sulzer 01 2012 e complete issue

1/2012

RenewablesRenewable energy• Tailored pump technology• Solutions for geothermal

challenges

Alternative materials• Great advances in bioplastics• Products based on renewable

resources

Towards the energy transition• Modern surface technologies

| Sulzer Technical Review 2 1/2012

EDITORIAL

Using renewable resources

Sulzer Pumps

Pump technology and solutions

Sulzer Pumps offers pumping solutions and

related equipment and services.

Customers benefit from intensive research anddevelopment in fluid dynamics, process-orientedproducts, and reliable services. The global manu -facturing and service network of Sulzer Pumps ensures high customer proximity.

Sulzer Metco

Surface technology

Sulzer Metco enhances surfaces with coating

solutions and equipment.

Customers benefit from a uniquely broad range of surface technologies, coating solutions, equipment, materials, and services, as well asspecialized machining services and components. The innovative solutions of Sulzer Metco improveperformance and increase efficiency and reliability.

Sulzer Chemtech

Separation, mixing, and service solutions

Sulzer Chemtech offers products and services

for separation, reaction, and mixing technology.

Customers benefit from advanced solutions in the fields of process technology, separation equipment, as well as two-component mixing and dispensingsystems. The global footprint of Sulzer Chemtechensures local knowledge and competence.

Sulzer Turbo Services

Service solutions for rotating equipment

Sulzer Turbo Services offers repair and mainte-

nance services for turbomachinery, generators,

and motors.

Customers benefit from reliable and efficient repair and maintenance services for gas and steamturbines, compressors, motors, and generators of any brand. The global network of Sulzer TurboServices ensures high-quality local service.

Sulzer Innotec

Research and development

Sulzer Innotec is the corporate R&D unit for

Sulzer and third parties.

Customers benefit from contract research and technical services. The core competencies of Sulzer Innotec include material and surface engineering, flow technology and mechanics,diagnostics, certified testing, as well as manu-facturing and repair of precision components.

Sulzer was founded in 1834 in Winterthur, Switzerland,and today is active in machinery and equipmentmanufacturing and surface engineering at over 170 locations worldwide. The divisions are globalleaders in their respective customer segments, which include the oil and gas, hydrocarbon processing, power generation, water, aviation, and automotive industries. www.sulzer.com

About Sulzer

Dear Technology Professionals, Customers, and Partners,As the new CEO of Sulzer, it is my pleasure to present a very forward-looking topicin this issue of the Sulzer Technical Review. Renewables promise an inexhaustiblesupply of resources in the form of renewable energy or renewable materials. In bothcases, the goal is to find alternatives to limited fossil raw materials and to enablelong-term sustainability.

Everyone is talking about the growing use of energy from waterpower, windpower,solar radiation, geothermal energy, and biomass at the moment. Using the catchphrase“energy transition,” the future energy mix is being hotly debated. Nevertheless,everyone agrees on one point: the proportion of renewable energy will increase.

A factor in the success of renewable energy will, however, be its cost. Renewableenergy can only become competitive through the development of more efficienttechnologies. Sulzer has been making decisive contributions here and has been acce-lerating the progress. For decades, Sulzer has been developing critical operationalsolutions for the use, conversion, and storage of renewable energies.

In addition to energy transition, people are also increasingly talking about a “raw material transition.” Renewable resources can be used to create sustainablematerials such as bioplastics. Sulzer has achieved great success in bioplastic productiontechnology as well as in the development of products that consist completely of bioplastics.

This issue of the Sulzer Technical Review illustrates Sulzer’s wide range of activitiesin the field of renewables. You can read about our pump solutions for renewableenergy, about the challenges in geothermal energy, and about our latest developmentsin the field of bioplastics in this edition. In addition, you will also learn how modernsurface coatings support the energy transition.

I hope you enjoy reading these articles.

Klaus StahlmannCEO Sulzer

Sulzer Technical Review | 1/2012 3

CONTENT

On the cover:Mirrors concentrate the thermal energy of sunrays. The heat can be used for electricity generation,but also for high-temperature processing of materials. In this Usbek solar furnace 107000 mirrorsgenerate temperatures up to 2000°C.

Renewables4 Pumps for renewable power generation

Proven concepts together with new technologies battle the energy crisis

8 Renewable raw materials are part of the mixInnovative and sustainable product development at Sulzer Mixpac Systems

12 Sulzer analogyHow nature makes use of solar energy

13 Great advances in bioplasticsPolymers based on renewable materials

15 Sulzer worldWelcome to Sulzer Dowding & Mills in Melbourne

16 The heat is onSteam turbine repair in a geothermal power plant

19 Sulzer innovationA new system solution for challenging separation processes

20 Functional surfaces support the energy transitionSustainable use of energy and resources thanks to modern surface technology

24 InterviewErnst Lutz, Sulzer Innotec

26 Events & News

27 Imprint

4364

Several renewable sources will con-tribute to meeting the expecteddemand for clean power. Most

scenarios predict notable growth of electricity produced from wind, solar,biomass, and geothermal. Of these, solar power has the highest theo-retical potential, as the sun provides the earth with as much energy everyhour as human civilization uses everyyear.

Power from the sunConverting solar energy into electricityrequires a high level of technologicalexpertise. Photovoltaic cells and concen-trated solar power (CSP) systems are themost common technologies commerciallyused for solar-based electricity generation.Photovoltaic panels directly transformsunlight into electricity, whereas CSP systems concentrate sunlight to heat upa working fluid, which is used to operate

a steam turbine to produce electricity.This fast-growing type of solar technologyrequires strong, direct solar radiation andis mostly used in large, centralized instal-lations by utilities.

In CSP plants, pumps are needed to circulate and store the working fluid on the solar island. On the powerisland, they are used for condensateextraction, feed water, and cooling watercirculation.

Pumps for renewable power generationWorldwide, countries have made commitments to significantly increasing their share of

electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020. Sulzer Pumps supports fulfilling

these targets with tailor-made pumping solutions and services for concentrated solar

power generation, geothermal power generation, as well as novel concepts for the

storage of electrical energy produced from renewable sources.

Solar Thermal Plant Gemasolar, property of Torresol Energy, was the first central tower to be built with molten salts for heat storage of 19.9MW inSeville, Spain. The plant has storage capacity to produce electricity for 15 hours without sunlight.

Proven concepts together with new technologies battle the energy crisis


RENEWABLES


Tailored pumps for parabolic troughsystemsThe most widely used CSP technologyis the parabolic trough system, in whichlong trough-shaped mirrors concentratesunlight onto thermally efficient receivertubes located along the trough’s focalline. These tubes are filled with a heattransfer fluid, such as thermal oil, whichis heated to 285–310°C. Horizontal single-stage pumps are used to circulatethis fluid through heat exchangers to produce superheated steam.

Sulzer manufactures different pumptypes for this process:• ZF single-stage process pumps

(overhung)• BBS between bearings single-stage

pumps 1, HZB double-suction volutepumps (double flow)

The steam is converted to electrical energy in a conventional steam turbinegenerator or formspart of a combinedsteam and gas tur-bine cycle. Thedesign of the pump’s shaft-sealingsystem is fundamental to assure a reliable operation and to avoid leakages of the hazardous and flammable thermaloil used in this process.

Sulzer Pumps has extensive experiencein heat transfer fluid circulation applica-tions since the early 1980’s, when thefirst parabolic trough plants were

commissioned in the Mojave Desert inthe US.

Highly efficient central-tower systemsThe central-receiver technology allowshigher temperatures and reaches higherefficiencies than parabolic trough plants.Circular arrays of heliostats concentratesunlight onto a tower-mounted thermalreceiver containing a heat transfer mediathat converts the solar energy intothermal energy to generate superheatedsteam. This steam is converted toelectrical power through a conventionalsteam turbine. The heat transfer mediacan be either water/steam or moltensalts. Central-tower systems concentrateheat at higher temperatures comparedto other CSP systems, improving theirconversion efficiency. The working tem-perature in such a system is in the rangeof 500–600°C, generating supercritical

steam and thus optimizing the efficiencyof the thermal cycle.

Powering through the nightCSP generates power under direct sun-light, but the heat transfer process withthermal storage integrated into a CSPsystem ensures power generation duringthe night or during extended periods

ZEM/OHM seal-less pumps for heat transfer fluid circulation auxiliary.1 BBS pumps for heat transfer fluid circulation main.

RENEWABLES

Sulzer Pumps has extensive experience in heattransfer fluid circulation applications.

with cloud cover. The majority of CSPplants today are supplemented with natural gas fired steam generation. Thisway a plant can provide base-load powerat all times, ensuring a high commercialvalue to the plant owner. Alternatively,thermal storage technology can allowCSP plants to meet base-load demandwithout the use of backup fuels. Moltensalts are increasingly used today in CSPplants for heat storage or as primaryheat transfer fluids due to their high spe-cific heat capacity. When a thermalstorage reservoir using molten salts isintegrated into a CSP plant, electricitycan be generated after sunset, with anextended operation period typicallybetween 6 to 8 hours.

Pumps designed for high-tempera-ture applicationsIn central-tower units with molten-saltheat storage, the fluids can reach temper-atures of up to 570°C, while in parabolictrough plants with molten-salt storagethe temperatures are around 400°C. Thedesign of pumps for such high-tempera-ture applications requires extensive coor-dination between materials and planttechnology as well as engineering.

