Real-time adaptive estimation framework for P80 in

hydrocyclones overflow
Benjamín Olivares*, Daniel Silva & Luis Yacher
SCAN Group, Contac Ingenieros, Santiago, Chile, Project Engineer, +56-2-22700900,
bolivares@contac.cl
Automation Department/Gerencia Plantas y Relaves, Minera Los Pelambres, Choapa, Chile, Senior
Control Engineer, +56-2-27983609, dsilva@pelambres.cl
Contac Ingenieros, Santiago, Chile, Manager, +56-2-22700900, lyacher@contac.cl

ABSTRACT
This paper presents the design and implementation of an on-line adaptive framework capable of
estimating the hydrocyclones overflow P80 coming from the ball mill by using nonlinear modelling
techniques in combination with the phenomenology of the process.
Determining the P80 is an important issue that has been widely discussed in numerous papers
related to mineral processing. And the reason is clear: there are significant advantages of
maintaining a consistent particle size with minimal variations under different operating conditions,
such as a better ball mill grinding and classification performance and an improved downstream
mineral recovery. However, the operating condition within a hydrocyclone is a complex process
and therefore, difficult to control. Moreover, the ideal conditions for applying the many modelling
and control techniques available in the literature or in the industry are not always technically or
economically feasible.
In this sense, the proposed estimation framework presents a solution to the aforementioned
problem via the design of a P80 nonlinear model based on empirical and phenomenological
knowledge and the implementation of a sub-optimal Bayesian filtering technique (more
specifically, particle filters), given their capability to combine real-time information measurements
from the process and empirical nonlinear models. Thus, it presents an improvement over the
traditional static-model approach as it takes its most important features while adding on-line
process characteristics and adaptive behaviour. This makes it particularly suitable for
implementing ball milling APC (advanced process control) strategies.
The efficacy of the proposed approach has been tested and put to work using real data from the
grinding plant at Minera Los Pelambres under steady state conditions and previous verification of
input data availability. These assumptions are necessary for the proper performance of the
approach.
The results validate that the estimation framework satisfactorily accomplishes the characterization
of the particles size variability (P80) in the hydrocyclones overflow, which in turn, readily allows
for deploying on-line control and process strategies for the appropriate selection, control and
optimization of the most relevant variables that are driving the efficiency of the particle separation
process.

Keywords: APC, P80, KPI, hydrocyclone, secondary grinding, particle filters.

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INTRODUCTION
The purpose of size reduction in mineral processing grinding/classification is to achieve an
optimum release of mineralogical species obtained under current mining conditions. An efficient
operation at this stage has a direct impact on the recovery performance of the overall concentration
process and consequently, on the profitability of the mining business.
In order to achieve this goal, the best granulometric distribution which is associated with the
mineral to be recovered, must be obtained as a result of grinding and classification processes. This
is commonly represented by the passing 80% of the product distribution, namely, P80. Maintaining
this value with minimum variability is a complex task due to the high level of fluctation associated
to the process. Therefore, it becomes necessary to implement advanced process control strategies
(particularly, ball milling APC) to minimize disturbances in the system and achieve a particle size
within the desired range (Silva, 2012). From this point of view and to succeed in this task, P80 must
be monitored continuously with a high degree of reliability and availability.
This paper presents a solution for the problem described above through the design and
implementation of a framework for adaptive estimation of the P80 in the hydrocyclones overflow,
using a nonlinear structure combined with empirical and phenomenological knowledge of the
grinding and classification process. Furthermore, the proposed approach seeks to incorporate real-
time information of the process, adapting its estimation through the implementation of a particle
filtering-based estimation framework. Among the main contributions of this work are: (i) the
identification of critical variables influencing the process of obtaining a desired P80; (ii) generation
of a nonlinear model for estimation; and (iii) implementation of an adaptive estimation framework
capable of incorporating the process variability in real time.
The following section of this work presents the theoretical background on the problem of P80
estimation in hidrocyclone overflow and real-time adaptive framework based on particle filters.
The third section focuses on modelling aspects required for the incorporation of phenomenological
knowledge of the grinding process on the estimation framework. The fourth section shows the
construction of the P80 adaptive estimation framework based on particle filters. The fifth section
shows the experimental results of the proposed approach using data from a real grinding plant.
And finally, the sixth section presents the main conclusions and future work of this research.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

