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Webinars/Online Events

Beyond Hazardous Area Classification: Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessment

When: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Kevin Jeffries, CFEI, CFPS, CEAS, technical lad, process safety, DEKRA North America

The intent of a dust hazard analysis (DHA) is to identify potential process operations (normal and upset) that could lead to fires and explosions. To successfully accomplish this goal, owner/operators must establish a credible basis of safety that removes one or more of the elements of the combustible dust explosion pentagon. Control of ignition sources is a credible basis of safety. However, many DHAs overlook the wide variety of ignition sources that are not electrical or electrostatic in nature. 

This presentation will describe a disciplined approach that identifies potential electrical and non-electrical ignition sources when conducting a DHA, including an appropriate focus on mechanical equipment ignition sources. Topics to be covered include:

  • Global approaches to identifying ignition sources, based on EN 1127-1:2019, “Explosive atmospheres – Explosion prevention and protection”
  • Common electrical & electrostatic ignition source
  • Common mechanical equipment ignition sources & scenarios
  • Basic method for conducting a Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessment (MEIRA) 
  • How to integrate ignition source analysis into a comprehensive DHA.

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Solids Transfer To and From Drums

When: Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Brian Warren, Business Unit Leader, Powder Transfer and Containment Systems at De Dietrich Process Systems and Jake Davis, Product Engineer, Powder Transfer and Containment Systems at De Dietrich Process Systems
Sponsor: De Dietrich Process Systems

This webinar will explore various practices, options and considerations for filling and emptying drums based on containment level requirements. Process engineers, health & safety personnel, and anyone involved in a process that includes material transfer into or out of drums will benefit from attending this presentation, which includes a live Q&A session.

Attend this webinar and learn about:

  • Containment level requirements
  • Various drum sizes, materials, and secondary internal liners/bags — including their pros & cons and impact on solids containment
  • Common methods of solids transfer into and out of drums
  • Additional considerations for working with drums including inerting, weighing, sampling, and cleaning.

Register for This Webinar

 

Vacuum Conveying’s Problem-Solving Role for Efficient Powder, Granule, and Tablet Transfer

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 1 p.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Brian Wilson, Area Sales Manager, Vacuum Conveying, Piab
Sponsor: Piab USA

This webinar discusses problems plants face when transferring bulk powders, granules, tablets, and small parts in a production line. The presentation will review common transfer methods and associated problems, and present vacuum conveying as an alternative solution. It will cover manufacturing process steps that can be automated using this method from material pickup to primary processing, production, and packaging.

You’ll learn how vacuum conveying can help you:

  • Improve performance, productivity, quality, flexibility, and safety
  • Alleviate ergonomic and respiratory issues for employees
  • Reduce cross-contamination risks

Register for This Webinar

 

Don’t Blame the Feeder: Understanding When Feeder Problems Arise From Inadequate Bin Design

When: Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Joe Marinelli, senior consultant, and Scott Miller, consultant, Solids Handling Technologies Inc.

This webinar will talk about problems with a feeding device that result from how the material is handled in the associated bin and the relationship between the device controlling discharge and the vessel from where the material is supplied.

Often a feeding device is evaluated independent of the feed bin supplying material. When a problem arises, a deficiency in the feeding device is assumed. Yet in many cases, these issues may result from what is taking place with the material in the bin above. This webinar addresses some of the more frequent feeder issues that often result from the storage of material in the feeder's associated storage vessel.

Register for This Webinar

 

Application of 3-Fluid Nozzle and Ultrasounds Atomizer for Spray Drying

When: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Youngsoo Lee, associate professor of food engineering, Washington State University

There are various atomization methods available for spray drying. Three-fluid nozzle and ultrasound nozzle using mesh transducers have great potential to be used as alternative atomization methods. A three-fluid nozzle was adapted as an in-line mixing tool for two miscible liquids and mesh ultrasound atomizers were explored for enhanced dry powder particle size control. The results from these two studies will be presented in the webinar.

