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John Butterfield
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Most recent articles
Tank Tales - 4 cases of failures, damage and inspections of storage tanks
By John Butterfield | 17 February 2020
Some tank failures are well known by the public: 1. The distilling tank with molasses, which killed 21 in Massachusetts in 1919; 2. The Bhopal tragedy in 1984, where people were exposed to methyl isocyanate gas with 3787 or more deaths; 3. The sulfuric acid storage tank failures in 2001 in Delaware City , where one person was killed, eight others were injured, and significant damage ensued to aquatic life.
How the right wear protection materials can extend valve lifetimes
By John Butterfield | 10 February 2020
If the wear protection materials are properly specified, valves can successfully contribute major improvements in process availability, says Metso’s Jussi Hellman
Saudi Aramco SWID: focus on critical valves
By John Butterfield | 03 February 2020
From 2014 onwards, the Sea Water Injection Department of Saudi Aramco launched a comprehensive maintenance program for critical valves. “The idea behind the program was to invest in various aspects of valve management (identification, maintenance, warehousing) to increase reliability and safety in the company’s operations.”
A new way to manage aging, leaking tanks
By John Butterfield | 27 January 2020
It is crucial to stay up-to-date with the upgrades and repairs required for tanks containing combustible fluids. Depending on how long a tank has been around, it can be more susceptible to leaks. This means it could need regular patching. While traditional methods for repairing tanks may provide a fix, it is only a temporary one.
Correctly specifying materials in chemical process industries
By John Butterfield | 20 January 2020
The rapid failure of several 316 stainless steel pipes in a heat exchanger raised questions as to whether a manufacturing fault or service conditions were to blame. This second in a series of three case studies conducted by Dr. Elayaperumal examines the corrosion of stainless steel tubes in chloride solution and why duplex would have been the best material of choice.
Welding dissimilar metals: duplex pipe to carbon valve
By John Butterfield | 14 January 2020
In this case study Mr. Karan Sotoodeh from Baker Hughes, A GE company describes a case study involving the welding of a large size and high-pressure class carbon steel body oil export pipeline valve to a 22Cr duplex pipeline. He pays particular attention to two key welding challenges.
Let’s make welding cool, clever and clean
By John Butterfield | 09 December 2019
After 100 days as managing director of KEMPER GmbH, Frederic Lanz describes his vision of the future of metalworking. He knows both sides: welding technology and occupational safety at the same time. At the beginning of 2019 Frederic Lanz changed to Kemper. After 100 days as managing director, he reflects on what he has achieved so far. In an interview, the 37-year-old describes how he envisages the production of the future in metalworking.
Reliable Flexible Couplings
By John Butterfield | 27 November 2019
When visiting an event on maintenance this spring in Europe, Managing Aging Plants had the pleasure to get in contact with SDT Ultrasound, a company that offers solutions to boost plant uptime by means of utilizing ultrasound technology. In this article, Allan Rienstra talks about his job as International Sales Manager of SDT Ultrasound Solutions with SDT Ultrasound and gives an example of how the company is able to support professionals working at refineries, mills and plants.
Methane leak detection with drones
By John Butterfield | 13 November 2019
The Southwest Research Institute has equipped drones with specialized cameras and developed an AI algorithm for these cameras in order for drones to detect methane gas leaks in real time and autonomously. Since methane gas is odorless as well as invisible to the human eye, the smart camera offers a very welcome high-tech eye for leak detection.
New super alloys still need careful purging during welding
By John Butterfield | 30 October 2019
Significant developments have been made recently and have resulted in the introduction of new nickel alloys that offer major improvements in mechanical properties. Not least is Inconel 740H (Ref 1), an alloy offering enhanced resistance to coal ash and therefore of considerable interest to fossil fuel fired boiler manufacturers.
Challenges for butterfly valves in solar thermal systems
By John Butterfield | 15 October 2019
The four offset butterfly valve from the manufacturer Quadax is used worldwide in solar thermal systems and offers important advantages in terms of reliability and cost efficiency. The number of solar power systems is increasing worldwide: Back in the mid-eighties, when the first solar plants went into operation in the Californian desert, they had a capacity of just 350 MW. However, thanks to technical innovations, solar systems now achieve a capacity of 3,000 MW.
