Diminishing functionality of combustion turbine components due to aging parts is a concern for plant and maintenance managers. The harmonization of each individual part of a machine is crucial to efficient operation, and that is especially true in aging 7E, 7F and 9F combustion turbines. The valves, which were originally branded as Dana-Gresen and distributed by Tri-Line Automation, have been supported and manufactured by Parker for many years. As the parts continue to age, there is increased potential for inefficiency and performance issues. So, when is the best time to take a deeper look at your vintage turbine valves?

The answer is yesterday. It’s never too early to have a replacement on hand or get your current valves serviced. If you’re too late in responding to the potential issues, your production, efficiency, and uptime will all suffer. Find out why right now is the time to inspect your turbine valves. 

 Plan to register for our upcoming webinar, Parker Legacy Valve Service: How to Maintain the Future of Your 7E/7F Turbine Valves.

There are three  combustion turbine control valves that all plant and maintenance managers should keep on their radar:

• Gauge Selector Valves
• Fuel Oil Isolation Valves
• Water Staging/Isolation Valves

Each valve has a different purpose, but if any of the aging valves are overlooked, they may cause issues or even unplanned shutdowns. 

This valve allows for fuel pressure measurement of each supply line feeding the combustion cans. With 20 to 30 years of wear and tear from stagnant fluids or heavy cycling, the condition of this valve should be closely monitored. 

There are many potential issues that may occur. First, the gauge selector handle may become hard to move. An even bigger concern involves fuel oil pressure leaking into the common port connecting the fuel pressure gauge. This type of leakage would result in the gauge always showing some amount of fuel pressure, regardless of the selector handle position. As with most elastomeric type seals, thermal and process exposure contribute to a limited seal lifespan. 

This large multi-port “check valve” delivers fuel to the primary and secondary ports on each combustor can, only permitting fuel flow when actuated. Fuel isolation valves are actuated by a single-piston to ensure each combustor can get fuel at the same time. This eliminates the risks of turbine cold spots and avoids startup or fuel transfer issues. This valve also has zero internal leakage and has a limit switch to confirm the valve operation. 

While there is no internal leakage to a fully functional valve, there is likely internal wear and damage due to old, dirty, and stagnant fluids, which could eventually lead to corrosion and leaking. 

A new fuel isolation valve offers protection against the risk of cold spots. Contamination can cause restrictions that create an increased pressure drop across the valve, resulting in less than the desired amount of fuel being delivered to the engine. Contamination, corrosion/erosion, and heavy cycling can also cause internal leakage across the check valves and in extreme cases, external leakage. 

The water staging/isolation valves control water that is used for NOx reduction and combustion temperature control. They also have the same number of ports as the gas turbine has combustion cans. 

The potential issues for water staging/isolation valves are identical to the fuel isolation valves. Valves with 20 to 30 years of wear are more likely to experience pressure spikes, leakage, and control issues. The longer a valve has been in service, the greater the possibility of internal wear, corrosion, and seal degradation.

Based on the vintage of the turbines and valves and a recent spike in requests for service and overhaul, it is crucial to understand the condition of the valves at your power plant. Parker has developed a Valve Service Plan for the replacement or refurbishment of these valves scheduled around your planned outages, minimizing disruption to plant operations.

Plant and maintenance managers should begin thinking about replacing these aging valves prior to planned spring or fall outages, avoiding downtime during the year. The inspection of these valves is important to the performance of 7E, 7F and 9F combustion turbines, and the age of the valves is enough reason to assess them immediately. 

The next step is to rely on Parker. We have been an experienced and trusted partner in the industry for decades, and our goal is to help you minimize downtime, create efficiencies, and increase plant output. Inspect your valves and schedule a call to discuss Parker’s Valve Service Plan with the Energy, Oil & Gas Team. Learn more on our turbine valves website.

If nothing is wrong with your valves, that’s great! But it is never a bad idea to have a known support path, contacts within Parker’s manufacturing operations, experienced field-based engineers, and spare parts on the shelf! 

If you just want to learn more about the valves in your combustion turbine and the importance of their maintenance, register for our webinar: How to Maintain the Future of Your 7E/7F Turbine Valves, which takes place at 11 a.m. ET March 18.

Article contributed by James Hoke, capital projects manager, Parker Hannifin’s Energy Team, and 

Mitch Eichler, business development manager, Parker Hannifin Hydraulic Valve Division

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Finding a cost-effective piston pump for a heavy duty application with a shorter lead time and design flexibility can be very uncommon in the marketplace. 

However, Parker's PVplus Axial Piston Variable Displacement Pump is positioned to be that solution. 

After 25 plus years, PVplus is the proud alternative to Parker's legacy line, Premier Series for High Pressure Industrial Hydraulic Piston Pump.

Through supply chain improvements and by leveraging shared design features across its variety of frame sizes, PVplus Axial Piston Variable Displacement Pumps offers shorter lead times, resulting in quicker availability. 

In addition to quicker availability, PVplus is more cost-effective with up to 50% savings in the purchase cost, providing an even stronger value proposition.  

PVplus also offers a wide range of configurable components, including control and shaft options to ensure flexibility and high responsiveness. 

Finally, PVplus offers over 14 displacements, an over 150% increase over Premier, providing more flexibility in applications, such as: 

• Presses and material forming machinery
• Test rigs and HPU systems
• Steel mills
• Oil and gas
• Marine Lifts, hoists, winches and cranes
• Drill Rigs 

In fact, a recent collaboration with Eco Green on a heavy-duty application, mining tire recycling equipment, resulted in a perfect fit for HPS' PVplus Axial Piston Pump. 

The PVplus was chosen to support a portion of the tire recycling equipment, Eco Razor, which removes the high-quality rubber from the mining tires with a buffing head and saw. 

The solution to adequately support Eco Razor's robust hydraulic system, was a combination of Parker pumps and motors including the PVplus Axial Piston Pump. The PVplus was specifically chosen for its variable displacement, which is designed and optimized specifically for use in heavy-duty applications like the Eco Razor. 

In this unique application, the hydraulic system required an open loop pump that could handle a 4,000 PSI requirement. With pressure ratings of up to 420 bar and high-speed ratings, the PVplus Axial Piston Pump''s swashplate principle provides high productivity and power density for this application. 

For more details why to choose PVplus, check out Parker's Hydraulic Pump and Power System's  5 Reasons to Choose PVplus Axial Piston Pumps Infographic. 

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With a mandate to restore and preserve streams used by native fish populations which circumnavigate over 3,000 miles of roads and 1,700 stream culverts, it’s easy to see why it’s mission critical to be efficient and productive in every activity. Scott Minkler, supervisor of the Washington Department of Natural Resources Northwest Region, is diligent about maximizing the productivity of his team. When Minkler heard about the success that other branches of the Washington Department of Natural Resources were having with PowerTIt, he couldn’t wait to try out the rugged attachment manufactured by Parker’s Cylinder Division.

Minkier was quickly impressed, “The PowerTilt Tilting Coupler has allowed us to double our productivity and produce a better finished result, across a broad range of tasks. Our equipment operators were frequently repositioning the machine, building benches, doing nearly everything imaginable to get at the right angle for the job prior to using a tilting attachment.  Now our equipment operators can just work from the road surface and use the PowerTilt to adjust the angle of the attachment instead of moving the entire excavator around.” Tony Holt, equipment operator agrees. “We had previously used a conventional bucket and thumb combination to complete our projects around the job site — after adding PowerTilt, I now get a better finished appearance in half the time. PowerTilt is easily my favorite tool on the job."

With such a daunting workload, it was clear to the Washington DNR that they needed to maximize the productivity of their machine. Accordingly, PowerTilt has remained on their excavators 100 percent of the time, year-round. PowerTilt is used for a whole host of tasks throughout the stream restoration and roadside maintenance process:

Slope stabilization: PowerTiIt allows the equipment operator to flatten slope angles to reduce surface erosion and provide favorable ground to establish vegetation without repositioning the machine, which can be destructive to fragile riparian habitats.

Ditch maintenance: The PowerTilt allows the team to efficiently cut the perfect angles for optimal drainage as well as remove any debris from the ditch with minimal machine movement.

Sidecast removal: The equipment operator efficiently uses PowerTilt to position the bucket for optimum removal of unwanted sidecast more productively and without disturbing the native habitat.

The Washington DNR works in a rugged, tough environment everyday and needs the tools that are up to the challenge. In over 4,500 hours with PowerTilt, the department has never had a problem. PowerTilt skips seamlessly between tasks and in every situation saves time and provides a better job outcome.  

“I believe that every equipment operator would want a PowerTilt if they tried it. Our team is twice as productive with PowerTilt — we’d come unglued without this attachment!”

Tony Holt. Operator Washington Department of Natural Resources

Over a decade of innovation and engineering has gone into making PowerTilt an integral solution for work site efficiency. PowerTilt is specifically engineered to work with a variety of attachments, improving your machine’s versatility. PowerTilt is compatible with wide buckets, brushcutters, narrow buckets, hydraulic hammers, rippers and mowers —just to name a few. PowerTilt’s versatility and durability has allowed the Northwest Region team to keep it on their machine 100 percent of the time, year-round. Minkler explains “My team isn’t shy about telling me which tools aren’t holding up to our demanding requirements. I can tell you that without a doubt the PowerTilt is the only tool we use that we are truly satisfied with. It’s the perfect solution for our requirements.”

PowerTilt is available for equipment up to 75,000 pounds in eight sizes with standard rotation of up to 180 degrees. Each model is engineered for a specific class of machinery and individually customized to fit your machine.

For more Information about Parker’s Helac construction equipment attachments, visit http://solutions.parker.com/powertilt

This article was contributed by Jessica Howisey, marketing communications manager and Daniel Morgado, applications engineer, Helac Business Unit, Cylinder Division 

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Demand for wood is higher than ever. According to a 2020 report by the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, record volumes of wood-based products were produced and traded globally in 2018. This represented an 11% increase in international trade value.

The forestry industry is adapting to meet this growing demand. A range of solutions are helping forestry operators and other industry stakeholders be more productive, run safer timber harvesting operations, and be better stewards of natural resources/business assets. This trend, known as precision forestry, is prompting a revolution in the way trees are harvested — including types of mobile equipment used to harvest timber and move it from forests.

