Module 10: Investigating Mineral Processing in a Virtual Laboratory
All of the simulations that you have done up to now require the specifications of parameters for the models that are used to simulate the units that make up the flowsheet. These parameters define the operation of the units for the application on hand and they usually vary with the ore that is to be processed. It is important to obtain good values for these parameters if the simulation is to be realistic. There are three techniques that are commonly used to obtain estimates of the parameters: sampling a plant that is currently in operation, by generating data from samples taken during careful laboratory experiments and finally using accumulated data banks of parameter values from previous successful simulation studies. Of these, the first method provides the most reliable data but is usually the most difficult method to use because of the difficulties inherent in obtaining good consistent samples from a large operating plant. In most cases a pilot plant should be used if this is available. The third method is the most commonly used approach but it does require access to good operating databases. The second method using laboratory experimentation can be very effective and it is the subject of this module.
It is important to plan and execute a laboratory experiment properly in order to ensure that it does yield good information about the model that is being tested. We will use one of the newest education techniques, the virtual laboratory, to investigate a common laboratory experiment that is often used to measure specific rate of breakage in a ball mill. If you work through this experiment, you will learn the technique and also how to interpret the data that are obtained in the laboratory.
The virtual laboratory has been designed to allow you to undertake a virtual experiment that is a close replica of the actual experiment and to gather data that are closely similar to data that are obtained in a well-conducted real experiment in the laboratory.
Objectives for this module.
You will learn the standard procedure for conducting one of the experiments that are normally used to measure parameters for the ball mill model.
You will learn how to analyze the data and to extract values of model paramenters that can be used for simulation purposes.
A brief description of the experiment is given here.
You must install the Virtual Laboratory software on your computer in order to do the experiment. You can download the Virtual Laboratory setup program from here. The file is SETUPVLab.EXE which you should run when the download is complete. Like MODSIM this program can be uninstalled if you do not wish to keep it on your machine.
The experimental procedure is described here.