) and spherical
titanium oxide (TiOx) ceramic products,
which took advantage of the develop-
ment expertise of the Westbury materials
R&D team, but are manufactured at
Sulzer Metco WOKA in a newly estab-
lished facility.
A global approach not only allows
optimal resource usage, knowledge
exchange, and utilization of expertise, it
also guarantees that the best coating—
and, therefore, the best product solution—
is offered to the customer. This is partic-
ularly important as powders with the
same chemistry can be manufactured at
the various sites using different manu-
facturing processes resulting in quite dif-
ferent coating properties. It is therefore
important to select the manufacturing
process independently of the plant or
the location of the R&D lab and instead
base it solely on the application and
service requirements.
Globally operating materials R&D
project managers and competence leaders
who drive and coordinate all research
5 An experimental autoclave enables quick changes in process parameters
and efficient material development.
6 Furnace testing (thermal cycle).
activities and who use the various local
powder and coating research labs for
their experimental work maintain the
balance between the local and global
approaches. The projects are managed
based on Sulzer’s systematic multistage
innovation process and are carried out
with the support of cross-functional and
multiregional project teams.
Customer benefits
A globally coordinated team that has
state-of-the-art facilities at its disposal,
combined with local mirroring of man-
ufacturing capabilities, and internal and
external networking allows Sulzer Metco
to produce coating materials with clear
TESTING AND QUALITY
1250
1000
Temperature (°C)
750
500
250
0
500 1000 1500
Time (min)
customer benefits. In the past year alone,
a record number of test powders were
produced for customers, and many
application-tailored new materials were
developed and released to the market.
Notably, several of these developments
did not involve the need for new coating
chemistries. Some of those examples
include:
• New spherical titania powders (TiOx)
with various x-factors that permit the
customer to produce coatings with
higher-than-usual deposition efficien-
cies at very high feed rates, which are
essential criteria for sputter target
applications
• Spherical ceramics such as alumina
and alumina-titania designed to
produce coatings faster and with less
material waste while fulfilling specific
porosity requirements
• Cost-effective carbide materials for
aerospace applications with excellent
coating deposit efficiencies that do not
sacrifice wear resistance.
Sulzer Metco is committed to leading
the market with application-tailored and
economical coating solutions that meet
the needs of our customers.
Montia C. Nestler
Sulzer Metco (US) Inc.
1101 Prospect Ave.
Westbury, NY 11590-0201
USA
Phone +1 516 338 2305
montia.nestler@sulzer.com
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 13
TESTING AND QUALITY

Revealing and interpreting hidden features using dedicated signal analysis

Filter and fit

Based on the signals of only a few sensors, Sulzer Innotec was successful in identifying
the most important natural frequencies and vibration mode shapes of a pump impeller.
The results are, essentially, in good agreement with the FEM calculations performed by
Sulzer Pumps. The measurement results indicate that the mechanical resonances are quite
well damped, so that they will not jeopardize the integrity of the impeller in any way.

I
n 2009, Sulzer Innotec received an conditions, Sulzer Pumps assigned an
order from the Sulzer Pumps division extensive experimental investigation of
to analyze and assess vibration the mechanical and hydraulic oscillations
signals measured in a pump test stand. to the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale
The test pump that was examined is the de Lausanne).
reproduction of the last stage of a high- Many sensors for pressure, strain,
pressure centrifugal pump operated by acceleration, and displacement were
a variable-speed drive. This impeller installed in order to record the corre-
stage has a rated power of 1.4 MW. sponding oscillations. All measurements
The impeller has seven blades and a were performed by the Laboratoire de
diameter of 0.35 m. In centrifugal pumps, Machines Hydrauliques (LMH) of the
rotor-stator interactions and flow sepa- EPFL and analyzed, for the most part,
ration phenomena are known to excite in the context of a PhD. thesis.
vibrations of stationary or rotating com-
ponents, which might result in fatigue Customized analysis of the impeller
failure. Based on performance monitoring mode shapes
of a particular pump stage in part-load The task of Sulzer Innotec consisted of
identifying the operational vibration
mode shapes of the rotating impeller
1 Positions of strain
based on the measurement signals of the
gauges and SG4 Acc3 strain gauges and accelerometers
SG5
accelerometers on the
SG3
installed on the impeller and assessing
impeller (axial view)
SG6
the results and comparing them with the
(Source: PhD. thesis
by Stefan Berten) results from FEM calculations.
Acc2
For certain operating conditions, a fre-
SG2 quency excited by the stationary compo-
nents might coincide with a weakly
SG7
damped natural frequency of the impeller
Acc1
and might result in substantial resonance
SG1
amplitudes. Conversely, a lack of strong
SG8
resonant vibrations despite excitation at
Acc = Accelerometer
SG = Strain gauge the resonance frequency indicates that
the corresponding resonance is highly
damped.
The task of Sulzer Innotec was to
analyze the vibration signals of two
speed ramps—one run-up and one coast-
down. Figure 1 indicates the positions
of the eight strain gauges and three
accelerometers installed on the impeller.
Conditioning of strain gauge signals
The recorded strain gauge signals were
considerably affected by noise; substantial
noise sources were sensor noise, bit noise
of the analog digital converter ADC, and
cross talk of external signals. The com-
parison of all strain gauge signals showed
that these signals are mostly in phase and
have similar amplitudes. The conclusion
was that the signals were seriously
affected by strong cross talk of an external
signal. Therefore, as a first step of signal
conditioning, the average value of all
strain gauge signals was subtracted from
each individual signal; thereby, the noise
level could be substantially reduced. The
resulting spectrograms now revealed the
typical series of order lines, which result
from the excitation at integer multiples
of the pump rotation frequency. In par-
ticular, the orders 12, 24, and 36 are clearly
prominent, as expected for a pump
equipped with 12 diffuser guide vanes.

14 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4330

 TESTING AND QUALITY

40
1.0
30
0.8
20
0.6
Acceleration (g)

10

Deflection (–)
0.4
0
0.2
–10 0
–20 –0.2
–30 –0.4

–40 –0.6
–0.8
–50
–1.0
–60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Time (s) Wheel circumference ( º)

2 Time traces of accelerometers showing implausible excursions in negative direction 4 Instantaneous deflection of mode shape with two nodal diameters.
and clipping at –50 g. Red: measured vibration signals; blue: theoretical mode shape.

Signals of the accelerometer
The accelerometer signals were not
optimal either (see 2); they showed
numerous implausible excursions in the
negative direction and substantial
clipping at approximately –50 g. Never-
theless, in the frequency domain, the
results obtained with the accelerometers
were quite well defined compared with
the results from strain gauges and were
therefore used for further investigations.
Resonance detection using
spectrograms
Spectrograms are a common method for
displaying characteristics of transient
vibration signals. Figure 3 shows an
3000
2500
2000
Frequency (Hz)
example. The vibration levels are color
coded and displayed as a function of
time (= x-axis) and frequency (= y-axis).
In the spectrogram of an accelerometer
signal depicted in 3, the impeller natural
frequencies are evident as horizontal,
slightly fanned-out yellow-red shades
(marked with red arrows in 3). The fre-
quency bandwidth of the yellow-red
shades is more than 100 Hz wide, indi-
cating that the corresponding resonances
feature considerable damping. A reso-
nance with low damping would be
evident by a rather narrow resonance
bandwidth; no such feature crops up in
the spectrogram of 3. Wherever the fan-
like excitation frequencies of the rotor-
5-D
4-D
3-D
stator interaction coincide with a natural
frequency of the impeller (see blue-
circled lines), the corresponding reso-
nance is excited. However, thanks to sub-
stantial damping, the amplification of
the amplitude is not significant, and no
fatigue damage is expected due to these
resonances.
Deflection shape identification
It is well known that any given excitation
order of the stationary components can
excite only certain mode shapes of the
impeller (Tanaka, 1990). Once the reso-
nance frequencies of the impeller have
been identified from the spectrogram,
measured data and theoretically
computed rotor vibrations can be
matched in order to determine the cor-
responding mode shapes of the impeller.
Following are two examples:
• Example 1: Two-diameter mode at
f = 1150 Hz excited by the 23rd order:
The frequency response function
between two accelerometer signals is
computed and averaged for the time

segment in which a certain resonance

mode is excited by the suitable exci-
1500 tation order. Then, the ratio of
Example 1: f = 1150 Hz
(2-diameter mode,
2-D vibration amplitudes and the phase
excitation by 23rd order)
difference can be determined at the
1000 Example 2: f = 900 Hz 0-D
(0-diameter mode, resonance frequency (f = 1150 Hz); at
excitation by 21st order) 1-D this frequency, the coherence should
be reasonably good. The amplitude
500
ratios and the relative phase at the
measurement points are then animated
synchronously with the theoretical
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time (s) vibration mode shape, the amplitude
and phase of which are manually
3 Spectrogram of the accelerometer signal Acc1 (Ramp with decreasing speed; frequency
bands indicating resonances (yellow-red shades) marked by red arrows, resonances coinciding adapted to match the measured data.
with a speed order line (circled in blue). Using this methodology, it was

Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 15

TESTING AND QUALITY
0.00 100.00 (mm)
50.00
5 Results of the FEM calculation for the two-diameter and three-diameter natural modes.
verified that the mode shape with two
nodal diameters is actually excited
during operation. Figure 4 depicts an
instantaneous deflection state of the
particular vibration mode.
• Example 2 : Zero-diameter mode at
f = 900 Hz excited by the 21st order:
From the frequency response function
for the resonant vibration at f = 900 Hz,
it is evident that all three acceleration
signals are in phase and have the
same amplitude. This is clearly an axi-
symmetric mode with zero nodal
diameters; in this case, verification
by a synchronous animation of the
measured signals and the computed
mode shape is unnecessary.
Comparison with results of the FEM
calculation
Finally, the measurement results were
compared with the FEM calculations
carried out by Sulzer Pumps 5. A rotor
surrounded by water was used as
boundary condition. The impeller was
modeled as non-rotating, since stiffening
due to centrifugal forces has only a neg-
ligible influence on the natural frequen-
cies. Figure 6 shows a comparison of
the measured and the computed natural
frequencies.
6 Comparison of the measured and computed natural frequencies.
Number of f [Hz]
nodal diameters
approx. reading
0 900
1 750
2 1150
3 1900
4 2500
5 2800
16 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011
Max.
Min.
50.00
0.00 100.00 (mm)
25.00 75.00
The frequencies are in good agreement,
except for the «umbrella»-mode with a
measured natural frequency of approx.
900 Hz, vs. the FEM calculation resulting
in a frequency of 701 Hz. This deviation
could be due to a truncated shaft stub,
which is included in the finite element
model.
Note that the forces induced by the
12 diffuser guide vanes and acting on
the impeller have lowest relevant exci-
tation orders of 12 and 24; the correspon-
ding excitation frequencies lie just below
the matching natural modes of the
impeller:
• 12th order of the maximum pump
speed: 1135 Hz ↔ natural frequency
of two-diameter mode: 1150Hz
• 24th order of the maximum pump
speed: 2250 Hz ↔ nat. frequency of
four-diameter mode: 2500Hz.
Spatial aliasing
With seven sensors that are equally
spaced around the circumference, theo-
retically, only the vibration modes with
zero to three nodal diameters can be
detected positively. For vibration modes
with four or more nodal diameters,
spatial undersampling occurs due to the
sensor arrangement, which has an insuf-
f [Hz] Remarks Excitation order
computed by FEM from spectrogram
701 «umbrella»-mode
757 «rocker»-mode
1199
1846
not computed by FEM
not computed by FEM
ficient sensor density. For instance, mode
shapes with 1 or 6 nodal diameters
cannot be differentiated, since both
modes would result in identical vibra-
tions at the sensor positions.
With the additional knowledge of the
FEM results, the vibration mode shapes
can usually be unambiguously identified,
even with only three sensors. Without
the combination with FEM results, a con-
siderably denser sensor arrangement
would be necessary in order to avoid
spatial aliasing.
Interpretation
The vibrations measured during opera-
tion indicate that the natural frequencies
of the impeller are near the predictions
by the FEM. However, the resonances
have sufficient damping so that the cor-
responding vibration levels remain well
within acceptable limits and the integrity
of the impeller is not at risk.
Literature
• Berten, S., Thesis EPFL No. 4642,
http://library.epfl.ch/en/theses/?nr=4642
• Tanaka, H., “Vibration behaviour and dynamic stress
of runners of very high head reversible pump-turbines,”
IAHR Symposium 1990, special session, Belgrade
Ulrich Moser
Sulzer Markets and Technology AG
Sulzer Innotec
Sulzer-Allee 25
8404 Winterthur
Switzerland
Phone +41 52 262 82 61
ulrich.moser@sulzer.com
Hans Rudolf Graf
21 Sulzer Markets and Technology AG
22 Sulzer Innotec
23 Sulzer-Allee 25
24 8404 Winterthur
38 Switzerland
Phone +41 52 262 82 40
hansrudolf.graf@sulzer.com
 SULZER ANALOGY
Testing poisons
In the plant world, there are numerous poisons, which,
when consumed, can lead to serious problems or even
death for human beings. People always have to try
something out first in order to determine whether it is
poisonous or not. So how do animals know which plants
to beware of and which are beneficial?
The struggle for survival in the natural
world takes place not only between
hunting lions and fleeing gazelles. Even
the apparently peaceful coexistence
between plants and animals is an inces-
sant battle with the aim of surviving
long enough to pass on one’s own genes
to the next generation. As plants are
unable to flee their predators, they have
to defend themselves from the hungry
mouths of animals in other ways. Spines,
thorns, and bristly hairs offer mechanical
protection. Unpleasant odors may also
discourage consumption. The most effec-
tive defenses, however, are plant toxins
that punish the “attacker” with physical
problems or even death.
It’s purely the dosage that makes
the poison
The plant world has developed an
incredible wealth of chemical defenses.
Tannins are very astringent. They cause
the tongue to contract, dry out the
mouth and throat, and disturb digestion.
The greatest poison arsenal, however,
are the alkaloids, which can be found
Structural formula of
the alkaloid morphine,
which Friedrich Wilhelm
Sertürner extracted
from the opium poppy
in pure form in 1806.
4331
© Smellme | Dreamstime.com
Black howler monkey: Consumes unknown plant material only in small
quantities in order to avoid a possible poisoning.
in 20 percent of all flowering plants.
Anyone who does not regard the
bitter taste as a warning will have to
experience on this own body how these
nerve agents work.
Humans also know about these
poisons—from the atropine in the
deadly nightshade and the quinine in
cinchona bark to the nicotine in tobacco
and the caffeine in coffee. Like almost
any poison, alkaloids are digestible in
small dosages, and they can have a
stimulating or intoxicating effect. Both
humans and animals have learned that
low quantities of alkaloids only damage
microbes and insects, and thereby
provide the body with some protection
against certain infections and pests.
How do animals know what is poi-
sonous? In order to avoid risks, the
panda bear restricts itself to harmless
bamboo plants—with the disadvantage
that it has to consume enormous quan-
tities of this plant, which is low in nutri-
tion. The rat has a very different strategy.
It is an omnivore and has conquered the
entire world thanks to its flexibility. As
poisons lurk everywhere, the rat is very
mistrustful of new things. If it finds an
unfamiliar food source, it only eats a
mini-portion at first. Only if it does
not suffer any adverse reaction does it
consume the new discovery in larger
quantities. Moreover, if it sees that other
rats are eating a new food without any
problem, the rat knows that it can also
eat the new food.
Poison training course for rat
embryos
The poison training course for rats starts
in the womb, where the embryo
develops aversions to noxious smells
and a preference for safe tastes. In
mammals, young animals learn with
their mother’s milk how good food
smells and tastes. Moreover, when the
baby animal takes its food from its
mother’s mouth, this is not simply con-
venience, but vital training of the highest
quality.
Anyone who is mainly surrounded by
poisonous leaves, such as the howler
monkeys in the coastal forest of Costa
Rica, has to come up with a particularly
subtle feeding strategy. The more
abundant a type of tree, the more is it
avoided by the apes—because the only
plants that can thrive are those that are
inedible for herbivores. If a tree is judged
acceptable, the animals seek out the
youngest and smallest leaves—and if
the plant nevertheless produces toxins,
these would initially only be present in
small amounts in fresh plant material.
Furthermore, the howler monkeys only
eat the stem of the leaf, thereby keeping
to the part of the plant with the lowest
toxic content.
Herbert Cerutti
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 17
TESTING AND QUALITY

State-of-the-art measurement technology

A crucial factor in product

development
The product development process at Sulzer Mixpac—a business unit within the
Sulzer Chemtech Division — has similarities with the way a top athlete prepares
for competition. There is a defined process to verify properties of new products
made from plastics using the latest analytical tools.

T
he athlete first defines a training
plan (process)—where to train,
by when to train, but also how to
train. If the basic parameters appear to
be achievable, the top athlete starts with
the training plan. A promising training
plan begins with small training units and
increases in stages. If the goal is a
marathon run, the top athlete measures
his time and his pulse rate while training.
He starts with small distances and
increases these gradually. In this way,
the athlete thereby moves from the target
on the training plan to the actual per-
formance in the reality of the training.

