Dense medium suspension density on-line measuring device, system, method

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of heavy medium ore dressing processes, and discloses a heavy medium suspension density on-line measuring device, system and method, which comprises a sampling unit for obtaining a mixed sample containing heavy medium suspension and to-be-separated mineral particles from a material conveying pipeline; a separation unit for separating the to-be-separated mineral particles from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample, obtaining a pure heavy medium suspension sample, and temporarily storing the separated to-be-separated mineral particles; a measuring unit comprising a container and volume and mass detection instruments, which is used for detecting the volume and mass of the material containing the heavy medium suspension sample in the container; and a cleaning / return unit comprising a flushing subunit and a conveying subunit, the flushing subunit is used for flushing each unit after completing a measurement cycle, and the conveying subunit is used for returning the heavy medium suspension sample after completing the measurement to a heavy medium separation main process system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heavy media mineral processing technology, and in particular to an online measurement device, system, and method for the density of heavy media suspensions. Background Technology

[0002] Heavy media beneficiation is one of the core processes in modern mineral processing. Its basic principle is to use a heavy media suspension as the separating medium, creating a density gradient field in equipment such as heavy media hydrocyclones. This causes mineral particles with a density higher than the suspension to settle into concentrate, while those with a density lower than the suspension float to the surface as tailings, thus achieving efficient separation of minerals with different densities. In this process, the density of the heavy media suspension is the most critical process parameter determining the separation accuracy and recovery rate. Its stability and precise control directly affect the concentrate grade, metal recovery rate, and the overall economic efficiency of the production system. Therefore, real-time and accurate online measurement of the heavy media suspension density is a prerequisite for achieving automated process control and ensuring effective separation.

[0003] However, in actual heavy media separation processes, the heavy media suspension and the mineral particles to be separated mix and flow in real time within the main process pipeline, forming a complex solid-liquid two-phase system. Currently, commonly used industrial online density measurement technologies, such as gamma-ray absorption densitometers and differential pressure densitometers, are based on detecting the overall physical properties of the material within the pipeline or container. The sensors cannot distinguish whether the measurement signal originates from heavy media particles or the mineral particles to be separated. When mineral particles of varying densities and sizes flow through the measurement area, their signals are indivisibly superimposed into the final output value. This results in the instrument reading not being the true density of "heavy media + water" required for process control, but rather a "false density" containing interference from unknown minerals. This fundamental flaw directly causes the automatic control system to adjust based on erroneous signals, leading to unexpected fluctuations in the actual working density, and in severe cases, even causing a decrease in separation efficiency and loss of valuable minerals. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides an online density measurement device, system, and method for heavy media suspensions. A sampling unit obtains a mixed sample from the main process pipeline via a bypass, and a separation unit physically separates the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy media suspension based on particle size differences. This allows for direct volume and mass detection of a pure heavy media suspension sample in the measurement unit, completely solving the fundamental problems of existing technologies where sensors cannot distinguish signal sources and measurement values ​​contain mineral interference. Simultaneously, a cleaning / return unit returns the measured material to the main process system undisturbed, ensuring both the independence of the measurement process and achieving material balance. Compared to existing technologies that can only output false densities affected by real-time interference from the mineral particles to be separated, the embodiments of this application can stably output accurate signals reflecting the density of the "heavy media + water" system. This eliminates the root cause of misjudgments in the automatic control system, avoiding process fluctuations and decreased separation efficiency caused by incorrect addition of water or media, and significantly improving the adaptability and control stability of the heavy media beneficiation process under fluctuating ore properties.

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, an online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions is provided, comprising: The sampling unit has its inlet connected to the bypass of the material conveying pipeline of the main process system for heavy media separation, and is used to obtain a mixed sample containing heavy media suspension and mineral particles to be separated from the material conveying pipeline. The separation unit has its inlet connected to the outlet of the sampling unit, and is used to separate the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample to obtain a pure heavy medium suspension sample and temporarily store the separated mineral particles to be separated. The measuring unit has its inlet connected to the undersize outlet of the separation unit. The measuring unit includes a container for holding the pure heavy medium suspension sample, and a volume measuring instrument and a mass measuring instrument installed on the container. The measuring unit is used to measure the volume and mass of the material containing the heavy medium suspension sample in the container to obtain the test results for calculating the true density of the heavy medium suspension. The cleaning / return unit includes a rinsing subunit and a conveying subunit. The rinsing end of the rinsing subunit is set to correspond to the sampling unit, the separation unit, and the measurement unit, and is used to rinse each unit after completing one measurement cycle. The inlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the container outlet of the measurement unit, and the outlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the material receiving pipeline of the heavy media separation main process system, and is used to return the heavy media suspension sample after measurement to the heavy media separation main process system.

[0006] According to another aspect of this application, an online density measurement system for heavy media suspension is provided, comprising: an online measurement device as described in any of the preceding claims, and a control unit electrically connected to the sampling unit, the separation unit, the measurement unit, and the cleaning / returning unit respectively; The control unit is used to control the coordinated operation of each unit according to preset logic; and to calculate the true density of the heavy medium suspension based on the volume and mass data of the material detected by the measurement unit and the volume data of the rinsing water added by the separation unit during the separation of the mixed sample.

