ABB has delivered a compressive automation and power solution for Elkem Solar’s production line at its facility in Kristiansand, Norway. The facility produces highly processed silicon for the global solar cell industry.
Elkem Solar produces 6,000 metric tons of high-purity silicon a year. It aims to meet the demand for high quality silicon for the solar cell industry.
The production line consists of five independent process steps. ABB Norway delivered all electrical high/low voltage electrical infrastructure to the entire plant. It included process automation based on System 800xA for two of the process steps. These process steps contain Elkem developed technology for the purification of the silicon produced. System 800xA provides precise control of the processes, while ensuring safe, reliable operation and optimising production and energy efficiency. The System 800xA solution consists of several operator workplaces, five AC 800M controllers and one AC 800M HI integrity controller for approximately 3000 I/Os, using Foundation Fieldbus to communicate with the various types of process equipment throughout the plant.
