Experiences and Lessons with Advanced Control Systems for the SAG Mill Control in Minera Los Pelambres

Daniel A. Silva*, Luis A. Tapia** *Senior Control Eng., Automation Department, Minera Los Pelambres, Choapa, Chile (4001 Apoquindo Ave., 18th Floor, Santiago, tel.: +56-2-7983609; e-mail: dsilva@pelambres.cl). **Concentrator Operations Superintendent, Minera Esperanza,Antofagasta, Chile (2670 Vitacura Ave., 6th Floor, Santiago, e-mail: ltapia@mineraesperanza.cl)

Abstract: After some years of applying diverse advanced control systems by using self-developed automation schemes, vendor expert systems, university-developed systems or a combination of such, a number of lessons regarding the need for such systems, their areas of applicability as well as their key performance indicators emerge as general guidelines to be used in future developments in Minera Los Pelambres. Their main characteristics, capabilities and limitations as well as our experience with them are also presented. As a conclusion, the main factors that determine success (or failure) of advanced control strategies are discussed. The different technological approaches implemented are discussed further and a case study for optimizing SAG mill operation is also presented. This paper discusses the needs of advance control technologies and strategies in the mining industry, including the impact of these technologies on best practices for their implementation, their operation and long term sustainability. Keywords: Expert systems, fuzzy logic, MPC, variability. - What is the implementation effort and the corresponding support effort? A successful system depends heavily on the implementation time (which should be minimal), degree of complexity of such implementation (regarding programming, configuration, fine-tuning, etc.) and the long-term maintainability of the resulting control strategy. - What measured variables are available or needed and are they reliable over time? Here it is very important to feed the system with good-quality variables or to implement for the missing ones. Also the instrumentation technology has to be reliable, easy to check or calibrate. - What will be the measuring scale of success and the key performance indicators (KPIs) to look for? Even with a statistical approach, performance evaluation is difficult owing to many factors such as continuous changes in the ore feed or the inherent variability of baseline performance capability or the inability to isolate the effect of one change from other simultaneous changes which may be occurring in the process. These indicators could be an economic factor (such as increase in throughput) or a safety factor (such as liner wearout time) or a combination. Some of the answers to these questions are discussed further as the different technologies were tested and their results were recorded and analyzed. Also, for sake of this discussion a brief overview of such technologies for the SAG mill control and their main characteristics is presented.

1. INTRODUCTION In the year 2002, only after two years of start-up of Minera Los Pelambres (MLP), several advanced control systems were first implemented with a varying degree of success. Then, with the arrival of new technologies and the gained process knowledge, new control approaches were (and still are) implemented and tested. As more control solutions continue to arrive it becomes important to share insights and experiences to help clarify and improve SAG mill control. Undoubtedly, using advanced control systems is an advantage over traditional control, but the general perception in the mainstream mineral processing industry that using experts systems is the best alternative (see Bartsch et al., 2008), might prove to be wrong. In order to better evaluate the advantages of any one system and help select the adequate one, several questions must be addressed first. Some of them are: - What is required or what objectives are being looked after? A number of objectives depending on the particular conditions of each SAG mill and ore characteristics arise. This could include maximizing tonnage throughput, decreasing variability, help protect SAG liners thereby maximizing mill availability or limiting power consumption due to power constraints or a combination of anyone of them.

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1.1 SAG mill DCS PID-based regulatory control The first and default implementation consisted of basic PID loops that controlled SAG Weight, Tonnage and Noise control. Limits for the operation of these loops were set by the operators. As an example, the Weight-Tonnage control scheme is presented in Fig. 1.

called an expert system. Its control scheme is presented in Fig.2 and the control strategy deployment is shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 2. Basic Expert Weight-Tonnage-Noise control scheme.

