Sé que muchos me seguíais día a día, sé que muchos me echasteis de menos y también sé que a muchos os alegrará mi vuelta.

Siempre he intentado ser consecuente conmigo mismo, dije que volvería y aquí estoy de nuevo, con más ganas que antes y con la certeza de que esta nueva etapa nos traerá más trabajo, pero más satisfacciones; más preocupaciones, pero más alegrías.

Soy Pablo Flórez Rodríguez, y a través de este blog os colaré en la vida del Partido Popular de Lugo, en la vida de Nuevas Generaciones, y en la vida de una ciudad que pide a gritos un cambio necesario.



In trial last week, catching up …

The Supreme Court granted the City of Eagan’s petition for review in the Cedar Grove condmnation and redevelopment effort.  The Court of Appeals ruled in May that the City’s Economic Development Authority failed to meet a prerequisite (the City’s resolution authorizing the takings required an approved development agreement, which wasn’t in place when the judicial takings were filed in 2007), rendering the condemnation invalid.  The City presumably is arguing that the scope of the condemnation power is not affected by delegation of the task of getting the takings done to an EDA.

The Court denied review of the airport dispute between the City of Owatonna and a fixed-base operator at the airport.  The Court of Appeals applied straight contract law in reaching its decision in June; no quirks of municipal law or airport law played a role.

An insight into the evolution of a prototype PFR: P&IDs, models, photos …

We’ve set up a project on the Sapien Process Technologies project management software.

Follow this link and use these access details:-

Username: Guest
Password: Sapi3n

We’ve posted schematics / process & instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), 3D design models and photos. The schematics show the evolution of the P&IDs through the project itself.

A glance behind the scenes at project management at Sapien Process Technologies …

At Sapien Process Technologies, we are very oftern complimented by our project management skills. In a project for Syngenta UK recently, we recently designed built and tested a Plug Flow Reactor in the space of 8 weeks.

On Line Project Management Software at Sapien

It has taken many years of experience to reach this point along a journey of easier and harder projects. As we all know, good project management is as much a science as it is an art. Each project is a different set of circumstances in a different context. The right execution is finding the best fit of the specification, time and cost requirements for the extended project stake holders.

On the innovative projects in the continuous processing space, excellent project management is even more a pre-requisite as one very often faces managing the project through an evolving specification.

At Sapien Process Technologies, the project management art form is good commmunication, regular but short reviews, and a communication ethos of openness. It’s as much about staying in touch with the project as not hindering its progress.

We adopt many useful tools like: teleconferencing, on-line screen PC sharing and online project management software. The project management software allows everybody on the extended project team to communicate, share documentation and control tasks.

This dude was John Bonham’s drum tech during the major stage of Zeppelin’s career.  He’s *maybe* a little bit of a dork, but the video is cool.  I came across it earlier this week while geeking-out about my recently-expanded Bill Mike kit.  The amber Vistalites sitting in the background on this vid is the kit that inspired the one I have now.  I believe Bonham used those drums during Zep’s 1977 tour following the release of The Song Remains The Same.

Quick story about Ochletree’s dork factor and Bonham’s original amber Vistalites:  Joel Hanson, a singer/songwriter that I play with, was in a Grammy-winning band in the 90’s called PFR.  For one of their records, producer Jimmie Lee Sloas called Ochletree and had him fly out to Minneapolis with Bonham’s actual amber Vistas so the band could use the drums on the album.  Ochletree set the kit up, which apparently included two hours of sitting on the ground cross-legged, methodically shredding a stack of newspapers into small strips, and filling the kick drum with them.  This, according to Ochletree, was how Bonham got his famous kick sound.

I wrote this for facebook, but since it took forever I think I’ll share it here too…

***

If I understand this right, we’re supposed to list the 25 most important albums in our life, whether or not we are totally embarrassed by them? All right, here goes…in humbling chronological order. (This list is totally predictable, I know!)

1. Anne Murray - This was probably a greatest hits album or something, I don’t remember, but I remember loving the song “Even though we ain’t got money, I’m still in love with you honey…” There was a house in my friend’s neighborhood whose mailbox said “Murray” and every time we went by I thought of Anne Murray. About 15 years later I would become friends with one of the Murray girls who lived in that house, and she confirmed that there was, in fact, no relation to Anne.

