Sullivan and Sons

Sullivan and Sons
Our 18,000 sq. ft. warehouse is full of many types of instruments and valves ready to be rebuilt to your specifications. All of our products are rebuilt to exacting standards, then calibrated using some of the latest calibration technology available. Our products are then shipped to you looking like new and ready to install.
Sullivan and Sons, Inc. has been selling instrumentation and valves for over 20 years. Our remanufactured items sell for 40-75% off retail. We strive to provide quality products with quick lead times. The business of remanufactured instrumentation and valves is a competitive market and we differentiate ourselves by providing a superior product and customer service with a friendly attitude. We are a family owned business that truly cares about resolving your problems quickly and with minimal difficulties.

Full Repair Facility
We have a full repair shop that services all major manufacturer brands. Just send us your instruments or valves and we will evaluate for FREE and give you a repair estimate. Our top-notch repair service will save you TIME and MONEY.
The repairs on our control valves include disassembly, sandblasting, resurfacing of gasket surfaces, replacement of all soft parts, replacement or repair of trim, reassembly, and shell and leak test. A two year warranty is available on our control valves.
Valve Repairs
Instrument Repairs
Our 18,000 sq. ft. warehouse is full of many types of instruments and valves ready to be rebuilt to your specifications. We recently upgraded our valve shop with the latest technology and we have additional personnel to increase our production and decrease our lead times.
All of our items are rebuilt to exacting standards, then calibrated using some of the latest calibration technology available. Our products are then shipped to you looking like new and ready to install. Sullivan and Sons..

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.

Robotic suit helps paralyzed walk

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A new robotic suit could transform the lives of paralyzed people, giving them the ability to walk again.
The invention, known as ReWalk, acts like a kind of exoskeleton. It consists of lightweight, motorized leg supports and an assortment of intricate motion sensors.
Users wear a backpack that holds a computerized control box which helps the medical device recognize when a step needs to be taken.
"Standing changes my whole environment. I don't have to look from the bottom up. Now I am eye to eye with everybody," Radi Kaiof, who has used the device, told CNN.
Kaiof, a former Israeli soldier, was paralyzed from the waist down 20 years ago. He doesn't have feeling in his legs but is still able to move with the use of the robotic suit
With the assistance of crutches, which offer balance and support, people paralyzed from the waist down can walk, bend, sit and even climb stairs when they wear the suit.
The futuristic invention offers an alternative to using a wheelchair for those who have functioning upper bodies and are capable of standing with the use of supports.
It is the creation of Dr. Amit Goffer, an engineer and founder of Haifa, Israel-based high-tech firm Argo Medical Technologies. Goffer was inspired to create the device more than a decade ago after he became disabled in an accident.
The medical technology that could help paraplegics do what was once considered impossible isn't available for purchase yet. The device wasn't ready for testing until late 2007 and currently is in clinical trials in Tel Aviv.
More trials are planned for the United States and Europe, and if the product receives the necessary approvals, it could hit the market in 2010.
The price of the device hasn't been set yet, but is expected to be comparable with the typical average yearly expense of using a wheelchair.
The robotic suit improves the quality of life of people paralyzed from the waist down, according to Goffer, who wanted to give paraplegics an alternative to using a wheelchair. It also benefits their overall health since it keeps their bodies active all day long, he says.
But when it comes down to it, the invention is all about helping people regain respect. Dignity is "the No. 1 problem" for people who use wheelchairs, says Goffer.
For Kaiof, the former soldier, the robotic suit has changed his life. Before he tried it on, his daughter had never seen him stand before.
When he stood before her for the first time, she couldn't believe just how tall he was, he recounted to CNN.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/09/robotic.suit/index.html

