Global technology company ABB has installed ABB Ability System 800xA, called the market-leading distributed control system (DCS) automation platform, to upgrade three grinding units at Star Super Cement in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and also ensured optimised operations with the Star Cement clinkerization plant in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Star Super Cement and Star Cement are subsidiaries of Ultratech Cement in India and operate a three-million-ton-a-year clinkerization unit at Ras Al Khaimah, four cement grinding units of 2.2-million tons a year at Jabel Ali, a 1.4-million-ton-a-year unit at Abu Dhabi and a 1.1-million-ton-a-year unit at Ajman, all in UAE, as well as a one-million-ton-a-year grinding unit in Bahrain.

ABB was the electrical and automation partner for the Star Cement clinkerization 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 and has been ranked by the ARC advisory group as the world’s number one DCS platform over the last 22 years.

“Star Cement will benefit from improved operator visibility, easier maintenance and minimum downtime with the new upgraded systems and uniformity across the various clinkerization and grinding unit locations,” says ABB global cement lead Max Tschurtschenthaler.

“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.”

“It has always been a fruitful experience working with ABB PI team,” says ABB chief operating officer of Star Cement TVS Chidambaram.

The DCS upgrade project handled by ABB ran smoothly and barely disturbed the organisation’s ongoing activities. Well planned engineering and installation works during a holiday period helped us to continue our sales without any disturbance. We’re now in a much better position for future operations.

The scope of work undertaken by ABB included the upgrade of all previously installed central processing units and controllers to the latest version of ABB Ability System 800xA. The project also involved the complete erection and installation of the new panels while keeping the field wiring intact.

Minerals libraries were introduced to the system. Project panels were manufactured and delivered locally.