Apparatus, method and system for monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021285071-A1
Application number	US-201716340744-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Oct 10, 2016
Publication date	Sep 16, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus system and method are provided for use in acquiring data from fluid within a region of material in a heap leaching application. The apparatus includes one or more sensor strings provided in a region of material to be analysed. Each sensor string includes a data cable and two or more solid-state sensors positioned along the length of the data cable. The sensors are adapted to periodically acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs.

First claim

1 . Apparatus for use in, acquiring data from fluid within a region of material in a heap leaching application, the apparatus including: one or more sensor strings provided in a region of material to be analysed, each sensor string including a data cable and two or more solid-state sensors positioned along the length of the data cable, the sensors adapted to periodically acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two or more solid-state sensors are one or more of potentiometric sensors, amperometric sensors, coulometric sensors, impedimetric sensors and voltammetric sensors.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the potentiometric sensor is an ion-selective electrode.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the two or more solid-state sensors are adapted to provide an output data or data representative of chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor, the chemical properties including one or more of oxidation/reduction potential (ORP), dissolved metal ions, dissolved Oxygen, dissolved CO 2 , dissolved H 2 S; and/or the concentrations, molarities, potentials or partial pressures of chemical species of interest, or other observable physical or chemical phenomena to transmit an output data to the hub.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two or more solid-state sensors are adapted to provide an output data or data representative of a change over a predetermined tun period in chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor, the chemical properties including one or more of oxidation/reduction potential (ORP), dissolved metal ions, dissolved Oxygen, dissolved CO 2 , dissolved H 2 S; and/or the concentrations, molarities, potentials or partial pressures of chemical species of interest, or other observable physical or chemical phenomena over a predetermined time period to transmit output data to the hub.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including one or more reference electrodes.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the reference electrode is a solid-state reference electrode.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more sensors are associated with a solid state reference electrode.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties simultaneously.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties by way of time-division multiplexing.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor strings are provided in a two-dimensional spatial arrangement.

12 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the two-dimensional spatial arrangement is an array,

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor strings are provided in a three-dimensional spatial arrangement.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the three dimensional spatial. arrangement is a helix.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein two or more sensor strings are provided in one or more of.
a first plane, a second plane, a third plane, or both a first and second plane, a first, second and third plane or combination thereof.

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the two or more sensor strings are substantially parallel to each other.

20 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the two or more solid-state sensors are adapted to further provide an output data or data representative of one or more of total pressure, flow rate, humidity, electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, permittivity, temperature, or other observable physical phenomena to transmit an output data to the hub.

21 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein solid-state sensors include ion selective electrodes, voltammetry electrodes, amperometric sensors, such as dissolved oxygen and sulphide sensors, spectroscopic techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

22 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two or more solid-state sensors are adapted to provide an output data or data representative of a change in one or more of total pressure, flow rate, humidity, electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, permittivity, temperature, or other observable physical phenomena over a predetermined time period to transmit output data to the hub.

23 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output data further includes sensor location ID, unique sensor ID, time stamp and date stamp and localisation coordinates.

24 . A method of acquiring data from fluid within a region of material to be analysed, the method including: providing one or more sensor strings in a region of material to he analysed, each sensor string including a data cable and two or more solid-state sensors positioned along the length of the data cable, the sensors adapted to periodically acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs,

25 . A method of acquiring data from fluid within a region of material to be analysed, the method including: digging a trench in the material to be analysed, providing one or more sensor strings in the trench, each sensor string including a data cable and two or more solid-state sensors positioned along the length of the data cable, the sensors adapted to periodically acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensor over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs,

26 . A method of controlling operation of a leach process comprising:
a) forming a leachable region having one or more layers/dumps; b) providing one or more sensor strings within the one or more layers/dumps, each sensor string including a data cable and two or more solid-state sensors positioned along the length of the data cable, the sensors adapted to periodically acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensors in the layers/dumps over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs thereby providing sensor data relating to the leach process; c) modelling the leach process using the sensor data; and d) adjusting the leach process based on the sensor data.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the sensor string is provided between the one or more layers/dumps.

28 . A system for controlling operation of a leach process comprising:
a) a leachable region having one or more layers/dumps; b) one or more sensor strings provided in the one or more layers/dumps, each sensor string including a data cable and two or more sensors positioned along the length of the data cable, the sensors adapted to acquire sensor data relating to chemical properties of the fluid surrounding the sensors in the layers/dumps over a predetermined period of time and to transmit the sensor data via the data cable to one or more hubs thereby providing sensor data relating to the leach process, and c) a computer processor for:
i. modelling the leach process using the sensor data; and
ii. adjusting the leach proces

Assignees

• Commw Scient Ind Res Org

Inventors

• Vepsäläinen Mikko
• Chen Miao
• Molenaar David
• Kilpatrick Anthony

Classifications

• Y02P10/20

  Recycling · CPC title

• C22B1/00 Primary

  Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap · CPC title

• H04Q2209/826

  where the data is sent periodically · CPC title

• H04Q2209/30

  using a wired architecture · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title