Real-time data improves efficiency for sustainable chemical production
The massive Kemira industrial facility in southern Helsingborg, near Öresund, Sweden, is shared by several businesses, including sustainable chemical production company, Kemira Kemi AB. Over time, each of these businesses had installed its own electrical and process control systems, and they did not communicate effectively with one another.
The site’s switchgear was becoming crowded, making it difficult to add new equipment to the system. Some of the existing equipment was over fifty years old, well beyond its estimated service life. This additional complexity made servicing a challenging process. Decision makers agreed that the facility was overdue for an upgrade.
ABB experts conducted an in-depth analysis and recommended replacing the entire system. To minimize downtime, the entire project was completed in just six weeks and took place in steps while the businesses maintained full production.
The new system uses two incoming 132 kilovolt (kV) lines through two parallel switchgear and transformer circuits feeding down to two 6 kV networks. All of this is controlled and monitored from the safety of the operator control room using System 800xA.
The system enables rapid switching between several operating modes as well as real-time monitoring and alerts. This greatly increases its reliability and resilience. It also improves the facility’s energy efficiency by providing a clear picture of energy consumption. Where operators previously had to make decisions based on a monthly bill, they now have in-depth data down to the second.
“In a stress situation, for example, power failure on an incoming cable, we can go into the automation system and reconnect the entire 6.35 kV switchgear from pre-programmed sequences,” explains Arne Jönsson, electrical manager at Kemira Kemi. “We know what needs to be done and then the system knows the order in which it will happen. No need to run in front of the cabinets and control the switches.”
He adds: “When we had a cable failure on the grid, half the plant was dead, but through a few keystrokes in 800xA we linked to another mode and the entire facility had power again after 15 minutes. If it were not for the parallel design, a cable failure would have caused several days of shutdown.”
“Plant analysis conducted by ABB pointed to the risks of service disruptions to the former electrical system”
Arne Jönsson, Kemira Kemi
