Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
214629 International Journal of Mineral Processing 2006 18 Pages PDF
Abstract

The binary-coded elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm with the modified jumping gene operator (NSGA-II-mJG) is used to obtain global optimal solutions of flotation circuits. Several single-objective and multi-objective optimization problems are solved using the interconnecting cell linkage parameters (fraction flow rates) and the mean cell residence times as the decision variables. In the single-objective problem, the overall recovery of the concentrate stream is maximized for a desired grade of the concentrate. Two two-objective optimization problems are then solved. In one, the number of non-linking streams and the overall recovery of the concentrate are maximized simultaneously. This gives several simple circuits in a systematic manner with only marginally lower recoveries. In the other two-objective optimization problem, the overall recovery of the concentrate is maximized while the total cell volume is minimized. A three-objective problem (maximization of the overall recovery of the concentrate, maximization of the number of non-linking streams and minimization of the total cell volume) is then solved. All the problems constrain the grade of the product to lie at a fixed value. Finally, a complex and computationally intensive four-objective optimization problem is solved. The solution of several practical optimization problems in this study helps develop useful insights into the optimal solutions.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering (General)
Authors
, , , ,