Nippon Steel Blast Furnace Cement Co., Ltd.’s Muroran plant has achieved a reduction of over 2% in specific heat consumption and an approximately 10% improvement in product quality. By deploying the ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer system, the plant has automated and optimized the burning process across key stages—including the calciner, rotary kiln, and cooler. Leveraging robust Model Predictive Control (MPC) processes, the system has significantly reduced the need for manual intervention while enhancing the consistency and stability of production.
Nippon Steel Blast Furnace Cement Co., Ltd. reported that ABB’s advanced process control solution, ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer, has helped its Muroran cement plant in Hokkaido, Japan, reduce energy consumption and improve product quality.
As a digital solution designed for industrial process control, stabilization, and optimization, Expert Optimizer enabled this advanced cement manufacturer to lower specific heat consumption by 2.2%. Free lime content—a critical indicator of product quality—also decreased by approximately 10%, resulting in higher-grade product output. ABB verified these results through a performance assessment comparing operations before and after the system’s implementation.
Following the commissioning of the first phase of Expert Optimizer, the system achieved an automatic operation rate exceeding 90%. It reduced the need for manual operator intervention by approximately 80% and maintained effective process control during preheater cleaning and other abnormal operating conditions. For operators, the solution provides deeper operational insights and helps build expertise, creating the conditions for continuous process innovation.
The ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer system helps operators reduce manual intervention by stabilizing and optimizing industrial processes. Image credit: ABB.
Blast furnace slag cement production is part of Nippon Steel Corporation’s steelmaking operations; as production moves toward high levels of automation and even autonomous operation, reliable technical support is essential. This product is classified as low-carbon cement because substituting clinker with slag reduces total CO2 emissions by approximately 40% compared to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC).
Drawing on ABB’s decades of expertise in the process industries, Expert Optimizer employs Model Predictive Control (MPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) to anticipate changes in operating conditions. It automatically takes appropriate actions based on variables such as temperature, pressure, or exhaust gas concentration, thereby further minimizing the environmental impact of emissions. High-frequency, precise control is increasingly vital for reducing process fluctuations and achieving goals related to increased productivity, cost reduction, and quality optimization. With an annual cement production capacity of 1.6 million tons at the Muroran plant, these efficiency improvements can yield extensive and significant benefits.
MPC and AI enable the prediction of process behavior and the automatic adjustment of variables such as temperature, pressure, and exhaust gas concentration. Image credit: ABB
Hiroyuki Abe, Plant Manager at the Muroran Plant of Nippon Steel Blast Furnace Slag Cement Co., Ltd., stated, “Reducing manual operator intervention and lowering fossil fuel consumption are two key priorities in our journey toward carbon neutrality. We selected the ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer because it offered the best path to achieving these critical goals. The system has significantly improved process stability, clinker quality, and overall operational consistency while reducing the need for manual control. Looking ahead, we aim to build upon these achievements to realize even more advanced production operations.”
Hiromichi Yoda, Head of Process Industries at ABB Japan, commented, “The ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer replicates and optimizes operator actions, delivering precise and flexible process control. At the Muroran Plant, the system is helping the customer address multiple challenges simultaneously—including cost reduction, quality improvement, digital transformation, and mitigating the impact of a skilled labor shortage. ABB engineers worked closely with plant operators to establish effective process models, which can be continuously optimized and updated as production operations evolve. We look forward to deepening our partnership with the Nippon Steel Group to further enhance efficiency and operational performance.”
