Chemical Technology January 2015

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FOCUS ON CONTROL &INSTRUMENTATION
Instrumentation sunshade lowers cost of field protection
Intertec has launched a large cube-shaped
sunshade for process instrumentation.
It provides plant engineers with a highly
cost-effective means of shielding equip-
ment such as electronic monitoring sys-
tems, explosion-proof junction boxes or
analyser installations from solar radiation.
Dubbed CubeShade, the protective cover
measures 600 x 550 x 500 mm (HxWxD).
This provides a massive 165 litre capacity
shaded environment that makes it easy to
accommodate and protect large or multiple
instruments, as well as simplifying mainte-
nance access.
The new sunshade design is manu-
factured using an automated moulding
process and offers a particularly economic
solution for this common application. If
Intertec needs to provide solar protection
for larger installations – such as two or
three process transmitters – sunshades
are usually created to suit the specific ap-
plication by building up multiple layers of
glass reinforced polyester (GRP) in a custom
mould to achieve the necessary thickness.
Intertec’s new CubeShade is constructed
entirely from glass fibre reinforced sheet
moulding compound (SMC). This combines
chopped glass fibres, fillers, polyester resin
and a catalyst in the form of a ready-to-
mould composite that is ideal for low cost,
high volume manufacturing. The material
has similar advantages to GRP for this type
of application, including a high resistance
to UV and corrosion from salt and common
petrochemicals, and a low thermal conduc-
tivity, which helps to prevent heat generated
by solar radiation being transferred to the
shaded area. It also combines excellent ri-
gidity and mechanical strength – for protec-
tion against impact – with a very low weight.
CubeShade’s single-part design and
SMC-based construction facilitates produc-
tion using automated moulding techniques.
As standard, the body of the sunshade is
5 mm thick but incorporates 8 mm thick
reinforcing ribs around the rim and down
the back of the unit. These ribs also help to
channel rain and melt-water run-off.
Intertec’s design incorporates structural
side walls that also shade low-angle sun,
as well as providing partial protection
against rain, snow, wind-chill, blown dust
or sand and accidental impact. The design
is also suitable for use with equipment
such as explosion-proof junction boxes
or distribution units and is likely to prove
especially popular for new-build processing
plant projects.
For more information contact Intertec In-
strumentation on tel: 0800 756 1102,
email or go to
.