Robust time-varying thresholds for supervision of valves in a flotation process

Robust thresholds for observer-based residuals are developed for the purpose of detecting clogging in the valves of a flotation process. The observer in the residual generator is a linear model of the flotation process extended with integrators and corrected with a linear feedback term. The integral states in the observer constitute the residual. Contribution to the residual comes not only from the faults but also from uncertainties in measurements, estimates and working point. To avoid false alarms generated by these uncertainties, robust time-varying thresholds depending on the uncertainties are derived. Experiments on a froth flotation process with four cascade coupled tanks are carried out successfully. The data was provided by Boliden Area Concentrator in Boliden, Sweden.