SpectraFlow analyzer at Oman’s Raysut Cement
ABB has successfully installed and commissioned the first SpectraFlow raw material online analyzer in the Gulf region (Fig.). Together with RMP (Raw Mix Preparation) ABB has delivered and installed two state-of-the art technologies that help Raysut Cement optimize their limestone blending. RMP is a software solution deployed in the Expert Optimizer platform, covering all stages of raw mix blending, from the quarry to grinding, making sure that quality targets are reached at the lowest possible cost.
With a rated annual production capacity of three million tons, Raysut Cement, located in Salalah, in the South of the Sultanate of Oman, is a leading producer of cement in the Gulf region, and the largest producer in Oman. ABB’s installation demonstrates that sensitive high-tech measurement equipment can be used in the harsh desert environment. The final erection and commissioning was in February 2009. The ensuing factory acceptance tests for both SpectraFlow and RMP were successfully concluded in summer 2010.
A test operation was necessary to adapt the calibration of the system from the powder-based calibration in the laboratory to the real limestone particle size as it comes out of the crusher. ABB’s SpectraFlow online analyzer is powered by the safe and environmentally friendly ABB SOLBASTM technology, which uses the well-known Near Infra Red (NIR) concept for the online analysis of cement raw material. The NIR range from 700 to 2500 nanometers allows the use of standard lights as source of the analyzer, instead of a radioactive source. The SpectraFlow analyzer helps to significantly stabilize the stockpile composition. It enables quick reactions to raw material fluctuation so the targeted stockpile LSF (Lime Saturation Factor) of 180 can be reached with a very high accuracy. This decreases the usage of additives and stabilizes the chemical composition of the raw mill feed, leading to smoother mill operation and to an improved kiln feed. According to the end user the ABB SpectraFlow analyzer is now running to their full satisfaction. Savings of 5 % to 10 % on heat consumption and a production increase of 3 % could be achieved by now.
