Transcription of AP Technology
1 Issue 20 AP Technology newsletterExceptional value delivery worldwideAP Technology February 2016ap A GREAT MILESTONE 10,000 POTSIN OPERATION WORLDWIDE02 Kitimat plantMore flexible operationsThe dry start-up dramatically changes the layout of the start-up area by significantly reducing the activities performed on a starting pot. With less equipment time needed, this method brings more flexibility to the operation as it frees some equipment availability which is crucial during a smelter start-up when all systems and organisations are geared up to reach full the carbon side, the new anode baking furnace is now fully operational after a flawless dry-out and ramp-up in the second half of will reach full capacity in 2016 .
2 We wish them a safe and successful start-up!KitimatStart-up is under wayOn the 28 August 2015, Hindalco Industries Limited successfully started the 360th and last pot of the potline at its Mahan smelter in Madhya Pradesh, India. The event marked a significant milestone for the aluminum industry in India. With its 360 pots using AP36 Technology , Mahan produces approximately 360,000 tonnes of aluminum per year and is powered by a captive power station of 900MW. Its sister plant, the Aditya smelter in Odisha, India, is currently ramping up, with a target to reach full capacity in Q1 : Start-up of the 360th potHindalcoMahan smelter fully operationalIn British Columbia, Kitimat s new 384-pot potline, installed in four separate rooms and showcasing the latest AP40 Technology , tapped its first metal the 28 June 2015.
3 Since then, pots have been started safely and smoothly, using AP Technology s new patented dry start-up methodology for the first time at this and ramping upVincent Christ Vice president, Technology & Project Development On 23 June 2015, the first AP40 pot was started at the Rio Tinto Aluminium Kitimat Modernization Project (KMP). Since then, the ramp-up has been progressing rapidly to reach 250 pots in operation by early January 2016 . KMP s new Compact High Productivity Casthouse for small ingots production is also delivering the expected KMP with the latest AP Technology products ALPSYS and MESAL is bringing important functionality innovations.
4 The result is increased productivity for both start-up and operations. The current focus at KMP is on the continued safe and sustainable ramp-up to full expected performanceBoth the AP60 Technology platform installed at the Arvida Technological Centre in Jonqui re, Canada, and the APXe low energy version operating at the Laboratoire de Recherche des Fabrications (LRF) in France, continue to demonstrate their capacity to reach expected performance: a landmark daily production of more than 4,450 kg Al/pot/day for AP60 and a specific energy consumption of less than at amperage above 500kA for APXe.
5 Also at Arvida, the fully automated anode change operations demonstration in the industrial potline environment is progressing focus on customers and the future2015 was another challenging year for the aluminium industry. The AP Technology team continued to support global customers by delivering advanced solutions to optimise their existing operations and drive performance in line with their Technology and site potential for amperage creep or energy reduction. We also kept an unwavering focus on the future, going beyond incremental improvements towards the Smelter of the Future, a step change that will take place in the not so distant December 2015, the 10,000th high amperage AP Technology pot was put into operation following 30 years of successful implementation of AP18, AP30 and AP60 technologies.
6 On behalf of the entire AP Technology team, I want to thank all of our customers for their longstanding support that has led to this remarkable hope you enjoy reading our AP Technology news and updates. At Alma in Quebec, Canada, the 432 AP30 pots started 15 years ago are still a production the AP40 lining implementation in recent years, Alma is now fully converted to AP40 and, since mid-2015, has been operating above 400kA. In July 2015, five AP44 trial pots were started in a boosted section at 440kA. They pave the way for future amperage increases on the AP30 platform. With this new AP Technology brick available soon, we ll have more solutions to support pot amperage creeping years old and still aheadAlma plantAP Technology newsletterIssue 20 February 201604R&D cooperation agreement with NALCOOn 10 July 2015, we signed an R&D Cooperation Agreement with National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO).
7 The agreement marks a major milestone for our two companies. It enables us to join forces to advance alumina refining and aluminium reduction technologies through various developmental research agreement was signed between Dr. Satpathy, Executive Director (Business Development), NALCO, and Bernard Allais, Director (Sales and Marketing), AP Smelter Technology , in the presence of senior NALCO officials. Since its inception in the early 80s, Tomago Aluminium, located in New South Wales, Australia, has remained at the forefront of smelting productivity and efficiency. At the time of first production, it was the world s first large-scale AP18 plant with two potlines of 240 pots each and an annual production capacity of about 240,000 1991, a third potline and other facilities were added.
8 Operational in early 1993, the expansion project increased the plant s annual output by 140,000 tonnes. Stage 2 of this project extended potlines 1 and 2 and was completed in December 580,000tpaIn 2001, Tomago Aluminium started converting its original AP18 Technology to AP22. Pots were reengineered to run at greater capacity and bring the smelter s output to 530,000 tonnes annually. In 2009, Tomago Aluminium launched the next phase of its creeping programme, upgrading the AP22 pots to AP24, the latest AP TechnologyTM years later, Tomago s 840 pots are now successfully operating at 250kA a massive 40 per cent increase compared to the original AP18 amperage with a production capacity of 580, ensuring energy efficiency and environmental performance.
9 Tomago Aluminium continues to work on developments and improvements to push its robust AP18 Technology to its Aluminium250kA and increasingAP Technology newsletterIssue 20 February 201605 This performance also includes outstanding features such as: Very low ACD operation Standard anode size Long potlining life Stable operationsThese results make Alouette the undisputed benchmark in operational excellence on the journey toward low-energy smelting. AlouetteOn the low-energy routeAP60 Jonqui rePaving the way for operation at 640kA At the Jonqui re smelter in Quebec, Canada, all of the AP60 pots started in 2013 are operating smoothly above their target amperage and achieving benchmark fluoride 2015, Rio Tinto started planning for the future by launching the AP64 R&D program.
10 Our objective is to push the AP60 platform to 640kA while the technical team is currently developing safe and robust operation at 600kA. Developed in parallel with AP44, the AP64 program will use similar Technology bricks, demonstrating our ability to implement them in a robust way on various pot technologies. The conversion of Alouette in Quebec, Canada, to AP40LE low-energy Technology is progressing very well. At the end of 2015, more than 540 out of 594 pots had been converted to Alouette AP40LE . All 594 pots will be fully converted in converted pots energy consumption is at 380kA with a pot productivity of Reaching AP40LE s full potentialFollowing full conversion to AP40LE, the plant expects to reach the following performance which was achieved on a booster section running at higher amperage: energy consumption of at 395kA with a pot productivity of Technology is proud to introduce APXe technologyThe very low-energy smelting solution for the aluminium industryAPXe is the latest high productivity Technology developed by Rio Tinto and AP Technology .
