De-bottlenecking of the Anglo Platinum Converting Process Utilising Advanced Process Control

Abstract The Anglo Converting Process (ACP) is the first unit operation in the Anglo American Platinum (AAP) value chain where all upstream units converge. As a result, the ACP has the potential to be a bottleneck in the production pipeline. Improving the throughput/utilization or increasing capacity of this unit was therefore a major focal point for the organization. The throughput of the ACP was often constrained by the offgas treatment facility to treat the sulphur in the converter offgas and ensure that emissions remained within licensed limits. This project focused on increasing the throughput of the ACP by controlling the offgas treatment facility closer to its maximum capacity. The control system used is a model-based advanced controller that maximizes the feed into the converter, while ensuring that the acid plant is performing at maximum capacity. A 27% increase in throughput was realized as compared to a base case.