Simulation Based Scheduling Tool for Decision Support at Copper Plant

Simulation Based Scheduling Tool for Decision Support at Copper Plant

Development of simulation model for:

  • estimation of practically reachable production volume of Copper plant
  • estimation of effects of operational improvements.

Period: January 2018 – February 2019
Industry: Metallurgy
Client / Partner: Norilsk nickel

Project objective

Development of simulation model for:

  • reasonable evaluation of performance of Copper plant
  • estimation of efficiency of organizational changes implementation
  • estimation of possibility of blister and anode copper production increasing
  • estimation of possibility of increasing of converters utilization in the Copper plant main aisle

The main stages of work and characteristics of the model

  • Definition of the scope and the development of the functional specification of the scheduler and the simulation model
  • Development of the simulation model and copper plant operations scheduler
  • Verification and validation of the simulation model
  • Conducting training for model users
  • Technical and methodological support of the client employees after implementation

Model input data

  • Filling rate of the matte mixers
  • Durations of technological operations in converters by converting stages and in anode furnaces
  • Schedule of maintenance of equipment
  • Duration of crane operations
  • Duration of technological containers processing and supplying converters with slag pots

The main structural elements of the model

  • Input data file of scenario in MS Excel format
  • Simulation model with interactive presentation
  • Data aggregation module that allows to generate MS Excel files with the simulation results

Model output data

  • Planned and simulated schedules of main production operations
  • Schedule of crane tasks in graphical and tabular form
  • Dynamics of matte processing and anode copper production rates

Project result

The simulation model was used for estimation of possibility of blister and anode copper production increasing. The model allowed to determine the maximum performance of the Copper plant main aisle for current technology