Rusal implements BigData potroom control system in Siberian smelters

Aluminium producer Rusal is launching a potroom control system as part of its strategy to improve production efficiency.

The control system will use advanced scientific and methodological approaches based on forecast analytics known as BigData. The development and implementation of the new system will increase the company’s aluminium production efficiency by decreasing the abnormalities throughout the process and improving the reduction cell control quality. The system is expected to detect the causes of any reduced reduction cell performance, recognize the optimum conditions depending on the status of equipment and most importantly, predict malfunctions. At the end of 2019, the project investment will amount to around RUB20 million (USD0.32m).

Several Rusal smelters in Siberia are implementing the pilot project. The system is currently being designed; if successful, it will be rolled out to other productions of the company. “The use of forecast analytics in potroom control is just one step towards our target that we have set within our R&D framework. If successful, similar approaches will be enrolled for analysis and to increase efficiency at other stages of the production chain. Such efficiencies will assist in minimizing our energy consumption and improve our overall performance of the aluminium production,” said Rusal’s technical director, Viktor Mann.