The INCREMENT DELIMITATION ERROR

at the plant

The INCREMENT DELIMITATION ERROR IDE introduces the

largest biases encountered in sampling.

y
z
x

1.

A sample must be equiprobabilistic.

2.

A process stream is always segregated.

3.

A process stream is 3-dimensional.

4.

But, it is up to us to perform 3-dimensional,

dimensional, or 1-dimensional sampling.

2-

One-dimensional
One-dimensionalsampling
sampling

F lo w in g
s tre a m

C o n s is te n t s lic e
a c ro s s th e s tre a m

For accurate metallurgical accounting, it is a must to

perform 1-dimensional sampling.
For effective process control, it is recommended to perform
1-dimensional sampling.

Examples
Examplesof
of3-dimensional
3-dimensionalsampling
sampling
Case
Case#1:
#1:Sampling
Samplingof
ofaarailroad
railroadcar
car

Find at least 3 problems.

Examples
Examplesof
of3-dimensional
3-dimensionalsampling
sampling
Case
Case#2:
#2:Sampling
Samplingaafront-loader
front-loaderbucket
bucket

Find at least 3 problems.

S t o c k p ile

G r a b in c r e m e n t

C o m p o s it e s a m p le

Stream
StreamSampling
Sampling

There are 3 choices, but only one can be performed correctly.

The entire stream part of the time

Part of the stream all the time

Part of the stream part of the time

Increment
IncrementDelimitation
DelimitationCorrectness:
Correctness:
ItItdoes
doesnot
nottake
takefragments
fragmentsinto
intoaccount.
account.

F lo w in g s t r e a m

T h e w id th o f th e
in c re m e n t m u s t re m a in
c o n s ta n t a ll th e w a y
a c ro s s th e s tre a m .

Correct
Correctframe
framepositioned
positionedon
onaa
Stopped
Stoppedconveyor
conveyorbelt
belt

h y d r a u lic
p o s it io n in g

S to p p e d
c o n v e y o r b e lt

R eferen ce
s a m p le

This system can provide a good reference sample when performing

a bias test.

Straight-path
Straight-path
Cross-stream
Cross-streamSampler
Sampler

F a llin g
s tre a m

The cutter must cross the

Stream at constant speed.
S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

W id t h o f c u t
k e p t c o n s ta n t

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

T o p v ie w
C u tte r
d ire c tio n

The
Thecutter
cuttermay
mayget
getdamaged
damaged
over
overtime.
time.

F a llin g
s tre a m

Careful, systematic maintenance

of the cutter edges is a must.

W id t h o f c u t
n o t c o n s ta n t

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

T o p v ie w
C u tte r
d ire c tio n

The
Thecutter
cutterand
andcutter
cutteredges
edges
must
mustbe
becleaned
cleanedevery
everyworking
workingshift.
shift.

F a llin g
s tre a m

The cutter edges must be carefully

washed after each cut.

W id t h o f c u t
n o t c o n s ta n t

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

T o p v ie w
C u tte r
d ire c tio n

10

The
TheDrive
DriveSystem
Systemof
ofthe
thecutter
cutter
must
mustnot
notbe
beunder-designed.
under-designed.

S tre a m

C u t t e r d ir e c t io n

W id t h o f c u t
n o t c o n s ta n t

11

The
TheParking
ParkingPosition
Positionof
ofthe
thecutter
cutter
must
mustbe
befar
faraway
awayfrom
fromthe
thestream.
stream.

The Drive System of the cutter must be electric.

S tre a m

C u t t e r d ir e c t io n

W id th o f c u t
n o t c o n s ta n t

12

The
TheRotating
RotatingVezin
VezinSampler
Sampler

S tre a m

u 3d

S tre a m

C u t t e r d ir e c t io n

S tre a m

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

W id t h o f c u t
k e p t c o n s ta n t

T o p v ie w

13

Correctness
Correctnessof
ofaaVezin
VezinSampler
Sampler

C u tte r o p e n in g W
C u tte r o p e n in g w

C irc u m fe re n c e c
C irc u m fe re n c e C

c
w
Sampling Ratio

Constant
C W
14

AAcommon,
common,incorrect
incorrectVezin
VezinSampler
Sampler

T o p v ie w

S tre a m

S a m p le
in c re m e n t
15

IfIfpart
partof
ofthe
thestream
streamis
ismissed
missedby
bythe
the
sampler,
sampler,aadelimitation
delimitationbias
biasresults.
results.