1 The production of
tools for injection
molding production
requires high precision.

18 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4332


A product development process at
Sulzer Mixpac also has to pass through
a number of stages—from the product
idea through the first prototypes to the
manufacturing of the tools 1 and the
subsequent production by injection
molding and other manufacturing
processes 2 . The last milestone in the
product development before the first
“marathon“ is the so-called series
approval. This example should illustrate
that the process planning (the training
plan), the determination of the process
steps (the training), and also the mea-
surement (target/actual) are decisive for
the success of the product development
3. Processes and their desired results
have to be defined before they can be
measured. At Sulzer Mixpac, it is taken
for granted that “if something needs to
be improved, one first has to measure it.”
Sulzer Mixpac is a “top athlete” in the
plastics industry. The company does not
deal with all types of plastics, however.
The focus lies on the world of semi-crys-
talline thermoplastics. Due to their prop-
erties, semi-crystalline thermoplastics
are being increasingly used. At the same
time, however, the specifications and
legal regulations for the industries are
becoming stricter. Both the legal require-
ments and the daily pursuit of optimal
processes require solid measurement
and analysis technology based on state-
of-the-art science and technology. These
technologies are used in research and
development, quality testing, and process
and product optimizations, as well as
for failure analysis.
A wide bandwidth of physical and
analytical methods is necessary in order
to portray the complete product devel-
opment process in a measurable manner.
In its own laboratories, Sulzer Mixpac
has the required instrumentation, the
many years of experience, and the know-
how that are necessary for the polymer
analysis.
Thermal analysis
Many of the properties of the starting
materials that are important for plastic
injection molding, and also for the end
products, can be determined with the
help of thermal analysis.
• DSC (differential scanning calori-
metry): DSC analysis measures the
necessary amounts of heat that are
used or arise in the physical transfor-
mation of the plastic. The reaction heat,
the decomposition temperatures, and
also the glass transition and melting
ranges can be cited as examples.
• TGA (thermo-gravimetric analysis):
The composition and filling materials
of the returns can be analyzed through
the “controlled evaporation” of plas-
tics. In order to do this, the materials
are heated up to 1100 °C.
Rheology
Rheology describes the flow characteris-
tics of substances. In the plastics
industry, this property is a very
important measurement parameter for
the processing of various plastics, as
well as for the individual batches of
the same plastics.
• MFR/MVR (melt flow rate/melt
volume rate): The end result provided
by the melt flow rate (MFR) is the
flow behavior of the plastic under
certain temperature and pressure con-
ditions. The viscosity of the plastic
melt is determined by this measure-
ment procedure.
TESTING AND QUALITY
2 Injection molding production in Haag, Switzerland.
• Rotation viscometer: Lying on a
heated plate, a plate or a cone is
pressed on to the specimen by means
of a pressure-driven motor. During the
rotation process, the frictional force
(torque) that is necessary to overcome
the flow resistance is measured. The
result measured is, for example, the
shear viscosity of the specimen. This
measurement is taken to determine
the characteristics of plastics or mixed
adhesives with regard to workability
and/or mixing quality.
Spectroscopy
It is possible to determine the structure
and/or the identity of the plastic
through spectroscopy. With color analysis,
it is, thereby, possible to break down sub-
jective color perceptions into reproducible
measurements.
• FTIR (Fourier transformation infrared
spectrometer): With this measuring
instrument, it is possible to carry out
very fast identifications (characteriza-
tions) on organic materials. The
specimen is clamped in the ATR unit
and is, thereby, placed in the path of
a laser-controlled infrared beam. The
penetration of the radiation excites the
atomic groupings of the melt (vibra-
tions), from which the absorption
spectrum can be measured. The posi-
tion and intensity of these peaks
are characteristic for certain atomic
groupings. By comparison with the
“standard spectra” available in the
database, the material characterization
and contamination of plastics, as
examples, can be carried out quickly
and easily.
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 19
TESTING AND QUALITY
3 Sulzer engineers in computer-aided product development.
• Spectral photometer: The spectral pho-
tometer is used to precisely determine
a color. The complete color spectrum
from ultraviolet to infrared is hereby
registered and then taken apart. The
result is the value for the brightness
(L*) in connection with the color (a*b*).
It is also possible to carry out mea-
surements of reflection and transmis-
sion colors.
Physical and chemical analyses
Using physical and chemical analyses, it
is possible, for example, to look inside
the molecular structure of plastics. The
processing properties or even the pro-
cessing and construction errors can be
measured here.
• Karl Fischer titration (water content
determination): With certain plastics,
the final quality of the product is
dependent on the water content in the
plastic granulate before the injection
molding process. The use of the Karl
Fischer method makes it possible to
determine the water content quantita-
tively through titration procedures.
The surface water and the water that
is bound up between the molecule
chains can be quantified.
• Thin-section microscopy: Thin-section
microscopy is the “pathology” of
plastics. A component is embedded,
cut and ground to approx. 30 µm thick-
ness (by comparison: a human hair
has a diameter of about 50 µm). Stress
cracks become visible under the micro-
scope (by means of polarized light).
Structural defects or glass-fiber distri-
butions and orientations are also visu-
alized here.
20 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011
• GC (gas chromatography): Undesired
components (e.g., monomers, plasti-
cizers, phthalates) can remain in the
granulate during the manufacture of
polymers (plastic granulate). These
could be harmful under certain
circumstances and must, therefore,
be detected and excluded. By means
of gas chromatography, it is possible
to obtain a “fingerprint” of these
unwanted substances and to quantify
them.
Mechanical analysis
Many of the desired component proper-
ties can be simply tested by means of
destructive, mechanical part testing.
• Tension and pressure test: The products
will be subjected to pressure on
tension on these measuring devices.
The force needed to cause the compo-
nent to fail is measured and analyzed.
Statements with regard to expansion,
type of breakage, and burst values are
important information for develop-
ment (e.g., for the selection of new
materials), but also for the periodic in-
process tests carried out in series pro-
duction.
• Torsion measurements: Torsional forces
are often subjective perceptions.
Whether it is difficult or rather easy to
place a stopper on a cartridge should
not depend on the condition of the in-
dividual user on a particular day. It is
important to ensure reproducible
forces for the assembly by the user. In
addition, both the product develop-
ment and the series production are
continually monitored via torsion
measurement instruments.
Metrology and tribology
Before the final approval step for series
production, the dimensional agreement
of the plastic products or tools must be
checked against the drawing specifica-
tions. It is, thereby, important to be able
to measure and analyze the geometry at
as many points as possible. The require-
ments for dimensional accuracy have
also increased significantly in this area
over the last few years. The basis for
this increase is the use of the measuring
instruments in a fully air-conditioned
measurement room.
CNC 3D coordinate measuring instru-
ments: In order to achieve the most
accurate measurement results by means
of "tactile” measurement, we make use
of high-precision, high-speed scanning
procedures. It is, thereby, possible to
register even the most complex product
or tool geometries with multi-point
measurement. The measurement
accuracy is below 1 µm in these cases.
CNC 3D optical measuring device
(with fiber probe technology): In CNC
3D coordinate measurement technology,
the diameters to be measured are limited
to 0.3 mm due to the contact forces.
Everything that is smaller than 0.3 mm
is measured on the Sulzer Mixpac CNC
3D optical measuring device. Here, too,
the measurement accuracy is in the µm-
range.
Roughness, waviness, and profile
measurement: Tool surfaces are decisive
for the surface quality of the plastic
products manufactured with them.
Through highly precise roughness mea-
surement, it is possible for Sulzer Mixpac
to measure these surfaces and to initiate
corrective measures in good time where
necessary.
CT (computer tomography) evalua-
tions: In order to obtain a full picture of
the complete workpiece geometry, for
example, in damage analyses, it is nec-
essary to make use of computer tomog-
raphy. Here, an external partner of
Sulzer Mixpac carries out the measure-
ments using CT, and Sulzer Mixpac lab-
oratory carries out the evaluation of the
registered data.
In order to make the procedures

simpler from the viewpoint of the
„internal customer”, all the methods of
analysis were brought together into a
single laboratory at the start of 2011.
Rapid order processing is thereby
ensured.
Application engineering
The understanding of the processes of
our customers and of the end users is
the prerequisite for the continuous
further development of our existing
products and for the development of
new product ideas. We have set ourselves
the target of being a competent partner
for our customers, and of speaking the
same language when it comes to the use
of our products in very different appli-
cation areas.
In the technology department, we
therefore deal with the processes of our
direct customers, such as labeling, filling,
storage, transport, or recycling, but also
with the typical application fields of end
customers, which also include bench-
marking and comparison tests.
The functional performance of our
systems is thereby always in the fore-
ground, together with the medium
used in a specific application.
The following two examples shall
explain this approach. A basic function
4 Simultaneous filling of the two cylinders of a cartridge via the outlet.
of all our cartridges is the storage and
delivery of reactive, two-component
materials. During the filling, the two
components must first be optimally
filled into the cartridge cylinder 4 . The
economic efficiency of a simple and
rapid filling and the insertion of the
piston, on the one hand, and the repro-
ducible, constant, and air-free filling, on
the other, are both decisive for the
success of the two-component system
during the application. We must, there-
fore, know all about the filling process
with all its sophistications in order to be
able to develop the right products at all,
and to also be able to competently advise
our customers on the question of filling.
We can, therefore, carry out our own
filling trials in house using customer
materials. In addition to the close coop-
eration with professional filling compa-
nies, this setup allows us to develop the
necessary know-how in a direct and
independent way.
Another typical task is the buildup of
know-how for protective coating appli-
cations, in which the spray method is
often used. This market segment with
its special technology represents a com-
pletely new application area for Sulzer
Mixpac 5, and the fact that our products
meet the requirements and peculiarities
TESTING AND QUALITY
5 Coating application from a cartridge with a Sulzer Mixpac mixer spray.
of this market is, once again, decisive
for successful entry into the market. We
therefore carry out in-house spraying
trials in order to test our products with
different materials and to enable us to
develop the overall system optimally.
The QESH and technology depart-
ments within our laboratories cooperate
in order to develop the application
know-how and the test methods and
systems required; they thereby contribute
to the sustained success of Sulzer
Mixpac.
A successful product thanks to
state-of-the-art analysis
Sulzer Mixpac combines manufacturing
expertise, analytics, and measurement
with the associated engineering know-
how. Our customers benefit from our
excellent knowledge in test technology
and our R&D expertise with materials.
Sulzer Mixpac develops and analyses
demanding plastic products for the
benefit of our customers.
Stephan Schatz
Sulzer Mixpac AG
Ruetistrasse 7
9469 Haag
Switzerland
Phone +41 81 772 20 20
stephan.schatz@sulzer.com
Paul Jutzi
Sulzer Mixpac AG
Ruetistrassee 7
9469 Haag
Switzerland
Phone +41 81 772 21 50
paul.jutzi@sulzer.com
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 21
TESTING AND QUALITY

Condition-based monitoring of motors and generators

Prevention of outage major

downtime
Sulzer Dowding & Mills uses a range of condition-monitoring methods to assess the status
of motors and generators to prevent the customer from major downtime and lost production.

