Importance of crusher control and cloud computing process monitoring of crushers

Paper in proceeding, 2019

The main task of a crusher control system is to keep production on a desired level while simultaneously protecting the crusher from overload and fatigue failure. A stable production can be achieved through control of the crusher's closed side setting (CSS), which implies compensation of the wear of the crusher liners. A further objective is to provide with the possibility to optimize operational performance and utilization. For an efficient system the sampling rate needs to be sufficiently high and the control and optimization algorithms need to be robust. In addition, and equally important, configuration of the electrical cabinet and wiring must be able to withstand the harsh environment over time. Modelling and simulation of cone crushers have been on-going at Chalmers University of Technology during the last 25 years. With time the research has expanded to include several different aspects of cone crusher operation, design optimisation, real-time control and product yield optimization. As a consequence, a strong need for dedicated control possibilities of cone crushers have risen. The requirement for precise control led to the development of a new system for cone crusher control which was named Crusher Control Unit or CCU. The system has been further developed by Roctim to provide an independent, modular and flexible development platform for different crusher types. A unique feature is that the CCU can be retrofitted to both Hydrocone type of cone crushers as well as to Symons type independent of brand or age of the crusher. In order to remotely monitor the crusher performance and retrieve data from the CCU a cloud based solution has been developed.