P80 estimation in ball mill grinding

For many years, hydrocyclones have been widely used in the classification of particles in grinding
circuits due to their versatility, simplicity and relatively low maintenance cost (Magne & Titichoca,
2004). Hydrocyclone performance has a great impact in the downstream recovery in the flotation
process and in energy consumption resulting from the ball milling particles size reduction (due to
the fact that its discharge directly determines the circulating load of the milling circuit).
Despite its simple design, internal hydrocyclone flow governing separation within the device is
quite a complex process and therefore, difficult to control (Janse van Vuuren et al., 2010). This
observation has led to the development of several techniques to allow monitoring of particle sizes
discharging from the hydrocyclone overflow and to optimize its performance. For example, (Neesse

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et al., 2004) summarizes and reviews the most common methods used for this task. Among them,
the determination of the hydrocyclone operation state by means of X-Ray, electrical impedance
tomography and accoustic emission sensing. In addition, there are estimation methods based on
empiric and/or semi-empiric modelling capable of providing relevant information of non-
observables or difficult to obtain measurements. These methods provide real time measurements at
relatively low maintenance costs, as well as being easily modified, which make them attractive for
measuring particle sizes at the hydrocyclone overflow. There are many types of methods that are
used to accomplish this task. For example, soft sensors based on fuzzy logic and artificial neural
networks for measuring the D50 cut-size were proposed by (Eren et al., 1997) and (Wong et al.,
2004,) respectively. Likewise, regression techniques as in (Nieto et al., 2009) are also presented,
where a virtual sensor estimates the solids sizes using weighted least squares (WLS) model and also
in (Sbarbaro & del Villar, 2010), where stepwise regression has been applied. During the last few
years, nonlinear mapping techniques, such as support vector machines (Sun, Wang & Zhang, 2008),
have also been used. It is worth mentioning among the classical models successfully utilized in the
resolution of hydrocyclones design and modelling problems, the Krebs model for hydrocyclones
dimensioning and the models of Lynch and Rao and Plitt and Nageswararo for simulation and
optimization (Gutiérrez & Sepúlveda, 1986). However, many of these approaches present their own
disadvantages, such as: (i) experimental data over-fitting; (ii) results or parameters without any
physical sense; and (iii) lack of parameters adaptation in the P80 estimation to compensate for the
effect of faulty/wrong measurements or to incorporate changes in the grinding system operating
conditions.
In this sense, particle filters (PF) have proved to be useful when trying to represent uncertainty in
nonlinear filtering process (Olivares et al., 2013). The choice of sequential Monte Carlo methods,
a.k.a., particle filters, is due to its notable ability to combine available process measurements and
analytic/empirical models. Therefore and considering the significant contribution of particle filter
algorithms to the implementation of filtering frameworks, it is deemed necessary to present a
summary of the main aspects associated to the formulation of particle-filtering-based estimation
models, which follows next.

Particle Filtering-based estimation framework for dynamic nonlinear systems

Nonlinear filtering is defined as the process of using noisy observation data Y  { yk , k  N } to
estimate at least, the first two moments of a state vector X  { xk , k  N } governed by a nonlinear
dynamic, non-Gaussian state-space model (Orchard & Vachtsevanos, 2009). From a Bayesian
standpoint, filtering procedures intend to generate an estimate of the posterior probability density
function (PDF) p ( x k | y 1:k ) for the state, based on the set of received measurements. Particle Filtering
(PF) is an algorithm that tries to solve this estimation problem by efficiently selecting a set of N >>1
particles { x k( i ) } i  1 N and weights { w k( i ) } i  1 N , such that the state PDF may be approximated by the
empirical distribution:

 k ( xk )   w k  ( x k  x k );
N (i) (i)
(1)
i 1
N

  1 and the values of the particles weights w k  w ( x k ) can be computed by:

