Tracerco Diagnostics

Do you want an installed method of regularly assessing the operation of your distillation tower, reducing operating costs and reducing shutdown time?
To meet the changing needs of our customers the Tracerco research and development team has designed an alternative technique to conventional tower scanning. The TRACERCO Diagnostics™ RapidScan technology combines sophisticated wireless detector capability with an easy to install permanent scanning guide wire system.
The TRACERCO Diagnostics™ Tower Scan method has been used for over 20 years by many major chemical and refining companies around the world. The combined data acquisition software from these techniques coupled with TRACERCO Diagnostics™ RapidScan hardware increases efficiency and reliability of scan data by providing fast, consistent data acquisition from fixed orientations. The service allows repeatable tower scanning that can quickly evaluate mechanical or process related problems offering plant personnel a cost effective process diagnostics solution to optimize or troubleshoot tower performance. Even columns with limited or zero ladder access do not pose an obstacle following installation of a TRACERCO Diagnostics™ RapidScan system.
Improved Accuracy - the scans will use a fixed orientation so repeat scans are guaranteed to utilise identical geometries
Better Data Reliability – data will not be affected by weather conditions (wind)
Increased Safety – all scanning operations will be from ground level with no need to climb the tower, eliminating workingfrom heights
Greater Cost Savings – after initial setup, the high costs of scaffolding or cranes for columns that have inadequate or no access is eliminated
Enhanced Efficiency – reduces time needed to conduct a scan lessening the burden on operations to hold column at set conditions
The capabilities of conventional tower scanning are not lost. In fact, the TRACERCO Diagnostics™ RapidScan system potentially improves our ability to diagnose more subtle process changes by stringently controlling and eliminating variability in scan line orientations and paths.
Features Identified
Tray damage
Liquid maldistribution/blockages in packed beds
Tray liquid loading
Jet and liquid stack flooding
Packing damage
Distributor performance
Presence and density of foam
All of the stainless steel pulleys and bracket work will be attached to the existing structure using insulation bands utilising the ‘band-it’ system. No welding or direct attachment to the column walls is required; hence the vessel pressure envelope will not be affected.

Winged luxury submarines 'fly' underwater

CNN) -- Most people have had dreams of flying. Graham Hawkes had dreams of flying -- underwater.

The Deep Flight Super Falcon made its maiden voyage in San Francisco Bay in September.

Hawkes has been in the business of building underwater craft for more than a decade. In the early days, his company, Hawkes Ocean Technologies, built vehicles for researchers and moviemakers.
But in the past few years, the ultrarich have increasingly looked for cool playthings for their ocean adventures.
What better toy to have on the end of your 200-foot yacht than a submarine capable of diving to 1,500 feet below the sea's surface?
Whoops. Did we say submarine? It's a submersible that can "fly" underwater.
The Deep Flight Super Falcon looks like a fighter jet, with its thin body, two seats, two sets of wings and two tail fins.
"We just had to tear up everything we knew about submersibles and start again on winged subs -- underwater flying machines," Hawkes said.
He said Deep Flight submersibles are designed to be more agile than any creature living in the ocean -- with the exception of dolphins. The company says that because of the wings, the Super Falcon can go barrel-rolling with dolphins while traveling at speeds much faster than other private submarines.

Deep Flight
The craft can stay underwater for up to five hours and travel at speeds up to 6 knots, the company says on web site.

The first client for the Super Falcon was venture capitalist Tom Perkins, who wanted a toy to keep on his mega-yacht, the Maltese Falcon. The base price: $1.3 million. Another model, which has open cockpits and cannot dive as deep as the Super Falcon, sells for $350,000.
Perkins, writing in Boating International magazine, said he joined the project to take the Super Falcon from prototype to a fully functional craft.
"Like some of my other projects, we didn't finish on time, but also like some of the others, the end result exceeded all our expectations," he said.
The second machine is being built for Hawkes' personal use.
A submarine driver wouldn't recognize the cockpit of the Super Falcon.
"There are no valves, there are no gauges," Hawkes said. "You just power up the thrusters, start your take-off run, put the joystick forward, then the nose goes down. The wings literally pull it down."
That's very different from conventional submarines, which basically dive by changing the ballast of the ship to make it sink.
"It's not just that they look like airplanes, they actually are," Hawkes said. "The machines we build underwater should look like airplanes, not submarines. Airplanes don't look like balloons."
He won't take credit for the idea, saying the idea of a submarine with fins and wings has been thought of before. The 1972 French comic book, "Tintin and the Lake of Sharks," included a shark-like submarine with dorsal fins and a tail. Hawkes said that although the idea of wings may have been obvious, "The prize goes to he that does."
On one of the submersible's first test voyages, Hawkes' team encountered a group of hammerhead sharks. The sharks were curious and swam around the watercraft. One engaged the sub in a game of chicken, only to veer off at the last minute. It was a great reward, Hawkes said.
The craft is powered by batteries and the turbines that drive the ship were made with special care to be incredibly quiet. The maneuverability also lets it navigate in strong currents that stifle other underwater craft, the creators said.
The business plan for Deep Flight includes schools for underwater pilots to fly future versions of the Super Falcon. The next school is scheduled for this summer in the Turks and Caicos, said Karen Hawkes, the company's manager of marketing and communications, in an e-mail.
The three-day course costs $17,000. There is also a half-day, ride-along dive that costs $5,500. Karen Hawkes said the company enrolls 10 to 15 people per course and had open spots for this summer's courses.
She also wrote that while "there really isn't something akin to the FAA governing submersible operations," her company thinks sub manufacturers should offer pilot training to the owners of machine.
Then the owner can load his or her new toy onto their yacht and discover the underwater portion of this planet that most people never see, Hawkes said.
"Do you want to stalk a shark?" he asked. "Do you want to go to a Great White and go woo-hoo? Do you want to do a barrel roll with a whale?
"Shall we go and find some territories that humans have never seen before? ... Get in one of these machines, get below 150 feet -- the deepest that divers go -- and you are the first human eyes to look at that piece of the planet."http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/06/eod.luxury.submarines/index.html

