Weld Engineering Services Archives - Page 23 of 74

Technical report on terminology maintenance for medicinal products just published

The identification of medicinal products (IDMP) is often a regulatory requirement and is increasingly necessary as the world moves towards integrated healthcare underpinned by global supply chain verification. ISO’s IDMP standards have just been joined by a new technical report describing key considerations for organizations seeking to become IDMP terminology maintenance providers.

What’s in a pill? The identification of everything that goes into medication, known as IDMP, is a highly regulated area, and ISO has a range of standards and guidance documents for the IDMP that support the activities of medicines agencies worldwide. They provide the basis for data collection and the exchange of information related to the characteristics of medicinal products. This enables the identification of the ingredients of medicinal products globally, which is necessary for commercial and regulatory purposes.

ISO/TR 14872, Health informatics — Identification of medicinal products — Core principles for maintenance of identifiers and terms, provides a framework for ongoing maintenance and support of identifiers and terms that meet the criteria of IDMP standards. It describes a service delivery model and core principles which can be used as evaluation criteria for choosing IDMP terminology service providers. It also helps with the development of more robust service level agreements and governance processes used by IDMP data owners and terminology maintenance providers.

The new technical report will be of use to many organizations in the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industry, including global regulators involved in the development, authorization, marketing and distribution of medicinal products.

Convenor of the ISO working group responsible for the IDMP standards and ISO/TR 14872, Christian Hay, said that the terminology maintenance service delivery model proposed in this document will help to provide a framework for greater collaboration and shared data governance amongst IDMP stakeholders.

“Collaboration amongst regulators, pharmaceutical companies and other parties in the industry helps to improve patient care through improving the reporting and documentation of things like adverse-events and patient records.”

ISO/TR 14872 was developed by working group 6, Pharmacy and medicines business, of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 215, Health informatics, the secretariat of which is held by ANSI, ISO’s member for the USA.

It is available from your national ISO member or the ISO Store.

Uncover how ISO Standards help doctors treat patients and keep people safe at work, at home, wherever.

Revised IDMP standards to improve description of medicinal products worldwide

Implementing these standards should simplify the exchange of information between stakeholders and enhance the interoperability of systems in the medical field.

By Arc Consulting|2019-08-22T08:01:40+00:00August 22nd, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

Grain Reconstruction of Palladium and Palladium-Nickel Alloys for Platinum Catchment

Ammonia oxidation is one of the key reaction steps in the production of synthetic nitrogen-based fertilisers. Industrially, the reaction is typically carried out at 900°C and a pressure of 1–13 bar over metallic Pt-Rh catalytic gauzes (1). During operation, the Pt-Rh catalyst undergoes several structural changes, such as grain growth of the wire core, surface formation of so-called cauliflowers and enrichment of Rh on the wire surface, due to a significant loss of Pt (2, 3). The Pt is mainly lost as gaseous PtO₂ and it is anticipated to be caused by hot spots on the Pt-Rh gauze due to the extreme exothermic nature of the oxidation of ammonia to NO (2) (selectivity ~96% (1)), Equation (i) (4):

(i)

Depending on plant conditions, the Pt loss is in the range of 0.05–0.4 g per tonne nitric acid (HNO₃) produced i.e., noble metal loss in a modern plant producing on average 1000 tonnes HNO₃ per day, represents a huge financial cost for the fertiliser industry (1). State of the art technology to reduce this cost proceeds via catchment of the formed PtO₂ vapour by Pd-Ni alloy gauzes, located just downstream of the Pt-Rh ammonia oxidation catalyst. The predecessor of this catchment technology, a palladium-gold (80:20 wt%) alloy gauze, was developed by Degussa in the late 1960s (5). The Pd-Au gauzes quickly outperformed other catchment systems, such as glass wool filters, Raschig rings and marble chips (6). Later, cheaper metals such as Ni and cobalt replaced Au in the Pd-Au alloy, as they gave an enhanced catchment efficiency in addition to lower costs (7). Still, the Pd-Ni catchment unit has several drawbacks. During operation, the Pd-Ni gauze wires reconstruct completely and swell in size. This results in a significant loss of mechanical strength and additionally, it is the dominant cause of a large pressure drop increase over the gauze pack during the campaign, see Figure 1. Furthermore, during operation, the gauze is depleted in Ni and depending on plant conditions, 0.2–0.4 g Pd is lost per gram Pt captured (6).

Fig. 1.

Pressure drop from the Yara Technology Center industrial facility. Data points are normalised by dividing pressure by gas load to see the developing trend

Despite the fact that the aforementioned drawbacks of the Pd-Ni catchment system have been known for several decades, only a handful of studies related to this topic have been published in the last 50 years (5–18). Ning et al. (8) report on the surface reconstruction of the catchment gauze and both Fierro et al. (9) and Ning et al. (10) discuss the catchment mechanisms. Recently, Pura et al. (11) suggested that the alloying element Ni is not participating in the catchment process, but that grain boundary attack may be a mechanism responsible for grain reconstruction. This was further investigated by Pura et al. (18) suggesting that a rapid loss of Ni from grain boundaries causes the initial porosity in the wire. Still, sufficient understanding of the occurring reactions is not achieved and knowledge on how to improve or modify the Pd-Ni based catchment systems is still lacking. The common denominator between all the mentioned investigations is that they are based on gauzes used in industrial operation, where several different parameters such as temperature and gas composition are in play simultaneously. To the best of our knowledge, no or only minor focus has been put on systematic, single-parameter studies to unravel the underlying reasons for the grain reconstruction phenomena.

Here we report the results of systematic studies to understand the role of the individual constituents of the reaction gas mixture (O₂, H₂O and PtO₂ diluted in N₂) in the reconstruction of Pd-Ni gauzes, at conditions relevant for high-temperature ammonia oxidation. By exposing pure Pd and Pd-Ni wires and woven gauzes in a laboratory-scale furnace to the individual gas components in a systematic manner, we investigate which gas species cause reconstruction. We will also discuss the role of Ni with respect to Pt catchment, Ni loss and the existing Ni species during operation (metal, oxide and hydroxide). Finally, we compare the laboratory-scale results with two samples treated in a pilot plant at the Yara Technology Center facility (Herøya, Norway), where the samples experience the real conditions of high temperature ammonia oxidation in terms of gas mixture, linear gas velocity, temperature and pressure.

