Model Predictive Control of an Exothermic Pressure Leach Circuit. Issue 1 (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brooks, K.; Burchell, J.; Pieterse, F.
• Is Part Of: IFAC-PapersOnLine. Volume 50:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 10232
• Page End: 10237
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Advanced process control -- industrial applications of process control -- model predictive -- optimization-based control; Automatic control -- Periodicals; 629.805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2017.08.1273
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8963

Abstract

Abstract: The pressurized Cu-Ni leach at Lonmin Platinum's Base Metal Refinery is highly exothermic with excessive temperatures risking damage to its reactors. Moreover, a study of the reaction kinetics of this leach showed that higher temperatures negatively impact its precious metal recovery. As a result, the production rate of the plant is limited by the rate at which this leach can be cooled and by the quality of its temperature control. Flash cooling was introduced and significantly increased the circuit's cooling potential; however, this modification resulted in circuit's control problem gaining multivariable complexity. We present here a model predictive controller that addressed these multivariable control challenges. Since the introduction of this controller a 9% improvement in the circuit's throughput potential was observed together with a significant increase in its precious metal recovery.