Luxury Villa

Nominee for "Best Villa in Mexico," 2007 World Travel Awards
Treat yourself to all the amenities of a six-star resort, but with the expansive space and privacy of this stunning oceanfront home. Perched high on a cliff overlooking Land’s End, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, Villa Peñasco offers the ultimate in natural beauty and first-class luxury.On the spacious main terrace, take in the magnificent ocean view from the jacuzzi or infinity pool as you listen to the soothing sounds of its waterfall. The terrace also features a palapa shade structure complete with an elegant bar, refrigerator, and barbecue, all perfect for outdoor entertaining.Inside, the villa offers a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen. The scenic dining room seats 16, and fully opens to the main terrace. After dinner, relax around the large stone fireplace in the living room. When day is done, choose from five beautiful bedrooms. Each has a full marble bath, private terrace, TV, refrigerator, safe, and fabulous view.
Fortlands Point is a fabulous villa strategically located at the lookout point where Discovery Bay meets the Caribbean Sea. Two old canons still remain on the shore of this property providing testimony to the role the land of this wonderful property once played in the defense of Jamaica. The views from its peninsula are stunning of both Discovery Bay on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other.The villa boasts seven air-conditioned bedrooms with seven en suite bathrooms, three private beaches, 270-degree ocean views, a squash court, weight room, TV room and many other amenities. The villa can accommodate up to 14 guests with a maximum of 10 adults since two of the bedrooms are only suitable for young children (trundle beds).Entrance to the villa is into a small courtyard with a pond leading to the front door. A reception/sitting area leads though to the pool deck or left to the formal dining room that seats twelve on its 100-year-old 12' mahogany heirloom table. A covered outdoor dining area adjoins the dining room as well providing charming seaside dining.The interiors are Colonial style and feature cut stone, mahogany pieces and an abundance of teak and other tropical woods as well as Italian tile and Persian rugs which complement the dramatic architecture.Textures of teak, cedar, Italian tile and Persian rugs complement the dramatic architecture. With families in mind, seven bedrooms (including two specifically for children) have been thoughtfully designed on individual split-levels. The comfortable verandah is complete with black granite bar, icemaker and television. Sunset cocktail hours here drift into leisurely long dinners under the stars on any of five open-air dining areas. Inside is the formal dining room with 100-year-old 12' mahogany heirloom table. As a special treat, the staff will serve dinner on the very point itself, followed by a seaside bonfire if you wish ~ evenings to treasure and remember.A large, comfortably furnished verandah offers a black granite bar, icemaker and TV and is a popular gathering place for guests to savor sunset cocktails.Built on four levels (one of which is an attic level), the villa offers the living room, verandah, bar with TV, outside dining areas, inside formal dining room and kitchen on the main level. All of these rooms open to the wide stone terrace, infinity style private swimming pool and hot tub. A few steps lead down to the lawn and then to the main beach on the bay beyond. Just across the lawn, steps lead down to two more private beaches on the sea.Another level features a bedroom with a custom designed mahogany king-sized bed plus a day bed. French doors lead to a furnished terrace and the lawn. This bedroom has a TV, ocean view and en-suite bathroom complete with a tub/shower combination and bidet. This bedroom is, also, wheelchair accessible via a ramped entrance and wide doorways.Another level features three additional bedrooms. One of the ocean view bedrooms features a king sized bed plus a daybed, en-suite bathroom with tub/shower combination and bidet and French doors open to a furnished balcony. Another bedroom offers ocean views, a queen sized 4-poster bed and en-suite bathroom with a tub/shower combination. Additionally on this level, there is a children's room with twin beds and en-suite bathroom with tub/shower combination.On yet another level there is the Captain's Room which offers a king sized 4 poster bed, TV, spacious en-suite bathroom complete with a double vanity, bidet and large walk in shower with two showerheads and three water jet body massagers. Additionally, the family room is located on this level and it offers ocean views, a comfortable sitting area, TV with surround-sound and balcony.On the top level there is a spacious loft bedroom under high peaked ceilings. This bedroom features a king sized bed, TV, spacious bathroom with large walk in shower with two shower heads and three water jet body massagers and a bidet. The room provides sea views from the bedroom area, bathroom and shower. Additionally, on this top level there is another children's loft bedroom with twin beds and en-suite bathroom with shower.All of the bedrooms feature remote control air-conditioners and ceiling fans. Additionally, all of the bathrooms in the villa are fitted with stainless steel Kohler fixtures.Please, also, note that the homeowner requests that guests do not smoke in the bedrooms.Other amenities include DSS TV system, sound system with music channels and a Norstar telephone system with intercoms to the bedrooms, kitchen and staff quarters.Outside, the pool deck provides ample seating beside the pool with a 'disappearing edge' and a Jacuzzi that tumbles into the pool.Additional recreational amenities include an indoor, championship, glass backed squash court and a mirrored fitness room that includes a universal weight machine and elliptical cycle.Fortlands Point is a wonderful family home and offers guests the use of two complementary port-a-cribs, one high chair and children's games. The DSS TV system includes Disney and other children's programs.Please note that the home has two German Shepherd dogs on the property that love children.Fortlands Point is an exceptional villa in an exceptional setting.