Fighting fire with gas

If you saw a fire in your workplace, would you immediately look around for the closest water source? If so, you might be looking for the wrong element. Water, as well as fire, can cause devastating damage to control centres and computer systems. The U.K. company Macron designs, manufactures, installs, maintains and tests fire-protection products, in particular gaseous, chemical and foam-based firefighting systems, as well as related products for fire suppression and protection, exporting over 60% of its output.

The company’s Hygood gaseous firefighting systems include the FM-200 clean and environmentally friendly gaseous extinguishing agent. Its primary action is to cool the fire and remove the heat energy, so that any combustion reaction cannot be sustained. The compound contains no particulates or residues and virtually eliminates the risk of damage to sensitive equipment.

A FM-200 system has been installed in the control centre of the London Eye, the Millennium Wheel situated beside the River Thames in London, England. The company’s recent major projects include the protection of vital control centres on a water pipeline project in Thailand and a deal worth US$1.2 million to protect essential parts of a gas processing plant for the Malaysian state oil company Petronas.

For more information, contact Macron Safety Systems (UK) Ltd., Fireater House, South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, United Kingdom, NR30 3PJ; tel. 011-44-1493-859822; e-mail macron.info@tycoint.com; website www.macron-safety.com.

MINIATURE MOTOR KEEPS PUMP RUNNING INSIDE ARTIFICIAL HEART

The motor running the pump inside the world’s first self-contained artificial heart is made by Kollmorgen, a Danaher Motion company based in Radford, Va. The mechanical heart was implanted in a patient who had been rejected as an organ recipient because of multiple health problems. This implant was his only chance of survival.

In order to meet the demanding standards needed in such an application, Kollmorgen customized a miniature, corrosion-resistant, direct-drive frameless motor able to withstand the harsh body environment. The compact unit was designed to be mounted directly inside the heart. For additional information, visit www.motionvillage.com.

RESEARCH FIRM RETRACTS ROLLER CHAIN REPORT

The Industrial Research Team (IRT) of Montreal has issued a retraction of its August 1999 report on industrial roller chain, and has apologized to both U.S. Tsubaki Inc. and Renold plc, and all of their affiliates worldwide, for its misleading content.

According to Daniel Schwartz, IRT president, the research firm “recognizes that its report could be misinterpreted in several material respects.” First and foremost, he says, the IRT report contains misleading information about the proper design and implementation of tests for evaluating roller chain. The report evaluated six brand names of No. 50 steel roller chain — Allied, Diamond, Morse, Renold, Rexnord and Tsubaki. IRT’s lab stretched the chains statically, then ran them on an endurance tester it had developed.

At the time, Schwartz told Machinery & Equipment MRO (Dec. 1999, p. 10) that testing for stretch was a problem, as there was no standard for doing it.

IRT now says it conducted its roller chain tests in ways not consistent with how such chains are normally tested in the industry and how roller chain is actually loaded, stressed and used in normal operating conditions. “No one making any purchasing decisions regarding roller chain should do so, in whole or in part, based on statements contained or results set forth in the report,” Schwartz said.

Recent attempts to contact IRT have been unsuccessful.