(i) (i) (i)
where wk
i 1

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 (i) (i) (i)
p ( y k | x k ) p ( x k | x k 1 )
w ( x k )  w k 1   i  {1, ..., N }
(i) (i)
(i) (i)
(2)
q k ( x k | x k 1 )

where q k ( x k ) denotes the importance sampling density function. The most basic sequential Monte
Carlo implementation – the sequential importance sampling (SIS) particle filter – computes the
value of the particle weights w 0:( it) , by setting the importance density function equal to the a priori
state transition PDF p ( x t | x t 1 ) ; i.e., q t ( x 0:t | x 0:t 1 )  p ( x t | x t 1 ) . In that way, the weights for the newly
generated particles are evaluated from the likelihood of new observations. The efficiency of the
procedure improves as the variance of the importance weights is minimized. Further detail about
this powerful technique can be found in (Orchard & Vachtsevanos, 2009).

MODELING OF P80 IN HYDROCYCLONES OVERFLOW

Inspired by classical models presented in (Gutiérrez & Sepúlveda, 1986) and particularly by the
work of (Arterburn, 1982), this work aims at generating a structure that is able to estimate the
particles size distribution in the hydrocyclone overflow based on adjustment factors, which in turn,
seek to capture the phenomenology of the classification process in combination with empirical data.
In (Arterburn, 1982) hydrocyclone geometric variables, such as diameter, inlet area, vortex finder,
apex and height of the equipment, are correlated with the operational characteristics of
grinding/classification circuit design for the calculation of a certain desired size distribution
( P 8 0 b a se ). Thus, as a first approximation, the following expression can be obtained:

P 80  P 80 base (3)

where P 8 0 b a se is measured in microns and as mentioned, its resulting value will depend on
specific and particular plant design criteria.
However, the average grinding sizes can vary depending on the characteristics of the comminution
equipment and mineral properties, affecting thus, the classification operation. For this reason and to
correctly characterize these changes, the introduction of correction factors is needed.
In this sense, it is well known the influence of the solids percentage in the particles classification
and size distribution of the hydrocyclone overflow. Another factor of great impact is the influence
of the pressure drop that affects both the energy requirements and equipment wear rates. In
summary, (Arterburn, 1982) proposes a structure of an standard hydrocyclone configuration to
achieve the desired particle size. Along this line, the present work seeks to incorporate other factors
by considering the classification performance as a result of primary and secondary grinding
processes.
By modelling the effect of primary grinding (especially SAG Mill performance) over the P80 using a
PLS algorithm (SCAN, 2013), it is possible to analyze its coefficients to determine and weight the
impact of its input variables, as shown in Figure (2).
From here, it is clear that the variables having a greater influence in the P80 are throughput, current
draw and the fines percentage (less than 1¼” ore feed size) that enters the SAG mill. Consequently,
two new factors are incorporated: on one hand, by combining the effect of throughput and the
current draw of the SAG mill, an adjustment coefficient (associated with the specific energy
consumption (SEC SAG) and in units of [Ah/ton]) is generated, capturing thus, the effect of the

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grinding media in the size reduction process and, on the other hand, there is a significant influence
of the fine feed size to the SAG mill, as this has a direct effect on both the operational performance
and the slurry viscosity of the SAG mill and consequently, to the amount of throughput to the ball
mill.

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2
Weigths

0.1

-0.1

-0.2
Throughput SAG mill level Weight Speed Current Water Fines SAG Feed Size F80 Noise Level

Figure 1 Influence of SAG Mill operating parameters in the P80 estimation using PLS modelling

Regarding the influence of the secondary grinding, the aforementioned variables (pressure and
solids percentage in the hydrocyclone feed) by being controlled ones, are in turn affected by other
variables such as pump box level, number of open hydrocyclones, pump speed and volumetric
flow. Nevertheless, the effect of the specific energy consumption in the ball mill (SEC BM) for size
reduction, as well as the effect of the circulating load ratio (CLR) are not mentioned, but they are
included in the P80 estimation model. Therefore, with the inclusion of the adjustment factors,
equation (3) takes the form of the following equation:
6

P 8 0  P 8 0 b a se   C i ( x i ) (4)
i 1

where C i ( x i ) is associated with correction factors shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Correction Factors

x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6

Variable Pressure Solids SEC BM CLR SEC SAG Fines

Unit [psi] [%] [Ah/ton] [%] [Ah/ton] [%]

