Solution Platform Independent Approaches to the Modelling of Coal Preparation Plants

Abstract

We have summarized technological challenges in coal preparation plants and classified them into problems that standard engineering is adequate to solve and problems that go beyond that and merit experimental development. The impetus for this classification is that the latter type problems are qualified for governmental support in countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and in many other countries. The contribution also includes methodologies for modeling of coal preparation systems. We extend the method of Reuter and van Deventer, which optimizes both network design and grade of the valuable mineral. We include the flow sheet of a simple example which includes separation screens, heavy media, and water-only cyclones, and froth flotation circuits and we have proposed a way that the empirical model for the flotation process can be extended to model heavy media, and water-only cyclones and other types of sieves and classifiers. The initial configuration has been simplified to include one of each of the four types of processing units, initially with only one species of input feed. With expansions to include recycle streams and more than one type of input species, the model could be used to suggest an alternative circuit configuration based on changed operating conditions, making use in a global control loop possible.