Download our white paper Off-Road Trends: Driving Cleaner, More Efficient and Connected Machinery, and learn what influences the advances in mobile heavy machinery.

Precision forestry involves a shift away from the traditional, highly manual, broad-brush harvesting approach. It leverages digital technology, high degrees of mechanization, and granular decision-making. Harvesting decisions can be made based on data gathered by drones/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), outfitted with remote sensing technologies, flying above a forest. Today, two or three skilled workers operating highly automated machines can accomplish as much as the large logging crews that worked in forests a century ago.

Key to this transformation is the precision forestry technologies that allow for mechanized harvesting. A recent report by McKinsey outlines an example of this new type of harvesting, a process known as the cut to length (CTL) logging system.

CTL is fully mechanized. Gone are dangerous, difficult, manual logging processes (think hand-held chainsaws). Instead, a track-mounted, 20-ton mechanized harvester — run by a single, skilled operator — fells a tree, delimbs it, and bucks it (cuts it to size). The machine does this in seconds using a boom-mounted, computer-controlled processing head, all powered by hydraulics. The operator touches neither the timber nor the dangerous instruments used in turning standing trees into stacked logs. Onboard computers receive real-time cutting instructions from sensors mounted on the harvester; it uses this data to optimize cuts. 

Another wheeled or tracked piece of equipment, known as a forwarder, then moves in. It picks up the logs using a boom, loads them into a cargo bay, and moves them from the felling site to a roadside holding area. Here, they can be loaded into trucks for over-the-road transport. 

Such a system offers a variety of advantages. First and foremost is greater safety — rather than working outside among the logs, operators are tucked into their protected cabs. Labor productivity also improves. And the access to data and advanced analytics gives managers greater control and the ability to make more informed decisions based on the needs of their supply chains.  

The organization Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities lauds this system for its ability to allow forest managers to harvest more selectively, which helps landowners manage for a wider range of objectives. According to the organization,

“Cut-to-length logging helps reduce the need for log landings and access roads and can reduce soil compaction and disturbance. Its efficiency in dense stands makes it especially useful for forest health and fuels treatments.”

-Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities
 

Parker offers a variety of hydraulic solutions that are well-suited to precision forestry applications. These are engineered to help solve known issues such as adapting the machine to differing load conditions, achieving full performance at variable load cycles, machine stability and system function predictability, and flexibility on how valve functions are performing.

The bottom line is better performance with less fuel consumption. It’s an ideal solution for heavy equipment in forestry, mining, construction, and similar applications. 

Traditional forestry is dangerous, difficult, and highly manual work. Meanwhile, traditional practices such as clear-cutting apply far-from-optimal, broad-brush approaches to forest management. Today, technology-driven solutions are changing this paradigm. Modern, precision forestry has the potential to be far safer, less physically demanding, more automated, and more productive. It offers better outcomes for forests and landowners. 

To learn more about trends in the Forestry industry, read our white paper- Off-Road Trends: Driving Cleaner, More Efficient and Connected Machinery. 

This article was contributed by the Hydraulics Team.

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Allied Systems, a Portland, Oregon-based fabricator of material handling equipment for the wood products industry, was looking to redesign their hydraulic system for greater efficiency on their New Generation series Wagner L490 Log Stacker. The L490 is a purpose-built, 4-wheel drive, 45-ton single pass lifting capacity machine that unloads log trucks, high decks and reclaims logs to and from storage as well as loads the infeed at plywood and lumber mills.

Before the redesign, the L490 took 18 seconds to lift a 45-ton payload from the ground to the top of its lift height -- just over 19 feet. The goal of redesigning the machine was to cut the operation cycle time in half. To achieve the performance improvement, Allied was looking for a complete redesign for the L490’s hydraulic system. The equipment’s current hydraulic system utilized competitive open center valves, which were continuously open and fixed displacement pumps that consumed engine horsepower constantly.

Working in collaboration with Allied Systems’ design engineers, Parker’s Global Mobile Systems (GMS), Parker’s Hydraulic Pump and Power Systems (HPS) and Parker Integrator Western Integrated Technologies redesigned the L490’s hydraulic system with closed-center valves and load sense pumps. As a result of this new hydraulic system design, power is only generated upon system demand making it more efficient than the previous open valve design paradigm. Additionally, this new hydraulic system design increases the overall fuel efficiency, reducing the cost of ownership and operational costs significantly for the end-user.

The major components of the new L490 design include the following Parker components:

• P3 Pumps

• M5 Fan Motors

• K220LS and M402LS Valves

• IQAN Controls and Display Electronics

The P3 High Pressure Mobile Pump 145 cc was selected for L490’s new hydraulic system over competitors’ pumps due to its higher speed, better inlet characteristics and fewer auxiliary components required. As an example, the P3 excellent inlet characteristics allow for a standard reservoir design, a pressurized breather to reduce air exchange, facilitate venting and contamination ingress when the fluid level rises or drops while actuating a hydraulic function. Overall, the P3’s higher speed rating and excellent inlet conditions add to the complete overall performance of the new L490 design.

The heavy-duty M5BF Vane motor with its integral valves and a speed sensor for multiple fan drives replaced a vane motor, separate inline valves and an external speed sensor. The added benefits of the integrated M5 fan drive include:

• Self-cleaning maintenance by reversing the fan and blowing the dust out

• An integrated system with the valving included, resulting in a more compact, integrated system

• Fewer components, providing a more cost-effective solution

• Integrated valving that reduces parts counts, assembly labor and has fewer leak points

Critical to reaching the desired 2X performance enhancement in operational speed was to increase the system pressure and flow, while reducing the cylinder volume and preserving the ability to lift the same loads. To complement the Allied in-house cylinder design by combining the higher flow and pressures achievable by the Parker P3 pumps, the valve arrangement and sizing changed to accommodate the high demands to hoist and lower log loads.

Combining left and right dedicated hoist valves (M402LSs) that work in concert with a K220LS implement valve, the precompensated solution draws only the flow demanded by the operator and builds just enough pressure to meet functional requirements. The net result: an increase in hydraulic efficiency and reduced cycle times. Other benefits of the M402 and K220 include:

• Application-specific standard spools with match flow and function characteristics

• Industry proven durability

• Individual work-port pressure limitation for increased system efficiency

• Combination relief/anti-cavitation cartridges for system protection

The operator has a new level of control provided by this system design, which includes variable displacement pumps, proportional valves and joystick control functions that were previously impossible but are more routinely required today.

For instance, the ability to preset a carriage position provides the operator with greater confidence when removing logs from a truck, establishing a safe travel position, or placing logs in the infeed. In addition, Allied’s advanced programming of the MD4 and IQAN control has provided a new level of HMI excellence that Allied customers benefit from every day.

Rounding out the Parker product portfolio on the log stackers is the in-tank filtration, which includes new GLI Filters, Global Core hose, and Parker fittings to connect all the hydraulic components. 

Ultimately, the L490’s hydraulic system has been completely “Parkerized” with complementary components delivered from Parker’s Motion Systems Group, including Valves, Hose & Fittings, In-Tank Filtration and IQAN.

With a revised hydraulic system that has twice the hoist speed of the earlier design, Allied Systems was able to significantly reduce cycle times over the previous model L490 by two to one.

In addition, the new hydraulic technology has modernized Allied’s legacy design and made it more competitive in the industry by improving speeds, efficiency, and reducing the overall cost of ownership.

Finally, Allied Systems found this hydraulic system design to be so effective that they have implemented it on all their New Generation Wagner Log Stackers, Chip Handling Dozers, and Landfill Compactors. 

Parker’s Hydraulic Pump and Power Systems Division has been designing pumps and transmission for over 50 years. The division is the result of the Parker piston pump business's acquisition of Denison Hydraulics and the merger with the Parker Oildyne Division. These two businesses combined have extended Parker's product offering to include the quality compact hydraulic products and systems the division has been pioneering since 1955. To learn more about the products, visit www.parker.com/hps or contact the team. 

Article contributed by Bill Vetters, applications engineer, for Parker Hannifin Corporation's Hydraulic Pump and Power Systems Division.

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Over the last few years there has been a significant increase in the popularity of electric cars. These vehicles are efficient, silent and do not pollute the air (at least where they are driven). In looking at the function of an electric car, there are several keys to the success of the electric technology. First and foremost, is the fact that the battery, inverter and electric motor have reached a level of efficiency and power density that allows a car to be driven several hundred miles between charges. Even with the weight of a battery, the weight of an electric car is about the same as a combustion engine car. The added battery mass is offset by weight savings in the engine and by simplifying the driveline. And finally, an electric car efficiently utilizes energy recovery with its brakes. All these factors put passenger cars in a “sweet spot” for electrification today. 

Vehicles that are based on a truck chassis demand more from electrification than passenger cars. For these vehicles, the primary energy source must not only power the driving but also power the transportation of loads and the hydraulic functions, which can be significant throughout the day. This is the situation for automated side loader (ASL) refuse collection vehicles. A side loader can carry approximately 15,000 pounds of garbage and uses a hydraulic system to pick individual trash cans while compacting the load. The work of hydraulics becomes very significant considering that a truck normally collects between 1,000 and 1,500 trash can loads per day. In order for a fully electric vehicle to complete this amount of work, it must be powered by a very large battery. Besides being a significant cost adder, a large battery leads to a decrease in payload, which is the most important factor when it comes to material collection and transportation. Various fully electric automated side loaders have been built and tested as vehicle demonstrators. However, as of today, the electrification technology that is driving the success of electric passenger cars has not found commercial applications for this class of vehicles. 

The electric hybrid solution is particularly attractive in machines that work with repetitive cycles and require a significant amount of power to move hydraulic functions. In traditional ASLs, the operator drives the machine and between stops collects the garbage cans by operating a hydraulic arm. While performing these functions, the packer continuously runs to compact the load inside the body. The collection of the trash cans happens while the truck is at idle and the pumps rotate at low speed. This operating condition is the opposite of ideal because the pumps and the engine produce the work at a very inefficient operating condition. Furthermore, the engine is loaded at idle and, in order not to stall it produces the traditional muffled noise, which also accompanies higher emissions.

