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Mettlesome Service at JSW
Simbhaoli
Sugar Mills Group, Uttar Pradesh
Tata Chemicals Ltd. –
Fertilizer Works at Barbala
Mettlesome Service at JSW 
Production capacity at the Jindal South West (JSW) semi-integrated
steel plant at Bellary is 2.4 million metric tons (MMT),
enhanced from 1.6 MMT two years ago. JSW is poised to
enter a new growth phase, with production targetted
at 4 MMT in 2006-07 with the commissioning of the second
blast furnace, almost doubling to 7.0MT by March 2008
and then to 10 MMT with a fourth - among India's largest
- blast furnace.
To strengthen focus on their core competency of making
steel, the strategy of the JSW group is to outsource
all high tech, non-core activities that specialist vendors
are in an expert position to handle.
Water is like the bloodline of a steel plant. Approximate
consumption of water at JSW Bellary is is 4.0 to 4.5
m3/tonne. If it doesn't flow, production
will stop. Even a small change in process water quality
will affect the quality of production, particularly
in the Basic Oxygen Furnace - Continuous Casting (BOF-CCP)
plant. IEI News met with JSW Bellary (earlier known
as Jindal Vijayanagar Steel Limited or JVSL) to discover
how our TWM & O&M teams have delivered the desired results.
Read on.
The beginning
The starting point of the JSW-IEI relationship was our
total water management (TWM) contract for the entire
JSW plant in 2004 - the scope of work was mainly chemical
supply for cooling water treatment, providing manpower
for services, setting up the infrastructure for daily
water analysis in our own laboratory, maintaining the
raw water treatment plant with all supplies and services,
and consultancy services for overall water management
inside the plant.
Performance pays
As time progressed, performance and reliability of service
built up JSW's confidence level in IEI, resulting in
several orders for water treatment equipment, including
auto valveless gravilty filters and pressure sand filters
for the COREX and Blast Furnace #1 plant, Their completion
ahead of schedule gained IEI orders for demineralisatiion
(DM) and softening plants for Blast Furnace#2. Then,
in July 2005, came the first O&M contract for a compeitor's
DM plant in Blast Furnace #1, covering supply of basic
chemicals for the DM plant and softening plant, supply
of specialty chemicals, manpower supply for O&M of DM
plant and softener, and dosing, monitoring  of
cooling water chemicals, followed by an O&M contract
for Blast furnace #2 in July 2006. Currently, IEI has
emerged as JSW's preferred vendor for all water treatment
products and services.
Why outsource?
JSW's prime objective in off-loading these TWM services
to one party was
To reduce cost of operations by increasing
the volume of business to a single party To freeze
the cost of water treatment per MT of steel production
i.e. HRC / HM / Slab etc. To make a single party accountable
for the whole plant, from the raw water treatment to
other process plants, to avoid confusion. To eliminate
time, effort, and hassles of supervision, operation
and maintenance of the water utility, so that JSW could
concentrate on its core activity of steel making.
Benefit to business
After taking over TWM at JSW, IEI was able to resolve
many critical process problems in their plant.
Problem Solving: The COREX
GCP thickener used to have a high raker load problem
due to large floating un-burnt carbon particles on the
surface. (Raker load is the torque developed at the
center of the scraper arm in a thickener. An increase
in raker load increases the driver load/trips the prime
mover, causing unpredictable breakdowns.) The introduction
of a polymer flocculant by IEI did an excellent job
by decreasing scum formation on the thickener water
surface, reducing the raker load and thereby downtime.
This also lessened the carry-over of unburnt coal from
the thickener and as well as reduced nozzle choking
in the GCP circuit. COREX is one of the most satisfied
departments at JSW.
Introducing Improvments: Trials
with various polymers resulted in another improvement
in HSM(hot strip mill) thickner performance by reducing
corrosion rate in the system. Yet another substantial
improvement initiated was the spray circuit of BOF-CCP
with the introduction of new methods. GCP scrubber performance
was also improved with proper monitoring and lab-trials
on the slurry.
The result was a high degree of customer satisfaction,
with appreciation certificates from all these departments.
Specialist consultancy: Consultancy
on various other aspects also gave them considerable improvement.
Our recommendation of an auto gravity valveless filter
(AVGF) for their blast furnace cooling tower reduced TSS
in the system thereby saving water loss due to excess
cooling tower blowdown; they not only saved water but
water but system corrosion also reduced substantially
with incorporation of an AVGF and of course, our chemical
treatment programme. Corrosion rate which used to be around
25 - 30 MPY earlier with competitor treatment was reduced
to just <2 MPY.
