This project has been done for the ore transportation system from the ore processing plant to the metallurgical plant as a part of the QIT automation five-year modernization program. The project also included an process control system.
The new system features included:
- Ore routing to feed metallurgical plant silos
- Automatic feed to nine 80-MW electrical arc furnaces using three shuttle conveyors
- Automatic management of ore mix and optimization of ore routing using an online model
- Automatic feed to furnaces where ore has to be fed in four feeding holes in order to avoid any ore build-up
- Maintain ore inventory.
The guiding principles of the project were to:
- Empower the process and business decision-making processes by making data readily available from the sensor to the boardroom
- Focus on business requirements
- Ensure that users have confidence in the data and eliminating duplication and redundancy by adhering to “single source of the truth”
- Comply with corporate standards and governance directives.
Hatch’s System & Process Control Group was responsible for the implementation of the entire process control system (Rockwell Control Logix), SCADA programming (Wonderware In Touch) and MES functionality including recipe integration and ore routing optimization.
Hatch’s scope of services included:
- Project management, conceptual design, system architecture, detailed design, implementation and testing
- New PLC installation including all cabinet design and all cabling and reconnection
- Re-engineering of the control and routing system that was transported from DEC PDP-11 to Control Logix and MS Windows-based system
- SCADA configuration and user interface design
- Routing and scheduling system design and implementation
- Construction/installation surveillance
- Commissioning
- Operator training
- Handover and support
- Overall project management.
- Project executed while the plant was running
- Delivered on-time, on-budget and on-scope
- No injuries and no loss of production during construction and commissioning
- The new system enables 12% of system efficiency by the reduction on delays in ore transportation from ore
- preparation to the furnaces silos
- The new system was well accepted by the plant personnel, and eased operator’s work
- Better ore feeding into furnace for a better electrical arc optimization.
- No injuries and no loss of production during the construction and commissioning phases
