ABB Ability™ System 800xA for Czech potato starch maker LYCKEBY AMYLEX

Czech Republic’s biggest potato starch producer uses ABB Ability digital solutions to streamline production, get full control over power and raw material consumption, while maintaining key processes without interruption

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ABB has completed stage one of ABB Ability™ System 800xA delivery for a new potato starch manufacturing installation at LYCKEBY AMYLEX Horažďovice.

Project stage one: separating proteins from tuber juice

LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s. is Czech Republic’s largest producer of potato starch. A considerable part of the produced starch is further processed to make dextrins and modified starch for the paper industry. Fully-automated state-of-the-art technology is used in the manufacturing. The company’s products are used particularly in technical industry.

The delivery for stage one of a new installation consists of the Distributed Control System (DCS) ABB Ability System 800xA, 14 induction and vortex flowmeters and 23 frequency converters. ABB products help in automation, measurement and drive control of a production line that separates proteins from tuber juice in potato starch manufacturing. The value of the first delivery amounts to CZK several dozens of millions. This delivery marks an important entry of ABB’s advanced automation into the food & beverage segment.

Main facts

Industry Food and beverage manufacturing
Customer LYCKEBY AMYLEX Horažďovice
Country Czech Republic
Solutions
Year  2018
Václav Straka, Technical Development Manager, LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s.
“The reason for selecting System 800xA were good experience and excellent references from our colleagues in Sweden. Our parent company Lyckeby Starch has been using the control system successfully in manufacturing plants of the same kind that we are installing here now”

Ensuring uninterrupted operation during potato harvest

ABB Ability System 800xA provides manufacturing processes control, contributing to seamless operation. Uninterupted operation is especially important during the potato harvest, i.e. from September till December, when even a single day of downtime would mean enormous financial losses to the Czech starch manufacturing giant.

„With System 800xA, operators have full control over power and raw material consumption and are able to maintain key processes without interruption,“ said Martin Červinka, Local Business Unit Manager ABB Control Technologies.

“The reason for selecting System 800xA were good experience and excellent references from our colleagues in Sweden. Our parent company Lyckeby Starch has been using the control system successfully in manufacturing plants of the same kind that we are installing here now,” added Václav Straka, Technical Development Manager, LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s.

System 800xA is not only a DCS, but also a platform enabling the full integration of the electrical, information and safety systems, with the capacity to improve engineering efficiency, operator performance and asset utilization. The system provides efficiency and safety through supervision and process control. System 800xA offers integrated operations, highly powerful HMI (human machine interface) and ergonomic environment for operators. ABB thus enables operators to perform their tasks better and to make correct decisions at the right time.


Project stage two: addition of evaporator to thicken tuber juice

The delivery for LYCKEBY AMYLEX will be followed with a stage two, to be implemented this year. It will include the addition of an evaporator that serves to thicken tuber juice after the separation of proteins, transforming it into a natural concentrated liquid fertilizer.

“For this stage, a large 850kW motor and frequency converter for the evaporator ventilator have already been ordered from the Danish technology supplier and ABB Denmark,” added Martin Červinka of ABB.

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