[0007] According to another aspect of this application, an online method for measuring the density of a heavy medium suspension is provided, comprising: A first constant volume of mixed sample is obtained from the material conveying pipeline of the heavy medium separation main process system, wherein the mixed sample contains heavy medium suspension and mineral particles to be separated; The mixed sample is fed into a vibrating screen, and the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample are separated according to the particle size difference. At the same time, a second constant volume of rinsing water is added to the screen surface of the vibrating screen during the sieving process to obtain the undersize material and the separated mineral particles to be separated. The undersize material contains pure heavy medium suspension and the second constant volume of rinsing water. Measure the total volume and total mass of the sieve material; Obtain the mass of the flushing water corresponding to the second constant volume, calculate the volume difference between the total volume and the second constant volume, the mass difference between the total mass and the mass of the flushing water, and calculate the ratio between the mass difference and the volume difference, and use the ratio as the true density of the heavy medium suspension; The undersize material after measurement and the separated mineral particles are returned together to the main heavy media separation process system.

[0008] According to another aspect of this application, a storage medium is provided that stores a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method for online measurement of the density of heavy medium suspensions.

[0009] According to another aspect of this application, a computer device is provided, including a storage medium, a processor, and a computer program stored on the storage medium and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the above-described method for online measurement of the density of a heavy medium suspension.

[0010] By employing the above technical solution, this application provides an online density measurement device, system, and method for heavy media suspensions. A sampling unit obtains a mixed sample from the main process pipeline via a bypass, and a separation unit physically separates the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy media suspension based on particle size differences. This allows for direct volume and mass detection of a pure heavy media suspension sample in the measurement unit, completely solving the fundamental problems of existing technologies where sensors cannot distinguish signal sources and measurement values ​​contain mineral interference. Simultaneously, a cleaning / return unit returns the measured material to the main process system undisturbed, ensuring both the independence of the measurement process and achieving material balance. Compared to existing technologies that can only output false densities affected by real-time interference from the mineral particles to be separated, this application's embodiment can stably output an accurate signal reflecting the density of the "heavy media + water" system. This eliminates the root cause of misjudgments in the automatic control system, avoiding process fluctuations and decreased separation efficiency caused by incorrect addition of water or media, and significantly improving the adaptability and control stability of the heavy media beneficiation process under fluctuating ore properties.

[0011] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This paper shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This invention provides a schematic diagram of another online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 This paper shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an online density measurement system for heavy media suspensions provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of an online method for measuring the density of a heavy medium suspension provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the device structure of a computer device provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0013] in, Figure 2 The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows: 1. Sampling device; 2. Buffer tank ①; 3. First volume sensor; 4. First solenoid valve; 5. Vibrating screen; 6. Tilting device; 7. Buffer tank ②; 8. Pressure sensor; 9. Second solenoid valve; 10. Second volume sensor; 11. Slurry pump. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other.

[0015] This embodiment provides an online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes: The sampling unit has its inlet connected to the bypass of the material conveying pipeline of the main process system for heavy media separation, and is used to obtain a mixed sample containing heavy media suspension and mineral particles to be separated from the material conveying pipeline. The separation unit has its inlet connected to the outlet of the sampling unit, and is used to separate the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample to obtain a pure heavy medium suspension sample and temporarily store the separated mineral particles to be separated. The measuring unit has its inlet connected to the undersize outlet of the separation unit. The measuring unit includes a container for holding the pure heavy medium suspension sample, and a volume measuring instrument and a mass measuring instrument installed on the container. The measuring unit is used to measure the volume and mass of the material containing the heavy medium suspension sample in the container to obtain the test results for calculating the true density of the heavy medium suspension. The cleaning / return unit includes a rinsing subunit and a conveying subunit. The rinsing end of the rinsing subunit is set to correspond to the sampling unit, the separation unit, and the measurement unit, and is used to rinse each unit after completing one measurement cycle. The inlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the container outlet of the measurement unit, and the outlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the material receiving pipeline of the heavy media separation main process system, and is used to return the heavy media suspension sample after measurement to the heavy media separation main process system.

[0016] This application provides an online density measurement device for heavy media suspensions, which may include a sampling unit, a separation unit, a measurement unit, and a cleaning / returning unit. First, the sampling unit uses a bypass connection, with its inlet connected to the material conveying pipeline of the main heavy media sorting process system. It periodically or continuously extracts a mixed sample containing the heavy media suspension and the mineral particles to be sorted from the material conveying pipeline. This application embodiment obtains a representative mixed sample via a bypass method, ensuring the authenticity of the sample while avoiding interference with the main process flow during sampling.

[0017] The separation unit is the core component for physical separation. After receiving the mixed sample from the sampling unit at its inlet, it uses a vibrating screen to separate the heavy media particles and the mineral particles to be separated based on their particle size difference. Since heavy media particles are typically finer (micrometers) while mineral particles are coarser (millimeters), selecting a screen with an appropriate aperture ensures that the mineral particles to be separated are retained on the screen surface, while the pure heavy media suspension passes through the screen as the undersize. Simultaneously, a rinsing water addition device sprays rinsing water onto the screen surface during the sieving process. This serves two purposes: firstly, to prevent fine heavy media particles from clogging the screen openings, and secondly, to thoroughly wash away any residual heavy media adhering to the surface of the mineral particles to be separated, thereby obtaining a heavy media suspension sample that is as pure as possible. The separated mineral particles are then temporarily stored on the screen surface for subsequent processing. In one specific embodiment, the vibrating screen surface may be equipped with a barrier to prevent material from overflowing.

[0018] The measuring unit is directly connected to the undersize outlet of the separation unit. It includes a container equipped with a volume measuring instrument and a mass measuring instrument. When the undersize flows into this container by gravity, the volume measuring instrument and the mass measuring instrument measure the total volume and total mass of the material in the container in real time. These two raw data points are transmitted to the control backend for subsequent calculation of the true density of the heavy medium suspension. Here, the undersize is a mixture of pure heavy medium suspension and rinsing water. In a specific embodiment, the volume measuring instrument can be a volume sensor or a level gauge, and the mass measuring instrument can be a pressure sensor or a weighing sensor.