In order to determine the effect of each factor on the size distribution and due to the nonlinear
relationship of the variables with the P80, a potential function is considered for its construction.
i
C i ( x i )  ( i  x i )  i  {1, ..., 6} (5)

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where the  parameter is a normalization value associated with a nominal operating point. The
second parameter,  , indicates the direction and proportional magnitude of the variable to P80,
which can be determined empirically. Therefore, equation (4) can be rewritten as follows:
6
i

P 8 0  P 8 0 b a se   ( i  x i ) (6)
i 1

Once the base model to estimate the real-time P80 is defined, it is necessary to generate a
framework to incorporate information from the actual process and to adapt to noisy observations,
which are intrinsic to the process of comminution.

ADAPTIVE ESTIMATION FRAMEWORK FOR P80

As shown in the preceeding theoretical background, modelling of the particle size distribution in
the hydrocyclone overflow can be addressed in many different ways. For instance, in equation (6), a
nonlinear model based on factors to estimate the P80 is shown. However, this model is a static one
and does not feature an adaptive behavior, which would allow it to adapt to operational changes or
would enable it to incorporate useful information, as provided by lab analysis or some other size
distribution measurement device. In the following section a novel approach is presented, based on
particle filters, which makes use of equation (6) and continuously adapts its estimate based on
incoming new observations from the lab. In addition, to exemplify the use of the proposed
approach and assuming steady-state conditions, its implementation is illustrated for the
grinding/classification process at Minera Los Pelambres.
Figure (2) shows the grinding process diagram of line 1 at Minera Los Pelambres, consisting of one
36x17ft SAG Mill (20.000 [HP]), two ball mills (MB4 and MB5) of 21x33ft (10.500 [HP]) and two
GMax33 hydrocyclone batteries (14 units each). Each battery is accompanied by its respective
variable speed slurry pump and pump-box. The final product of line 1 comminution process is the
sum of the slurry flows coming from the overflow of each hydrocyclone battery. It is in this
composite flow where P80 lab samples are taken every two hours and estimates are made. As it
currently is, this measurement does not provide the individual size distribution coming from each
battery. Of course, this condition is a critical requirement for improving the classification process
and hence, the overall control strategy of the secondary grinding.
It is precisely in this case where it can be fully appreciated the value of a P80 estimator that
combines the phenomenological modelling of the grinding/classification process with the signal
adapting characteristic which is being fed by the continuous incoming new and reliable lab results
information. With this purpose in mind and because of its ability to consider sources of non-
Gaussian uncertainty and nonlinear dynamic state-space models, a scheme based on the properties
of the particle filtering is presented. The proposed framework is shown below:

State transition model:


6

 P 8 0 j ( k )  P 8 0 b a se   C i ( i  x i ( k ))   ( k )  w j ( k )
i

 i 1 (7)
  ( k  1)   ( k )   ( k )

Measurement equation:

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  j
 j (k )  P80 j (k )
P 8 0 la b ( k )   v(k ) (8)
 j
 j (k )

where P 8 0 j is a state representing P80 value at the output of each battery, in this case
j  { M B 4, M B 5} given the configuration of line 1 (see figure (2));  is a non-observable state
associated with an unknown model parameter that is required to explain temporary differences
with the expected behavior (which are basically and specifically, attributed to the laboratory P80
sampling procedures); P 8 0 la b is the P80 measurement as calculated by the lab; w j ,  are non-
Gaussian process noises representing uncertainty on the a priori state estimates and v is measured
noise.  parameter is a ratio representing the contribution of each battery in the final composite
slurry flow processed by line 1 milling/classification process, where the condition that   j  1
n

must be met and whose values can be calculated by the ratio between the flow feed to each
hydrocyclone battery as shown below:

feed M B 4
MB 4  ;
feed M B 4  feed M B 5
(9)
feed M B 5
MB5  .
feed M B 4  feed M B 5

where fe e d M B 4 and fe e d M B 5 are feed flows of each hydrocyclone battery associated to MB4 and
MB5 ball mills, respectively. This approach allows providing continuous estimates not only when
both mills are operating, but also when only one mill is contributing and the other one is not
available (for whatever reasons).