O
ne of the most common root
causes of failure of rotating elec-
trical machines is bearing failure;
but the failure mode that has the greatest
impact, with regards to downtime and
lost production, is failure of the stator
winding insulation, particularly in high-
voltage machines. Premature failure
of stator insulation can cause a costly,
forced outage. Therefore, prevention of
such outages is a major objective. To this
end, there has been a lot of effort put
toward developing reliable insulation
quality assessment techniques.
Sulzer Dowding & Mills uses a range
of condition monitoring methods, partial 3 Photo of the damaged rotor “called” from the vibration data in figures 1 and 2 .

discharge analysis (PD), phase current

analysis, insulation resistance (IR), polar- most importantly, close visual inspection Analysis of mechanical vibrations
ization index (PI), tan delta analysis, and, to assess the status of the winding insu- Analysis of the measured mechanical
1 Low-frequency
lation and bearing system. Vibration vibration is an excellent method to
0.20
high-resolution analysis is used to assess the condition indicate the current condition of a
RMS Acceleration (G-s)

spectrum showing 0.15 of the bearings and rotating parts of the machine—even where the vibration
four rotation speed
machine, whilst thermographic cameras levels are not necessarily at high levels.
harmonics. 0.10
are used to identify variations in heat They provide an indication of the
0.05
that result from bearing problems, bad machine condition because they reflect
0 electrical connections, unbalance in the dynamic forces acting on the rotating
20 40 60 80 100 120
phase loadings, etc. assembly in service, and with good
Frequency (Hz)
Parameters routinely monitored— analysis can be used for the early detec-
2 Expanded view of
0.05 either periodically or online—include tion of abnormalities and trouble.
the 1X rotation data.
vibration, temperature, partial discharge, High vibration, in addition to causing
RMS Acceleration (G-s)

0.04
and, occasionally, shaft voltage. This bearing overheating and, ultimately,
0.03
data together with operating data such bearing failure, can also cause damage
0.02
as load, running hours, ambient and to winding insulation systems in rotor
0.01
environmental conditions, system distur- and stator. All of these conditions
0
20 40 60 80 100 120
bances, etc., are used for condition require extensive out-of-service repairs.
Frequency (Hz)
assessment of the entire machine. A modern vibration monitor system

22 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4333

 TESTING AND QUALITY

provides a database, which, by reviewing the reliability groups at several of our

1.6
vibration trends, is helpful in predicting customers’ plants.

PK (in/s)
1.2
0.8
mechanical problems in rotating The following example is of a 350 HP 0.4
0
machines and estimating future mainte- (4160 volt) four-pole induction motor 0 400 800 1200 1600
Days
nance needs, extending the duration driving a conveyor in a surface coal mine

RMS Acc. (G-s)

1.6
between inspections, and minimizing prep plant. 1.2
0.8
downtime for maintenance. The vibration data in the trend display 0.4
0
Vibration or displacement sensors are and high frequency spectrums indicated 0 1000 2000 3000
Frequency (Hz)
4000 5000

mounted on or as close as possible to a defect that had become so significant 10

Acc. (G-s)
5
the bearings at the drive and non-drive that corrective action was recommended 0
–5
ends of the machine. Vibration measure- to the customer 4 . –10
–15
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
ments will be recorded radially—at two The bearings, which had been removed Revolution number

points 90° apart at each end—and
axially—generally at the drive end. The
sensors signals can be reviewed as a
waveform or processed using fast
Fourier transformations and displayed
as a frequency spectrum for detailed
analysis. Trend analysis is used to
identify change in condition and to
predict failure.
Case study Gillette
Vibration analysis was carried out on
a four-pole induction motor driving a
48-inch conveyor belt in a surface
coalmine preparation plant. Figures 1
and 2 illustrate the correlation of the
vibration data to the actual damage on
the rotor of a 1000 HP (750 kW) induction
motor. The amplitude of the harmonics
and amount of side banding at rotor slip
frequency are indicators of severity of
the problem.
Note: These side bands, with differen-
tial frequency of 0.67 Hz from the fun-
damental, can be used to calculate the
rotor slip of this four-pole motor at the
rotation speed indicated in the data plot.
The height of the side bands, together
with an increase of the slip frequency,
gives an indication of the severity of
damage to the cage rotor winding.
Figure 3 clearly confirms the fault
condition identified in the vibration
analysis as a failure of the rotor cage
winding with several broken rotor bars.
Vibration analysis has also been success-
ful at determining bearing defects asso-
ciated with variable frequency drives
(VFDs). VFDs are notorious for causing
fluting damage (EDM, electrical discharge
machining) in antifriction bearings if the
rotor shaft is not grounded properly.
These defects have been detected by
from the motor, clearly showed evidence
of electrical discharge machining 5 .
They were replaced and a commercially
available shaft current diverter ring was
installed in the motor to discharge the
eddy currents developed on the rotor.
These changes should prevent recurrence
of this motor failure.
PD analysis and further tests
When high partial discharge (PD)
activity is detected during online testing,
equipment users usually want to verify
the problem by performing a visual
inspection and/or doing some off-line
testing before taking the machine out of
service. The traditional off-line tests are
the direct current (DC) insulation resist-
ance (IR), polarization index (PI), and
alternating current (AC) tan delta tests
(called Tip Up Test in North America),
off-line PD test and close visual inspec-
tion. All these tests are well understood
and have been employed for many
years.
The main limitation of off-line insula-
tion tests is the requirement for a
machine outage, which, in some cases,
may take several days. In addition,
during off-line tests, winding insulation
is not subjected to operating stresses
experienced in service, and, therefore, it
does not truly reflect the condition of
the insulation system in service. Online
testing provides more accurate and more
reliable diagnostic information regarding
the insulation condition whilst in service.
Online PD monitors can detect PD
activity, a significant increase of which
is an indication of potential insulation
degradation; this increase can, over time,
lead to insulation failure for large
machines above 5000 V.
4 Conveyor drive motor trend display, frequency spectrum,
and waveform.
Measurement principle
Partial discharge (PD) activity, in rotating
electrical machines, is the physical break-
down of a gas, usually air, within a void,
in a gap, or adjacent to solid insulation
within an insulation system in the
presence of high electrical stress. This
discharge can cause chemical and
thermal degradation in the materials
adjacent to the discharge. As Pd activity
continues, highly conductive materials
are formed from the epoxy resin binders
or other materials. As the carbon atoms
contained in the insulating materials
become free molecules, they join together
and form carbon tracks. If this Pd
activity continues, it will cause permanent
damage to the insulation system and
eventually will cause a complete break-
down or failure of the insulation system.
This breakdown of the gas results in
an electrical spark, which generates a
high-frequency signal that can be moni-
tored by a variety of methods: though
a directly connected capacitor, indirectly
using a Rogowski coil, through a radio
frequency receiver, by employing an
5 Photo of the bearing
damage detected by
the vibration data in
figure 4 .

Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 23

TESTING AND QUALITY
3
1 2
4 Three identical two-pole machines with
5 the following specifications were tested
1 Rogowski coils
2 Local termination box
6 7
3 StatorMONITOR signal
conditioning unit
4 (Coil movement in slot)
5
Signal cable (up to 30 m max.)
Laptop with data acquisition cards
6 StatorMONITOR analysis software
7 Signal cable
8 RS232 (serial) filter control cable
6 Typical test setup for partial discharge
using the StatorMONITOR system.
RTD lead, etc. The StatorMONITOR®
online PD measurement system was
developed by Sulzer Dowding & Mills
to monitor, diagnose, and evaluate the
condition of insulating systems used in
the stator windings of HV motors and
generators. The system is designed to
detect insulation problems in their early
stages, when remedial action would
prove to be most beneficial in terms of
the avoidance of unplanned downtime
and consequential financial implications.
The StatorMONITOR system devel-
oped by Sulzer Dowding & Mills uses
Rogowski coils as PD detectors. Data is
collected online from the three phases
simultaneously, which permits the dis-
tinction between discharges activity in
the main insulation wall (for each phase),
between phases, and in the end-
windings. The system quantizes and
records the basic discharge parameters
associated with each individual PD
pulse. These include the discharge pulse
magnitude, its polarity, and its phase
position relative to the power frequency.
Pattern recognition algorithms are
then applied to these basic quantities to
identify the type and severity of
problems. They also help in the detection
of and removals elimination of regular
commonly known interference—such as
that due to converter equipment or gen-
erator excitation systems—which could
reduce the accuracy of analysis. The
trending facilities of the system allow
the identification of potential problems
or degradation processes developing
within the insulation. The fundamental
requirement of the system is to detect
discharge activity that may be harmful
to the insulation system and its location.
24 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011
Case study—partial discharge in
highvoltage rotating machines
8 for partial discharge using the Stator-
MONITOR system:
• Motor Size: 4 MW
• Voltage: 11 kV
• Duty: Induction motor
• Location: Offshore oil platform
A typical test setup is shown in 6 .
Two of the three machines tested on
site showed normal low-level discharge
activity. However, the discharge levels
on one machine were measured at 90 000
picocoulomb (pC) and suggested phase-
to-phase discharge sites between the
RED and YELLOW phases as shown
below in figure 7. There was also
evidence of slot discharge modulation
normally associated with coil movement
in the slot, identified as a distinct mod-
ulation of the discharge pattern. This
effect was pronounced in the blue phase.
Coil movement is most commonly asso-
ciated with the presence of loose wedges.
It was recommended that this motor
be removed from service and overhauled.
The spare motor was scheduled to be
installed during a planned shutdown
three months later. This exchange was
delayed a few months and later the
motor suffered a winding failure just
prior to the shutdown. An investigation
of the winding after removal showed
that the bracing had become loose,
allowing a phase cable to rub and even-
tually discharge until a failure occurred
in between this phase and another in the
end-winding.
8 White deposits in the end-windings as a result of discharge activity.
1 1 Phase-to-phase discharge
2 2 Slot discharge modulation
7 The discharge levels on one of the machines
suggested phase-to-phase discharge
(RED and YELLOW phases). There was also
evidence of slot discharge modulation— most
pronounced in the blue phase.
Figure 8 shows the photograph of the
white powdery deposits in the end-
winding as a result of discharge activity.
Further investigation showed that there
were approximately 10% of the wedges
loose—also possibly due to the bracing
problem.
Conclusions
Online condition monitoring using vibra-
tion analysis and partial discharge can
detect failure mechanisms within a
machine before catastrophic failures or
unplanned outages occur. Engineers are
able to take remedial action to keep the
machine in serviceable condition and
thus extend the life of the machine.
John Allen
Sulzer Dowding & Mills Ltd.
Camp Hill, Bordesley
Birmingham, B12 0JJ
United Kingdom
Phone +44 121 766 6161
john.allen@sulzer.com
SULZER INNOVATION
The ideal solution for corrosive media
The new Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT™ mist eliminator
combines the chemical resistance of fluoropolymers
with the strength and form stability of alloys. Thus,
the Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT mist eliminator sets a
new dimension in contact with strong acids, especially
in applications involving sulfuric and acetic acid.
In many applications, droplets need to
be efficiently separated from a gas
stream in order to avoid problems or
damages in downstream processes. For
applications with severe process condi-
tions involving corrosive liquids, special
resistant materials are required. Suitable
materials are characterized by a high
corrosion resistance in a wide range of
operating conditions and a long lifetime
of service.
Sulfuric acid production process
Sulfuric acid is a chemical compound
of sulfur with the formula H2SO4. It
is a colorless, oily, very viscous, and
hygroscopic liquid. It is one of the
strongest acids and is highly corrosive.
Sulfuric acid is one of the most
important chemicals in general and
one of the most-produced commodity
chemicals.
The new Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT mist eliminator.
4334
Sulfuric acid is produced from sulfur
dioxide (SO2), which is oxidized to sulfur
trioxide (SO3). This is reacted with water
in concentrated sulfuric acid to sulfuric
acid.
Drying column in the sulfuric acid
production
The gas stream to and from the reactor
is, in direct contact with concentrated
sulfuric acid, dehydrated in order to
prevent corrosion caused by wet SO2 or
SO3 gas as well as to avoid condensation
of acid during plant shutdowns, which
would damage the catalyst in the reactor.
Therefore, to avoid corrosion, the
columns are either made of special high
alloy steels or lined with acid- and heat-
resistant bricks.
Droplet in the drying column
At the top of the drying column, a mist
eliminator is installed so that no droplets
are entrained to the downstream process.
Sulzer Chemtech markets wire mesh
mist eliminators with the trademark
KnitMesh. A KnitMesh mist eliminator
is knitted from wires or fibers.
The strengths of the KnitMesh
XCOAT mist eliminator
Mist eliminators in sulfuric acid drying
columns require high-grade materials.
Particularly concerned are the knitted
mesh pads with their thin wires which
are most sensitive for corrosion. Therefore,
alloys that are optimized to prevent cor-
Close-up image of XCOAT:
Thin metal wire coated with 100%
pure PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
rosion caused by sulfuric acid are
applied. Alternatively, synthetic fibers,
in some cases in combination with metal
wires, are used.
However, the above alloys do not
completely prevent corrosion, which is
why the lifetime is limited. Mist elimi-
nators using fluoropolymer fibers show,
indeed, an excellent chemical resistance,
but at higher temperatures they tend
to shrink, which leads to bypasses in
the mesh pad.
In the Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT mist
eliminator, the strength and form
stability of a metal wire are ideally
combined for the first time with the
chemical resistance of fluoropolymers. A
thin metal wire coated with 100% pure
PTFE, the best known chemical- and
temperature-resistant plastic, shows a
longer service time in hot corrosive
media than wires from special alloys or
fibers from fluoropolymers. Thus, the
Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT mist eliminator
sets a new dimension in contact with
strong acids.
The Sulzer KnitMesh XCOAT mist
eliminator is now exclusively available
to our customers from Sulzer Chemtech.
Daniel Egger
For more information or to express your interest,
please contact:
Rohit N. Joshi
Sulzer Chemtech India, Pune
Phone +91 2137 304740
rohitn.joshi@sulzer.com
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 25
PANORAMA

Reducing pressure—
increasing efficiency
In several industrial processes, a fluid under high pressure must be throttled to suit subsequent
process steps. Typically, conventional pressure-reducing valves are used to dissipate, and
consequently waste, this hydraulic energy. Hydraulic power recovery turbines (HPRT’s) can
convert the excess pressure into mechanical shaft energy and increase the overall process
efficiency. Sulzer Pumps has years of experience in using reverse running pumps as turbines
as an economical solution to recover energy.

Generally, pumps are a means of
fluid transport that convert mechanical
energy into hydraulic energy; i.e., pumps
increase fluid pressure. When process
conditions call for pressure to be dissi-
pated, a pump running backwards may
be used to capture that otherwise wasted
energy. The reverse running mode
converts hydraulic energy into mechan-
ical energy and can be used to drive a
generator or to assist the driver of other
rotating machines. By using an HPRT,
as much as 85% of the energy otherwise
wasted in a throttling valve can be
captured. When modified standard
pumps are used as HPRTs, investment
costs are low as compared with those
for conventional turbines. Energy
recovery may merit consideration even
if the pressure reduction is relatively
small.
Almost any centrifugal pump can
operate as a turbine. The direction of
fluid flow is reversed compared with
that in a pump. The pump discharge
flange becomes the inlet of the HPRT,
and the pump suction flange becomes
the outlet, or exhaust. For larger HPRTs,
the interior of the pump casing is
modified to provide uniform flow to the
runner.
Energy recovery
Conventional hydraulic turbines can be
of axial, mixed, or radial flow type, and
single or multistage. Differential head,
flow, and speed govern which type is
applied for a particular application. These
three parameters determine the specific
speed of a hydraulic machine. Specific
speed is a characteristic number for each
pump or turbine, and it increases with
higher flow and lower head. High specific
speed (axial flow) runners are used for
lower head and higher flow, as in run-
of-river hydropower plants 1.
Single-stage or multistage radial-flow
or mixed-flow turbines are used for
higher heads. For very low flow with
high head, an impulse, or Pelton turbine
may be an appropriate choice. The power
output of a hydraulic power recovery
device is a function of flow and head.
Reaction type turbines are used for power
ratings between 500 kW and about
700 MW in hydropower plants.
In some industrial installations, such
as reverse osmosis plants, petroleum
refineries, fertilizer plants, and gas
treating facilities, some processes may
need to operate at high pressure. For
example, amine contactors are widely
used to scrub CO2 and H2S from natural
gas. The contactor operates at pipeline
pressure. Then pressure is reduced to
flash out various components of the
process stream. Usually throttling devices
(valves, orifices etc.) are used to reduce
the pressure. Single-stage HPRTs can be
used to recover that energy. In refining
hydrotreaters, multistage HPRTs may be
needed due to the large pressure drop
required.
Know-how for correct layout
When planning the use of a pump as
turbine, it is essential to know the dif-
ferences in machine performance when
reversing flow direction and sense of
rotation. For equal rotational speed and
runner diameter, the following general
differences are noted 2 :
• The efficiency at the best operating
point of the turbine corresponds