Vertical pumps mounted in tanks arepreferred nowadays to simplify themolten-salt system. This eliminates theneed for pump sumps, isolating valves,level instrumentation, and associated

heaters. It also reduces heat losses andallows the steam generator system todrain directly into the tanks.Sulzer's SJT-VCN pump 2 for the cir -culation of molten salts in a parabolictrough system incorporates the hydraulicsfrom the SJT range. It is a vertical mixed-flow pump with high capacity and medium-to-high head units. It is “engineered to order” and balances highefficiency, low submergence, and NPSH

(net positive suction head) considera-tions.The SJT-VCN for cold and hot circu-

lation as well as drainage and meltingsalt applications reach a maximum pres-sure up to 16 bar and can operate up to a maximum temperature of 400°C.Since 1985, Sulzer Pumps has been

supplying pumps for central-tower, par-abolic trough, linear-Fresnel, and hybridintegrated solar combine cycle (ISCC)applications. To date, Sulzer Pumps hassupplied over 450 pumps for more than25 CSP projects worldwide.

Power from the groundGeothermal heat originates from theearth’s consolidation of dust and gasover 4 billion years. The heat from theearth’s core continuously flows outwardand conducts to the surrounding layerof rock, the mantle. When temperaturesand pressures become high enough, themantle rock melts becoming magma andmoves slowly up toward the earth’s crust,carrying the heat from below. Geo -thermal technologies use the energystored in rock and in trapped vapors orliquids like water or brine. Theseresources can be used for generating elec-tricity and providing heat. Power generation typically relies on

geothermal resource temperatures>100°C. Wells drilled into geothermalreservoirs bringthese resources tothe surface, generat-ing electricity in geo thermal powerplants. Several geothermal plant tech-nologies exist today and the total global geo thermal installed capacity is~10.7GWe resulting in 67.2TWhe pro-duced per year1.

Extensive portfolio for geothermalplant technologiesGeothermal plant types include dry-steam plants where superheated pressur-ized steam is brought to the surface athigh speeds and passed through a steamturbine to generate electricity. In flash-steam plants, binary-cycle plants, or com-bined flash/binary-cycle plants 3, the

portion of the geothermal fluid which“flashes” to steam under reduced pressureis first converted to electricity with abackpressure steam turbine and the low-pressure steam exiting the backpressure

turbine is condensed in a binary system.New technologies like Enhanced Geo -thermal System (EGS) are under devel-opment in Australia and the US.Sulzer Pumps has been working with

customers to provide reliable and cost-efficient pumping solutions since 1982for geothermal power generation, withan extensive product portfolio and serv-ices. The offering includes productionpumps such as the SJT Geo, a verticalline-shaft deep well pump up to 650-meter settings specifically designed forgeo thermal water production applicationsat shallow field depths. Brine and con-


RENEWABLES

2 The SJT-VCN molten salt circulation pump for parabolictrough concentrated solar power plants.

Maximum pressure:up to 16bar/230psi

Maximum temperature:up to 400ºC/750ºF

Heat insulatedsupport head

Segmentbearing

Suction impeller

Strainer

Minimum distance to the tank bottom

Salt return to tank

Throttle bushing sealBellows

Salt tank flange

Umbrella device to optimize submergence

Tank bottom

…if governments around the world carry forward their existingintentions, renewable energy will provide up to half of the new power-generating capacity required between now and 2035?The table shows the electrical capacity in GW that is requiredto be installed according to World Energy Outlook 2011 New Policies Scenario. This scenario assumes that recentgovernment policy commitments will be implemented in acautious manner—even if they are not yet backed up by firmmeasures.Electrical capacity (GW) 2009 2015 2020 2035

Hydro 1007 1152 1297 1629Biomass and waste 53 75 109 244Wind 159 397 582 1102Geothermal 11 15 20 41Solar PV 22 112 184 499Concentrated solar power 1 7 14 81Marine 0 0 1 17

Did you know that…

Hydropower: The energy is extractedfrom moving water via a hydroelectricpower plant.

Biomass power: The energy storedin organic matter is released directly—in the form of heat or electricity—or converted into liquid biofuel or com-bustible biogas.

Wind power: The kinetic energy ofairflow rotates turbine blades to generate electricity.

Geothermal power: The energystored in natural reservoirs in theground is used to generate electricityin steam power plants.

Solar photovoltaic power: Solarcells contain a photo voltaic materialand convert solar energy directly intoelectricity.

Concentrated solar power: Mirrorsconcentrate the ther mal energy of sun-rays to produce high-temperatureheat for electricity production.

Marine power: Electricity can be generated from the energy in theocean, using technologies such astidal power, wave power, ocean- thermal energy conversion, ocean currents, ocean winds, and salinitygradients.

What are the sources of renewable power?

Sulzer Pumps has been providing pumping

solutions for geothermal power generation

since 1982.


densate reinjection pumps as well as allpumps for the thermal generating cycleare also in the product portfolio of Sulzer Pumps.

Flexible energy storageThe increasing share of electricity pro-duction from unpredictable renewablesources will change the way electricalgrids are operated. With the global targetof 20% of renewable power in the elec-tricity mix by 2020, a large share of non-dispatchable and highly intermittent gen-eration will lead to a need for largestorage capacity. Several technologiessuch as compressed-air energy storage(CAES), e-car batteryclusters, and elec-trolysis-producinghydrogen, as well as pumped hydro stor-age are likely to contribute to meetingthese upcoming storage requirements. Ina grid with a high share of installed windand solar power, the power producedmay temporarily exceed the currentdemand, resulting in power being“extracted” from the grid in order to sta-bilize its frequency. Pumped storageplants move water between reservoirsat different elevations, providing themost efficient means for large-scale gridenergy storage. At times of low electricaldemand, excess generation capacity is

used to pump water into the higher reser-voir. When there is higher demand, wateris released back into the lower reservoirthrough a turbine—thus improving thedaily capacity factor of the generationsystem.

New concept for pumped storageIn the early 20th century, Sulzer wasamong the first companies providingpumped storage equipment worldwide.Building on this experience, SulzerPumps has developed a novel conceptfor pumped storage dedicated to therequirements of the 21st century.

Small, decentralized pump storageplants consisting of centrifugal pumpsthat are used as reverse running pumps will be able to provide a quickresponse making them an essential com-ponent of a mixed power system. Thesetypes of storage plants will have aninstalled power that is lower than con-ventional pumped storage plants. How-ever, several of such units balancing alarger wind or solar park will ensureoptimal use of the re newable power gen-erated. These new pump storage unitswill make the use of excess renewable

RENEWABLES

References1 IEA - Renewable Energy Markets & Prospects byTechnology

3 Flash/binary-cycle geothermal plant.

Shamila StreitKey Account Manager Renewable PowerSulzer Pumps Ltd.Zürcherstrasse 128401 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

power possible without the need to sig-nificantly increase grid capacity. This willensure that the renewable energy, whosepower output cannot be controlled bygrid operators, will be smooth and dis-patchable.

Sulzer supports renewable powerIn order to limit the global average tem-perature increase to 2 °C, the share ofelectricity from renewable sources willgrow significantly in the coming years.Sulzer Pumps is continually developinginnovative solutions to ensure a productportfolio to meet the complete pumpingrequirements for the key technologiesthat will make this change happen.Pumps from Sulzer operate in concen-trated solar power plants, geothermalplants, biomass plants, pumped storageplants, and Sulzer Pumps also has a port-folio for carbon capture storage plants.

Sulzer provides complete system solutions with state-of-the-art pump technologies for renewable power generation.

Geothermal island

Separator

Hot brine

Production well

Productionpump (PP)

185 °C < T < 220 °C

2 km

Vaporizer

Preheater

Cold brine

Caprock

Organic fluid

Injection well

Brine reinjection pump (BRIP)

Reservoir

Power island

Dry steam

Wet steam

Organic fluid circulation pump (OFCP)

Steamturbine

Generator

Organicturbine

Cooling tower

Condenser

Cooling waterpump

4365

Environmentally friendly productsusually arise from social pressure,which originates either from legis-

lation, from direct customers, or fromthe consumer. Sulzer Mixpac Systemsdemonstrates how industry can take theinitiative.

„The world of plastics has become high-ly dynamic in recent years,” explainsSasan Habibi-Naini, Head of Innovationat Sulzer Mixpac Systems. „An increasingnumber of biopolymers are being devel-oped that are partly or completely madefrom renewable raw materials, and theirproperties are being investigated. We also

believe that the replacement of conven-tional plastics with biopolymers in ourarea is a response to the demands fromcustomers for more transparency.” Thisapplies to 2-component systems in par-ticular, as both the mixers and the car-tridges are typical disposable productsthat are used in large numbers in the markets and are disposed of afterbeing used only once. Sulzer MixpacSystems alone pro-duces more than 250million mixers and 3 billion assemblyparts for the global market every year.

For this reason, at the start of 2010, aproject team at Sulzer Mixpac Systemsheaded by Habibi-Naini started research-ing possible alternatives to the previouslyused plastics. Sulzer Innotec, the centralresearch and development unit of Sulzer,supported the project. „The CO2 footprintof their products is becoming increasinglyimportant for all our customers,” says

Habibi-Naini. „It’s important here thatwe design not only the end product to

Renewable raw materialsare part of the mixSulzer Mixpac Systems is one of the leading manufacturers of 2-component mixing

systems. These products are made of plastic and are used for the application of glues

and molding and sealing compounds. In 2010, Sulzer Mixpac Systems started a project

with the goal of replacing conventional oil-based plastics with biopolymers that contain

as high a ratio of renewable products as possible. Customers of Sulzer Mixpac Systems

can thereby create products that are more environmentally friendly and can thus meet

end users’ demands for more sustainability.

Innovative and sustainable product development at Sulzer Mixpac Systems


RENEWABLES

The world of plastics has become highly dynamic in recent years.

