Many operations face challenges in determining the quality of their output minerals in the calcination process. From sampling, analysis and reporting, to providing inputs to process control systems, countless problems may emerge – not least of which is the amount of time taken across the entire process.
Operators have a challenging task to interpret the results – balancing the need to take action when necessary, and also disregarding spurious outlier results. Underlying trends only becomes apparent after several sampling-and-analysis cycles.
Custom-built for high temperature processes, the BlueCube High Temperature Analyzer assists operators by empowering them with real-time insights for improved decision-making. By providing real-time quality data process control cycles can be significantly improved.
Benefits
- Low maintenance system.
- Real-time quality
- Modular design for simple installation
- Minimal investment in infrastructure
- Suitable for many high temperature process including explosive or corrosive atmospheres
How it works
High-temperature measurements are achieved by placing a robust optical probe in a strategic position to view the calcined product as it falls out of the kiln. It projects an incident flashing light beam and collects the reflected spectral data in the ultra-violet, visible and infra-red ranges several times per second.
The spectra obtained are compared to the calibrated signature spectrum of the desired product quality. The deviations are then used to generate statistics of readings above and below the target quality typically expressed as a percentage of the total measurements above or below the target.
A selected percentage value may be used as control inputs to the process (for example the firing rate) to achieve the desired product quality consistently in an automated control loop.
Note: The MQi data represents surface mineral compositions (what the probe sees). It is therefore not a rigorous analyser of the whole mineral sample. However, since the heat treatment of mineral particles all pass through the surface, the signature spectrum of the desired mineral quality can be reliably and repeatably reported by the BlueCube High Temperature Analyser.