Investigation of adaptive interception systems for concentrate in spiral concentrators

Abstract A spiral concentrator is an effective gravity separation device that utilizes a fluid film, recognized for its eco-friendly operation, lack of power requirements, ease of large-scale deployment, and little building and operational expenses. It has acquired several uses in the beneficiation processes of iron, tin, titanium, tantalum-niobium, and various metals, in addition to non-metallic ores such as sulfur and coal. The management of concentrate grades in spiral concentrators mostly relies on physical intervention. Field staff must continuously oversee mineral zoning and physically adjust the pertinent cut-off slot on the mineral block to guarantee that the block's tip corresponds with the boundary of the concentrate and tailings division point. The varying degrees of knowledge, responsibilities, and competencies among employees complicate the maintenance of an accurate separation block and its real-time management, potentially affecting the beneficiation index. We propose an automated machine vision system that efficiently oversees the interception of materials from the spiral concentrator, eliminating the necessity for human intervention. The system utilizes an advanced Yolov5 algorithm to determine the separation point of the spiral concentrator's concentrate and implements an automated collecting system, thereby obviating the need for manual modifications to the separation block. The testing results indicate that the optimized YOLOV5 algorithm achieves an accuracy of around 90% and a detection speed of 63 FPS. The specially designed spiral concentrator concentrate interception system is dependable and efficient, exhibiting a swift response with control accuracy over 90%, thereby meeting the necessary precision and speed for concentrate interception in production. The adaptive interception mechanism of the spiral concentrator significantly enhances the automation and intelligence of the production process. Analysis of an adaptive interception mechanism for concentrate in spiral concentrators.