Wires and woven gauzes of the industrial alloys Pd-Ni (95:5 wt%) and pure Pd were supplied by K. A. Rasmussen (wire diameters of 76 μm and 120 μm) which were used for the laboratory-scale experiments. In addition, pure Pd catchment gauzes (76 μm) were used in pilot plant experiments with a pure Pt net and a lanthanum cobaltite (LaCoO₃)-based ammonia oxidation catalyst, the latter in the form of 3 mm cylindrical pellets. For the laboratory-scale furnace experiments, samples were heat treated in a six-zone furnace at 900–1050°C (ambient pressure) in a quartz tube (inner diameter = 6 mm) in various gas atmospheres containing synthetic air (5.0, Praxair, USA), steam and PtO₂ vapour. The composition of the water vapour mixture was 33 vol% H₂O, 14 vol% O₂ and 53 vol% N₂. PtO₂ vapour was generated from a rolled up Pt gauze (~0.4–0.8 g) located upstream of the sample at 1050°C, producing a p(PtO₂) of approximately 1 × 10^–⁸ bar (2.5 mg Pt loss over 20 days in a flow of 1 l air per min). During heat treatment, samples were positioned perpendicular to the length direction of the quartz tube to enhance gas exposure to the gauze and wire in the gas flow. Samples from the Yara pilot plant were treated at 900°C and 5 bar in a gas mixture containing 10 vol% NH₃ in compressed air, before the ammonia oxidation combustion catalyst. This implies that the gas mixture contained approximately 9 vol% NO, 15 vol% H₂O and 6 vol% O₂, 2000 ppm or 100 ppm N₂O (pure Pt or oxide catalyst) and the rest N₂ when exposed to the catchment alloy. The pilot plant samples were exposed to exactly the same conditions as industrial catchment gauzes and are compared with laboratory-scale samples (as described above) and industrial samples treated at 900°C at 5 bar for 47 days below an industrial Pt-Rh (95:5 wt%) catalyst in the industrial gas mixture (10 vol% NH₃ in compressed air).

Various sample surfaces and cross-sections were examined with a high-resolution Hitachi Regulus 8230 field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Images were obtained by collecting the secondary electrons produced by the electron beam with an acceleration voltage of 1 kV. Qualitative EDX analysis (mapping and point quantification) was performed on selected samples using an acceleration voltage of 30 kV. Samples were mounted with carbon tape on a copper plate or prepared for cross-section imaging by casting the wire in a conducing resin (PolyFast, Struers, UK) before grinding and polishing (1 μm diamond finish). Wet chemical etching of the polished sample was performed in HNO₃ (heat-treated gauze) or aqua regia (unreacted gauze) for 30 seconds at room temperature. Light microscopy was performed with a Zeiss Axio metallurgical microscope. ICP-MS/OES analysis was performed on selected samples by SINTEF Molab AS (Norway). Prior to analysis samples were fully dissolved in aqua regia. The Pt content was determined by ICP-MS whereas Pd and Ni concentrations were determined by ICP-OES. The standard deviation was in the range of 1–2% of the measured value.

TGA was conducted with a NETZSCH (Germany) STA 449 F1 Jupiter^®, with an alumina TG-pin stage. The experiments were performed by stacking six (6) fresh Pd-Ni (or Pd) gauzes on top of each other and heating to 140°C to remove humidity and other surface species on the sample. Thereafter, the sample was ramped to 900°C (10°C min^–1) before a 24 h dwell. After the experiment was completed, the same setup and temperature program was rerun with a fully oxidised sample for the background correction. In all experiments O₂ (5.0) and N₂ (5.0) from Praxair were used and the pO₂ was 0.2 bar over the sample.

As-Received Palladium-Nickel and Palladium Catchment Gauzes

Prior to exposing the as-received Pd-Ni and Pd wires to any gases, SEM and EDX analysis was performed on both wire surfaces and their cross-sections. In Figure 2, representative overview images of the wire surface (Figure 2(a)) and the cross‐section (Figure 2(b)) of the 120 μm Pd-Ni alloy are shown. Overall, EDX analysis confirms the cross-sections of the alloys to contain minute quantities of oxygen, with slightly enhanced amounts at the surface, see Table I. In addition, EDX analysis of three randomly selected points on the Pd-Ni cross‐section reveal the Ni content to be in the range from 4.4–5.0 wt%, close to the value provided by the supplier. EDX mapping did not reveal any obvious heterogeneities or impurities, neither within the grains nor along the grain boundaries. Based on this we conclude the Pd-Ni alloy to be a homogeneous solid-solution, of ~95:5 wt% Pd-Ni, within the uncertainty of the EDX analysis. Finally, it should be noted that light microscopy of chemically etched cross-sections reveal sharp grain boundaries and a grain size of 5–20 μm for 76 μm wires, of both Pd and the Pd-Ni alloy, see Figure 2(c) for the Pd-Ni alloy.

Fig. 2.

(a) SEM image of the surface of a fresh 120 μm Pd-Ni wire; (b) SEM image of the cross-section of a fresh 120 μm Pd-Ni wire; (c) light microscope image of a 76 μm Pd-Ni wire after etching in aqua regia for 30 s

Table I

Qualitative EDX Results of Fresh 120 μm Pd and Pd-Ni (95:5 wt%) Alloys

Sample	Area	Details	Pd, wt%	Ni, wt%	O, wt%
Pd-Ni	Surface	Large area	91.3	4.4	4.3
Pd-Ni	Cross section	Point, centre	95.0	5.0	0.0
Pd-Ni	Cross section	Point near centre	94.9	5.1	0.0
Pd-Ni	Cross section	Point off centre	94.5	4.4	1.1
Pd-Ni	Cross section	Point off centre	94.7	4.8	0.5
Pd	Surface	Large area	94.2	0.2^a	5.6
Pd	Cross section	Point, centre	100.0	0.0	0.0

Effect of Oxygen

When the metallic Pd-Ni gauze (wire diameter 76 μm) is exposed to air in the TGA instrument at 900°C for 24 h, a mass gain of 1.47 wt% is recorded, see Figure 3(a). The observed mass gain is slightly larger than the theoretical value (1.36 wt%) for complete oxidation of Ni to NiO for a 95:5 wt% Pd-Ni alloy. When exposing the metallic Pd gauze to similar conditions, only a minor mass gain is observed (not shown). With reference to Ning et al. (10) and Gegner et al. (19), we assign the observed mass gain of the Pd gauze to a small oxygen solubility and formation of PdO on the Pd surface. The minor mass gain observed for pure Pd may indeed contribute in the slightly larger observed mass gain relative to theory for the Pd-Ni sample. The internal oxidation of the Pd-Ni alloy is shown visually in Figure 3(b)–(d). Here, cross-sections of the Pd-Ni wire heated for 1 h and 4 h, analysed by SEM and EDX, show small precipitated particles approaching the wire centre with time. By EDX point analysis, the precipitated particles are found to consist of oxygen and nickel in an approximately 1:1 molar ratio, indicating NiO formation (Figure 3(c)).

Fig. 3.

(a) TGA of Pd-Ni gauze heated in air, heating rate 10°C min^–1 followed by a 24 h dwell at 900°C; (b) EDX mapping of the Pd-Ni wire after 1 h exposure in the TGA experiment; (c)–(d) EDX mapping of the Pd-Ni wire after 4 h exposure in the TGA experiment; (e) SEM image of a 76 μm Pd-Ni wire heated at 900°C for 30 days in a muffle furnace (air) and etched for 30 s in a HNO₃ before imaging; (f) EDX mapping of a 76 μm Pd-Ni wire heated at 900°C for 30 days in a muffle furnace (air) and etched for 30 s in a HNO₃ before imaging

As shown in Figure 3(e) and Figure 3(f), chemical etching prior to SEM and EDX analysis reveals that the largest NiO precipitates are located at the grain boundaries and that the grain size has increased to 10–30 μm. Additionally, the NiO precipitates are found at equal depth within the grains as in the grain boundaries, indicating that oxygen diffusion is approximately equally fast in grains and grain boundaries (Figure 3(b)–(d)). Notably, at the same time as oxygen diffuses towards the wire centre, EDX mapping show a distinct reduction in Ni concentration in the wire core (Figure 3(b)–(d)). EDX point analysis of the wire core indicate the Ni content to be 4.2 wt% and 2.7 wt% after 1 h and 4 h, respectively. This implies that during the oxidation process the Ni mobility is enhanced, causing a heterogeneous distribution of Ni with more NiO at the outer part of the wire. These observations coincide well with reports by Gegner et al. (19) on internal oxidation of alloys with a non-noble element in a solid solution with a more noble element. Finally, it should be noted that the initial grain growth is seen during the first 24 h, but no significant grain growth is observed after another 20–30 days of heat treatment (see Figure S1 in the Supplementary Information).

Palladium-Nickel Gauzes Exposed to Wet Air

When water vapour is included in the feed gas (wet air: 33 vol% H₂O, 14 vol% O₂, 53 vol% N₂), the internal oxidation of Ni to NiO occurs in a similar manner as in dry air, see Figure 4(a). However, based on gravimetry, the Pd-Ni gauze has lost 2.4 wt% of its initial mass after heat treatment for two weeks in wet air at 1050°C. ICP-MS analysis of the exposed gauze give a total Ni concentration of only 2.7 wt% relative to Pd, compared to 4.8 wt% on a comparable sample treated in dry air. In addition, SEM analysis reveal that the outer parts of the Pd-Ni wire is depleted in Ni (Figure 4(b)) and that some surface roughness has appeared (Figure 4(c)). The data also shows that only 0.1 wt% Pd is lost during two weeks’ treatment in wet air; far below the industrial Pd loss observed during ammonia oxidation (see below). There is also no observed Pd loss in dry air. This correlates well with the work of Opila (20), which shows no Pd loss in wet or dry oxygen and Ar and other literature on Pd loss in dry air (21). Notably, these findings are in contradiction to the calculations of Factsage (22, 23), which estimate a significant Pd loss as PdOH (22, 23) in wet gas and a smaller loss as PdO₂ and Pd(OH)₂ (22, 23) (see Figure S2 in the Supplementary Information). This leads to the conclusion that the observed mass loss of Pd-Ni in wet air is due to NiO being hydrolysed by the wet air and forming volatile Ni(OH)₂, which in turn causes Ni depletion. This observation is in line with Chen et al. (24).

Fig. 4.

(a) SEM image of the cross section of a Pd-Ni wire (120 μm) treated in wet air at 1050°C for 3 days; (b) cross section of a Pd-Ni gauze (76 μm) treated in wet air at 1050°C for 14 days; (c) surface of a Pd-Ni gauze (76 μm) treated in wet air at 1050°C for 14 days

Finally, after the two weeks’ treatment in wet air the NiO precipitates are no longer seen at the grain boundaries. Unfortunately, chemical etching prior to SEM analysis has not revealed the exact position of the grain boundaries and thus the occurrence of grain growth is uncertain. In many ways the situation is similar to the grain growth observed during the initial oxidation process of Ni to NiO. During the initial oxidation, inwards/outwards diffusion of O-Ni increased the mobility of O-Ni, just as treatment in wet air may have increased Ni mobility by Ni diffusion towards the surface. The increased mobility may again contribute to grain growth. However, we are currently not in position to elaborate in detail on how grain growth is interwoven and connected to diffusion and the oxidation process. We suggest this as a topic for future investigations.

Effect of Platinum Dioxide Vapour in Dry and Wet Air

The effect of exposing Pd and Pd-Ni wires to PtO₂ vapour in both dry and wet air is evaluated. First, we investigated if the presence of Ni in the catchment alloy would influence reactivity of PtO₂ toward Pd. Based on this, both materials were heat treated in dry air at 1050°C with Pt gauzes installed upstream. The results of exposing the two catchment materials to PtO₂ in dry air at 1 h, 4 h and 10 h are presented in Figure 5. Both materials undergo an immediate surface reaction and small Pd-Pt particles or crystals (size ~2–3 μm) are already formed on the wire surfaces after 1 h exposure, as shown in Figure 5(a) and Figure 5(d). The crystals show roughness and have several small ladders on their sides, which increase in size from 4 h to 10 h (Figure 5(b)–(c) and Figure 5(e)–(f)). Notably, for Pd-Ni (Figure 5(a)–(c)), some smaller (1–2 μm) and more faceted crystals appear with a darker contrast in the SEM images. EDX mapping and point analysis of these crystals indicate NiO formation, in line with previous observations of Ni-oxidation in air. From the SEM images reported in Figure 5, it appears as if Pd-Pt based crystals develop at a similar rate in both Pd-Ni and Pd (Figure 5). We therefore conclude that the NiO particles are not participating in the reconstruction and growth process of the Pd-Pt crystals.

With further heat treatment (≥1 day), the interior of the Pd and Pd-Ni wires become subject to the earliest stage of grain reconstruction and ladder-like growth, as if PtO₂ is penetrating sub surface from the formed Pt-Pd crystal layer reacting with more fresh metal on the wire, see Figure 6(a) and Figure 6(b). At longer exposure time (≥3 days), the surface crystals show beautiful single crystal shapes. The ladders causing further crystal growth (from ~10–30 μm) are large, slowly growing over a face of an already existing crystal (Figure 6(c)). Prolonged exposure times (20 days) result in complete grain reconstruction to large surface crystals (~20–30 μm) (Figure 6(d)–(f)). The grain reconstruction and crystal formation also causes significant wire swelling; the wire diameter increases by up to 60% after 20 days, see Figure 6(e) and Figure 6(f) and Table II. Additionally, the grain reconstruction of the wire or gauze causes a significant reduction of mechanical strength.