A significant but simple improvement to this situation can be achieved by implementing an electric hybrid system for implement control. Here, the hydraulic pump(s) use a thru-drive configuration and are piggy-backed to a permanent magnet electric motor. This sub-assembly is mounted on the truck transmission using a traditional clutch-shift PTO. The electric motor is controlled via an inverter which derives power from a compact battery pack.

If you would like to learn more about Parker's Electric Hybrid System and the performance results when used on the ASL in a dense route, download the white paper "An Electric Hybrid System for Refuse Vehicle Applications."  The white paper presents an in-depth description of the system and an energy mapping analysis applied to the specific case of an automated sided loader in a typical duty cycle.

Article contributed by Germano Franzoni, Ph.D., senior systems engineer, Parker Hannifin, Global Mobile Systems.

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The potential for wind energy is massive. Although wind energy currently represents only about five percent of the world’s total electricity, many experts predict it could easily produce at least one-fourth to one-third of the world’s total production by 2050. 

Much of the expected growth is projected to come from offshore wind farms. In the United States, northern California has been identified as the site for America’s first floating offshore wind farm. In addition, states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts already are making major commitments to developing future offshore wind farms. 

The benefits of offshore wind farms include:  

• they don’t take up valuable land space  

• offshore wind power is typically more constant and less turbulent than onshore wind  

• the hauling of components out to sea is relatively easy to manage 
   

Read part 2 of our white paper- 2021 Power Generation and Renewable Energy Trends, to explore renewable energy technology trends, both established and newer technologies including wind, solar, biogas and hydroelectric.

Offshore wind farm challenges include aesthetic issues if the wind farms are located near the shore. If they are farther out, the water is often too deep to build a traditional tower, which means a less-stable floating structure must be built. 

The floating platforms are exposed to harsher conditions, resulting in increased vibration, fatigue and heavy loads on the structure. As researchers continue to evaluate possible innovations that result in greater reliability and less downtime, they are looking to the offshore oil and gas industry for solutions, as many of the same mechanical issues are faced in those operations. 

Previous innovations have focused on improving the design of offshore turbines, optimizing the blade shapes, identifying more robust, lighter-weight materials and adding intelligent control systems. The search continues for lighter-weight materials that are flexible but still strong. In typical offshore turbines, the entire system is constantly flexing, so components must be able to withstand continuous flexing without prematurely failing. 

The key to maximizing the potential of wind energy is building taller wind turbines with longer blades. Already the largest flexible rotating machine in the world, today’s wind turbine blades exceed 80 meters (262 feet) in length on towers that rise 100 meters (328 feet) meters and even 200 meters (656 feet).  

To access faster, more powerful winds, however, it is estimated that the towers will need to reach heights above 300 meters (984 feet). That presents major challenges since, at those heights, the turbines would straddle two layers of the atmosphere and be subjected to varying atmospheric forces. Researchers need to better understand the dynamics of wind at these higher elevations. While skyscrapers exceed these heights, they are not moving, so the wind is less of a factor in their design and maintenance. 

More powerful offshore turbines are coming, as manufacturers continue pushing the capacity of offshore wind farms. Wind turbines are also getting smarter with digitally connected sensors and artificial intelligence-driven (AI) software that anticipates and reacts to changing conditions, predicts component longevity and communicates with remote data centers. The enhanced use of AI is increasingly automating operations, boosting productivity and cost savings. 

Of course, turbines are only as good and reliable as their individual parts. With the tremendous stress on the turbines (especially as they are being built taller and farther out at sea), mechanical failures and overheating are key concerns. 

Parker manufactures several high-performance, durable components for wind turbines, including bladders, pumps, diaphragms, pistons and valves, sealants, power conversion systems, integrated lube oil filtration systems and compact blade activation systems. Learn more about these wind turbine products and solutions.

Wind turbines are built with emergency pitch-control systems to protect them from damage during excessive wind speeds or grid power loss. Such systems are vital to the ongoing safe and reliable operation of the turbines, as they shift the turbine’s blades out of the wind and slow down the rotor from spinning out of control. Some industry experts estimate that pitch control failures account for nearly one-quarter of all downtime in wind turbines. 

Parker has responded to this problem through continuous improvement in its pitch control valves, ensuring they can withstand heavy vibration and shock, as well as extreme temperatures. The D1FC and D3FC direct operated proportional DC valves with position feedback represent major breakthroughs. They feature anti-shock mounting technology that allows them to withstand harsh operating environments and are well sealed to protect against dirt and moisture. 

Pitch control failures also can be the result of problems with the battery, including voltage faults and degraded performance in hot or cold weather. A newer, promising alternative to battery-based systems is ultracapacitor-based energy storage for the pitch system. Ultracapacitors are high-powered devices that store charges electrostatically.  

Lead-based batteries, in contrast, operate electrochemically. An inherent disadvantage affecting the reliability of batteries is the nature of their chemical process. Ultracapacitors, on the other hand, are touted to offer greater efficiency and reliability in emergency pitch controls and require no scheduled maintenance for at least 10 years. This translates into considerable savings in maintenance time and costs. 

As wind turbine blades continue to get longer to maximize energy production, the bearings turning the blades are subjected to increased stress. A challenge is that bearings need to be compact in design to help reduce overall component size, weight and manufacturing costs. Newer tapered roller bearings have recently demonstrated a highly desirable performance compared to conventional, spherical roller bearings. The tapered bearings are smaller in size with their rings and rollers tapered in the shape of truncated cones to simultaneously support axial and radial loads.  

The tapered shape offers increased power density which reduces the overall cost of energy and can bear both thrust and radial loads. This is critical in ensuring consistent performance despite harsh conditions and unpredictable changes in wind speed and direction. 

Cable faults are more likely with offshore wind farms because the subsea equipment is deployed from a vessel or retrieved from the water which places extreme tension on the attached subsea cables.  

Underwater helical cable terminations have recently been shown to prevent fault because they disperse the stress that would have occurred at a localized point on the cable over the entire length of the cable. An added advantage of the helical cable terminations is that they can be installed anywhere along the length of the cable without access to the cable end. In addition, they require no tools or cable preparation. 

In response to the growing global demand for more sustainable energy options, research is underway to further reduce the environmental impact of wind power and increase its consistency. Two of the larger focus areas include the use of floating solar panels and green hydrogen. In both cases, the goal is to store power to generate extra electricity during periods of high demand. 

Interest in green hydrogen is skyrocketing, not just for wind farms, but also for use in the oil and gas industry. A green hydrogen electrolysis system deploys an electric current to “split” hydrogen gas from the water. Such a system could run during periods of low demand, using excess wind power, solar power or both. One challenge is that electrolysis typically requires purified water, which means more energy is needed to run the system. Research is ongoing for solutions that would minimize energy demand for this process. 

The potential for wind energy appears unlimited. However, the industry will need additional innovations to solve current challenges regarding reliability, productivity, and sustainability. 

To learn more about wind energy, read our 2021 Power Generation and Renewable Energy Trends White Paper – Part 2. 

This article was contributed by the Hydraulics and Energy Teams. 

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Parker Colorflow valves have been a global standard in industrial and mobile applications for more than 60 years. The exclusive colored rings found on metering, flow control and needle valves provide users highly visible checkpoints that allow for accurate and quick set/reset of valve positions. Though they have changed very little since development, they are quickly adapting to a new digital age.

Colorflow inventor brothers, Ted and Julius Zajac, were born to Polish immigrant parents in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, a solidly working-class neighborhood overlooking Cleveland’s vast industrial valley and the Cuyahoga River. They were raised, like our founder Art Parker, in the same area surrounded by industry and innovation. Although the Parkers and the Zajacs were separated by a few decades, their family homes were located only a dozen blocks apart.  

During their lifetime, the Zajac brothers would found several companies and author 20 patents. One such company was Manatrol Corporation, a company known for innovative fluid control, founded in 1958.  Within a few years, they would receive their patent on a unique flow control valve (Patent No. 3,085,592) that they named their Colorflow line. It is hard to imagine if the brothers could have foreseen that tens of millions of their valves would be manufactured over the course of several decades, but as they filed their patent, they began the story of their Colorflow line.

In 1963, Manatrol Corporation merged with Perry Fay Corporation in Elyria, Ohio, and in 1969 was acquired by Parker. The Manatrol Division of Parker Hannifin was created, the foundation of what would eventually become the Hydraulic Valve Division (HVD) of today.

Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, childhood homes of Art Parker and the Zajac brothers—also the first location of Manatrol Corporation during the 1950s. Interestingly enough, Art Parker’s first location of the Parker Appliance Company was in the adjacent neighborhood of Cleveland’s Ohio City during the 1920s.  Photo by Glenn Petranek @ glennpics.com   

Over the next several decades, manufacturing of Colorflow flow control, needle, metering and check valves continued to grow. Based on a common design standard and footprint, Colorflow valves control flow in a variety of applications. With steel, brass, and stainless steel options, nitrile and fluorocarbon seals, as well as NPTF, SAE, BSPP, and BSPT ports, Colorflow valves from Parker offer the flexibility to adapt into any system. You’ll find them in industrial applications like tire presses, pulp and paper equipment and die casting machines. They are also common to mobile applications such as agricultural sprayers, forklifts and wheel loaders. Colorflow valves help customers everywhere get the job done.

Check valves (C series) are offered in metal seated configurations for particularly aggressive applications with high temperature or contamination or with proprietary soft seating poppets that combine the rugged benefits of metal seated valves with the low leakage performance provided by soft seated designs. While these valves are not used in place of load-holding valves, they offer reliable performance on a variety of power units around the globe protecting pumps and sensitive equipment from downstream pressure spikes.

Needle valves (N series and MV series) provide hydraulic technicians and machine operators a method of variable speed control which can be coarsely adjusted through the use of the Vernier indications on the needle stem. These valves are indispensable when creating a variety of flow and pressure conditions on test stands and for tuning in a power unit or the speed of a cylinder or motor. A micro-fine needle with special milling is available for applications which require extremely fine control.

By integrating needle valves with the metal poppet and seat from the C series check valves, flow control valves (F series) provide for the ability to create meter-in or meter-out hydraulic circuits which can be particularly useful in controlling overrunning loads. By integrating these functions together, a system benefits from fewer fittings and fewer potential leak points. Flow control and needle valves can both be set in position by use of a set screw, a finger-adjustable screw, or by permanently installing a tamperproof pin.

