Concentrated cleaning solution removes rust, scale, mineral deposits
Madison Chemical has introduced DART 151 X-R (FIG. 1), a concentrated blend of acids and surfactants that penetrates and removes scales, rust, hard water, mineral scales and more from all manner of industrial manufacturing equipment, including heat exchangers.
With moderate to high foam characteristics, DART 151 X-R can be applied by manual, foam or immersion methods to clean even difficult-to-reach areas. It is ideal for a wide range of cleaning applications in varied industrial facilities and manufacturing plants, and is acceptable for use in food and beverage plants as an A3 acid cleaner in all departments.
DART 151 X-R is safe to use on stainless-steel alloys when used as directed; it produces a controlled etch on aluminum, copper and ferrous alloys. This versatile cleaner is typically used at 5%–25% by volume in water at 70°F–160°F (21°C–71°C) for treatment of rust, scale, hard water and mineral deposits. To speed the cleaning action for heavy deposits, use at 50% by volume with water to full strength. Conditions of use vary considerably due to the extent of and differences in soils and deposits as well as the base materials from which they are removed.
Before using DART 151 X-R food products and packaging materials must be removed from the room or carefully protected. After use, all surfaces must be thoroughly rinsed with potable water.
For more information, visit www.MadChem.com.
Advanced fuel oil intelligence tools to empower global traders
Sparta Commodities, a leader in real-time market intelligence for commodity traders, has launched Sparta for Fuel Oil, bringing unprecedented insights to one of the most opaque and complex markets. Designed specifically for traders and analysts, this new vertical introduces live blending intelligence, dynamic arbitrage tracking, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analytics, providing actionable intelligence across global fuel oil blending and bunkering hubs.
The fuel oil market has long struggled with fragmented data, inefficient price discovery and a reliance on supply-demand fundamentals. With the launch of Sparta for Fuel Oil, Sparta Commodities is addressing these challenges head-on. The platform integrates proprietary market data, real-time free on board (FOB) and cost, insurance and freight (CIF) differentials, freight analytics and innovative optimization tools to provide traders with a competitive edge in fuel oil trading.
Fuel oil markets are some of the most opaque and least understood in commodities trading with millions of moving parts from blending economics to arbitrage flows, feedstocks valuation and power generation, and gaining an accurate, forward-looking view has been a challenge for even the most sophisticated players in the market. Sparta for Fuel Oil delivers a first-of-its-kind intelligence suite that helps traders and analysts make faster, more confident decisions.
Built to meet the needs of the fuel oil market, the first version of Sparta for Fuel Oil will provide a new set of features specifically designed for the fuel oil market:
Sparta Breakeven Blender: Sparta’s breakeven solver works backwards on certain blending components of particular interest (often big swing barrels) to calculate their workable levels into each blending hub and compares them with current landed levels, providing forward-looking insights into their behavior.
Sparta for Fuel Oil Blender: Sparta’s proprietary live fuel oil optimizer for clear, actionable insights into global fuel oil blending components and economics.
Dirty Product Freight Calculator: Sparta’s Dirty Freight Calculator delivers instant access to reliable prompt and forward freight rates for > 400 global fuel oil routes across vessel classes.
According to the company, Sparta for Fuel Oil was built with one goal: to give traders a decisive advantage in a market that moves fast and is often misunderstood. It is a trading companion designed to provide a second opinion backed by deep analytics and a real-time intelligence ecosystem that covers both physical and paper markets.
For more information, visit www.spartacommodities.com.
Continuous ethanol leak detector
Leakwise, a global leader in oil-on-water leak detection technology, has launched its ID-223ET Ethanol Sensor, a continuous ethanol leak detection and concentration monitoring solution.
As ethanol plays an increasingly vital role in modern fuel systems, from E15 to E85 blending facilities and ethanol storage tanks, reliable leak detection has never been more critical. The Leakwise ID-223ET Ethanol Sensor provides unparalleled monitoring of ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures in water, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations while enhancing operational safety.