Attend this webinar and learn:

  • Comparison of atomization methods
  • Principles of three-fluid nozzle and impact on mixing two miscible liquids for spray drying
  • Ultrasound atomizer and powder particle size control

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Preventing Segregation Using Process Changes

When: Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Kerry Johanson, chief operations officer, Material Flow Solutions Inc.

Many products created today are a mixture of several components, each with a unique purpose in the product design. Processing operations in the production or packing facilities, as well as customer handling of point-of-use products, can result in segregation. Regardless of the reason, segregation observed by the end-user is always a problem for the manufacturer. What can production and packing facilities do to mitigate segregation of their product? An intriguing question is: Can an understanding of bulk flow properties be coupled with simple lab scale segregation measurement to predict and quantify the expected segregation in a process or bulk handling system? Can segregation be mitigated by changes in the process or does it also require changes in the product? This webinar addresses the issue of process-based segregation using a systematic approach based on sound scientific principles.

Segregation prevention based on process changes requires knowledge of several things. The solution of segregation from a process point of view is all about velocity control in the process vessels. First, it is necessary to understand how the basic bulk flow properties effect the velocity profile in the process. Second, how to effectively measure the segregation pattern and magnitude in a lab scale test must be known and understood. Finally, it is necessary to combine the velocity profile in the process with the segregation profile and magnitude so as to determine what effect the whole handling system and/or packing process might have on the enhancement or mitigation of segregation in the process. Once this is understood, steps can be taken to modify the process to reduce or eliminate the segregation. 

Sometimes fixing segregation problems requires modification of the process. The trick is to know what things about the process are causing the lion's share of the segregation problems and fix those things.

Attend this webinar and learn:

  • Key flow properties that relate to predicting velocity and velocity profiles in process equipment
  • Segregation measurements and how segregation might occur in process vessels during normal handling 
  • How to use flow properties to predict velocities in process equipment and couple these velocity profiles with segregation patterns to mitigate segregation in the process
  • How to modify the process to prevent segregation in the plant or packing facility 
  • Examples of real-world segregation issues and their solutions. 

The people that will benefit from this discussion will be process engineers, plant managers, quality assurance engineers, design engineers, and product formulators.

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What the New NFPA 660 Code on Combustible Dusts Means for Dust Collection Compliance

When: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Jack E. Osborn, senior project engineer, Airdusco EDS

The NFPA is making significant changes in the combustible dust standards by combining them into a new code called NFPA 660. This will be the new single source standard/code for combustible dusts and their associated compliance issues. One of the major components for the fundamentals and commodity chapters (food, metals, chemical, wood) is combustible dust compliance for dust collection systems. This webinar will seek to explain what combustible compliance means for those companies with dust collection systems handling combustible dusts regarding the requirements of the fundamental chapters and for each of the major commodity chapters of the new 660 code.

Osborn has 45+ years-experience in the concept, design, project management, start-up, and operations/maintenance for an extensive range of mechanical equipment systems, including dust collection, ventilation, bulk handling mechanical systems (pneumatic and mechanical), storage, weighing, mixing, batching, etc. He is also a member of all six NFPA committees on combustible dusts (61, 484, 652, 654, 664, and Correlating).

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Important Performance Differences Between Dust Collector Filters

When: Thursday, June 01, 2023 at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Jason Clugston, Account Specialist, Filtration at Camfil Air Pollution Control (APC)
Sponsor: Camfil Air Pollution Control

This webinar presents the main differences between types of dust collector filters. You will gain insight into various types of fabric filter media (material/fabric/plastic) and better understand how to determine the best type of material for various dry bulk processes.

This presentation will also challenge the widely held belief that "all filters are created equal." In fact, depending on the type of dust produced at your facility, specific media and filter designs work significantly better than others and can have a great impact on energy savings and workplace safety.

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The State of Conveying: Survey Findings from 290 Food Industry Leaders

When: Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Clint Hudson, Director of Engineering at Cablevey Conveyors; Morgan Bailey, Director of Marketing at Cablevey Conveyors; Todd Lebo, CEO at Ascend2
Sponsor: Cablevey Conveyors

The food processing industry continues to experience significant growth. To handle it, organizations are spending more time evaluating existing conveyor systems, replacement needs, and selection criteria for their applications.