It is Easy Being Green

5 low-cost things you can do to go greener at home
By Dena Kouremetis
When that certain lovable Muppet Kermit the Frog sang “It isn’t Easy Being Green” so long ago, chances are pretty good that he wasn’t referring to how easy it is to help the environment.
Helping the world go greener can begin with you. Anything from purchasing the right appliances to changing out a light bulb can make a huge difference to both the world around you and even your pocketbook in the long run.
1. Reaching for the “stars”What is already in place in your home that could be a drain on energy? Is it that old refrigerator in the garage? Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one older appliance (such as your trusty old fridge) can cost you as much as $150 more per year than an energy-efficient model?
Here’s a sobering thought — if just 10 homeowners replaced their older appliances with EnergyStar®-qualified ones, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees. Plan a budget to slowly replace all your “energy hog” appliances with new energy saving models and you’ll thank yourself later on.
2. How hot is hot and how cold is cold? Turning down the thermostat in cold weather and inching it up during the warm months can save as much as 3-5 percent for each degree adjustment. In fact, as much as 60 percent of your energy bill may be heating and cooling related. Programmable thermostats can make the most prudent adjustments automatically during any 24-hour period but are grossly underused, according to Ron McClure. of the Pleasant Hill, Calif.-based California Home Energy & Comfort Solutions, a company that sends inspectors to perform energy “audits” for homeowners or buyers.
“About six out of ten households already have programmable thermostats but don’t use the automatic (programmable) function on them,” says McClure, “The first thing they do on a cold morning is head to the thermostat to warm up the place and by the time they are comfortable they head out the door without another thought..” he relates. Even if you remember to shut your heat off before you leave the house, however, McClure goes on to say that it costs more to reheat your home than to maintain the temperature with a properly programmed thermostat.
Other low-cost energy saving tasks to look into:
Get some new clothes for your hot water heater by placing an insulating jacket around it (usually costs under $20) and outfit your pipes for even less.
HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) changes can contribute even more – something as simple as cleaning your furnace’s air filter monthly during heavy usage times can make a big difference.
Shade your east and west facing windows to prevent the most brutal heat intrusion during summer months. And if your house doesn’t already possess dual-pane energy-efficient windows, why not start replacing those windows slowly, but start with those that receive the most intense sun exposure first?
Saving heat generating activities such as dishwashers and cooking until the evening hours can help you ease up on cooling costs as well as your local energy grid.
Using ceiling fans to move air on low speeds (even if TV reality remodeling shows think they’re not fashionable) can permit you to push the thermostat in either direction, providing more circulation of either cool or warm air.
3. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to waste You may love the forceful flow of water at your faucets, toilets and showerheads, but did you know that installing aerators on them could cut your annual water consumption by more than half?
And then there is the commode... Toilets installed 15 years ago use more than twice the amount of water than the newer low-flow models. Even if you have older toilets, however, you can adjust your float valves to permit a lower water flow into the tank.
4. Going into the light Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with the EnergyStar®-rated compact fluorescent variety all over the house can save you $100 per year, according to the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a voluntary partnership between leaders of the homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries. They calculate that if every family in the U.S. did this, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by one trillion pounds.
True — buying new bulbs does take an initial investment, but even a recent ad by Starbucks in The New York Times that said if every person who received the newspaper switched one light bulb to a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, it would be the equivalent of taking 89,000 cars off the road.
5. Filling in the gapsHave you bothered to look around your attic space to see if all areas contain insulation? According to PATH, even a small area with limited or no insulation — or even insulation that has been damaged or compressed — can significantly decrease overall effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Energy says that adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost effective. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure the thickness of the insulation. If it is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic.
An "energy audit" may cost you anywhere from $159 to $359, according to McClure, but PATH figures that you can recoup the cost of the inspection in about a year by implementing the recommendations the audits can provide. Try PATH for a list of inspectors in your area.
Copyright © by Move, Inc.
http://www.move.com/home-garden/home-maintenance/energy-efficiency/easy-being-green.aspx?gate=ibs_fran&source=a12556

The RTOS Motto: On Time And On Budget

But is an RTOS always necessary? The answer is application-specific, so understanding what one will deliver is key to determining whether it becomes a requirement or an extravagance..
In general, an RTOS can be used anywhere a non-RTOS is employed. However, it’s rare to find an operating system with a matching RTOS that has exactly the same application programming interface (API). Many of them, though, embed an RTOS within a conventional operating system. For example, Lynux- Works LynxOS and Bluecat Linux share a Linux API. LynxOS is a hard RTOS, while Bluecat inherits its base from Linux.
Linux continues to improve its real-time performance, but its worst-case interrupt latency still doesn’t meet what would be considered hard real time for an RTOS. It all comes down to quality of service (QoS). Platforms like RTLinux Free augment Linux, providing hard real-time class QoS.
It’s important to note that this type of addition often incorporates an RTOS programming environment that’s distinct from the original operating system. An RTOS is typically small compared to a conventional desktop or server OS. They often target more smaller, resource-constrained microcontrollers. For instance, CMX’s CMX-RTX and CMX-Tiny+ can run on 8-bit MCUs up through 64-bit processors.
The increased power and memory capacity of 8-bit processors is making an RTOS more desirable for these platforms. But, an OS or RTOS is usually a requirement in 16-bit platforms and up with RTOS products like Express Logic’s ThreadX, Wind River’s VxWorks, Micrium’s uCOS-II, and Green Hills Software’s velOSity being common selections. Depending on requirements, MontaVista’s Linux meets 16- and 32-bit platform requirements in the low microsecond range.
THE RTOS CORE: SCHEDULING AND PARTITIONINGMost programmers aren’t familiar with RTOS constraints and requirements. Most usually opt for an RTOS due to its performance. Most RTOS products are small and fast, yet an RTOS also adds consistency. Beyond the fact that an RTOS gets the job done quickly, it can guarantee a job will get done.
In many applications, a late result can be catastrophic. Thus, a poor result within the proper timeframe is preferable. These applications are generally called hard real-time systems. Hard real time doesn’t indicate how fast the system may be or how quickly a system may respond. Rather, it refers to how reliably a system can meet the specified requirements.
A hard real-time system may have a fixed cycle time of one minute with a response time of one second. In theory, it’s something almost any operating system could handle. This isn’t always the case, though, as anyone can attest to when waiting for a desktop application to respond within a minute.
Hard real-time systems typically have shorter cycle times and tighter response requirements. Faster processors always help, and multicore platforms can improve response time, too. The trick for developers is to match system requirements to the hardware and software, hence the importance of an RTOS in embedded applications.
An RTOS can implement a range of scheduling policies, and the application will often restrict a programmer’s choices (see the table). Non-preemptive scheduling is trivial to implement but useful in some applications. On the other hand, non-preemptive scheduling within a task can be implemented on top of a preemptive system.
Non-preemptive should not be overlooked, especially in light of new multicore processors. Here, hardware may be tuned to handle an event-based operation in which a thread will wait for an external event to occur. This approach is usually unsuitable for a single-core processor handling multiple threads. On multicore systems with many cores, though, it’s often typical to dedicate one core to handle one peripheral. It then makes sense to have that core idle while waiting for an event to occur.
As a result, preemptive, interrupt-driven RTOS architectures make up the majority of platforms deployed. These platforms have a range of requirements, issues, and solutions (see the figure). Interrupt latency is always an issue, although hardware— multiple register sets, hardware scheduling and task switching, and hierarchical priority interrupt systems—can significantly reduce this overhead.
Several issues coincide with preemption. Most are timing-related, like race conditions, deadlock, starvation, and priority inversion, which occurs when a low-priority task A owns a synchronization resource of a higher-priority task B, and a task C with priority higher than A is running.
Without a feature like priority ceilings, task C can prevent task A and C from running. A priority-ceiling feature changes the priority of task A to that of task C, allowing it to run and eventually release the resource needed by C. At this point, task A’s priority returns to normal and task C can run.
The other timing-related issues, which the programmer must address, are often the sources of bugs that are difficult to locate and correct. Trace tools become valuable assets in locating these kinds of bugs, since symptoms such as blocked tasks are the only indication of the problem

