At the "two sessions" this year in the country, Premier Li Keqiang first proposed in the government work report that "the "Internet +" action plan will be formulated to promote the integration of mobile Internet, cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things, and modern manufacturing industries." The "Internet +" concept has created a great discussion of Internet ideas in all walks of life. The aluminum industry is no exception. Some companies are actively setting up a corporate WeChat platform, and some companies understand it as an e-commerce platform.... Then the Internet + Aluminum Industry What kind of form is this? What does it mean for the aluminum industry? During the China International Aluminum Industry Exhibition held in Shanghai recently, our reporter interviewed Zhongnan who is participating in the “Aluminum Electrolytic Aluminum Industry Sustainable Development Forum”. Professor Liang Xuemin and Liang Xuemin, professors of the University of China Metallurgical Design and Research Institute, used the “Internet+” thinking to elaborate on the effects of our electrolytic aluminum production process and equipment.

On the 8th of July, the 11th China International Aluminum Industry Exhibition was opened in Shanghai. Prof. Zhongnan University and Dean of School of Metallurgical Design and Research Liang Xuemin were invited to attend the exhibition and participated in the “Alumina Electrolytic Aluminium Industry Development Forum" and accepted an interview with this reporter. Liang Xuemin elaborated on the impact of “Internet+” on electrolytic aluminum production process and equipment.

What is the Internet + Aluminum Industry

What is "Internet+"? In layman's terms, the Internet + various traditional industries, but this is not a simple sum of both, but the use of information and communication technologies and Internet platforms, so that the Internet and traditional industries in-depth integration, creating a new development ecology. "Internet+" is a further practical result of Internet thinking. It represents an advanced productive force and promotes the continuous evolution of economic patterns.

"Internet+Industry" means that traditional manufacturing companies adopt information and communication technologies such as mobile Internet, cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things to transform existing products and R&D production methods.

Liang Xuemin said that "Internet +" has an impact on China's aluminum industry, just as Ma Huateng said, "Internet +" is like the impact of electricity on all walks of life. "Internet +" will bring revolutionary changes to the aluminum industry.

So how does the "Internet +" reflect its role in the aluminum industry? Liang Xuemin said that “Internet+Aluminum Industry” is to realize a highly intelligent aluminum production and realize an unmanned production workshop. To put it plainly, the “Internet+” aluminum industry is also an industry upgrade of the aluminum industry.

Liang Xuemin said: “China is a big country in the aluminum industry, and even in the electrolytic aluminum technology field has been at the forefront of the world aluminum industry, but this does not mean that we have no article in the field of production indicators can be made, we want to “Internet +” Accelerate the realization of the intelligence of the aluminum industry under the guidance of the concept, effectively use a large amount of information and data, and better accelerate the development of the aluminum industry, but if you want to truly realize the information, data, and intelligence on the basis of the existing electrolytic aluminum technology , may need to be faced with comprehensive technological innovation in every corner, every small technical field, and even the corners."

As a traditional industrial industry, the aluminum industry lags behind in accepting new types of thinking and things. In the field of aluminum industry exhibition reporters also asked some companies about the "Internet +" on the impact of the company's thinking, but most of the respondents said their companies only opened the WeChat platform, another part of the company said it has joined some e-commerce platform for product sales It can be seen that companies do not fully understand the impact of the “Internet+” concept in the aluminum industry, and even appear misunderstood. Therefore, the “Internet+” is more important for our colleagues in the aluminum industry in China to understand and digest the process.

Liang Xuemin said: “In recent years, our scientific research work has focused more on technical problems and focused on improving technical indicators. In fact, the impact of “Internet Plus” on production, operations, and economic benefits is even more important. The impact of “Internet+” on the aluminum industry is still different in the industry. For example, a considerable number of experts believe that “Internet+” is a more virtual concept, and the combination with traditional industries can only be in some information. In terms of information, intelligence, and business, the relationship between the core competitiveness of technology and the benefits of technology really is not large and unrealistic."

Liang Xuemin was once puzzled by this, and he seriously thought about the development direction of the electrolytic aluminum ecology and intelligence for his research team two years ago. After two years of research and demonstration by the team, Liang Xuemin firmly believed that “Internet+” will Will bring a revolutionary change to the aluminum industry.