Pressure compensated flow control valves (PC*K and PC*M series) incorporate a pressure-reducing compensator spool to a standard flow control valve. This compensator provides for a constant motor or cylinder speed regardless of any fluctuations in supply pressure or in downstream loading either by the flow setting provided by a fixed control orifice or the variable needle with Vernier graduations. These valves can be ordered with or without an integrated check valve depending on whether a system requires reverse flow through the valve to be restricted through the control orifice/needle valve or to be free flow. A particularly interesting application for series PCCK valves is for subsea blowout preventer (BOP) control. PCCK valves can be used in combination with hydraulic motors, like those from Parker Calzoni, to actuate BOP rams with predictable response speed.

In 2021, an initiative began to bring the valves into the digital space.  In a modern era where society is increasingly coming accustomed to both seeing and scanning 2D barcodes using smartphones, Parker’s Hydraulic Valve Division adapted the manufacturing and computing changes to incorporate the 2D barcodes on every valve manufactured.  Customers now have a unique access point of information and capability.    

For the first time in history, each valve now comes individually serialized, embedded inside the 2D barcode.  Traceability and quality assurance are inherent to the individual serialization.  With an increase of counterfeiting and imitation, customers have increased confidence they are receiving a Genuine Parker Part. 

With this ease of access, buying additional valves through eCommerce has become even easier.  After scanning the Colorflow valve, a convenient “Buy Now” button provides a streamlined path to order valves and get them delivered to your address.  Our vast network of Parker Distribution functions as eFulfillment. 

For a customer physically holding an existing product, information on the valve is now at their fingertips.  Pressure drop curves, an installation guide, Colorflow FAQs, and performance limits provide an all-encompassing confidence and understanding for an end user of the product.

The primary tool to access all this information is the Parker Tracking System (PTS) Mobile app.  Initially scanning the barcode links a user to download the Parker-backed mobile application.

To download the mobile app and view a Colorflow F400S example, scan here:

From their origins in Cleveland’s Industrial Valley to their incorporation into the digital space, Colorflow valves are built tough and here to stay. Countless industries worldwide will continue to enjoy the proven quality and performance and will gain access to important product information at their fingertips. 

Parker Hydraulic Valve Division is proud to bring Colorflow into the modern era and looks forward to manufacturing these valves for decades to come. As was in the days of the Zajac brothers, these Colorflow flow valves are made in America—built by the hard-working people in Elyria, Ohio.

This article was contributed by Mike Giammo, product sales manager and Mitch Eichler, business development manager, Parker's Hydraulic Valve Division.

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Parker Community: Colorflow FAQs

The West Virginia Department of Highways has the responsibility to maintain and repair thousands of miles of public roads and state highways to support the environment and communities that call West Virginia their home. The Department of Highways in West Virginia needed a durable tilt attachment that could withstand the use and abuse of digging in rocky soil. They also wanted a tool that would reduce their reliance on manual labor to perform a variety of tasks such as cleaning ditches, laying and repairing pipe, and removing asphalt. When they added a PowerTilt to their backhoes, they found a tilt attachment that outlasted their previous backhoe without needing any repairs, and it improved their productivity between 30 to 75 percent depending on the task performed.

Before PowerTilt, installing pipe in landscaped areas in West Virginia required a lot of time-intensive manual labor and finish work to clean up the job site. Since the machine couldn't always be leveled to obtain the level bottom in the ditch that these installations required. West Virginia Department of Highways used a PowerTilt to dig the trench to the appropriate depth and width for pipe installation. With PowerTilt, the installation crew could tilt the bucket to level and make the bed for the open top drain or the drop inlet level.

“With PowerTilt you can save so much time and effort by simply positioning your bucket instead of repositioning the entire machine."

Wyatt Reed, backhoe operator for West Virginia Department of Highways

Since backfill wasn’t allowed into either the open top drains or the drop inlets, the installation crew previously dumped backfill on the side of the ditch and shoveled it in by hand. Now with PowerTilt, the installation crew simply positions the bucket 45 degrees and drops the fill rock out of the corner of the bucket. Also before PowerTilt, backfilling was a backbreaking manual task accomplished with shovels and a lot of hard work. Now installing the pipe and backfilling the trench is a breeze. They can tilt the bucket to 90 degrees and use the edge of the bucket just like a rake. Then the installation crew can pull the entire excess dirt off the grass or concrete. 

PowerTilt not only saved West Virginia Department of Highways tons of time in the pipe installation, it also saved them tremendous time on the project clean up as well, which reduces labor costs and increases productivity. “The PowerTilt cut our project time for installing pipes by 75 percent. Previously, the cleanup in landscaped areas required around six or seven men, and with the PowerTilt we can now do a much better-looking job, in a lot less time, with around three men (including the operator),” stated Reed.

West Virginia Department of Highways spends a fair amount of time using PowerTilt for pipe repair projects. The repair process starts by digging around both sides of the pipe. Then machine operator tilts the bucket and uses a tooth to loosen the soil around the sides of pipe. If the pipe just needs to be straightened out, then the operator can tilt the bucket and use a tooth to hook the lip at the end of the pipe and then lift to straighten the pipe. When the pipe needs the end cut off, the operator uses the PowerTilt to tilt the bucket 90 degrees and actually dig under the pipe so they can get all the way around it with a cut off saw. Before the PowerTilt, the construction crew had to dig under the pipe by hand, which significantly increases the timeline along with the expense.

“When we need to repair a pipe there's no better tool than PowerTilt. A job that may have taken hours before now takes less than 35 percent of the time with the PowerTilt,”

Wyatt Reed, backhoe operator for West Virginia Department of Highways.

Another unexpected benefit of PowerTilt was the ability to use it to break up old asphalt for road prep work and repaving projects. PowerTilt allowed them to remove the asphalt without bringing in a dedicated machine or breaking the asphalt with jackhammers or other intensive manual labor methods. The Department of Highways in West Virginia used the PowerTilt to angle the bucket and then used a tooth to score, or gouge, the asphalt. This process weakens the asphalt allowing the PowerTilt to then break the asphalt and pick it up. The West Virginia Department of Highways reduced labor time by 30 percent by utilizing one machine instead of many for the removal of old asphalt.

With PowerTilt, West Virginia Department of Highways was able to easily dig the V shaped ditches by utilizing the 130 degrees of side-to-side swing rotation offered by PowerTilt. Without the PowerTilt, ditches ended up with a ‘'U" profile. PowerTilt also allows the ditching work to be accomplished from the road, diminishing the impact on roadside vegetation. The Department of Highways in West Virginia found the smooth rotation of the PowerTilt to be really helpful for small angle adjustments, which comes in handy when carving a gentle slope from the roadside to the ditch for optimum runoff and erosion control. As a result, PowerTilt increased the West Virginia Department of Highway's ditching productivity by 50 percent.

West Virginia’s soil is full of rocks and boulders so digging and hard pounding in this type of environment takes a toll on the backhoe and the backhoe operator. “PowerTilt was used and abused yet it stood up to the abuse better than the backhoe or the operators. We’ve used our PowerTilt over six years and with the exception of daily greasing by the operators, we haven't had to send it in to our service department for any repairs,” said Reed. "If PowerTilt ever wears out, I will do everything in my power to make sure the department buys me another one.”

PowerTilt uses Parker’s innovative Helac sliding-spline operating technology to convert linear piston motion into powerful shaft rotation. Each Helac actuator is composed of a housing and two moving parts - the central shaft and piston. As hydraulic pressure is applied, the piston is displaced axially, while the helical gearing on the piston outer diameter and housing's ring gear cause the simultaneous rotation of the piston. PowerTilt's end caps, seals and bearings all work in tandem to keep debris and other contaminants out of the inner workings of the actuator, prolonging product life and reducing required maintenance. PowerTilt is available for equipment up to 75,000 pounds in eight sizes with standard rotation of up to 180 degrees. Each model is designed for a specific class of machinery and individually customized to fit the carrier.

Learn more about the benefits of Parker’s Helac PowerTilt by visiting solutions.parker.com/powertilt

This article was contributed by Jessica Howisey, marketing communications manager and Daniel Morgado, applications engineer, Helac Business Unit, Cylinder Division.

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In the off-road machinery industry an easy-to-use operator interface is increasingly important. Because of innovation and technology enhancements, users expect encoder, push-button and touch screen access to real-time data on the machine. With a comprehensive range of material handling equipment, the material handling OEM was looking for a rugged, full-feature, color display that could be easily implemented with a variety of its fork trucks, including both electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.  

The OEM needed a flexible solution for how and where the display would be mounted. They also needed easy-to-use software to program the display for a wide variety of operator screens for various fork trucks.

Parker's PHD displays are general-purpose displays that offer full color, touch-capable screens with built in CAN and I/O. The PHD displays are designed to withstand a variety of environments from outdoor weather to industrial freezer to high-impact applications.

Each fork truck application required a slightly different operator interface. For example, the screens on the display for a small electric drive fork truck are different from the screens used on a large container handler. However, the OEM required that all the displays share several common images and screen arrangements.

Parker’s displays have easy-to-use software that allows for rapid application development. The programming tool uses a graphical development environment that allows the programmer to see the screens being developed as they would appear on the actual display. The software uses a “no hardware in the loop” simulation that allows the developer to “run” the application on the PC to see how the screens and transitions would appear without needing the hardware. 

The programming tool allows for image files and screen layouts to be easily imported between applications. Images of screens do not have to be recreated which reduces development time for new applications.

Since the OEM was looking to use the same display on a wide range of fork trucks, they had a need for different display sizes. Parker’s display screens are available in three sizes, 2.8-inch, 5-inch and 7-inch. All three sizes have a core design that allow for a variety of bezel and mounting adaptors to be developed without having to redesign the PHD housing. Since the PHD housing is standard, many hours and thousands of dollars in testing and certification are saved when a new mounting approach is needed.

Parker’s PHD display screens continue to gain an ever-increasing role in the design and enhancement of modern machinery. Parker’s experience developing highly engineered components and systems, combined with its engineering and manufacturing expertise, enables its OEM customers to take advantage of the developments to create more productive and efficient machines.