Vegetable cellulose or starch serves as the initial material for the production of biopolymers.

be environmentally friendly, but also asmany stages of the value-added chainas possible. We want to offer ourcustomers environ-mentally friendlyalternatives and todetermine the opti-mal ecological and economic solutionthrough dialogue.”

Mastering complex material requirementsThe wide range of requirements makesit necessary for Sulzer to carry out a sys-tematic evaluation of the availablebiopolymers. One of the requirementsplaced on the cartridges of the mixingsystems is that they must be able to with-stand high pressure, so that even veryviscous compounds can be processedquickly—sometimes under high appli-cation pressures. The cartridge must beso stable that, for example, it can survivebeing dropped from hip height without

leaking. And it must also represent aneffective barrier against oxygen, moisture,and sunlight in order to guarantee a shelf

life that is as long as possible. In addition,the mixer housing should be transparent,so that the user can check the mixingsubstances during the application. Thesearch is therefore not for a single plasticfor all the system components, but forthe best possible plastic for the different2-component materials and applicationareas.

The project team initially classified the materials according to their mechan-ical properties and selected suitable bio-plastics. It then investigated whetherthese materials could be processed toproduce the desired end productswithout making them considerably moreexpensive.


RENEWABLES

Functional prototypes were produced less thanone year after the start of the project.

1 Sulzer Mixpac Systems producesmixing systems completely from plasticsdue to their excellent properties.

Typical mixing systems from Sulzer Mixpac Systems 1 have a strong similarity to the silicone sprays fromthe hardware store: The compound tobe processed is viscous and is con-tained in a cartridge, whose contentsare applied with the help of a nozzlewith a mixing function. The cartridgeis clamped into a dispensing gun thatpresses the compound out of this con-tainer. Cartridge systems from SulzerMixpac Systems usually have twoadjacent cylindrical contain ers. Eachcylinder contains one of the compo-nents of the compound to beprocessed. Neither of the componentsis reactive on its own and can thereforebe stored over a longer period of time.Only when the two components arebrought together is, for example, aglue formed.

Means of production and

packaging at the same time:

the mixing system

The special feature of 2-component systems is the mixer 2. It is locatedin the tip and ensures that the twoconstituents are mixed together in thedesired mixing ratio to form a homog-enous compound. The functionality isbased on a structure in the interior ofthe mixer, which repeatedly dividesand diverts the materials flowing fromthe two cartridges until they are evenlymixed. There are two types of mix-ers:• Static mixers: Have no moving components that are driven from theoutside.

•Dynamic mixers: Based on movingparts that are driven from the out-side.

Cartridges serve as packaging on theone hand, but, on the other hand, arealso parts of the so-called applicationsystem with which the contents areprocessed. This dual function resultsin high and sometimes contrary material requirements.

Mixing systems from SulzerMixpac Systems

Biopolymers as ecological alternatives

Success criterion CO2 footprintThe proportion of organic carbon (thebio-based carbon content, BCC) in thenew materials should be as high as pos-sible. The higher the BCC proportion,

the more atmospheric CO2 will be boundby the material. „Biodegradability, onthe other hand, is not usually a criterionfor the user of our products,” explainsFelix Hirt, Senior Engineer at Sulzer

Innotec. One important reason is theunreacted residues of the two componentsthat are still present in the mixer whenthe cartridge is disposed of. „Due to theapplications for our product, biodegrad-ability is not an issue, as the residualmasses in the cartridges cannot be fore-seen. Reactive materials cannot be simplydisposed of. We therefore attempt to min-

imize the residual proportions in the cartridges through intelligent productdesign,” says Habibi-Naini. The CO2 bal-ance of these products becomes increas-ingly neutral with increasing organic con-tent because the CO2 that is released dur-ing combustion is exactly the sameamount that was previously absorbed inthe cultivation of the respective crops.

First prototypes for customersHabibi-Naini is pleased with the rapidimplementation: „Sulzer Mixpac Systemshas an innovation-friendly company cul-ture. We have been able to progress withthis project very quickly because we havehad the full support of the managementat all times.” The first prototypes were


RENEWABLES

2 A sophisticated structure inthe mixing tip provides uniformmixing of the components.Various mixers used in the industry are shown here.

Plastics that are generatedfrom renewable resources or that are compostable arereferred to as biopolymers.The initial materials forbiopolymers are, above all,starch or cellulose fromplants, such as wood, hemp,corn, or sugar beet. Bycontrast, conventional syn-thetic plastics are based onmineral oil.

CD: Cellulose derivativesPA: BiopolyamidePU: Biopolyurethane

PLA: Polylactic AcidPHA: PolyhydroxyalkanoatePHB: Polyhydroxybutyrate

PP: PolypropylenePE: PolyethylenePS: PolystyrenePVC: PolyvinylchloridePET: Polyethylene terephthalatePMMA: Polymethyl- methacrylate

PCL: PolycaprolactonePBT: Polybutylene terephthalatePBS: Polybutylene succinatePBSA: Aliphatic copolyesters

Non-degradable Degradable

No

n-r

en

ew

ab

leR

en

ew

ab

le

Sulzer Mixpac Systems improves the CO2 balance ofits products with an increasingproportion of biopolymers.

The results are now being presentedto customers. This offers them the oppor-tunity to design their added-value chainto be “greener”—which should not beunderestimated as a competitive advan-tage, as end customers now increasinglyinclude ecological criteria in the purchas-

ing decisions. In the meantime, Sulzerhas already been working on furtherinnovations to provide an improved CO2

balance. „With regard to transportation,we see a number of good possibilitiesto improve the environmental compati-bility of our products even further,” addsHabibi-Naini, hinting at the direction inwhich the journey could continue.


Sasan Habibi-NainiSulzer Mixpac AGRütistraße 79469 HaagSwitzerlandPhone +41 81 772 21 [email protected]

RENEWABLES

3 The cartridge of the new MIXPAC 25mLDoubleSyringe GreenLine consists of up to30% of renewable raw materials.

produced less than one year after thestart of the project 3. The biopolymerproducts consist of up to 30% of renew -able raw materials such as lignin, naturalfibers, starch, or lactic acid. The respectiveproportion thereby is defined in eachcase by the customer’s application area.

Sulzer Mixpac Systems is a youngcompany within the Sulzer Chemtechdivision. It employs around 430 people.The head office is located in Haag in Switzerland, near the border toLiechtenstein and Austria. The companydevelops, produces, and sells car-tridge-based metering, mixing, andapplication systems for multicomponentmaterials. Development and productionmostly takes place at the head officein Haag. In order to serve the Asianmarket, some production is also carriedout at a second location in Shanghai.The customers of Sulzer MixpacSystems are the manufacturers ofmolding compounds on a 2-componentbasis. These could, for example, beadhesives or sealing masses for indus-trial applications. Customers for thesecan be found in high-tech industriessuch as:• Automobile construction• Aviation• Electronics• Renewable energy• Construction work• Dental

Sulzer Mixpac Systems: Swiss quality and innovation

4366

Termites make passive use of solar heat in the operation of their enor-

mous residential castles. The meridiantermites in the North Australian steppehave to live with the fact that tempera-tures can fall to 5 °C at night but canreach tropical values during the day.This species builds itself a nest that isoptimally adapted to this climate. Thebase resembles a strongly slanted eye,with its longitudinal axis aligned exactlyto the local North-South meridian. Thecastle becomes increasingly narrow inheight, and finally ends as a narrowridge—similar to an axe lying on itsback. When the sun rises above the hori-zon in the morning, the complete broad-side of the structure is exposed to thesun—after the cool night, the whole nestbenefits from the warmth of the sun’sradiation. During the hot midday period,however, the sun is above the narrowcontour of the castle, which protects thenest from excessive heat.

Sunlight produces nutrientsLeaves of plants have performed photo-synthesis for millions of years. They pro-duce vital nutrients from sunlight usingthe green chlorophyll pigments. Thereby,they also provide food for humans andanimals.

Cold-blooded animals like reptilesand amphibians make passive use of thesun’s energy to maintain a constant bodytemperature. They use the heat of thesun to achieve their optimal operatingtemperature.

In addition to solar energy, nature alsomakes use of wind energy, which, ulti-mately, is also a variant of solar energy,as the air masses are moved by the ther-mals in the atmosphere. The Americanprairie dog, a rodent, builds its extensiveunderground burrow with a number ofexits. One of theexits ends up in adome crater that isconsiderably higherthan the surroun-ding ground. When the prairie windsweeps over this topographical rise, anegative pressure arises, which ventilatesthe burrow, as explained by the Bernoulliprinciple.

The typical oscillating movement ofpoplar leaves in the wind also fulfills aspecific purpose. The leaf shape, withits slightly offset lateral suspensions, andthe elastic leaf stem cause the leaf toquickly vibrate in the wind. The layerof air at the leaf’s surface is thereby con-

tinually refreshed, which facilitates thediffusion of gases and water vaporthrough the stomata on the leaf.

Renewables in the hornet’s nestThe use of renewable resources—cur-rently a much discussed topic in techno-logy—has long been a rule for plantsand animals. Natural organisms cannotsurvive over the long term without sustainable and resource-efficient house-keeping. From the cellulose of vegetablecell walls to the chitin of the armoredbeetles, renewable materials serve asnatural tools. The paper nest of waspsand hornets are architectural masterpieces.Starting from old wood slats, telephonepoles, or old trees, the insects chew offfine splinters and shape them into ballsusing saliva as glue. From these basic

biological materials, the fertilized femalehornet builds a first hexagonal cell inthe spring to start the nest and glues itunder a cover. Over weeks and months,the growing population of hornets buildsup the nest until a mighty, tiered towerhangs from the cover like an invertedpagoda.

