Some Aspects of the Optimal Control of the Coal Separation Process

Abstract

A knowledge of changes in quality characteristics of a raw coal feed to a preparation plant is essential for designing of its washing technology and optimum control of the washing processes in order to reduce coal losses. The long-term industrial experiments performed in a group of coal preparation plants, included the measurements of washability curves, ash content, moisture content and calorific value of power small coal. Automatic measurement systems including radiometric ash monitors, microwave moisture meters and calorific value calculators have been applied.The time-variability of washability curves has been estimated on the base of laboratory-analysed coal samples. A statistical analysis of the above parameters has been done. This analysis allows to introduce the short-term prediction methods of coal quality changes. On an example of a coal preparation plant the analysis of washing parameters basing on a computerized simulation model, is presented. Basing on the results of such calculations the optimum control strategy can be evaluated