Welding dissimilar metals: duplex pipe to carbon valve
By John Butterfield | 08 October 2019
In this case study Mr. Karan Sotoodeh from Baker Hughes, A GE company describes a case study involving the welding of a large size and high-pressure class carbon steel body oil export pipeline valve to a 22Cr duplex pipeline. He pays particular attention to two key welding challenges.
Getting more out of assets
By John Butterfield | 01 October 2019
Getting out more of an existing asset and its valve park is a challenge. This also rings true for Marty van Tilburg, valve specialist at Sitech Services. “It is a matter of continuous improvement and more efficient maintenance. If we can transform an unplanned stop into a planned one, we already have earned our pay check.”
Corrosion considerations for flexible metal hoses and expansion joints
By John Butterfield | 13 September 2019
There are many industrial applications requiring flexible hoses and expansion joints where the service conditions preclude the use of rubber, plastic, composite, or other non-metallic materials of construction. In these applications, flexible piping components can be made using various metal alloys which provide exceptional service life and value.
8 Preventive Maintenance Implementation Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
By John Butterfield | 29 August 2019
Implementing preventive maintenance has huge benefits when implemented correctly. From extending the useful life of equipment to reducing unplanned downtime, by using this maintenance strategy, a business can optimize how it utilizes assets, equipment, and its maintenance team.
Rehabilitation of pipelines with plastic products
By John Butterfield | 20 August 2019
When it comes to the rehabilitation of steel or concrete pipes, water tanks or concrete basins, plastic products made of polyethylene play an essential role. Engineering plastics are the better solution in many renovation cases. Thanks to the simple processing, the high chemical resistance and last but not least because of the attractive prices.
Train your employees in a virtual reality environment using abilitee
By Jolanda Heunen | 17 June 2019
What if... you could endlessly practice dangerous procedures in a safe environment? That’s the premise that Enriched used when they started working on abilitee, a virtual reality 3D productivity configurator, also known as a virtual training assistant. Bart Van Hecke, founder of Enriched, and Stijn De Vrij, technical lead with Enriched talk about how it all started and look ahead at what the future may hold.
Cleaning industrial assets with Angara Industries
By Jolanda Heunen | 07 May 2019
The team behind Angara Industries consists of dedicated professionals who have combined experience in chemical laboratory research and complex manufacturing of 25 years plus 26 years in industrial production and equipment service. In addition they have 42 years’ experience in sales and business development in oil & gas as well as other industrial and technical sectors. Managing Aging Plants had the pleasure of speaking with Ilya Rodin, CEO with Angara Industries.
8 Preventive Maintenance Implementation Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
By Jolanda Heunen | 20 March 2019
Implementing preventive maintenance has huge benefits when implemented correctly. From extending the useful life of equipment to reducing unplanned downtime, by using this maintenance strategy, a business can optimize how it utilizes assets, equipment, and its maintenance team.
Compact Ball Valves
By Roy van IJzendoorn | 04 December 2018
The evolution of the Ball Valve design has not changed very much over the years, especially if we delve into the History of the design of the ball valve. There are two types of ball valve designs that primarily dominate this market, the Floating Ball valve and the Trunnion Ball valve design. Although manufacturers have produced these basic valve designs for many years, the designs have changed very little.
Ensuring valve safety with Gasunie
By Jolanda Heunen | 02 October 2018
Mr. Lammert Nijland has 25 years’ experience in valves and actuators and has been with Gasunie in Groningen, The Netherlands, for almost twenty years. He is mechanical engineer and his focus within Gasunie is on everything within the valve area, including both maintainability and design. Mr. Nijland is especially keen on preventing problems before they happen, and Valve World is keen on learning more about this.
Emission control made simple
By Jolanda Heunen | 21 August 2018
Cost, safety and legislation are the main drivers that are forcing chemical industry operators to come up with better products as well as better ways to prevent leakage that was previously tolerated and viewed as inevitable.