How nature makes use of solar energyThanks to the rays of the sun, self-

renewing materials and energy sources

are available on earth. Today, humans

increasingly use these renewable

resources. In the world of plants and

animals, however, renewable resources

have been widely used since time

immemorial.

Hornets create artistic nests from renewable materials.

Herbert Cerutti


SULZER ANALOGY

Meridian termites enjoy an optimal living climate thanks to solar energy.

The sun heats up and moves air masses. Many animals and plants use the energy of the wind in a clever way.


RENEWABLES

4367

Bioplastics, or organic plastics, arederived from renewable biomasssources, as opposed to conventional

petroleum-based plastics, which aremade from fossil feedstock. In certainappli cations, bioplastics already have astrong market position: for instance, inmedical implants that dissolve in thebody or compostable mulch films for agriculture use. There are new productiontechnologies being introduced that makebioplastics available and affordable to the mass market.

PLA has very high potential for use inbioplastic applications because it resem-bles conventional petrochemical massplastics in its characteristics and can beprocessed using existing standard equip-

ment. PLA and PLA blends usually comeas granulates with various properties,and they are used in the plasticprocessing industry for the production offoil, molds, cups, and bottles.

Sulzer develops new process for PLAproductionFor long-term success in the industry, it iscrucial to improve the heat resistance ofcurrent bioplastics and to make themmore competitive in price. Therefore,Sulzer Chemtech and Purac, a companyof the Dutch CSM group, have jointly developed a new, cost-efficient polymer-ization process using lactide monomersto produce high-quality PLA. Thisprocess relies upon proprietary and

jointly developed polymerization tech-nology to efficiently make a range of PLAproducts from Purac’s specialty lactides.Purac produces D- and L-lactides (themonomers for PLA production, see box)in its Spanish production plant, whichhas a capacity of several thousands oftons. In March 2010, the constructionstarted on a 75000 t lactide plant at theirproduction site in Thailand (RayongProvince).

Improved heat resistanceIn contrast to commercial PLA, whichcontains a mixture of D- and L-lactides,Purac’s lactides allow the production of highly pure PLA types (based on L-L lactide or D-D lactide). This enables

Great advances in bioplasticsSulzer Chemtech has developed an innovative process that allows the production

of new grades of polylactic acid (PLA) with heat stability up to 180°C. This advance

makes the substitution of petrochemical plastics with PLA-based bioplastics

possible in a broader range of areas.

Polymers based on renewable materials

1 Sulzer delivered the modules of its new industrial-scale PLA polymerization pilot plant at the beginning of February 2012.

innovative PLA polymers with betterproperties, such as improved high-temperature stability.

The feedstock for this process is alactide originating from cane sugar orCassava starch. The PLA resulting fromthe Sulzer process does not require rawmaterial that originates from geneticallymodified organisms (GMO) and can therefore be certified as a GMO-free product.

With its substantially improved heat resistance, the new PLA product endurestemperatures of up to 180°C. Thisadvance makes it possible to develop applications in the automotive, electronics,and textile industries using this new typeof PLA.

Revolutionizing an industryThe new technology allows more efficientproduction of various PLA products andreduces processing and product-develop-ment times. In addition, it requires intotal less financial investment and istherefore more profitable. The entry bar-riers to PLA production are significantlylowered.

The successful integration of three core competencies of Sulzer Chemtechhas made this novel polymer productionpossible:• Static mixing and reaction expertise• Proven experience in piloting and

scale-up• Process and equipment engineering

capabilities.

Successful startup of industrial PLAplantIn 2011, Synbra Technology, a Dutchchemical company, successfully put the first PLA plantwith the innovativeSulzer technologyinto service 2. Theplant can produceup to 5000 t of PLAannually, which makes it the secondlargest plant of such a kind globally. Theconstruction of the plant was completedin early 2011 at the Sulzer Chemtech loca-tion in Allschwil (CH), and it wasfollowed by a commissioning and testingperiod.

The startup was successfully finalized,and Synbra Technology now producesvarious grades of high-quality PLA. Thecompany intends to assume a leading position in Europe as a supplier ofbiodegradable polymers from renewablesources, and it plans to expand the annualPLA capacity significantly. Synbra alsouses its own PLA production capacity to produce expanded PLA foam (E-PLA),an attractive biodegradable alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in avariety of application areas. Customers ofSynbra are manufacturers of packagingand insulation products, such as packag-ing boxes for food.

Sulzer builds a new PLA plant in 2012Sulzer Chemtech demonstrated its dedi-cation to bioplastic development throughits recent decision to invest in its own1000 t-per-year PLA pilot production plant 1. This move will enable Sulzer to support its clients in the development of

new PLA applications—both by providingsamples in sizeable quantities and bydemonstrating the feasibility of Sulzer’sPLA polymerization technology. It isplanned that the plant, which will be located in Switzerland, will be operationalin May 2012.


RENEWABLES

2 The PLA plant at Synbra has a capacity of 5000t per yearand is based on a new polymerization process jointlydeveloped by Sulzer and Purac.

PLA stands for polylactic acid. It is a bioplastic produced through the ring-opening polymerization of lactidemonomers. The lactide monomers are based on lactic acid produced by the fermentation of sugar or starch(see also STR 1/2008, page 8).The characteristics of the polymer can be engineered through the selective mixing of lactides from counter -clockwise D(–) and clockwise L(+) lactic-acid molecules.In the near future, cellulosic material from wood, grass, or agricultural wastes could substitute for sugar asa raw material, thus avoiding competition with the food chain. This change could create synergies withother processes that use cellulose, such as those in the pulp and paper industry.

What is PLA?

Torsten WintergersteSulzer Chemtech AGSulzer-Allee 488404 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 42 [email protected]

“We looked for an industrial PLA process allover the world and found the most advancedtechnology available at Sulzer.”Jan Noordegraaf, Managing Director, Synbra

Monomer Polymer (PLA)Raw material(sugar or starch, e.g., from cassava)

D-lactide L-lactide

CH3

CH3CH3

CH3

H

H

H

H

With the newly builtworkshop, SulzerDowding & Mills

Melbourne is nowable to repair over700 railway machi-

nes per year.

Sulzer Dowding & Mills Melbournewas established in the early 1990s

with the aim of expanding the networkin Australia. The site was designed with two high bays with overhead cranesthat service the entire working area. The company is set up to service andrepair all types of electric motors. Thebranch has seen steady growth and has become a key supplier to the keyindustries of the state of Victoria. It servescustomers in the power generation, oilrefining, automotive, and steel manufac-turing sectors.

When wind power was introduced in Victoria in the early 2000s, SulzerDowding & Mills Melbourne was ableto leverage its expertise in repairing largealternators and has become a keysupplier to this sector, servicing threewind farms in Victoria.

Major expansion following an impor-tant transport contractSulzer Dowding & Mills Melbourne hasseen substantial expansion in recenttimes. This development follows theaward of a contract to repair and servicethe traction motors and motor alternatorsfor Melbourne’s commuter fleet of trains. In 2011, Sulzer Dowding & MillsMelbourne under-went a AUD 3.0 mil-lion expansion pro-gram; it purchasedkey equipment to beable to repair over 700 railway machinesper year. Sulzer designed and built anextra 1000m2 of high-bay workshop re -sulting in a total of 2400m2 of workshopspace, which is serviced by four overheadcranes. It also increased its staffing byover 50% to 47 employees.

Welcome to Sulzer Dowding & Millsin MelbourneSulzer Dowding & Mills Melbourne has developed from a small

workshop to a major service facility over the past two decades.

After successful expansions, Sulzer Dowding & Mills Melbourne

now is a key supplier for several industries, including public

transport systems and wind farms.


SULZER WORLD

LEAN principles in actionMaking use of Sulzer LEAN principles,the branch management designed onebay as a production line for the serviceof all DC traction motor machines.Machines enter from the rear of the build-ing, progress through the repair depart-ments, and finish at the front of the work-shop ready to be dispatched. The branch

management sourced key labor-savingmachines from around the world andinstalled state-of-the-art automatic testingand undercutting machines.

In the first 15 months of this currentcontract, over 800 traction motors passedthrough the workshop. The high standardand reliability of repairs have helped toimprove the services of the rail operatingcompany.

Prepared for the future with majorcustomerSulzer Dowding & Mills Melbourne isnow a key supplier to the City of Melbourne’s public transport system.Services not only include repairs of trainequipment, but also have been expandedto Melbourne’s public tram fleet. Bybuilding this new workshop, SulzerDowding & Mills Melbourne is now wellpositioned for further growth.

The high standard and reliability of repairs have helped to improve the services of the railoperating company.

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For more information:www.sulzer.com/TS/Australia

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Sulzer Turbo Services Indonesiawas awarded a contract to over-haul a steam turbine unit in a

geothermal power plant at the endof 2011. The power plant is locatedin West Java, Indonesia, and belongsto a state-owned energy company,which has recently started developingbusiness in the geothermal power

industry. The Japanese-made unit isa single-casing double-flow condens-ing type with 2×12 stages and has a60 MW capacity. During the scope ofthe overhaul, the unit was disassem-bled, cleaned, inspected, reassembled,and commissioned. The OEM engi-neers were also available on site to supervise the job.