2. PFR - Goldie’s Last Day - In middle school I mostly listened to Christian rock. My friend Andrew won this PFR tape on the local Christian radio station and since he already owned it he gave it to me. One of the catchiest pop albums ever, I’ll stand by that. The title track was a song about putting your dog to sleep… tragic!

3. Jars of Clay – self titled – Still in middle school and now in love with PFR, my friends Jessica and Desiree and I went to see them play at one of the high schools. The opening band was this brand new group called Jars of Clay. I remember feeling like I was cheating on PFR, when I bought Jars of Clay’s debut album.

4. Dave Matthews Band - Crash - In 8th grade I finally got a CD player. My grandma bought me my first CD (I picked out the Gin Blossoms) but soon after that I wanted to go out and buy one on my own. I asked my sister what I should get and she suggested Dave Matthews Band. I went to the music store and said, “Do you have anything by the David Matthews Band?” Anyway, I really got into this album, and it grew into a love of the band that lasted all the way through high school (concerts, bootlegs, posters, special code… yikes).

5. Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen - My cousin Alyssa first played this band for me, and I was confused why a trio would have the number 5 in their title. We had to play it kind of quietly because there was swearing. Soon after I heard “Brick” on the radio and ran out and bought this. My love of Ben Folds Five in high school ran parallel to my love of Dave Matthews.

6. Weezer – Pinkerton - Of course the Blue Album is great, but Pinkerton was so inventive! It was one of the few albums that all of my friends could agree on, which meant we played it a lot. I gave up on the band around the green album.

7. Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On - Admittedly this is not the very best Built to Spill album, but it was my first. I wanted to hear them after hearing Ben Folds cover Twin Falls (even though that song isn’t on this album) and I remember one of my friends warning me that they would take some getting used to. First listen, didn’t like them. Every subsequent listen, I loved them more and more. It was my first real experience with the “acquired taste.” Without this album, I probably wouldn’t have given the Pixies a shot (somehow “Doolittle” didn’t get on this list but it should have.)

8. Ben Folds – Fear of Pop – This was the solo album he recorded before he was a solo artist… It’s pretty strange, and really tested my newfound resolve to push my musical limits. The spoken word track with William Shatner is still the best. I remember listening to this album while on the treadmill at the YMCA during my adolescent “excercise phase.”

9. Elliott Smith – Figure 8 - Around the time of Goodwill Hunting when Elliott Smith was starting to get major attention, my sister bought this record and recommended I listen to him. My musical taste is always changing, but I have a feeling I’ll listen to Elliott Smith for the rest of my life.

10. Radiohead – OK Computer – I’m not a *huge* Radiohead fan but this album was/is awesome. Also played backdrop to one of the famous Weederhayft production films, “Property Line.”

11. Neutral Milk Hotel - In an Aeroplane over the Sea - This is one of those albums that I immediately wanted to sing along with at the top of my lungs. I think it started to point me in the direction of some more rattly/rowdy music.

12. Death Cab for Cutie – The Photo Album – Someone gave me this album along with a few dozen others because he was cleaning out his life. Lucky for me! This one was instrumental in pointing me toward indie/hipsterish music, which kind of dominates the rest of the list.

13. Metric - Old World, Underground, Where are you now? - Well, if you call me, a song from this album is my ringtone (Combat Baby) so I’d say it’s safe to say it’s made an impact. I got into this album when I was in the heart of art school, so for me it’s walking to campus in the peak of fall, portfolio slung over my shoulder, discman in place, staring at the doodled-on toes of my chucks as I walked to class in time with the music.

14. Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans – I heard “The Transfiguration” on Launchcast and thought I’d give him a try. I loved that he was a Christian who made music that wasn’t Christian Rock, who took very seriously his responsibility as an artist who had faith, and as a person of faith who was an artist. It’s the kind of thing I had personally been grappling with, so it was great to have him as a kind of role model, even. And come on, his music is just beautiful. And HE is a beautiful man.