High Flow Range Mass Coriolis Flow Meter

Ideal for the measurement of flow, density and temperature of liquids and slurries, such as aggressive or contaminated, sanitary or particle-filled fluids.Features:
Flow ranges from 60 to 60K Kg/Hr (2.2 to 1650 lb/min)
Accuracy up to 0.25% of reading
Materials: flow tubes - 316 L, splitter flanges - 316 Ti, housing - cast iron
Process temperature -40°F to 356°F
Ambient temperature -40°F to 140°F
Wide flow ranges
ACCURATE AND RELIABLEThis meter has the ability to maintain high accuracy, despite changing viscosity conditions, with accuracy of +0.25% of reading.

EASY CLEANING
The ACM series has smooth stainless steel tubes and no moving parts, and is therefore very easy to flush and clean.

MULTI-TASKINGThe ACM series of mass coriolis flow meters measure flow, density and temperature.

MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
Because of the meter's 316 stainless steel flow tubes, the ACM series can measure a wide range of materials.

VARIETY OF ELECTRONICS
Electronics available for the ACM series include a local, hazardous rated display and a remote, panel-mount digital display.

Huntron Scanners

Add Scanning Capabilites to Your Huntron Tracker Model 30 System

Adding a Huntron® Scanner to your Tracker Model 30 system lets you access components using standard DIP clips and cables, custom cables to PCB connectors or interface to a bed-of-nails.You can compare one component with another in real-time (64 pins max.) or use your PC to automate testing and scan up to 128 pins.Huntron Scanners can be used with a Huntron Access Prober to provide Common line connections while the Prober is probing a PCB. This method gives you up to 128 selectable Commons to use. For example, you can connect the Scanner to a connector on a PCB mounted in the Prober using a common ribbon style cable. While the Prober is probing, any one of the lines on the connected ribbon cable can be selected as the Common reference. This would provide you true point-to-point testing capabilities.Note: The ProTrack Scanner will be replaced by the Scanner II and/or the Scanner 31S effective 1/1/2008. This applies to commercial sales only.Scanner II and Scaner 31S users may want to consider these Optional Accessories to enhance their test capabilities.
Highlights:
· The Scanner II and Scanner 31S accessories add scanning capability to the Tracker Model 30
· All Scanners have a minimum 64 pin capability
· The Scanner II can scan up to 128 pins when the A and B channels are combined
· The Scanner 31S use standard IDC style connectors
· The Scanner II uses the common SCSI-2 (68 pin) style connectors
· Up to 8 Scanner IIs can be “daisy-chained” to increase the available number of test pins
Selecting Accessories for your Scanner IIThe Scanner II accessories for interfacing to your printed circuit board come "ala carte". This means that you select the accessories you want included with your Scanner. Choose from SMT or through-hole style DIP clip and cable kits (Scanner Adapter required with Scanner II) or a mutli-pin breakout cable. Details on these accessories are provided on this page.