Fig. 5.

SEM images of the Pd-Pt surface crystals observed on Pd-Ni (76 μm) gauzes after heat treatment at 1050°C in dry air with Pt upstream for: (a) 1 h; (b) 4 h; (c) 10 h. SEM images of the Pd-Pt surface crystals observed on Pd (120 μm) gauzes after heat treatment at 1050°C in dry air with Pt upstream for: (d) 1 h; (e) 4 h; (f) 10 h. The Pt content of the different Pd-Pt crystals are listed in Table II

Fig. 6.

SEM images of Pd (76 μm) and Pd-Ni (120 μm) gauzes heat treated at 1050°C with Pt upstream for 1–20 days: (a) Pd-Ni 1 day; (b) Pd 1 day; (c) Pd-Ni 3 days; (d) Pd-Ni 5 days; (e) Pd-Ni 20 days; (f) Pd 20 days

Table II

Relative Increase in Wire Diameter and Qualitative EDX Results of Pt Concentrations in Pd-Pt Surface Crystals on Pd-Ni (120 μm) and Pure Pd (76 μm) Wires, After Heat Treatments at the Indicated Conditions^a

Temperature, °C	Time	Gas conditions	Wire swelling, %		Pt content, at %		Comment
			Pd-Ni	Pd	Pd-Ni	Pd
1050	1 h	Dry air	–	–	1	–	Crystal as in Figure 5(a)
1050	4 h	Dry air	5	~0	–	6	On Pd-Pt crystal
1050	4 h	Dry air	–	–	–	4	Between Pd-Pt crystals
1050	10 h	Dry air	5	~0	3	4	On Pd-Pt crystals
1050	10 h	Dry air	–	–	–	2	Between Pd-Pt crystals
1050	16 h	Dry air	7	~0	12	–	Regular surface crystal
1050	1 d	Dry air	12	5	11	–	Regular surface crystal
1050	3 d	Dry air	25	15	15	19	Very exposed crystal^b
1050	5 d	Dry air	37	25	14	14	Regular surface crystal
1050	10 d	Dry air	35–45	35	14	23	Regular surface crystal
1050	10 d	Dry air	–	–	28	41	Very exposed crystal^b
1050	20 d	Dry air	45	45–60	16	22	Regular surface crystal
1050	20 d	Dry air	–	–	44	42	Very exposed crystal^b
1050	30 d	Wet air	60–75	–	28	–	Regular surface crystal
900	19 d	Pilot plant, Pt catalyst	–	45–55	–	30	Regular surface crystal
900	19 d	Pilot plant, oxidation catalyst	–	45–60	–	0	Regular surface crystal
900	47 d	Industrial plant	–	45–50	30	–	Regular surface crystal

Selected crystals on both the Pd-Ni and the Pd wires are analysed with respect to Pt content by means of EDX analysis and the results are summarised in Table II. Pt concentration in the average top-layered crystals increases rapidly the first day (~10–12 at%), followed by a slower accumulation. This observation goes hand in hand with the fact that the reconstruction starts to occur below the top layer of crystals, after one day on stream (Figure 6(a) and Figure 6(b)), indicating that Pt catchment is preferred on the Pd rich areas below the outermost Pd-Pt crystals. After 20 days on stream, the average surface crystals reach a Pt content of ~22 at% Pt, while the outermost exposed crystals reach a Pt content up to ~40 at% (65 wt%). This is similar to an industrial sample treated for 47 days, where the average Pd-Pt crystal on the wire surface has a Pt concentration of ~30 at%.

At this point it is worth commenting that the Pd-Pt crystal growth rate depends on how a specific part of the gauze or wire is directed toward the high velocity gas stream. The PtO₂ molecules have better access to such areas, which is reflected in a higher Pt content; more reconstruction and larger crystal facets (Table II). This is more prominent in laboratory-scale experiments, where the gas is not passing equally uniformly through the gauze as in the industrial or pilot plant. Correspondingly, on laboratory-scale samples, reconstruction is slower and Pt catchment lesser at the wire crossings and at the side(s) of the wire not directly exposed to the gas stream. These observations are applicable to both the Pd-Ni and the Pd catchment gauzes.

We can now combine the two previous experiments and perform a heat treatment with both wet air and PtO₂. If a Pd-Ni gauze is heated for two weeks at 1050°C in wet air with PtO₂, a mass increase of 6.5 wt% is observed. From ICP-MS/OES, the resulting Pd-Ni wire contains only 2.8 wt% Ni relative to Pd, at the same time as the gauze has reached a Pt content of 9.3 wt%. This indicates simultaneous Ni loss and Pt catchment. Furthermore, if the Pd-Ni gauze is heated for 30 days in total, the exterior of the wire becomes completely reconstructed, at the same time as the wire is almost fully depleted of Ni, see Figure 7(a) and Figure 7(b). Only the wire core shows the presence of NiO particles. We therefore state that Ni-loss and grain reconstruction are individual effects, caused by the presence of water vapour and PtO₂, respectively.

Fig. 7.

SEM images of: (a) and (b) a Pd-Ni gauze (76 μm) heated for 30 days at 1050°C in wet air with PtO₂; (c) and (d) a Pd catchment gauze (76 μm) used in the pilot plant for 19 days with a pure Pt combustion catalyst at 900°C; (e) and (f) a Pd catchment gauze used in the pilot plant for 19 days with an LaCoO₃-based combustion catalyst at 900°C

Comparing with investigations by Pura et al. (18), we have also observed diffusion and segregation of NiO in the grain boundaries. However, this seems not to cause grain reconstruction or porosity in dry or wet air. Our findings coincide well with the statement by Pura et al. (11), i.e. grain reconstruction is not caused by the presence of Ni or loss of Ni from the Pd-Ni alloy, but rather by catchment of Pt.

Pilot Scale Experiments – Testing at Industrial Conditions

Finally, two samples have been exposed in the ammonia oxidation pilot plant at the Yara Technology Center industrial facility. Here, NH₃ is included in the gas stream (10 vol% in air) and combusted over an ammonia oxidation catalyst just upstream of the catchment unit. Two scenarios were explored: (i) six pure Pt ammonia combustion gauzes and (ii) a bed of LaCoO₃-based ammonia oxidation catalyst pellets, positioned just upstream of a 76 μm pure Pd catchment gauze. As Ni does not significantly affect Pt catchment it was chosen to use pure Pd and not Pd-Ni gauzes in the pilot plant. The experiments were run for nineteen days at 900°C at total pressure of 5 bar, during which each combustion catalyst produced ca. 28 tonnes of nitric acid.