26 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4335


approximately to that of the pump, or
it can be slightly higher depending on
the size of the machine.
• The efficiency curve under overload
conditions drops more slowly in the
turbine than in the pump mode since
the losses are associated with a high
power.
• The best efficiency point of the turbine
is located at higher flow rate and higher
head. That means the capacity is higher
in the turbine mode than when
pumping.
• In most instances, the shaft power at
the best operating point of the turbine
is somewhat higher than that at the
corresponding point of the pump.
• Susceptibility to cavitation is lower in
the turbine than in the pumping mode,
since the low pressure zone is at the
runner outlet in turbine mode.
Sulzer has provided hundreds of HPRTs
3 in various configurations and has
established methods to calculate HPRT
performance from pump performance.
However, if exact data are necessary, it
1 Large water turbines can have a power rating of 700 MW or more. At much smaller ratings, conventional pumps running as turbines
are an economical solution for pressure reduction in industrial processes.
© Andrey Shchekalev | Dreamstime.com
PANORAMA
Pump
is essential to test the HPRT. Turbine 2
0 1 2
HT Turbine
testing requires a lot of equipment and Anticipation Range
HT / HP
thus costs measurably more than pump
testing 4 .
1
A booster pump with sufficient power
must be used to provide the inlet flow HP
and high inlet pressure. The output power
of the HPRT must be measured with a 0
ηT
1
η T / ηP
calibrated generator, torque meter, or
ηP
dynamometer. Measurements of power,
flow, and pressure are used to calculate 0
PT
turbine efficiency. To avoid cavitation at PT / PP
the HPRT outlet, backpressure at the 1
PP
outlet must be controlled.
Considering the complete system 0
Determination of the runaway speed is
essential for the operation of the reverse -0.5
0 QPop: QTop: 2 QT / QP
running pump. Runaway is the opera-
tion at maximum speed and no load. 2 Characteristics of a pump impeller in pump
This is an exceptional case that occurs and turbine mode (n = constant, D = constant).
The best efficiency point (BEP) of the turbine
when the generator loses its grid con- is shifted to higher head and flow rate.
nection due to a power outage or light-
ning strike. Runaway could occur in frac-
tions of a second and has to be consid-
ered in the layout of a hydraulic system.
Runaway speed of a radial machine
Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 27
PANORAMA

will turn into a measurable volume at

the low-pressure side. This gas volume
at the outlet may influence the size of
the HPRT. The high gas volume in the
exhaust may not be an issue if the shaft
is robust, the runner is made of cavita-
tion-resistant materials, and the wear
parts are hardened to reduce contact
damage. However, gas bubbles in the
seal chamber will surely do damage to
the mechanical seals. Dual seals within
Plan 53 or 54 are therefore recommend-
ed for process HPRTs to assure that the
mechanical seals operate in a controlled,
liquid state.

3 In many cases, a single-stage HPRT is used to capture the process stream energy and drive a multistage pump. Application in hydrocarbon
processing
A large Brazilian oil company is using
can be between 140% and 200% of Hydropower turbines have flow pumps as turbines instead of throttle
the nominal speed, depending on the control devices, such as wicket gates, valves and is thus recovering energy.
specific speed and the rated conditions. which help to avoid high pressure surge In one case, liquid charged with gas
This condition should be taken into during transient conditions. In process must be expanded in a scrubbing tower.
account for generator operation and in HPRT applications, the turbine bypass Sulzer worked with oil company engi-
the selection of the trip device that is always slightly open and is quickly neers to understand the multiphase flow.
operates at transient conditions. If the adjusted to maintain inlet vessel level That knowledge was then used to design
HPRT is used to drive a generator, it control when the turbine inlet valve trips. the HPRT’s runner and rotor. The expe-
may be prudent to use a gear reducer rience of Sulzer Pumps in designing such
and drive the generator at four- or six- Operating with two-phase flow HPRTs helped to find a solution for these
pole (1500 RPM or 1000 RPM at 50 Hz Care must be taken when starting up an challenging conditions.
power frequency, 1800 RPM or 1200 RPM HPRT. When an HPRT is driving a gen- Between the inlet and outlet of a
at 60 Hz power frequency) speeds but erator, it is normally spun-up to near turbine, the pressure drops in very short
mechanically design the generator rotor operating speed, and then as the speed time. Gas dissolved in the fluid at high
for two-pole speed (3000 RPM at 50 Hz, nears synchronous speed, the generator pressure diffuses out of the liquid causing
3600 RPM at 60 Hz). is switched to the power grid, which gas bubbles to form, resulting in two-
provides a load. Without load, the HPRT phase flow. The required pressure reduc-
4 Typical HPRT test setup in a closed loop. may quickly overspeed. tion is from 74.8 bar (1080 psi) to 14.8 bar
Process control is important when (210 psi). A five-stage HPRT with one
Electric
Power Vacuum Air pressure applying HPRTs. If the pressure in the dummy stage was chosen, so that a
Pump supply
Supply
Vent
exhaust vessel is lowered by 20%, head further stage may be fitted for smaller
Electrical across the turbine increases, and it will flow rates in the future 7. The continu-
Power
Measure- Motor generate 20% more power than at the ous power of 258 kW recovered from the
ment
Fill rated flow and head. For that reason, it expansion assists the 870-kW motor
Suppression
Pump discharge Pump suction
pressure P pressure
Tank is often prudent to oversize the HPRTs, driving the pressure increasing pump. A
Drain
Pl
Booster
Flow shaft torque capacity to take into account pump running as a turbine is difficult
Pump Suction
valve
Fluid temperature
various system upsets in pressure control.
Throttle valve
Processes have to be started before the
5 HPRT equipment layout: Driving the
Turbine inlet pressure Turbine outlet pressure HPRT can be brought on stream. Often, generator at reduced speed can save it on
Pl Pl
there will be a full-size pump with motor overspeed caused by a sudden power loss.
Turbine
Flow meter Back pressure driver to get the process started and a
(Venturi or magnetic) valve
Clutch

parallel HPRT clutch motor pump that Pump Motor HPRT

Electrical
Power is used during normal operation 5 6.
Generator
Measure-
ment For processes with entrained gas or
vapor (natural gas treating, fertilizer HPRT
reducer
Gear

Electric
Power
Grid
plants, hydrotreaters, etc.), a small volume Generator

percent of gas at the high-pressure side

28 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011

 PANORAMA

Sweet gas stream

Stripper
contactor
Amine
Level controller
Bypass

Sour gas

Clutch
Pump Motor HPRT

Lean amine stream

Startup Startup
pump motor

6 Some HPRT trains are so long that the baseplate is split at one coupling to facilitate 7 A gas-scrubbing HPRT application can recover more than 2 MW.
shipping, lifting, and installation. Setup: HT- MSD – clutch – motor (missing) – MSD pump.

to regulate. Depending upon the pressure
drop and application, an HPRT flow
rate may be established amounting to
80%–90% of the effective throughput.
The remaining 10%–20% of the flow is
expanded via a bypass valve and is used
to control the vessel level supplying the
HPRT.
During plant startup, the turbine
cannot perform work and may actually
consume energy. If the motor must be
used for startup, an overrunning clutch
prevents the motor from having to put
additional energy into the turbine during
this phase. Once the hydraulic energy
at the inlet to the HPRT is sufficient, the
turbine runs up to the motor speed. The
overrunning clutch now ensures that the
HPRT cannot run faster and supplies its
hydraulic energy to the drive train.
Short payback times
In many industrial processes, hydraulic
power recovery turbines (HPRTs 8 )
can provide substantial savings with a
short payback period. It is not uncommon
to find that over 1.5 MW can be re-
covered. Careful attention to process
conditions and HPRT controls assures
reliable, useful operation for years of
service.

8 Gas plant: MSD pump – motor – clutch – HST turbine.

Ron Adams
Sulzer Pumps
800 Koomey Road
Brookshire, TX 77423
USA
Phone +1 281 934 6029
ron.adams@sulzer.com

John Parker
Sulzer Pumps
800 Koomey Road
Brookshire, TX 77423
USA
Phone +1 281 934 6011
johns.parker@sulzer.com

Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 29

PANORAMA

Characterization of arbitrary
distributions—a new method
For a realistic evaluation of an arbitrary distribution, the fluctuations of the
magnitudes as well as its spatial distribution have to be considered. Therefore,
a new key figure (CoD — coefficient of distribution) has been found that is able
to cover both attributes of the distribution /mixture. First tests with artificial tracer
distributions as well as with tracer distributions gained from CFD-calculations
show reasonable results. The new key figure provides a realistic evaluation of
any arbitrary distribution. The use of this powerful tool can, therefore, improve
the possibilities in the design and development phase of products as well as
help create more precise definitions for the requirements of the customers.