Training the nuclear industry’s next generation of workers
By Candace Allison | 05 June 2018
For more than 130 years, the Arizona Public Service Company (APS) has powered Arizona’s growth, prosperity, and innovation. Today, APS continues to be the state’s largest and longest serving electric utility, providing 2.7 million people with safe and reliable energy.
Oxifree tackles corrosion
By Jolanda Heunen | 09 April 2018
After reading the Case Study from Oxifree about the UT testing they conducted with Cygnus Instruments, Managing Aging Plants got in contact with Oxifree Ltd. to learn more about the company and the solutions they offer. Managing Director Ed Hall gladly answered our questions.
Testing of Composite Repairs according to ISO & ASME standards and beyond
By Jolanda Heunen | 18 January 2018
Maintaining pipelines is a top priority for every operator to ensure safety, efficiency and sustainability. Estimations consider most – at least more than 60% – of existing pipelines to be older than 45 years by now. Already in 2002 according to the large-scale 2-year study in the United States the annual costs alone in the U.S. were estimated at approx. $7 billion dollars to monitor, replace and maintain gas and liquid transmission pipelines.
Plant modernization in the metal industry
By Roy van IJzendoorn | 10 October 2017
‘Virtual commissioning’ provides the possibility of testing and verifying the perfect functioning of automation systems and optimizing controls and process steps before the ‘real’ commissioning takes place in the metal industry. Various successfully accomplished projects at the Gienanth iron foundry in Eisenberg, Germany, have demonstrated that commissioning times can be markedly reduced by simulating the equipment and functions beforehand – in a ‘digital factory’.
Nondestructive testing’s essential role in aging facilities
By Roy van IJzendoorn | 14 September 2017
Nondestructive testing (NDT) or nondestructive evaluation (NDE) encompasses a wide group of analysis techniques to evaluate the properties of a material, component or system without causing any damage to the original material.
Closing down nuclear plants in Germany, safely
By Melina Schnaudt | 22 August 2017
PreussenElektra GmbH headquartered in Hanover is a wholly-owned subsidiary of E.ON SE (Essen) and operates all E.ON SE activities in the field of nuclear power. Managing Aging Plants’ Melina Schnaudt talked with Almut Zyweck (external communication) and Dr. Wolfgang Mayinger (Component Technology) about the maintenance of nuclear power plants and the effects of the German nuclear phaseout.
Proactive integrity management of aging plants
By Angelique Lasseigne | 13 June 2017
Next-generation technologies to manage aging plants more proactively are discussed. An analysis of advantages and disadvantages of current (reactive) technologies is provided, and then some of the latest technologies are discussed with a focus on measuring material properties in-situ. These type of measurements, combined with continuous monitoring approaches, hold potential to dramatically improve the effectiveness and accuracy of integrity management programs.
The use of unmanned aerial systems in managing aging plants
By Carina Hendricks | 05 May 2017
Looking at how the use of drones can help decision makers decide on safety and maintenance issues within industrial plants. Their use requires not only new application techniques but also a different approach with regard to work procedures and naturally a detailed understanding of drone technology and how it works- its limitations and best uses.
Best Practices with Nonmetallics in Chemical Service
By Jolanda Heunen | 18 April 2017
Chemical facilities face a number of issues when dealing with corrosion and harsh chemicals. The conventional method of addressing these issues is to adequately-prepare the steel surface and then apply the proper coating to protect it from the elements. However, in chemical facilities, harsh chemicals are essential to the process and require adequate containment and reliable service in order to keep the facilities operational.
Keeping Braskem PP5 on track
By Joanne McIntyre | 14 March 2017
The Braskem petrochemical refinery near the town of Duque de Caxias is nestled amidst humid green hills less than an hour’s drive from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sprawling site hosts several chemical plants involved in the production of raw materials and further processed chemical products including polypropylene and polyethylene. Managing Aging Plants visited the site to speak with Mr Roberto Funger, Senior Inspection Engineer in the Maintenance Department during a recent visit.