Ian Melin-Jones

Ian Melin-Jones

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has highlighted the vulnerability of the world’s 4.4 billion city dwellers in the face of Climate Change.

And he urged cities and governments to use increased knowledge, data and technology to support urban transformation and adaptation in the face of this threat.

Gates, co-founder of the philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, makes his plea in his new book ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need’* (published 16 February).

Stock Image : Bill Gates Paris 2018

“Urban areas are home to more than half the people on earth - a proportion that will rise in the years ahead - and they are responsible for more than three-quarters of the world’s economy,” he said.

“As they expand, many of the world’s fast-growing cities end up building over floodplains, forests, and wetlands that could absorb rising waters during a storm or hold reservoirs of water during a drought.

“All cities will be affected by Climate Change, but coastal cities will have the worst problems. Hundreds of millions of people could be forced from their homes as sea levels rise and storm surges get worse. By the middle of this century, the cost of Climate Change to all coastal cities could exceed $1 trillion…each year.”

But Gates believes Man’s increasing access to vital knowledge, data and technology can protect urban area infrastructure, and ‘climate-proof’ our cities, reinforcing thoughts voiced by Michael Jansen, CEO of Digital Twin technology developer Cityzenith:

“Bill Gates’ view aligns with goals of pioneering software companies like Cityzenith and other Climate Change ‘city-scale’ decarbonization experts around the world, who believe technology innovation and common standards are vital to protect urban areas from rising sea levels and rapidly changing weather conditions.

“Digital Twin 3D modelling technology will be crucial here and Cityzenith last year pledged to donate its SmartWorldPro Digital Twin software to 10 major cities dedicated to tackling climate change - we will announce the first project soon.

“I saw an interview where Bill Gates posed the question “What does ‘climate-proofing’ a city look like?” and he highlighted how city planners need the very latest data and projections from Digital Twin models in order to predict and map the impact of Climate Change.

“This then allows better decisions about how to plan city housing and industry sectors, infrastructure, and sea and storm protection, to ensure that they are the best answers for driving down carbon emissions and protecting against the elements. Through SmartWorldPro2, we can even simulate the impact of changing and intensifying weather events on buildings.

Useful links:

UN report

https://cityzenith.com/post/city-scale-digital-twin-technology-expected-to-play-a-key-role-in-president-joe-bidens-climate-plan

Bloomberg Green Article*

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-02-11/bill-gates-on-climate-change-and-adapting-to-warmer-world

Veritasium YouTube Video**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grv1RJkdyqI

About Cityzenith
Cityzenith is based in Chicago with offices in London and New Delhi. The company's SmartWorldPro2™ Digital Twin platform was created for anyone designing, constructing, and managing complex, large-scale building projects, properties, and real estate portfolios. Find out more at www.cityzenith.com

Hortgro, South Africa’s deciduous fruit grower organisation, has partnered with UK retailers to drive sales and highlight the USPs and health benefits of their stone fruit.

The 2021 marketing campaign, now in its 13th year, is focussing predominantly on targeting shoppers through online activity and some in-store promotions, due to the rise in demand for fresh produce during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a report by Public Health England, sales of fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 9% during the first UK lockdown that commenced on 23 March 2020*.

SA plum shroudOne of the main activities of Hortgro’s campaign is the ongoing promotion of South African stone fruit on the leading UK grocery websites in the form of digital banners. It is hoped that the heightened online exposure of South Africa’s fresh produce will boost sales from January through to the end of the stone fruit season in May 2021.

Other online support for the campaign has seen retailer seasonal promotions on fresh fruit that feature various South African plum, peach and nectarine lines. These promotions have been supported by printed advertorials in retailer magazines that showcase the health benefits of the fruit and include suggested recipes.

Accompanying in-store activity includes on-pack labels and recipe tear-off talkers, providing families with fun facts about South African plums. These aim to position the stone fruit as a fun, healthy snack for parents and kids. Branded shrouds will also be placed in stores nationwide to give prominence to mainstream South African plum lines.

