Quality monitoring and controls for a comminution system using imaging of material in a discharge stage

Abstract

A method is provided for dynamically monitoring material quality in a comminution system comprising a material crushing stage and a discharge stage. An imaging device captures images of comminuted material in the discharge stage, and characteristic features are extracted from the captured image for analysis with respect to at least one boundary condition. Output signals are accordingly generated corresponding to a determined comminution state of the comminuted material in the discharge stage. In one example, a crushing gap in the crushing stage is adjusted if the comminution state indicates material (or an amount of material) above a threshold size in the discharge stage. In another example, pre-screen settings in a pre-screen stage of the comminution system are adjusted if the comminution state indicates material (or an amount of material) below a threshold size in the discharge stage. Other comminution states and responses may, e.g., correspond to non-compliant material shapes, etc.