Modeling and Control of Lime Addition in a Flotation Process

Sammanfattning: Flotation is an important and versatile mineral processing technique that is used to separate hydrophobic materials from hydrophilic. This technique makes it possible to mine complex ores that otherwise would have been regarded as uneconomic and non-beneficial. In this case flotation is used to separate copper from the unwanted gangue. The addition of lime is used to control the pH level in the flotation’s pulp, which governs the selectivity of the process, i.e. which minerals are recovered. Currently, fluctuating concentration grades of the produced metals have been observed in Boliden Aitik. Therefore, Boliden proposes a new control strategy which aims to maintain a constant ratio between the added lime and the incoming ore flow, but at the same time ensuring that the pH level is maintained within allowed limits. The aim of this thesis is to develop a model that captures the most essential dynamics of a process stage where lime is added, and then evaluate the suggested control strategy by studying suitable control structures. A linear model describing the system dynamics in a specific operating region is obtained by conducting step response experiments on the process. The model is then used to obtain a model describing the disturbances of the process, thereby yielding a complete model that describes the most important dynamics. The most promising control structure utilizes the concept of selective control, where a ratio controller is allowed to maintain a constant ratio as long as the pH level is within allowed boundaries. The pH level is maintained within the boundaries with upper and lower bound pH controllers that utilize the concept of an equivalent control objective (known as the strong acid equivalent) in order to achieve satisfying pH control. The results show that the control structure is able to maintain a constant ratio, and also ensure that the pH level is kept within the allowed limits. A cascade inspired pH ratio controller is also studied and evaluated. The results show that this pH ratio controller is only able to maintain a constant ratio as long as the incoming ore flow is constant. However, the outcomes also suggest that the concentration grades are either sensitive to variations in the ratio between added reagent and incoming ore flow, or that there is something else that causes them to vary.