Andre Smit, chairman of Hortgro Stone, comments on the industry’s current situation: “Europe is still the biggest destination for all SA stone fruit (41%), followed by the United Kingdom (28%). Strict export protocols remain a challenge and in the mist of COVID-19 even more so. Hygiene and sanitation have now become household terms and growers will have to ensure that they comply with all rules and regulations. Luckily, South African farmers are very resilient and as an industry, I know we can continue to deliver the excellent high-quality fruit that South Africa is renowned for.”

It is currently estimated that by the end of the 2020/21 season, the stone fruit industry will have seen a 16% increase in South African nectarine exports, a 12% increase for peaches, and a staggering 40% increase for South African plums, compared to last year. The increased volumes are mainly driven by young orchards coming into production and more favourable weather conditions.

Whilst promotional work with retailers has been one of the main focuses of this year’s campaign, this season has also seen strong support from food writers and recipe developers on social media, as well as coverage in general consumer media publications.

  • The Beautiful Country, Beautiful Fruit campaign was launched in 2009 with a pilot campaign on plums. It was rolled out to peaches, nectarines, apples and pears the following year and has run since then in UK retailers, the media and on social media.
  • The season begins with stone fruit in November through to May and top fruit from April through to October.
  • HORTGRO also runs a market development campaign in Germany, a number of other markets and a domestic promotion in South Africa. 
  • The South African stone fruit varieties to look out for this season are:
    • Plums – Fortune, African Delight®, Sapphire, Ruby Sun and Flavor King
    • Peaches – Ambercrest®, Spring Princess and Jim Dandy
    • Nectarines – Super Star®, Tifany and Alpine
  • The Food & Agriculture Organisation of the UN has declared 2021 as The International Year of Fruit and Vegetables. Visit the FAO’s campaign website to find out more information.

Whenever mixing is an important component of the R&D process, one device has been relied on worldwide since 1974 whose name already tells you all you need to know:  thanks to an ingenious mixing technique, the “Hauschild SpeedMixer®” is capable of producing homogeneous, multi-material compounds such as liquids, high-viscosity pastes and powders in a matter of minutes.

When mixing substances in labs is on the agenda, the “Hauschild SpeedMixer®”, developed in Germany almost 50 years ago and constantly refined since then, is the device technicians most frequently turn to. The scenarios in which this centrifugal mixer finds use are as varied as the product worlds involved: It can mix different liquids and pastes, pastes with powders, one powder with another and various combinations of liquids and powders. Even materials with different chemical and physical properties can be mixed to form new products. Epoxy resins, lacquers, paints, silicones, oils, gels, emulsions, creams, epoxides, powders, urethanes ... the list goes on.

Fast, reproducible mixing results

Hauschild SpeedMixer® mixes homogeneous multi-material compounds in just a few minutesHauschild SpeedMixer® mixes homogeneous multi-material compounds in just a few minutesAs Fabio Boccola, CEO of Hauschild GmbH & Co KG explains: “In our fast-moving times, manufacturers must be constantly bringing product improvements or innovations to the markets. It’s often the tiniest modifications that make all the difference: a new taste in lipstick, oil bubbles in the shower gel, glossier paint, better adhesion of a glue, faster absorbing creams, etc. This development work takes place in the laboratory. The formula is altered and new elements added to test the effect on the product. The faster the result becomes available, the more effective the process. Thanks to its extremely fast mixing, our Hauschild SpeedMixer® shortens the product development, analysis and quality assurance process in the laboratory tremendously.”

Our success secret: leveraging centrifugal forces

DAC technology is the key to success. DAC stands for Dual Asymmetric Centrifuge and it lends its name to the Hauschild SpeedMixer® product range. The special feature of this mixing principle is the dual rotation of the mixing vessel. The combination of centrifugal forces working on different planes enables an extremely efficient mixing process to be achieved, distinguished by a homogeneous result without the use of mixing blades. Degassing of virtually 100 percent is achieved during the mixing process. Even the smallest micro-bubbles are eliminated, dispensing with additional degassing cycles. The Hauschild SpeedMixer® featuring vacuum technology is available for complete air extraction. Programmable cycles guarantee that every batch represents an identical, reproducible mixture, thereby speeding up the development process considerably.

