Glendora, CA May 6, 2019 – The IEEE-IAS/PCA recently announced top honors for technical papers submitted for review and presentation at the 61st Annual IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Technical Conference held in St. Louis, MO. Top honors were awarded to the team of CalPortland engineers Alan Simmons and Gurjeet Sarao, and FLSmidth engineer David Campain. The CalPortland/FLSmidth paper was chosen as the best of 23 papers presented at the recent conference, which is the largest conference in the cement industry.
Papers were graded by a panel of reviewers and were evaluated based on the quality of the written paper and the presentation. Recent improvements in technology have provided an opportunity to enhance the energy efficiency of a thirteen-year-old vertical finish cement grinding mill at the Mojave plant. This technical paper/presentation describes the replacement of the separator (or classifier) with a new design producing higher efficiency. Additional energy efficiency optimization of the mill was achieved with the installation of an advanced process control system. The advanced process control system has resulted in not only an improvement in the energy efficiency of the mill, but an improvement in mill stability and operation. The advanced process control system combined with the separator replacement will provide other long-term benefits in terms of improved product quality and reduced maintenance costs that will benefit the Mojave plant long into the future. The use of vertical roller mills for grinding cements has become the standard for energy efficient cement grinding.
When asked about the honor of this award Alan Simmons, Chief Electrical Engineer, CalPortland remarked, “I am pleased to be honored by my colleagues at IEEE-IAS/PCA with this surprise win. Many thanks to my team members for helping to make this possible.”
Gurjeet Sarao, Plant Engineer, Mojave Cement Plant commented, “I am grateful for this award and for the opportunity to be the part of such a great engineering team at CalPortland. This recognition by IEEE-IAS /PCA inspires confidence and encourages me to continue to work hard.”
Papers were required to be focused on topics related to the practical application of electrical technology, standards, equipment, safety, and systems of interest in cement industry within the scope of the Cement Industry Committee Working Groups. “I am very proud of CalPortland’s involvement in the development and presentation of a technical paper that was chosen as the best paper at this year’s IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference. An impressive feat considering the rigorous peer review process the papers are subjected to and the high-quality standards required for the conference,” said Stephen Coppinger, Vice President, Engineering Services, CalPortland.
The IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference is the largest conference in the cement industry and includes presentations of the latest technology covering a variety of topics important to the industry.
About CalPortland
CalPortland Company is a major producer of cement, ready mixed concrete, aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in the western United States and Canada. Founded in 1891, CalPortland remains a leader in the industry through its commitment to quality, safety, customer service, technical excellence and environmental leadership. The company maintains its headquarters in Glendora, California. For more information about CalPortland Company, visit www.calportland.com .