[0019] Since the volume of added flushing water is a known constant, its corresponding mass can be calculated from the density of the flushing water. Therefore, the control backend can accurately deduce the true volume and mass of the pure heavy medium suspension by subtracting the volume of flushing water from the total volume and the mass of flushing water from the total mass, and then calculate its true density, thereby completely eliminating the interference of flushing water on the measurement results.

[0020] The cleaning / return unit consists of a flushing subunit and a conveying subunit working together. The flushing ends of the flushing subunit are arranged corresponding to the sampling unit, separation unit, and measurement unit, respectively. It automatically starts after completing one measurement cycle and uses high-pressure flushing water to clean the residual material on the inner walls of each unit, ensuring the accuracy of the next measurement. The inlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the container outlet of the measurement unit. After flushing, it collects the heavy medium suspension sample that has been measured and the flushing water, and then conveys it back to the material receiving pipeline of the heavy medium sorting main process system through its outlet end. This achieves material balance and non-disruptive coupling between the measurement device and the main process system, avoiding both medium loss and environmental pollution caused by material discharge.

[0021] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, a mixed sample is obtained from the main process pipeline via a sampling unit, and the separation unit physically separates the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension based on particle size differences. This allows for direct volume and mass detection of a pure heavy medium suspension sample in the measurement unit, completely solving the fundamental problems of existing technologies where sensors cannot distinguish signal sources and measurement values ​​contain mineral interference. Simultaneously, the cleaning / returning unit returns the measured material to the main process system undisturbed, ensuring both the independence of the measurement process and material balance. Compared to existing technologies that can only output false densities affected by real-time interference from the mineral particles to be separated, this embodiment can stably output an accurate signal reflecting the density of the "heavy medium + water" system. This eliminates the root cause of misjudgments in the automatic control system, avoiding process fluctuations and decreased separation efficiency caused by incorrect addition of water or medium, and significantly improving the adaptability and control stability of the heavy medium beneficiation process under fluctuating ore properties.

[0022] Optionally, in this embodiment, the separation unit includes: a vibrating screen, the feeding end of which is connected to the outlet end of the sampling unit for receiving the mixed sample; the undersize outlet of the vibrating screen is connected to the container of the measuring unit for conveying the heavy media suspension sample obtained after sieving to the measuring unit; and a rinsing water adding device, the outlet of which is set corresponding to the screen surface of the vibrating screen for adding rinsing water to the mixed sample on the screen surface during the sieving process to assist in the separation of the heavy media suspension from the mineral particles to be separated.

[0023] In this embodiment, the core of the separation unit lies in using a vibrating screen as the physical separation actuator. Its feeding end is directly connected to the outlet end of the sampling unit. After the sampling unit completes the collection of the mixed sample, the mixed sample flows into the feeding end of the vibrating screen through a pipeline by gravity or by conveying. After the vibrating screen is started, the mixed sample is evenly distributed on the screen surface and generates relative motion through high-frequency vibration. Since the heavy medium particles are usually micron-sized fine powders while the mineral particles to be separated are millimeter-sized or larger coarse particles, there is a significant difference in particle size between the two. Therefore, the mineral particles to be separated are trapped on the screen surface, while the heavy medium suspension passes through the screen and becomes the undersize. The outlet of the undersize is connected to the container of the measuring unit, and the heavy medium suspension sample obtained after separation is directly transported to the measuring unit for subsequent volume and mass detection, thereby realizing the physical separation of the heavy medium suspension and the mineral particles to be separated.

[0024] The separation unit also includes a rinsing water addition device. The outlet of the rinsing water addition device is set to correspond to the screen surface of the vibrating screen. During the sieving process, rinsing water is continuously or intermittently sprayed onto the mixed sample on the screen surface. On the one hand, the flow of rinsing water can effectively wash away the residual heavy media adhering to the surface of the mineral particles to be separated, allowing them to pass through the screen with the water flow and enter the undersize material, thereby further improving the purity of the heavy media suspension sample. On the other hand, the rinsing water can dilute the viscosity of the mixed sample on the screen surface, preventing fine heavy media from clogging the screen holes due to adhesion, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the sieving process, and avoiding the decrease in separation efficiency caused by screen hole blockage.

[0025] The separation unit in this embodiment achieves efficient physical separation of mixed samples through the coordinated operation of a vibrating screen and a rinsing water addition device. The vibrating screen utilizes particle size differences to complete the main separation, while the rinsing water assists in fine separation through hydraulic scouring. Under the combined effect of these two methods, the heavy medium suspension sample in the undersize material has high purity and minimal mineral residue, while the mineral particles temporarily stored on the screen are thoroughly washed away, providing a pure sample basis for the subsequent measurement unit to obtain true density data. Simultaneously, the temporarily stored mineral particles are prepared for the return material unit to send them back to the main process. Compared to the existing technology that directly performs overall measurement within the mixed material pipeline, this separation unit eliminates the interference of mineral particles on density measurement at the source through physical stripping, enabling the subsequent measurement unit to directly detect the pure heavy medium suspension, thereby fundamentally solving the problem of false density caused by signal confusion.

[0026] Optionally, in this embodiment, the separation unit further includes: a mineral particle discharge port connected to the container of the measuring unit; and a flipping device connected to the screen body of the vibrating screen, used to drive the screen surface of the vibrating screen to flip after the measuring unit performs volume and mass detection, so as to discharge the mineral particles to be sorted temporarily stored on the screen surface through the mineral particle discharge port into the container of the measuring unit, and to return the mineral particles to be sorted to the heavy media separation main process system through the container.