Mixed – not stirred

As the Hauschild SpeedMixer® mixes in disposable vessels without blades, there is absolutely no need for cleaning or the additional use of chemicals. The dimensions of the mixing vessels and mixing buckets range from a few grams up to ten kilogram and from a few milliliters to a nominal capacity of up to 16 liters – depending on the intended size of the batch.

Further information: www.hauschild-speedmixer.com

About Hauschild Engineering:

The family-owned company employs around 40 people and has been developing and producing the Hauschild SpeedMixers®, which are sold worldwide, at the company headquarters in Hamm/Germany since 1974.

The original Hauschild SpeedMixer® offers perfect mixing results from a few grams or milliliters up to ten kilograms or ten liters for laboratories mixing substances in their R&D work as well as for companies that require small batch mixes for quality assurance.

Within minutes and without the use of stirring tools, different liquids are mixed with pastes/powders, pastes with powders, powders with powders as well as substances with different chemical and physical properties. The Hauschild SpeedMixers® including all components are manufactured following a high-quality approach - made in Germany.

Vysus Group (formerly LR Energy), the global engineering and technology company, has secured a framework agreement with the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), the government agency with regulatory responsibility for safety in the petroleum sector across the Norwegian continental shelf.

The agreement, which was awarded at the end of 2020, will see Vysus Group support continuous improvement related to safety and provide advice in risk analysis and emergency preparedness, helping the PSA investigate accidents and incidents over a two-year period, with the option to extend the agreement for an additional two years into 2024.

Robert Nyiredy, VP Risk Management ConsultingRobert Nyiredy, VP Risk Management ConsultingThe scope of work will include assessments to determine risk that may cause damage to offshore personnel or the environment, the evaluation of emergency preparedness conditions to limit the impact of an incident, and various studies which may include the assessment of new technologies, fire and explosion calculations, security systems or process solutions.

Leveraging decades of experience working in the Norwegian offshore industry, Vysus Group’s team of experts will also support the PSA on projects to highlight the level of risk within the petroleum activities.

A recent survey[1] by the Norwegian Statistics Bureau (SSB) has found that investments in oil and gas activity in 2021 are accelerating, with an estimated 166.3 billion NOK ($18.4 billion) boost to the petroleum industry, up from the 148.6 billion NOK forecast in August 2020.

Robert Nyiredy, VP Risk Management Consulting, Vysus Group said: “By proactively identifying risk, and arming asset operators with key data and insights, the PSA is helping to prevent serious health and safety issues and catastrophic environmental disasters before they arise, thus protecting the environment and the hundreds of thousands of personnel working in Norway’s oil and gas sector each year. This has never been more important than it is today, as operators face the challenges associated with reduced manpower and Covid-19 restrictions.”

Mr Nyiredy continued: “We are proud to continue our relationship with the PSA, and to have the opportunity to support its sharp focus on safety through this latest agreement. The appointment is testament to the trust and confidence that Vysus Group has built with the government authority, and our commitment to making global oil and gas operations as efficient and safe as possible through our specialist risk management services.”

[1] https://www.ssb.no/en/energi-og-industri/artikler-og-publikasjoner/upward-adjusted-estimates-for-oil-investments-in-2021

About Vysus Group

Following a strategic-carve out from Lloyd’s Register (LR), LR’s Energy business is now Vysus Group, a standalone engineering and technical consultancy, offering specialist asset performance, risk management and project management expertise across complex industrial assets, energy assets (oil and gas, nuclear, renewables), the energy transition and rail infrastructure.

Vysus Group retains LR Energy’s entire capability and continues to offer its full suite of technical, regulatory and operational expertise globally, with all 650+ of our global experts transitioning. Driven by its purpose to help clients manage risk and maximise performance, blending deep technical knowledge and data-driven insights with hands on expertise.