Fig. 1. Basic Weight-Tonnage control scheme. Their advantage is their simplicity, ease of implementation and fine-tuning as they are embedded in any PLC or DCS based control system. They also work well for most controls. Also the set-points and outputs excursion limits are easily defined on the pre-made PID blocks available. When well tuned they perform well for their given role. But their limitations are evident as: - In the SAG control there are multiple interactions between the various variables and they cannot incorporate easily these other effects or variables. - They have no predictive capacity, so response could be slow if the process has slow dynamics. Also, SAG loops have long delays because of slow feeders response (and non-linear) which are not well handled by slow tuned PID controllers. - There is no pre-emptive response to the interaction among other controlled or manipulated variables and no knowledge of time-based dynamics, which means poor disturbance rejection. This usually requires operator intervention. - Usually, the relationship between the feed and weight is both variable and non-linear in nature. Despite these facts, these basic strategies have to be implemented as they are needed for start-ups or other abnormal situation or as a backup when advanced control systems are not available or they are out of service. 1.2 SAG Mill Expert System- based Control Usually, a control software that includes a combination of expert rules, fuzzy logic, crisp rules and sometimes neural nets (so the model can learn the process dynamics and adapt over time to different feed ore sizes and mineral types) is

Fig. 3. Basic Expert Control strategy. In order to respond as early as possible to changing conditions in the SAG, the rate-of-change (ROC) is an important characteristic of SAG mill controlled variables. This requires as a pre-requisite that at least, owing to the noisy nature of the measurements, filters and moving averages be implemented within the DCS. The quality of such signal treatment is very important for the overall performance of any control strategy. The strength of this approach is particularly useful when a single manipulated variable (e.g., SAG mill feed) needs to be manipulated by more controlled variables. It is also relatively easy to combine with logic functions to make special changes to controller mode or variables to respond to a particular event, so full and rich applications can be accomplished. There is some strength in the ease of implementation for instrumental problems detection because statistic tools, history and process knowledge can easily be incorporated to decide when a sensor has a failure and alternative actions can be taken.

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Also, it can take in the experience of the operators in the way a process flow diagram would do. The resulting strategy (although not the programming) can be easily explained to non-expert people. One of the advantages often overlooked is that it standardizes into one set of rules and instructions the diverse and often non-unanimous operating strategies and practices. That alone represents an improvement. Some of the disadvantages are: - Programming. It requires considerable effort and skill and the maintenance of the implemented strategy is limited to the expert engineers of the application due to its complexity. Also, it is not usually well understood by process people that are not familiar with computer programming. - Tuning of the fuzzy sets. It is not easy and a very time consuming task and it normally needs to be tuned by an experienced control engineer. - Process variability. Mill feed is usually highly variable in terms of feed size, grade and hardness. These means developing different set of rules for the different ore types adding to the complexity of the program. - Non predictive. It is difficult to program predictive control so response could and actually is, slow. Again, because of its very nature of measuring the ROC and not keeping knowledge of past control movements of the controlled and manipulated variables, it is more of a reactive controller and so, slow to respond. - Complexity. When used in combination with neural networks it demands extensive use of computing power and due to its intrinsic complexity it becomes a black box with hidden dynamics. This calls for extensive training and testing to insure proper control actions. - Limited response range. Our experience with neural networks and optimizing algorithms showed that they do not handle well large or sudden changes in the ore type or mill feeds. 1.3 SAG mill Mutivariable Predictive Control (MPC) MPC as shown in Figure 4 is an adaptive model-based predictive controller that solves many of the limitations of previous control algorithms. Developing such models includes: - Making step changes on key variables to measure their effect. This can be avoided by guessing responses obtained through data-mining of previous SAG historical behaviour or using prior process knowledge. - Obtain a matrix defining manipulated and controlled variables. Although a MIMO (multiple-inputs, multipleoutputs) or MISO (multiple-inputs, single output) models can be obtained for SAG mill control, it is easier to handle the