Figure 2 Process flow diagram of the grinding and classification circuit, line 1

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It should also be noted that, even in the absence of new lab measurements, the proposed scheme
continues estimating the values of P80 in the overflow of each hydrocyclone battery, which goes to
validate the availability and robustness of the proposed approach. However, and as expected, the
 state value will not be updated and adjusted to new lab measurements and over time, will
increase the uncertainty in the estimates. Despite the above, it has been experimentally observed
that the estimates are still robust and valid as long as there are no drastic changes in the operating
conditions or in the ore characteristics.

VALIDATION OF A PF-BASED P80 ESTIMATION FRAMEWORK

Through PF-based P80 estimation algorithm and using (7)-(8) as state dynamic equations to
describe the hydrocyclones classification process, the models are implemented and tested at Minera
Los Pelambres for line 1 and line 2 at its grinding/classification circuits. In this section, the results of
validating the proposed scheme using real data of line 1 of the grinding plant are presented.
Figure (3) shows the real-time estimation of the non-observable states of the size distribution, P80,
at MB4 and MB5 ball mills hydrocyclone battery outputs. These results are achieved with the
application of the PF-based framework and, because calculating and monitoring real-time signal
evolution becomes feasible now, it allows for the implementation of advanced control strategies
that search for the appropiate setpoints (for example, for the pressure and the solids percentage of
the hydrocyclone battery feed) in order to accomplish the required particle sizes (Henríquez, Silva
& Jiménez, 2012).

350
Estimated P80 MB4
300

250
P80 [um]

200

150

100
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
N° Observations

350
Estimated P80 MB5
300

250
P80 [um]

200

150

100
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
N° Observations

Figure 3 P80 estimate signals associated to ball mill MB4 and MB5

In addition to the previous results, and once the P80 at the output of each hydrocyclone battery is
obtained, it is possible to back-calculate the composite estimated signal for the line and compare it
with the corresponding lab result, verifying thus empirically, the proposed framework
performance. See figure (4).

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 350
Observed P80
Estimated P80

300

250
P80 [um]

200

150

100
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
N° Observations

Figure 4 Comparison of P80 observed signal and P80 estimated signal for a period from October 2013
to April 2014 (RMSE = 19.94)

There is a clear emerging pattern that proves that the classification process variability is indeed,
captured. Nevertheless, there are some differences, due to the noisy nature of the measurements
and the presence of other slurry inputs and outputs which are not accounted for in the model (due
to the absence of flow measurements coming from the other two grinding circuits, line 2 and line 3),
which should eventually, be corrected. In fact, the effect of phase differences was also studied
during the model implementation, but no better performance was observed. Analog results are
obtained for line 2 of Minera Los Pelambres grinding plant.

CONCLUSIONS AND COMMENTS

This paper presents and validates a novel estimation model that enables the implementation of
particle-filtering-based framework for P80 in hydrocyclones overflow. The proposed model starts
on classical structures found in the literature that consider geometric hydrocyclone design criteria
to obtain the desired particle size and incorporates then, adjustments factors to account for the
effect of critical variables in the particles separation process. This proposal considers six factors to
be the most important ones: the pressure and solids percent at the hydrocyclone feed; specific
energy consumption of the ball mill and the SAG mill; fine feed size distribution to the SAG mill
and ball mill circuit circulating load ratio. Then, taking into account the constant variations in the
operating conditions of the milling process, an adaptative scheme that minimizes the differences
between the estimation and measurement values is added.
The effectiveness of the proposed model has been tested and put to work at Minera Los Pelambres
using real data from the grinding/classification plant. Results show how the framework of the
adaptative estimation satisfactorily accomplishes the goal of monitoring accurately the P80 of each
hydrocyclone battery output and, at the same time, achieving a faithful characterization of the
particle size variability of the whole of the grinding line.

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As a future work, it is considered to improve the performance of the estimation framework by
incorporating more phenomenological aspects in the construction of the estimation model for the
P80, such as the effects of mineral hardness and wear rates of major equipment (SAG mill, ball mill
and hydrocyclones).

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