Electrolytic aluminum industry more easily integrated with "Internet +"

“The electrolytic aluminium industry is a sector with a high level of modularity and standardization, and it is easier to realize intelligent operation. Several electrolysis tanks of the same type are placed in one workshop. Each electrolytic cell is engaged in the same production process, and the staff is almost repeating the same. The operation of the same type of equipment, homogenized production, is more conducive to intelligent control, information management, big data collection and big data analysis." Therefore, Liang Xuemin believes that the electrolytic aluminum industry is more easily integrated with the “Internet+”.

Liang Xuemin said that the strength of the electrolytic aluminum companies is different, and the effectiveness of the electrolytic cells is not the same. For different companies, the same type of electrolytic cell is also very different in the internal design, this difference as a peer and experts often do not know where. Some problems are very serious, such as the service life of the electrolytic cell. Some companies use electrolytic cells for many years, while others do not. What's more important is the use of major accidents in electrolyzers. Why do the same type of electrolyzers run safely in some companies, and in others it can happen? Even accidents in different workshops in the same company are different. These common problems have not been solved, but it seems that it will become feasible to switch to thinking about solutions under the concept of "Internet Plus." For example, there is a professional data acquisition system that collects and summarizes these production data and then analyzes the data to find out the key issues before resolving them. As a result, the problems that have plagued the industry for many years will be easily solved. Therefore, the data collection work at every stage of the production process is also very important. This is the application of big data and data analysis in the “Internet+” field in the aluminum industry. .

“As researchers, we thought that we could overcome some core technologies, but in fact, for a very complicated industrial system, many technologies are very different and everyone’s understanding is not the same. We cannot timely put the best experience and The best technology is applied to all enterprises, which is the need for the development of information and intelligence," Liang Xuemin said.

The issue of production safety in enterprises is a big problem that has plagued the electrolytic aluminum industry. In the past, the importance attached to the electrolytic aluminum industry was insufficient. Today, industry and industry companies attach great importance, but the problems that occurred 30 years ago will still occur. These accidents are frightening when they come to mind, and they are often the heart of business leaders.

Recently, Liang Xuemin has been thinking about applying the “Internet+” concept to solve the safety problems in the production process of the electrolytic aluminum industry.

Liang Xuemin said that if the "Internet +" thinking to solve the safety problem of electrolytic aluminum production may be a new breakthrough. Liang Xuemin cited four aspects.

First of all, the problem is located. In the past, an accident occurred in an electrolytic cell. On the surface, it may be due to an accidental factor, such as misoperation of the electrolytic cell or insufficient risk control. However, there are many possible causes of the electrolytic aluminum accident, for example, In the design stage, due to the slight difference in the material of the tank or the inherent irrationality of the electrolytic tank design, hidden dangers may have been buried for safety accidents. It is difficult to determine the exact reason for the specific reason. It is difficult to know even how many sets of equipment or factories have similar or identical problems. The reason for this is very complicated, and it is difficult to achieve the cause through simple manual search. If you use data analysis and data mining methods, the problem is easily located. Second, run control. The operation management in the production process, the automatic control of the operating parameters, and the accidents that are likely to occur under any operating conditions, such as common leaks or short-circuit explosions, can be avoided. Third, accident prevention. It is not enough to prevent the occurrence of accidents in the electrolyzer. When the accident is not known, this involves the imperfection of our information collection system. We don't have enough information in the production process, which means that our sensor system needs to be treated. After upgrading and introducing the concept of “Internet Plus,” these problems have been solved. Fourth, to ensure security, enterprises must have a systematic guarantee. This, of course, is inseparable from the expansion of our scale and technological progress.

Liang Xuemin said that in the above four aspects, if combined with "Internet +" technology, the safety of electrolytic aluminum plants will be well controlled. This is also the focus of the recent Liang Xuemin team's research work.

Create electrolytic aluminum intelligent factory

The application of “Internet+” in the production of electrolytic aluminum is just one part of it. For the entire electrolytic aluminum industry, the significance of the “Internet+” application is to realize the intelligent aluminum electrolytic technology and intelligent aluminum electrolytic equipment, and ultimately to create electrolysis. Aluminum smart factory.