In the first case, when the ammonia oxidation catalyst was a pure Pt gauze, similar features occurred compared to samples heat-treated in the laboratory scale furnace in wet air with Pt upstream. This includes Pt catchment, grain reconstruction and swelling, see Figure 7(c) and Figure 7(d). The Pd-Pt crystals on the wire surface are in the range of 10–30 μm in size, with an average Pt concentration of ~30 at% (44 wt%), while the gauze in total had a Pt concentration of ~14 at% (23 wt%). The Pt concentration of the surface crystals obtained by EDX is similar to those found in samples treated in the laboratory scale furnace, confirming the validity of the laboratory scale experiments on Pt catchment. In contrast to our laboratory scale experiments, we now observe a significant Pd loss (0.036 g tonne^–1 HNO₃), similar to reports by Holtzmann on Pd loss at real ammonia oxidation plant conditions (5).

In the second case, with the LaCoO₃-based combustion catalyst, we can exclude effects by PtO₂ as it is not present in the gas stream. Still, the Pd catchment gauze is subject to swelling and pore formation, see Figure 7(e) and Figure 7(f). However, the wire surface does not look similar to the Pd-Pt crystals observed previously (Figure 7) and there are no foreign elements present, hence there must be a different mechanism causing this pore formation. This means that the observed swelling of the Pd catchment gauze, which causes the increase in pressure drop across the gauze pack over time, happens regardless of Pt catchment. It is an intrinsic effect of the Pd gauze when placed in the ammonia oxidation reactor. The mechanism causing this porous structure is still unknown and should be a relevant topic for future investigations.

More importantly, mass change studies and ICP-MS analysis reveal a significant Pd loss (0.033 g tonne^–1 HNO₃ produced), very similar to the loss observed with a Pt combustion catalyst (see above). Since the Pd loss in the pilot plant occurs both with a Pt and LaCoO₃ combustion catalyst, it is unlikely to be connected to the Pt catchment or grain reconstruction caused by PtO₂. In addition, there is no known thermal loss mechanism for Pd in wet or dry air that can explain such a large thermal Pd loss in the process gas (20). This leads to the conclusion that Pd loss is most probably caused by interaction with the demanding gas stream conditions of ammonia oxidation and thus by the gas constituents that were not present in the laboratory-scale experiments. Identifying the species or combination of species, present in the combusted process gas that lead to Pd loss is a very relevant topic for future investigations.

In this work we have observed that the Pd-Ni catchment system in a dry oxygen containing atmosphere is subject to internal oxidation of Ni to NiO. Further, in a wet oxygen enriched environment, Ni is also oxidised to NiO, but subsequently lost, most probably as Ni(OH)₂. Furthermore, the presence of PtO₂ vapour in wet or dry air causes severe grain reconstruction of both Pd and Pd-Ni wires, which in turn causes wire swelling and pore formation similar to industrial Pd-based catchment systems used during ammonia oxidation. In laboratory furnace experiments, no distinct Pd loss accompanies the Pt catchment. However, pilot-scale testing in an ammonia oxidation atmosphere show significant Pd loss, both with a Pt and LaCoO₃-based (non-Pt containing) combustion catalyst. In addition, a second type of pore formation is observed when using the LaCoO₃ catalyst in the pilot plant. Therefore, we suspect the Pd loss and the second type of pore formation to be related to gas species present only in the industrial gas mixture, not in our laboratory scale gas mixtures. We suggest this as a topic for further investigation.

By Arc Consulting|2019-08-14T07:54:14+00:00August 14th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

Top 5: Standards for safety in travel and tourism

Safety and security are vital to the enjoyment of any holiday or travel adventure. So, it’s reassuring to know that thousands of ISO standards are working behind the scenes to prevent you from becoming a statistic.

Including everything from ensuring trains, planes and automobiles take you places without a hitch, to providing minimum safety requirements for the food you eat and the adventures you embark on, here’s a look at the top five.

1. Safety on your plate

Fugu fish in a fisherman's hand. One of the highlights of travel and tourism is eating local cuisine, but it is not without its dangers. While you might be able to avoid eating fugu¹⁾, a fish that can bring on progressive paralysis and kill you within a few hours, you may not be aware of hidden germs lurking on your plate due to poor hygiene practices. Considering that an estimated 600 million people get sick from eating contaminated food each year²⁾, it pays to eat in reputable establishments.

By favouring suppliers who use ISO 22000, Food safety management — Requirements for any organization in the food chain, however, you can have your cake and eat it too. This standard ensures that organizations are providing products that are safe to eat as intended and comply with any food safety regulations.

2. Venture forth in safety

Hiker and his dog standing on a mountain, looking at the top. Looking for some thrills and spills on your next trip? Adventure tourism is booming, and so are the safety regulations that go with it.

ISO 21101, Adventure tourism — Safety management systems — Requirements, gives adventure tourism activity providers a way to put in place a safety management system, ensuring participants have a great experience, and survive to tell the tale.

The standard enables the adventure tourism operator to improve their safety performance, meet expectations for participant and staff safety, and support compliance with applicable legal requirements.

3. Safe summer-tobogganing

Boy going downhill at summer toboggan run - stock photo Tobogganing is fun, family-friendly, and a great way to get your thrills in summer. One of the longest, in Switzerland, is 15 km long, and just to get to the start takes a 25-minute cable-car ride and a two-hour hike uphill. Shorter rides are found the world over, including a three-minute descent on the Great Wall of China³⁾. Wherever you toboggan, safety is paramount.

ISO 19202, Summer toboggan runs — Part 1: Safety requirements and test methods, and Part 2: Safety requirements for operation, provide safety requirements for the design, build and operation of toboggans, covering everything from the planning of the tracks to signage, repair and maintenance.

4. All at sea: keeping safe in the water

Personal flotation devices hang to dry on a line on pier. When getting overboard is more likely, or even the objective, such as for water sports or boating trips, it’s important to have quality lifejackets that keep you afloat and work as intended.

The ISO 12402 series of standards, Personal flotation devices (several parts) serves as an internationally agreed guide to manufacturers, purchasers and users of flotation devices to ensure the equipment works effectively. It outlines the safety requirements and test methods of lifejackets, buoyancy aids and accessories to protect a user from drowning.

5. All onboard: cruising to safety

Flight of stairs descending towards guard rail of cruise ship with gull perched on top and ocean visible in background. Around 30 million holidaymakers are expected to go on a cruising holiday this year, and the industry is growing, with more ships, destinations and themes every year⁴⁾. The safety of these ships is rarely put into question, and falling overboard is rare, yet it still happened to 18 unlucky passengers in 2018⁵⁾.

