Feb 16, 2016 Bristol, RI, USA… Linde Engineering of Munich, Germany builds large processing plants. When they were hired by Gassco (the Norwegian state-owned natural gas distribution company) to build a new gas terminal in Emden, Germany, one of their challenges was to find a proven static mixing device to blend the gases coming from two separate Gassco pipes into the new terminal.
Gases of varying densities, compositions, temperatures and flow rates would have to be thoroughly blended before entering the storage tanks in the new facility. The mixer would have to do the job with minimal headloss.
The project engineers first selected a static mixer from a prominent European company, but their product did not pass Gassco’s stringent tests for an in-line mixer that would last at least 30 years with little to no maintenance.
CFD and FEA analysis were conducted on a Westfall in-line static mixer 3050. The Westfall Static Mixer 3050 easily passed the test, but the cost of shipping the mixer welded into a 12’ (3.6m) by 48’ (15m) pipe from the US to Germany was prohibitive.
Westfall was in danger of losing the job.
The solution: have the patented mixer components fabricated in Germany by a company approved by Westfall. Have them welded in place and inspected by an outside company approved by Westfall. Create an agreement between Westfall and Linde/Gassco for this one-time fabrication using Westfall blueprints.
To make this long-distance construction project work successfully, German engineers traveled to the US to visit Westfall and their CFD and FEA analysts at Alden Labs. Westfall and Alden Labs engineers traveled twice to Germany for consultations with the Linde construction engineers. Westfall’s European Sales Rep, Andreas Woelker, facilitated every step.
By manufacturing and installing the Static Mixer 3050 in Germany, the project could be closely monitored for adherence to German building codes. By creating a customized licensing agreement allowing precision manufacturing of a patented US product in Germany, prohibitive shipping costs from the US to Germany were eliminated.
Westfall’s inline Static Mixer has now been welded into the underground pipeline bringing natural gas from the Norwegian Continental Shelf to the new Emden terminal on the German coast. Currently Linde Engineering is conducting final tests on the new facility and plans to inaugurate service to the people and businesses of northern Germany beginning July 2016.
Westfall’s Flow Straightener 3000 Used For Next Generation Rocket Fuels
December 12, 2016
Cryogenic fuels are gases that require extreme low temperatures to be sustained in a liquid state.
They include blends such as the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen mixture used to propel NASA’s Space Shuttle.
Accurate mixing and precision metering of cryogenic propellants are critical because their mass flow rate is so much greater than that of traditional fossil fuels.
To insure the precise delivery of these powerful liquid fuels, one US developer of next-generation rocket engines has added Westfall’s Flow Conditioner Model 3000 to its pre-ignition system.
This model is an in-line flow straightener that is proven to provide a (+/- .05%) fully developed velocity profile.
It includes 4 fin-shaped vanes that reduce or eliminate swirl, and adds 4 wing-shaped vanes to suppress excess turbulence and straighten flow. It enables repeatable error-free measurement and delivery of liquids or gases.
This flow conditioner is preferable to a perforated plate conditioner because it significantly limits headloss, avoids fouling and requires little to no maintenance. The interior of Westfall’s Flow Conditioner 3000 can be coated with 3M Scotchkote Fusion-Bonded Epoxy, which effectively resists corrosion and enhances metering for cryogenic propellants in sub-orbital and orbital rocket engines.
Photograph of the downstream end shows the two kinds of low headloss vanes that provide a swirl-free profile for accurate measurement of air, natural gas, water, oil and numerous other liquids and gases.
How Westfall’s Team Made A South African Engineer’s Top Choice Available and Affordable
May 4, 2016 Bristol, RI, USA… When a Water Treatment Plant in South Africa needed to increase their conversion of raw water to potable water by up to 57% (without building new infrastructure) they turned to PCI Africa, specialists in engineering and constructing municipal water systems.
PCI Africa then turned to Westfall because they needed to replace a pair of inline static mixers that had been underperforming: creating excessive headloss and inadequate mixing.
The Westfall units would more than provide the effective mixing needed, and would drop easily into the existing short lay length.
On April 18, PCI Africa placed the order.
The mixers had to be on location by the beginning of June. The cost of airfreight was prohibitive, and ocean freight would take more than 30 days.
This gave the Westfall team a narrow window of 5 working days to custom manufacture two 40″ stainless steel plate mixers with injection ports and flanges, put them through a 3-stage inspection process, then crate for delivery to the U.S seaport.
On April 22, Westfall shipped the order.
Westfall’s sales rep at JLS International reports that PCI Africa is delighted with Westfall’s affordability and speed of production on a custom order of this size. Because of the simple drop-in installation, the new mixers require no new infrastructure and will cause minimal interruption to the customer’s potable water delivery service.
When retrofitting older water treatment installations, engineers often find outdated static mixers, like the one here, that unnecessarily reduce pressure and limit the delivery of potable water.
How Westfall Helped An Overseas Customer Eliminate Freight Costs
Feb 16, 2016 Bristol, RI, USA… Linde Engineering of Munich, Germany builds large processing plants. When they were hired by Gassco (the Norwegian state-owned natural gas distribution company) to build a new gas terminal in Emden, Germany, one of their challenges was to find a proven static mixing device to blend the gases coming from two separate Gassco pipes into the new terminal.
Gases of varying densities, compositions, temperatures and flow rates would have to be thoroughly blended before entering the storage tanks in the new facility. The mixer would have to do the job with minimal headloss.
The project engineers first selected a static mixer from a prominent European company, but their product did not pass Gassco’s stringent tests for an in-line mixer that would last at least 30 years with little to no maintenance.
CFD and FEA analysis were conducted on a Westfall in-line static mixer 3050. The Westfall Static Mixer 3050 easily passed the test, but the cost of shipping the mixer welded into a 12’ (3.6m) by 48’ (15m) pipe from the US to Germany was prohibitive.
Westfall was in danger of losing the job.
The solution: have the patented mixer components fabricated in Germany by a company approved by Westfall. Have them welded in place and inspected by an outside company approved by Westfall. Create an agreement between Westfall and Linde/Gassco for this one-time fabrication using Westfall blueprints.
To make this long-distance construction project work successfully, German engineers traveled to the US to visit Westfall and their CFD and FEA analysts at Alden Labs. Westfall and Alden Labs engineers traveled twice to Germany for consultations with the Linde construction engineers. Westfall’s European Sales Rep, Andreas Woelker, facilitated every step.
By manufacturing and installing the Static Mixer 3050 in Germany, the project could be closely monitored for adherence to German building codes. By creating a customized licensing agreement allowing precision manufacturing of a patented US product in Germany, prohibitive shipping costs from the US to Germany were eliminated.
Westfall’s inline Static Mixer has now been welded into the underground pipeline bringing natural gas from the Norwegian Continental Shelf to the new Emden terminal on the German coast. Currently Linde Engineering is conducting final tests on the new facility and plans to inaugurate service to the people and businesses of northern Germany beginning July 2016.
Low Headloss Static Mixers: Function, Design & Use
Custom-designed and manufactured static mixers provide superior continuous mixing of single or multiple phase operations with repeatable results. The mixing performance can be accurately predicted based on flow rate, viscosity, density, percentage of mixture components and pipe dimensions. Westfall’s “plug and play” low headloss mixers are proven to last more than 40 years.
This paper describes in detail the general functions and uses for low headloss mixers and why they are in demand today.
Down Load Westfall White Paper