16th IFAC Symposium on Automation in Mining, Mineral

and Metal Processing

August 25-28, 2013. San Diego, California, USA

Using a Virtual Flotation Process to Track a Real Flotation Circuit

J. Kaartinen**, J. Pietilä*, A. Remes**, S. Torttila*

*Aalto University, Automation and Systems Technology, Espoo, Finland

(e-mail: janne.pietila@aalto.fi, sampo.torttila@aalto.fi)
**Outotec (Finland) Oy, Espoo, Finland
(e-mail: jani.kaartinen@outotec.com, antti.remes@outotec.com)

Abstract: This paper presents a novel way of using a dynamic flotation process simulation environment
for concurrent simulation alongside a real flotation process. The simulation environment is actively
adapted to a real flotation process. This yields new possibilities on the usability of the simulation model.
For example, virtual measurements can be introduced that provide completely new variables or increased
fault tolerance through redundancy. Another option is to provide feedback for the process operators in the
form of textual reports. These reports contain e.g. shift-specific performance indices that can be
compared against reference data. Furthermore, by speeding up the simulation, it is possible to make
prognosis on the effects of different control actions before actually making them.
Keywords: process simulators, operators, process models, adaptation, process automation.

(2006) propose an application of on-line tracking simulator to

1. INTRODUCTION
Froth flotation is a complex process and some parts of it are
still not fully understood. This is mainly due to complex
nature of the physical details of the flotation phenomenon,
and also due to internal circulation loops that are needed for
efficient operation of the process.
One way to increase the knowledge on the flotation
phenomenon, and on the behavior of complex flotation
circuits, is the use of simulation techniques. There are
commercial simulators available, such as Outotec HSC (see
e.g. Roine 2009, Outotec 2013) and JKSimFloat (see e.g.
JKSimFloat 2013), but they are often mainly used as an aid in
designing flotation circuits and process controls. Recently
Bergh and Yianatos (Bergh and Yianatos, 2013) have
described a simulation system that can be utilized in control
design to take into account the changes in feed properties.
However, due to the complexity of the mineral flotation
process it is extremely difficult to develop an off-line
simulator that is highly accurate and could describe a real
flotation process precisely. Recent advances in computing
have made it possible to design dynamic on-line simulators
that can be run in parallel with a real process and adapt the
simulation parameters so that the accuracy of the simulators
can be significantly improved.
There are many applications to such simulators and a
common use case would be to track a variable that is not
directly measurable from the process. One such study has
been published by Jaklic et al. in 2007. They propose a
simulator that can give accurate estimates of steel slab
temperature fields that cannot be directly measured in a
computer controlled hot-rolling process. The simulator is
connected to the process database and current process data is
used to update the simulator. Similarly, Kawaguchi et al.
detect membrane degradation in Polymer Electrolyte
Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC).
This kind of technique can be applied to flotation process as
well so that non-measurable parameters, such as flotation
factors, can be estimated. However, if the simulator can be
run faster than the actual process, new intriguing
opportunities arise. An accurate simulator could be used to
make a prognosis of the future state of the process. When
implemented to a real plant, operators could use the
simulation environment to see the effects of different control
actions in advance and choose the one that is most
appropriate in the given situation.
The research group has previously developed a general
structure of a virtual environment intended for training
purposes in off-line simulation scenarios (Roine et al., 2011).
This work has been continued in order to be able to facilitate
on-line simulations, where the simulation environment is
actively adapted to a real flotation process.
An overview of the simulator setup is given in section 2 and
the application of the simulation system to Pyhäsalmi Mine
copper circuit is described in section 3. Section 4 shows
another use case for the simulator; how the system is utilized
as a stand-alone simulation.
2. PROCESS SIMULATION SETUP
The simulation environment contains all the necessary
components needed for simulating a full flotation circuit (see
Fig. 1). The whole system is further packaged inside a
simulated operating system, i.e. inside a virtual machine. The
structure is similar to the actual flotation process and to the
automation system connected to it. The physical flotation

