XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 831
The unit operations level is about fundamental
understanding of the mechanisms responsible for
unit operation performance, relationships between
process variables (feed, operating and design) and
process performance, critical variables used to drive
performance, operating standards for processes and
circuits, flowsheet interactions, and critical aspects of
ensuring consistent unit operation performance. This
is the most fundamental level for plant operation.
Problem Solving (Performance Improvement)
One major role for process engineers is problem solving
(Ranade, 2008). This is perhaps the major mineral process-
ing component of the support cycle. It includes:
• Approach to solving plant performance problems
(for example, Figure 3).
• Problem identification with input from Process
Management and Process Characterization. More on
this below.
• Problem prioritization—ensuring focus on solving
problems to increase or maintain value creation.
Problems may be classified as:
• Troubleshooting—close performance gaps (target
minus actual) that are not solved by process control
• Stability improvement—reduce plant variability due
to feed variability and other disturbances
• Capability improvement—increase the capabil-
ity of the plant to meet targets beyond the existing
performance
Common problem types in processing plants are listed
in Table 2. These range from simple to complex.
Figure 2. The Essential Functions comprising the Process Management and Problem Solving (Performance Improvement)
Competencies
Figure 3. Model for problem solving (Metcelerate)
The unit operations level is about fundamental
understanding of the mechanisms responsible for
unit operation performance, relationships between
process variables (feed, operating and design) and
process performance, critical variables used to drive
performance, operating standards for processes and
circuits, flowsheet interactions, and critical aspects of
ensuring consistent unit operation performance. This
is the most fundamental level for plant operation.
Problem Solving (Performance Improvement)
One major role for process engineers is problem solving
(Ranade, 2008). This is perhaps the major mineral process-
ing component of the support cycle. It includes:
• Approach to solving plant performance problems
(for example, Figure 3).
• Problem identification with input from Process
Management and Process Characterization. More on
this below.
• Problem prioritization—ensuring focus on solving
problems to increase or maintain value creation.
Problems may be classified as:
• Troubleshooting—close performance gaps (target
minus actual) that are not solved by process control
• Stability improvement—reduce plant variability due
to feed variability and other disturbances
• Capability improvement—increase the capabil-
ity of the plant to meet targets beyond the existing
performance
Common problem types in processing plants are listed
in Table 2. These range from simple to complex.
Figure 2. The Essential Functions comprising the Process Management and Problem Solving (Performance Improvement)
Competencies
Figure 3. Model for problem solving (Metcelerate)