Trouble shooting: There was
a major problem in Blast Furnace #1 DM plant operation
due to frequent increases in differential pressure (DP).
Organic fouling had created a problem in the SBA. To tackle
this, chlorination was stepped
up which led to slippage of residual chlorine which started
affecting the SAC column. When this problem was referred
to IEI's site personnel, their suggestion of soaking in
the SBA column eliminated the problem. We also recommended
crosschecking the free residual chlorine after the activated
carbon filter, to prevent resin damage due to its presence
in feed water. Implementation of these suggestions resulted
in excellent improvement and the frequency of DP increase
dropped from once a week to once in 45 days. It was satisfaction
with this solution that led JSW to opt for our first O&M
contract in Blast Furnace #1.
The water treatment chemical business is built mainly
on mutual trust and deliverables at service end. Product
and technology offered by all the leading companies
may be the same - it is service that is the differentiator,
it is trust and commitment that count with the customer.
While IEI's first contract was awarded on price, demonstrated
commitment and service resulted in repeat orders. Particularly
appreciated by JSW is IEI's dedicated service and commitment
to continuously try to incorporate improvements that
will in turn benefit the customer's business and help
fire up its steel production and achieve JSW's ambitious
expansion plans.
Badarpur Thermal Power Station (NTPC)
Simbhaoli
Sugar Mills Group, Uttar Pradesh
The Simbhaoli Sugar Mills Group has two sugar
mills in Uttar Pradesh, one at Simbhaoli and the
other at Chilwaria, with a combined crushing capacity
of 11,000 TCD ; it laso has a 40 KLPD distillery
at Simbhaoli. The Group's speciality sugar product
range, marketed under the brand TRUST, includes
cubes, sachets (white & brown), icing sugar,
table sugar and pharma sugar, besides refined
sugar in packing of 1, 5 and 50 kgs.
The sugar mill at Simbhaoli, one of the modern
sugar mills in India with refined sugar production
of 750 TPD, commands a major share of the institutional
market. It decided to go in for sugar decolourisation
in crushing season 2003 - 2004 and selected our
INDION ion exchange process for the project. Our
system, designed for sugar melt flow rate of 48
m3/h and comprising two resin columns, enables
production of refined sugar of <45 ICUMSA.
Dr G.S.C. Rao, Executive Director (GSCR) and
Mr. A.K. Srivastava (AKS), General Manager (Projects)
of the Simbhaoli Sugar Mills Group talk about
their experience with our sugar decolourisation
process as well as with the company, as we have
also serviced a number of contracts for water
treatment equipment and sugar process chemicals
over the years.
What triggered the
decision to go in for the sugar decolourisation?
GSCR: The globalisation of the Indian economy
has opened new markets and opportunities for the
sugar industry. Sugar decolourisation, we were
convinced, would help us to encash this opportunity,
adding value to our existing business -through
economy of scale, product cycle, and change in
the entire manufacturing process, thereby delivering
quality products.
How exactly will this
project be of benefit ?
GSCR: I believe that by producing quality
refined sugar (< 45 ICUMSA) as compared to
conventional sugar (100 - 150 ICUMSA), we will
be able to carve a niche into the speciality sugar
market. We would also be able to reach institutional
buyers with our product - the institutional market
is 50 - 55%, and yet to be tapped. Also, this
project will help in running the plant for the
entire year with processing of raw sugar.
What made you select
our ion exchange process over others?
AKS: World over two processes are adopted
for decolourisation of sugar remelt i.e. carbonation
followed by activated carbon, and phosflotation
followed by ion exchange process. Based on our
extensive research, we concluded that the ion
exchange technology is the best suited for Indian
conditions, as the plant and resins used in this
process are manufactured indigenously, thereby
offering the advantage of low recurring cost.
What is your experience
with the performance of our system validate its
selection?
GSCR: We are indeed happy and very satisfied
with its performance; the technology is quite
adaptable; we are also satisfied with the system
engineering. Commissioning, after sales service
and support from Ion Exchange India has been very
good.
What is the company's
current production of refined sugar using our
sugar decolourisation process?
AKS: We have had a total production of
750 tons per day of refined sugar for 300 days
during the crushing season 2004 - 2005.