LR’s Energy business was founded in the 1930s following LR’s diversification from marine assets into the oil and gas industry. LR Energy has subsequently supported the transformation of global energy infrastructure, working on complex and large-scale energy projects around the world, becoming one of the leading engineering consultancy partners of choice. Vysus Group is currently using an interim logo and brand identity whilst we execute a thorough rebrand process. Vysus Group will launch a new logo, brand identity and full website in March 2021.

For more information about Vysus Group, visit: www.vysusgroup.com

About PSA

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) is subordinate to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (ASD) and has government responsibility for safety, emergency preparedness and working environment in the petroleum activities. The PSA shall set premises for and follow up that the players in the petroleum activities maintain a high level of health, environment, safety and emergency preparedness and through this also contribute to creating the greatest possible value for society.

PSA shall conduct information and advisory activities to the players in the petroleum activities, cooperate with other health, environment, safety (HSE) authorities nationally and internationally and contribute to knowledge transfer in the HSE area in society in general.

The PSA shall, through its own supervision, and co-operate with other authorities with independent responsibility in the HSE area, ensure that the supervision of the petroleum activities is conducted in a comprehensive manner. The PSA's area of authority also includes supervision of safety, emergency preparedness and working environment at petroleum facilities on land. The PSA demarcates and carries out targeted supervisory tasks.

Wednesday, 17 February 2021 11:01

New Free Fluke products when you buy a Fluke tool

Fluke will again be offering a free product to customers who purchase Fluke products between 15th February 2021 and 30th June 2021. Customers who purchase Fluke products through authorized Fluke distributors have the opportunity to claim a free product. Claim the free product through the Fluke website with the original proof of purchase, invoice, or receipt.

New choices in Free Fluke products
The Free Fluke products to choose from have been updated; you will find new choices in all eight levels of free tools to claim. They are separated based on the value of your qualifying purchase, starting at as little as only £200. For each level there is a fixed range of products to claim, based on the value of the original purchase through and authorized Fluke distributor. A qualifying purchase includes Fluke electrical and industrial test tools, Fluke Networks, and Fluke Calibration products. Full details for how to claim the free product, the range of tools available, and full terms and conditions can be found at www.fluke.co.uk/freefluke

2021 02 17 105903

How does it work?
For example, at level one, after spending £ 200 on a qualifying purchase, the claim can be made for a free unique Fluke TPAK™ Magnetic Hangclip, a soft carrying case to protect the newly purchased instrument, a Fluke 2AC VoltAlert™ Non-contact Voltage Detector, or a Fluke MT-8202-05 IntelliTone carrying case.  At the top levels, levels seven and eight, a claim for the free tool can be made for a range of Fluke measurement tools such as the Fluke TiS20+ Thermal Imager, a Fluke 1664 FC Multifunction Installation Tester or a PTi 120 Pocket Thermal Camera. Check all possibilities on www.fluke.co.uk/freefluke.

Fluke has everything engineers need for installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair in commercial, industrial and residential applications. The intuitive operation will save time when tracking down faults, meaning that the instruments immediately start paying for themselves.

Information about all Fluke products can be obtained via the Fluke website at www.fluke.co.uk.

Fluke’s mission is to be the world leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. The company’s products are used by technicians and engineers in service, installation, maintenance, manufacturing test, and quality functions in a variety of industries throughout the world. Fluke, founded in 1948, currently has offices in 13 European countries and distributes its products to over 100 countries internationally. The company’s European revenues contribute approximately 40 per cent of worldwide sales. Fluke’s headquarters are located in Everett, Washington State and the company employs over 2,500 people internationally. Its European sales and service headquarters are located in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Visit Fluke’s Web site at http://www.fluke.co.uk

Wednesday, 17 February 2021 10:54

Engine requirements for microgrids

Microgrids play an important role in the UK’s journey to net zero carbon. They optimise energy costs, introduce more energy from renewable sources and improve the resilience of the main grid. Reaping the full benefits of a microgrid solution requires careful consideration of all the components required. Here, Keith Brown, Technical Manager at DiPerk Power Solutions, the UK and Ireland's Perkins expert, explores the role of engines and engine maintenance in microgrid solutions.