[0027] In this embodiment, the tilting device is directly connected to the vibrating screen body, allowing the mineral particles temporarily stored on the screen surface after screening to be automatically discharged into the container of the measuring unit through the mineral particle discharge outlet. Specifically, after screening and rinsing with water, a layer of trapped mineral particles accumulates on the screen surface. These particles need to be removed from the screen surface and transported to the container of the measuring unit, then enter the conveying subunit through the container outlet. The conveying subunit returns the measured heavy media suspension sample and the separated mineral particles to the main heavy media separation process system. Manual cleaning would prevent fully automated operation, but the tilting device, through a mechanical connection with the vibrating screen body, can drive the entire screen surface or body to rotate around an axis by a certain angle under the command of the control center. It is important to note that the mineral particles temporarily stored on the screen surface can only enter the container of the measuring unit after the volume and mass of the heavy media suspension sample have been measured in the measuring unit.

[0028] After the measuring unit completes the volume and mass detection of the heavy medium suspension sample, the control backend can send an action command to the flipping device. After the flipping device is started, it drives the screen surface of the vibrating screen to flip from the horizontal working position to the inclined discharge position. The flipping angle can be about 180 degrees. At this time, the mineral particles to be sorted that were originally laid flat on the screen surface will automatically slide off under the action of gravity. With the flushing action of the washing subunit, all the mineral particles to be sorted temporarily stored on the screen surface can be quickly and thoroughly discharged into the container of the measuring unit. These mineral particles to be sorted enter the conveying subunit through the container outlet of the measuring unit, thereby completing the material transfer from the screen surface to the return channel.

[0029] After the mineral particles to be sorted are discharged into the container of the measuring unit, the flipping device drives the sieve surface to return to the horizontal working position, preparing for the sieving and separation of the next measuring cycle. This process is completely executed automatically by the control backend according to the preset timing sequence without manual intervention. At the same time, the design of the flipping device can also take into account the cooperation with the rinsing subunit. During the flipping process, the rinsing water can continuously wash the sieve surface to further ensure that there is no residue on the sieve surface and avoid cross-contamination of samples between different measuring cycles.

[0030] Optionally, in this embodiment, the vibrating screen has an adjustable screen aperture structure, the size of which is set according to the particle size distribution of the mineral particles to be sorted.

[0031] In this embodiment, the screen aperture size of the vibrating screen is not fixed, but can be selected or adjusted online according to actual process requirements. Specific implementation methods include, but are not limited to, replacing screens with different aperture sizes, using an adjustable screen plate structure, or adjusting the screen bar gap through a mechanical mechanism. This adjustability allows the same measuring device to adapt to different mineral types and particle sizes to be separated. When processing coarse-grained ore, a larger aperture screen is selected to ensure effective retention of mineral particles; when processing fine-grained ore, a smaller aperture screen is selected to prevent fine minerals from passing through the screen and contaminating the measurement sample. This achieves flexible adaptation of the separation unit to different operating conditions.

[0032] The sieve aperture size is set based on the particle size distribution of the mineral particles to be sorted. A precise separation boundary is established using the inherent particle size difference between the heavy medium particles and the mineral particles to be sorted, and the sieve aperture size is then determined based on this boundary. Heavy medium particles are typically in the micrometer range (e.g., -325 mesh, less than 0.045 mm), while the mineral particles to be sorted are distributed over a wider particle size range (e.g., 0.5 mm to 50 mm). A significant particle size window exists between them. By setting the sieve aperture size within a reasonable range between the lower limit of the particle size distribution of the mineral particles to be sorted and the upper limit of the particle size distribution of the heavy medium particles, it is ensured that all heavy medium particles pass through the sieve into the measurement unit, while all mineral particles to be sorted are retained on the sieve surface. This achieves complete physical separation between the two, resulting in a truly pure heavy medium suspension sample.

[0033] Furthermore, as a refinement and extension of the specific implementation of the above embodiments, and to fully illustrate the specific implementation process of this embodiment, another online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions is provided, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the device includes: This online measurement device adopts a bypass installation method, operating independently of the main sorting process while still being coupled with it. The device mainly consists of four modules: a sampling unit, a separation unit, a measurement unit, and a cleaning / return unit. The specific structure and connection relationships are as follows: First, the sampling unit. The sampling unit is used to periodically or continuously obtain mixed samples containing heavy medium suspension and mineral particles to be separated from the material conveying pipeline of the main heavy medium separation process system. It includes: Sampling device 1: Its inlet is connected to the material conveying pipeline of the heavy medium suspension and mineral particles, and is used to extract mixed samples from the main process.

[0034] Buffer box 2 (No. 1): Used for temporary storage of the collected mixed samples. The outlet of the sampling device 1 is connected to the inlet of buffer box 2 (No. 1). Buffer box 2 (No. 1) is equipped with a first volume sensor 3 for real-time monitoring of the sample volume inside the box. Buffer box 2 (No. 1) has an outlet at its bottom, which is connected to the downstream separation unit via a pipe. This pipe is equipped with a first solenoid valve 4 for controlling the discharge of the sample.

[0035] Second, the separation unit. The separation unit is used to physically remove the mineral particles to be separated from the sample, obtaining a pure heavy media suspension sample. It includes: Vibrating screen 5: Used for solid-liquid separation based on particle size differences. The discharge port at the bottom of buffer tank 2 (①) is connected to the feed end of vibrating screen 5 via a pipe. The screen surface of vibrating screen 5 is equipped with a fence (not shown in the figure) to prevent material from overflowing. The undersize outlet of vibrating screen 5 is connected to the inlet of buffer tank 7 (②) of the downstream measuring unit via a chute or pipe.

[0036] High-pressure rinsing water equipment: Its nozzles are set above the screen surface of the vibrating screen 5, and are used to add rinsing water to the material on the screen surface during the rinsing process to increase rinsing efficiency and prevent screen blockage.