The ID-223ET Ethanol Sensor is designed to detect ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures in water, providing real-time monitoring of ethanol concentrations ranging from 10%–100% by volume. Engineered for versatility, it operates effectively in both wet and dry containment conditions. Its advanced early warning system ensures rapid spill detection and trend monitoring, with seamless integration into existing infrastructure via Leakwise PS-220 or SLC-220 controllers. Fully compliant with global safety and environmental standards, including ATEX, IECEx, UKEX, cETLus and SIL 2, the sensor sets a new benchmark for regulatory compliance and operational reliability.
For more information, visit www.leakwise.com.
Linear low-density flexible packaging grade with 85% PCR content
Borealis has introduced Borcycle™ M CWT120CL, a high-performance, recycled linear low density polyethylene grade (rLLDPE) designed to advance circularity in non-food flexible packaging (FIG. 2). Produced with 85% post-consumer recyclate (PCR) and 15% LLDPE booster, it is ideal for high-end applications where sustainability and circularity matter.
The rLLDPE is the newest flexible packaging grade based on Borcycle M, Borealis’ mechanical recycling technology that delivers high-quality materials in an energy-efficient way. Creating an LLDPE grade with 85% post-consumer recyclate content is a significant technical achievement, marking another milestone in Borealis’ EverMinds™ ambition to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
The new grade is tailored for blown film applications across primary, secondary and tertiary packaging. Key applications include stretch film and stretch hood, and films for agricultural, industrial and protective uses. By reducing the carbon footprint of final products, the rLLDPE helps Borealis’ customers fulfil their sustainability targets and supports the shift toward more sustainable packaging.
Borcycle M CWT120CL was developed together with Ecoplast—a member of the Borealis Group—in a project that began in late 2022. Its launch in early 2025 marks the culmination of more than 2 yr of work to overcome the complexities of incorporating a high proportion of recycled content while meeting the demanding performance standards required for flexible packaging.
The result is a material with exceptional stretchability, achieved through low gel content, as well as an excellent toughness-stiffness balance. These properties make it an ideal solution for packaging manufacturers seeking to meet or exceed the requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) without compromising performance.
For more information, visit Borealis launches Borcycle™ M linear low density flexible packaging grade with 85% PCR content - Borealis.
Non-fluorosurfactant perfluoroelastomer
Syensqo, a leading global provider of advanced performance materials and chemical solutions, has introduced a new range of high-performance perfluoroelastomers using the company’s proprietary non-fluorosurfactant (NFS) technology. The Tecnoflon® FFKM NFS products have been specially engineered to expand Syensqo’s successful FFKM offerings for semiconductor manufacturing and other highly demanding markets.
The new products, hailed as the first commercial FFKM materials on the market made entirely without the use of surfactants, respond to industry’s need for sustainability and are part of the company’s announced roadmap to phase out the use of fluorinated surfactants across all of Syensqo’s product lines.
The company is also planning to launch a series of NFS perfluoroelastomers with certified circular content, attributed by mass balance chain of custody. This comes in response to customers' requests for more circularity and aligns with the objectives of the EU critical raw materials act aimed at improving the fluoro supply chain resilience by reducing dependence on externally sourced fluorspar, a critical mined mineral.
The initial launch covers Tecnoflon® PFR 6055B for semiconductor dry applications or high-temperature industrial applications and Tecnoflon® PFR 6265B for direct plasma applications. The two new FFKM grades are manufactured in Spinetta, Italy and are commercially available as of April 2025. They will be rapidly followed by grades for wet process and very high-temperature applications. Typical FFKM uses include semiconductor seals and o-rings as well as several high-end transportation and industrial o-rings, where manufacturers are increasingly seeking to boost sustainability through circularity and elimination of the use of fluorosurfactant-containing products.
For more information, visit Tecnoflon® FFKM | Syensqo.
Heat trace multi-point control systems with SCADA/HMI software
Emerson has expanded its Nelson heat trace product line with the high-density CM3+ Circuit Management System (FIG. 3) that will help process engineers accurately monitor the functional and operational parameters of multi-point heat tracing applications. This transformative device offers comprehensive management of up to 40 control points, along with fully automated health checks of each circuit to enable data-driven predictive maintenance programs. Integration of Emerson Movicon™ supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)/human-machine interface (HMI) software and RSTi-EP distributed remote I/O drives overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), delivering plant-level visibility, reliability and connectivity in large-scale electric heat tracing systems.