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software (see section 2.1) and the process is connected to the
automation system via programmable logic controllers
(PLCs), just as in real life. The PLCs are also virtualized by a
custom made logic emulator (see Roine et al., 2011).
Fig. 1. Components of the simulation setup.
Since the simulated process is not a single software package,
but a collection of separate pieces of software each
performing a dedicated task, there must be some way to
synchronize the execution and to transfer the necessary data
between the different components. This is accomplished by
custom made communication software (marked with orange
color in Fig. 1). The idea is similar to routing solution used in
the Internet. Each node in the system is connected to the
central hub acting as the router. The router handles incoming
messages from each node by putting them into queue and
subsequently delivering each message into output queue
based on the desired target address. The messaging protocol
is designed solely for this application.
2.1 Dynamic Flotation Circuit Model
The simulation model of the flotation circuit (i.e. the blue
rectangle in the lower left corner of Fig. 1) was set up as a
property based simulation. It means that the feed material is
described with particles, each of them having their own size
classes, mineralogy and specific gravities. A brief description
of property based simulators for minerals and metals
processing can be found in Lamberg 2010.
Recoveries in the flotation units are modeled based on
flotation kinetic rates for each mineral and size fraction. The
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kinetics are obtained by model fitting them to the plant circuit
sampling data. Calculation of mineral recoveries is based on
compartment model presented by Savassi (2005) in steady
state form. Description of the applied calculation equations
for true flotation, entrainment and froth recovery are
summarized in Roine et al. (2011). True flotation recovery R
(%), with residence time t, for fast-, slow- and non-floating
particles with corresponding flotation kinetic rates (kF, kS and
kNon) and mass proportions of them (mF, mS and mNon) in
steady state is obtained by Equation (1). Here, the recovery
by flotation is calculated dynamically,
4 L srr @I¿
Þ· ç ÞÄ ç
E IÌ E IÇâá Û rA. (1)
5>Þ· ç 5>ÞÄ ç
The Pyhäsalmi copper flotation circuit, shown in Fig. 2,
consists of rougher ± scavenger bank, followed by four
cleaning stages and middling flotation. The average head
grade of Cu was 1.0% with 95% mill recovery in 2012, the
milling feed capacity is roughly 160 t/h (Inmet, 2013). The
dynamic flotation circuit model (Fig. 2) was set up with HSC
Chemistry® 7 Sim simulation module (Roine, 2009, Outotec
2013).
2.2 Simulated PLC and Automation System
If the only target would be to track the real process, one
would get by with a much simpler setup than the one depicted
in Fig. 1. In that setting the logic emulation and the simulated
automation system could be replaced by simply reading
values from the plants automation system. This would
already give many benefits like completely new virtual
measurements and increased fault tolerance, for example.
However, this would not enable accurate prognosis
capabilities.
In order to carry out the prognosis as described in section 3,
the simulated system contains an installation of the
automation system, as well as, a logic emulator realized with
Matlab®. Both the automation system and the logic emulator
are initialized with the parameter values of their real life
counterparts. As the tracking simulation progresses, the
simulated system is kept in check by Matlab® based
adaptation routine, as described in the following subsection.
Once the prognosis capabilities are needed, the simulated
logic and automation system can continue independently.
2.3 Adaptation Scheme to Track the Real Circuit Response
Adaptation algorithms are also coded with Matlab®, and are
thus integrated into logic emulation software. Several
adaptation approaches have been tested and the most
promising ones are currently under investigation. The results
reported in this paper are obtained with a simple
implementation of PID based adaptation. This is a good
starting point for verifying correct operation.
IFAC MMM 2013
August 25-28, 2013. San Diego, USA

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Fig. 2. Dynamic HSC simulation flowsheet of the Pyhäsalmi copper flotation circuit.

The general idea of the adaptation process is depicted in line laser diffraction analyzer), feed tonnage belt scales, and
Fig. 3, where it is shown that some measurements are merely slurry density transmitters.
fed through the adaptation system. These include, for
In addition, the flotation model parameters are updated based
example, the necessary variables describing the changes in
on the plant measurements to track the key measurements e.g.
the ore flow that is fed to the flotation circuit, as they can be
when the ore type is changing. Each flotation stage in the
used directly in the simulation model. The flotation kinetics
model (Fig. 2) has its own flotation kinetic rates. The
rates, however, do not have a direct physical interpretation
recoveries are tracked based on rougher-scavenger response
(i.e. cannot be measured directly) and thus their values have
to the final tails recovery, by manipulating the kinetic factors
to be estimated indirectly in the Parameter Estimator. The
(kF and kS in Eq. 1) of all flotation stages through the circuit.
parameter estimation concept is covered in detail in Pietilä et
The final concentrate Cu grade (%) is tracked by
al. (2013).
manipulating the pyrite kinetics, since it is the major sulphide
mineral tending to recover to the concentrate, thus affecting
to the Cu grade.
The variable pairings for the adaptation are listed in Table 1.
Still, the calculation of the measured recoveries involves
assays of feed F (%), concentrate C (%) and tails T (%)
streams as follows (Wills and Napier-Munn, 2006),
¼:¿?Í;
4 L srr . (2)
¿:¼?Í;

The physical meaning of the fast floating components of the

minerals, listed in Table 1, is related to the particles having
Fig. 3. Principle of the adaptation of the simulator highest degree of mineral liberation in contrast to slow and
parameters for tracking the real process. non-floating particles. This physical property relationship has
been reported e.g. in Welsby et al. 2010.

As mentioned, the model is run with similar feed composition

as the real concentrator plant. The feed mineralogy and
capacity are updated continuously based on plant on-line
elemental assays (XRF analyzer), particle size analysis (on-

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the improvement of the simulation model with regard of the
effects of reagent dosage changes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work reported in this paper is done in the SOREX
project, which is a part of the Green Mining program funded
by TEKES ± the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology
and Innovation. The authors would like to thank Outotec Oyj
and Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy for the fruitful collaboration.
Savassi O.N. (2005). A Compartment Model for the Mass
Transfer Inside a Conventional Floation Cell, Int. J.
Miner. Process, 77, pp. 65-79.
Welsby S.D.D., Vianna S.M.S.M., Franzidis J.-P. (2010).
Assigning physical significance to floatability
components, Int. J. Miner. Process, 97, pp. 59-67.
Wills B.A., and Napier-Munn T.J. (2006). :LOOV¶ 0LQHUDO
Processing Technology, Seventh Edition. Butterworth-
Heinemann, Oxford, United Kingdom.

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