This webinar reveals more insights and quantifies them based on a survey of 290 food processing professionals conducted by independent B2B research firm Ascend2. The firm’s CEO will present respondents’ evaluations of the following conveyor types: aero mechanical; bucket elevators; cable; pneumatic; round-link chain; and screw auger.

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Improving Pneumatic Conveying Performance Using Realtime Data

When: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Jack D. Hilbert, consultant, Pneumatic Conveying Consultants LLC

This webinar will discuss how the use of instrumentation and the availability of real time performance data of an operating pneumatic conveying system can be used to initiate optimization of the performance, predict the need for preventative maintenance service, as well using that information as a benchmark when the system is not performing as needed to short cut the troubleshooting process, keeping unscheduled downtime to a minimum.
Hilbert is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with his bachelor’s degree (1973) and master’s degree (1980) in mechanical engineering. He also spent nearly 40 years as a registered professional engineer in several states. After working for more than 32 years for globally based companies providing pneumatic conveying systems and equipment, Hilbert joined forces with Paul Solt in the pneumatic conveying consulting business known as Pneumatic Conveying Consultants LLC, which is located in Schnecksville, PA.

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Interweaving Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Maintenance Functions in Screening & Separation

When: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Timothy J. Bowser, P.E., food process engineer, Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

Screening/separation technology operates 24/7 with little or no attention. When screens/separators are down, cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance functions must take place rapidly and effectively. The webinar begins with an overview of screening/separation technology in the food and ag industry and specifically how screening/separation equipment is cleaned, sanitized, and maintained. In practice, operations, cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance functions are frequently compartmentalized. Separation of these functions may not achieve best results. Interweaving of operations, cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance can save time and money and enhance product safety. 

Strategies to interweave these functions will be introduced and discussed. Brief case studies will be presented to illustrate the concept of interwoven operations, cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance activities.

Bowser is a registered, professional engineer with more than 35 years of experience in food processing. He is a Professor of Food Process Engineering at the Oklahoma State University. His responsibilities include technical assistance to entrepreneurs and food processors; research and development of food processing equipment and techniques; and the establishment of outreach programs in food engineering. His industrial experience includes positions at the Gerber Products Co. (baby food) and Lockwood Greene Engineers (consulting), and co-owner of PetMech LLC (pet food/product development and testing). He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from The University of Tennessee, and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Agricultural Engineering from Penn State.

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Dangers of Vapor – Dust Explosions: Practical Consideration for Hybrid Deflagrations

When: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Ashok Ghose Dastidar, PhD MBA, vice president, dust & flammability testing and consulting services, Fauske & Associates LLC

In process facilities, the risk of an industrial explosion always exists. The risk can be reduced or minimized with proper deflagration protection; either administrative or engineered. However, for that protection to be optimally effective it should be based on genuine experimental data. This data may be readily available for gases and vapors. Explosibility data for dusts are commonly sample-specific and not material-specific. Thus, data for the actual process dust is required. The data may have been previously generated during a safety review. But often safety reviews overlook the added complexity of a hybrid mixture (dust in the presence of gas/vapors). In a hybrid mixture the vapor from a solvent or a process gas can exacerbate the explosion severity and ignition sensitivity of dust. If these considerations were neglected during the Dust Hazards Analysis (DHA) then the explosion protection schema may be insufficient to mitigate the hazard because it relied only on dust cloud explosibility data.

Attend this webinar and learn:

  • Factors to consider for protecting against hybrid dust explosions
  • Nuances in testing that can skew the data

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Break it Down! How to Effectively Choose Size Reduction Equipment

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Eric Maynard, Vice President at Jenike & Johanson

Comminution, which is the process of reducing the size of particles, can be complex. There are many types of equipment that can crush, grind, and mill bulk solids and powders, yet there is no universal machine that can do it all - and that is not even necessary in most cases. This webinar will help the attendee to understand the basic mechanisms of particle breakage, along with common technologies that impart the critical forces needed for effective comminution. Key pitfalls are also discussed to educate the attendee on this complex subject matter.