This OEM considered several other mobile display platforms prior to deciding to leverage its existing partnership with Parker to create a unified solution to meet their need for an advanced cost-effective display solution across their fleet of fork trucks. Flexibility and ease of programming were key to the PHD display’s success at this OEM. 

By partnering with Parker, the OEM successfully implemented a common display solution for lift trucks used for very different material handling applications. The PHD displays are used on the OEM’s end rider, reach and very narrow aisle electric trucks. The same display family is used on the OEM’s internal combustion engine large truck container handler and counterbalance trucks. By using the same display solution, the OEM was able to keep development costs low while implementing a scalable solution that fit their various design and functionality requirements.

Download the OEM success story here!

Article contributed by Kirk Lola, product manager, Electronic Motion and Controls Division, Parker Hannifin Corporation.

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Although wind currently provides 5 percent of the world’s electricity, the growing push for renewables has led many scientists and engineers to predict that wind turbines may generate at least half of all power by 2050. That is not a given, however, as significant advances must first be made in understanding the atmosphere at higher altitudes, predicting weather patterns and re-engineering turbines to perform at higher levels of efficiency. 

The overriding objective throughout all the redesigns and enhancements is to build larger and more powerful wind turbines to produce more energy for the cost, thus lowering the per-unit cost of electricity. According to Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), in 2019, the average turbine size surpassed 2,750 KW. This was a 72% increase in average size over the past decade.

Previously, wind turbine design has focused largely on optimized blade shapes; lighter-weight, flexible, yet durable, materials; and the addition of intelligent control and monitoring systems. Some in the industry believe, however, that we have reached a point in technological advancements where advancements are incremental at best. 

Simply increasing the size of the towers, blades and other components is not the answer, as this would lead to turbines that are excessively costly and heavy. That has prompted an ongoing search for advanced, lighter-weight materials that withstand increased forces without failing prematurely, as well as simplified designs that remove costs and weight. 

Download our white paper How Technology and Design Advances Are Making Wind Turbines More Efficient and Popular to learn how engineering innovations are propelling wind power to the next level to capture a larger sector of the global energy market.

Meeting global targets for wind energy generation means finding ways to generate a lot more energy from existing wind farms. Historically, engineers have focused on the performance of individual turbines, but newer approaches are based on the performance of the wind farm as a whole. 

Consider the fact that wind turbines produce the most power when pointed directly into the wind. However, when multiple turbines are near each other, they create wakes from upstream generators that can interfere with the performance of turbines located downstream. Researchers found that turbine wakes can reduce the efficiency of downwind generators by more than 40 percent. 

This revelation has led to the practice of pointing turbines slightly away from the oncoming wind—a practice known as wake-steering— to reduce interference and improve the quantity and quality of power from the wind farm. This can also help to lower operating costs.

Of the various renewable options, wind energy is probably the most variable. Wind velocity can change without warning, as can the direction of the wind. That means blades and rotor RPM must be able to adjust accordingly to adapt to wind speed. Otherwise, operational and cost inefficiencies could result. 

Conventional wind turbines were not designed to change directions or speeds quickly, and they are even more challenged to do so as rotor blades have increased in size. Larger rotor blades have made it necessary to consider blade/rotor concepts that can adjust themselves to non-homogenous wind flow, such as gusts, turbulence spots, shear, etc. The longer the blade, the greater the difficulty to define the optimal operating point since the inflow situations may vary quite a bit along the blade. Determining the optimal operating point is critical for reducing loads and increasing or smoothing out power output.

The challenge to maintaining the optimal operational point, despite wind inconsistency, has opened the door to what is known as smart rotor technology. Design options include:

• Wind turbines with tip-rotors.

• Replacing a large single rotor with a multiple rotor system consisting of a large number of standardized rotors.

Advances in sensors and analytics allow for predictive and preventative maintenance strategies to reduce unplanned outages. In the past, condition monitoring systems for wind turbines focused on the detection of failures in the main bearing, generator, and gearbox because these are the most expensive components of a wind turbine. Today there are several ways to help maintenance teams stay ahead of failures, including fluid sensors, particle counters and vibration sensors. Contaminated fluids and worn bearings due to vibration are two leading causes of gearbox failures.

With other forms of renewable energy also showing promise, pressure is on OEMs in the wind industry to lower costs.

“We’ve seen a trend of getting better performance using less. Because of this streamlining, the cost of wind turbines has come down 40-60% in just the last five years as everyone is working harder to design them bigger, better, and cheaper while making them last longer.”
Tom Ulery, business development manager, renewable energy, Parker Hannifin
 

While there is still a need to identify alternative materials that will result in cost savings, the big focus is on streamlining the overall design and reducing component complexity. There’s an increased need to standardize sizes to realize economies of scale and facilitate installations in multiple countries. Additional cost savings can be realized by maximizing the efficiency of wind turbines and minimizing maintenance costs.

Energy storage remains a key challenge, as the greatest potential for wind energy occurs at night when demand for electricity is typically lower. Battery technologies have evolved a lot but do not fully solve the problem of long-term storage. In addition to being expensive, 

• Lithium-ion batteries are limited as to how much energy they can store. 

• Flow batteries offer a lot of promise but are not currently able to operate at a utility scale. 

Currently, all eyes in the industry are on converting excess energy into hydrogen as a preferred storage option. Hydrogen is ideal for storing energy for long periods of time because of its high energy density. Being lightweight makes it easier to handle. Hydrogen, however, is not without its challenges.

Although wind energy is seen as environmentally friendly, it has been criticized for its detrimental effect on wildlife. It’s been estimated that between 140,000 and 500,000 bird deaths occur at wind farms each year. Wind turbines have also been found to be one of the leading causes of mass bat mortality, with some estimates as high as 888,000 bat fatalities a year. 

Another environmental concern relative to wind turbines is noise pollution. As turbines grow, so does the noise they make, with most of the noise occurring at the outer edge of the blades. Yet, size is not the only factor affecting noise pollution. It is also about the location of the wind turbines relative to each other. 

While new innovations are coming onto the market to improve the cost and efficiency of wind energy overall, there are some simple, yet highly impactful, things that can be done operationally to optimize the performance of existing wind turbine designs and materials.

Download our white paper How Technology and Design Advances Are Making Wind Turbines More Efficient and Popular to discover innovations that are helping wind farm owners reduce operating costs, extend service life and minimize environmental impact.

Article contributed by Tom Ulery, business development manager, Energy Team Parker Hannifin, North America Wind industry.
 

Follow our Power Generation Industry page on Linkedin to keep up with the latest products, technologies and energy-saving solutions for Steam & Gas, Biogas & Landfill, Coal/Oil/Gas-Fired Boilers, Reciprocating Engines, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Water Energy, and Transmission and Distribution. 

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The Challenges and Promise of Tidal Energy

The lift truck industry is growing not only in volume, but in sophistication. Societal expectations for friendly interfaces, predictable performance, increased productivity, IoT connectivity and environmental safety are raising the bar on lift truck design. Forklift engineering and design teams are confronting a number of challenges that are rapidly transforming major industrial markets worldwide:

• First and foremost, operational safety continues to be a principal focus, driving changes in ergonomics and machine design.

• The need to control operational costs while addressing safety concerns has resulted in the rapid adoption of autonomous vehicles.

• Burgeoning global trade is expanding the need to move freight as cost-efficiently as possible.

• Emerging IoT applications are creating the expectation of user-friendly telematics and big data analytics to improve productivity.

• The rapid growth of e-commerce businesses and an increase in governmental infrastructure investments are significant contributors to market growth.

• Environmental mandates are encouraging manufacturers of larger forklifts to adopt electric machines to limit potentially hazardous emissions.

• In markets such as port machinery, heightened environmental concerns are also driving a move toward alternative fuel technologies.

Partnering with the right forklift component supplier can help lift truck engineering and design teams take advantage of these trends by providing innovative design concepts that can be customized to meet the characteristic profiles associated with each OEM’s brand. 

Parker's forklift products and technologies provide next generation solutions, for example:

Hose Design - An OEM’s initial investment in high-performance hosing is likely to significantly improve dealer, and ultimately customer, satisfaction.  A Parker hose using the highest quality of materials and manufactured to withstand the toughest of applications can best fulfill exacting performance requirements.  

Display Modules - Parker's compact, easy-to-read, full-color touch screen displays, with graphical programming capabilities, support multiple languages and enable rapid application and customized menu screen development. The electronic displays are compatible with both CAN and USB
communication protocols. Advanced systems can even feature NTSC.PAL video support to help keep your customers’ fleets moving when problems occur. 

Gear pumps - Silent fixed-displacement gear pumps for applications demanding noise levels less than 65cb, where high power density is required

ORFS - Seal-Lok’s Trap-Seal™ technology was created to proactively protect against O-ring fallout and pinch. The trapezoidal-shaped seal sits snugly in Seal-Lok’s ORFS captive O-ring groove (CORG) ensuring improved retention and providing maximum assurance for leak-free connections.

Parker would welcome an opportunity to become your engineering and technology partner - optimizing and scaling individual components to meet your specification requirements and ensuring predictable and consistent component performance worldwide.

Download our white paper, Improving Lift Truck Safety...One Component at a Time, to learn more about Parker's products and solutions for forklifts.

This article was contributed by the Hydraulics Team.

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Solar power is the most plentiful source of energy on the planet. Light from the sun can be directly converted to electricity via photovoltaic (PV) cells or by using heliostats, which include mirrors or lenses, to concentrate sunlight to a central receiver that collects the solar energy and converts it to heat (concentrated solar power or CSP). According to the Solar Energy Technologies Office, the thermal energy generated can then be used as a power or heat source in many industrial applications including power generation, water desalination, chemical production, and enhanced oil recovery. Additionally, through the use of thermal storage, CSP technology can provide solar power-on-demand — addressing grid integration challenges caused by solar energy variability. Thermal solar fields and CSP installations require supplemental power to reposition arrays during high wind loads. 