15. The Decemberists – Picaresque - I guess the thing I love most about the Decemberists is that their songs tell a story. Also, Colin Meloy has a formidable vocabulary. That said, this album is probably the least influential of the list, and probably I should have cut this one in order to include the Pixies. Whoops.

16. Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous – This record defined my senior year of college. Jenny Lewis’s voice touched a certain nerve in me and I couldn’t get enough. We went to see them play an AIDS benefit in Eau Claire and I had a totally awkward photo taken with Blake Sennet (who is totally awkward). Anyway, this record also has some great storytelling.

17. Half-Handed Cloud - Thy is a word - I gave this band a listen because it was on Sufjan Steven’s label (asthmatic kitty) and sang songs about God’s love and Bible stories and other sunday-school-type fare. This record has some great (and some really disturbing) songs about old testament stories, and fit right into my college listening habits. Due to some personal reasons I didn’t listen to them for a couple years, but just recently I put this album in again and it’s as good as I remembered!

18. Mates of State - Team Boo - This was just a nice little pop record that I loved in college. Besides that, it’s significant because it created a little fantasy in me to be in a husband/wife band.

19. Dear Nora – We’ll Have a Time – THIS is one of my favorite records. I got it when I was living in Northern California, so it totally takes me back to the days of driving through the mountains and redwoods and that crazy fog. It’s SO catchy!

20. Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat - Since Jenny Lewis is my favorite thing about Rilo Kiley, it makes sense that I’d love her solo stuff. I was skeptical about this album, though, and even though I bought it when it came out it wasn’t until a few weeks later when I saw her sing in San Diego that I realized how amazing it was. Lyrically I don’t swallow it all up (I mean, it’s kind of an anti-gospel record) but it is so nice on the ears. And it’s super honest, which is respectable.

21. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods - Holly gave me this record when I moved back to Wisconsin. I listened to it a lot the summer that I spent painting pictures in my Grandma’s garage and playing drums with Holly in The Art Table. It was inspiring.

22. The Dears - Gang of Losers - So I got this album right about the time of a break-up, and there was something so comforting about Murray Lightburn’s voice, even as he was singing about racism and war. It was one of the first albums I really got into when I had recently moved to Madison, so I’m pretty sure it will always bring me back here.

23. Quasi – Featuring “Birds” – This was the other album I got at the time of my break-up, and it was exactly the bitter, sneering rock music I needed. “If I kept things inside, at least I never lied,” became my defense. Janet Weiss became my hero.

24. Tegan and Sara - The Con - I didn’t like Tegan and Sara the first hundred times that I heard them (with the exception of You Wouldn’t Like Me). And THEN I heard The Con and it was awesome, and I saw them in Minneapolis and it was awesome, and decided I would like them. This album was proof that staunchly held musical taste can change, in the blink of an eye (or battering of an eardrum). Nickleback, that means there’s hope for you yet! (eesh!)

25. The Welcome Wagon – Welcome to the Welcome Wagon - If you’ve somehow managed to avoid hearing me rave about this record in the past three months, well, you got off easy. Until NOW… just kidding. It’s a terrific bit of gospel music though, and if I hadn’t exhausted all of my compliments in previous reviews, and exhausted my interest in this topic altogether by #25, I might say a bit more about it. It’s the most recent record on this list, but I can already tell it’s going to have a lasting impact.

Bonus album…26. TV On the Radio - Dear Science… It’s only been in my possession a week, but I have a feeling it could kick off the next round of 25 albums (which I’ll write 25 years from now).

Sapien Process Technologies manufactures high pressure Plug Flow Reactor for Syngenta for pilot plant …

Evolution of bespoke Plug Flow Reactor

Sapien has recently manufactured a high pressure continuous processing Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) for Syngenta. The pilot plant unit operates at up to 100 barg and over 250 deg C.

Syngenta sees this as an enabling technology for staying at the cutting edge of technology and science development.

This was a fast turn around project: from order to shipment, including detailed design and factory acceptance testing, was 8 weeks.

