The trend to high-technology monitoring and control in minera processing has been heating up over the past few years. In fact, in a recent Statistics Canada survey, nearly 250 mines said they had adopted high-tech equipment in the plants. That trend has not changed. The study postulates an increasing reliance on programmable logic controllers, automatic bin level measurements, flow density measurement and analogue controllers. That’s good news for the mining industry, because technological innovation and productivity seem to go hand-in-hand.
It’s also good news for the manufacturers and suppliers of such products, many of whom you’ll find pitching either a variety of their products or a new process control product or entire system in this “Specs” department.
Nearly a decade ago, Bailey Controls introduced its Network 90 system. Since then, Network 90 has gone through evolutionary changes but, according to Bailey, no future development would compromise customer investment in Network 90. Bailey has now set out on a course that it calls the age of Strategic Process Management and represents the next stage in the Network 90 evolution.
This integration of process and business (economic conditions, plant capacity, eec.,) variables will be met by Bailey’s new INFI 90. This system combines the Network 90 and extensive new technology. It can be scaled up or down, depending on requirements, features an advanced multi-layered communications hierarchy and includes a new family of multi-function processors with 32-bit microprocessor processing power running at up to 33 MHz. The power system is an exclusive current-sharing, modular power system. Compact, plug-in power modules are grouped to meet system requirements with what Bailey calls “n plus one” redundancy. Should any module fail, the remaining power supplies automatically adjust their individual outputs to meet overall system load.
Bailey also manufactures level and flow controls; pressure and temperature transmitters, recorders and indicators; and a host of other process control equipment for the mining industry.
Davis Controls is a representative of Endress + Hauser; level controls, Eagle Signal timers, counter totalizers; Autotech electronic programmable limit switches; and others. Davis offers level and flow controls, liquid level controls, timers, counters and programmable logic controllers, and a host of other processing components.
Fisher Controls provides a broad range of control equipment, from initial measuring instruments to final control systems. The Provox continuous process control systems are well established in the mining industry, says company literature. As an example, Fisher cites the Provox system installed at Rio Algom’s Elliot Lake, Ont., uranium complex, where the system provides centralized control of 200 functions. Fisher offers integrated hierarchical configurations with multi-product capabilities. Its special focus is on continuous casting, combustion control, reheat and electric furnaces, and mini-mills.
Foxboro offers complete automation systems and a comprehensive line of measurement and control instruments. The complete automation system is called the Intelligent Automation Series, or I/A Series Systems, which has been in use by such majors as Inco Ltd., Alcan and Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, Foxboro notes. The open industrial packaging of the I/A Series Systems allows a distribution of system components “to truly match the way your plant works.” Corrosion-proof, non-metallic packaging utilizing conductive cooling obviates the need for isolating systems in large, air-conditioned rooms. That also means no long runs of costly field wiring. The systems also feature self-diagnostics and functional modularity for mixing and matching of components.
Foxboro says that unlike conventional distributed control systems, with their different interaction techniques and closed, inflexible system software, the I/A Systems Series features a “dual-executive” operating system software structure (real-time control tasks and resource-oriented, high-level tasks, such as report writing, process optimization, data histories, etc.,) that runs in every processor module in the system Foxboro I/A Series Systems also feature continuous, sequential and logic capabilities in one package.
Foxboro also produces such process components as electronic and pneumatic transmitters (flow, temperature, pressure, liquid level, density), primary measurement elements, large-case instruments, control valves and the like.
The equipment of Milltronics Process Measurement, which was founded in 1954, encompasses three main areas: non-contacting ultrasonics, continuous in-line weighing and solids flowmetering. According to company literature, Milltronics is a leader in original research and dedelopment in non-contacting ultrasonic technology. The AiRanger IV is a long-range system (to 61 metres) for bulk solids in such harsh applications as coal silos.
Milltronics MultiRanger Plus, which monitors liquids or bulk solids in a single vessel to 15 metres, and the new AiRanger XPL with the trade-marked Sonic Intelligence for liquids and bulk solids using a single electronics, mark the company’s continued commitment to development.
For the continous in-line weighing of dry bulk solids, an innovative single-idler belt scale, the MSI, was developed. Milltronics also offers Weighfeeders, self-contained conveyors with a controlled drive system and belt scale.
In the early 1980s, the company avers, Milltronics’ enclosed Hyflo series weighing units helped advance solids flowmeter technology. More recently, the company re-designed solids flowmeter technology, producing a compact, low-cost unit called the Millflo, which allows control of processing in areas where it would previously have been too costly to measure.
And finally, Milltronics motion-sensing equipment, which protects costly rotating and conveying equipment is a time-proven standard in the North American mining industry, the company says.
Outokumpu Equipment Canada produces control, measurement, analysis and production equipment for the process industries. Outokumpu says it is the world’s leading supplier of on-line XRF analysis systems. Its trade-marked Courier line of X-ray fluorescence analyzers works with liquids, slurries and powders. They provide analysis of elements from silicon to uranium from a liquid or powder and from chlorine to uranium from a slurry.
The Beltcon analyzer measures the composition of bulk material directly and continuously from a conveyor belt over which it is mounted. Analysis is based on either gamma backscattering or X-ray fluorescence. Outokumpu analyzers can include a computer-based Analyzer Operator Station (AOP), a modular reporting and control station with such options as color displays with flowsheets, histories,,trends and sequence control. This can be interfaced with a large-capacity Proscon distributed and integrated automation system This facilitates routine and continuous evaluation of plant performance and is a tool for evolving new control strategies and implementing process optimization.
The foregoing is not a complete list of companies involved in the Canadian mineral processing sector. Not mentioned are such companies as Allen Bradley Canada, GE Canada, Montan-Forschung, Rosemount Instruments, Measurex, Sparton Controls, Syscon Canada, Westinghouse and others.
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