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Insights

Engineering notes for plants in hot, dry climates.

Short, practical articles from our engineers on heat transfer, valves and control systems.

01 Heat exchangers

Repair, recore or replace a heat exchanger in Gulf conditions

Four ways forward when an exchanger leaks, fouls or loses duty, how to choose, and what to send for a quote. With AMI Exchangers.

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03 Valves

Choosing relief and control valves for GCC plants

Sizing relief valves to API 520 and 526 and control valves to IEC 60534, and how to cut valve-related trips. With Young & Cunningham.

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02 Air coolers

Air coolers for sites without cooling water

When an API 661 air cooler beats water cooling, and how to design for Gulf summer air. With Spiro-Gills Thermal Products.

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02 Air coolers

Air coolers or water cooling: choosing for an arid GCC site

Cooling water is scarce and costly on many Gulf sites. This note explains when an air cooler is the better choice, and what to send us so we can size one.

  • Why water cooling is hard on arid sites
  • How a forced-draft air cooler works
  • Designing for Gulf summer air temperatures
  • Thermal rating with HTRI before fabrication
  • What to include in an enquiry
Coming soon
04 Control systems and 05 Consultancy

Replacing an obsolete PLC or DCS without a long shutdown

Old control systems fail without warning and spares run out. This note shows how to plan a migration that keeps the plant running.

  • Signs that a system is obsolete
  • Starting with a C&I audit
  • Staged cutover or a single shutdown
  • FAT, SAT and loop checks
  • OT cyber security in the new design
Coming soon
01 Heat exchangers

Like-for-like replacement of a shell-and-tube or plate heat exchanger

A replacement unit must fit the existing nozzles, footprint and duty. This note lists the data we need and the checks we make before quoting.

  • Nameplate, datasheet and drawings to send
  • Matching nozzles, footprint and weight
  • Re-rating for today's duty
  • Materials for seawater and corrosive service
  • Replacing Alfa Laval, APV, SPX, GEA and Tranter plate units
Coming soon

Next in the queue: control valve management for fewer unplanned trips (03 Valves); entering the GCC market by representing, delivering or partnering (05 Consultancy).

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