ISO/PAS 21195, Ships and marine technology — Systems for the detection of persons while going overboard from ships (Man overboard detection), provides internationally agreed technical specifications for systems designed to detect a person who has gone overboard from a passenger ship, so they can be quickly located and brought back onboard.

Looking for more travel titbits? You’re in luck! If you are prone to catching the travel bug, and your feet itch to discover new places, follow Cath’s journey on social media as she travels around the world looking for tourism standards from 10 July to 9 August.

“Hello world! I’m Cath! Today marks the beginning of my journey around the world! I’ll be sending postcards from every country I visit while looking for #tourism standards that support
👊 Sustainability
👊 Accessibility
👊 Safety
See you soon 😉”#TravelDiaries #TravelStandards pic.twitter.com/ubCVdmSN7z

— ISO (@isostandards) 10 juillet 2019

For those who care about our impact on the planet, who want to experience new thrills with no compromise on safety, and think that travel should be accessible to all, you’ll find the hottest standards and stories from our members around the world.

1) Sciences et Avenir, Les 7 plats les plus dangereux du monde

2) World Health Organization Factsheet: Food safety

3) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC Kids: The coolest things about toboggans, accessed 2009-08-05

4) Cruise Lines International Association, 2019 Cruise Trends and Industry Outlook [PDF]

5) Cruise Lines International Association, Report on Operational Incidents 2009-2018

Top 5: Standards for eco-conscious travellers

By Arc Consulting|2019-08-12T17:36:13+00:00August 12th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

A fresh new look for our website

It’s been almost three years since we re-launched ISO.org on an all-new platform. Since that time, we’ve attracted record numbers of visitors, but at ISO things never stand still. Find out what we’ve changed, and why.

Like the International Standards that are at the heart of what we do, we’re constantly looking for the best way to do things. Driven by changes in technology that influence browsing habits, the rise of higher-definition screens, the growing popularity of hand-held devices, and wider access to faster networks, including 4- and now 5G, we’ve updated our site, with a focus on improved accessibility and a more dynamic user-experience.

Designed and built entirely in-house using an open-source platform, ISO’s Web team leader, Luigi Principi, says that the number one priority was improving accessibility. When the site was re-launched in 2016, it was already high on the agenda, taking into account the recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a standards organization that works in cooperation with ISO. The organization, which was established by Tim Berners Lee, one of the founding fathers of the Internet, gives guidance that enables website developers to make their sites more accessible to all, especially people who are visually impaired.

Lionel Egger, the lead Web designer at ISO explains some of the changes to the new site: “We’ve tried to create a clean and uncluttered experience that not only gives our site a contemporary look, but presents information in a more intuitive way.

At the previous launch, we were really trying to ensure adaptability across all devices and to implement the Organization’s evolved visual identity. This time around accessibility is the focus. In particular, we’ve gone for higher contrasts that make it easier for people with poor or partial sight to read.”

A quick browse of the newly-refreshed site confirms what Lionel says. Multiple shades of grey have been replaced by red and white contrasts, while headings are clearer than before and offer users a way to navigate up to parent-level pages. It makes it far more intuitive for users to understand where they are, how they arrived there, and how to access information about the standards that are most relevant to them.

We’ve focused on accessibility and at the same time created a site that highlights the positive impact of standards across all parts of life through bigger, bolder visuals.

Luigi Principi, Web team leader at ISO

We hope you like what you see. Browse ISO.org and experience a refreshing new skin that brings you the same up-to-the-minute developments in standardization, in-depth articles in ISOfocus magazine and access to the ISO store, as well as those of our global members, to find the standards that will help your organization to work better.

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Reduced Inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

By Arc Consulting|2019-08-12T12:34:46+00:00August 12th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

We are more connected than ever, bringing with it the joys, and risks, of our digital world. Cybersecurity is a growing concern, with attacks against business almost doubling over the last few years¹⁾ and is an increasingly significant threat to global stability.

Unsurprisingly, laws and regulations are rapidly being put in place to reduce these risks and protect our digital privacy. How can organizations keep on top of these requirements and protect themselves at the same time? The world’s first International Standard to help organizations manage privacy information and meet regulatory requirements has just been published.

Protecting our digital privacy is a significant business concern. According to IBM²⁾ the average cost of a data breach is USD 3.6 million, and legal obligations are increasingly stringent. As we get more connected, governments all over the world are introducing various privacy regulations, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which organizations must adhere to. The new ISO standards will help businesses meet such requirements, whatever jurisdiction they work in.

ISO/IEC 27701, Security techniques — Extension to ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002 for privacy information management — Requirements and guidelines, specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a privacy-specific information security management system. In other words, a management system for protecting personal data (PIMS).

Formerly referred to as ISO/IEC 27552 during its development, it builds on ISO/IEC 27001, Information Technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements, providing the necessary extra requirements when it comes to privacy.

Dr Andreas Wolf, Chair of the ISO/IEC technical committee that developed the standard, said almost every organization processes personally identifiable information (PII), and protecting it is not only a legal requirement but a societal need.

“ISO/IEC 27701 defines processes and provides guidance for protecting PII on an ongoing, ever evolving basis. Because being a management system, it defines processes for continuous improvement on data protection, particularly important in a world where technology doesn’t stand still.”

Microsoft is an active participant in the committee.

Julie Brill, Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Privacy and Regulatory Affairs at Microsoft said:

“We applaud the ISO/IEC technical committee for developing this groundbreaking standard for privacy so that organizations of all sizes, jurisdictions, and industries can effectively protect and control the personal data they handle. As the next chapter of Microsoft’s commitment to extend the rights provided in the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation to our customers globally, Microsoft Azure and Office 365 will implement the PIMS standard and will assist our customers and partners in adopting this interoperable model.”

ISO/IEC 27701 was developed by working group 5 of ISO/IEC technical committee ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 27, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection*, which is made up of experts from all over the world from data protection authorities, security agencies, academia and industry.

Matthieu Grall of the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés, the French independent watchdog for the protection of personal data, was an active participant of SC 27 and a contributor to the development of the standard. With increasingly stringent data protection requirements and laws, he said there is a real need for this standard.

“Despite the risks of not complying to these regulations, we know that many organizations are simply not ready and need guidance. With the number of complaints and fines related to privacy and data protection on the rise, the need for this standard is now obvious.

Moreover, organizations need to bring trust to their authorities, partners, customers and employers. Such a standard will contribute strongly to this trust.”

ISO/IEC 27701 can be purchased from your national ISO member or the ISO Store.