A parabolic trough system is a type of CSP technology that is comprised of large mirrors shaped like the letter U. These troughs track the sun during the day. The sun's heat is reflected and sent to a receiver tube that contains a heat-retaining fluid. Basically, this super hot liquid heats water in a heat exchanger and the water turns to steam. The steam is sent off to a steam turbine, and from there, a generator producing electricity. Ultimately recyclable, once the fluid transfers its heat, it's recycled and used over and over. A major benefit of a trough system is that the heated fluid can be stored and used, even on a cloudy day or after the sun has set.

From towers to dishes to linear mirrors to troughs, concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies reflect and collect solar heat to generate electricity. A single CSP plant can generate enough power for about 90,000 homes. This video from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy  Efficiency & Renewable Energy explains what CSP is, how it works, and how systems like parabolic troughs produce renewable power. 

Some of the solar installations have an array of solar panels (PV), or parabolic mirrors (CSP) which will move as the sun arcs through the sky. The main goal here is to place the mirror or panel at the proper angle to the sun in order to capture the most energy. This movement may be affected by a hydraulic cylinder, electrohydraulic or all-electric actuator. 
 

Hydraulic piston accumulators can be incorporated into solar tracking systems for several reasons:

• To reduce load demand. The ability to store hydraulic fluid under pressure so that larger hydraulic pumps are not required (smaller pumps can gradually build pressure in the accumulators. If the accumulators were not present, the pumps would have to be sized to run any time array movement was needed and also be larger in size in order to accommodate any large array movements
• Accumulators may be installed in order to provide emergency shutdown power. The arrays must have the ability to be stowed in a high wind situation. In the event of an electrical system failure, the accumulators could provide reserve power to move the arrays into a safe position. When used as an auxiliary energy source, an accumulator can reduce the hydraulic system requirements, and can be used as an energy storage link so energy can be reasonably distributed. 
• May provide some cushioning or dampening of the array as they are exposed to high wind loads.

For hydraulic actuators, a power source is needed, and an accumulator could be used in two applications within this hydraulic system:

1.  As an emergency power source: If the hydraulic power unit(s) that control these actuators fail – either through a component failure or electrical power loss, an accumulator, with its stored hydraulic energy, can be used to move the array to a “safe / stowed” position. This safe position protects the array from high wind loads which could damage it.
2. For power augmentation: It may be possible to design a hydraulic power unit with less flow capacity in order to save space, cost and/or electrical power requirements. In this instance, an accumulator would allow for the gradual accumulation of hydraulic power (both pressure and flow). This power reserve can then be tapped into when needed – providing a greater flow than what the small hydraulic power unit could produce by itself. An application of this would be for emergency stowing of a number of arrays

A piston accumulator is a kind of pressure containment vessel. Its function is to absorb hydraulic shock, eliminate pulsation and reduce noise. It can also have the function of energy storage, energy recovery and energy compensation for the system.

The accumulator is comprised of a cylindrical barrel, a piston that travels along a guide rod within this barrel, and end caps with ports on either end of the cylinder – one port exposed to the hydraulic system, and the other port for an isolated, inert gas volume. Hydraulic pressure and oil volume enter into the accumulator on the system side of the piston. This pressure moves the piston within the cylinder barrel, compressing the gas that is on the opposite side of the piston. If hydraulic pressure is lost, as in the event of a hydraulic power unit failure, this highly compressed gas will expand, moving the piston and forcing the hydraulic fluid out of the accumulator into the hydraulic system. This stored energy/pressure can then be used to do work – move a cylinder or actuate a valve.

Watch this video to learn more about a piston accumulator's operation

When used as an auxiliary device of a hydraulic system, an accumulator offers

• Economy
• Safety
• Energy savings, 
• Reliability
• Environmental protection

When used as an auxiliary energy source that augments a hydraulic pump, an accumulator can reduce the pump capacity requirements and can be used as an energy storage link, allowing the stored energy to be quickly distributed. The loading mode and cycle frequency of an accumulator determine the relative longevity of an accumulator, with low cycles resulting in longer operational life. An accumulator plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining the normal operation of the hydraulic system, improving its dynamic quality, maintaining working stability, prolonging working life and reducing noise.

An accumulator is one of the more dangerous parts of a hydraulic system, so special attention must be given to safety during operation. One of the first steps to safety in a hydraulic system is identifying the accumulator. It should be labeled with the part number, manufacturer, serial number, maximum pressure and pre-charge pressure -- a good rule of thumb is to always consult an expert when working with accumulators.

Designed for use in critical hydraulic applications, Parker's SBA Series Accumulator Safety Blocks make it possible to protect, isolate, and discharge hydraulic accumulators from a single device. Each incorporates a shut-off, pressure limiting, and pressure release feature in one housing rated for working pressures to 350 bar. Modular in design, Parker's SBA line uses an integrated manifold approach to reduce plumbing and leak points. All safety blocks have 2 maintenance ports and can be used with bladder, piston, and diaphragm accumulators.

The SBA Series accumulator safety blocks are designed for use in a wide variety of critical hydraulic applications to benefit end-users in several ways including:

• Compliance (for systems where shut-off, pressure limiting, pressure release and measurement point functions are required on accumulators)
• Fit (compact design makes them ideal for applications where space is limited)
• Productivity and Uptime (blocks help speed-up maintenance procedures/reduce system downtime)

Parker SBA Safety Blocks represent a single-unit solution for manufacturers tasked with European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/EC compliance. The directive states a safety device must be fitted to all accumulators to provide a shut-off facility, pressure limiting and pressure release function as well as measurement points. A CE-certified relief valve is also included on all units to satisfy PED compliance. New SBA Safety Blocks are suitable for use with all types of accumulators - bladder, piston and diaphragm. Their compact, multi-function design saves space and reduces connections.

"In comparison with traditional safety systems, the new SBA Series makes it possible to protect, isolate and discharge a hydraulic accumulator from a single unit. Each SBA Safety Block incorporates a shut-off, pressure limiting and pressure release feature in a compact and robust housing rated for working pressures up to 350 bar. As leaks are also a safety concern in any hydraulic system, the integrated manifold approach of our product provides added value through the elimination of plumbing and leak points."

Bryan McGehee, application engineer, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Global Accumulator Division
 

To ensure safe operation, when choosing an accumulator for a CSP application, it is important to consider the technical requirements and capabilities of the product, as well as the reputation of the supplier and support services they provide. Some key things to look for include:

• Dependable performance for extended periods in harsh environments
• Long service life
• Low leakage
• Regulatory certifications such as ASME, DNV, ABS, AS1210, SELO, CRN, NR-13, PED(CE), DOSH
• Corrosion performance up to 720 hours

Questions to ask a supplier include:

• What type of after-sales service and support does the organization provide?
• Is the product supported by professional engineers with expert product knowledge in accumulator technology and regulation?
• Does the supplier offer preventive maintenance programs?
• What are the lead times?

Parker piston accumulators, for example, are an optimal choice when fluid energy storage, hydraulic shock adsorption, auxiliary power or supplemental pump flow is required. As the world’s leading manufacturer of hydraulic piston type accumulators, Parker has the ability to combine high volume production along with completely custom designs due to our extensive manufacturing capabilities. This allows us to manufacture the standard line of piston accumulators as well as create highly unique and custom piston accumulators for a wide variety of applications at competitive prices. 

Heavy-duty service with high operating pressures up to 20,000 PSI

• Lower gas permeation rate
• Extremely high-flow rates
• Unlimited compression ratio
• Can be used with remote gas bottles
• Gradual failure mode
• Sensors can be fitted for performance monitoring
• ASME, DNV, ABS, AS1210, SELO, CRN, NR-13, PED(CE), DOSH certified
• Five standard seal options to handle a variety of fluids and temperatures
• Technical and aftermarket support
• Local design and engineering capability and support
• Competitive price
• 4-8 weeks delivery

A recent solar project highlights a few challenges faced by the use of CSP. 

The Noor Energy 1, the 950MW CSP+PV solar power project in Dubai, now in Phase 4,  has broken a dozen world records in solar CSP history. It has three technologies to produce 950MW of clean energy —  600MW from three parabolic trough CSP plants, 100MW from a solar tower, and 250MW will be generated from photovoltaic panels.

The initial 700MW CSP project will be completed by the end of 2022. The first parabolic trough CSP plant is planned to be operational on August 21, 2021, the central tower CSP plant finished on November 21, 2021, and the second and third parabolic trough plants to be completed by the end of 2022.

8 of the world records for CSP industry made by Noor Energy 1

• World largest single-site investment project in CSP based on IPP model—USD 4.4 billion (AED 15.78 billion)
• World largest capacity of single CSP+PV project—950MW
• World largest area of single CSP+PV project—44 square kilometers
• World biggest quantity of molten salt used in single CSP project—550,000 tons
• World tallest CSP tower—260m
• World-leading tower wireless heliostat technology—70,000 heliostats
• World largest trough in commercial CSP project—8.2m
• Most competitive LCOE—USD 7.3 cents /kWh

Article contributed by Spencer Sun, territory sales manager, Industrial Hydraulic - North China, Parker Hannifin with support from the Global Energy Team. 

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Nearly every equipment operator has found themselves operating in muddy, mucky conditions whether working on ditches, drainage fields, ponds or other waterlogged environments. Experienced operators know how these harsh conditions can cause wear and tear on their excavator's attachments, shortening the life of their equipment and resulting in costly downtime. For the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR), PowerGrip is just the tool to overcome these job site obstacles. PowerGrip, a versatile, durable multi-purpose bucket with enclosed rotary actuator hinge technology, consistently delivers outstanding performance without suffering the downtime and maintenance issues experienced with cylinder-style buckets.

Bill Ryan, operations team supervisor at the Wisconsin DNR, has witnessed the durability and reliability of PowerGrip in the field. His skilled team restores miles of fragile trout stream habitat in Wisconsin, which involves bringing back the natural features of the stream that is critical to trout viability such as riffles, pools, meanders and woody debris. The habitat around the stream also must be restored often requiring difficult bank sloping and vegetation removal and replacement. Over a year ago, Wisconsin DNR replaced a cylinder-style jaw bucket on their CAT 320C with a PowerGrip to alleviate the service and maintenance issues they were previously having with the cylinder-style jaw bucket. They also found PowerGrip to be a safer solution as there are fewer external moving parts that they need to contend with, resulting in greater productivity.

