Roaster Optimizer

The Roaster Optimizer is our digital solution to your specific process challenges. It helps you achieve optimal operational conditions for your production process and reduce costs by ensuring that the roaster bed and off-gas temperatures are maintained within preset limits. The tool is based on over 50 years of experience in the roasting business and several decades of expertise in sustainable metals and chemicals processing.

The tool keeps track of various process variables and automatically monitors all relevant process parameters, taking into account how they affect each other. By doing so the system identifies the optimal operating conditions for the whole roasting plant and not just for standalone process values. Furthermore, parameters of the downstream process steps that are directly connected to the roaster are taken into account during the process optimization.

An added benefit of having a stabilized and optimized production process is increased plant availability due to reduced process fluctuations, which in turn enables an increase in optimized annual production levels and further increases your plant’s profitability.

The Roaster Optimizer provides operators, shift leaders, and managers with real-time analysis of process parameters for internal reporting purposes, customized according to your requirements. Automated reports can be enhanced with our process expert views, helping you to identify plant bottlenecks and maximize your plant’s potential.

The Roaster Optimizer is connected to your plant’s distributed control system (DCS) and monitors all relevant process variables in real time. In combination with feed material characteristics and production targets, it uses our process know-how and heat and mass balances to calculate the optimized process operation modes and set points.

Compared to traditional manual operation via the DCS, the tool helps you to operate the plant more efficiently. The tool exchanges information with your plant’s DCS and provides real-time assessment of the process every few seconds, helping to drastically reduce the workload while ensuring safe operation. The tool’s operator interface is located in the control room and allows operators to quickly and easily adjust high-level process parameters, limits, and production targets.

The Roaster Optimizer significantly improves the productivity of your plant and ensures it is operating optimally around the clock.

With the tool in place you can typically expect:

• >5% increase in annual throughput
• approximate 5% increase in plant perficiency*
• 25% improvement in end-product (e.g. sulfide-sulfur) quality
• Ensured consistency of end-product quality

Moreover, the Roaster Optimizer ensures that your plant emission levels, particularly for sulfur dioxide, remain within the limits set by the relevant environmental legislation.

*Metso’s rating for plant performance efficiency