1) World Economic Forum Global Risks 2018

2) 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study

* The secretariat of which is held by DIN, ISO’s member for Germany

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By Arc Consulting|2019-08-06T12:51:31+00:00August 6th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

While some parts of the world are ‘flush’ with freshwater, others face serious drought. What’s more, only a fraction of the world’s freshwater is available for us to use and drink, as the rest is in the sea or frozen in glaciers¹⁾ or snowfields. As the world’s population continues to put pressure on this limited supply, being more efficient with what we have is our only solution. A new International Standard has just been published to help.

Water is becoming a scarce commodity in many parts of the world. The reasons are diverse, with climate change a key driver. Other major factors include human consumption and the growth of water-intensive methods in manufacturing and farming. According to the United Nations, over the last hundred years, the use of water worldwide has increased by twice as much as the global population, meaning that seven hundred million people could be displaced due to a lack of water by 2030²⁾.

Because we can’t produce more, the only solution is to be more efficient with what we’ve got.

The recently published ISO 46001, Water efficiency management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, aims to help organizations of all sizes and status be more water-efficient.

Through a clear framework and guidance on water efficiency management, ISO 46001 provides methods and tools for assessing and accounting for water usage, as well as ways to identify and implement measures to optimize water use. In this way, users of the standard will contribute directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), which seeks to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. It specifically addresses Target 6.4: “By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.”

ISO 46001 was inspired by work done to develop a national standard in Singapore, one of the first of its kind in the world to help organizations benefit from the use of a water efficiency management system.

Ms Wai Cheng Wong, Chief Engineer in the Water Supply Network department of PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, is Convenor of the ISO working group that developed ISO 46001 and also worked on Singapore standard SS 577. She comments: “As one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, managing industrial water use has been a priority for Singapore, given that the bulk of our water demand comes from the non-domestic sector, which is expected to increase further. Therefore, we strongly believe that ISO 46001 will be an important tool for all organizations around the world to bring about greater water efficiency and savings in their operations.”

ISO 46001 was developed by working group WG 12, Water efficiency management, of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 224, Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR, ISO’s member for France. It is available from your national ISO member or through the ISO Store.

1) National Geographic: Freshwater Crisis

2) UN-Water: Water Scarcity

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ISO/TC 224

Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems

By Arc Consulting|2019-07-31T11:45:03+00:00July 31st, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

International Standard for safety signs updated

Safety signs are essential for preventing accidents and injury. Symbols that are internationally agreed and globally used in safety signs ensure clarity and consistency, regardless of language, culture or setting. The ISO standard that is a reference for safety signs has just been updated to incorporate new safety signs that are in use around the world.

Graphical symbol: Fire extinguisher From no-go areas on construction sites to emergency exits, ISO 7010, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Registered safety signs, prescribes safety signs for the purposes of accident prevention, fire protection, health hazard information and emergency evacuation.

It features the shape and colour of the sign as referenced in ISO 3864-1, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 1: Design principles for safety signs and safety markings, and the design of the symbol is according to ISO 3864-3, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 3: Design principles for graphical symbols for use in safety signs.

Mr Jan-Bernd Stell, Chair of the ISO technical committee that developed the standard, said lack of harmonization and standardization in this area could lead to confusion and accidents.

“International standardization of safety signs means everyone speaks the same language when it comes to safety. This provides a simple solution for everyone, both in workplaces and public areas like airports where many nationalities converge.

Graphical symbol: Do not use lift in the event of fire Examples of safety signs documented in the standard include everything from warnings around deep water, electricity or barbed wire to instructions such as ‘do not walk or stand here’, or to not use lifts in the event of a fire.”

ISO 7010 was developed by ISO subcommittee ISO/TC 145/SC 2, Safety identification, signs, shapes, symbols and colours, the secretariat of which is held by DIN, ISO’s member for Germany.

It is available for purchase from your national ISO member or the ISO Store.

By Arc Consulting|2019-07-31T11:02:46+00:00July 31st, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

Top 5: Standards for accessible travel

Holiday time is upon many of us! And while all of us hope for stress-free travels, it’s especially important to remove unnecessary barriers for the 1 billion people in the world who live with some kind of disability¹⁾. Which is why ISO believes in accessibility for everyone, everywhere, including tourist facilities. Below are a few ISO standards that can help.

1. First stop: The tourist office

Accessible swimming pool with wheelchair symbol. When new to a city, often the first port of call is the tourist information office to make a plan of where to go and what to see. ISO 14785, Tourism information offices — Tourist information and reception services — Requirements, will help make such places more accessible for everyone, by considering things like getting through the door (the entrance and parking) as well as being able to access the information they distribute, taking into account hearing and sight abilities. It also recommends that tourist offices should assist those with disabilities get the most out of their visit, by providing a list of the best-accessible hotels, activities and adapted transport.

2. Accessibility at every step of the journey

Wheelchair friendly blue ramp on the hotel beach in Madeira Island, Portugal. Most, if not all, travel and tourism operators want to make their experience enjoyable and accessible to all clients, so a good place to start is ISO 21902, Tourism and related services — Accessible tourism for all — Requirements and recommendations. These internationally-agreed guidelines and recommendations are aimed at helping them improve their current accessibility provisions, covering information on everything from policy making, strategy, infrastructure, products and services, it is relevant to the whole tourism supply-chain. It is applicable to all kinds of stakeholders including the public sector, urban and rural tourist spaces, accommodation, tour operators and more.

3. Beaches for all

Parents kneeling by a 6 year old boy in a wheelchair, enjoying an ice cream on the beach, while looking at the view. When sun-and-sand is on the agenda, it is important that beach operators take into account the needs of those for whom accessibility to such places can be a challenge. ISO 13009, Tourism and related services —Requirements and recommendations for beach operation, highlights the importance of making beaches accessible to all. It outlines recommendations for the accessibility of beaches such as design of access ramps and boardwalks, as well as facilities on site including toilets, showers and drinking fountains.

4. Tourism for all the senses

Braille directory of a public building. For blind or visually-impaired travellers, universally-understood braille is an essential part of life. ISO 17049, Accessible design — Application of braille on signage, equipment and appliances provides requirements for braille used all over the world, enabling visually-impaired travellers access to information wherever they are. In addition, ISO 23599, Assistive products for blind and vision-impaired persons —Tactile walking surface indicators, helps them visit new places more easily and safely.

5. Accessibility in all standards

Little boy with Down syndrome having fun in the swimming pool with his mother who is holding him in her arms. ISO takes the needs of people with disabilities very seriously. That is why it developed ISO/IEC Guide 71, Guide for addressing accessibility in standards. This advises ISO technical committees to take the needs and challenges of persons with disabilities into account in the development of standards, particularly those that focus on systems that people use, interact with or need to access. This means they are considered in standards that relate to anything that has an impact on their lives, wherever they are.