last ones to avoid hidden gains or unexpected control dynamics. - Testing and fine tuning of the models. This can be accomplished either off-line (by simulators) or by on-line testing. If the models are correctly developed, MPC offers stable solutions (defined and repeatable), they are well understood (i.e., in terms of gains, time constants, variable interactions, etc.) and most important, because the system knows the dynamics and interactions of variables, it can work in prediction as well as feedback mode. Because variability and excursions are reduced, tighter setpoints can be reached and better averages can be reached, thus allowing for more stable operations conducive to consistent and higher throughputs. However, their success will be heavily based on: - Reliable and on-time validated instrumentation data. Actions will be taken based on these measurements so they must be highly accurate and available (e.g., %Fines). These signals must contain significant information that accurately represents the process (amplitude and variability) and adequate filtering must be used. - Short implementation time. Configuration and tuning of the models must be easy and straightforward to shorten the available SAG trial and testing time. Pilot developments or low-level language programming are to be avoided. - In-depth understanding of the process and interactions. This will help improve the model development and will shorten implementation time.

Fig. 4. SAG Mill MPC strategy diagram. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTROL STRATEGIES AT MLP Some of the highlights on the theory and the deployment of three control strategies at MLP are discussed further as examples on the actual use of both expert systems and MPC.

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2.1 Expert System Control Review Its implementation included the use of a built-in supervisory control based on expert rules combined with fuzzy logic and statistics. Using operator experience the fuzzy sets were defined first (what is HIGH WEIGHT or FAST SPEED ROC, etc.) and then tuned. As shown in Figure 3 several validations, calculation steps and determination of the actual operational conditions precede the actual control. Depending on the obtained conditions they are executed in the following priority: - Emergency rules. They override any other condition and have a priority of execution. If two or more simultaneous emergency conditions are determined, the one that comes first in the queue will be executed. Once it is solved, the next one will be attended and solved and so on. This calls for a careful arrangement of the rules within the program. - Process rules. If no emergency conditions are present they are executed next and their purpose is to keep within acceptable limits the key variables. Again, in case of conflict, there is precedence and priority within them. For example, HIGH WEIGHT will be more important than HIGH SOUND. Another example is given in the following table. Table 1. Example of SAG Weight Fuzzy Control

the incoming ore to the SAG mill. It basically, recommends changes to the target set-points that are used to take the process closer to optimal operation points, thus helping maximize key performance indicators.

Fig. 5. SAG Virtual Geologist Screen for Grindability Index. The advantages of this approach are that is not needed to have a pre-defined optimization function or model and that it self-regulates towards maximum throughput. 2.3 MPC Review After the implementation of an Expert System and due to ore changes, a new step was given trying to find a better control technology. The chosen and implemented strategy was MPC and the one selected was derived from a very robust adaptive model-based predictive control algorithm summarized in the following paragraphs.

- Optimization rules. If none of the preceding are present then these are executed. They are similar to process rules, but their actions are much softer as the process is already on or close to target. Then it is possible to take key variables to optimal desired values. Of course, any of these actions must then be de-fuzzified and transformed into crisp output variables (namely, process setpoints). 2.2 Expert System Virtual Geologist A special fuzzy-based optimization strategy was devised called Virtual Geologist- which defines a Grindability Index for the incoming ore based on the performance of a selected group of variables. This can be seen graphically in Figure 5. It acts much in the same way as a group of process experts based on their particular field of expertise - would classify

2.3.1 Basic Equations The selected one is an adaptive model-based predictive controller that has its origins in the work of Zervos and Dumont (1988). Use of a state-space model derived from the Laguerre orthogonal basis functions allows for adaptive control without the need to know process order or the time delay in advance. Laguerre basis functions are defined by:

Li (t ) = 2 p

exp( pt ) d i 1 i 1 t exp( 2 pt ) (i 1)! dt i1

(1)

Li is the ith Laguerre function and p is a scaling parameter.

Each Laguerre basis function is a polynomial multiplied by a decaying exponential; so these basis functions make an excellent choice for modelling transient behaviour as they are similar to transient signals. For use in modelling processes, these functions are written in the form of a dynamic system.

