General
Modern technology, design and equipment applied in Egyptian glass company - Float glass plant, resulted in modern and efficient plant and its high quality products. Energy saving and environmental protection is integrated in the system at all levels. Plant capacity is over 340 MT float glass per day. Plant produces various types of float glass, depending on selected automatic batch recipe for additives.

Batch Plant
Batch plant performance is vital for overall plant capacity:

• capacity: 400 MT / 16 h
• cullet content: 15-40 %
• glass from batch: 340 MT
• yield: 83 %
• batch required 410 MT
• batch size: 2600 kg (dry)
• Mixing cycle time: 180 s
• total cycle time: 360 s
• cycles per hour: 10
  

Automation and control system

Equipment
Production process in “Egyptian Glass Company” Float glass plant is monitored and controlled by ABB Advant products family equipment. (Click on block diagram to enlarge). “EGC” utilises the following:

• Process controllers - AdvantController 450 (3 units)
• Process controllers - AdvantController 110 (3 units)
• Operator stations - AdvantStation 515 OS - (5 units)
• Information Management Station - AdvantStation515 IMS - (1 unit)
• Control network MasterBus 300, Plant Network TCP/IP, AdvantFieldBus 100 etc.
• Event/alarm printers, hardcopy printers and report printers.
  

Scope
Entire process, from sand screening and dolomite/limestone crushing to glass cutting, is controlled by process controllers and runs fully automatic. Each part of the process can be controlled and monitored from any operator station.

Features
Production process control includes features like: batch recipe management, various reports, trends, batch tracking, long-term data storage, etc…in other words, everything required for quality assurance as defined in ISO 9000.

Operator screen example:
“Working screen” shows active batch recipe, main parameters and actual process values. (Click picture to enlarge).
“DISP354...” is presented as an overlap (floating) display, showing motors, scales, measured values, equipment status etc.
Operator’s orders are issued from the screen/keyboard e.g.: to start/stop the batch plant (i.e. weighing process) operator merely acts on “WEIGH. START” screen push-button (presented at the top of screen).

Intea’s contribution

Scope - general

• application analysis
• level 1 software (signals database & type circuits)
• specific batch concept design
• level 2 software (logic & sequences)
• batch and process control programming
• customising operator stations
• process displays design
• design of batch plant simulation
• factory acceptance tests with the client
• commissionning
• start-up
• training
  

Scope - sections
Intea was responsible for:

• sand screening and ensiling (1 x AdvantController 110)
• dolomite & limestone crushing & ensiling (1 x AC110)
• cullet storage (1 x AdvantController 110)
• batch plant control (1 x AdvantController 450 + AS500OS)
  

Duration
In the period January - August 1998, 3 Intea’s engineers worked on the project for 5 months including programming and FAT in Italy.

Results
INTEA’s work was recognized, by ABB project leader and end-user EGC, as outstanding and highly professional.

Post start-up activities
Since the start-up, INTEA received 5 orders to implement various DCS extensions and modifications.

Present situation
Years after the start-up, glass quality is still excellent and batch plant works perfectly. End-user is completely satisfied with plant performance.

Document in pdf format you can display and/or download from our support pages.