"We replaced our cylinder-style jaw bucket with a PowerGrip and couldn’t be happier. Due to the enclosed actuator hinge mechanism, we haven’t had to do anything with it, except complete the tasks on hand. PowerGrip has proved to be safer, more reliable and is extremely durable,”

Bill Ryan, operations team supervisor

The harsh conditions in and around the stream often wreak havoc on heavy equipment and attachments. PowerGrip is equipped with a durable, enclosed rotary actuator hinge that’s ideally suited for working in muddy, mucky conditions. With the rotary actuator hinge technology offering 120 degrees of jaw movement, there are no exposed cylinders and rods in the bucket shell or clam that can become polluted with debris, leading to attachment malfunctions. The rotating movement is generated by the massive rotating pivot point between the jaw and back of bucket with Parker’s Helac sliding spline operating technology, which converts linear piston motion into powerful shaft rotation. The end caps, seals and bearings work in unison to keep debris and contaminants out of the inner workings of the actuator, prolonging life and reducing required maintenance. High strength, abrasion resistant steel is used throughout for added durability. In over a year, Wisconsin DNR hasn’t had to do any maintenance to PowerGrip, allowing them to get more work done in less time.

When dealing with the various obstacles inherent in restoring a trout stream, sloping a ditch or building a retention pond, it is imperative to have an adaptable multi-purpose tool that can change jobs on the fly. PowerGrip has been engineered with the flexibility to function as a trenching, grading or clamshell bucket and for gripping and loading. The inherent flexibility of our actuators allows the Wisconsin DNR to keep PowerGrip on their machine 80 to 85 percent of the time, year-round. PowerGrip’s versatility allows operators to accomplish a wide variety of tasks without having to change machines or attachments. When selecting the PowerGrip, the Wisconsin DNR went with the PG-08 product model that’s available for 20-ton machines. PowerGrip buckets are available in three sizes with bucket width ranges from 24 to 48 inches in the trenching profiles and 48 or 60 inches in ditching profiles.

Whether you are doing demolition work, road construction, pond building, site-preparation or restoring miles of trout stream; every second counts. Maximizing productivity can prove to be much more than an organizational objective towards profitability, in the case of restoring a fraye trout stream ecosystem - it can prove to be the difference between survival and extinction. PowerGrip increases the tasks a single machine can perform, reducing the number of dedicated-task machines needed on a job site. PowerGrip can do everything a thumb can do, and more.  And it’s ready-to-use, pin-on attachment that’s easier to install and operate.  There’s no welding, fabrication or in-field measurement needed to install or remove the attachment, saving you valuable time and money. 

Learn more about PowerGrip and the wide range of models for excavators and backhoes up to 45,000 pounds by visiting www.parker.com/cylinder 

This article was contributed by Jessica Howisey, marketing communications manager and Daniel Morgado, applications engineer, Helac Business Unit, Cylinder Division.

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There's more than one way to maintain an asset. Power plant and maintenance managers implement various strategies to prepare for and respond to maintenance issues. While there isn't just one correct way to maintain your machines, each solution offers its advantages and disadvantages.

Selecting your power plant system's optimum maintenance strategy can be the difference between significant downtime and smooth operation to prevent unplanned outages. Note that the best approach for some machines will be different than others. Here are the three most popular and effective strategies that power plant leaders use to maintain their equipment on the plant floor. 
 

Often referred to as "crisis management," this type of maintenance is designed to respond to power plant equipment issues. With this kind of maintenance, repairs are completed when there is a noticeable problem with functionality or condition. For example, if a combustion turbine valve is leaking, maintenance leaders should plan an immediate repair to limit downtime. The complication with this "run-to-failure" approach is the higher probability of unplanned maintenance activities and shutdowns. This type of maintenance also encourages high replacement-part inventories, so power plants that utilize corrective maintenance need to have a high volume of spare parts. While this may not seem like the most efficient strategy, it can still be the most effective type of maintenance for specific components. 

But what does this strategy mean for the lifespan of power plant parts? Unplanned maintenance repairs are a result of parts that have gone through wear and tear. A corrective approach could be disastrous for a power plant if backup parts are not available. However, it's possible to have a seamless transition with the proper preparation and avoid costly downtime. 

No matter what maintenance strategy your plant utilizes, having instant access to replacement parts is essential to limit downtime. Parker's Valve Service program aims to replace and refurbish aging fuel and water control valves on 7E and 7F turbines. Due to the many years of service that these valves have seen, wear and corrosion may be reducing their effectiveness.
 

This time-based maintenance is the shift from unplanned to planned maintenance activities. While corrective maintenance is based on a reactive approach, preventive maintenance takes on a more proactive approach. Scheduled maintenance inspections are intended to reduce or eliminate machine failures on the plant floor. Depending on the frequency of the planned inspections, routine maintenance can cut downtime and lessen the severity of unplanned outages. 

Plants that utilize a preventative maintenance strategy are well prepared; however, it could result in unnecessary downtime. If machines and equipment are running efficiently, unneeded inspections can disrupt a plant's production flow. Lost uptime and revenue can be enough reason to use a different maintenance approach. 

The bright side to a preventive maintenance approach is fewer unplanned outages, which can result in less wear and tear on an asset. However, it’s important to realize that equipment can still malfunction between scheduled repairs, so it’s still safe to stock up on your parts inventory. 
 

Predictive maintenance, also known as condition-based maintenance, is the most technologically advanced form of maintenance that replaces arbitrary inspection check-ups. Instead of planning inspections when your equipment is functioning at peak performance, predictive maintenance allows your machines to alert you when repairs are needed. Typically, this would be done by monitoring system parameters like pressure, flow rate, or temperature to look for changes over time, indicating that a component is nearing the end of life or needs repair.  

Operating costs for this type of maintenance can be expensive due to the instrumentation required to study the system, but it is likely more than offset by reducing unwarranted scheduled inspections and unplanned machine failures. However, predictive maintenance is not always worth the investment depending on the machine or equipment. 

This form of maintenance can be great for the longevity of machine parts, as the reduction of failures cuts down on repairs.
 

Whether planned or unplanned, outages can impact any plant. Due to the unpredictability of an unplanned outage, the proper preparation isn't often implemented. So, when a seasonal planned outage occurs, it's essential to make sure your team is ready. But how do you prepare for an outage, and what should you be thinking about?

• Review reports for prior outages
  Looking at past reports is the first thing to do when preparing for a planned outage. The purpose of preparation is to reduce downtime and increase efficiency, so it's always good to make contingency plans to learn from past issues. 

• Perform a pre-outage data review
  It's important to evaluate your operations before the outage to see the success of your post-outage overhaul. This assessment will also help find any abnormalities that you should include in the full scope of your outage. Create an initial benchmark to compare to your post outage production. 

• Make sure your facility is properly equipped
  After performing an in-depth evaluation of your plant floor, you'll want to make sure you have your facility equipped in advance. When you don't have the right equipment during an outage, you expose yourself to costly delays or potential injuries from using the wrong equipment. Parker can help set your plant up with spare parts for any aging assets at risk for failure. 

There are many more steps to take when preparing for a planned shutdown, so make sure you leave yourself enough time to plan. It is recommended that you begin your shutdown preparation 18-24 months before the scheduled shutdown. 
 

Whether you are still preparing for the next planned outage or just operating your plant with one of the maintenance plans above, it is always a good idea to have spare parts on hand. And you can always rely on Parker to make that happen. For years, our goal has been to support power plants with technical and commercial information and to simplify the process of obtaining new products in the most efficient way possible. 

To address the potential issue at hand, it is important to identify the valves that need attention. These types of aging 7E and 7F turbine valves, which have been in service for 20-30 years, need an inspection. They include:

• Gauge selector valves
• Fuel isolation valves
• Water staging/isolation valves
• Fuel distribution valves
• Air purge valves
• Water proportioning check valves

Click here to learn more and download the FREE Valve Resource Guide.

Article contributed by Mitch Eichler, business development manager, Hydraulic Valve Division, Parker Hannifin

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Gold Cup Heavy-Duty Pumps and Motors have long been respected in the industry for technical excellence in hydrostatic transmission applications in marine, drilling, and shredding applications, among others.

You are also probably aware that the heavy-duty Gold Cup series of pumps and motors represent Parker's and Denison's combined expertise in hydrostatic transmission applications.

The tried and true design incorporates features such as, integral servo and replenishing pump, hot oil shuttle, and a unique servo control system; all of which combine to provide a rugged self-contained package that can withstand the harshest of conditions and continue to perform with trouble-free long life.

But you may not be aware of Gold Cup's, heavy-duty hydrostatic piston pump and motor value-added features and benefits listed below: 

• Precise, tight control only results in a 4-5% change in control between motoring and pumping, versus the typical competitor product change of 10%. 

• Displacement control response can ramp up from 0 to 695 hp in 300 ms. 

• Automated brake and bypass control provides smoother stop and start transitions, reducing the operator burden. 

• Pressure compensator response reduces heat and results in an 80% reduction in system shock.

• 70% longer life than a typical hydrostatic pump. Since Gold Cup's inception over 50 years ago, these first-generation pumps and motors are still in use. 

• Numerous certifications and qualifications ranging from military-grade to ATEX.

For more details, check out Parker's Hydraulic Pump and Power System's You Probably Didn't Know About Gold Cup infographic.  

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Phil Meyer, operations manager of the Whitman County Public Works Department, in Washington State, is tireless in his search for the right tools to help his 42-person team maintain over 1,900 miles of roads and 360 bridges and large structures in Southeastern Washington. The department has a daunting workload and inclement weather that can border on the extreme, productivity, durability and versatility are critical requirements of the equipment used at Whitman County. Typical projects include ditching to maintain flow lines, culvert maintenance, placing rip-rap, brush removal, bridge demolition, gabion basket installation, sloping and more.

Meyer's search lead him to Parker, the manufacturer of the PowerTilt Tilting Coupler and PowerGrip Multi-Purpose Jaw Bucket. The construction equipment attachments were exactly what Meyer’s team needed to maintain the county road system by preventing, reducing or restoring the roadway infrastructure and for maintaining the stormwater runoff by providing proper drainage, preventing flooding and road damage. "We switched to PowerTilt from cylinder-style tilting buckets and couldn’t be happier. Our tilting buckets didn’t offer the rotation we needed and weren’t durable enough. PowerTilt provided us with greater angles of rotation and since all moving parts are fully enclosed — PowerTilt has been virtually maintenance free," states Dave Stine, Whitman County equipment operator.