Serious findings and utmost urgencyDuring rotor inspection, serious damagewas found: all stage-1 blades had beendamaged by a foreign object, and ninelast stage, or stage-12, blades werecracked. The cracks started at the leadingedges. This was a difficult situation forthe customer, as shutting down theturbine would result in production losses

The heat is onThe heat from inside the earth is a source of energy with huge potential. More and more

countries are investing in geothermal power generation. However, the maintenance

and repair of geothermal power plants is challenging. Recently, Sulzer Turbo Services

Indonesia faced a major emergency repair of a 60MW steam turbine and managed

the seemingly impossible: blade replacement in less than a month. In this project,

the heat was definitely on…

Indonesia is located along the so-called Ring of Fire and hosts some of the largest resources of geothermal energy in theworld. The picture shows Mount Papandayan, West Java.

Steam turbine repair in a geothermal power plant


RENEWABLES

blades. In parallel, the stage-1 bladescould also be procured within the timeframe, which was less than onemonth. With this option, the down-time could be minimized without losing the power capacity. Sulzer also advised the customer to upgradethe material of the blades from 13%chromium to 17-4 PH stainless steel forbetter mechanical properties and corro-sion resistance. Faced with productiondemand and time considerations, the

customer accepted all of Sulzer TurboServices’ recommendations. In addition,the customer awarded Sulzer anothercontract to supply the new blades, repairthe cracked blades, and perform the reinstallation.

Rapid repair activities, on-timedeliveryBecause of the tight schedule, the Sulzercrew was mobilized to conduct thedeblade inspection on site; it then con-tinued with blade removal. Bladesamples were removed for reverse engi-neering and manufacturing. Meanwhile,the cracked stage-12 blades were to belaser-welded in Indonesia. Laser weldingwas selected as the welding repairmethod for the cracked blades becauseof the low heat input it requires. Withlow heat input, residual stress, the heat-affected zone (HAZ), and deformationcan all be minimized. After the weldingwas completed, the blades were soakedfor post-weld heat treatment to restorethe original properties.The manufacturing of the new stage-1blades was completed in only ten days,including the reverse engineering. Thenew stage-1 blades were ready even


RENEWABLES

1 The customer decided to go with the Sulzer solution, which provided betterdelivery time and an improved blade as a replacement. This picture shows thereloading of the repaired last-stage blades.

of about USD 70000 per day. Therefore,the customer was interested in a quicksolution for repairing the rotor.

The OEM had offered to replace thestage-1 and stage-12 blades of the gov-ernor side with a delivery time of five

months. An alternative solution that theOEM proposed included only the replace-ment of the stage-1 blades and the cuttingof the last stage blades’ airfoils. Withthis alternative, the unit would be ableto run again after a month while waitingfor new sets of stage-12 blades. However,this option would cause significant per-formance losses.

Sulzer Turbo Services proposed abetter solution and offered to removethe stage-12 blades from the rotor and to repair the cracked ones bywelding, while the others would become the models for reverse engineer-ing and manufacturing of replacement

Shutting down a turbine iscostly; in this case, USD 70000 per day.

Recharge area

Hot spring or steam vent

Geothermal well

Cold meteoric waters

Hot fluids

Reservoir (thermal convection)Impermeable rock (thermal conduction)

Flow of heat (conduction)

Magmatic intrusion

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

1

23

4

5

8

9

6

7

(Picture: International Geothermal Association)

When water is heated by the earth’s heat, hot water or steam can be trappedin permeable and porous rocks under a layer of impermeable rock, and ageothermal reservoir can form. This hot geothermal water can manifest itself onthe surface as hot springs or geysers, but most of it stays deep underground,trapped in cracks and porous rock. This natural collection of hot water is calleda geothermal reservoir.

Principles of geothermal systems

before the cracked-blade repair wascomplete. All of the blades—the newstage-1 blades and the repaired stage-12blades—passed several inspections—such as dimensional testing and non-destructive examination. After that,they were finally installed on the rotor1. The completed rotor was then low-speed balanced to ensure that theresidual unbalancewas within thespecification. Allrepair shop activitieswere completed within 28 days—twodays earlier than committed to in thecontract schedule.

Root cause analysis supportedSulzer’s recommendationSulzer Turbo Services Indonesia was fur-ther requested to perform failure analysison the failed/cracked blades. The stage-12 blade was modeled in finite elementsoftware, and a static stress analysis wascompleted. The result indicated that thehigh-tensile stress location matched thelocation of the crack 2. The metallurgicalexamination revealed that the crack wasfrom stress corrosion cracking (SCC) 3.

SCC is the combined action of stress anda corrosive environment, which leads tothe formation of cracks under tensileload. The examination found that thecrack was rough and branching. Thisroot cause analysis result supportedSulzer’s recommendation to upgradematerial from 13% chromium to 17-4PHstainless steel. Sulzer Turbo Services

Indonesia is currently testing a possibleblade redesign that may help reduce thestress level on the blade in the future.

Back to service, strong customerpartnershipAfter all the shop-side repair activitieshad been completed, the rotor wasshipped back to the site for installation.No vibration or performance issues wererecognized during startup. The turbinereached 60 MW not long after startupand is now generating electricity for theregion. The upgraded stage-12 bladereplacements were completed only twomonths after the initial delivery.

Thanks to experience, good preparation,and foresight, Sulzer Turbo ServicesIndonesia once again succeeded in pro-viding a rapid and economical solutionfor a customer challenge. In addition,Sulzer Turbo Services Indonesia helpedintensify customer partnership by offeringforward-looking suggestions for improve-ments to the rotor. These upgrades willsave the customer on maintenance andrepair costs in the future.

Hepy HanipaPT Sulzer Turbo Services Indonesia Kawasan Industri Kota Bukit IndahBlok AII, Kav 1C-1D PurwakartaIndonesiaPhone +62 264 [email protected]


RENEWABLES

2 Finite element modeling and static stress analysis of thestage-12 blade showed that the highest tensile stress (red area)is located at the area of the crack.

3 The crack path indicates stress corrosion cracking (SCC).

Sulzer Turbo Services outpaces thecompetition with better solutions.

3µm

25mm

With an impressive 28100MW potential, Indonesia has approxi mately 40% of the world’s geothermal energy reserves. Of that, 1197MW has been leveraged.Indonesia ranks third in the world in terms of geothermal energy consumptionafter the US and the Philippines. TheIndonesian government recentlyannounced that it has signed USD 5 billion worth of geother mal energydeals. It aims to reach 9000 MW fromgeothermal resources by 2025 and tobe the world’s largest producer ofgeothermal energy.Sulzer Turbo Services Indonesia is a well-established, state-of-the-art rotating-equipment service center. It was founded in 1994 as a joint venture. The companyoperates comprehensive, well-equipped workshop facilities that offer a wide rangeof quality services to the rotating-equipment market.

Geothermal energy in Indonesia

United States 3086

Philippines 1904

Indonesia 1197

Mexico 958

Italy 843

Top five countries generating geothermal power in 2010(installed capacity in MW):

(According to GeothermalEnergy: International MarketUpdate, May 2010)

1 Sulzer AYPlus™ DC packing: ready for installation in anindustrial distillation unit.

2 The arm channel of the new liquiddistributor VEPK distributes extremely lowliquid flow rates.

4370

as those below 0.1m3/m2h. Comparedto structured packing made of metal orplastic sheets, the new Sulzer AYPlus™DC packing is more than twice as efficientin the targeted application range 1. The

outstanding wetting behavior is achievedby capillary forces, which spread theliquid and avoid the formation of rivulets.Thereby, the pressure drop is evensmaller than with conventional structuredpacking.

A new, patented distributor systemIn order to ensure sufficient initial dis-tribution quality, it is very important toevenly distribute the liquid across thecross-sectional area when the liquid isfed into the top of the packing. Conven-tional liquid distributors are not able to achieve sufficient distribution qualitywith such low liquid flow rates. The new,patented liquid distributor type VEPKachieves the required distribution qualitythrough a two-step process, where the second step, again, uses capillaryforces 2.

A new system solution for challengingseparation processesSulzer Chemtech recently introduced the new structured packing AYPlus™ DC to

the market. It is combined with a new distributor system—the VEPK. This Sulzer

solution for thermal separation performs outstandingly in challenging processes

with extremely low aqueous liquid loads and makes some demanding applications

technically and commercially feasible.


Johannes RauberSulzer Chemtech Ltd.Sulzer-Allee 488404 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 38 [email protected]

SULZER INNOVATION

The wettability of the packing materialhas a decisive impact on the separation

efficiency. The most important physicalproperty that determines the wettingbehavior of liquids on surfaces is the sur-face tension. Separation processes involv-ing aqueous systems need to deal withthe high surface tension of water.Aqueous systems show poor wetting onplain steel, plastic, and glass surfaces,which leads to critical limitations for thedesigners of such units.

Industrial implementation and targeted applicationsTogether, Sulzer AYPlus™ DC and VEPKform a solution that has already beensuccessfully applied in industrial appli-cations. Separating water from high-boil-ing organic components to achieve pureproducts was the first industrial appli-cation. Removal of water-soluble, high-boiling components from gas streams isanother promising application. Here, themain goal is the absorption of solventsfrom flue gases in post-combustioncarbon capture absorber units (CCS) tominimize the emissions of toxic compo-nents to the atmosphere.

The new packing shows improvedwetting behaviorBy making use of new materials, an almost complete wetting of the geomet-rical surface area can be achieved—evenat extremely low water flow rates, such

The efficiency of the packinghas been more than doubled.

Distillation and absorption applicationsare thermal-separation processes wheremass transfer between the gas andliquid phases is the fundamental mechanism of the separation. The effective interfacial area between the

vapor phase and the liquid phase is thereby the single most important factorfor the separation efficiency of the unit.Column internals, such as structuredpackings, are used to maximize the interfacial area between the phases.

How can the separation efficiency be improved?

