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Nordkalk selects ABB’s cpmPlus Expert Optimiser for Köping’s lime kiln

Posted on 10 Jun 2010

ABB has sold its cpmPlus Expert Optimiser solution to Nordkalk’s Köping plant in Sweden. This should improve process stability and energy efficiency when burning alternative fuels; and builds on the previous successes at Nordkalk’s Lohja plant. The scope of supply includes all associated hardware, software, engineering and commissioning. Installation started at the end of April.

At Köping, Expert Optimiser has been chosen to improve the stability of the process when burning alternative fuels and so be able to use them more effectively. Alternative fuels will remain under operator control while stability is brought to the process by Expert Optimiser controlling the master fuels. Commissioning of the system has started.Expert Optimiser, part of ABB’s CPM Minerals suite of solutions, ensures that the kiln is operated under optimum conditions according to the customer’s goals. It finds the best operating conditions for each customer’s situation and at Köping one of the critical objectives will be to achieve the specified kiln temperature and then keep the temperature stable. The optimisation strategy will improve overall energy efficiency by reducing fuel consumption.

At Nordkalk’s Lohja plant Expert Optimizer has brought about a production increase of 9%. Göran Sandström is in charge of Nordkalk’s quicklime production in Sweden and is Köping’s Production Director. He commented, “The lime kiln in Köping produces a high quality lime, which is very appreciated by our customers. However, the kiln is not particularly energy efficient. With the installation of the Expert Optimiser, we are convinced that we can reduce energy consumption in the same way as our colleagues did in Lohja. This will mean a lot for the future of the Köping lime kiln, not only economically but also from the environmental point of view.”

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. After the production increases achieved by ABB’s Expert Optimizer at Nordkalk’s Lohja plant in Finland, Nordkalk has again selected ABB to support them in the improvements they wish to bring to the Köping plant.