[0037] In addition, the separation unit also includes a flipping device 6 connected to the screen body of the vibrating screen 5. The flipping device is used to drive the screen surface to flip at a certain angle during the washing and ore discharge step to help the ore particles separated on the screen to be discharged quickly.

[0038] Third, the measurement unit. The measurement unit is used to directly measure the volume and mass of the purified heavy media suspension sample (including rinse water) obtained after separation. It includes: Buffer tank 7 (No. 2): Used to receive and temporarily store the pure heavy media suspension and rinsing water from the undersize material of vibrating screen 5. Its inlet is connected to the outlet of the undersize material of vibrating screen 5.

[0039] Volume measurement device: In this embodiment, a second volume sensor 10 installed on buffer box 7 (number ②) is used to measure the volume of materials in the box in real time.

[0040] Mass measurement equipment: In this embodiment, a pressure sensor 8 (or weighing sensor) installed at the bottom of buffer tank 7 (No. ②) is used to indirectly or directly obtain mass data by measuring the total weight of the material in the tank. The second volume sensor 10 measures the volume V3 of the material in buffer tank 7 (No. ②), and the pressure sensor 8 measures the total mass M1 of the material. The two signals are transmitted synchronously to the control unit for density calculation.

[0041] Fourth, the cleaning / return unit. The cleaning / return unit is used to clean the inside of the device after measurement and return all materials inside to the main process system. It includes: Rinsing water device: Its nozzles are respectively set above the No. 1 buffer tank 2 and the screen surface of the vibrating screen 5, and are used to rinse the inner wall of the No. 1 buffer tank 2 and the screen surface of the vibrating screen 5 during the cleaning process, and flush the residual material into the No. 2 buffer tank 7.

[0042] Tilting device 6: As mentioned above, it is used to assist the discharge of ore over the screen into buffer box ② 7.

[0043] The conveying pipeline is connected at one end to the discharge port at the bottom of buffer tank 7 (No. 2), and at the other end to the feed pipeline of the heavy medium cyclone separator. A slurry pump 11 and a second solenoid valve 9 are installed sequentially on this pipeline to convey all materials (including heavy medium suspension, washing water, and ore) in buffer tank 7 to the main heavy medium separation process system.

[0044] Collaborative working relationship among units: Under the unified control of the control unit (not shown in the figure), the above units automatically complete the entire process cycle of "sampling-separation-measurement-cleaning / returning" according to the preset timing logic, so as to realize the online and accurate measurement of the true density of heavy medium suspension.

[0045] Furthermore, embodiments of this application provide an online density measurement system for heavy medium suspensions, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the system includes an online measuring device as described in any of the preceding claims, and a control unit electrically connected to the sampling unit, the separation unit, the measuring unit, and the cleaning / returning unit, respectively. The control unit is used to control the coordinated operation of each unit according to preset logic; and to calculate the true density of the heavy medium suspension based on the volume and mass data of the material detected by the measurement unit and the volume data of the rinsing water added by the separation unit during the separation of the mixed sample.

[0046] In this embodiment, the online measurement system is built upon the aforementioned online measurement device, and a control unit is introduced on top of it. The control unit establishes electrical connections with the sampling unit, separation unit, measurement unit, and cleaning / returning unit via cables or buses. This connection includes both downlink transmission channels for control commands and uplink feedback channels for status signals and detection data of each unit, thus forming a complete signal closed-loop system. This allows the control unit to monitor the working status of each unit in real time and schedule them uniformly according to a preset program, ensuring that the entire measurement process operates precisely in the sequence of "sampling-separation-measurement-returning".

[0047] On the one hand, the control unit can control the coordinated operation of each unit according to preset logic. Here, preset logic refers to the timing control program embedded in the programmable logic controller or distributed control system. This program decomposes the entire measurement cycle into several sequentially executed action stages: in the sampling stage, the sampling unit is controlled to obtain mixed samples from the main process pipeline; in the separation stage, the vibrating screen and rinsing water addition device are started to complete physical separation; in the measurement stage, the volume and mass detection data of the measuring unit container are read; in the cleaning stage, the rinsing subunit is started to clean each unit; and in the return stage, the conveying subunit is controlled to return the material to the main process. Through this staged timing control, the units cooperate with each other without interfering with each other, realizing the fully automatic unmanned operation of the online measurement device.

[0048] On the other hand, the control unit calculates density based on the volume and mass data detected by the measuring unit and the volume data of the rinsing water added by the separation unit. The measuring unit container actually contains a mixture of pure heavy medium suspension and rinsing water. Therefore, the total volume and total mass directly measured include the contribution of rinsing water. The control unit knows that the volume of rinsing water added by the separation unit is a constant value. Through this known volume, the corresponding rinsing water mass (volume multiplied by rinsing water density) can be calculated. Then, the rinsing water volume is subtracted from the total volume and the rinsing water mass is subtracted from the total mass to obtain the true volume and true mass of the pure heavy medium suspension. Finally, the true mass is divided by the true volume to obtain the true density of the heavy medium suspension.

[0049] Compared to existing technologies that use independent instruments for density measurement and rely on manual or semi-automatic control, this application's embodiment integrates the various units of the online measurement device into a unified automated system through a control unit. This achieves fully automated control of the entire process from sampling to return material, enabling periodic density detection without manual intervention. Simultaneously, the compensatory calculation logic built into the control unit can accurately deduct the volume and mass contribution of the flushing water, ensuring that the final output density value fully reflects the true state of the pure heavy medium suspension. This fundamentally solves the measurement distortion problem caused by the inability to distinguish the signal source in existing technologies.