The mixing of components is one of the
oldest processes within mechanical
process engineering. Industrial mixing
processes are challenging— especially
for liquids and, in particular, for liquids
with high viscosities. Since more mixing
effort is necessary to achieve better
homogeneity, the characterization of the
state of the mixture is of special interest.
The homogeneity, or the degree of
mixing, is commonly evaluated with
figures that are based on statistical
methods. A well-introduced and
commonly accepted value is the CoV,
the coefficient of variation, which
describes the ratio between standard
deviation and expectation.
Since the CoV value is an averaged
quantity over a region (area or space)
and, therefore, not sensitive to spatial
differences, a quantification of mixtures
only with the CoV can sometimes lead
to less expressiveness or to misconstruc-
tions. Mixtures that only differ within
the spatial distribution of the describing
quantities will lead to the same CoV
value even though the properties of the
mixtures are obviously different 1. In
case of, e.g., chemical reactions, the
different mixing states can lead to
enormous differences in yield and com-
position.
Two mechanisms of mixing
Two mechanisms are able to increase the
quality of the mixing—one is distributive
mixing and the other is the diffusive
equalization of differences within a con-
centration field. The latter is a sponta-
neous, unsolicited process that needs no
additional energy to take place.
The result of the diffusive transport
can be measured directly via the CoV
value. However, as important as diffusive
equalization is distributive mixing—the
second mechanism for mixing processes.
It is a requirement for effective mixing
because it enlarges the contact area
between higher and lower concentrated
regions. Since diffusive transport is pro-
portional to that contact area and to the
concentration gradient, an increasing
spatial distribution has a direct positive
impact on the quality of the mixture and
should, therefore, additionally have an
impact on the quantity of the mixing
quality.

CoV for the diffusion— ffor the

1 Two mixtures with different spatial distribution patterns but nearly identical CoV values.
distribution
The aim is to have a single method with
which to evaluate both mixing mecha-
nisms: diffusive transport and distribu-
tive mixing. To incorporate both mecha-
nisms, several artificial tracer distribu-
tions have been analyzed. Figure 2
shows nine different mixed situations
differing in mixedness and spatial distri-
bution. On the vertical axis, the CoV
value decreases, since the state becomes
more mixed due to an equalization of the
values (simulating a diffusive transport
mechanism). In these cases, the spatial

30 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4336

 PANORAMA

distribution remains constant. On the
horizontal axis, the CoV value remains
constant, but the length scale on which
segregation occurs, decreases; therefore,
the spatial distribution of the tracer in-
creases in the horizontal direction (sim-
ulating distributive mixing processes).
The diffusive equalization can be
quantified with the coefficient of varia-
tion. Applied to the artificial distributions
in figure 2, the mixedness in the first
row has a CoV value of 100%, the second
row of 60%, and the third of 20%. These
values are independent of the spatial dis-
tribution.
In this example, the size of the colored
squares serves the purpose of character-
izing the length scale on which these
fluctuations occur. The smaller the indi-
vidual squares are, the better the distri-
and allows distributions of different
mixing degrees and extents (diagonal
directions within figure 2 ) to be
compared. The value of the coefficient
of distribution (combining diffusive and
distributive mixing effects) in figure 2
ranges from 50% for the worst mixing
state down to approx. 1% for the best
mixing state (bottom, left).
In contrast to the situation in artificial
distributions like this example, in real
systems, the contact line is not necessarily
easy to determine. Here, measure theory
helps. It is known that for a completely
segregated system, the integration of the
norm of the gradient of a normalized
2 Sketches of different artificial tracer distributions. From top to bottom, the mixedness increases;
value leads exactly to the length of its
contact line (between value 0 and value
1). Applied to real systems, the distribu-
tions will be made dimensionless and
be scaled by a division by 2 s . The char-
acteristic length scale is obtained as the
ratio of cross section and hydraulic
diameter. The fundamental formulas can
be seen within figure 3.
A restriction for the calculation of the
length of the contact line appears for
systems with a massive increasing dif-
fusive equalization. There, the contact
line loses its significance, but the values
achieved get smaller, so the key value
of the CoD is conservative.

bution is. A good measure of the size of from right to left, the spatial distribution increases.

these squares is the length of the contact

line between regions of different concen-
trations. In real cases, this contact line
(or contact area) is of special interest as
well, since diffusive and dispersive
equalization strongly depend on it. The
length of contact line is made dimen-
sionless by relating it to a characteristic
CoV 100.0 (%) CoV 100.0 (%) CoV 100.0 (%)
length scale, e.g., the hydraulic diameter. f
CoD
14.0 (–)
7.1 (%)
f 6.0 (–)
CoD 16.7 (%)
f 2.0 (–)
CoD 50.0 (%)
Applied to the different distributions in
figure 2, this dimensionless number f
is 2 (= 16/8) for the right column, 6
(= 48/8) for the middle column, and 14
(= 112/8) for the left column. The respec-
tive width of each square is 8. These
values are independent of the degree of
mixing or CoV.

CoV 60.0 (%) CoV 60.0 (%) CoV 60.0 (%)

CoD for comparing distributions of dif- f
CoD
14.0 (–)
4.3 (%)
f
CoD
6.0 (–)
10.0 (%)
f
CoD
2.0 (–)
30.0 (%)
ferent degrees and extents of mixing
Here, two key figures are available to
characterize different aspects of a scalar
distribution— the commonly used CoV
value, used to characterize the magnitude
of the fluctuations, and the f value, used
to characterize the spatial distribution.
The combination of both values leads
intuitively to the definition of the coef-
CoV 20.0 (%) CoV 20.0 (%) CoV 20.0 (%)
ficient of distribution (CoD)—being the f 14.0 (–) f 6.0 (–) f 2.0 (–)
CoD 1.4 (%) CoD 3.3 (%) CoD 10.0 (%)
quotient of the CoV and the f value—

Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 31

PANORAMA

Formula Scalar quantity Vectorial quantity

Mean value

Standard deviation

Coefficient of variation

Norm of the gradient

Length scale

Coefficient of distribution

3 Formulas that are necessary in order to calculate the new key value
for characterizing a mixture, the coefficient of distribution.

Application to industrial relevant cases
The applicability of the theory developed
above can be tested using results gained
form CFD calculations. In figure 4, left,
tracer distributions gained from mixing
processes with alternative Contour-
Mixer™ designs (by Sulzer Chemtech)
can be seen. The starting distribution of
the tracer was the same in both cases: a
totally segregated system with tracer
concentration of unity in the left half of
the channel and zero in the right half
(1 left). 4 (right, top and bottom) shows
the distributions on a cross section of
the channel at some distance behind the
mixing devices. Although the CoV value
is nearly identical in both cases (70%),
one would intuitively think that the
bottom one is better mixed. By incorpo-
rating the concept of length of the
contact line, one can calculate that the
quality of these two distributions differs
by a factor of three.
The concept of evaluating the distri-
bution of magnitudes together with the
spatial distributions of the quantity of a
given distribution is not limited to scalar
distributions like concentration or tem-
perature fields, but can also be applied
to vectorial distributions like velocity
fields.
The new key figure, the coefficient of
distribution (CoD) is a powerful tool to
be able to give a realistic evaluation of
any arbitrary distribution. This advance-
ment opens new possibilities in the
design and development phase of
products and helps create more precise
definitions for the requirements of the
customers.

4 Different designs have been tested for the Sulzer Chemtech Contour™ Mixer (left), a static mixer for high turbulent
gas flows. For two of the designs, tracer distributions after the mixer are shown (right). In both cases, there was a start
configuration of left /red – right/blue.

Carsten Stemich
Sulzer Markets and Technology Ltd.
Sulzer Innotec
Sulzer-Allee 25
8404 Winterthur
Switzerland
Phone +41 52 262 21 96
carsten.stemich@sulzer.com

32 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011

SULZER WORLD

Welcome to Sulzer Pumps in Suzhou

Sulzer strengthens its pumps facilities network in China with a

significant investment in a new state-of-the-art factory for engineered
pumps for the industries oil and gas and power generation.