The recent emergence of affordable micro-generation technologies has given households and businesses the ability to generate their own energy and reduce their reliance on the national grid. It allows residences and commercial facilities to generate power using renewable sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines and combine them with advanced battery storage to create their own microgrid, selling any unused energy back to the grid.

Power requirements

A microgrid’s formation will depend on the application and its power requirements. For example, an industrial facility may have peaks and troughs of productivity throughout the day, requiring different levels of power to run production. In residential properties, homeowners want to ensure that they always have power for everyday uses, such as electricity and heating water. While renewables are a clean and affordable source of energy, they might not be reliable as a power generation solution like a genset.

 2021 02 17 105241

Incorporating energy storage or a generator into a microgrid solution ensures that the facility or building will always have power. Reduced sun exposure, low wind levels and unpredictable weather are just some of the factors that can reduce the consistency of the energy supply. Storing unused energy or installing engine powered generators can guarantee reliable power when renewable energy cannot. A generator provides near instant power to the application if a facility requires an immediate boost to meet production and stores of renewable energy cannot fulfil requirements, to prevent any interruptions to power generation.

Choices

As a microgrid is typically built for a specific application, taking the time to choose appropriate components is vital. When setting out an energy strategy, best practice is to think long term, considering how to account for both the present position and planned future situation.

The role of the generator will also determine which engine is needed. The engine can be used to produce electricity, help send it back to the grid or be used as part of a combined heat and power (CHP) system to reuse the heat produced during power generation. An engines expert can assess the energy strategy and microgrid plan to make a judgement call on what engine will best support the rest of the system.

Up and running

Keeping the engine healthy ensures that the residence or facility always has access to reliable power — leaving the engine unattended increases the risk of faults that lead to engine failure and downtime.

Daily and weekly scheduled checks are an important part of engine maintenance. Carrying out daily routine checks, on fluids including coolant level and oil level, and system components like fuel system primary filters and v-belts, allows operators to both prevent and detect common faults. Operators can also check the fuel tank for water or sediment and check if draining is necessary weekly or every 50 service hours, depending on how frequently they use the generator.

Operators can benefit from monitoring technology to minimise the risk of costly downtime. For example, the Smart Cap can be fitted to any Perkins engine to monitor its performance in real time and alert operators to any abnormal data. Regular fluid analysis can also identify any issues with oil, fuel or coolant that might not be detected during daily checks.

As more of us aim to reduce our environmental impact and renewable technologies become more accessible and affordable, microgrids are becoming an appealing alternative to the grid. Collaborating with an engine specialist will help ensure that the microgrid offers the reliable power required to the application running. For expert help in specifying and maintaining your Perkins engine, visit www.diperk.com.

About DiPerk

DiPerk is the sole authorised distributor of Perkins engines in the UK. As the UK’s Perkins engine experts, the company supplies, services and supports the complete range of Perkins engines, used in variety of markets and applications, including agricultural, construction, industrial and power generation.

DiPerk’s national network of engineers are fully equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment and technology. The company offers next-day delivery on the complete range of genuine Perkins parts and provides a 24-hour, 365 days a year emergency breakdown service. DiPerk also delivers accredited Perkins engine training courses for customers and can help undertake a full range of engineering activities, from repair to remanufacture.

Plastic can be used to manufacture products for almost any industry, from packaging to aerospace. Manufacturers may use different methods to create and mould these products but there will always be one constant — heat. If the heating solution isn’t efficient, productivity and quality will suffer. Here Clive Jones, managing director of thermal fluid specialist Global Heat Transfer, explains the benefits of using heat transfer fluids in plastic moulding applications and explores the factors to consider when selecting a thermal fluid.