[0050] Optionally, in an embodiment of this application, the control unit is further configured to control the sampling unit to acquire a first constant volume of mixed sample, and to control the separation unit to add a second constant volume of rinsing water during the separation process of the mixed sample.

[0051] In this embodiment, the control unit precisely controls the sampling unit through preset timing logic to ensure that the volume of the mixed sample acquired in each measurement cycle remains constant. Specifically, when the control unit issues a sampling command, the sampling unit starts and extracts the mixed sample from the main process pipeline. At this time, a volume sensor installed on the sampling unit's buffer box monitors the sample volume in the box in real time. When the volume of the mixed sample reaches a preset first constant volume V1, the volume sensor sends a signal to the control unit, which then issues a stop command to shut down the sampling unit, thereby ensuring that the original sample volume is completely consistent in each measurement cycle. The first constant volume of mixed sample provides stable input conditions for subsequent separation and measurement, making the measurement results between different measurement cycles comparable and avoiding measurement errors caused by fluctuations in the sampling volume.

[0052] The control unit also implements precise quantitative control of the rinsing water addition device in the separation unit. During the sieving and separation process, the control unit sends a start command to the rinsing water addition device according to a preset program and controls it to precisely add rinsing water according to the set second constant volume V2. This process can be achieved by controlling the opening time of the solenoid valve in conjunction with a flow meter or by using a metering pump, etc., to ensure that the volume of rinsing water added to the screen surface is strictly consistent in each separation process. This is because the rinsing water, while assisting in the separation, also becomes part of the undersize material, and its volume and mass will directly affect the measurement results. Only by treating it as a known constant compensation parameter can its contribution to the measured value be accurately deducted in the subsequent density calculation.

[0053] This application embodiment uses a control unit to maintain dual constant control over the sampling volume and flushing water volume, minimizing variables during the measurement process and ensuring high consistency and comparability of data from different measurement periods. Furthermore, by transforming the flushing water from a disturbing variable into a known compensation parameter, a reliable mathematical basis is provided for subsequent compensation calculations. This fundamentally solves the problem of measurement inaccuracies caused by fluctuations in flushing water, significantly improving the repeatability and long-term stability of density measurements.

[0054] Optionally, in this embodiment, the control unit is further configured to receive the total volume and total mass of the material in the container measured in real time by the measuring unit, obtain the mass of the rinsing water corresponding to the second constant volume, calculate the volume difference between the total volume and the second constant volume, the mass difference between the total mass and the rinsing water mass, and calculate the ratio between the mass difference and the volume difference, and use the ratio as the true density of the heavy medium suspension.

[0055] In this embodiment, the true density can be calculated based on the following formula: ; in, M1 represents the true density of the heavy medium suspension, and M2 represents the total mass. V3 represents the density of the flushing water, and V3 represents the total volume.

[0056] Optionally, in this embodiment, the control unit is further configured to determine that the measurement is stable and output the true density value of the heavy medium suspension when the fluctuation range of the true density of the heavy medium suspension obtained in multiple consecutive measurement cycles is less than a first preset fluctuation threshold.

[0057] In this embodiment, the control unit can also execute the following control logic: temporarily store the actual density calculation results of multiple consecutive measurement cycles (e.g., 3 to 5 consecutive times) in a buffer to form a set of time series data, providing a statistical basis for subsequent stability judgment. This can avoid misjudgment by the control system due to accidental fluctuations in single measurement data. In actual industrial environments, even if the actual density of a pure heavy medium suspension is obtained by physical stripping and compensation calculation, the actual density may still fluctuate slightly due to fluctuations in flushing water pressure, changes in the operating conditions of the vibrating screen, or instantaneous disturbances during material conveying. Therefore, the control unit does not immediately output the actual density calculated each time.

[0058] After the control unit completes the accumulation of true density over multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it begins to calculate the fluctuation range of this data. Here, the fluctuation range can be the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​or the standard deviation. The control unit compares this fluctuation range with a pre-set first preset fluctuation threshold. Only when the difference between multiple consecutive measurement results is less than this threshold is it considered that the true density of the heavy medium suspension has entered a stable state, and that the online measurement system itself is operating normally and has not been affected by abnormal disturbances. The first preset fluctuation threshold can be an empirical value set according to process requirements and measurement accuracy; for example, in heavy medium mineral processing, it can be set to ±0.005 g / cm³ or ±0.01 g / cm³.

[0059] When the control unit determines that the actual density fluctuation range of multiple consecutive measurement cycles is less than the first preset fluctuation threshold, it considers the current measurement result to have reached a stable state. At this point, the control unit can select a representative value from the buffer as the final output result of this measurement cycle. This representative value can be the actual density of the last measurement cycle, the average value of multiple consecutive cycles, or the median value. The specific selection method can be determined according to preset rules. Subsequently, the control unit outputs the stable actual density to the main process control system as the input signal for density closed-loop adjustment, and stores the value in the historical database for subsequent trend analysis and feedforward control.

[0060] Furthermore, as Figure 1 In terms of specific implementation of the device, this application provides an online method for measuring the density of a heavy medium suspension, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the method includes: Step 101: Obtain a first constant volume of mixed sample from the material conveying pipeline of the heavy medium separation main process system, wherein the mixed sample contains heavy medium suspension and mineral particles to be separated.

[0061] Step 102: The mixed sample is fed into a vibrating screen, and the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample are separated according to the particle size difference. At the same time, a second constant volume of rinsing water is added to the screen surface of the vibrating screen during the sieving process to obtain the undersize material and the separated mineral particles to be separated. The undersize material contains pure heavy medium suspension and the second constant volume of rinsing water.

[0062] Step 103: Measure the total volume and total mass of the material passing through the sieve.

