ABB upgrades process control systems in UAE for increased uptime

ABB has installed is Ability System 800xA DCS automation platform to upgrade three grinding units at Star Super Cement in Dubai, UAE, and ensure optimised operations with the Star Cement clinkerisation plant in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Star Cement and Star Super Cement are subsidiaries of Ultratech Cement, India and operate a 3 million tons per annum (tpa) clinkerisation unit at Ras Al Khaimah, four cement grinding units of 2.2 million tpa unit at Jabel Ali, 1.4 million tpa unit at Abu Dhabi and 1.1 million tpa unit at Ajman in UAE as well as a 1 million tpa grinding unit in Bahrain.

ABB was the electrical and automation partner for the Star Cement clinkerisation plant ten years ago and had deployed ABB’s DCS for three cement grinding units when these plants were installed. Each grinding unit had a different generation of DCS depending on the plant commissioning period. All grinding units have now been upgraded to ABB Ability System 800xA which can implement advanced process control methods.

“Star Cement will benefit from improved operator visibility, easier maintenance and minimum downtime with the new upgraded systems and uniformity across the various clinkerisation and grinding unit locations,” said Max Tschurtschenthaler, global cement lead at ABB Process Industries. “We are pleased to have built on our longstanding relationship. The successful upgrade of three different systems to the latest platform will ensure overall interoperability and ease of operations.”