Energy savings at Nordkalk limestone plant

ABB has announced the successful installation of the cpmPlus Expert Optimizer solution at Nordkalk Corporation’s Köping plant in Sweden. Expert Optimizer (EO) was installed on the rotary lime kiln and grate cooler in June 2010. Secondary commissioning was completed in October 2010.

Nordkalk is the leading producer of high quality limestone-based products in Northern Europe. The products are used mainly in the paper, steel and building material industries, as well as in environmental care and agriculture. The main goal of the project was to reduce the kiln energy consumption. Other objectives were to improve the product quality by reducing the standard deviation of the lime reactivity, efficiently manage the consumption of alternative fuels, and control emissions.

At the end of secondary commissioning, EO had reduced energy consumption by over 3%, which was the guarantee target. An added bonus was the increased production rate of the kiln, which was in excess of 5%.

Lars Sunnebo, Production Manager for Nordkalk Köping stated: “We are very pleased with the performance of Expert Optimizer. The commissioning was completed as per schedule, and the performance guarantee was exceeded, with improved quality. Furthermore the emissions control and alternative fuels compensation have stopped the need for frequent operator interventions.

Nordkalk Köping has to change the limestone feed type on a daily basis, to meet market demands for various products. Expert Optimizer was successful in quickly stabilising the kiln after each type change. The emissions control module controlled the addition of dust, lime and waste oil to limit the emissions of HF, HCl, SO2 and NOx. This area of control, along with efficient alternative fuel consumption, proved to be very useful for the kiln operators. The grate cooler control improved bed depth stability, which led to increased heat recovery and lower product temperatures.”

EO, part of ABB’s cpmPlus suite of solutions, ensures that the kiln is operated under optimum conditions according to a client’s goals. At Köping, the system always tries to increase production whenever kiln conditions allow. Optimising kiln conditions was challenging because the stone types have different properties. EO finds the best operating conditions to maximise output and minimise fuel consumption for each feed stone.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/06012011/nordkalk_achieve_energy_savings/