Honeywell subsidiary UOP will supply its second C(4) Oleflex olefins conversion process in China, going to Longgang Chemical Co. to produce key ingredients for fuels and synthetic rubber.
UOP’s C(4) Oleflex process, commercialized in 1990, uses catalytic dehydrogenation to convert isobutane to isobutylene. The process is marketed as high-yield, low-energy/water, and small footprint. It uses independent reaction and regeneration systems that allow continuous use of catalysts. Longgang Chemical will produce 175,000 metric tons of mixed butane feedstock per year beginning in 2015.
“As the demand for petrochemicals grows, especially in China, producers are looking for ways to maximize product yields,” said Pete Piotrowski, senior VP and GM of the UOP Process Technology and Equipment business unit at Honeywell.
There currently exists six Oleflex units for isobutylene production and nine units for propylene production. Since 2011, 10 new units have been announced internationally.
Siemens Has Explosion-Proof Approvals for Flow Meters. The Siemens Sitrans magnetic flow meters have obtained FM Class 1 Division 1, Groups A, B, C, and D and FM Class 1, Zone 1 AEx d(ia) ia/IIC/T3-T6 approvals. They pertain to the company’s 1/2- to 12-in Sitrans flow meters for measuring electrically conductive liquids, as well as sludges, pastes, and slurries used in potentially explosive environments in water/wastewater, chemical, and industrial applications.
The approvals are available for Siemens Mag 3100 Series #7ME6310, Mag 3100 HT Series #7ME6320, and Mag 3100 P Series #7ME6330 flow sensors. Siemens is also carrying approved FM Class 1, Zone 1 AEx d e (ia) ia/IIC/T3-T6 flow sensors and transmitters for line sizes above 12 in.
In broader, upmarket Siemens developments, the company’s Smart Grid business has partnered with San Diego-based Proximetry to supply the latter’s Airsync Network Management System (NMS) to North American electric, gas, and water utilities. The Airsync NMS manages multiple networks, protocols, and communicating grid devices from a single control center.
Siemens cites the smart grid network management systems market as being worth $1 billion by 2020 using various market research sources. “The challenge to monitor, control, and manage millions of communicating grid devices from multiple vendors continues to grow” with grid modernization, said Thierry Godart, president of Siemens Smart Grid Division North America.