In 2010, Sulzer invested around CHF 30

million in the expansion of its global
manufacturing network with a new fac-
tory in Suzhou, China. As part of this
investment, Sulzer is bringing its most
advanced engineered-pump technology
to China. The new state-of-the-art
factory for engineered pumps mainly
focuses on meeting the growing demand
in the oil and gas and the power gener-
ation markets segments in China.
Suzhou is one of the most vibrant
industrial cities in China and is located
about 100 kilometers west of Shanghai.
The new, wholly owned pump factory
was officially opened November 24, 2010
with more than 300 customers, govern- Opening ceremony at Suzhou factory in China in November 2010.
ment officials, and employees present at
the ceremony.
bining Sulzer’s global standards for Continuous expansion
Extensive testing capabilities quality with reliable delivery times. The various divisions of Sulzer have con-
As part of the Sulzer global network, The plant has extensive testing capa- tinuously expanded their collective
employees in the Suzhou factory bilities with two closed-loop test beds, presence in China over the last few years
manufacture engineered pumps on one test well for vertical pumps and a and currently employ over 1000 people.
23 000 m2 of total floor space with hot test area. Variable frequency drives Sulzer has a range of sales and service
state-of-the-art machine tools. The new (VFDs) are provided to allow motor soft- locations in China and is now active
factory integrates best practices from starts and to run parallel tests in all four with four main manufacturing plants:
other major Sulzer Pumps factories, test areas with a total power supply in Shanghai for Sulzer Chemtech’s sep-
ensuring operational excellence by com- of 15 MW. The test bed was designed aration technology and Sulzer Metco’s
incorporating the most advanced testing surface coating technology, in Dalian for
technologies of Sulzer Pumps. Sulzer Pumps serving the hydrocarbon
Outside view of the new state-of-art facility in Suzhou, China.
At the plant opening the new legal processing and the pulp and paper
entity had already an order backlog of markets, and, now, in Suzhou.
more than CHF 30 million. Engineering Based on its strong growth over the
and procurement teams have already last two decades, China has become
been working on several major orders one of Sulzer’s key markets. It offers
for quite some time while manufacturing excellent prospects for further expansion
has just started recently. The ISO 9001 for the local market as well as a manu-
certification process is ongoing, and the facturing platform to supply the rest of
certification is expected in the second the world.
quarter of 2011. Martin Tempus

4337 Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 | 33

INTERVIEW

John Allen: “Scope of work for Sulzer’s customers expanded”

With the acquisition of Dowding & Mills, Sulzer has

expanded its technical competencies, and it has
complemented the current activities of Sulzer Turbo
Services with repair and maintenance services for
generators and motors. John Allen — technical director
of Sulzer Dowding & Mills—spoke to us about the
opportunities our customers will experience through
our expanded service business.

40 branches in the UK, 5 in Europe, 5 in class HV coil-manufacturing facility,

When was Dowding & Mills founded
and how did the company develop
over the years?
Dowding & Mills was founded in 1911,
starting with one branch in Birmingham,
UK, in a terrace house in Camp Hill.
Over the years, this location has grown—
gradually acquiring properties around
it. It currently occupies a five-acre site
with 128 000 sq ft of buildings on the
premises.
Early in the 1960s, a second branch
was acquired in London, and the
number of branches doubled in 1965
with the acquisition of Southampton &
Nottingham. Branch network growth
was steady through late 60s and 70s with
the addition of around two branches per
year throughout the UK. In the 1980s
the company expanded significantly
with the acquisitions of electro-mechan-
ical repair facilities, Hamilton & Dickson
(Australia), EMS (USA), Geha (Nether-
lands), AEW (Luxembourg), EMS
(Germany), Manning Marine (UK) and
the UK Calibration businesses.
Company growth continued into the
1990s with acquisitions of electronic and
servo repair companies, then Peebles
Field Services, and then the gear cutting
companies (R W Gear & Banner). At
its peak, Dowding & Mills had circa
USA, and 6 in Australia.
As a result of closures, consolidation,
and disposals the network shrank
between 2000–2010, but over the last
four years the branch network has
been reinforced with the acquisition
of two small businesses in the UK
(Middlesbrough and Daventry) and a
50% interest in a facility in Dubai.
Why is the service business of
Dowding & Mills attractive to the
customers of Sulzer?
Dowding & Mills’ core area of expertise
is in the rewinding of rotating electrical
machines. Therefore, Sulzer’s customers
can now have their turbine-driven gen-
erators or their motor-driving pumps or
compressors repaired by Sulzer.
The scope of work available to
Sulzer’s customers when their plant fails
or needs maintaining has been expanded
by the acquisition of the electromechan-
ical capability of Dowding & Mills.
Sulzer will now have in-house capability,
whereas, in the past, it had to outsource
this work to subcontractors. As a result,
the quality and customer service culture
of Sulzer will extend from the mechanical
equipment itself to include motors and
generators.
Dowding & Mills has always been
a service-driven business delivering a
quality product with fast response and
a minimum of outage time. With our in-
house copper-rolling mill and world-
Dowding & Mills is able to manufacture
high-quality HV coils for rewinds faster
than almost any rewind competitor in
the world. These services are further
complemented by our in-house high-
speed balancing and overspeed facility.
How can the customers of Dowding
& Mills profit from the merger with
Sulzer?
Dowding & Mills customers will profit
through Sulzer’s capability to repair the
mechanical parts driving or being driven
by the motors and generators—which
have historically been repaired by
Dowding & Mills. In other words,
Dowding & Mills customers now have
a one-stop service shop for their turbines,
pumps, and compressors.
They will also profit from the culture
of continuous improvement in personnel
development, management systems, per-
formance, quality, safety, and environ-
ment that is part of Sulzer’s culture and
that Sulzer will foster within Dowding
& Mills.
How many service centers does
Dowding & Mills have around the
world and what are their capabilities?
Currently, we have 27 branches in the
UK, 3 in USA, 5 in Australia, and 1 in
Dubai.
The capabilities of branches vary
greatly. Each is specialized in meeting
the needs of its customer base. Several

34 | Sulzer Technical Review 1/2011 4338

branches serve niche markets and, there-
fore, specialize in the needs of particular
industries as well as serving local cus-
tomers. Others serve only their local
customer base.
Several branches work globally to
provide services for their customers. The
Birmingham branch, in particular, will
rewind machines of any size anywhere
in the world where it is safe to operate.
It repairs motors and generators up to
and including 16500V, 400MW (generally,
air cooled), from two-pole turbine to
multi-pole hydro generators with stator
core lengths up to 7 m, and rotor diam-
eters up to 16 m. When the equipment
is too large to transport back to UK it
is rewound in situ, which includes on
board vessels while they are in service.
How do you make sure you know the
needs of your customers?
Our primary method of understanding
the needs of our customers is through
our 80 strong sales team and our branch
managers, who maintain regular personal
contact with their key account customers.
This is supported by contact between
project manager and technical liaison
with the customers.
We also review our customer needs
during contract review, and customer
feedback is recorded though our QA
system. In our quest to better understand
our customers’ needs, we have periodi-
cally conducted customer satisfaction
surveys.
put back into service at a reduced output
of 75% load (9 MW).
During the repair, engineers noted
that the rotor also needed rewinding. As
The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) is a
a result, when the stator was rewound customer magazine produced by the
some months later (when the risks to Sulzer Corporation. It is published
periodically in English and German
the customer were lower), a spare rotor
and annually in Chinese. The articles
was refurbished and fitted, which per- are also available at: www.sulzer.com/str
mitted rewinding of the original rotor. 1/ 2011
Unfortunately, the spare rotor limited 93rd year of the STR
ISSN 1660-9042
output to 70%.
When the rewound rotor is completed, Publisher
Sulzer Management Ltd.
it will be fitted into the rewound stator P.O. Box
taking the capability back up to 12 MW. 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
This machine will continue in service Editor-in-Chief
until a replacement machine is procured Gabriel Barroso
gabriel.barroso@sulzer.com
and installed in 2012— after which, it
Editorial Assistant
will be maintained as an essential spare. Laura Gasperi
sulzertechnicalreview@sulzer.com
A final question: Are there technolog- Advisory Board
ical developments (e.g., renewable Mia Claselius
Ralf Gerdes
energy) to which you are paying Thomas Gerlach
increased attention? Hans-Michael Höhle
Wind power generation is an area where Sue Hudson
Hans-Walter Schläpfer
we have become more active. This is a Heinz Schmid
challenging area, since these machines Shaun West
operate in a relatively hostile environ- Translations
ment and are engineered to keep the Interserv AG, Zürich
mass of the equipment as low as Design Concept
Partner & Partner AG, Winterthur
possible.
As the number of wind generators Design
Typografisches Atelier
increases in the UK, we see this as an Felix Muntwyler, Winterthur
area of potential growth. With this in Printers
mind, we are currently developing a Mattenbach AG, Winterthur
dedicated facility in order to control © March 2011
technical issues. Reprints of articles and illustrations are
As other renewable energy sources are permitted subject to the prior approval of
developed, we will have to ensure that the editor.

Can you give us a recent example?
One UK customer in 2010 had a prema-
ture failure of a 12 MW gas compressor
motor. This disruption created a signifi-
cant risk that that customer would not
be able to meet contracted delivery
requirements. A prolonged outage was
not tolerable from an operational point
of view.
The failure necessitated a complete
stator rewind. However, a temporary
repair that involved cutting out the
failed coils as well as some good coils
to balance the winding, performing a
splice repair to one coil, and repairing
core damage, allowed the machine to be
we will be able to meet the needs of
those industries.
Interview: Gabriel Barroso
John Allen
John Allen is a chartered electrical engineer. He started
with 15 years in design of DC and AC rotating
machines with a UK manufacturer, the last 7 years
of which, he held the position of Chief Designer. As
next a step, he moved to a diesel genset manufacturer
(F G Wilson), where he spent 3 years in technical sales,
this was followed by 6 years managing repair shops,
and the last 16 years providing technical support to
repair companies. For the last 12 years, he has been
redesigning hydro generators to improve performance.
He has represented the UK at various IEC technical
committees and at IECEx with particular expertise in
the repair of hazardous-area equipment and competency
of personnel repairing Ex equipment.
The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) has
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A More Efficient
Surface

To design a more efficient engine, vehicle engineers partnered

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Working together, we can do great things. www.sulzermetco.com