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Friday, 06 October 2017 09:46

ABB to provide overall process control to SCA for the world’s most digitized mill

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ABB recently won an order to supply comprehensive ABB Ability TM digital systems and solutions for SCA’s Östrand pulp mill expansion. The mill expansion is one of the largest investments in Swedish industrial history.

SCA is a leading forest products group, with headquarters in Sundsvall, Sweden. SCA started reconstructing the pulp mill in 2015, and the goal is for construction to be finished by June 2018. Upon completion, production capacity will double, and the production line for bleached softwood kraft pulp will be the largest in the world.

In 2016, ABB Ability System 800xA was selected as the digital automation platform for the mill. This includes a fully integrated control and monitoring center that provides a complete process overview and the possibility to personalize ergonomics and work environments for each operator.In 2016, ABB Ability System 800xA was selected as the digital automation platform for the mill. This includes a fully integrated control and monitoring center that provides a complete process overview and the possibility to personalize ergonomics and work environments for each operator.

One automation system for the entire process

In 2016, ABB Ability System 800x was selected as the digital automation platform for the mill. This includes a fully integrated control and monitoring center that provides a complete process overview and the possibility to personalize ergonomics and work environments for each operator. In addition to integrated process control and power monitoring, ABB’s delivery to the Östrand project consists of transformers, motors, frequency converters and drive systems for large areas of the mill.

Further fine-tuning with Advanced Process Control

ABB will now also install ABB OPT800, Advanced Process Controls for pulp mills, which enables control of production against key ratios such as reduced raw material and energy costs, emission restrictions and others.

ABB's Advanced Process Control will enable maximum productivity and maximize flow throughout the entire mill to ensure the right quality and minimal energy consumption. The functionalities are integrated into the single operator environment to provide operators with real-time decision support to help them run the mill in the most optimal way.

Getting more value from existing data

The system will monitor and optimize the processes for pulp washing management, oxygen delignification, bleach control, causticizing and evaporation. By utilizing the information already available in ABB Ability System 800xA, the system can customize multi-function control with a variety of variables based on advanced analytics to help manage these process areas optimally.

In order to minimize conversion times and ensure the correct quality when changing parameters for a new product run, the system also includes recipe management and pulp follow-up functions to monitor the pulp status throughout the process.

The overall process control will provide operators with increased security and insights, as they can foresee how the system will control the mill. The operator thus gets a full overview of what is happening and can run the facility in a controlled and safe manner.

The future of productivity is digital

By using ABB Ability System 800xA as a digital platform for the entire application and integrating it into one system, SCA Östrand will get a highly advanced solution that will drive efficient production. This leading-edge technology will help make SCA Östrand one of the most integrated digital pulp mills in the world, with the ability to continuously leverage latest technology to ensure ongoing competitiveness.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 136,000 employees. www.abb.com

Read 2355 times Last modified on Friday, 06 October 2017 10:43

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