Dynamic simulation as a process control design tool

The evaluation of a process control system for the train loading facility at the new Gordonstone coal mine in central Queensland was performed using the dynamic simulation package, SysCAD. The package simulated both the process and process control strategies. The process involved the reclaiming of coal from two stockpiles to a train via a system of conveyor belts and a bin, and the flood loading of wagons by a chute mechanism. All the necessary process data were collated and used to develop a realistic dynamic model of the process. A series of control strategies was superimposed on the process model and their performances compared. Although all the control strategies satisfied three main objectives, the strategy that minimized the variation in the reclaimers' speed was the simplest and required no tuning parameters. Further simulation studies indicated that the designed bin capacity was suitably sized to cope with any major disturbances in the coal loading process