AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF THE ORE SUSPENSION SOLID PHASE PARAMETERS USING HIGH-ENERGY ULTRASOUND

Abstract

Context. The authors have solved the urgent problem of controlling automatically the parameters of solid ore suspension aimed for conversion thus increasing the end product quality and facilitating the choice and adhearance to the concentration specifications. Objective. The research aims at developing the method of obtaining operational data as to iron ore characteristics while concentrating, namely distribution of solid pulp particles as to their sizes and estimated grade applying multi-channel ultrasonic measurements. Method. In order to solve the problem of controlling automatically the parameters of solid ore suspension, the authors suggest the method of measuring the intensity of high-frequency bulk ultrasonic waves covering a fixed distance in a measuring chamber containing ore suspension under the influence of ultrasonic vibrations and in case of their absence. The calculated correlations of the measured values make it possible to determine the parameters of solid ore suspension. Besides, while measuring we can observe the formation of gamma-radiation and low-frequency bulk ultrasonic waves in the ore suspension flow. It is possible to measure the intensity of gamma-radiation and lowfrequency bulk ultrasonic waves covering the fixed distance if the measuring chamber contains some reference fluid and the ore suspension flow under ultrasonic vibrations and in the absence thereof. The intensity of ultrasonic vibrations influencing the suspension flow is changed according to the relevant law. Results. The dynamic effects of high-frequency ultrasound provide a theoretical basis and a practical approval of the method controlling the solid phase of iron ore pulps in order to displace the particles of the required grain-size class to the measuring zone and to determine the grade in ore particles. The developed purpose-designed programme realizes a numerical analysis and graphical representation of simulation results of changing solid pulp particle-sizes under the controlled influence of high-energy ultrasonic radiation pressure. Conclusions. The authors have devised the method for controlling the distribution of the grade in crushed ore particle-size classes in the pulp flow by means of measuring the changes in the distribution parameters of high- and low-frequency ultrasonic waves as well as gamma-radiation. The method is different from the existing ones by the fact that in the course of measuring, the crushed ore particles of the required size and density are displaced to the measuring zone by exposing the pulps to the high-energy ultrasound influence thus increasing the measurement accuracy by 0.76%.