Development of a Pneumatic Transport System for the Container Delivery of Process Materials

Any automated process control provides for continuous or periodic monitoring of parameters determining this process. For mining, processing, or metallurgical plants and factories, such a parameter is the chemical composition of the feedstock, fluxes, reagents used, intermediates, finished products, final tailings, and wastewaters discharged. The chemical composition of these products is determined by the selection and subsequent analysis of representative samples. The study objective is to develop a container system for the delivery of process materials based on modular units operating under the control of a universal microprocessor system. The solution to this issue will facilitate adapting the system to a specific process, increase its reliability due to the use of modular units, and simplify maintenance during operation. A scheme of a container sample delivery system has been developed, which includes a transport container loading and unloading stations. These stations are composed of modular units and components. Such station modules include pneumatic cylinders, electro-pneumatic valves, distribution valves, and magnetic sensors. These units and elements are designed to move the transport container both inside the stations and through the transport pipelines. The system station modules are controlled by a microprocessor control system. The paper optimizes control signals both generated inside the stations and coming from auxiliary system devices, i.e. the process material loading and unloading stations. Control signals allow implementing optimal system operation algorithms. The control system developed is versatile and easily adapted to more complex station operating modes, which allows expanding the system's functionality.