Content area
Optimizing beneficiation processes in the iron ore industry is essential to meet increasing demand while dealing with declining ore grade. Since grinding has a major impact on product quality and production costs, the implementation of Advanced Process Control (APC) emerges as an effective strategy to enhance efficiency and operational stability. This study quantifies the operational improvements achieved after the implementation of an APC system in the ball grinding circuit of the Mineração Usiminas industrial processing plant. The assessment was based on an ON/OFF test conducted over 67 days, during which operational data were collected for periods with the APC system enabled and disabled, supported by statistical tests and a literature review. The results show significant improvements in both stability and throughput under the unconstrained operating scenario. The standard deviation of the hydrocyclone feed pulp density setpoint decreased by 63%, while the circuit throughput increased from 541 to 571 tph. Moreover, the specific energy consumption was reduced by more than 5% in the same scenario. These findings demonstrate the tangible benefits of implementing Advanced Process Control in industrial grinding operations.
Details
Specific energy;
Control systems;
Iron ores;
Operating costs;
Iron compounds;
Hydrocyclones;
Statistical tests;
Performance testing;
Anniversaries;
Environmental impact;
Iron;
Statistical analysis;
Performance evaluation;
Energy consumption;
Production costs;
Internet of Things;
Literature reviews;
Product quality;
Process control;
Artificial intelligence;
Mineral processing;
Grinding;
Process controls;
Sustainability;
Energy efficiency;
Particle size;
Stability;
Performance assessment;
Industry 4.0
; Ferreira, Calixto Marcelo 3 ; Torga Diego Santana 4 ; Bergerman Mauricio Guimaraes 5
; Delboni Homero Jr. 5
1 Mineração Usiminas, Itatiaiuçu 35685-000, MG, Brazil, Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Polytechnical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-030, SP, Brazil; [email protected] (M.G.B.);
2 Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Análise de Sinais—NIAS, Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil; [email protected]
3 Mineração Usiminas, Itatiaiuçu 35685-000, MG, Brazil
4 ANDRITZ, Belo Horizonte 30112-021, MG, Brazil; [email protected]
5 Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Polytechnical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-030, SP, Brazil; [email protected] (M.G.B.);