Oil and gas, chemical manufacturing and food processing are among the industries that rely upon process heat tracing to guarantee smooth fluid flow, avoid freezing in cold climates and facilitate proper chemical reactions. As industrial heat tracing infrastructures have grown in scale and complexity, modern adaptive capabilities are needed to improve availability and prevent costly downtime. The Nelson CM3+ is specifically built to address these challenges by bringing enterprise-class Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to plant-level heat trace applications.
Based on Emerson’s Movicon open platform, the Nelson CM3+ supports engineers with real-time supervisory monitoring and dual resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensing of each control point, either locally or remotely, while optimizing energy consumption through Emerson Plantweb Insights™ to achieve sustainability goals. Movicon makes heat trace OEE simple and fast in a single platform.
Continuous circuit testing. One of the important benefits of the Nelson CM3+ is that it continuously monitors ground fault conditions with each of its 40 circuits, eliminating the expense of ground fault protection branch circuit breakers. At selected intervals, the CM3+ activates each circuit and monitors load currents and ground fault leaks, even when the system is not in use. Plant staff receive an automated alert notifying them to possible ground fault issues before a problem worsens and the system must be taken out of service. Movicon brings configurable alarm management that supports the ISA S-18 standard. Alarms are stored on a database for subsequent chronological or statical analysis.
Predictive maintenance. Additionally, by comparing earlier ground fault and load current values to current measurements, plant staff can identify adverse trends so that a problem circuit can be added to the maintenance log alert system. Predictive maintenance steps such as these maximize limited resources, significantly reducing costs by deploying maintenance only where needed.
Movicon’s analyzing and reporting tools can be used to record historical maintenance data. Trends, charts, tables, data analysis and an inbuilt powerful report designer are included to offer sophisticated solutions locally and over the Web without the need for additional tools.
Touch screen interface. The CM3+ features the Movicon™ Circuit Monitoring Dashboard, a 10-in. color touch screen that simplifies operation with its intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface. Critical real-time status displayed on the screen includes alarms, temperatures, ground fault and load currents, and set points, all of which are adjustable on-screen. For example, different values for the alarm and trip functions can be inserted to prevent nuisance tripping or the set value can be adjusted to compensate for the normal capacitive ground fault leakage that occurs in cables.
Robust industrial design. The Nelson CM3+ provides users with the same reliable performance that they have come to expect from decades of Nelson heat trace technology, but now with the added benefit of Movicon capabilities. Built for harsh industrial environments, it features C1D2 hazardous (classified) location protection and optional NEMA 4/4X/12 powder-coated or 304 stainless-steel enclosures, opening up a wider range of use cases, such as petrochemical refineries, wastewater treatment, agriculture irrigation, renewable energy and chemical processing plants.
For more information, visit http://www.emerson.com.
Acoustic imaging camera for compressed air leak detection offers higher performance
FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, has introduced the Si1-LD, an industrial acoustic imaging camera that brings faster and more accurate compressed air leak detection to those operating on a modest condition monitoring budget.
The new FLIR Si1-LD (FIG. 4) offers improved detection and quantification capabilities in comparison with the existing FLIR Si124-LD Plus, along with a higher upper limit frequency range. Compressed air systems typically lose 25%–30% of their air to leaks, resulting in proportionally higher energy bills, costly unplanned production stoppages, shorter compressor operating life, the need to purchase extra compressor capacity and increased maintenance expenses for the additional equipment.
Leveraging the advantages of ultrasonic technology, the new FLIR Si1-LD pinpoints leaks with enhanced imaging sensitivity at an affordable price. It offers a number of stand-out capabilities and features:
An array of 96 microphones (2 kHz–100 kHz) facilitates the automatic detection, location and measurement of compressed air and vacuum leaks from a safe distance of up to 130 m. Support comes from a 12-MP color camera with 8× digital zoom and LED lamp, facilitating the easy capture of visual details.