Electric heaters are commonly used in a variety of plastics manufacturing applications, such as injection moulding, extrusion moulding or rotational moulding. These tubular heaters provide rapid and accurate heating to increase efficiency when melting materials.

While electric heaters are a popular method of heating plastics, it does not always provide the user with enough precision to guarantee product quality. Alternatively, thermal fluids offer advantages over this heating technique because they offer even more precision to guarantee product quality. Engineers can use thermal fluids to heat a range of equipment in moulding processes, such as reservoirs, moulding machines and extruders, to exact temperatures by circulating heat transfer fluids at a controlled rate.

 2021 02 17 104848

Choosing a fluid

Matching the thermal fluid to the system and operating temperature of the application can help to preserve fluid life. Moulding processes, for example, require heat transfer oil with a broad temperature range to ensure effective heat transfer and maximum efficiency across production.

The chemical composition of the fluid will also impact its suitability for the application. Globaltherm® Syntec, for example, is a superior synthetic heat transfer fluid designed for liquid phase heat transfer. It has low vapour pressure, high conductivity and oxidation stability to better resist thermal degradation at higher temperatures. Alternatively,  Globaltherm® HF is an energy efficient oil designed for single fluid heating and cooling processes. It contains a resilient blend of additives to ensure trouble free service when managed correctly and has one of the highest flash points in the industry — 276˚C — for efficient heat transfer at very high temperatures.

Extending fluid life

Selecting a heat transfer fluid with a broad operating temperature so that it can be used for multiple processes may reduce operating costs, but only if the fluid is properly maintained. If thermal fluid is left unattended for long periods of time, degradation may go unnoticed until it impacts production. The degradation process can lead to the formation of carbon, a natural insulator that builds up in the system. This can lead to a lack of flow or the creation of hotspots, which can prevent the system from reaching and maintaining the temperatures needed — leading to quality problems with plastic products. At this point, manufacturers must draw a live, hot circulating sample and analyse the condition of the fluid while it’s in operation. Fluid analysis may show a need to stop production to drain, flush and refill the system, incurring costly downtime.

Regular thermal fluid analysis can slow the degradation process and reduce the risk of unexplained drops in productivity. Taking quarterly samples of the fluid while the heat transfer system is hot and circulating gives manufacturers an accurate representation of fluid condition. Tracking the analysis of each sample to look for trends enables manufacturers to understand what is happening in the system and allows them to intervene before degradation impacts production.

According to the World Economic Forum, the global plastics industry produced 311 million tonnes of plastic in 2014, and this figure is expected to have doubled by 2034. This expansive industry relies on heat to melt, mould and prep plastics effectively, so taking the time to choose the optimum heat transfer fluid for the required operating temperatures and taking steps to extend fluid life can help manufacturers effectively use this resource.

About Global Heat Transfer: Global Heat Transfer is a thermal fluid specialist, providing heat transfer engineering assistance and thermal fluid supplies. Services offered include sampling and analysis, 24 hour delivery of premium quality thermal fluids, system drain down / cleaning / waste management, planned maintenance programs and a broad portfolio of affiliated system design and installation services. It is part of the Global Group of companies.

The US is expected to dominate global crude oil trunk/transmission pipeline growth, accounting for almost one-fourth of the total pipeline length growth by 2024. With expected length additions of 4,900 km from projects that have received approval or are awaiting approval, the US is far ahead of any other country in the world in terms of pipeline growth by 2024, says GlobalData, a leading data, and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘Global Crude Oil Pipelines Industry Outlook to 2024 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Outlook with Details of All Operating and Planned Crude Oil Pipelines’, reveals that the total global crude oil pipeline length additions are expected to be more than 17,000 km by 2024. Of the countries studied for pipeline growth, the US is on top with 4,895 km, followed by Russia with 2,040 km and Canada with 1,443 km.

Soorya Tejomoortula, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in project delays and capex cuts in the US crude oil transmission pipelines segment. However, the sector is expected to gradually recover from the pandemic impact if the recovery of crude oil prices continues, and any potential ramp-up of production by the US shale producers in the near future.”

