NEWS RELEASE                                                                                        JANUARY 2017

$18.7 Billion Market for Sedimentation and Centrifugation Solutions by 2026

The market for sedimentation and centrifugation equipment will expand from $7.5 billion in 2016 to $9.8 billion in 2026.   On-site service will expand from $1.45 billion to $1.94 billion in the same period. The biggest growth potential is in remote service and monitoring which will increase from $200 million/yr. to $3 billion.  If the potential for related remote monitoring is included, remote monitoring and service will generate revenues of $7 billion by 2026.  These are the new predictions in N005 Sedimentation and Centrifugation World Markets.

Suppliers of sedimentation and centrifugation equipment have the opportunity to take advantage of the rapid growth in automation and remote monitoring and service.  Companies such as Alfa Laval and Evoqua can take a leading or secondary role. Alternatively, the lion’s share of the revenue can be garnered by third party O&M operators such as Veolia and Suez.  Software developers such as Emerson, ABB, Siemens and GE could also take a leading role. However, GE is exiting the water treatment chemicals and equipment business, so this does not seem to be in their game plan.

Centrifuge manufacturers are well positioned to take a leading role due to the challenging maintenance requirements for this high-speed equipment.  Many centrifuge manufacturers already have remote monitoring programs.  Centrysis wireless remote monitoring is web based and tracks 32 key parameters. It includes alerts, reports and service.

Alfa Laval has a number of remote monitoring initiatives including decanter centrifuge condition monitoring at the Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation District of Chicago. Vibration is monitored and controlled through a X20 PLC from B&R industrial Automation.  A custom I/O module has reduced costs and made remote monitoring attractive.

Alfa Laval has expanded the concept to related remote monitoring and service.  The Octopus biosolids dewatering centrifuge autopilot monitors and controls all aspects of the dewatering process.  This includes material feed, polymer dosing and internal decanter settings. Infrared sensors analyze performance and automatically make necessary adjustments.  Alfa Laval also manufactures pumps, valves, heat exchangers and belt filters used ahead of centrifuges.  This knowledge can be leveraged to provide O&M for the complete process.

GEA Westfalia is well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity.  Their various businesses have been combined into just two. One is equipment and the other is solutions.  Engineering has also been centralized.  Several years ago, GEA would have bid only portions of a starch plant and now it can bid for the entire plant.  Taking the next step to offering remote O&M for that plant is now an option.

Sedimentation and centrifugation suppliers should also position themselves to take advantage of the opportunity to provide remote monitoring and service in collaboration with other suppliers or as sub-contractors to an integrator.

GEA has the opportunity to be one of the participants in remote O&M of gas turbine plants. Plant suppliers such as MHPS have set up remote control centers to monitor turbines. They are now expanding into the balance of the plant.  This includes treatment of the oil which is often a secondary fuel for gas turbines.

GEA supplies centrifuges to purify the oil. The gas turbine manufacturers specify limits for the trace elements to ensure safe and economical operation. For sodium and potassium these limits are between 1 ppm and 0.1 ppm. The harmful water-soluble trace elements are reduced to the required levels by separation only or by a combination of washing and separation. Contaminants such as sand, rust and cat fines are removed from the fuel oil under high centrifugal force.

The measurement of some fuel parameters can be continuous.  PECO Facet uses light scattering techniques to monitor particles in the gases.  However, measurement of the contaminants in the fuel oil requires periodic laboratory analyses.

The integrated system would incorporate the centrifuge condition monitoring with both laboratory and online fuel sampling. If the end user, system supplier, oil quality monitoring supplier and centrifuge supplier all have access to the online data then better decisions can be made.

For more information click on N005 Sedimentation and Centrifugation World Markets