Maynard received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. During his 25 years at Jenike & Johanson, he has designed handling systems for bulk solids including cement, coal, limestone, plastic powder, food products, and pharmaceuticals. He is the cement industry specialist at Jenike & Johanson, as well as the technical specialist for dust explosions and powder electrostatic behavior. He routinely lectures on the storage, flow, and pneumatic conveying of bulk solids for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) continuing education series, private companies, in-house courses, and the Powder & Bulk Solids Conference.

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Overlooked Aspects of Combustible Dust Design

When: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Diane Cave, P.Eng, regional manager of Eastern Canada, Element6 Solutions

Combustible dust design is more than inlet isolation, discharge isolation, and explosion protection. This webinar delves into the aspects of combustible dust design that are often overlooked, such as explosion vent placement to create safe blast zones, blast zones in general, vessel strength, vent duct design, and interlock. The webinar will look at some common issues with these various topics, as well as the correct implementation of design and NFPA requirements.

This webinar will cover the following topics:

* Explosion vent placement with respect to safe blast zones
* Thrust force of explosion vents
* Strength of ducting
* Strength of explosion vent ducts
* Vessel strength (Pred)
* Interlocks

Cave has spent the past 16 years working with the design, installation, and retrofitting of dust collection systems in industries ranging from sawmills and grain installations to food and beverage and specialty chemicals. Cave's expertise covers all aspects of dust collection systems from troubleshooting system issues to upgrading systems to meet current codes and standards.

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Go With the Flow! You May Have Storage, But Will You Have Reliable Flow?

When: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Eric Maynard, vice president, Jenike & Johanson

Many storage systems do an acceptable job of storing powders and bulk solids, but they may not always ensure reliable flow and discharge. This webinar explains the important concepts for flow problems that can prevent reliable flow, as well as methods to ensure consistent material discharge.

Attend this webinar to learn:

  • Common types of storage systems like silos, bins, stockpiles
  • Differences between storage and flow
  • What causes common flow and discharge problems 
  • Solution approaches to either avoid or solve problems

Maynard received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. During his 25 years at Jenike & Johanson, he has designed handling systems for bulk solids including cement, coal, limestone, plastic powder, food products, and pharmaceuticals. He is the cement industry specialist at Jenike & Johanson, as well as the technical specialist for dust explosions and powder electrostatic behavior. He routinely lectures on the storage, flow, and pneumatic conveying of bulk solids for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) continuing education series, private companies, in-house courses, and the Powder & Bulk Solids Conference.

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New Bulk Solids/Powder Systems: To Test or Not to Test?

When: Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific
Speakers: Brian Warren, Business Unit Leader and Jake Davis, Product Engineer - Powder Handling, De Dietrich Process Systems
Sponsor: De Dietrich Process Systems

When purchasing new equipment, you’re making a significant investment – and there’s nothing worse than installing that equipment only to discover that it is causing issues in your process. This is why testing is so important. This webinar focuses on testing process equipment and systems for chemical, pharmaceutical, and related applications.

Attendees of this webinar will learn:

  • When to test
  • Types of test product characteristics
  • How to set up a test
  • What can happen when you don't test

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An Explanation of the Various Types of Pneumatic Conveying

When: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speakers: Todd Smith, business and strategy manager, and Kevin Solofra, lab manager, Kansas State University’s Bulk Solids Innovation Center

On Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific, Todd Smith, business and strategy manager, and Kevin Solofra, lab manager, Kansas State University’s Bulk Solids Innovation Center, will present "An Explanation of the Various Types of Pneumatic Conveying" as part of Powder & Bulk Solids' DryPro webinar series.

There are many types of pneumatic conveying systems. This webinar will describe each method and explain which one to use in various applications. It will explain both vacuum and pressure pneumatic conveying systems, as well as dilute phase (high velocity) and dense phase (low velocity) systems. The advantages and disadvantages, as well as do’s and don’ts, will be discussed for each method.

