Fuzzy logic expert system for iron ore processing

The implementation of an expert system for monitoring and control of the No. 4 autogenous mill and spiral circuits at Wabush Mines is described. This process control system incorporated the mill operating expertise of Wabush Mines operating personnel and was implemented to improve spiral iron recovery and mill productivity by: continuously monitoring the mill power draw and ensuring that the mill feed rate is regulated to prevent damage to the mill motor, while simultaneously maintaining the feed rate at or as close as possible to the maximum feed rate determined by the process supervisor; improving control over the spiral density and feed rate; improving control over both the rougher and cleaner wash water; reducing the frequency with which pumps are plugged; and allowing modifications to be made easily and quickly to test various operating strategies. This system was installed using COMDALE/C, a real-time expert system for process control. It was readily accepted by the process operators and produces higher production performance than the other five parallel mill lines at a lower power draw