F a llin g
s tre a m

P a rt o f th e
s t r e a m is m is s in g

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

T o p v ie w

C u tte r
d ire c tio n

16

The
Thecutter
cuttermust
mustnot
notcollect
collectany
anymaterial
material
when
whenstopped
stoppedin
inaaparked
parkedposition.
position.

S tre a m

A re a a ffe c te d b y
a d u s t p ro b le m
C u tte r
d ire c tio n

C o n ta m in a tio n

S tre a m

17

IfIfonly
onlyone
oneparked
parkedposition
positionis
isavailable,
available,
the
thecutter
cuttermust
mustnot
notreturn
returnacross
across
the
thestream
streamtoo
toosoon.
soon.

D u rin g th e re tu rn tra je c to ry ,
th e re is a n a re a w h e re
n o th in g c a n b e ta k e n b y th e c u tte r.

S tre a m

O n ly o n e p a rk in g
p o s itio n

18

Stationary
Stationaryin-stream
in-streamprobes
probes

S tre a m

S a m p le

S tre a m

S a m p le

S tre a m

S a m p le

The intolerable assumption:

The stream is not segregated, therefore collecting any part of the
stream is good enough.
19

Introduction
Introductionof
ofaastream
streamturbulence
turbulence
to
tominimize
minimizesegregation
segregationacross
acrossthe
thestream
stream

S tre a m

S a m p le

Moving from very bad to bad!

20

Flushing
Flushingthe
theprobe
probeis
isaamust,
must,
prior
priorto
tocollecting
collectingthe
thesample.
sample.

S tre a m

S a m p le

21

Stationary
Stationaryby-stream
by-streamgate
gate

T h e fin e m a te ria l m o v in g a t th e to p
o f th e s tre a m is n e v e r s a m p le d .

S tre a m
S a m p lin g p o in t

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

22

The
TheGrouping
Groupingand
andSegregation
SegregationError
Error
to
tothe
therescue:
rescue:An
Anattractive
attractivealternative
alternative

U n d e r f lo w in d u c in g
tu r b u le n c e

F iv e C u t t e r s

X
S a m p le s tr e a m g o in g
to a s im ila r , s m a lle r
s a m p lin g s ta g e

M a in s t r e a m

S u g g e ste d sa m p lin g sy ste m fo r p ro c e ss c o n tro l sa m p lin g o f slu rrie s:

T h e rm o G a m m a -M e tric s A n sta t S y ste m .

Dimension X is sampled all the time.

Dimension Y is completely represented.
Dimension Z is represented by grouping several increments
minimizing the effect of across-the-stream segregation.

23

Across
Acrossthe
thestream
streamsampling
samplingslot
slot

S tre a m

S a m p le
in c re m e n t

Exercise: Find what is wrong with this sampling system.

24

Stabilizing
Stabilizingthe
theflow
flowrate
rateof
ofthe
thestream
stream
Prior
Priorto
tothe
theon-line
on-lineanalyzer
analyzer

S tr e a m

O n - lin e
a n a ly z e r

S tre a m

25

Exercise:
Exercise:
What
Whatis
isbasically
basicallywrong
wrong
with
withaaflap
flapsampler?
sampler?

F a llin g s tre a m
T h e w id th o f th e in c r e m e n t
a c r o s s th e s tr e a m
is n o t k e p t c o n s t a n t .

O p e n e d , id le
p o s itio n

C lo s e d , id le
p o s itio n
1
2

S tr e a m
1

S tr e a m

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

26

Most
Moststream
streamdiversion
diversionsystems
systemslead
lead
to
toan
anincrement
incrementdelimitation
delimitationbias.
bias.

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

S tr e a m

27

Exercise:
Exercise:
What
Whatis
isbasically
basicallywrong
wrong
with
withthis
thishose
hosesampler?
sampler?

F a llin g
s tre a m

H o s e t r a je c t o r y

T h e w id t h o f t h e in c r e m e n t
a c r o s s th e s tr e a m
is n o t k e p t c o n s t a n t .

2
1

S tr e a m

S tr e a m

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

28

Exercise:
Exercise:
Why
Whyis
isthis
thishose
hosesampler
samplercorrect?
correct?

F a llin g
s tre a m
T h e w id t h o f t h e in c r e m e n t
a c r o s s th e s tr e a m
is k e p t c o n s t a n t .

H o s e t r a je c t o r y
1

S tr e a m

1
2

S tr e a m

S id e v ie w o f t h e c u tt e r

S a m p le
in c r e m e n t

T o p v ie w o f th e c u t te r

29

Exercise:
Exercise:
Is
Isthe
theshape
shapeof
ofthe
thestream
streamrelevant?
relevant?

30