There are lots of parameters that may affect the flotation circuit. Some are related to the flotation cell basic design and the others such as pH level control -as one important but difficult process-, the particle size, flow rates and air are variables that can be controlled using different approaches and different digitalized solutions.
Small changes, can lead to big results in a flotation cell by means of improving the controllability of the system and stabilizing the product recovery with the lowest cost possible. Evaluating the froth parameters can be known as one of the most promising ways to bring the recovery stability and controllability to the process by reducing the probability of bubble–particle detachment and increasing the probability of collision is to use smaller bubbles.
Needed information, can be received from the flotation cell by proposed and successfully implemented solutions. Specific sensor system is a solution that can be used to measure characteristics of froth appearance and monitor the froth surface. To carry out monitoring, a typical flotation cell has several froth imagers that located on top it also it works by the analysis server that can analyze images and it sends error signals to the control system if it detects error the image recognition algorithms. Ethernet cable can transmit data and power for the camera and also the LED lights. it means that the imagers feature an advanced power over Ethernet solution. This sensor can measure some characteristics such as:
- Bubble size
- Froth color that provided by RGB and CIE-LAB
- Speed of the froth
- Froth stability
- Direction of the froth
By this system the act of prediction of bubble and bubble-particle behavior and errors of the system will be done online and the best algorithm will be implemented in order to fix the problem and solve the causes of the recovery fluctuations. In this way, engineering section will be aware of everything about the flotation system and the recovery will be optimized by just in time fault detection of the bubble features.
Also engineers and operators have to know what is exactly is going on in a specific flotation cells so by SCADA as a system which is used to control and monitor physical processes they will have enough knowledge to take appropriate actions over their operations.