4371

mbitious targets for emission control and the reduction of

CO2 emissions have alreadybeen introduced as binding standards in many countries. In the US state ofCalifornia, for example, the goal is toreduce the emission of greenhouse gases to 20 % of 1990 levels by 2050.Goals of this kind define the scope andthe speed of the development of energy

technologies1, and they can only be achieved in the medium and long termthrough the introduction and furtherdevelopment of new technologies (such as biogas, wind energy, solarenergy, hydropower, and hydrogen tech-nology). In the short term, however, greatsuccess can be achieved by increasingthe efficiency of energy generation, aswell as in the use of energy, particularly

in residential applications and the trans-port sector.

Coatings ensure optimal use of fuel Efforts to make the best possible use offuel in stationary gas turbines and aircraftengines basically concentrate on furtherincreasing the gas temperatures and thepressure differences between the stagesof the turbine. A very effective measure

Functional surfaces supportthe energy transitionSulzer Metco holds leading market positions in surface engineering. With its tailor-made

solutions, customers can save energy and resources, which increases the competitive-

ness of their products and processes. Modern coatings make it possible to significantly

increase energy efficiency and to make sustainable use of renewable energy.

Sustainable use of energy and resources thanks to modern surface technology


RENEWABLES

Sulzer Metco is the world leader in the development of coating solutions for energy-efficient gas turbines.

A

The new version of the TriplexPro-210 plasma spray gun is based on the successfulSulzer Metco TriplexPro product line, with simplified maintenance and more robustperformance.

Simplified consumable parts

• Quicker, easier gun maintenance • Significantly reduced potential for assembly errors

Keyed and numbered electrode

power connectors

• Simplified data logging and quality management

Helium-free operation

• Reduced spray process costs using low helium or helium-free parameters (examples: Ar only, Ar/N2, or Ar/H2)

Robust design

• Stands up to harsh thermal spray environments • Trouble-free long spray runs

New TriplexPro™-210 plasma spray gun

that is also cost-effective is the use ofthermally sprayed abradable coatings asa sealing system between the rotatingand stationery components of individualturbine stages 1. Savings in operatingcosts of USD 1 million per year havebeen achieved for a modern gas turbinethrough the reduction of the sealing gapby 1 mm in stages 1 and 2, whereby thehotter first stage provides two-thirds ofthe total savings.2 Along with energyuse, greenhouse gas emissions are alsoreduced.

Sulzer Metco holds leading positionsin the development and introduction ofmodern high-temperature resistant mate-rials for abradable coatings in accordancewith the efficiency goals set by originalequipment manufacturers (OEMs).

A major contribution was the develop -ment of the material Durabrade™ 2192,which is suitable for use as a turbinesealant up to temperatures of 1200°C.2

Coatings made from this material exhibitexcellent abradable behavior combinedwith excellent thermal-shock resistance,which is twice that of yttrium-stabilizedzirconium oxide coatings with compara-ble porosity. Further development pro-grams are currently running to meet therequirements of the turbine manufacturersfor additional increases in temperatureand energy efficiency.

Functional surfaces for high-perfor-mance fuel cellsSolid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have anequally great potential to make an impor-tant contribution to energy savings.3 Thehighest efficiency for the production ofelectrical energy is achievable with anSOFC having a power range betweenone and several hundred megawatts.Due to its thermal spray and materialengineering experience, Sulzer Metcohas become an important partner of leading SOFC manu facturers. Like that of gas turbines, the successof SOFCs with regard to performanceand service life largely depends onsurface coatings, some of which can bevery efficiently produced by thermalspraying. Currently, several hundred

thousand SOFC interconnectors are coat-ed annually with a layer of lanthanum-strontium manganate (LSM) to preventchromium evaporation from the metalinterconnectors. Metco 6800 and Metco6801 spray materials, as well as the newTriplexPro™-210 plasma spray gun, areused for this purpose.

The plasma spray thin film process(PS-TF) provides another coating solution

for SOFC components. This technologyhas a chamber pressure of approximately1 mbar (the ambient pressure for plasmaflame and component) and creates a verylong, wide plasma jet, through whichthe coating material is evenly distributedover a comparably large area (diameterof approximately 200 mm).3 Sulzer Metcohas continually developed the PS-TFprocess further and offers a wide rangeof solutions for the effective applicationof thin and thick layers of ceramic andmetallic materials onto large surfaceareas.

Coated glass saves energy in buildingsSaving energy is not only important inindustrial production, but also in thehome, in building technology, and indaily life. Thermal spray coatings fromSulzer Metco also make an indirect con-tribution in these areas, for example, incoated architectural glass. Coating of theglass is carried out using a PVD process(magnetron sputtering), in which rotatingtube targets are becoming common.These are often manufactured by thermalspray (e.g., TiOx targets). The large areaof the targets and the required coatingthickness of up to 11 mm require maxi-mum deposition rates, which can onlybe achieved by the latest plasma spray


RENEWABLES

1 Principle of thermally sprayed abradablecoatings (example: compressor blade).

Abradable Coating

Casing

CompressorBlade

Sulzer offers efficient coatingsolutions for fuel cells.


RENEWABLES

The advantages of this new powdercan be clearly seen in Fig. 2. With veryhigh feed rates, high deposition efficien-cies in the range of 70% are achievable.The abovementioned measures save con-siderable amounts of powder and coatingtime, which translates into to a greatersaving of energy and resources and pro-vides a decisive competitive advantage.

Fuel-saving coatings in the engineCoatings that improve the friction andwear properties of components in thevehicle drivetrains can also lead to aremarkable increase in energy efficiency.For example, diamond-like carbon (DLC)coatings can considerably improve thefriction and wear characteristics ofbucket tappets. The smooth surface andthe low frictional properties are retained

gun technology, high powder feed rates,and high application efficiency.

Sulzer Metco has developed a specialTiOxpowder (agglomerated and sintered)for this application. The powder is sig-nificantly different from conventionalpowder (fused and crushed) with regardto morphology and density.4 When this powder is sprayed using the Triplex-Pro-210 high-performance plasma spraygun, the application efficiency is doubledwith the same or improved coating prop-erties and with a powder feed rate upto three times higher.

while exhibiting high wear resistanceand very good oil wetting, even whilerunning 3.

The finishing of the bucket tappetswith DYLYN™ Plus in small- and medium-sized gas engines (for example,a 1.6 liter four-cylinder Otto engine) canreduce the torque by up to 33%, depend-ing on engine temperature and speed,without having to carry out any designor production engineering changes tothe engine. This improvement translatesinto a fuel consumption reduction in the low single-digit percentage range.

Furthermore, it produces a CO2emissionsreduction of around 2 to 3 grams perkilometer—a decisive amount for com-pliance with increasingly stringentrequirements, such as Euro 5 and Euro6. It seems that there is still a great dealof potential in the reduction of frictionlosses in the future.

Coating solutions for hydropower turbinesWear- and corrosion-resistant coatingshave proved their worth over decadesin various hydropower turbines.5 The

2 Comparison of the deposition efficiencyand the delivery rate of the conventionalpowder (fused and crushed F&C) with thenewly developed powder (agglomerated andsintered A&S).

Diamond-like carbon coatings (DLC) are characterized by extremely low friction re-sistance and extreme hardness. The coatings are used to reduce wear and frictionin a series of industrial applications; for example, for machine components for theautomobile industry and molds for the processing of plastics and metals. In 2010,Sulzer acquired the DLC coating division of Bekaert and thereby complementedthe technology range offered by Sulzer Metco in thin-film technologies.The illustration shows a selection of DLC-coated components from the drivetrainof a motor vehicle.

DLC offers great hardness combined with low friction values

3 Friction coefficient as a function of loading. Comparison between a standardDLC coating and the optimized coating from Sulzer Metaplas DYLYN®.

Standard DLC coating DYLYN® coating

Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis

Tribological(ball-on-disc)measurements:

1 12 2

3 34 4

µm

1 12 2

3 34 4

µm

F = 10 NV = 0,1 m/sTOil = 80°COil grade: Texaco 5W30

Number of cycles (x1000)

Fri

cti

on

co

eff

icie

nt

Number of cycles (x1000)

Fri

cti

on

co

eff

icie

nt

0,30

0,25

0,20

0,15

0,10

0,05

00 20 40 60 80 100

80

60

40

20

00 100 200 300 400 500

F&C

A&S

480 480 450 400 400

De

po

sit

ion

eff

icie

nc

y (

%)

Feed rate (g/min)

Gun current (A)

0,30

0,25

0,20

0,15

0,10

0,05

00 20 40 60 80 100


RENEWABLES

When discussing energy efficiency, theuse of resources must also be considered.As large quantities of mainly tungsten-carbide-based materials are used in thehydropower applications described here,the recycling of these materials, such asthe overspray wastes, are increasingly amatter of discussion. Sulzer Metco hasaccepted this challenge and is currentlydrawing up suitable concepts for cus-tomers. An overview of coatings forhydropower applications is given in STR 3/2011.5

Protecting wind power systemsagainst wearAt the end of 2011, there were 22297wind turbines in Germany, with a totalinstalled capacity of 29075 MW.6 Accord-ing to the Dena forecast, there will bean installed capacity of 51 GW in theyear 2020, of which 14 GW will beoffshore installations. In addition to new

installations, new and more efficientplants will replace a large number ofolder installations. The materials used

must be able to withstand very highloads, as well as continually varyingforces, such as the forces wind turbinegearboxes are subject to during service.To achieve a good level of electric generation efficiency, the relatively slowrotor speed in most wind turbine instal-lations will be translated into a consid-erably higher generator speed, wherebythe gearbox gears will be subjected toenormously high wear and fatigue resist-ance requirements for the steel construc-tion. High-toughness steel is also a pre-condition for withstanding the suddenstress caused by gusty winds.

