Development of a Dynamic Population Balance Plant Simulator for Mineral Processing Circuits

Abstract

Operational variables of a mineral processing circuit are subjected to different variations. Steady-state<br />simulation of processes provides an estimate of their ideal stable performance whereas their dynamic<br />simulation predicts the effects of the variations on the processes or their subsequent processes. In this<br />paper, a dynamic simulator containing some of the major equipment of mineral processing circuits<br />(i.e. ball mill, cone crusher, screen, hydrocyclone, mechanical flotation cell, tank leaching and<br />conveyor belt) was developed. The dynamic simulator of each mentioned unit was also developed<br />according to population balance models with the help of MATLAB/Simulink environment and was<br />verified against the data from the literature. Comminution and separation sections were linked using<br />empirical models which correlate the separation and extraction kinetics to particle size. Applying the<br />developed simulator, the dynamic behavior of a grinding-leaching circuit was analyzed and the results<br />showed that such simulations are required for both designing and controlling the circuits.