MINP 501 - Simulation of Mining and Haulage Systems using Arena - 5 days

Who Should Attend

The Simulation of Mining Systems is a comprehensive four-day course covering fundamentals of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) modeling and its industrial applications to mining systems. The course is intended for mining disciplines and participants who would like to use simulation to design and optimize real-world mining and systems. Arena Simulation Software by Rockwell Automation is used as the primary modeling simulation tool.

Course Description

Software: arena by rockwell automation

Fundamentals of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) modeling and its industrial applications to mining and processing systems are presented. Theoretical and statistical aspects of simulation, including input and output analysis, experimental design, and variance reduction techniques are presented. Arena Simulation Environment (by Rockwell Automation) is used as the primary modeling simulation tool for explaining simulation concepts. The course focuses (three days) on modeling detail truck-shovel simulation models that uses the historical dispatching data, road profiles, and short-term mine plans as input into the simulation model. The simulation models need to be calibrated, and verified to link the short-term mining schedules to the operational plans in presence of uncertainties of cycle times, scheduled and unscheduled down times, shift changes, etc. The rest of the course will focus on combined continuous and discrete-event simulation of processing systems. Size classifications including sieves and hydrocyclones; comminution operations including crushing machines, grinding, and semi-autogenous mills; solid-liquid separation including thickeners and filtration; and also gravity and magnetic separation modeling will be covered by examples. The course is intended for mining and processing engineering disciplines and participants who would like to use simulation to design and optimize real-world mining systems. On completion of this course, successful attendees will have an in depth understanding of principles and methodologies, of discrete event simulation. Also, they will be able to use Arena Simulation Software (Rockwell Automation) as the simulation modeling tool for simulating and optimizing real world systems. A series of labs using Arena Simulation Software (Rockwell Automation) are undertaken to model and optimize real world systems. Students undertake a complete simulation modeling/analysis project.

Outcomes of the course include:

• A review on probability and statistics and fundamental simulation concepts.
• Review of main truck-shovel time charts such as definition of work, ops delay, ops standby, short down.
• Review of main truck-shovel KPIs such as definition of physical availability and use of availability.
• Definition of operating efficiency, effective utilization, tonne per net operating hours, etc.
• Truck-shovel simulation using resources, queues, and basic animation to calculate fleet productivity.
• Assess the uncertainty associated with the fleet productivity, haulage costs, and cash flow analysis.
• Mixed fleet truck-shovel simulation modeling using resources sets and maintenance schedules.
• Resource failures with defining probability distribution functions for mean time between failures.
• Uptime modeling using PDFs for mean time to repairs of trucks, shovels, and crushers.
• Truck dispatching using station-route and assessing the reliability of the system.
• Comminution operations including crushing machines, grinding, and semi-autogenous mills.
• Bulk material terminal modeling including arrival of trains, stockyard cells, stockpile blending, etc.
• Creating and Disposing of Entities.
• Defining Variables and Attributes.
• Capacity constraining – Resources and Queues.
• Failures and Schedules. • Animation Concepts and Terminology.
• Lower Level Modeling, Loops, and Sub-models.
• Batch, Separate, Match, Station and Route.
• Transporters and Materials Handling.
• Debugging Techniques.
• Modeling Input & Output Data and Statistical Analysis.
• Streamlining Modeling using Sets and Multidimensional Variables.
• Simulation with Discrete/Continuous Models.
• Pseudo Agent Based Modeling Techniques.
• Process Flow Template.
• Experimental Design.
• Examples of truck-shovel simulation modeling using resources, queues, and basic animation.
• Mean time between failures and mean time to repairs of trucks, shovels, and crushers.

Module 1

• Probability and statistics review,
• Fundamental simulation concepts,
• A guided tour through Arena,
• Variables, entities, entity flow and attributes,
• Resources, capacity constraining, queues,
• Using basic process module in Arena to model:
• Entity flow and attributes
• Capacity constraining (Resources)
• Attributes, Variables, and Queues
• Flow control, input/output (I/O)
• Animation of variables (scoreboard),
• Variable spreadsheet module,
• Truck-Shovel Basic Modeling
• Resources and Queues – Seize, Delay, Release
• Decisions and Statistics, Replications
• Truck Shovel Queue and Resource Animation

Module 2

• Probability and statistics review,
• Fundamental simulation concepts,
• A guided tour through Arena,
• Variables, entities, entity flow and attributes,
• Resources, capacity constraining, queues,
• Using basic process module in Arena,
• Entity flow and attributes,
• Capacity constraining (Resources),
• Attributes, Variables, and Queues,
• Flow control, input/output (I/O),
• Animation of variables (scoreboard),
• Variable spreadsheet module,
• Truck-Shovel Basic Modeling
• Resources and Queues – Seize, Delay, Release
• Decisions and Statistics, Replications
• Truck Shovel Queue and Resource Animation

Module 3

• Input Data Analysis and Modeling
• Output Data Analysis and Modeling
• Process Analyzer
• Batch and Separate
• Coal/Iron Ore Terminal Stockpiling and Ships
• Modeling Discrete/Continuous Models
• Flow Process Template – To Model Flow
• Tanks, Regulators and Regulator Sets
• Seize Regulator and Release Regulator modules
• Trigger actions using a Sensors
• Animate Flow of material

Module 4

• Continuous to discrete conversion
• Crusher and Conveyors
• Storage bins and stockpiles
• Comminution machines
• Gyratory Crusher
• Semi-Autogenous Mills