Solids monitoring saves on maintenance
A
Mobrey Measurement product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 13, 2001
Alcan has made significant improvements to its bauxite extraction process, through use of the MSM400 sludge density monitor from Solartron Mobrey.
World number two producer of Aluminium, Alcan, has made significant improvements to its bauxite extraction process, through use of the MSM400 sludge density monitor from Solartron Mobrey.
Field trials of the ultrasonic sludge sensor by Alcan in Canada have been so successful that the company is recommending the technology to all its facilities world-wide.
Alcan's alumina refinery Vaudreuil Works at Saguenay Lac-St-Jean, Quebec processes more than 2.5M tonnes of bauxite per annum.
Bauxite mud is washed to remove the alumina liquor, in a continuous extraction process which relies on suspended solids sensors to detect the sludge blanket.
The mud circuit area, as it is known, is a very aggressive environment.
The bauxite mud is highly caustic and the process temperature is 107(C.
In the past, suspended solids sensors had to be replaced often, to maintain reliability of the control signal.
With an expected sensor life of less than three months, and sometimes only a few days, the sludge detection system was proving expensive to maintain.
Solartron Mobrey, and its Canadian distributor BEP-Bestobell, worked closely with Alcan to develop a suspended solids monitoring system that would deliver reliable sludge density control in the harsh conditions of the alumina refinery.
The result was Solartron Mobrey's MSM400 system.
Use of the system has increased the average sensor life by more than 30%, reducing Alcan's annual maintenance and equipment costs by thousands of dollars.
The MSM400 consists of a microprocessor-based control unit and a pair of ultrasonic sensors.
Density is measured by monitoring the attenuation in an ultrasonic signal transmitted through the sludge.
Denis Turcotte, Maintenance Technical Group Manager for Alcan at Vandreuil explains: "We were able to use the attenuation factor to calibrate the control unit with more accuracy than we had ever been able to do before.
Solartron Mobrey's sensor assembly is designed for use at high temperatures, in the caustic environment of bauxite mud.
As a result, sensor lifetime has increased by more than 30%, reliability of the control signal is increased, and maintenance costs have been reduced." MSM400 systems are now installed at Vandreuil, and Alcan is actively recommending use of the technology to its other processing sites around the world.
The system is also integrated into the mud circuit equipment marketed by Alcan as part of the alumina extraction technology solutions it sells world-wide.
The MSM400 has a range of built-in display, control, alarm and communications options.
It is easily programmable to suit local conditions and comes complete with a range of factory-set calibrations for speedy set-up.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact Mobrey Measurement
Related Stories
- Dytran's 3224A3 measures vibration in tight spaces
- OCR Reader reads 100 characters per scan
- OP sensors precisely detect parts
- Ozone sensor provides drift-free measurement
- LMS 100 laser sensors avoid false signals
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
