After an extensive consulting effort in which Invensys Operations Management experts and Codelco senior management, led by Francisco Amiama, Codelco's corporate GTICA assistant manager, examined all aspects of Codelco's operations in the smelter process, Invensys Operations Management is implementing a range of multivariable advanced process control (APC) solutions targeted at generating optimal value from Codelco processes.
The current implementation has thus far improved product quality and consistency, reducing variability and shutdown frequency, thereby increasing Codelco's asset utilization.
"As the world leader in advanced process management, we deliver patented techniques and methodologies that identify value-enhancing opportunities within a production enterprise, create operational improvement and integrate automation and IT systems to help improve overall business for our clients," said Ramón Hernández, Invensys Operations Management Client Executive. "Codelco and we have a long and successful history together with distributed control at several of their processing sites, especially at the smelter areas, and we look forward to continuing to serve as their valued business partner."
The program commenced with operations at the Codelco Norte Division's concentrate smelter complex. There, APC has been implemented at the CT Converter to reduce slag temperature variability, reduce copper concentration variability in white metal and control other parameters more precisely.
"Invensys Operations Management solutions have generated good results so far and have met all our expectations," said Mallen Gajardo Mendez, who is responsible for project development and implementation at Codelco. "We have implemented a successful model to gain optimal control of process variables in the area of smelting of copper concentrates. It is proving to be robust technology that we believe we can apply to other smelting processes across Codelco, and generally in any productive process within the corporation."
"Using advanced process control enables us to improve the safety and efficiency of our critical operations with a system that optimizes the process and reduces costs without diminishing the quality of the product," he added.
Invensys Operations Management will implement the solution at other Codelco facilities as part of Codelco's broad asset improvement program, which was adopted by Codelco senior management to support the company's broader business objectives.
About Codelco
The name Codelco represents the "Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile", an autonomous company owned by the Chilean State. The company is the chief copper producer in the world, and controls approximately 20 percent of the world reserves of this metal. Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, Codelco and its five business divisions conduct exploration, development and exploitation of copper mineral resources and byproducts, their processing to refine copper, and its commercialization. The company exports its products, mainly grade A cathode with a copper content of 99.99 percent, to some 250 clients around the world. Codelco also participates in mining, non-mining and business associations with other companies, and it has a network of subsidiaries and sales agents supporting its commercial activities.
About Invensys Operations Management
Invensys Operations Management, a division of Invensys, is a leading provider of automation and information technology, systems, software solutions, services and consulting to the global manufacturing and infrastructure industries. Headquartered in Plano, TX, its solutions are used by more than 40,000 clients around the world in more than 200,000 plants and facilities and include control and measurement instrumentation, critical safety and distributed control systems, a wide range of real-time operations management software and professional services that help its clients design, operate and manage the safety, efficiency, productivity, sustainability and profitability of their assets.
Invensys clients are some of the world's most important industrial organizations—large oil refineries; chemical, gas, LNG, power, pharmaceutical and mineral processors; food and beverage companies; metals and mining companies; water and wastewater facilities; and pulp and paper mills—and its solutions deliver significant cost benefits associated with the secure, efficient operation of industrial plants and facilities.
Invensys Operations Management's offerings are delivered under several prominent industry brands, including Action Instruments, ArchestrA, Avantis, Barber-Colman, Chessell, Continental, Eurotherm, Foxboro, IMServ, InFusion, SimSci-Esscor, Triconex and Wonderware. The company's approximately 9,000 employees and its global partner ecosystem integrate these products and services to help clients collaborate across systems and enterprises in real time, extracting critical data to make faster, better decisions and synchronize their operations from the plant floor to the executive offices, aligning production goals with business objectives.
Invensys plc is headquartered in London and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ISYS.L), with approximately 25,000 employees working in 60 countries.