Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.1
2.2
Journals
Minerals
Special Issues
Process Modelling and Applications for Aggregate Production
share announcement

Process Modelling and Applications for Aggregate Production

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 3079

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gauti Asbjörnsson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
Interests: steady-state and dynamic process simulations; unit and process optimization; crushing and screening modelling; aggregates; data science; environmental product declarations and operator training
Dr. Kanishk Bhadani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
Interests: modeling and simulation; optimization and trade-offs; optimization architectures; data-driven decision making; coarse comminution; aggregates and minerals processing; crushing and screening; digital support tools

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Process modelling is often the foundation for decision making regarding process design, configuration, and production planning. Currently, steady-state modelling is the dominating simulation approach. However, there is more diversity in the field, including time-dependent dynamics simulations, discrete event simulation, different hybrid simulation machine learning and more. The process can be simulated as a stand-alone application or with a third party software as software-in-the-loop. Applications of process simulations can include process evaluation, debottlenecking, production planning, optimization, control and operator training, etc.

This Special Issue of Minerals aims to gather the most recent advances in research and application using process modelling and simulations for improved process understanding and performance. We would like to invite researchers in this field to submit their research papers, review papers, and communications related to Process modelling and applications in aggregate production.

Dr. Gauti Asbjörnsson
Dr. Kanishk Bhadani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • steady-state simulation
  • dynamic simulation
  • discrete event simulation
  • hybrid simulations
  • machine learning
  • software-in-the-loop
  • operational calibration and validation
  • process control
  • process optimization
  • process evaluation
  • KPI
  • debottlenecking
  • aggregates
  • course comminution
  • classification
  • materials handling

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 4966 KiB  
Article
Influence of Particle Shape and Size on Gyratory Crusher Simulations Using the Discrete Element Method
by Manuel Moncada, Christian Rojas, Patricio Toledo, Cristian G. Rodríguez and Fernando Betancourt
Minerals 2025, 15(3), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15030232 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 115
Abstract
Gyratory crushers are fundamental machines in aggregate production and mineral processing. Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations offer detailed insights into the performance of these machines and serve as a powerful tool for their design and analysis. However, these simulations are computationally intensive due [...] Read more.
Gyratory crushers are fundamental machines in aggregate production and mineral processing. Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations offer detailed insights into the performance of these machines and serve as a powerful tool for their design and analysis. However, these simulations are computationally intensive due to the large number of particles involved and the need to account for particle breakage. This study aims to investigate the effect of particle shape and size distribution on the performance of a DEM model of a gyratory crusher. The selected study case corresponds to a primary gyratory crusher operating in a copper processing industry. As particle shapes, spheres and polyhedrons are used with a particle replacement scheme. This study utilizes two different size distributions, with variations also applied to the minimum particle size. The results are analyzed in terms of the impact of these factors on the power draw, mass flow, and product size distribution for each of the combinations explained. The findings demonstrate that particle shape primarily influences the product size distribution, whereas variations in particle size distribution have a pronounced effect on power draw, mass flow rate, and product size distribution. Based on the results, recommendations are provided regarding the selection of the minimum particle size. It is concluded that the minimum particle size should not exceed a third of the closed-side setting to ensure accurate and reliable simulation outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Process Modelling and Applications for Aggregate Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 4782 KiB  
Article
Modeling Shapes of Coarse Particles for DEM Simulations Using Polyhedral Meta-Particles
by Felipe de A. Costa, Gabriel K. P. Barrios, Alan P. Fidalgo, Alan A. Arruda Tino and Luís Marcelo Tavares
Minerals 2025, 15(2), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15020103 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 670
Abstract
Particles of selected materials, namely granulite quarry rock and itabirite iron ore, have been characterized regarding their shapes using reconstruction from 2D images and 3D laser scanning. Different levels of simplifications of particle geometry were initially proposed, with optimal fit-for-purpose shapes represented by [...] Read more.
Particles of selected materials, namely granulite quarry rock and itabirite iron ore, have been characterized regarding their shapes using reconstruction from 2D images and 3D laser scanning. Different levels of simplifications of particle geometry were initially proposed, with optimal fit-for-purpose shapes represented by polyhedral meta-particles containing 41 to 90 faces. From the distribution of aspect ratios, a total of 16 groups of shapes have been created. Preliminary validation of the shapes modeled was carried out by comparing bulk density measurements from simulations and experiments for granulite, resulting in very good agreement between the two. Further validation was then carried out by comparison of experiments for a gneiss rock and another itabirite sample to simulations, with good agreement between both. This database provides suitable representation of ore/rock shapes for DEM simulations in the software Rocky. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Process Modelling and Applications for Aggregate Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 11204 KiB  
Article
Trade-Off Curves for Performance Optimization in a Crushing Plant
by Kanishk Bhadani, Gauti Asbjörnsson, Monica Soldinger Almefelt, Erik Hulthén and Magnus Evertsson
Minerals 2023, 13(10), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13101242 - 23 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1620
Abstract
Operational flexibility in an aggregate production process is required to adapt to changes in customer demands. Excessive demand for a particular product fraction can lead to operational alteration wherein re-crushing of the existing larger-sized product fraction is necessary. The choice of re-crushing existing [...] Read more.
Operational flexibility in an aggregate production process is required to adapt to changes in customer demands. Excessive demand for a particular product fraction can lead to operational alteration wherein re-crushing of the existing larger-sized product fraction is necessary. The choice of re-crushing existing product fractions results in feed condition changes to the crusher. One common approach to producing the desired product is by varying the operation settings of a crusher in a crushing plant. However, knowledge of differences in operational performance for changing feed conditions in the circuit is required. This potentially leads to a problem of performance optimization based on the desired target product, available feed material and capability of the crusher. The paper presents an application of a multi-objective optimization method to generate multiple operational settings for the dynamic change in the operation condition in a crushing plant. Controlled experimental survey data with varying feed conditions are used to calibrate the crusher model using an unconstrained optimization problem solved using a gradient-based algorithm (Quasi-Newton method). Trade-off curves between various performance indicators of the crushing plant using a dynamic simulation platform are generated using multi-objective optimization using a non-gradient-based algorithm (genetic algorithm). The results of the application can help the operators and plant managers to make proactive decisions to steer the operation of the crushing plant towards the desired needs of the operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Process Modelling and Applications for Aggregate Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop