An On-Line Training Simulator Built on Dynamic Simulations of Crushing Plants

Abstract

Crushing plants are widely used around the world as a pre-processing step in the mineral and mining industries or as standalone processing plants for final products in the aggregates industry. Despite automation and different types of advanced model predictive control, many the processes are still managed by operators. The skill of the operators influences the process performance and thus production yield. Therefore, it is important to train the operators so they know how to behave in different situations and to make them able to operate the process in the best possible way.Different types of models for crushers and other production units have been developed during the years and the latest improvement is the addition of dynamic behavior which gives the crushing plants a time dependent behavior and performance. This can be used as a simulator for operators training. By connecting an Internet based Human Machine Interface (WebHMI) to a dynamic simulator with the models incorporated, an on-line training environment for operators can be achieved.In this paper, a dynamic crushing plant simulator implemented in MATLAB/SIMULINK has been connected to a WebHMI. The WebHMI is accessible via the Internet, thus creating a realistic control room for operators’ training. In the created training environment, the operators can be trained under realistic conditions. Simple training scenarios and how they could be simulated are discussed. Apart from the increased level of knowledge and experience among the operators, the time aspect is an important factor. While a real crushing plant is still being built, the operators to be can already be trained, saving a lot of the commissioning and ramp up time.