Arc Flash Training Held at Res-Kem

Arc flash training, an OSHA required session to help identify the risks around working with electrical and signal wires, was given to twenty people with our organization.  It helps the technicians fully understand the risks, and how to determine if there is any stored energy before starting work.

Injuries that can result from an arc flash:

• Burns
• Respiratory system damage
• Hearing damage
• Skin penetration from flying debris
• Eye and face injuries

We covered the risks with performing the work, Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO,) testing methods and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). The twenty people trained included plant and field personnel that have not yet completed this certification class, including field service technicians, in-house assembly personnel, and field sales engineers.

What is an arc flash?

According to Wikipedia:

"An arc flash is an electric arc supplied with sufficient electrical energy to cause substantial damage, fire or injury. ...  Arc flash temperatures can reach or exceed 35,000 °F or approx 20,000 °C at the arc terminals. The massive energy released in the fault rapidly vaporizes the metal conductors involved, blasting molten metal and expanding plasma outward with extreme force. A typical arc flash incident can be inconsequential but could conceivably easily produce a more severe explosion ... .  The result of the violent event can cause destruction of equipment involved, fire, and injury not only to the worker but also to nearby people."

Industrial Water Softener Shipped to Repeat Food Flavorings Customer in New Jersey

Res-Kem recently shipped a second 84 inch industrial water softener to the same food flavorings plant in southern New Jersey. The water treated by the water softener is used to make steam to sterilize the raw plant material prior to extraction and to extract the flavoring. The softener is the replacement to a second existing tank which has failed after 40 years of service.

Second 84"Water Softener prior to Shipment to Food and Flavorings Plant

Emptying and Removal of Old System:
Before the system was shipped, our service team coordinated their work with the company's mechanical contractor to remove the resin and gravel from the existing, corroded system. Our service team brought our trailer mounted diesel vacuum system to remove the media and prepare for disposal by the customer. After we were finished, the old system was cut apart for scrapping by the contractor.

Vacuum Trailer used to Remove Ion Exchange Resin
and Gravel from Existing Water Softener

New System:

The new system is an 84" diameter steel vessel and is finished in an epoxy coated interior and exterior. The customer asked us to change our normal blue color to red.  We hope to provide the white tank next fiscal year (do you see the theme??)  We also were asked to change the face piping to Schedule 10 304 stainless steel. As before, the valves are Bray valves with Bray air-to-air actuators. The system is controlled by an Aquamatic 962 controller. At this point, regeneration will be initiated manually when production will allow. To handle the existing uneven floor, four jack legs were provided.

System Operating Parameters:

Since most of the steam ends up in the plant matter and the extracted flavor ingredient, very little steam condensate is returned. This make the makeup flow very large. Each of the three softeners operate at 200 gpm and 80 psig. Because to the system's age, corrosion of the tanks and piping have become a maintenance nightmare.

Second Condensate Polishing System Shipping to a North Carolina University

Res-Kem is shipping the second of two condensate polishing systems to a leading private university in North Carolina next week.  This is the second of two systems sold to this same university in the past year and a half.  This system treats 400 gpm of dirty condensate.

Res-Kem's Dual 54 inch Sodium Cycle Cycle Condensate Polishers

To improve the ROI, through energy savings, this system is designed with a separate source of cold water for backwash, brine draw and slow rinse.

What is the Res-Kem water treatment application?	Sodium cycle condensate polishing to remove iron and hardness
What are the operating conditions?	Flow: 400 gpm Pressure: 30-100 psi Temperature: 200F Continuous
What is the system configuration?	Dual tank, parallel operation 54” in diameter tanks
What ion exchange resin was used?	47 cubic feet of Purolite C-150 highly cross-linked macroporous cation exchange resin in each tank
Materials of construction?	316 SS ASME code with a 150 psig design pressure 316 SS Hub and Lateral 316 SS Subsurface Wash Distributor 316 SS Schedule 40 Welded face piping
Type of Valves and Actuators?	Bray McCannalok Series 41 with Series 93 pneumatic actuators with manual override
Special Features?	Subsurface wash Cold water used for separate source backwash, brine draw and slow rinse Condensate fast rinse 316 Stainless resin traps after each system

Additional Information:
Listing of Condensate Polishers Built by Res-Kem
Online Catalog of Res-Kem Condensate Polishing Equipment
Condensate Polisher Technical Bulletin
Condensate Polisher Application Checklist 
Purolite C-150 Technical Bulletin
For Technical Help From a Res-Kem Sales and Application Engineer