31 multi- port valve requiring about 40 percent less space than traditional valve manifolds using conventional diaphragm valves. The image adjacent shows a transparent view of a pneumatic operator. The actuator is made from aluminium and is finished in white with an epoxy coating. Each chamber has a pilot air connection and an exhaust port. For position indication it is possible to fit two proximity switches to each side - one for high ( open indication) and one for low ( closed indication). That means in total you can have four switches per actuator. Since less material is used in the valve bodies, they can be heated more quickly to the sterilization temperature required to destroy micro- organisms. A low internal volume, and elimination of dead space, also supports faster cleaning and, of course, means better process efficiency and higher product yield from the process. Continuing the benefit of minimum space requirement, the overall number of valves, T-piece, weld joints and pipe runs are greatly reduced. The result is an optimized space footprint that enhances process efficiency, reduces installation and maintenance costs and minimizes downtime. The Robolux Valve makes use of a body ( typically machined from 316L stainless steel) which incorporates two traditional weirs located next to each other. On top of this body sits a diaphragm; often manufactured of materials like EPDM, PTFE or silicone the diaphragm is completely moulded and does not have any metal parts. This is an advantage for diaphragm lifecycle. Cleanability The cleanability of a pipe system is influenced by dead space volumes and the application of the xD rule. Currently, the industry is satisfied with the 3D rule. Its consistent application ensures sufficient flushing for many processes. The dead legs will be completely flushed and cleaned only if the length of the dead legs is less than three times the diameter of the main pipe. It is usually not possible to consistently implement the 3D rule when arranging complex configurations with conventional valves; the goal of any plant operator and planning engineer is to remain well below the requirements of this rule. The ideal solution is to achieve the 1D rule now, and the Robolux valve solutions are capable of this. The internal volume of the valves and/ or valve manifolds is significantly smaller than with conventional valve solutions and there is no dead volume inside them. If four conventional DN25 diaphragm valves are welded in a typical steam cross configuration this results in an internal volume of 90 millilitres held in the pipe section between the 4 valve seats. If this solution is enhanced by using a standard valve block, the internal volume can be reduced to 50 millilitres. Finally, if the standard valve block is replaced with a Robolux valve, the total inner space volume is only 22 millilitres. These valves therefore minimize not only the required installation space, but also the amount of flushing agent needed, and time - with significantly improved cleanability. Prevention of corrosion The cleanability of the pipes and valve manifolds is also extremely important for another reason: Improper flow through the body may result in corrosion, which is a serious problem in production facilities. The cleaning or replacement of the corroded equipment entails great expense and lengthy downtimes. The use of Robolux valve interfaces can effectively help prevent corrosion. This is confirmed by means of riboflavin or uranine tests in Burkert's in- house test facility that allows simulation of actual operating conditions. Process reliability and availability Valve interfaces must meet high standards to guarantee reliable processes and yet remain flexible for different applications. Robolux valves can provide a " double block and bleed function" to prevent steam used for sterilization of the parallel line from contaminating the product and vice versa; it is achieved by using a relief valve in between the 2 seats. Multi- port valve bodies genuinely enable the effective implementation of many complex applications. For example, parallel operation is possible with the use of a Robolux DFP ( Double Flow Path) interface which increases overall availability of the plant and saves production time. Multi- port valves can also act as a reliable sterile barrier; a solution using two actuators and 2 diaphragms provides the function of a steam barrier with 4 connections and 4 seats that replaces four conventional valves with their single actuators, and the corresponding piping and connecting elements. In this way, Robolux multiport valves contribute significantly to cost reduction in hygienic processes. When contacting companies featured in this issue of please tell them where you found the information Thank you

As an integral part of the symposium, Tuesday saw 12 scientific vendor companies with tabletop displays of their latest product offerings. On Wednesday, it was the turn of the bioanalytical CROs which included ABS Labs, Cyprotex Discovery Ltd, Quality Assistance, York Bioanalytical, Quotient Bioresearch, Covance, BASI and HLS. The Scientific Program Over the last few months, the Society have been ironing- out the detail and mechanics of how the Fellowships will operate. It was agreed that two tiers of Fellowship funding will be available which would correspond to a researchers attendance at conferences within Europe or America/ rest of the world. For conferences within Europe, a minimum Fellowship of £ 500 will be granted ( maximum £ 750), while attendance at conferences in the USA will be granted a Fellowship of £ 1000. In some cases higher value Fellowships may be granted, but these will be reviewed by the executive committee on a case- by- case basis. This Fellowship programme will begin for conferences in the calendar year 2010 and the Society will be accepting formal requests for the programme from 1st December 2009. To be considered for a Fellowship, applications should be made following the links on the Chromatographic Society website ( www. chromsoc. com) and follow the links to ' John Dolphin Fellowships'. In short summary, the following are required:- 1. The applicant must be a UK registered PhD/ DPhil researcher and working in the area of separation science or demonstrate a significant use of chromatography or related separation techniques in their work. The applicant's research must be predominantly undertaken in the UK and it must be their own work that is being presented at the conference. 2. The application form must be completed in full including details on the anticipated budget required. 3. A letter of endorsement from the applicant's academic supervisor ( preferably within 2 weeks of the application). 4. The Chromatographic Society to be acknowledged for Fellowship funding on the applicant's poster or in their oral presentation. 5. If there are no confidentiality issues, an electronic copy of the applicant's poster or presentation should be sent to the Chromatographic Society for display in the members section of the Society's website. 6. Copies of receipts for conference registration, air travel and accommodation must be provided to the Society within 4 weeks of the researchers return. Full requirements and guidance notes may be found on the Societies website ( address noted above). Once completed, applications and supervisor endorsements should be emailed to Chromsoc@ meetingmakers. com or sent to The Chromatographic Society, c/ o Meeting Makers, Jordanhill Campus, 76 South Brae Drive, Glasgow, G13 1PP. For speed of response, it is advised that email be used where possible. By following these guidelines, utilising additional funding from Society funds and potential donations from commercial bodies, we hope that Fellowships will be available for a minimum of 15 years. The Chromatographic Society welcomes applications and we look forward to helping support UK research in separation science. If you have any additional queries not covered in the Fellowship guidance notes or on the Chromatographic Society website, please direct these to Chromsoc@ meetingmakers. com. The John Dolphin Fellowships Paul Ferguson, Vice President of the Chromatographic Society and Chair of the John Dolphin Fellowship programme In the June edition of Chromatography Today, Dr John Lough of the Chromatographic Society highlighted the formation of the John Dolphin Fellowship programme. The programme was inaugurated in honour of ex Treasurer and Chairman Dr John Dolphin who sadly passed away in 2007. The Fellowships were only made possible through a generous donation from John's estate with the request that the funds were to be used " towards sponsorship of students undertaking their PhD's". To this end the executive committee of the Society deliberated on how this request could be best put into practice. It was decided that the most appropriate use of the funds would be to sponsor UK based doctoral researchers to attend major separation science conferences where they could share and promote their science on an international stage. It is believed that the Fellowship programme would be entirely in keeping with John's thoughts on promoting UK based excellence in separation science through young chromatographers. 32November/ December 2009