Recently, the research team consisting of Liang Xuemin and the School of Metallurgical and Environmental Science and Information Science and Engineering of Central South University has obtained preliminary research results. At the “Aluminum Electrolytic Aluminum Industry Sustainable Development Forum”, Liang Xuemin made a research report on “Eco-Intelligent Aluminum Electrolysis Technology” and proposed two major trends for sustainable development of the aluminum industry in the future: ecological and intelligent.

Liang Xuemin said that the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum includes intelligent equipment manufacturing and intelligent technologies, and the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum is of great significance: the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum is the need to optimize technological operations and upgrade technical indicators; the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum is a reduction in staff efficiency and reduction. The need for cost; the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum is a need to improve the safety and security of the enterprise's production process; the intelligentization of electrolytic aluminum is needed to improve the management level of electrolytic aluminum. Therefore, we must use the "Internet+" industrial process to build an electrolytic aluminum intelligent factory.

In the electrolytic aluminum intelligent technology, including electrolytic tank intelligent control technology (Figure 1), intelligent equipment manufacturing technology (Figure 2), electrolytic aluminum intelligent design technology, electrolytic aluminum production security intelligent technology. For example, through the intelligent mobile terminal - to achieve expert remote management of electrolytic tanks (Figure 3); to achieve intelligent shelling feeding device - to achieve on-demand cutting (Figure 4) and so on.

In the design of the electrolyzer tank type, smart operation, optimization of the electrolytic tank lining structure, double-anode reforming unipolarity, electrolytic aluminum non-power-down technology, emergency short-circuit technology, and the like are also required.

At present, most of electrolytic aluminum plants in China are upgraded to large-scale aluminum electrolytic cells. Large-scale aluminum electrolytic cells are complex high-temperature electrochemical reactors with multiple phases and multiple interactions, which are mainly reflected in the following four characteristics: Aluminum electrolytic tanks are large. Second, multi-phase - multi-field interaction, high-temperature electrochemical reaction is complex. Third, high-temperature melt corrosion, leading to difficult parameter detection. Fourth, many process parameters, data volume, data mining depth is not enough.

Liang Xuemin believes that in view of the characteristics of China's large-scale electrolytic cells, it is necessary to build an electrolytic aluminum intelligent plant.

Necessity One: From the perspective of the electrolytic cell, the future high-efficiency and stable operation of the aluminum electrolytic cell must solve the problems of comprehensive influences, large-scale changes in the parameters, and changes in the characteristics of the cell state.

From the perspective of the whole plant, each workshop is an independent and associated production unit, and its function and features are very inadequate. (See table)

Necessity 2: The aluminum electrolysis production system also includes a number of auxiliary workshops to provide necessary alumina, fluoride salts, electricity, heat, and gas for the operation of the electrolysis plant, as well as operations such as product casting, flue gas treatment, and tank overhaul. From the perspective of the production system, the use of "Internet +" technology to achieve the coordination of various production units, the optimal operation of the production system, for the full play of the efficiency of the entire production system resources, is another important task of intelligent plants.

Necessity 3: Aluminum electrolysis companies have become large-scale groupings. However, the exchange and integration of information among subordinate enterprises is insufficient. It is difficult to realize the optimization decision-making of the entire group, and the human resources are scarce in the future, and the production efficiency and control level need to be improved.

Therefore, it is more important to establish a company (group level) intelligent factory system from R&D, development planning, marketing operations, market information, and human resources.

Since the construction of an aluminum electrolysis smart factory is so important, what does the ideal aluminum electrolysis smart factory look like? In Liang Xuemin's research, the aluminum electrolysis smart factory has a general plan.

Liang Xuemin said that the system structure of a smart aluminum electrolytic plant based on cloud architecture is divided into a group level and a branch level. Its most notable features are big data, unattended, mobile control, and remote monitoring.

At present, there is still much work to be done in the construction of intelligent factories.

First, the establishment of an industrialized and informatized integrated network system based on cloud architecture. This includes the establishment of a branch network (a framework model of a two-level fusion infrastructure network at the plant level, the establishment of all workshop networks within the electrolysis branch, and the establishment of a branch data center) and the establishment of a group network (based on cloud architecture Technology to realize the Internet of branch data centers and group data centers.

Second, the construction of a smart logistics system. Including logistics intelligent identification and tracking (establishing anodized carbon block, liquid aluminum, overhauled electrolytic tanks, alumina, fluoride salts, flue gas, and overhead cranes, and other parts of the logistics of intelligent identification and automatic traceability system). And material management information and intelligence (optimized material composition, storage capacity and logistics).

Third, the application of electrolytic cell distributed information acquisition system. Through the digital electrolyzer and docking with the tank control system, all-round intelligent management of the electrolyzer is realized and better economic and technical indicators are achieved.

Fourth, decision-making systems, virtual factories, and remote management and control. Including series (factory) decision-making systems (based on the comprehensive data collected by the two integrated networks and expert knowledge of dataization, establishing an intelligent decision system for the entire plant's production management, raw material purchase, and product sales.) and digital virtual factories. Three-dimensional virtual reality modeling of aluminum electrolysis plants, establishment of a digital virtual factory of the whole group, realization of production process management, digitalization and virtualization of the next generation of high-level worker training.) and remote management and control (using electrolytic aluminum plant's mobile internet architecture to achieve The key process of mobile control.

Liang Xuemin concluded that the specific work to be carried out in the future mainly includes the following four aspects.

First, deep processing of data under big data conditions: Develop intelligent data fusion methods for the massive data collected by the two fusion networks to eliminate possible redundancy and conflicts among multi-sensor information, and build various types of aluminum electrolytic data warehouses. .

Second, based on the decision-making and control of knowledge automation: study the intelligent integrated optimization model with controllable operation parameters in each production link as optimization variables.

Third, knowledge-based robots: Based on aluminum electrolysis processes and characteristics, interactive interactive pole-changing robots and aluminum robots were developed.

Fourth, the full realization of the intelligent aluminum electrolysis plant: to realize all the intelligence, control, decision-making and logistics of the electrolytic aluminum plant.

Promote the "Internet + Aluminum Industry"

Listening to Dean Liang Xuemin's description, the reporter seems to have seen a picture of the future production of an electrolytic aluminum intelligent factory floor: the workshop is quiet, the workers are not seen, and the production processes are organized...

However, the ideal is very full and the reality is very skinny. In fact, the "Internet +" concept has not been implemented smoothly in the aluminum industry.

At present, more people simply do not understand the meaning of “Internet Plus” for traditional industries. In contrast, companies are more willing to believe that the changes in hardware can improve the effectiveness of enterprises and product quality. A set of equipment or some can see Something that comes out is very valuable. If some software systems or some analytical methods are difficult to be recognized and valued by companies, their value is far from being reflected. These problems make Liang Xuemin and his team feel difficult when they are working.

However, Liang Xuemin did not discourage him. He said that electrolytic baths are very important in the electrolytic aluminum industry, but there are few equipments that actually serve the electrolytic tanks, and the degree of automation is very low. This is an extremely extreme situation. In electrolytic aluminum plants, electrolysis The trough almost occupies more than 60% of the cost of an aluminum plant investment. The importance of such a high asset density can be imagined. The intelligence of its equipment is neglected. In the past, we mainly used manual management to ensure that it was very Difficult to achieve high efficiency, if replaced by the supporting automated system operation, it can better play its role.

On the other hand, the working conditions in some positions in the electrolytic aluminum industry are rather difficult and dangerous. If these problems are realized intelligently, they will be entirely replaced by robots. Remote operation will achieve revolutionary progress. Of course, it must be achieved without realizing it. It is also a long way to go and requires the joint efforts of industry colleagues.

Liang Xuemin strongly believes that ecologicalization and intelligence are the trend of survival and development of electrolytic aluminum companies in the future. The development of electrolytic aluminum ecological technology makes it possible to realize the recycling of electrolytic aluminum waste and harmless production. The "Internet +" will go deep into all aspects of design and production technology of electrolytic aluminum production and bring a revolution in electrolytic aluminum. Based on the intelligence of electrolytic aluminum design, production and operation management, the establishment of an electrolytic aluminum intelligent plant will greatly increase the operating efficiency of electrolytic aluminum plants and the competitiveness of electrolytic aluminum enterprises.