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With appropriate discretization (assuming straight lines between sampling points), the orthogonality of the basis functions is preserved in a discrete time model of the form:

2.3.2 SAG Mill MPC Implementation As shown in Figure 4, three independent but inter-related MPC loops were utilized with their selected feed-forward (FF) and feed-back variables. Quick tests were run to determine things as dead-times, time-constants and process gain making the total implementation time from model development to on-line operation less than three weeks work. The interface to the DCS system was done using OPC (OLE for Process Control) technology. Its actual architecture shown in Figure 6 permits the open integration and simultaneous interaction of DCS, Expert System and MPC (and others).
MPC Application PC OPC Calc Expert System OCS

x k +1 = Ax k + bu k y k = cx k

(2a) (2b)

u is the input variable, which is adjusted to control the process variable y . x is the nth-order Laguerre state. The subscript k gives the time index in terms of number of controller update steps. The matrices A and b , of appropriate dimension, have fixed values derived from the Laguerre functions. Values of the matrix c are adjusted to match process model predictions to actual plant behaviour. The dimension n gives the number of the Laguerre basis function and the algorithm uses n=15, which has proven to be enough to model almost any industrial plant behaviour. Model adaptation is executed in real time following the recursive algorithm of Salgado et al. (1988).
Using the model equations, the value of the input variable that brings the process to set point (SP) d steps in the future can be calculated. This equation is the basic control law:

Server

uk =

SPk + d y k c A d I x k c A d 1 + + I b

(3)

Bailey DCS

where I is the identity matrix. As with most predictive control strategies, implementation involves calculating and executing the new control output, waiting one controller update period, and then repeating the calculation. Equations (2) and (3) give only a basic adaptive model-based predictive controller. Extensions are needed so that this controller can be applied to control problems that include common industrial process complications. The effects of feed forward variables may be modelled by building state equations, analogous to (2a), for the feed forward variables, and including the feed forward states in the process output equation (2b). It is then straightforward to re-derive the control law (3) based on the extended process model equations. Use of the Laguerre model (2) implicitly assumes selfregulating process behaviour. If the process exhibits integrating behaviour, such as SAG mills can exhibit at high loads, the model must be altered so that the Laguerre state gives the change in the slope of the process response rather than simply the process response and a disturbance component must be added. The feedback control law is then derived based on the Laguerre modified model. Finally, MIMO processes may also be modelled by a Laguerre state-space system. However, in the multivariable case it is preferable to derive the control law by minimizing a cost function such as in the generalized predictive control of Clarke et al. (1987), rather than using the d-steps ahead approach.

Fig. 6. The integration of systems involved in the SAG mill control solution. The MPC module consisted of two parts: one is the MPC algorithm itself with its control loops and modelling and trending functions and the other is the OPC calculator module (a third-party software) which runs libraries of equations at fixed intervals of time and also validates data, sets limits and performs watchdog functions (indicating that all control loops and hardware are healthy and communicating). By using the OPC module for this additional signal processing and calculation, changes to the program could be made more quickly, easily and with less risk to plant operation than if this work was done within the DCS. Also, it helps to minimize the complexity of the DCS program. In order for OPC calculator, MPC and Expert modules to pass information between each other, alias tags were created in the OPC Server serving as Read/Write blocks shared between the applications. 3. RESULTS Table 2 summarizes the statistics for the cases with and without MPC control. During the period tested, mill feed rate increased with increases in mill power draw, power draw increased with increases in mill speed, torque, and the total mill charge volume all decreased with increases in mill speed (all of which contributed to grinding efficiency at or near the "sweet spot"). Mill speed was kept within a narrow range and mill feed rate is controlled to smoothed variation of weight in the normal manner.