Attendees of this webinar will learn:

  • Dilute phase (high velocity) pneumatic conveying
  • Other major variations
  • Dense phase (slow velocity) conveying
  • Material properties testing necessary for pneumatic conveying design
  • How to choose which type is best for your application

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Global Incident Reporting: A Tool for the Dust Safety Community

When: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Chris Cloney (PEng.), managing director and lead researcher at DustEx Research

On Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific, Dr. Chris Cloney (PEng.), managing director and lead researcher at DustEx Research, will present "The Global Incident Reporting Network: A Necessary Tool for the Combustible Dust Safety Community" as part of Powder & Bulk Solids' DryPro webinar series.

In this presentation we will review the North American loss history from combustible dust explosions. We will also turn our attention internationally to see how the same pattern of tragic loss results in near-immediate activity and eventual forgetfulness in each country, region, industry, and application involving combustible dust around the world.

The presenter will discuss the various activities being undertaken with the Dust Safety Science, Dust Safety Academy, and the Dust Safety Professionals platforms to solve this challenge. He will also discuss the birth of the global combustible dust incident reporting network in 2022 and the activities of this group to date. 

Cloney (PEng.) is managing director and lead researcher at DustEx Research, a company with a worldwide focus on increasing awareness of combustible dust hazards and reducing personal and financial loss from fire and explosion incidents. He is a recognized expert in the field of combustible dust research publishing over 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and presenting at conferences in the US, Canada, China, Norway, the UK, Poland, and Germany.

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Solids Flow Properties That Affect Your Feeder Design

When: Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Joe Marinelli, president, Solids Handling Technologies Inc.

On Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific, Joe Marinelli, president, Solids Handling Technologies Inc., will present "Solids Flow Properties That Affect Your Feeder Design" as part of Powder & Bulk Solids' DryPro webinar series.

In this webinar, we will discuss feeder design and the importance of knowing your material’s flow properties. Knowledge of solids flow properties is very important when you are designing bins and hoppers to ensure reliable flow. However, remember that the feeder design is of equal importance and solids flow properties information is critical to proper feeder design as well.

We will discuss your material’s physical and environmental properties along with how to interpret a flow report that details your material’s arching and ratholing dimensions, bulk density, and friction properties. This will include how these properties effect your feeder design whether you use a screw feeder, belt feeder, rotary valve, or a vibratory pan feeder.

Marinelli is a bulk materials handling expert who has taught hundreds of highly acclaimed engineering seminars. Since 1972, he has been active in testing bulk solids and consulting on materials handling systems design. Marinelli worked with Dr. Andrew Jenike (who is recognized worldwide for his work in bulk solids handling), for many years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.

Marinelli lectures frequently, teaching courses on solids flow principles and flow property testing and has authored several papers and an encyclopaedia section on the subject. Since 1997, he has been involved with popular seminars at the University of Wisconsin in the areas of bin and feeder design and solids flow property testing. He also writes “Powder Perspectives” for www.powderbulksolids.com.

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Preventing Segregation and Creating Optimal Blending in Bulk Handling Process Equipment

When: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
Speaker: Dr. Kerry Johanson, chief operations officer, Material Flow Solutions Inc.

One of the significant contributors to production downtime and quality issues is segregation (or separation) of material blends during processing. Therefore, it is critical to understand and control segregation in process equipment. This webinar will address this issue using a systematic approach using sound scientific principals as a guide.

Segregation prevention based on in-process blending requires knowledge of several things. First, an understanding of how easily measured flow properties can/will influence the velocity and velocity profiles in process equipment. Second, an understanding of how to measure the segregation pattern and magnitude for the material placed in a given process. Finally, an understanding of how combining information about velocities and velocity profiles with segregation patterns can enhance (or mitigate) segregation present in the system. To fix a segregation problem, information regarding the velocity of material in the process equipment must be matched with the expected segregation profile or pattern. Some velocity profiles increase segregation, and some velocity profiles decrease segregation as material leaves handling systems. The trick is to know what velocity profile will help with a material’s unique segregation behavior.

Attend this webinar and learn:

  • General description of what a properly executed DHA will provide
  • What the “typical” recommendations for combustible dust compliance really mean by use of multiple examples
  • How to prioritize the recommendations
  • Examples of solutions

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