Vol 92, No 10 (2003)

The current methods of reduction of losses of light fractions of hydrocarbons (LFU) during storage of oil and oil products are considered together with their drawbacks. A new technology of LFU trapping on the basis of low-temperature machines of Stirling is proposed. Three types of the system for long-term storage of oil products have been developed on its base: with direct reduction of LFU, with bubbling of LFU, thermostatting of gas space of reservoirs for oil products. The two later types of the system are considered in detail and also the indices of economic efficiency from their use.

For many years, GRASSO has specialized in the production of compressors and refrigeration units that use ammonia as a refrigerant. Ammonia, with its excellent thermodynamic properties, has no direct effect on the ozone layer and has a relatively low global warming factor. Thanks to this, refrigeration equipment of GRASSO operating on ammonia has proven to be environmentally friendly.
GRASSO is continuously developing devices to reduce energy consumption and increase the efficiency of ammonia plants, which in the long run also contribute to environmental protection.

FABS Engineering company has developed and put into operation at the Volgograd meat processing plant a refrigerating unit with intermediate coolant, the principle of layout and configuration which differs from the project of Penza meat processing plant, considered in our magazine earlier.

Developments in technology and the growing demands of today's refrigeration market are stimulating equipment manufacturers to create a new level of technology. Alfa Laval has developed the completely unique Alfa Nova stainless steel plate heat exchanger. Alfa Laval's vast experience and global leadership in heat-exchange equipment for refrigeration has made this project a success.

The state technical policy of Russia for the last 10-15 years has been formed under the conditions of transition of the national economy from centrally planned economy to market relations. The consequences of liberalization of the economy, often quite painful and not always conflict-free, could not but affect such a very specific structure as the system of national standards and, in particular, standards for refrigeration equipment. The analysis showed that the overwhelming majority of standards operating today in this field does not meet the conditions of market economy and requires either radical revision or cancellation. Ideology of the new approach to the development and application of standards was proposed in the concept of reforming Gosstandart, considered in October 2002 at the meeting of the Russian Government. Its fundamentals were outlined by B.S.Aleshin, former chairman of Gosstandart (nowadays Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Government) in his interview to the newspaper "Economics and Life" of October 18, 2002.
In accordance with this concept it is proposed to remove from the list of subjects and objectives of Gosstandart the function of mandatory certification of products and services for compliance with the requirements of certain standards. In other words, the certification procedure should be carried out not by a body (branch) of Gosstandart in a particular region, but by an independent non-governmental structure (laboratory, center), admitted by Gosstandart to carry out this procedure. According to B. S. Aleshin, the current system of mandatory certification of goods and services has not only become ineffective, but has become a barrier to manufacturers and sellers.
Under the new concept of state technical policy of Russia in the field of standardization and certification of goods and services the State Duma of the Russian Federation prepared and adopted on December 15, 2002 the Federal Law № 184-FZ "On technical regulation", which was approved by the Federation Council on December 18 of the same year and signed by the President on December 27, 2002. The law has come into force since July 1, 2003*. The adoption of this Law is one of the necessary conditions for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), because, according to the idea of its authors, it should contribute to the elimination of technical barriers to trade.

The new AglON® coating applied to the surface of steel products suppresses the growth of bacteria, mold and fungi. This method can be used in equipment for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The book under review (208 p., circulation 1100 copies) by Professor of the Moscow State University of Environmental Engineering, Dr. B.T. Marinyuk is devoted to some important problems of "moderate" and "deep" cold technology, each of which could have been presented as an independent publication. However, in the known modern conditions, books on refrigeration engineering are published rather seldom and in most cases only in co-authorship with a sponsor. Therefore, the publication of this book can be considered almost a feat.

The eighth international exhibition "Machinery and equipment for agro-industrial complex" ("Agroprodmash-2003") traditionally deployed its exposition in the Exhibition Complex on Krasnaya Presnya from 6 to 10 October. Exhibition is organized by ZAO Expocenter. Exhibition has collected more than 650 companies-participants from more than 20 countries, representing the equipment for all branches of the agroindustrial complex. The main sections of the exhibition: agricultural machinery, equipment for livestock buildings, equipment for the food industry, packaging machinery and materials, equipment for transportation, storage, weighing and measuring, refrigeration equipment, equipment for bars, restaurants, supermarkets, etc.