Among the upcoming pipelines in the US, Jupiter is a key announced pipeline with a total length of 1,094 km. With operations expected to start in 2023, Jupiter is being planned to carry crude from the Permian Basin to storage terminals along the Gulf of Mexico.

Capline Reversal is another key pipeline in the country and is expected to start operations in 2021 with a total length of 1,036 km. The pipeline will help to transport crude from the US Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. Earlier, the pipeline was used to carry crude to the refineries in the Midwest from the Gulf of Mexico, but it is now being reversed due to the shale oil boom in the US.

2021 02 17 104623

GlobalData also notes that Niger has the second longest crude pipeline additions globally, representing 11.8% of the total length additions by 2024. Only two pipelines are expected to start operations in the country by 2024 with Niger–Benin accounting for almost the entire additions with 1,950 km. The pipeline is expected to start operations in 2024 and will transport crude from the Agadem crude oil production field in Niger to the Port Seme terminal in Benin.

After the US and Niger, Uganda occupies third place with an 8.3% share with one pipeline, East African Crude Oil (EACOP), accounting for the entire pipeline additions in the country. EACOP is 1,443 km long and is expected to start operations in 2024. Like Niger–Benin, it is a transnational pipeline carrying crude from Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania.

  • Comments provided by Soorya Tejomoortula – Oil & Gas Analyst at GlobalData
  • Information based on GlobalData’s report: Global Crude Oil Pipelines Industry Outlook to 2024 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Outlook with Details of All Operating and Planned Crude Oil Pipelines
  • Announced/Planned: Denotes only new build assets that are in different stages of development and have not started commercial operations
  • Announced: A new build project that has not received relevant/ required approvals to develop/build the project is considered as announced
  • Planned: A new build project that has received relevant/ required approvals from the national government/ energy ministry/ regulatory authority/ local environmental authority/ port authority/local government, etc to develop/build the project is considered as planned
  • This report was built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

Germany’s largest whisky distillery is currently being built in Dresden. The plan is to produce 450.000 litres per year of the “Hellinger 42” brand in the Saxon capital from September 2021. For the process steps of whisky mash production, the Dresdner Whisky Manufaktur UG decided to cooperate with ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH, Ludwigsburg. The dynamic mash filtration system NESSIE by ZIEMANN in combination with the T-REX by ZIEMANN was ordered as key technology.

After start-up of the factory, two brews of 100 hl each are to be produced per day. NESSIE allows for high original wort concentrations of 20 percent or even more: “This is optimal for the whisky production process and provides us with all the freedom we want”, says Björn Stegemeyer, who, with his company HanseBev, was commissioned with the planning and project design. Furthermore, NESSIE worts supply the yeast with important nutrients, resulting in a fast fermentation and a high final degree of fermentation. Due to the very compact design, NESSIE requires little space in the building. The decision in favour of T-REX was taken due to its attractive economic efficiency compared to other mill systems and the optimal grist composition for the NESSIE operation.

Also convincing in whisky production – the dynamic mash filtration system NESSIE by ZIEMANN. Photo Credit: ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbHAlso convincing in whisky production – the dynamic mash filtration system NESSIE by ZIEMANN. Photo Credit: ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH

“We are pleased that we were able to open up a new and extremely interesting field of application through the outstanding advantages of our innovative solutions, especially because the initiative for the cooperation came from the customer,” says Holger Wunsch, Sales Manager DACH and Eastern Europe at ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH. “We are sure that this grist and lautering system will optimize the process flows for many whisky producers. Everyone who is active in this beverage segment should deal with this technology.”

At the Dresdner Whisky Manufaktur UG, they are pleased to be able to rely on ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH with regard to the mash filtration: “In Dresden, we are planning not only the largest, but also the most modern distillery in the country. Due to the energy efficiency, the higher yield and the first-class support, we deliberately decided in favour of this cooperation”, says co-initiator Thomas Michalski.

About ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA
ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA provides tanks and process technology for the beverage, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industry. In addition to process and storage tanks, the range of products includes the entire brewhouse equipment for breweries, from the malt intake to the bright beer tank cellar. ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA plans, engineers and automates the process and the cleaning technology in all production areas, including the installation of process pipework and the integration of all required utilities. For modernizations, capacity expansions as well as for completely new brewery plants – ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA is a valued and reliable partner for 165 years.

For further information, please contact:
ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH
Schwieberdinger Str. 86
71636 Ludwigsburg
Germany
Lucas Goebel
Phone: +49 7141 408 377
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

~ Breakthrough for the 2D materials sector ~

Graphene Flagship researchers have reported a new method to integrate graphene and 2D materials into semiconductor manufacturing lines, a milestone for the initiatives recently launched 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) — a €20 million project to bridge the gap between lab-scale manufacturing and large volume production of electronic devices based on two-dimensional materials.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have a huge potential for providing devices with much smaller size and extended functionalities with respect to what can be achieved with today’s silicon technologies. But to exploit this potential we must be able to integrate 2D materials into semiconductor manufacturing lines – a notoriously difficult step. A team of Graphene Flagship researchers in Sweden and Germany now reports a new method to make this work. 

The technique, just published in Nature Communications by researchers from Graphene Flagship partners RWTH Aachen University, Universität der Bundeswehr München and AMO GmbH, in Germany, Graphene Flagship Associate Member KTH Royal Institute of Technology, in Sweden, in collaboration with Protemics GmbH.

The integration of 2D materials with silicon or with a substrate with integrated electronics presents a number of challenges.

“There’s always this critical step of transferring from a special growth substrate to the final substrate on which you build sensors or components,” says Arne Quellmalz, researcher at Graphene Flagship Associate Member KTH and lead author of the paper. “You might want to combine a graphene photodetector for optical on-chip communication with silicon read-out electronics, but the growth temperatures of those materials is too high, so you cannot do this directly on the device substrate.”

Integrating 2D materials into semiconductor manufacturingIntegrating 2D materials into semiconductor manufacturing

So far, most of the experimental methods for transferring 2D materials from their growth substrate to the desired electronics are either non compatible with high-volume manufacturing or lead to a significant degradation of the 2D material and of its electronic properties. The beauty of the solution proposed by Quellmalz and co-workers is that it lies in the existing toolkits of semiconductor manufacturing: to use a standard dielectric material called bisbenzocyclobutene (BCB), along with conventional wafer bonding equipment.

“We basically glue the two wafers together with a resin made of BCB,” explains Quellmalz. “We heat the resin, until it becomes viscous, like honey, and press the 2D material against it.”

At room temperature, the resin becomes solid and forms a stable connection between the 2D material and the wafer, he says. “To stack materials, we repeat the steps of heating and pressing. The resin becomes viscous again and behaves like a cushion, or a waterbed, which supports the layer stack and adapts to the surface of the new 2D material.”

The researchers demonstrated the transfer of graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), as a representative for transition metal dichalcogenides, and stacked graphene with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and MoS2 to heterostructures. All transferred layers and heterostructures were reportedly of high quality, that is, they featured uniform coverage over up to 100-millimeter sized silicon wafers and exhibited little strain in the transferred 2D materials.

“Our transfer method is in principle applicable to any 2D material, independent of the size and the type of growth substrate”, says Prof. Max Lemme, from Graphene Flagship partners AMO GmbH and RWTH Aachen University. “And, since it relies only on tools and methods that are already common in the semiconductor industry, it could substantially accelerate the appearance on the market of a new generation of devices where 2D materials are integrated on top of conventional integrated circuits or microsystem.

“This work is an important step towards this goal and, although many further challenges remain, the range of potential applications is large: from photonics, to sensing, to neuromorphic computing. The integration of 2D materials could be a real game-changer for the European high-tech industry,” concluded Lemme.

More information on the Graphene Flagship and the exciting 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) project can be found on the Graphene Flagship website: www.graphene-flagship.eu.

Page 4 of 84