Tag Archives: CycloneSense

Metso Outotec consolidates, adds to minerals and hydromet digital tools with Sense series

Metso Outotec has reorganised its portfolio of intelligent instruments under the Sense series; tools that are designed to solve specific process challenges and enable optimisation for minerals and hydrometallurgical processes.

The market’s most comprehensive portfolio of intelligent instruments is part of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive offering, the company said. Covering the entire flowsheet, Sense series instruments are suited for both new and existing operations.

“Metso Outotec Sense series includes specialised instruments that provide data for analytics and a better understanding of processes,” Veli-Matti Järvinen, Vice President, Automation product group at Metso Outotec, said. “They utilise the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and neural networks for extra insight. These additional tools for process problem solving and data mining can significantly help improve production within customer operations.”

Included in the series are:

Metso Outotec FrothSense+™ – takes flotation optimisation to the next level with the latest technology and capabilities. It has completely new and redesigned software and hardware. It includes the best features from two legacy systems, FrothSense and VisioFroth™, and adds new capabilities such as froth height measurement, history analysis and AI with deep learning algorithms to detect flotation properties.

The new Metso Outotec RockSense™ product family will take comminution optimisation to the next level with better knowledge of particle size distribution (PSD) on the belt, the company says. RockSense consists of a renewed, two-level offering: RockSense 3D and RockSense 2D, formerly known as VisioRock™. They enable online, continuous on-belt coarse PSD. RockSense 3D also adds new capabilities with AI and deep learning algorithms to detect oversized lumps and foreign objects, for example.

Metso Outotec MillSense™ provides online volumetric charge analysis by direct measurement of charge position. It is now available, together with SmartEar™, as a bundle. SmartEar uses sound to give an additional measurement of charge impacts and liner wear. The bundle fuses acoustic, vibration and force sensor information for improved online analytics of mill operations. This enables new ways of optimising grinding performance, according to Metso Outotec.

In total, Metso Outotec intelligent instruments include more than 10 technologies to optimise the mining process:

  • RockSense 2D: An online particle size analyser system for rocks moving on a conveyor belt that uses 2D imaging technology;
  • RockSense 3D: Accurate, continuous on belt coarse particle size distribution and volume flow using 3D imaging;
  • MillSense: Analysis of toe and shoulder position and total volume of the charge. Enables load control and mill optimisation;
  • FrothSense+: New system with best features and capabilities for froth flotation analysis. It adds AI neural network, multiple regions of interest and froth height measurement;
  • CycloneSense™: An online measurement of hydrocyclone air core data enables measuring and visualisation of their performance.
  • LevelSense™: Using electrical impedance tomography, LevelSense improves the slurry level measurement of flotation cells;
  • CarbonSense™: An online measurement of carbon concentration in carbon-in-pulp and carbon-in-leach applications;
  • CellSense™: Tankhouse monitoring system that automatically measures electrolyte temperature and voltage in individual cells;
  • SmartEar: Online impact analyser uses sound to provide additional measurements of charge impacts and lifter/liner wear;
  • VisioTruck™: Advanced vision technology for estimating rock size distribution of mine truck loads;
  • SmartTag™: An innovative system for open-pit and underground mines to track ore from the mine to the processing plant, and beyond; and
  • VisioPellet™: A pellet size-control system that measures the size of green pellets using proven camera technology installed in a pelletising disc or drum.

Metso Outotec gets to the core of hydrocyclone operation

To help ensure continuously optimal hydrocyclone operation, Metso Outotec is introducing CycloneSense™, a smart measurement system that, it says, provides direct, continuous and reliable online monitoring of the hydrocyclone air core.

“In order to optimise the process, hydrocyclones should be run so that the fraction of water returned to grinding is the smallest amount possible,” DSc., Professor Emeritus, Kari Heiskanen, a well-known expert in the field and the author of the book ‘Particle Classification’ says. “In order to do that, you need to know when you are approaching the limit of your hydrocyclone’s coarse discharge rate to avoid going too far and ending up with problems, such as roping,”

He continues: “CycloneSense allows you to see what is happening inside the hydrocyclone and helps to push the limits of the process.”

CycloneSense allows operators to visualise the performance inside the cyclone, facilitating continuous online measurement of the cyclone’s air core shape, size and location based on process tomography, thus helping to find and maintain the optimal operating point for the hydrocyclone, Metso Outotec says. In addition, the measurement system helps to detect and prevent potential problem situations, such as roping, where the slurry is not properly separated and, instead, some of the larger particles are sent to the overflow and directly to the next stage of processing.

Combining CycloneSense with the Metso Outotec PSI® particle size analyser allows easy optimisation of the cyclone cluster and grinding circuit, according to the company. Metso Outotec’s ACT Cyclone Control and Grinding Optimization is designed to take full advantage of the measurement data and to provide significant and continuous benefits to customers.

The CycloneSense measurement system is available for new Metso Outotec hydrocyclones and any existing hydrocyclone installations. As an optional service, Metso Outotec also provides Life Cycle Services with remote monitoring.