by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 17, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
Standard approaches to industrial and commercial surveys and audits have inherent problems. If it is an energy audit, the focus is strictly on energy savings. If the audit is on waste-stream or reliability and maintenance, the focus, typically, is on just those...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 9, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
We frequently think of electric motors and driven equipment when the topic of energy efficiency comes up. On the other hand, the energy-transmission component, or coupling, also has an energy-efficiency rating that can be affected by things such as application and...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 3, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
Compressed-air systems are an important part of most plant operations. That said, these systems have typically been the most inefficient utility in plants. Even in a well-maintained compressed-air system, to operate a one-horsepower air motor, you generally need seven...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Feb 27, 2021 | Safety Matters, The Sustainable Plant
While industrial facilities can have a very positive impact on the communities and economies where they are located, they can also create some risks for the people and ecosystems that are near them. In the past, I’ve written about the importance of creating...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Feb 6, 2021 | Asset Management, The Sustainable Plant
As noted in the first part of this short article series (Feb. 1, 2021, see link below), the idea of reducing cost and decreasing the environmental impact of a manufacturing or process plant by focusing on management of parasitic frictional losses is a very compelling...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Jan 30, 2021 | Asset Management, The Sustainable Plant
“Think Local, Act Global” is a phrase typically attributed to Patrick Geedes, an early 20th-century urban planner in Scotland. Geedes’ thinking seems quite applicable to the overall global climate-change challenge and, by extension, in today’s RAM...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Dec 12, 2020 | Cut the FLAB, The Sustainable Plant
Over the years, I’ve written extensively about what I call “managing FLAB” in the plant. FLAB is both an acronym and a play on words. As an acronym, it stands for fasteners, lubrication, alignment and balance, the foundational mechanical and electrical elements...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Nov 21, 2020 | Asset Management, Lubrication Corner, The Sustainable Plant
The potential to reduce the environmental impacts of industrial operations with better management of parasitic frictional losses is well-documented. The science and technology associated with surfaces in relative motion, including friction, wear, and lubrication is...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Nov 13, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 22% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributable to industrial plants and facilities. As RAM professionals, we play a vital role in designing, operating, and maintaining the equipment that produces...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Oct 30, 2020 | The Sustainable Plant
And so the quest began. The front cover of the Jan. 14, 1911, issue of Scientific American featured Thomas A. Edison and his improved storage battery. He had invented the alkaline storage battery in 1901, and spent years perfecting this achievement before placing it...
