Two Variable Real-Time Algorithm for Cone Crusher Control

Cone crushers are used in the mineral, mining, and aggregate industry for fragmentation of rockmaterials. Control systems for cone crusher setting (CSS) are widely used to compensate for wearand to protect the crusher. With a frequency converter the eccentric speed in a cone crusher canbe adjusted in real-time. The eccentric speed of the main shaft affects the number of compressionsthe material is exposed to and thus the capacity and the particle size distribution of the product. Byapplying mass-fl ow sensors to the process, a feedback of the different product yields is obtained inevery moment.In this paper, a model and an algorithm are presented. The algorithm takes the incrementallyincreasing CSS into account and compensates for this with a successively changing eccentric speed.In order to implement the algorithm, a monitoring and control system is developed, including theonline algorithm for selection eccentric speed. The different product fl ows from the crushing plantare continuously monitored by mass fl ow meters. The fi tness function is set by the plant managementdepending on production targets and market situation. An earlier developed Finite State Machine(FSM) algorithm is also implemented and evaluated in the system.The developed algorithm has been validated and verifi ed at a crushing plant for aggregates with aproduction of around 400 kton a year. The new algorithm is shown to increase the crushing stagethroughput with 6.9 per cent. The FSM algorithm, on the other hand, increases the throughput with5.3 per cent, which is a confi rmation of the magnitude of its benefi ts demonstrated in an earlierpaper