Potash mines are complex operations, with hundreds of people, thousands of moving parts, and millions of tons of potash produced annually. Digital technology continues to be a major area of growth in modern mining – assisting design, providing automation, and improving safety at every stage of the production cycle. Advanced modeling and simulations are slowly but surely being adopted in the mining industry due to the certainty and intelligence that they provide the end user to make informed decisions about system additions and upgrades.
At March, we continue to strengthen our skills in advanced simulation techniques such as Discrete Element Method (DEM), a first-principles method for modeling the behaviour of granular materials. DEM uses a virtual material model consisting of discrete particles. During simulation, the resultant force, acceleration, velocity, and position of each particle are tracked through time as they interact with structures and other particles. When repeated for a large assembly of particles, this method can replicate the behaviour of materials such as soils, ores, powders, and bulk solids, providing a level insight and understanding not possible using traditional methods of analysis. Leveraging modern advances in parallel computing, it is possible to simulate systems consisting of tens of millions of particles, making DEM a practical tool for the analysis of many industrial-scale problems.
For both greenfield and brownfield projects, DEM simulation can provide benefit to owners looking to increase efficiency and reduce uncertainty regarding project success. For applications involving flow or processing of granular materials, DEM simulation provides the ability to confirm design performance targets and identify problems early in the design cycle, avoiding costly troubleshooting and post-install modifications. High-detail quantitative analysis allows for processes to be optimized for performance, capacity, wear, and dust emissions, to name but a few. Simulation can accelerate the development cycle by reducing the number of iterations, prototypes, and experiments to be conducted. It is also a powerful visualization tool, making detailed information accessible to all stakeholders. Physics-based simulation, such as DEM, can provide incredible value to the design process for material handling systems in mining.
The applications for simulation are extensive. March has successfully employed DEM simulation in a variety of applications found in Saskatchewan’s potash mines. Some examples include:
- Transfer chutes – flow simulation allows our design team to identify and remove flow choke points, ensure smooth transitions to reduce dust generation, and identify areas of high chute or belt wear.
- Roll crushers – multiple iterations of a crusher’s feed chute can quickly be evaluated using DEM to ensure the achievement of optimal crusher performance and service life, maximizing return on investment.
- Hopper flow – DEM is perfect for confirming target flow rates from hoppers and feeders, and it is also possible to extract forces on the geometry for structural analysis to ensure components are sized to handle the high storage capacities demanded of them.
- Conveyors – analysis of conveyor loading chutes can help to reduce belt wear, avoid uneven loading, and prevent belt tracking problems, leading to less downtime and fewer maintenance calls.
While DEM itself is a powerful tool, the most advanced industrial applications often require a multi-physics approach. Coupled simulations address this need, wherein information is exchanged between multiple simulation codes. For example, DEM can be coupled with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model processes which involve both fluids and solid particles (e.g., a fluid bed dryer), or with a Multi-Body Dynamic (MBD) software if there is a complex interaction between machine and material. Particle forces on geometry can also be exported for direct use in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to provide highly accurate loading conditions for structural analysis. Coupled simulations allow for even the most complex problems to be understood. March has the capability to combine any of these technologies best suited for the application.
March Consulting Associates Inc. is a multi-discipline engineering company with the digital simulation tools, software, and expertise for any number of applications, from routine to challenges at the forefront of the industry. If you believe these tools could help improve the reality of your project, contact us today.