Bandpass filtering allows inspectors to effectively tune out any confusing and/or incorrect sources of ultrasound without manual tuning. Ideal for challenging leak detection applications where user input is advantageous, the inspector simply uses the bandpass filter to undertake manual tuning of the required frequency range and clearly displays the source of interest on very rare occasions when needed.
Single-handed operation of the lightweight, compact FLIR Si1-LD ultrasonic imager and industry-leading AI makes for an easy-to-use device with minimal training perfect for fast-paced inspections across large facilities.
The touch-screen interface displays high-resolution images for easy issue identification with real-time, on-device quantification in terms of leak volume flow rate and leak cost per year. Users can leverage this data to prioritize repairs. The data is also suitable for inclusion in sustainability reports as an indication of energy reduction initiatives.
Wireless data transfer ensures seamless reporting/analytics options, using either the online FLIR Acoustic Viewer or offline FLIR Thermal Studio effortless data backup and organizational team sharing, while also providing the backbone for over the air firmware updates. The software gives users the ability to half-create reports through pre-built or fully customizable templates.
The new Si1-LD industrial acoustic imaging camera provides a fast and precise solution that supports sustainable manufacturing. In addition to reduced energy consumption, the new device helps save on maintenance, repair, operation and capital and operational costs (CAPEX/OPEX) all while enhancing worker safety. With its minimum detected leak rate (MDLR) of 0.01 liter (l)/min at 2.5 m, the new acoustic imaging camera comes with two batteries, additional battery cover, battery charger, camera neck strap, hard case, USB memory stick, access to free versions of online and offline acoustic analysis and reporting software, and 2-yr warranty. A new accessory is the data transfer cable. This handy cable allows users to connect directly from the camera to a PC/laptop, supporting easy file access at organizations that forbid the use of WiFi and USB drives. Users can upload their acoustic images into FLIR Thermal Studio software or the FLIR Acoustic Viewer. Two versions of the Si1-LD are available, with and without WiFi. All other features are the same.
For more information, visit https://www.flir.asia/Si1-LD/.
New pump energy optimization solution launched to drive cost and carbon savings
Sulzer has launched the Sulzer Energy Optimization Service (FIG. 5), an energy efficiency and carbon reduction service that will create a new best practice standard for the operation of centrifugal pumps across their lifecycle for energy intensive industries such as power generation, oil and gas, chemicals and water desalination.
Launched to address the growing demand for industrial energy efficiency, the solution brings together digital analysis, machine-learning and ongoing monitoring with Sulzer’s decades of engineering expertise to drive down carbon emissions, enhance reliability and reduce energy costs. A 1% increase in global pump efficiency would save ~59 TWh of electricity—equivalent to New Zealand’s annual power needs. Some pumps’ efficiency could be increased by as much as 20%–30%.
Inefficient and unreliable pumps cost operators in the industrial sectors millions of dollars in unnecessary downtime, energy costs and carbon emissions every year. The Sulzer Energy Optimization Service offers a comprehensive solution that tackles this inefficiency, from identification through to improvement and monitoring.
For example, a pilot customer in Spain will now save €1 MM in energy costs and > 2,300 tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year as a result of energy optimization improvements identified by the Service. By rerating five pumps, energy efficiency increased from 72% to 83%, saving the operator 5,000 MWh in electricity every year.
Consisting of four steps, an initial pump energy audit identifies areas of inefficiency with Sulzer’s proprietary calculator, PumpWise, outlining the potential energy, carbon and monetary savings.
A tailored proposal is generated by Sulzer’s expert team presenting a range of options to return the pump to run at its best efficiency point through an engineered retrofit, with varying techniques such as hydraulic re-rates, specialized coatings, wear clearances and more. Each option weighs operational costs, investment, downtime, payback and efficiency guarantees. The upgrades are then implemented with support from Sulzer’s established retrofit team, which has delivered more than 4,000 retrofit projects globally since its setup in 2010. The team is supported by a network of more than 120 service locations globally.
Post retrofit, Sulzer offers a performance agreement to maintain optimized reliability and efficiency. This includes access to Blue Box™, Sulzer’s proprietary machine-learning technology that turns pump performance data into actionable insights.
For more information, visit https://www.sulzer.com/en/shared/services/energy-optimization-service. HP