02 JULY 2013Stuff.co.nz
Homegrown idea for smelter saves $160,000
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
The workers are putting all efforts to generate gains at the cash-strapped Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter which is reeling under huge financial losses. The latest to the efforts is the homegrown automated thermocouple to check the temperature of the molten aluminium in the furnace that saved the company $ 160,000, an effort that was recognized at the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters General Manager Innovation Awards.
Starting in 2008, the event has been held three times a year and recognizes innovation on site.
Categories included health and safety, teamwork and cost savings, with the latter more important than ever.
The awards are given to staff who come up with ideas that were simple, quick, cheap and could be transferred elsewhere on site, he said.
NZ Aluminium Smelters metal products project engineer Don Faulkner had invented an automated thermocouple to check the temperature of the molten aluminium in the furnace.
It would reduce maintenance costs in metal products from $104,000 to $20,000, which would contribute to an overall saving of about $160,000 a year, Mr Hamilton said.
Taking the temperature had previously been a labour-intensive and hazardous task for staff.
Mr Faulkner said the operator would clean the old thermocouple after every cast, which required him to physically remove the 30-kilogram cast-iron rod from the 730 degrees Celsius furnace. The rod lasted about 16 hours and cost the smelter $300 a day.
The ceramic thermocouple sheath on the rods cost $1800 each and, using the old method, they were easily broken when the furnace was opened to stir the molten metal.
However, now when the large furnace doors opened, a 6kg thermocouple automatically removed itself from the furnace. The ceramic sheaths now lasted four to six months, Mr Faulkner said.
The new thermocouple gave an accurate reading because it had sensors on the top and bottom of the machine rod and would take the temperature in the same place each time, he said.
The thermocouple could potentially be used by other smelters around the world, Mr Faulkner said.
Starting in 2008, the event has been held three times a year and recognizes innovation on site.
Categories included health and safety, teamwork and cost savings, with the latter more important than ever.
The awards are given to staff who come up with ideas that were simple, quick, cheap and could be transferred elsewhere on site, he said.
NZ Aluminium Smelters metal products project engineer Don Faulkner had invented an automated thermocouple to check the temperature of the molten aluminium in the furnace.
It would reduce maintenance costs in metal products from $104,000 to $20,000, which would contribute to an overall saving of about $160,000 a year, Mr Hamilton said.
Taking the temperature had previously been a labour-intensive and hazardous task for staff.
Mr Faulkner said the operator would clean the old thermocouple after every cast, which required him to physically remove the 30-kilogram cast-iron rod from the 730 degrees Celsius furnace. The rod lasted about 16 hours and cost the smelter $300 a day.
The ceramic thermocouple sheath on the rods cost $1800 each and, using the old method, they were easily broken when the furnace was opened to stir the molten metal.
However, now when the large furnace doors opened, a 6kg thermocouple automatically removed itself from the furnace. The ceramic sheaths now lasted four to six months, Mr Faulkner said.
The new thermocouple gave an accurate reading because it had sensors on the top and bottom of the machine rod and would take the temperature in the same place each time, he said.
The thermocouple could potentially be used by other smelters around the world, Mr Faulkner said.
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