Abstract

This paper describes the validation of a submersible sensor to measure in real-time gas and solid holdups in the collection zone of a self-aerated 250m 3 Wemco cell at Los Pelambres concentrator. The sensor comprises a gas exclusion cell and a flow sensor technology. The gas exclusion cell is a tube with its both ends opened and having a gradual contraction in its cross-sectional area resembling an inverted truncated cone. A one-inch single straight titanium tube Coriolis mass meter was installed at the reduced end of gas exclusion cells. When the sensor device is vertically immersed in the aerated pulp, a continuous descendent flow of pulp without bubbles is induced through the device; the magnitude of the induced flow being proportional to the gas holdup. The prototype was immersed in the collection zone of a 250m 3 Wemco cell located in the rougher stage of the Cu-Mo circuit at the Los Pelambres concentrator. Gas holdup measurements were compared against those obtained by sampling a fixed volume of aerated pulp using the JK Tech Air Holdup Probe. The sampled pulp also served to determine pulp density by direct calculation of the mass to volume ratio to calculate solid concentration consequently. Experimental results demonstrate the sensor's capabilities to provide reliable, accurate, simultaneous measurements of gas and solid holdups, which could be used for real-time supervision, control, and optimization applications.