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SwissCo
Services AG is part of the Aenova Group and
specialises in manufacturing and packaging humidity-sensitive solid medicines,
such as effervescent tablets The requirements of the
new cooling circuit and its control were immense, deviations in temperature
and /or humidity can shut down production or destroy batches already
produced. That is why a reliable and safe cooling plant is indispensable. An
ideal solution has been found with the new Belimo
communicative PR actuator combined with the new butterfly valves. This
butterfly valve / actuator combination has made it very straightforward for the
company to implement the issues of greatest importance to it, namely plant
safety and energy efficiency.
SwissCo
Services AG Building.
Production
conditions in the pharmaceutical industry are strictly controlled and
particularly in the manufacture of moisture-sensitive tablets, humidity and
room temperature play an important role. This means that the products
manufactured in Sisseln need to be produced at max.
20% humidity and max. 18 degrees Celsius. The manufacturing process for tablets
only works if the right pressure, the right temperature and post-hardening
processes are coordinated correctly. The production plant in Sisseln runs 24 hours a day every day. To keep production
flexible, SwissCo keeps refitting the production
facilities. This means that it is also possible to produce small batches. The
chilling and dehumidification process is particularly important here, and
distinction is made between two phases:
1. In the preliminary dehumidification process,
most of the humidity is removed from the air.
2. The remaining humidity is removed from the
air at various temperatures with silica gel driers (first cold and then at 130
degrees Celsius).
The two
chillers support this process (see figure below), although generally only the
new plant is in operation. Only if the outside temperature rises above 35
degrees Celsius or if there is a breakdown are both chillers required at the
same time. The older plant from 2005 is also to be refitted in the medium-term.
It currently can’t meet the company’s energy saving requirements in particular.
Figure of
the two chillers with their circuits at SwissCo
Services AG. Chiller 2 has been equipped with the new butterfly valves and PR
actuators.
Belimo
Butterfly Valve and PR Actuator Combination.
The
challenge for the HVAC system is that the temperatures and humidity required
need to be kept constant the whole year round, regardless of the weather conditions.
That is why a reliable and precise plant is hugely important. “We like working
with Belimo because we can depend on the reliability
of the products,” explains Andreas Wechner, Project
Manager & Field Controls Representative at Trane (Schweiz) GmbH. SwissCo also wanted to reach a new level when it comes to
energy efficiency. Compared with the energy consumption of the previous year,
the company was able to save a total of 128 000 kWh of energy between
March and August 2017.
The fact
that the new Belimo PR actuator is communicative
makes it unique. “The communicative PR actuator allows us to see at any time
whether the system is working properly so we can intervene rapidly if there are
any deviations. That provides both us and our customer SwissCo
with the necessary safety and peace of mind.” Thanks to the BACnet® MS/TP
interface which is easy to integrate, the plant operator and plant installer
can access the PR actuators from anywhere via secure web access and thereby
obtain information on the plant’s current operation.
At SwissCo Services AG, two passive temperature sensors have
also been connected to the communicative PR actuators so that precise
measurement data can be transferred via the BACnet® MS/TP protocol.
Another
advantage of the PR actuator is that commissioning, setting parameters and
maintenance are easy. “With NFC (Near Field Communication) I was able to
commission the PR actuators in just a few minutes from my own smartphone. It is
really easy to do and saves a lot of time,” confirms Andreas Wechner.
Using Near
Field Communication makes simple diagnosis possible even during operation. This
means for example that the health status of the actuator can be queried at any
time. This function is another important element for guaranteeing the
reliability and user-friendliness of the PR actuator.
As it is
not possible to see the position of butterfly valves from the outside once they
have been installed, Belimo has developed a new
position indicator.
“The
position indicator is practical because it allows you to see the position of
the valve from a distance,” says Andreas Wechner.
When the new cooling circuit was to be implemented, the Project Manager was
quite clear that he wanted to work with Belimo: “Belimo does all it can to find a solution quickly and if
anything should ever not go quite to plan, then the company is very
accommodating.”
SwissCo Services AGSwissCo
Services AG has 150 employees. In most cases, the drugs produced in Sisseln are supplied to the customer’s companies ex
works. The most well-known products at the moment are the Nicotinell
tablets and sticks. The company manufactures various products for companies like
Ratiopharm. Both the drugs and the blister
packaging are produced in Sisseln. In the new
chillers, SwissCo Services AG not only uses the
butterfly valve / actuator combinations but also a Belimo
Energy Valve™. Actually, Belimo products are
installed throughout the building, including in fire protection and in the
air handling units. Trane (Schweiz) GmbHAccording to
the company’s slogan, Trane doesn’t just follow industry standards. We define
them. In collaboration with building owners and operators, Trane creates high performance buildings that contribute measurable, year-over-year
benefits. First of all, options are discussed as to how the building
environment can have a positive effect on the company and these are
implemented correspondingly. From a preliminary energy audit through to a
complete performance analysis, Trane examines each building’s critical
systems and energy consumption — and considers how they stand up to the
customer’s objectives. Trane is also committed to delivering sustainable
performance, innovations and knowledge – for the lifecycle of buildings.
Working with Belimo, the company has been able to
successfully implement many projects for other companies. | In addition to the communicative PR actuator, the Belimo butterfly valves have also been technically
optimised. The new Belimo butterfly valves /
actuator combination was exclusively designed for the heating, ventilation
and air conditioning industry and meets all of its requirements. When
developing the new generation, user-friendliness and reliability were given
top priority and an innovative solution was found. Installation is now incredibly easy thanks to the
reduced height of the actuator and the fact that it weighs approx. 2/3 less.
With Near Field Communication (NFC), the butterfly valve / actuator
combination can be started up in a matter of minutes. The housing has IP66/67
degree of protection and is also ideally protected for use outdoors. The
thermal insulation and smart heating inside the actuator prevent condensation
which also contributes towards increased operating safety and a longer
service life. The new
valve design ensures low torque which, in combination with the actuator,
results in a reduction in energy consumption of 80%. In addition to that, the
valve housing is available with tabs or lugs and is sealed up to a 14 bar closing pressure (leakage rate A). With the
new generation of butterfly valves and actuators, there is no longer any need
to compromise. They are the best solution for every plant. |
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