[0063] Step 104: Obtain the mass of the flushing water corresponding to the second constant volume of flushing water, calculate the volume difference between the total volume and the second constant volume, the mass difference between the total mass and the mass of the flushing water, and calculate the ratio between the mass difference and the volume difference, and use the ratio as the true density of the heavy medium suspension.

[0064] Step 105: The undersize material after measurement and the separated mineral particles are returned to the heavy media separation main process system.

[0065] Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the method further includes: Record the true density of the heavy medium suspension obtained in each measurement cycle, and compare the current true density with the historical true density; When the true density fluctuation exceeds the second preset fluctuation threshold for multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it is determined that there is a sudden change in ore properties in the heavy medium separation main process system, and an early warning signal is generated. The amount of water replenishment or media replenishment is determined based on the trend of the actual density change. After determining that there is a sudden change in ore properties, a control command carrying the amount of water replenishment or media replenishment is output to the water replenishment actuator or media replenishment actuator of the heavy media separation main process system.

[0066] In this embodiment, the true density of the heavy medium suspension calculated in each measurement cycle can be continuously recorded, and a historical database of its changes over time can be established accordingly. Since the measured density is the true density of the pure heavy medium suspension after physical stripping, this value only reflects the density state of the heavy medium system itself and will not produce spurious fluctuations due to interference from flowing mineral particles. Therefore, when the true density remains stable over multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it indicates that the heavy medium system is operating normally and the ore properties have not changed significantly. Specifically, the true density calculated in the current measurement cycle can be compared in real time with the historical true density in the historical database. Through difference calculation and trend analysis, subtle changes in the true density can be detected.

[0067] When the actual density fluctuation exceeds the second preset fluctuation threshold for multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it can be determined that there is a sudden change in ore properties in the heavy media separation main process system. Here, the second preset fluctuation threshold can also be an empirical parameter set according to process sensitivity, such as ±0.01 g / cm³ or ±0.02 g / cm³. Since the measurement is of the actual density of a pure heavy media suspension, and the heavy media system itself will not undergo sudden changes in a short period of time, the abnormal fluctuation of the actual density must originate from external factors, namely, a sudden change in the density, particle size, or mineral composition of the mineral particles to be separated. This causes a small amount of mineral particles to pass through the screen or change the screening characteristics during the separation process, thereby causing fluctuations in the actual density. Therefore, an early warning signal can be generated and sent to the human-machine interface in the main control room or the operator's terminal to remind the operator to pay attention to changes in the ore source and provide early warning information for subsequent process adjustments.

[0068] After determining that a sudden change in ore properties has occurred, the water replenishment or media replenishment adjustment amount is further determined based on the trend of the actual density change. This feedforward control logic can use the direction and magnitude of the actual density change to infer the trend of the impact of the ore property change on the sorting density. For example, when the actual density shows an upward trend, it indicates that the measured value has increased, and at this time, it is calculated that the amount of clean water replenishment needs to be increased or the ore property change of the sorted material needs to be checked; conversely, when the actual density shows a downward trend, the amount of media replenishment needs to be increased. After the sudden change is determined, a control command carrying a specific adjustment amount is immediately output to the water replenishment or media replenishment actuator of the heavy media sorting main process system. Feedback control adjusts only after the sorting density has changed, which has a lag. However, the embodiment of this application outputs the command in advance when the sudden change in ore properties has just been detected and the sorting density has not yet been significantly affected, thus achieving proactive intervention.

[0069] Compared to existing technologies that rely solely on delayed feedback adjustment and cannot predict changes in ore properties in advance, this application's embodiments fully utilize the unique advantage of pure true density. By recording historical data of true density and comparing it in real time, it can autonomously identify the occurrence of sudden changes in ore properties; it achieves accurate judgment and early warning through a second preset fluctuation threshold; and it determines the adjustment amount and implements feedforward control through trend analysis, completing advance adjustment before the actual fluctuation of the sorting density. This fundamentally solves the process fluctuation problem caused by delayed adjustment in traditional control systems, significantly improving the response speed and control accuracy of the heavy media sorting process to changes in ore properties.

[0070] Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the method further includes: In each measurement cycle, the total volume V3 of the undersize material is recorded, and the total volume V3 is compared with the sum of the first constant volume V1 and the second constant volume V2 to calculate the sieve recovery rate η = (V3 - V2) / V1; When the screening recovery rate η is lower than the first preset recovery rate threshold for multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it is determined that the vibrating screen has screen hole blockage or the flushing water addition device has water outflow abnormality, and a maintenance warning signal is generated. When the screening recovery rate η is higher than the second preset recovery rate threshold for multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it is determined that the vibrating screen has screen damage or excessive wear of screen holes, and a replacement warning signal is generated.

[0071] Compared to existing technologies that rely solely on manual inspections or fixed-cycle screen replacements, this application utilizes the inherent volume data (V1, V2, V3) within the measurement process. Without adding any additional sensors, it derives the screening recovery rate as a diagnostic indicator through material balance calculations, enabling online automatic monitoring of the health status of the vibrating screen and flushing water device. Furthermore, by setting two different warning thresholds (high and low), it can distinguish between two diametrically opposed fault modes: "screen hole blockage" and "screen breakage," providing maintenance personnel with precise fault location information. This significantly improves the self-diagnostic capability and maintenance efficiency of the online measurement device, ensuring that the vibrating screen and flushing water device are always in optimal working condition, thus guaranteeing the authenticity and reliability of the actual density results from the source.

[0072] It should be noted that other corresponding descriptions of the functional units involved in the online density measurement method for heavy medium suspensions provided in this application embodiment can be found in the following references. Figures 1 to 3 The corresponding descriptions in [the document] will not be repeated here.