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Table 2. Preliminary Statistical Plant Results

As such, any advanced control strategy can be best seen as if its main objective is to reduce variability, both in operational practices (by means of standardizing) as well as in the key process variables. Thus, it is not properly an optimizing, but a stabilizing control. Now, if such control is well developed and implemented, it will bring as a result, a close-to-optimalpoint control. Considering the above, it is the authors proposition (as well as Jonas, 2008) that regarding SAG mill control the best results are obtained by the use of Multivariable Predictive Control only if an easy, affordable, fast-to-implement (no pilot developments), standardized and underlying-robust control is available. Moreover, the mining industry can improve economical results by adopting more and better almost-off-the-shelf advanced control solutions such as the one shown and discarding other technologies that deliver fewer benefits and are less reliable. Again, the work done suggests that variability is one of the main factors to look for when a decision on advanced control technology is to be made. Actual process variability must be measured and predictions on its possible reduction must be transformed into performance KPIs and then they must be compared against actual results and implementation costs. Ultimately, as far as the mining industry is concerned; the chosen solution must prove to be of some economic benefit, standardized and reliable to be sustainable. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to thank Minera Los Pelambres for permission to publish this paper. They further wish to acknowledge the knowledgeable support and commitment of PhD. Mike Forbes of Andritz Automation and its product BrainWave Control. Thanks also to all Concentrator Operations group at Minera Los Pelambres for their patience and contributions to the success of this project and for letting us perform the required but unavoidable tests. REFERENCES Bartsch, E., Comeau, G., Hardie, C. (2008). Evolution of SAG mill process control at the Xstrata Nickel Raglan operation. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Meeting of The Canadian Mineral Processors Conference-2008, 445464. Ontario, Canada. Clarke, D.W., Mohtadi, C., and Tuffs, P.S. (1987). Generalized predictive control - Part I. The basic algorithm, Automatica, Vol.23, No.2, 137-148. Jonas, Robert K. (2008). Advanced control for mineral processing: better than expert systems. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Meeting of The Canadian Mineral Processors Conference-2008, 421-443. Ontario, Canada. Salgado. M.E., Goodwin, G.C., and Middleton, R.H. (1988). Modified least squares algorithm incorporating exponential resetting and forgetting, Int. J. Control, Vol.47, No 2, 477-491. Zervos, C.C., and Dumont, G.A. (1988). Deterministic adaptive control based on Laguerre series representation. Int. J. Control, Vol.48, No.6, 2333-2359.

It is also interesting to note that not only the key mean values increased (or decreased) favourably, but their standard deviations also decreased. This accounts for the better control and the consequent reduction in variability. The power draw proved being a variable to be excursionlimited or supervised rather than a controlled one. It is an indirect outcome of manipulating feed, weight, water, speed and adequate ball charge. As such it can be used as a KPI to indicate for the effectiveness of the control and/or operational actions. Finally, although not measured, it was observed a better overall performance on the SAG liners life duration, less overload events and faster start-ups. 4. CONCLUSIONS It has been proved that reliable and cost-efficient OPC-based control is feasible if process time constants are long enough compared to communication delays, thus allowing the model to absorb them. This was the case for the SAG mill. Also, based on the results obtained, a combination of expert systems based on robust MPC proved to be an optimal solution to handle supervisory as well as advanced predictive control. The implemented MPC, with more than fifteen years of industrial success in other-than-mining areas, verified the effectiveness of adaptive model-based predictive control algorithms for SAG mill control. And although, the purpose of its implementation was not optimizing, but to stabilize the key process variables by predicting the process behaviour under the influence of primary and secondary variables, it brought as a consequence that the process and its operation were stabilized also. This in turn, indirectly optimizes operation. In other words, as a result of applying efficient stabilizing strategies, the process was indirectly optimized and not because optimization functions or on-line models were applied. Also, it has been demonstrated that because of the adequate and intelligent process-variables control and the resulting reduction in variability, it brings about an opportunity for more optimization, such as the case for the virtual geologist shown.

IFACMMM 2009. Via del Mar, Chile, 14 -16 October 2009.