Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing
The conventional vibrating machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in most every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalance rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, and high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors, along with the vibrating machines and supporting structure, shake other machines and structures in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by Confinement{trademark}. These concepts are used to direct energy flow and confine energy efficiently and effectively to the screen function. The SmartScreens{trademark} technology addresses problems related to noise and vibration, screening efficiency, productivity, and maintenance cost and worker safety. Successful development of SmartScreens{trademark} technology will bring drastic changes to the screening and physical separation industry. The final designs for key components of the SmartScreens{trademark} have been developed. The key components include smart motor and associated electronics, resonators, and supporting structural elements. It is shown that the smart motors have an acceptable life and performance. The electronics required for the smart motors are presented in this report. Resonator (or motion amplifier) designs are selected based on the final system requirement and vibration characteristics. All the components for a fully functional prototype are fabricated. The system is assembled and tested under laboratory conditions. The results are promising. The development program is on schedule. The PZT-based system and current production units performed better than expected. The results of the suspended unit were very encouraging. None of the Smart Motors failed during testing. The tests were successful. We plan to modify the supporting structure to improve system rigidity and integrity that should help improving the overall system performance. The improved supporting structure will be fabricated in the next period.
- Research Organization:
- Q.R.D.C., Inc
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-02NT41470
- OSTI ID:
- 882512
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing
Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing