Advanced control of crushing and autogenous grinding circuits using image analysis

Marcelo Montalvo Gontijo CEMI Process Technology and Engineering Minas Gerais, Brazil

Objectives
Demonstrate tools applicability for advanced process control and online particle size image analysis in crushing and autogenous grinding circuits

Advanced Process Control (APC)

APC

PLC/DCS

Control Room Operator Process

Differentiation

Manual Control

Regulatory Control

Advanced Control

Manual Control
High variability; Process operated far from ideal economic point.

Regulatory Control
Low variability Process operated far from ideal economic point.

Advanced Control
Low variability Process operated close to ideal economic point.

Advanced Control Techniques

Expert System/Fuzzy Logic; MPC (Model Predictive Control); Neural Network.

Advantages: Expert System/Fuzzy Logic

Avoid difficulties obtaining a trustable model (MPC) or trustable data (Neural Network); Easy to deal with data from online sampling analysers and laboratory analysis; Easy to track/debug system actions.

Vision Systems
There are systems that use image analysis to infer ore size distribution curve, an important

measurement for crushing and autogenous grinding process.

Up To Date Vision Systems Features

OPC communication, allowing easy interface with PLC, DCS, PIMS and APC systems; IP Network Cameras; Multiple cameras processing simultaneously; Led Lighting.

Hardware

Network HD Camera with remote zoom and focus and IP 66 protection

Led lighting has a lifetime of more than 50000 hours and low energy consumption

Hardware

Architeture

Vale Mutuca Flowsheet

Crushing Controlled Variables

BR-02/BR-03 Chamber level; BR-02/BR-03 Power; BR-02/BR-03 Vibration; BR-02/BR-03 Product Size Distribution (available from Vision System); TC-04 (Circulation Load) Mass flow rate.

Crushing Manipulated Variables

TC-03 (Fresh Feed) Mass Flow Rate; BR-02/BR-03 Opening/Closing teeth. Expert Fuzzy Logic System considers all Controlled Variables to define how and when to act in each Manipulated Variable.

Crushing Results
Project at Vale Mutuca is still in progress, a similar application was performed in 2008 at RPM/Kinross Gold Corporation in Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Feed particle size (F80) reduced from 13mm to 11.2mm, representing an increase of 100.000 tons/year, payback in 6 months.

SAG/AG Grinding Flowsheet

SAG/AG Grinding Controlled Variables

TC-01 Product Size Distribution (available from Vision System); AL-01/AL-02/AL-03 Product Size Distribution (available from Vision System).

SAG/AG Grinding Manipulated Variables

AL-01/AL-02/AL-03 Feeders speed

Due to the effect of particle segregation, feeders under the extremes of stock pile are supposed to operate with coarser material compared to central feeder.

SAG/AG Grinding
AL-02 (Feeder under pile center) has speed increased and AL-03 (Feeder under pile extreme) is stopped.

SAG/AG Grinding
TC-01 Vision System detects increase in fines amount and reduction in coarse fraction.

SAG/AG Grinding
SAG noise increased, confirming that material became finer.

Conclusion
The use of image analysis tool combined with expert fuzzy logic system are suitable to crushing and autogenous grinding circuits.

Conclusion
The expected improvements are: Capacity optimization of ore processing; Process stability; Increase average production; Increase efficiency of the circuit.