ROURKELA: In keeping pace with technological advancement in steel manufacturing, the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL has been switching to automation and digitisation in key production units.
In a significant move, the RSP has partnered with the ABB India Ltd which is renowned for its cutting-edge industrial automation and digital solutions.
On May 20, the RSP signed an MoU with ABB India for development of advanced digital twin technology. The agreement was signed by ED (works), RSP Biswaranjan Palai and senior vice-president of ABB Kapil Agarwal.
Palai said, “We are setting the stage for developing future-proof and sustainable steel-making processes. Development of this digital twin technology will transform our steel manufacturing processes by providing us real-time insights into furnace operations, thereby enabling us to optimise our performance, efficiency, data-driven decision making, increase asset longevity and remain competitive in the global market.”
This strategic collaboration aims to develop digital twin technology for blast and basic oxygen furnaces at RSP. It is aligned with RSP’s broader vision of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into its production and maintenance processes.
Earlier in February 2024, the RSP had signed an MoU with the Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH to adopt green steel making technologies in a progressive manner as part of its decarbonisation strategy to become net carbon neutral.
Meanwhile, the Instrumentation and Automation (I&A) department of RSP has installed and commissioned a sophisticated virtual reality-based digital walkthrough of the plant at the L&D department. The virtual walkthrough provides better understanding and orientation of plant operations through interactive visual simulation.
The I&A department has also pioneered an underwater inspection of the upstream side of the spillway and sluice gates at Mandira dam using advanced drone technology. Besides, to enhance process control and emissions monitoring, the department has commissioned dry gas analysers for online analysis of different gases in converters P and Q of steel melting shop-I and H-analysers for converter 1 and 2 to ensure monitoring of hydrogen levels more accurately.