With the help of the University of Birmingham’s energy storage specialists, Professor Yulong Ding and Professor Toby Peters, MechChem Africa takes a look at the use of liquified air energy storage technology and reports on ongoing research initiatives and early implementation successes.

System planners and design engineers can rely fully on the Festo Automation Suite to achieve integrated automation and digitalised machines and systems. This applies to all levels of automation, from mechanical to electrical, as well as intelligent connectivity and cloud services, regardless of the standard used by the customer.

South Africa’s pioneering nitrogen generator manufacturer and supplier, NitraLife, has partnered with Bystronic, a leading Swiss steel processing solutions manufacturer in a deal which will see the Swiss company marketing NitraLife’s NitraCut generators.

Increasingly hemmed in by urban development, AfriSam’s Jukskei quarry and ready-mix plant has been applying stringent controls and standards to remain an environmentally friendly neighbour while juggling efforts to withstand a stagnating construction sector.

Sandisiwe Ncemane, Coega Development Corporation’s energy sector manager, comments on measures of ensuring South Africa’s security in the energy sector, as it undertakes extensive technical readiness work for up to 3 000 MW of gas-driven power.

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a device that uses a natural protein to create electricity from moisture in the air – a new technology that could have significant implications for the future of renewable energy, climate change and the future of medicine.

The pressures experienced by the South African petrochemical industry – including the trend towards the reduction of operational carbon footprint, and a proliferation of new technological developments – present new and dynamic opportunities for the industry if it can evolve apace with industry developments.

Machine designers can now design complex bearing arrangements and analyse bearing loads more quickly without having to master complex software programs thanks to SKF’s software and equipment technology advancements.

MechChem Africa talks to Weir Minerals Africa’s pumps product manager, Marnus Koorts, about the extensive depth and range of pumping solutions available through Weir Minerals and its widely experienced and qualified teams; and the company’s successful approach to meeting the long-term needs of mine and process plant operators.

“Government will do whatever it takes to ensure a stable electricity supply,” said Tito Mboweni while delivering his budget speech in February, before announcing the allocation of R230-billion over ten years to achieve the restructuring of the electricity sector.

In a joint effort by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), researchers have successfully developed and tested technologies for lighter aircraft wings that are still extremely stable. These innovative wings could soon make flying both greener and more cost-efficient. Known as aeroelastic wings, a successful first flight was completed at an airfield in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany late last year.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities require process water that meets strict standards of purity. Veolia Water Technologies has supplied such a plant to Aspen Pharmacare’s SVP2 plant expansion in Korsten, Port Elizabeth, to meet compliance with all regulations through a cost-effective, efficient and reliable supply of water.

Global ventilation fans and systems manufacturer, TLT-Turbo GmbH, has announced the redesign of its Auxiliary and Booster fan range. Developed in close collaboration with clients, the new designs address efficiency and cost-effectiveness, in a versatile product range that meets the specific ventilation requirements of the mining industry.

A common best practice to make new or existing concrete structures last longer is to apply a concrete sealer periodically. This is especially true for concrete that is exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. With an in-house technology, Cortec is able to slow down corrosion on concrete structures, using its MCI water repellents.

Using Hardox® wear plate and Strenx® performance steel from SSAB, Australian Taurus Mining Solutions has managed to lower the weight of its mining buckets, thus increasing the capacity of the buckets by up to 10% while still keeping their durability.

Process plant optimisation techniques have become a necessity for mines looking to maximise their operating performance by keeping costs low, throughput high and downtime to a minimum. FLSmidth’s automated SmartCyclone™ system is a solution that delivers in all three areas for cyclone circuits, a vital processing element in any plant.

A quick repair by ACTOM Turbo Machines put a 40 MW turbine generator for ArcelorMittal’s Vanderbijlpark works back into service on a fast track schedule.

In his Failure column for this issue Tim J Carter talks about the perils of ignoring known failure risks; the value of monitoring equipment condition for signs of deterioration; and the role ‘what if’ failure response scenarios can play in minimising resulting damage and maximising failure response rates.

Chemours, the world leader in titanium technology, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, approached South Africa-based Thermaspray, to become the sole distributor and only licenced applicator of Teflon™ coatings in Southern Africa. MechChem Africa talks to Adee Glennie (right), Themaspray’s Teflon™ sales engineer, and Philip van Wyk (left), the company’s engineering support manager, about the history, application technology and the unique combination of properties offered by genuine Teflon™ coating formulations.

The UK-Africa Investment Summit’s Sustainable Infrastructure Forum was held in London from Monday January 20 to 22 at which leaders, dignitaries and representatives of many African countries met with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, along with foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, the UK’s international development secretary, Alok Sharma and, possibly in one of his last royal appointments, HRH Prince Harry.