OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTION FROM AGGREGATE PROCESSING PLANT

Abstract

In every construction project, aggregate are required. Generally, the requirement of aggregate changes from one project to another in quantity and size. In order to fulfill the project requirement, an aggregate processing plant has to be installed. An aggregate processing plant is an integrated equipment system which usually consists of crushers, screens,.. and conveyors with the main purpose to produce graded aggregate. For fulfillment of project's requirement of graded aggregate, which is usually specified in the form of size range and its quantity, the setting of crushers and opening size of screens has to be fixed before an amount of raw material is fed. *Any size range of material required is obtained through size separation process which is handled by screen, while its obtained quantity is dependent on crusher's setting and amount of fed material. In fact, there is a possibility where an amount of fed material given may be less or more than maximum that can be handled by a plant. Since, the amount of input and output material of a plant is same then, the consequence is the output production will be less when the input is less. More input will choke and Ultimately stall the plant operation. Many trials may have to be done at site by which different amount of raw material is fed to the plant in order that the production rate become optimum (i.e. maximum) but it consumes time and is costly. Therefore, another approach should be tried. In this study, the problem is solved by using mathematical approach. The basic principal of the mathematical approach is to determine optimum production rate of an aggregate processing plant. An arrangement of aggregate processing plant is presented in this dissertation - as a case study. The plant consists of one unit each of jaw crusher for primary crushing; roll crusher for secondary crushing; single deck screen located before jaw crusher; and double • deck screen to separate product of jaw crusher into three types of size ranges of material. iii ABSTRACT - Optimization of Production from Aggregate Processing Plant The aggregate stream diagram of the plant is drawn which indicates relationship between the equipments in processing of material. For .solving the optimization problem, the mathematical model of each equipment is needed. In this study, the optimization problem is solved by fixing an output stream of plant as the objective function to be maximized and to be subjected to various constraints. Using the computer software call as Mathcad 2001i Professional, the value of the objective function is obtained as the maximum production rate. This study shows that the setting of crushers and different opening size of screens cause the change of output production rate of the plant. The result that has been obtained by using the computer software also indicates total amount of material that should be fed to the plant in order that the output is in the maximum condition.