“Hello world! I’m Cath! Today marks the beginning of my journey around the world! I’ll be sending postcards from every country I visit while looking for #tourism standards that support
👊 Sustainability
👊 Accessibility
👊 Safety
See you soon 😉”#TravelDiaries #TravelStandards pic.twitter.com/ubCVdmSN7z

— ISO (@isostandards) 10 juillet 2019

1) UN World Travel Organization: Accessible Tourism

By Arc Consulting|2019-07-25T07:42:21+00:00July 25th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

Top 5: Standards for eco-conscious travellers

It’s holiday time in many parts of the world, and for a lot of people that means getting away. More than 1.4 billion tourists went somewhere last year, and that number is due to grow by 3-4 % by the end of 2019¹⁾, making tourism one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. That’s great for the tourism industry, but it also puts pressure on our planet’s resources. Well managed tourism, however, can help preserve the natural and cultural highlights of any destination, and make a positive impact on the community. Below are just a few of the many ISO standards that can help.

1. Sustainable accommodation

Relaxing scene with a hammock on the balcony of a treehouse offering a beautiful view over a tropical valley. One of the first considerations when planning a holiday is where to stay. But wherever you decide to lay your head these holidays, make sure it is doing something positive for the planet and its people.

ISO 21401, Tourism and related services — Sustainability management system for accommodation establishments — Requirements, helps accommodation providers do just that by reducing their impact on the environment, promoting social exchange and making positive contributions to their local economies.

2. Festival Fever!

Summer means music festivals, sporting events, open-air theatre and many other outdoor events that are good for both body and soul.

Back view of two women, on the shoulders of two men, holding hands and having fun on a music concert. Thanks to ISO 20121, Event sustainability management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, which was used for the London 2012 Olympics, organizers of any kind of event can manage their operations in a sustainable manner. This includes such things as effective use of resources, upholding workers’ rights, and assessing impact the event has on the local community. A win-win situation for all.

3. Diving into clear waters

Female scuba diver and a green turtle, underwater. Planning on plunging deep into the sea this summer? ISO has a number of International Standards for recreational diving, including those for training programmes. The upcoming standard ISO 21416, Recreational diving services – Requirements and guidance on environmentally sustainable practices in recreational diving, for example, will help dive centres and services be kind to the aquatic environment. It features international best practice such as deterring divers from feeding or removing aquatic life, or how to operate boats in an environmentally-friendly manner.

It will be joined by ISO 21417, Recreational diving services — Requirements for training on environmental awareness for recreational divers, which aims to educate divers on the environmental impact of their sport so that they are in a better position to reduce the risks of harming our waters.

4. Off the beaten track

Woman walking near the lake in Tatra mountains. Looking to get back to nature? ISO 18065, Tourism and related services —Tourist services for public use provided by Natural Protected Areas Authorities — Requirements, helps the authorities of such nature hot spots as protected forests or conservation areas meet the needs of visitors while giving priority to their conservation objectives. Tourists can thus experience the natural environment while respecting it at the same time and learn more about the importance of conservation.

5. Sustainable adventures

Back view of a woman kayaking along a beautiful tropical jungle river. Looking for a few thrills and spills when you travel? Adventure tourism is booming as tourists seek more challenging experiences. ISO 20611, Adventure tourism — Sustainability good practices — Requirements and recommendations, gives adventure tourism providers the guidance they need to minimize, or mitigate, the negative environmental, economic or social impacts of tourism and enhance the positive ones.

“Hello world! I’m Cath! Today marks the beginning of my journey around the world! I’ll be sending postcards from every country I visit while looking for #tourism standards that support
👊 Sustainability
👊 Accessibility
👊 Safety
See you soon 😉”#TravelDiaries #TravelStandards pic.twitter.com/ubCVdmSN7z

— ISO (@isostandards) 10 juillet 2019

1) UNWTO Tourism Highlights: 2018 Edition

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By Arc Consulting|2019-07-19T12:17:32+00:00July 19th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off

Innovation isn’t just having a few bright ideas. It’s about creating value and helping organizations continuously adapt and evolve. ISO is developing a new series of International Standards on innovation management, the third of which has just been published.

Innovation is an increasingly important contributor to the success of an organization, enhancing its ability to adapt in a changing world. Novel and innovative ideas give rise to better ways of working, as well as new solutions for generating revenue and improving sustainability. It is closely linked to the resilience of an organization, in that it helps them to understand and respond to challenging contexts, seize the opportunities that that might bring and leverage the creativity of both its own people and those it deals with.

Ultimately, big ideas and new inventions are often the result of a long series of little thoughts and changes, all captured and directed in the most effective way. One of the most efficient ways of doing just that is through implementing an innovation management system.

An innovation management system provides a systemic approach to integrate innovation into all the layers of the organizations in order to seize and create opportunities for the development of new solutions, systems, products and services. The first International Standard for such systems has just been published.

ISO 56002, Innovation management — Innovation management system — Guidance, covers all aspects of innovation management, from how to generate those first sparks of an idea, right through to selling something new in the marketplace. It considers the context that an organization is working in, the culture, strategy, processes and impact. It crosses many types of activities including products and services, business models, organizational innovation and more, and is applicable to all types of organization, regardless of size or type.

Alice de Casanove, Chair of the ISO technical committee who developed the standard says ISO 56002 will help organizations increase business opportunities and their performance in a multitude of ways:

“Every organization that wants to master their future needs to incorporate some aspects of innovation management. That is, they need to evolve and adapt to keep up with market and societal trends,” she says.

“The challenge is to identify what will give them the competitive edge and create value for the future, and thus which strategic actions to take. By providing guidance on how to best capture their ideas, test them effectively and manage the risks and opportunities associated, ISO 56002 can help organizations create new value propositions and maximize their potential in a structured way.”

ISO 56002 can also help to instill a culture of innovation in an organization, adds de Casanove, thereby harnessing the creativity and motivation of every member of the organization and ultimately improving the company’s collaboration, communication and performance.

ISO 56002 complements two other documents in the series that were recently published, ISO 56003, Innovation management — Tools and methods for innovation partnership — Guidance and ISO/TR 56004, Innovation Management Assessment — Guidance.

Future additions to the series include:

ISO 56000, Innovation management — Fundamentals and vocabulary
ISO 56005, Innovation management — Tools and methods for intellectual property management — Guidance
ISO 56006, Innovation management — Strategic intelligence management — Guidance
ISO 56007, Innovation management — Idea management

The technical committee has also been working closely with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank in developing this series.

ISO 56002 was developed by ISO/TC 279, Innovation management, whose secretariat is held by AFNOR, ISO’s member for France. All the standards in the series can be purchased from your national ISO member or through the ISO Store

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By Arc Consulting|2019-07-16T11:55:18+00:00July 16th, 2019|Weld Engineering Services|Comments Off