Deadline approaches for pollution directive

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 10, 2007

BHR group's 19th International Conference on Fluid Sealing will provide a forum for exchanging information on the latest products, techniques and systems.

Time is now almost up for industrial installations to ensure that they are fully compliant with the ten year old Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive from the European Council.

With its deadline of 30th October 2007 the Directive has serious implications for any organisation that fails to comply and not permitted to operate.

Owners and operators now need to focus on "best available techniques", maximising cost benefits and their green credentials in terms of secure and safe sealing in order to confirm that effective sealing procedures have been established and can be maintained.

The challenge remains for engineers across the process plant, industrial equipment, machinery and transportation systems sectors to deploy cost-effective and compliant solutions to their complex fluid sealing requirements.

To do this they need informed knowledge about the latest developments and an understanding of how advances made in other industries may help their own.

BHR group's 19th International Conference on Fluid Sealing "Sealing for Pollution Prevention and Control" will bring together the world's leading experts and provide a forum for exchanging information on the latest products, techniques and systems.

Registration is now open for the event, which will be held in Poitiers, France, 25th-26th September 2007.

The 2007 event will run in conjunction with the annual EDF-LMS Workshop, hosted and organised by the Universite de Poitiers on 27th September 2007.

This year's theme is "Role and Effect of Contact Surfaces in Dynamic Sealing" and the invited lecturer is Professor Izhak Etson, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.

A visit to EDF's Civeaux nuclear power plant is planned for 28th September 2007.

Industry continues to demand ever increasing capabilities and challenges seal manufacturers to push the boundaries and develop new products.

For example, the need to replace chromium in applications has led to more sophisticated coatings for elastomer and dynamic seals.

Materials capable of operating in explosive atmospheres are in greater demand and users are under continuing pressure to seek out the best tools for measuring life cycle costs.

The conference will encompass all kinds of sealing devices from rotating to reciprocating seals, flange gaskets and the associated assembly techniques.

Separate sections will cover themes including: fluid power; static O-rings, valve packing and flanged joints; rotary lip seals; elastomers; mechanical seals; and turbo machinery.

The opening address will be given by Professor Michel Fillon, Director of Research at France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).

The conference is designed for delegates from industries and sectors including petrochemical, RandD, oil and gas, health and safety, power generation, paper/pulp, defence, pharmaceutical, aerospace, food, automotive/transport, metal industries, fluid power, and mining/mineral extraction.

The event is cosponsored by British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), Sealing Technology, European Sealing Association (ESA) and the British Valve and Actuator Association (BVAA).