Bulk material analyzer
Encyclopedia
The term bulk material analyzer is the generic noun for that device which fits around a conveyor belt
and conducts real-time elemental analysis of the material on the belt. Other names often found for such a device include belt analyzer, crossbelt analyzer and elemental analyzer. This product first found popularity in the 1990s in the cement
industry, and today most new cement plants include at least one analyzer, if not two.
production.
s to different sections of the quarry
in a way that will result in the final elemental composition of the pile close to target.
feed. Consistent kiln feed chemistry in turn leads to lower fuel consumption per ton of clinker
produced.
s. Today, analyzers are found in copper
, iron ore, and phosphate
s, to name a few. One of the advantages of these analyzers is the timeliness of information for the user. Another is the avoidance of physical sampling.
is prompt gamma neutron activation analysis
(PGNAA). It relies on activation of the material on the conveyor belt by neutron
s, and the instantaneous emission of gamma ray
s from nuclei
which have absorbed neutrons. Capitalizing on the unique gamma ray spectrum associated with each element, the instrument can perform an analysis each minute on the composite spectrum to determine the overall elemental composition of the material.
Conveyor belt
A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...
and conducts real-time elemental analysis of the material on the belt. Other names often found for such a device include belt analyzer, crossbelt analyzer and elemental analyzer. This product first found popularity in the 1990s in the cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
industry, and today most new cement plants include at least one analyzer, if not two.
Cement industry
There are two different applications for the bulk material analyzer in cementCement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
production.
Stockpile management
One is known as “stockpile management,” whereby an analyzer located upstream of the pile is able to track the cumulative chemistry of the pile. This allows the operator to direct haul truckTruck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s to different sections of the quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
in a way that will result in the final elemental composition of the pile close to target.
Raw mix proportioning
A second application in cement for the bulk material analyzer is raw mix proportioning. An analyzer placed just upstream of the raw mill can monitor the chemistry of the raw mix and automatically trigger an adjustment in the proportions of the reclaimed stockpile and the correctives. By doing so, the plant is able to reduce the variability in the raw mix, and later on the kilnCement kiln
Cement kilns are used for the pyroprocessing stage of manufacture of Portland and other types of hydraulic cement, in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates...
feed. Consistent kiln feed chemistry in turn leads to lower fuel consumption per ton of clinker
Clinker (cement)
thumb|200px|right|Typical clinker nodulesthumb|200px|right|Hot clinkerIn the manufacture of Portland cement, clinker is lumps or nodules, usually 3-25 mm in diameter, produced by sintering limestone and alumino-silicate during the cement kiln stage.-Uses:...
produced.
Other applications
In the 2000s the application of the bulk material analyzer was extended to include mineralMineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s. Today, analyzers are found in copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, iron ore, and phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s, to name a few. One of the advantages of these analyzers is the timeliness of information for the user. Another is the avoidance of physical sampling.
Technology
The technology most frequently found in bulk material analysis and coal analysisCoal analyzer
Coal analyzers are used by coal producers, coal preparation plants and coal-fired power plants to determine coal quality in real time. Coal quality parameters of greatest interest include ash, moisture, sulfur, and energy value...
is prompt gamma neutron activation analysis
Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis
Prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis is a very widely applicable technique for determining the presence and amount of many elements simultaneously in samples ranging in size from micrograms to many grams. It is a non-destructive method, and the chemical form and shape of the sample are...
(PGNAA). It relies on activation of the material on the conveyor belt by neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
s, and the instantaneous emission of gamma ray
Gamma ray
Gamma radiation, also known as gamma rays or hyphenated as gamma-rays and denoted as γ, is electromagnetic radiation of high frequency . Gamma rays are usually naturally produced on Earth by decay of high energy states in atomic nuclei...
s from nuclei
Atomic nucleus
The nucleus is the very dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom. It was discovered in 1911, as a result of Ernest Rutherford's interpretation of the famous 1909 Rutherford experiment performed by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, under the direction of Rutherford. The...
which have absorbed neutrons. Capitalizing on the unique gamma ray spectrum associated with each element, the instrument can perform an analysis each minute on the composite spectrum to determine the overall elemental composition of the material.