Sulzer Metaplas has developed solu-tions that meet these boundary conditionsto ensure optimized wear protection forthe gear wheel. These solutions havealready been installed in many wind tur-bines: DLC coatings of type a-C:H:Mefor carburized gear wheels. This coatingsignificantly improves gear wheel dry-running and running-in characteristics,as well as the wear behavior.

Today’s wind turbine constructionuses large amounts of steel (even more

than the shipbuilding industry), thereforecorrosion protection is a clear necessity.Thermally sprayed coatings offer a cost-effective solution here—one that isaimed at ensuring a long service life.Nowadays, arc-sprayed zinc or zinc-alu-minum coatings are largely used for corrosion protection, in both offshore andonshore installations. For example, theyare used for corrosion protection of the(steel) towers (inside and outside beforepainting), the foundation plates, the slewing rings 5, and for protection ofthe complete machine housing and thehub.

Tailor-made coatings contribute toenergy transitionIn summary, it can be concluded thatsurface technologies are already makinga great contribution to energy transitiontoday—on the one hand, with renewableenergies, and on the other hand, withenergy-saving measures that improveenergy efficiency. In both cases, speciallydeveloped, tailor-made, functional coat-ings and surfaces are used. In close coop-eration with the customer, Sulzer Metcocontinually develops new solutions thatwill contribute to the use of renewableenergy and energy and resource savings.

Hans-Michael HöhleSulzer Metco Europe GmbHSpreestraße 265451 KelsterbachGermanyPhone +49 172 6212 [email protected]

Montia C. NestlerSulzer Metco (US) Inc.1101 Prospect Ave.Westbury, NY 11590-0201USAPhone +1 516 338 [email protected]

References1 Williams, James H., et al. 2012. “The technology path to deep greenhouse gasemissions cuts by 2050: the pivotal role of electricity.” Science 335: 53–59.

2 Sporer, D., M. Dorfman, and S. Wilson. 2009. “Ceramics for Abradable shroud seal applications.” Proc. Conf. 33rd International Conference on AdvancedCeramics and Composites (ICACC) 2009. Daytona, OH.

3 Nestler, Montia C., Eduard Müller, Dave Hawley, Hans-Michael Höhle, Dieter Sporer, and Mitch Dorfman. 2007. “Thermal-Spray Coatings for Power Generation Applications—Surfaces That Make a Difference” Sulzer Technical Review 2/2007: 11ff.

4 Sharma, A., M. C. Nestler, et al. 2010. “Novel Titania (TiOx) Feed-Stock Powder for Significant Improvements in Process Economics and Enhanced Coating Properties.” Proceedings, ITSC 2010, Singapore.

5 Höhle Hans-Michael, and Montia C. Nestler. 2011. “Surfaces for longer life and higher energy efficiency” Sulzer Technical Review 3/2011: 26ff.

6 According to World Wind Energy Association (www.wwindea.org)

Foto: © OGRAMAC Engenharia de Superfície

primary goal here is to extend the servicelife of the individual components and tothereby reduce the life cycle costs of theturbine. At the sametime, suitable coat-ings can also consid-erably increase en -ergy efficiency, as heavily worn key components 4 have a negative effect onthe energy efficiency of a turbine.

5 Arc spraying a slewing ringwith EcoArc 350.

Sulzer Metco makes a contribution to the useof renewable energy.

Photo: © OGRAMAC Engenharia de Superfície

4 Wear on the cups of a Pelton turbine. (Source: Wikipedia)

You became the Chief TechnologyOfficer of Sulzer this year. What goalshave you set for yourself in thisposition?Two important topics are knowledgemanagement and Sulzer’s innovationpipeline. There is a great need for activeknowledge management because wecould extract a great deal more from ourexisting know-how if, for example, wemore often shared best practices andsolutions with each other and exchangedideas. Filling Sulzer’s pipeline with inno-vations and translating them intobusiness opportunities is also a crucialtask. As the CTO, I aim to ensure theinnovation capability of Sulzer over thelong term.

What benefits will the customers derivefrom Sulzer’s innovation activities?The ability to obtain the same resultswith less material and energy consump-tion, but without increasing costs, repre-sents real added value for the customer.

In the aviation industry, for example, weare developing coating materials andprocesses that save materials and costless, but also provide better propertiesat the same time. Inaddition to energyefficiency, longerproduct service lifeis also a decisive advantage for the cus-tomer. If, for example, we can inexpen-sively produce impellers for the pulpand paper industry that do not have tobe replaced in less than one year, butrather after several years of operation,these are unbeatable arguments for ourcustomers.

Innovation does not just happen. How do you steer these processes?While I was working as the TechnologyManager in China, I got to know theChinese slogan «quick and dirty, but notcompletely wrong». Of course, thoroughpreparatory work is essential. However,it is also important to try out ideasquickly and efficiently when on the pathto a new process or a new product. Andby “efficiently,” I do not mean writing30-page scientific reports but rather

approaching the task in a pragmatic wayand also trying new things out from timeto time. If it is necessary for Sulzer totry out other directions and to carry out

feasibility studies, I certainly place greatvalue on efficiency and pragmatism.

In addition to your function as ChiefTechnology Officer for Sulzer, you alsomanage the Sulzer Innotec R&D unit.What does Sulzer Innotec offer its customers?Today, Sulzer Innotec is a highly special-ized technical service provider. Inaddition to projects for the Sulzer divi-sions, we achieve significant sales withexternal contracts. In the material testingarea, for example, our customers includemedical technology and automobile com-panies. We carry out production activitiesfor the manufacturers of compressors,among others, but also for the aviationand aerospace industry. In addition, weanalyze damaged materials for customersall over the world.

In addition to his function as president of

Sulzer Innotec, Ernst Lutz was appointed

Chief Technology Officer of Sulzer at the

beginning of this year. He explains his ideas

and strategies for the future.

Ernst Lutz: “Efficiency andpragmatism are essential fortoday’s innovation processes.”


INTERVIEW

“As the CTO, I aim to ensure the innovation capability of Sulzer over the long term.”

How has Sulzer Innotec changed overthe last few years?Over the last few years, Sulzer Innotechas moved away from conventional corporate research towards the free market. Today, more short-term solutionsare needed. Often, we have to completeprojects under tight deadlines. The movetowards greater market proximity hasthe advantage that our employees arehighly customer oriented. We carry outmore than 3500 business transactions andhave more than 1000 different customersper year, are able to respond quickly andefficiently, and speak the language of thecustomer. This is something that couldnot always be said at one time aboutclassical research and development cen-ters.

What goals do you have for Sulzer Innotec?Sulzer Innotec should contribute more intensively and actively to insuringthe long-term inno-vation capability ofSulzer. There is alsoa great deal of potential in cooper-ation with the divisions. In the future,Sulzer Innotec should increasingly buildbridges to the divisions, because, afterall, the value that Sulzer Innotec enjoysexternally should also be used more inter-nally.

You mentioned that you spent sometime in China. What role will thisstrongly growing market play forSulzer Innotec?China is an important market for Sulzer.Many of our strategic business areas,

such as oil and gas or water, are ofnational interest in China and are con-trolled by the central government inPeking.

In the case of state-related issues ofthis kind in particular, China increasinglyexpects companies to develop technolo-gies for China in China and to therebybecome rooted in the country. That iswhy we are planning to expand SulzerInnotec’s research and development presence to China.

In doing this, it isnot at all a questionof moving activitiesfrom here to China. It is much more aquestion of working on areas that arespecific to China. These include rareearths, process technologies, foundries,spray forming, to mention just a few.These issues are very important in Chinaand are well supported academically.Specifically, we will begin with an inno-vation location in China in early 2012

whose first task will be to scout relevanttopics.

Are renewables a current topic atSulzer Innotec?The subject of renewables also affectsSulzer Innotec. Some great challenges in renewable energies are the difficultproperties of fluids in pumps and separation columns, such as molten saltsor vegetable fuels. One challenge is theconsistency and corrosiveness of thesematerials. The flow simulation of such

multiphase fluids is demanding, becausethere are hardly any models for it. Weare also investigating the corrosive effectsof the fluids and the material wear thatthey cause.

On a personal note: What fascinatesyou about your job?I was once asked why, with my manage-ment education, I would not rather manage a production operation or a

division. My reply is: technology management is probably the most inter-esting and varied job that I could possiblyimagine, and I would like to continuedoing it for the rest of my life. I am fascinated by the variety of themes andthe global networking with innovativepartners. I have a lot of experience intechnology management, and I am wellaware that innovation no longer has any-thing to do with “happy engineering”and chance, but relies more on strategicand tightly controlled processes. And I would like to contribute there.Interview: Tünde Kirstein


INTERVIEW

“Sulzer Innotec will extend its research and development presence to China.”

“Sulzer Innotec’s great market proximity has the advantage that our employees are highlycustomer-oriented.”

Ernst Lutzstudied Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich,Switzerland and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg VA,USA, where he received his PhD. He holds amasters degree in business management. He hasbeen working in the metals and mining industryfor 16 years, during which he has held varioustechnology management positions globally. He relocated from Shanghai to Winterthur lastyear, to start his current responsibility withSulzer, heading the corporate R&D center Sulzer Innotec. In addition, he serves ascorporate Chief Technology Officer of Sulzer.