Variable Residence Time explained …

Variable Residence Time technology, also referred to as VRT technology, is an automated plug flow reactor system that enables processes developed using micro reactor systems to be directly scaled to the kilo / pilot level.

VRT enables process optimisation at scale to demonstrate robustness, productivity, safety, quality and economic benefit, and provides the basis for full-scale commercial manufacturing design specification.

VRT has been developed by Phoenix Chemicals Ltd and exemplified for a number of multi-ton commercial products within the FIne Chemical and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing sectors.

CONTINUOUS FLOW PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

VRT technology is specifically designed for intermediate scale-up to kilo and pilot plant scale development.

The development of a flow process can be divided into three distinct stages:-

Stage 1: Laboratory Based Experimental Design
Stage 2: Intermediate Scale-up Kilo/Plant Scale
Stage 3: Full Scale Commercial Manufacture

There are many commercial micro reactor systems available for completing laboratory based experimental design (stage 1). However technology for progressing beyond the laboratory is less developed.

The concept of ‘scaling-out’ or ‘parallelisation’ of micro reactor processes has been extensively documented as an alternative to conventional scale-up, although in reality there are limited real-case examples of this approach.

‘Scaling-out’ by its very nature builds complexity into a process whereas simplicity to reduce risk would be a more desirable goal for most organisations. The lack of a general purpose scale-up tool for flow processing is one of the major contributors to such processes remaining within the domain of the laboratory and never realising the advantages of continuous flow.

vrtTM technology overcomes this shortcoming because it is specifically designed for intermediate scale-up to kilo/pilot plant scale (stage 2) development and provides the foundation for continuous flow based commercial manufacture (stage 3).

VARIABLE RESIDENCE TIME

VRT technology uses well characterised heat exchangers and conventional static mixers for achieving the necessary heat and mass transfer required for a flow process.

The most important parameter for a plug flow process is residence time because this ultimately governs the product composition and quality. The ability to vary residence time on-line is extremely desirable because it enables rapid optimisation and tuning of the process at scale. However, for a static mixer based reactor, varying residence time by simply changing flow rate is not an option because the flow rate governs heat and mass transfer.

VRT technology overcomes this limitation by enabling residence time within the systems parameters to be accessed without changing flow rate.

Stylistically the vrtTM is a static mixer that can be stretched or compressed at will to achieve any desirable residence time.

More details in the VRT brochure below:-

Sapien Process Technologies and Phoenix Chemicals Announce Collaboration on Variable Residence Time Technology …

PRESS RELEASE ON 8th APRIL 2008
PHOENIX COLLABORATES WITH SAPIEN ON VRT

Bromborough, Wirral, Merseyside, UK, 8th April 2008 — Phoenix Chemicals Ltd today formalises collaborative agreement with Sapien Process Technologies (Cambridge, UK) on Variable Residence Time (VRTTM) Technology.

The agreement covers the manufacture and commercialisation of the VRT product line. VRT is an automated and time variable, plug flow reactor, consisting of innovative patented technology. It has a proven track record in taking laboratory scale synthesis into kilo-scale and full-scale commercial quantities.

Lee Proctor, Technology Director with Phoenix Chemicals, advises “the concept underpinning VRT scale-up is that processes developed in the laboratory can be simultaneously scaled and optimised in a VRT. Stylistically the VRT is a static mixer that can be elongated or shortened at will to achieve any desired residence time without changing flow rate. Static mixers are designed to achieve optimum heat and mass transfer at a specific flow rate. Changing residence time in a static mixer by changing flow rate is unwise because the efficiency of heat and mass transfer is compromised. VRT overcomes this limitation by enabling the residence time to be changed in real time without altering the process flow rate”.

Sapien Process Technologies is a specialist equipment provider for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. It designs, manufactures and commissions automated and integrated process solutions for innovative chemical manufacturing. The applications of VRT in scaling laboratory processes to production volumes demonstrates that appropriate processes can be scaled compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practice practically, successfully and cost-effectively.

END
Contact:

Colin Leece, CEO
Phoenix Chemicals Ltd
Email: info@phoenixchem.com
Tel: +44 (0)151 334 9044
www.phoenixchem.com