What are the other products
of our company that Simbhaoli Sugar uses?
GSCR: We use several of your sugar refining
chemicals, including the INDION 1951 colour precipitant
and INDFLOAT 100 Floatation Polymer. We you're
your demineralisation plant supplied along with
annual maintenance contract, and we are also procuring
resins and spares from you.
What do you look for
in a vendor? How would you rate Ion Exchange India?
GCSR: Qualities that we look for in a good
vendor include
- Transparency in working
- Commitment to execute and deliver
- Good reputation and technological backup
- Long term relationship
We give weightage to quality more than merely
price.
Being a professional organisation, Ion Exchange
India meets our expectations well and we enjoy
a good relationship with your company. If ever
a problem does crop up, it is solved promptly.
If you had to zero in
on one point about our company that makes a favourable
impression, what would that be?
GCSR: The fact that Ion Exchange India
is very professional, customer commitment runs
high through the organization and people at all
levels deliver.
What status does Simbhaoli
enjoy in the sugar industry? What are the company's
plans?
GCSR: The sugar industry can be classified
into two categories, based on the number of factories.
There are those that have more than than four
factories like Birla Sugar, Bajaj Hindustan, Balrampur
Chini Mills, Triveni Engineering. The second category
comprises those with two factories such as the
DSCL Group and SIEL. We are comfortably positioned
in this second group.
Currently we have two sugar mills, one at Simbhaoli
and the other at Chilwaria, in Uttar Pradesh,
with a combined capacity of 11,000 TCD. We are
planning to expand production to 15,500 TCD for
the next crushing season. We are also thinking
of starting sugar decolourisation at Chilwaria.
Tata Chemicals Ltd. –
Fertilizer Works at Barbala
| The Problem |
The DM plant
- two strong acid cation exchangers in series
- had been manufactured, erected & commissioned
by the client using resins supplied by IEI.
The scheme was based on the expected water
quality at site. However, during commissioning,
it was found that the acid consumption was
very high and the actual water analysis showed
high M-alkalinity and hardness; and the sodium
to total cation ratio was differing from the
design. As the original resins were supplied
by Ion Exchange India (IEI), the matter was referred to them. During
the visit for troubleshooting, IEI suggested
that, based on the actual water quality, the
scheme of two strong acid cation in series
required review and the resin in the first
vessel needed to be replaced with weak acid
cation resin to improve regeneration efficiency.
The original scheme envisaged such flexibility
for changeover in future if necessitated by
water quality. |
| Solution |
IEI immediately
offered weak acid cation resin with short
delivery. |
| Challenge |
The amount
of saving estimated was such that the client
was not fully convinced, as it seemed too
good to be true. IEI then supported the proposal
with thorough design calculations and guaranteed
the implementation of the project all of which
helped the client to decide to try it in one
of the three streams. |
| Results |
The scheme,
when implemented in the first vessel, was
an immediate success. Based on the savings
achieved, the client immediately placed an
order for the balance two streams.These also
gave similar results. |
| Savings |
The total
cost of Rs.2.7 million involved in the project
was received in a period of just six months.
The unit is benchmarked in the industry for
low chemical consumption. |
Badarpur Thermal Power Station (NTPC)
| The
Problem |
Due
to pretreatment problems on account of high
suspended solids, muck and turbidity, the
middle collector system frequently failed.
Because of this the system had to be operated
in co-flow mode – resulting in high acid
consumption, high sodium slip and inconsistent
quality. |
| Solution |
A new type
of a much sturdier middle was specifically
designed to tackle the problem. With the new
collecting system, the client could go back
to countercurrent operation and obtain full
benefits of the countercurrent system such
as consistently low sodium slip and reduced
acid consumption. After much followup with
the client, our proposal was accepted on condition
that it be first tried in only one of the
four vessels. |
| Results |
The system
was implemented in one of the strong acid
cation vessels, executed while the plant was
in operation, within the stipulated time.
The vessel was commissioned and the system
ran successfully without any problem. |
| Savings |
The client
was able to achieve a 30% reduction in chemical
cost due to implementation of this project.
The cost of Rs.600,000, incurred in modifying
one vessel, was recovered in one year’s
time due to savings in chemical consumption.
Additional benefits were consistent quality. And low sodium slip resulting in lower silica
slips from strong base anion.
The client decided to go in for a similar
modification in the balance three vessels
and the system has now been successfully commissioned
in al four vessels.
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