BURLINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA – May 16, 2001 - The Industrial Plants and Systems Division of ABB Inc. will supply all the control hardware and software for the implementation of an expert system for the control and optimisation of #3 alumina kiln at the Kirkvine Works for the Alcan Jamaica Company near Mandeville, Jamaica. The ABB IPS Division is also the general contractor with overall engineering responsibility for the project, with subcontracted system and process expertise commissioned from ABB Industrie AG, Baden, Swtizerland.
This order is the first such application in the Jamaican Alumina industry and demonstrates the flexibility of ABB to adapt their technology and knowledge to the needs of their customers. The #3 kiln is one of 3 potential kilns to be commissioned at the Kirkvine Works. Orders for the other two kilns are expected later this year. In addition to the kilns at the Kirvine Works, four more kilns exist at the Ewarton Works and are under consideration for implementation of Expert Optimizer. The control system used is ABB’s Expert Optimizer, and interfaces to a Honeywell TDC 3000 DCS. The Expert Optimizer calculates new set points based on the current state of the process and using embedded process specific knowledge. The new calculated values for kiln feed, fuel flow and fan damper position are sent to the DCS control system, driving the dynamic process towards the process constraints achieving an optimised kiln.
To date the system has achieved 98% run time when the kiln is in production and has been completely embraced by the operations personnel. Early indications show that fuel consumption is reduced and the variability in product quality has improved significantly. A throughput test is planned shortly to fully quantify all of the benefits achieved by installing Expert Optimizer. After the throughput tests are complete, the remaining kilns will be commissioned one by one.
The alumina manufactured in the Alcan Jamaica plants is an intermediate product that is shipped to refineries primarily in Canada where pure aluminium is produced. The aluminium is then used to form finished products in the metals industry all over the world.
Alcan Jamaica – the oldest and largest alumina producer in Jamaica, it contributes significantly to the country’s GDP and endeavours to minimize the environmental impact of its operations by reclaiming the land through replanting after the bauxite has been extracted from the ground.