4373

Coating materials onlineSulzer Metco implemented a new online sales platform. The web shop was launchedin the Americas and will be rolled out globally. It allows customers to place orders forthe most sought-after coating materials and spare parts on a 24/7 basis.Visit the online shop at http://webshop.sulzermetco.com

Reinforced presence in the water markets The acquisition of the pump company Hidrotecar S.A. in Burgos, Spain, wascompleted in January 2012. The acquiredcompany achieved sales of EUR 13 mil-lion (approximately CHF 16 million) in2010; it employs about 50 people. Withthis acquisition, Sulzer Pumps has addedcomplementary products to its productrange and has reinforced its presence inthe attractive water markets. The manu-facturing, assembly, and service facility mainly serves water customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In

addition, the transaction will allowSulzer Pumps to further strengthen theaftermarket presence for its customers in the water segment.www.sulzer.com/hidrotecar


EVENTS & NEWS

April 30–May 4, 2012, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil Agrishow www.agrishow.com.br

May 7–11, 2012, Munich, GermanyIFAT 2012 (International Fair Trade Association)www.ifat.de

May 8–10, 2012, Sydney, AustraliaOZWATERwww.ozwater.org

May 8–12, 2012, Rho (Milano), ItalyPLAST 2012www.plastonline.org

May 9–10, 2012, Hammerfest, NorwayEuroExpowww.euroexpo.as

May 14–18, 2012, San Antonio, TX, USA7F Users Groupwww.ccj-online.com/2012-meetings

May 21–23, 2012, Houston, TX, USAITSC 2012, International Thermal Spray Conferencewww.asminternational.org/content/Events/itsc

May 21–23, 2012, Shanghai, ChinaInternational Starch & Starch Derivatives Exhibitionwww.cisie.cn

May 22–26, 2012, Sao Paolo, BrazilMecanica, 29th International Machinery Trade Fairwww.mecanica.com.br

May 23–24, 2012, Oulu, FinlandKunnossapito – Maintenance 2012www.expomark.fi/fi/messut/kunnossapito2012

June 5–8, 2012, Moscow, RussiaECWATECHwww.ecwatech.com

June 12–14, 2012, Cologne, GermanyPower-Gen Europewww.powergeneurope.com

June 14–16, 2012, Shanghai, ChinaChina International Surface Engineering Expo 2012http://en.sechina.net

June 18–22, 2012, Frankfurt, GermanyACHEMA 2012www.achema.de

June 19–20, 2012, Friedrichshafen, GermanyVDI Congress: Drivetrain for Vehicles 2012 Light—compact—efficientwww.vdi-wissensforum.de

June 19–20, 2012, Baden-Baden, GermanyVDI Symposium: Zylinderlaufbahn, Kolben, Pleuelwww.vdi-wissensforum.de

June 24–27, 2012, Nashville, TN, USAEASA Conventionwww.easa.com/convention

June 25–29, 2012, Moscow, RussiaNEFTEGAZ 2012www.neftegaz-online.com

July 17–20, 2012, Louisville, KY, USAHydro Vision Internationalwww.hydroevent.com

More events:www.sulzer.com/technicalevents

Klaus Stahlmann appointed new CEOThe Board of Directors of Sulzer unanimously appointed Klaus Stahlmann new Chief Executive Officer of Sulzer. Klaus Stahlmann, 51, German, has comprehensive global experience in many of Sulzer’s key markets and a strong leadership track record.

Klaus Stahlmann was CEO of MAN Diesel and Turbo, aleading provider of diesel engines and turbomachinery. In thisposition, he successfully integrated MAN Turbo and MANDiesel into one division. Before that, he was CEO of MAN

Turbo, and he successfully implemented a market-oriented structure and globalizedthe manufacturing footprint. Before joining MAN, he held various positions at theJapanese Company NSK, pumps producer Allweiler, and Krupp Fördertechnik. Klaus Stahlmann has comprehensive international experience. He grew up inColumbia, Bolivia, and Paraguay; worked for several years in South Africa; andalso gained extensive business experience in Asia. Klaus Stahlmann studied ElectricalEngineering and Business Administration at the Technical University of Darmstadtand holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.www.sulzer.com/CEO

Innovation for plastics processingThe latest development of Sulzer Metaplas, a Sulzer Metco company, has revolutionized the tool- and mold-making industry for highly polished surfaces. The future-proof diffusion coating Psolid provides a homogenizedmicrostructure that is highly scratch resistant. Additionally, it improves thepolishing properties and shortens the polishing time significantly. Time savingsof up to 50 % can be achieved thereby fortransferring a brush finish into a highlypolished surface. Not only the plastic processing industry but also polishing

shops and tool manufacturers benefitfrom these significant advantages of aPsolid coating.Visit us at the Plast 2012, Pavilion 22, Booth 06

www.plastonline.org


IMPRESSUM

Cold-spray technology acquiredSulzer Metco closed the acquisition of all cold-spray related assets and activities ofCGT Cold Gas Technology GmbH and Aircraft Philipp Ampfing GmbH & Co.KG,Ampfing, Germany in February 2012. With this acquisition, Sulzer Metco has established the foundation for its participation in and long-term development of the market for cold-gas spray solutions. www.sulzer.com/coldspray

The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) is a customermagazine produced by Sulzer. It is publishedperiodically in English and German and annually in Chinese. The articles are also available at:www.sulzer.com/str

1/201294th year of the STRISSN 1660-9042

PublisherSulzer Management Ltd.P.O. Box8401 Winterthur, Switzerland

Editor-in-ChiefTünde [email protected]

Editorial AssistantLaura [email protected]

Advisory BoardMia ClaseliusSamuel EcksteinRalf GerdesThomas GerlachHans-Michael HöhleErnst LutzClaudia PrögerHans-Walter SchläpferHeinz SchmidDaniel Schnyder

TranslationsInterserv AG, Zürich

DesignTypografisches Atelier Felix Muntwyler, Winterthur

PrinterMattenbach AG, Winterthur

© April 2012

Reprints of articles and illustrations are permittedsubject to the prior approval of the editor.

The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) has beencompiled according to the best knowledge andbelief of Sulzer Management Ltd. and the authors.However, Sulzer Management Ltd. and the authors cannot assume any responsibility for the quality of the information, and make norepresentations or warranties, explicit or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of theinformation contained in this publication.

Circulation: 16000 copies.

Magno Satin 135g/m2

from sustainably managed forests.

For readers in the United States of America only:The Sulzer Technical Review is published periodically bySulzer Management Ltd., P.O. Box, 8401Winterthur,Switzerland. Periodicals postage paid at Folcroft, PA, by US Mail Agent – La Poste, 700 Carpenters Crossing,Folcroft PA19032.Postmaster: Please send address changes to Sulzer

Technical Review, P.O.Box 202, Folcroft PA19032.

Increased order intake and sales in 2011In 2011, Sulzer increased order intakeand sales substantially by 14% and 17%respectively (adjusted for currency effectsas well as acquisitions and divestitures)and kept a high level of profitability.Organic growth was driven by largerorders in the oil and gas upstream market,the automotive industry, and othergeneral industrial markets. Sulzer's balance sheet has remained solid after

the acquisition of Cardo Flow Solutionsand will allow further external growth.Despite the ongoing uncertainties in the financial markets and their potentialnegative effect on the economy, Sulzer expects order intake and sales to increase moderately in 2012, and profitability is forecast to remain healthy.www.sulzer.com/ar11

ETH prize for Sulzer CTOHans-Walter Schläpfer (departing CTO of Sulzer) was honored as winner of the Staudinger-Durrer prize of the ETH Zürich Department of Materials in December 2011. The prize, whichhas been given to many recognized scientists since 1998, servesto honor those who have rendered outstanding services to materials science.

Hans-Walter Schläpfer attends the Industrial Advisory Boardof the Materials Research Center of the ETH Zurich. He wonthis prize in recognition of his long-standing collaborationwith the department and for his valuable support.

This collaboration is important for Sulzer. First, it gives Sulzer access to externalinnovations, and, second, it also ensures up-to-date know-how through youngacademics who join Sulzer.

Collaborative research strengthenedSulzer Metco has become an OrganizingIndustry Member of the CommonwealthCenter for Advanced Manufacturing(CCAM). The CCAM manufacturing re-search facility is a public/private partner-ship among companies—includingCanon, Chromalloy, Newport NewsShipbuilding, Rolls Royce, Sandvik Coromant, and Siemens—and Virginia'sleading public research facilities—theUniversity of Virginia, Virginia Tech, andVirginia State University. In September2012, CCAM will open a 60000 squarefoot (5500 square meter) facility withcomputational and large-scale produc-tion laboratories, as well as open produc-tion space for heavy equipment andsurface-coating processes. Sulzer Metco

is contributing with a leading-edge robotic thermal-spray cell.www.sulzer.com/CCAM

Link to CCAM: www.ccam-va.com

Sulzer Pumps Ltd.Zürcherstrasse 128401 [email protected] www.sulzerpumps.com

Sulzer Pumps provides complete system solutions with state-of-the-arttechnologies

The power generation industry demands clean dependable energy from renewable sources asglobal energy security becomes uncertain. SulzerPumps combines expertise in renewable, fossil, andnuclear power to develop and tailor pumps to meetthe unique demands of concentrated solar power(CSP), geothermal, biomass, and pumped storage.

As renewable energy sources are intermittent and energy storage is a driving factor, molten salts are used in CSP plants for heat storage dueto the high specific heat capacity. Sulzer Pumpsdeveloped the molten salt circulation pump, SJT-VCN, for this application.

With our local market understanding andcustomers’ application expertise, we support youwith our 150 manufacturing facilities, sales, andservice centers around the world.

The Heart of Your Process

Your Partner for RenewablePower Generation

sulzer 01 2012 e complete issue

Documents

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