The seven PowerTilts and their PowerGrip have been important assets for the Whitman County Public Works department. With PowerTilt and PowerGrip, the department accomplishes most tasks 25 to 50 percent faster. The Whitman County Public Works department has even recommended PowerTilt and PowerGrip to other local agencies such as the Washington State Department of Transportation and the North Latah County Highway Department in Idaho.

The Whitman County Public Works team explained that PowerTilt is extremely effective for shoulder maintenance tasks. Great care is required when ditching and sloping next to fragile habitats and consideration must be paid to the most effective water runoff target zones. The main objective is to provide shoulder stability by creating a smooth transition from roadway surface to shoulder. By utilizing PowerTilt, with 180-degree of smooth rotation, the equipment operator can work primarily from the road surface, diminishing the impact on sensitive roadside vegetation and habitats meanwhile producing the clean “V” shaped ditches the department requires.

When working on a culvert project, PowerTilt virtually eliminates the need for back-breaking manual labor. The PowerTilt is used to angle the bucket to dig around both sides of the pipe. Once the soil is loosened around the pipe, the equipment operator can hook the end of the pipe and lift it right out. With the utilization of a PowerTilt, labor intensive, time-consuming digging by hand is eliminated.  Often, using the attachments, most tasks can be accomplished by an equipment operator and a truck driver resulting in efficient utilization of resources.

PowerGrip has proven very helpful in placing rip-rap around bridges as well as for removing the old wooden pilings. PowerGrip has also made life easier when it comes to removing brush and trees from the roadside and right-of-ways. The multi-purpose tool eliminates the need to switch attachments between tasks.

PowerTilt uses Parker’s innovative sliding-spline operating technology to convert linear piston motion into powerful shaft rotation. Each actuator is composed of a housing and two moving parts — the central shaft and piston. As hydraulic pressure is applied, the piston is displaced axially, while the helical gearing on the piston outer diameter and housing’s ring gear cause the simultaneous rotation of the piston. PowerTilt's end caps, seals and bearings all work in tandem to keep debris and other contaminants out of the inner workings of the actuator.

Over a decade of research, innovation and engineering has gone into making the PowerTilt and PowerGrip attachments integral solutions for work site efficiency. PowerTilt’s robust design has allowed Whitman County Public Works to keep a PowerTilt on their machine 100 percent of the time, year-round.  

PowerTilt is available for equipment up to 75,000 pounds in eight sizes with standard rotation of up to 180 degrees. Each model is designed for a specific class of machinery and individually customized to fit the carrier. PowerGrip buckets are available for equipment up to 20 tons, in three sizes, with bucket width ranges from 24 inches to 48 inches in the trenching profiles and 48 inches or 60 inches in the ditching profiles.

Within the construction industry, PowerTilt and PowerGrip have built a reputation for their versatility, durability and efficiency – learn more today http://solutions.parker.com/powertilt

This article was contributed by Jessica Howisey, marketing communications manager and Daniel Morgado, applications engineer, Helac Business Unit, Cylinder Division.

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Though gas-powered, internal combustion engine-driven vehicles have been the norm in the automotive industry for over 100 years, electrification is growing. The traditional engine design was efficient, reliable, and easy to use, but gasoline-powered vehicles are loud, dirty, and harmful to the environment. Given these drawbacks, electric vehicles have started to gain market share in commercial and personal markets. Public transportation is moving toward electrification at a faster pace than other markets, spurred by the deployment of electric vehicles in China.

When an electric motor is implemented, the noise created under the hood is significantly decreased. This is a huge benefit of electrically powered vehicles and causes noises from other systems to become noticeable. Power steering, A/C systems, and hydraulics introduce a new layer of sounds that can be annoying to drivers and riders.

Parker’s Pump & Motor Division teamed with the Hydraulic Pump and Power Systems Division to create the Electro-Hydraulic Pump System or eHPS. The eHPS combines the low noise performance of the PGP505H’s helicoidal design with the high performance of the GVM motor, creating a system that provides on-demand power steering, a simplified installation process, high efficiency, and quiet operation. Quiet and powerful, the eHPS is robust enough for most electric bus applications. Benefits of the eHPS include:

• Motor, pump, tank, relief valve, filter, and inverter in one package

• Efficiency of over 80%

• Quiet operation of less than 57dBa

• Built and assembled in the USA

The eHPS is ideal for buses and large commercial vehicles that require large amounts of hydraulic power for steering assistance and necessitate the quiet operation of an electric system. In addition, the eHPS has IP67 protection, is tested to SAE J1455 vehicle standards, and designed to ISO 16750 standards, making it ideal for replacement applications. Electrification is the future of the automotive industry, and public transit is leading the charge. Learn more about Parker’s innovative new product today.

The Pump & Motor Division is a market leader in gear pump and low speed-high torque gerotor motors, that continues to blaze a trail in the industry by developing new technologies while maintaining the high level of service synonymous with Parker Hannifin. Between its two locations in North Carolina and Tennessee, the division employs decades of industry experience to better serve you and your application.

This article was contributed by CT Lefler, marketing product manager (e-business), Pump & Motor Division, Parker Hannifin Corporation.

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Industries operating in hazardous environments such as the oil and gas industry inherently depend on reliable products operating in critical settings, while requiring the need to maintain safety and strict compliance. Listening to the voice of the customer is crucial in the design of simple solutions to mitigate the trifecta related to the complexity of maintaining multiple part numbers, operating in multiple environments, all while maintaining multiple certifications. One such example comes from the team at Parker Hydraulic Valve Division. Over the years, the team’s design engineers have worked closely with these customers on the continual improvement of the product portfolio. The latest innovation is the new D1VW*ER (NFPA D03 / NG06 / CETOP 03) directional control valve. The team has focused on complexity reduction for its end-users while maintaining all the expected quality and performance Parker directional control valves have become known for.

With three horizontal positions and a vertical option for wiring installation per solenoid, electrical connections have become more adaptable. This modularity allows end-users to have more standardization by carrying fewer overall part number combinations. Additionally, usage of expensive explosion-proof fittings can be reduced.  These adjustments can be made while still maintaining the tri-rated explosion-proof certifications. 

The multi-ratings provide needed coverage and confidence in usage across the globe. These ratings include:

• ATEX
• CSA/UL
• IECEx

Based directly on customer feedback, temperature limits have been expanded to now carry an operating temperature range of 70 °C down to -54 °C.  

The expanded versatility is another nod to global usage needs, particularly in extremely cold locations in the Oil & Gas industry. 

End-users now have instant access to both critical information and certifications, when scanning the laser-etched QR code. No longer will there be wasted time and headaches trying to find various needed documentation. For example, all ATEX, CSA/UL, and IECEx certs are accessible and maintained current.

After further input from our customers and design engineering team, other attributes of the D1VW*ER include:

• Available with 24 VDC and 120 VAC rectified coils.

• Extended and covered manual overrides come standard.

• Surge suppressor diode for 24 VDC coil comes standard.

Target applications

Although these valves can be used in countless hazardous environments, the design was heavily influenced by the needs of the Oil & Gas industry.  Some targeted application focuses are listed:

• Top drives

• Rotary tables

• Iron roughnecks

• Pipe rackers

• Manipulators

• Catwalks

• BOP cranes

• Auxiliary winches

• Heave compensation

The D1VW*ER expands the offerings of Parker HVD hazardous rated valves, which also include:

• Directional Control Valve (Mobile) – L90 (ATEX)  
• Servo BD15/BD30 (ATEX, CSA/UL, IECEx, UKEX)
• Proportional – FB*EE 
• Proportional – FV*EE 

To learn more about Parker's new line of directional control valves, watch this video:

This post was contributed by: 

Mike Giammo, product sales manager, Parker Hydraulic Valve Division.

Mitch Eichler, business development manager, Parker Hydraulic Valve Division.

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For the latest best practices, technology innovations and practical engineering advice, follow our Hydraulics Technology page.

This article will teach you to how to change the transmission fluid (HT-1000) in the Parker HTE and HTJ hydrostatic transmissions on your mower. The HT-1000 Service Kit includes all the replacement parts needed for a smooth fluid change.

The transmission fluid in a mower should be changed at regular intervals to maintain the life of the mower. Parker’s HT-1000 only needs to be changed once every 1000 hours, as opposed to as early as 500 hours with other brands. Parker’s Hydrostatic Transmission Fluid HT-1000™ is a synthetic transmission oil engineered to provide maximum durability and long life for heavy-duty hydrostatic drive systems.

Parker’s transmissions are designed to make oil changes very quick and simple, and the new Service Kit makes the process even easier by providing all the necessary oil change components. Contact your local dealer for more information.

Each transmission includes a low-speed, high torque motor (Torqmotor) integrated with a hydraulic pump to provide an all-in-one transmission package. The transmissions are ideal for zero-turn mowers, golf course maintenance equipment, and light-duty utility vehicles. 

Each HTE/HTJ Service Kit includes:

• (1) gallon of HT-1000,
• (2) replacement filters, and
• (4) magnetic plugs.

Watch how to change your oil:

1) Remove Filter Cap

2) Twist off Breather Cap / Dipstick

3) Remove Magnetic Plugs

 4) Remove Filter Plug and Allow Oil to Drain

5) Install New Magnetic Plugs

6)  Install New Filter

7) Re-install Filter Plug

8) Lower Mower and Raise Seat

9) Locate Tank and Insert Funnel

10) Add HT-1000 to Tank

11) Replace Breather Cap / Dipstick

12) Raise Mower and Place on Supports

13) Engage Wheels in Both Directions

That's it! After completing these simple steps, you will have successfully changed your HT-1000 transmission fluid.

Our Pump & Motor Division (PMD) is a market leader in gear pump and low speed-high torque gerotor motors. PMD continues to blaze a trail by developing new technologies while maintaining a high level of service synonymous with Parker. Between the two divisions in North Carolina and Tennessee, the PMD team members have decades of industry experience to better serve you and your application.

Article contributed by CT Lefler, marketing product manager, Pump, and Motor Division.

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