[0073] This application also provides a computer device, which may specifically be a personal computer, a server, a network device, etc. Figure 5As shown, the computer device includes a bus, a processor, memory, and a communication interface, and may also include an input / output interface and a display device. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system, computer programs, and a database. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs in the non-volatile storage medium. The database stores location information. The network interface allows communication with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps in the various method embodiments.

[0074] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 5 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the present application is applied. Specific computer devices may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0075] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which may be non-volatile or volatile, having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0076] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0077] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, data stored, data displayed, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments described above. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0079] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0080] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An online density measurement device for heavy medium suspensions, characterized in that, include: The sampling unit has its inlet connected to the bypass of the material conveying pipeline of the main process system for heavy media separation, and is used to obtain a mixed sample containing heavy media suspension and mineral particles to be separated from the material conveying pipeline. The separation unit has its inlet connected to the outlet of the sampling unit, and is used to separate the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample to obtain a pure heavy medium suspension sample and temporarily store the separated mineral particles to be separated. The measuring unit has its inlet connected to the undersize outlet of the separation unit. The measuring unit includes a container for holding the pure heavy medium suspension sample, and a volume measuring instrument and a mass measuring instrument installed on the container. The measuring unit is used to measure the volume and mass of the material containing the heavy medium suspension sample in the container to obtain the test results for calculating the true density of the heavy medium suspension. The cleaning / return unit includes a rinsing subunit and a conveying subunit. The rinsing end of the rinsing subunit is set to correspond to the sampling unit, the separation unit, and the measurement unit, and is used to rinse each unit after completing one measurement cycle. The inlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the container outlet of the measurement unit, and the outlet of the conveying subunit is connected to the material receiving pipeline of the heavy media separation main process system, and is used to return the heavy media suspension sample after measurement to the heavy media separation main process system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The separation unit includes: A vibrating screen, the feeding end of which is connected to the outlet end of the sampling unit, is used to receive the mixed sample. The undersize outlet of the vibrating screen is connected to the container of the measuring unit, which is used to transport the heavy medium suspension sample obtained after sieving to the measuring unit. The rinsing water adding device has its outlet set corresponding to the screen surface of the vibrating screen. It is used to add rinsing water to the mixed sample on the screen surface during the sieving process to assist in the separation of the heavy medium suspension and the mineral particles to be separated.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The separation unit further includes: The mineral particle discharge port is connected to the container of the measuring unit; A flipping device, connected to the screen body of the vibrating screen, is used to drive the screen surface of the vibrating screen to flip after the volume and mass detection is performed by the measuring unit, so as to discharge the mineral particles to be sorted temporarily stored on the screen surface through the mineral particle discharge port into the container of the measuring unit, and return the mineral particles to be sorted to the heavy medium separation main process system through the container.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vibrating screen has an adjustable screen aperture structure, the size of which is set according to the particle size distribution of the mineral particles to be sorted.

5. An online density measurement system for heavy medium suspensions, characterized in that, include: The online measuring device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, and the control unit electrically connected to the sampling unit, the separation unit, the measuring unit, and the cleaning / returning unit respectively; The control unit is used to control the coordinated operation of each unit according to preset logic; Furthermore, based on the volume and mass data of the material detected by the measuring unit and the volume data of the rinsing water added by the separation unit during the separation of the mixed sample, the true density of the heavy medium suspension is calculated.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit is also used to control the sampling unit to acquire a first constant volume of mixed sample, and to control the separation unit to add a second constant volume of rinsing water during the separation process of the mixed sample.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to receive the total volume and total mass of the material in the container measured in real time by the measuring unit, obtain the mass of the rinsing water corresponding to the second constant volume, calculate the volume difference between the total volume and the second constant volume, the mass difference between the total mass and the mass of the rinsing water, and calculate the ratio between the mass difference and the volume difference, and use the ratio as the true density of the heavy medium suspension.

8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit is also used to determine that the measurement is stable and output the true density value of the heavy medium suspension when the fluctuation range of the true density of the heavy medium suspension obtained in multiple consecutive measurement cycles is less than a first preset fluctuation threshold.

9. A method for online measurement of the density of a heavy medium suspension, characterized in that, include: A first constant volume of mixed sample is obtained from the material conveying pipeline of the heavy medium separation main process system, wherein the mixed sample contains heavy medium suspension and mineral particles to be separated; The mixed sample is fed into a vibrating screen, and the mineral particles to be separated from the heavy medium suspension in the mixed sample are separated according to the particle size difference. At the same time, a second constant volume of rinsing water is added to the screen surface of the vibrating screen during the sieving process to obtain the undersize material and the separated mineral particles to be separated. The undersize material contains pure heavy medium suspension and the second constant volume of rinsing water. Measure the total volume and total mass of the sieve material; Obtain the mass of the flushing water corresponding to the second constant volume, calculate the volume difference between the total volume and the second constant volume, the mass difference between the total mass and the mass of the flushing water, and calculate the ratio between the mass difference and the volume difference, and use the ratio as the true density of the heavy medium suspension; The undersize material after measurement and the separated mineral particles are returned together to the main heavy media separation process system.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: Record the true density of the heavy medium suspension obtained in each measurement cycle, and compare the current true density with the historical true density; When the true density fluctuation exceeds the second preset fluctuation threshold for multiple consecutive measurement cycles, it is determined that there is a sudden change in ore properties in the heavy medium separation main process system, and an early warning signal is generated. The amount of water replenishment or media replenishment is determined based on the trend of the actual density change. After determining that there is a sudden change in ore properties, a control command carrying the amount of water replenishment or media replenishment is output to the water replenishment actuator or media replenishment actuator of the heavy media separation main process system.

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