ABB introduces changes to industrial plants - Successful modernization of sugar and cement plants

Each retrofit is made unique by the specific needs of the environment in which it is performed. For this very reason, the Sunoko sugar factory – Production center in Vrbas and Lafarge Srbija cement factory in Beocin decided to modernize their systems with the support of ABB in Serbia. These projects are examples of successful retrofits in the industry, here innovative technological solutions are used to improve production processes.

Sugar factories in Serbia have been operating seasonally, processing sugar beets into finished products for decades. During this time, the equipment in the plants becomes obsolete, components lose quality over time, and breakdowns occur more and more frequently, without the possibility of obtaining spare parts and with less and less constructive technical support responses. To maintain competitiveness and enable long-term work, modernization of these facilities has become a key priority.

Sugar Factory Sunoko - Production Center in Vrbas, founded in 1913. decided to rebuild its plant relying on ABB solutions. Faced with the dilemma between complete replacement of obsolete equipment and retrofit, after a detailed analysis, the experts decided on an innovative retrofit concept, developed at the ABB plant in Finland, which, through modernization, reduced costs by 20% compared to a complete renovation. Apart from financial savings, this solution made it possible to avoid long-term construction works, which entailed the demolition of the room built around the equipment, and therefore - extended production downtime. The end result is the same – the factory is now using completely current, latest generation equipment.

As part of the modernization, the outdated ABB Multi Drive ACS600 was replaced by the most modern ABB ACS880 solution, and so that the existing cabinets were used for its installation. This enables greater efficiency and stability of the power supply of key components. The existing rectifier was kept, new inverters were installed, while another TSU thyristor rectifier was added, which ensures stable power supply for four centrifuges, which play a key role in sugar beet processing and sugar production. Old equipment, such as busbars and conductors, remained in operation because there was no need for their replacement.

Subcontractors from the company Expro were engaged for the electrical installations and mechanical works, while the key part of the work was conducted by ABB service engineers, Aleksandar Kovačević and Aleksandar Brakočević. After the first phase of work, they carefully adjusted the schemes and connected the system according to the specifics of the sugar factory itself.

- The retrofit itself began with the removal of the old mechanics from the cupboard, after which we installed the new equipment according to the design drawings. New cables were passed through the double floor with a depth of 1 m, which was made for this purpose by colleagues from the Expro company. My colleague Brakočević and I were in charge of assembling the mechanics, which were well designed by the ABB office, with a few corrections on the ground. However, the electrical part of the project was a far greater challenge, which forced us to completely reconstruct the wiring and circuit technology - said Kovačević, and continued:

- Brakočević took over most of the design work, as we worked together to adapt the old and new schema to get the system up and running. Ultimately, several hundred new components were installed – from equipment crates and pallets to the very devices inside the cabinets that drive the motors. We`re proud to have managed to make everything work flawlessly.

The final tests and parameter settings in real production conditions were carried out in cooperation with ABB experts and the technical staff of the factory, and commissioning was completed in the second half of the previous year.

- The biggest challenge of this project was harmonizing outdated equipment with the latest ABB technologies. Preparations took a long time, each wire was double checked, but when it came time for the first boot - the system worked successfully. This facility, where old and new components work harmoniously, is slated to serve for the next few decades. We, ABB engineers, are sure of ourselves and our experience, and we believe that our predictions will come true - concludes Brakočević, ABB service engineer.

After this venture, the sugar factory has a modern system that has greater reliability, better efficiency, enables a quick reaction in the event of a problem, reduces the risk of downtime and guarantees production continuity.

A similar approach was applied, earlier in the same year, in the Lafarge Serbia cement factory in Beocin, where ABB in Serbia realized a unique project of modernization of industrial facilities. This undertaking represents one of the largest retrofits of this type in Serbia, carried out in a very short period of only 21 days.

ABB ACS600 frequency controllers, which have been in use for 20 years, no longer had technical support from the manufacturer, given that spare parts are no longer produced. Instead of completely replacing the system, which would require major construction work and extended downtime, it was decided to apply retrofit - an innovative solution that enables the modernization of existing cabinets without the need for radical infrastructure changes.

- Due to the impossibility of replacing the entire ABB ACS600 cabinets, the frequency regulators are disassembled at the user`s location after which new parts, modules, electronics of the new type of frequency regulator ABB ACS880 were mounted in the same cabinets. At ABB, this process is called retrofit. A total of three such projects were completed within one month at the same location for the first time in Serbia, these are high-power frequency regulators. In addition to the above, one complete regulator was replaced with a new one - said Aleksandar Kovačević, ABB service engineer who managed the project

Aleksandar Brakočević, one of the ABB service engineers, pointed out that the project was extremely demanding, not only due to the short deadline, but also due to the complexity of the task.

- Even though we faced challenges, thanks to the superb coordination and expertise of all teams,

we succeeded in delivering a solution that significantly improves the reliability and efficiency of production - Brakočević concluded.

The successful examples of the sugar factory - Production Center in Vrbas and the Lafarge Serbia cement factory show how innovative approaches can bring significant advantages to industrial facilities. Application of modern technologies and optimization of existing resources enable the industry to increase efficiency, reduce operating costs and ensure long-term business stability.

ABB, as the leader in industrial automation, continues to lead technological change, providing its clients with advanced solutions for sustainable and modern production. Through precise life cycle analyses, the company provides a clear insight into the moment when equipment becomes obsolete,

enabling a smooth transition to modern solutions without interrupting work. ABB`s service team offers strategic upgrades that not only extend equipment life, they also ensure its superior reliability in the years to come.