Good service and technical expertise secure second Edwards flame arrester contract for Elmac Technologies

Elmac Technologies, the acknowledged international leaders in flame and explosion protection systems, have developed bespoke in-line flame arresters specifically for use with Edwards’ recently introduced range of dry vacuum pumps.

Designed and manufactured exclusively for Edwards’ CDXTM range of chemical dry vacuum pumps, these latest flame arresters from Elmac Technologies make use of a highly specialised heat transfer medium, which can be shaped to fit in the small spaces available in the suction and discharge sections of a pump.

Under normal operating conditions, this medium allows gas to pass through the pump with minimal resistance to flow. However, in the event that the gas is ignited within the pump, the medium extinguishes the flames, thereby protecting upstream and downstream equipment from the devastating consequences of a deflagration or detonation.

Comments Elmac Technologies’ Managing Director, Martyn Cooling, “We were especially pleased to be invited to work with Edwards to develop this particular flame arrester model. We have previously developed explosion protection systems for other Edwards pumps and were delighted to be selected for the CDXTM project as a result of our expertise, research & development capabilities, and the high levels of customer service we are able to offer.”

Edwards is a market leader in dry pump technology for the chemical process, pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. The CDXTM pump range uses the very latest screw pumping technology in a rugged, non-contacting design. This feature allows the control of the pump body or stator and internal gas temperatures, thus enabling a comprehensive range of solvents, flammables and corrosives to be pumped.

Adds Martyn Cooling, “Although known primarily for our explosion protection technologies for global oil, gas, petrochemical and chemical applications, we design, manufacture and supply flame arrester products for very diverse uses.

“For OEMs such as Edwards,” he continued, “our products include suction and discharge arresters for fans, blowers and pumps, breather elements for electrical enclosures and deflagration & detonation arresters for burners amongst other things.”

About Elmac Technologies

Originally known as Elmac Engineering, the company developed its first flame arrester in 1948, for use with town gas, and rapidly established a global reputation for the design, manufacture and supply of products to enhance process safety in a broad range of industrial sectors. These sectors include the global oil, gas and petrochemical industries; bio-fuels, mining, pharmaceuticals and power generation; agro-chemicals and fertilisers; distillers, food, flavours and fragrance companies; waste treatment organisations and special equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Acquired by KnitMesh in 2001, and re-branded ‘Elmac Technologies’ in 2007 to reflect better the high levels of innovation and enhanced protection offered by its products, Elmac Technologies has grown to become one of the premier brands in the global market for flame arresters.

Elmac can assist clients by specifying appropriate products for proposed new installations and plant retrofits. In addition, Elmac are able to provide advice on the positioning of these products in an installation and to evaluate the suitability of flame arresters already fitted. To support clients in meeting the 2006 EU ATEX Directive for flame arrester compliance, the company is also willing to undertake site visits to discuss existing installations and to provide technical presentations to enhance awareness amongst the engineering community.

With state-of-the-art commercial, manufacturing and test facilities in the UK and additional manufacturing centres in South Africa and the People’s Republic of China, Elmac Technologies is rapidly developing a comprehensive range of enhanced in-line and end-of-line deflagration arresters and in-line unstable detonation arresters. These devices are suitable for use in gas groups IIA, IIB3 and IIC having been rigorously tested in accordance with BS EN 12874:2001. The high-tech testing facilities can also be used to conduct experiments to demonstrate that proposed technical solutions meet client-specific requirements.

Elmac is also able to draw on the benefits of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model the behaviour of a system in order to investigate the flow behaviour, including the study of flow patterns and the prediction of pressure drop. This information can be used to optimise designs for particular applications whilst avoiding the need for costly plant trials.

As part of an international group that also includes global knitted mesh specialists, KnitMesh Technologies, Elmac enjoys the financial stability necessary to continually innovate, research and develop the flame arrester solutions that will help bring greater safety to industry worldwide.

About Edwards

Edwards (formerly BOC Edwards) is a world-leader in vacuum technology for industrial, scientific, process, and R&D applications. It is also a leading supplier of integrated solutions for the manufacture of microelectronics devices, including semiconductors and flat panel displays. Edwards employs around 3,600 people globally, in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum equipment. Edwards invented the concept of the commercial oil-free ‘dry’ vacuum pump and now supplements this with a wide range of other pumping technologies as well as related products and services.

EDWARDS and CDX are trade marks of Edwards Limited.

For further information contact:
Miles Firth, email: miles.firth@edwardsvacuum.com
Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9LW UK Tel: +44 1293 603451