Richard Chambers - Ultrasound Diagnostic Tools, Motor Controllers, PTFE Lubricant, Lighting Units and Oil Leak Prevention for Power Plants

Richard Chambers offers a wide range of products which offer cost and energy savings to industry and end users. Companies in the power industry are always looking to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Our solutions have quick pay-backs and will give you decided competitive advantages. Our 25 years of experience and competence means that you can rely on us to provide the highest quality products.

Ultrasound diagnostic tool for power stations

The Ultrasonic SPY is a new diagnostic tool using ultrasound. With it, in spite of normal loud background noise, defects can be detected with little or no training. Mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and air / gas systems can be monitored and wear can be detected at its earliest stage, which avoids unplanned down-time and even component replacement.

The standard model SPY can detect air or gas leaks at up to 30m. An accessory extends this to up to 100m, making it ideal for use in chemical and petroleum plants, and in power stations. An explosion-safe version is also available.

Ultrasound software system for power stations

A further option for the SPY is Sound CTRL, a software system which records the ultrasound from bearings and gears and allows them to be archived, evaluated and compared. Much simpler than vibration analysis, and much cheaper to implement, the Sound CTRL system is easier to use than vibration analysis and gives the same quality of condition monitoring. It is also suitable for use in situations where vibration analysis gives no useful information.

Motor controller for power plants

The Powerboss Integra motor controller was originally designed to optimise power consumption in motors which are running under their design load, or cyclically. While running off-load considerable savings are available. Several other feaures are available, and can be activiated by programme if and as required.

The Powerboss soft-start feature allows for starts to be programmed over up to more than 4min. In belt-driven systems, the saving in belt cost alone has frequently repaid the investment within a year. Similarly, a soft stop is available if required, for reverse current braking.

PTFE lubricant

Many people do not realise the degree to which different greases and oils can impact energy use and wear. Richard Chambers' lubricant range includes lubricants certified to reduce wear by up to 88% (with obvious consequent reductions in energy requirement).

These lubricants, which produce a low-friction coating on all friction surfaces, were studied 1984-1989 by the Cranfield Institute in England. They concluded that the use of PTFE-treating oil was beneficial in every mechanical and hydraulic area. The PTFE used in Chambers' products is high-density PTFE, not to be confused with the low-density versions, such as Teflon. High-density PTFE offers less frictional resistance than the low-density version.

Lighting units for power plants

Richard Chambers offers a radical answer to lighting costs. In a 1:1 exchange with 400W metal hydride lamps, Intelli-Light lighting units offer an immediate energy saving of 50%, with 20% more light and 20,000 burning hours, reducing maintenance costs by 66%. By taking advantage of the digital daylight compensation and occupancy sensor which can be optionally fitted to each light, savings of up to 80% have been regularly achieved.

The three basic models of lighting unit all offer options to make them suitable for various requirements. The range covers mounting heights from 4m to 16m.

The pay-back on re-lamping can be achieved through energy savings alone within 24-30 months. In new projects, the additional cost, compared with installing lighting previously available, is typically repaid within 4-5 months.

Oil leak prevention in power plants

LecWec is ideal for use in industrial applications, such as power plants, where down-time can often be so costly in lost production that a 'normal' repair keeps on being postponed.

Over time, every polymere rubber seal will loose its plasticisers, and become stiffer and shrink. At some stage this will mean that they cease to function properly, and so leaks will develop. LecWec replaces these lost plasticisers and in doing so causes the seal to swell by about 3%, which will cancel out any wear on the sealing lip.

LecWec also works with gaskets. LecWec has a very high surface tension, and a very large molecule compared with oil. Where the oil is 'sweating' through a very narrow gap between gasket and metal, LecWec can 'nest' into the gap and block the path for the oil.