This site is designed for presenting the ideas and solutions in the domain of electrolysis control systems for industries producing the electrolytic copper. Site presents the achievements of ROBOCOPPER group.

MAAC analytical network in control systems of copper electrocrystalisation in refineries [PDF]

A few words of introduction
This article aims to attempt to describe the problems conditioning the existence of an effective control system of copper electrocrystalisation and an indication of the trends and opportunities for co-operation. I present here a brief history of the project, the current status and trends, which we are tending to the designed goals.
Ialso want to respond to questions about the conditions of supply for analytical automats MAAC. There is therefore a need for clarification the specifics of this product. Due to the nature of the proposed solutions and the progress of work, appropriate to bring closer conditions of co-operation in the implementation of our projects.
The article focuses on analytical issues related to the determination of the concentrations of copper and organic additives by MAAC analysers. We shall also apply to several technical issues outside the scope of the analytics. It should be emphasized that our solutions go beyond standard processes to offer goods, products’ presentations, negotiating prices, delivery conditions, implementation, service, etc.
The evaluation of the usefulness of the project MAAC system requires careful attention to the importance of data on concentrations of copper and organic additives in the process of electrorefinery control and a problem of suspensions in electrolyte. If we are dealing together with new analytical tools (MAAC system) and the previously unknown proposals of changes in the infrastructure of technological line, the interaction of continuing to work on our projects requires addressing a whole group of the financial, legal, technical and organizational problems.

 Robocopper Group
ROBOCOPPER group is a small team of specialists, which was emerged in a period of 7 years of research and creation successive prototypes of MAAC electrochemical analyser. UNI-CHEM Ltd. acts as the administrator of work carried out by the ROBOCOPPER group. Intensive research, testing, construction works and studies have been conducted since 2003.
The group's activity is purely commercial. Thus, it should not to be expected that all detailed questions referring to the analytical methods used by our group are answered, especially, if those questions require revealing the construction details of analytical devices. We do not give free advices.
We do not see any possibility to incur costs of testing samples of electrolytes and the organic additives. We also do not see the content and the business justification for the presentation of MAAC system in different places of our planet.
After resolving and testing the key problems associated with the operation of the prototype of MAAC analyser, the preparatory works for the production of the analyser and associated equipment were restrained. Currently the subject of our works - next to fine-tune the technical documentation - is the study on electrocrystalisation phase control. However, these are mostly work-studies. In due time we will return to continue preparations to produce analysers. Control issues in refineries, is one of many directions of ROBOCOPPER group interest.

Some implications of research and studies on electrocrystalisation problems

The copper electrocrystalisation process is a major scientific challenge and the subject of separate professional research programs. ROBOCOPPER group is not involved in basic research in the field of electrochemistry. To solve particularly difficult problems of analysis and control there have been successfully tested the original design methods. These methods are the result of basic research conducted within other projects far from issues of electrolysis.
Applied by us sensors solutions used in measuring system of MAAC analyser are adapted to a possibly simple and efficient implementation the practical purposes, which are forced by the industrial character of the electrolytic copper production. There are many ideas for using the results of work on MAAC measuring system. Researches on the properties of organic additives used in electrocrystalisation technologies were conducted until assessing their control potential. Extension and deepening these studies, attractive from the cognitive point of view, became unreasonable from a practical point of view. We have devoted significantly more attention to the study of sub-assemblies of the analyser, the measurement electronics and the environment in which the analysers’ network will work.
MAAC automats and other devices must be tested in the professional experimental circuits. These tests should be accompanied by work on designing and constructing devices that enable gaining many data on state of anodes and cathodes, as well as work on the design highly effective electrolysers. This is the reason why we attach great importance to the technical conditions that should have at disposal our potential partner.
It is worth to note that access to real-time data about the distribution of concentrations of copper and organic additives significantly increase the chance of use of inventions and improvements gathered for many years in environment dealing with electrochemical technologies.

MAAC electrochemical analyser... and what next
We have stated that the organic additives offer the greatest control potential in shaping the process and the same results of electrocrystalisation. The consequence of these is subordination of the other factors so that this potential has been maintained and released in accordance with strategies of conducting the process of copper electrocrystalisation on cathodes.
Many years of work on a MAAC measuring system capable to determinate in a real time the concentrations of copper and organic additives are carried out thanks to establishing that the organic additives offer the greatest control potential in shaping the electrocrystalisation process. The consequence of this assumption is identification and subordination of other factors, so that this potential has been maintained and released in accordance with the strategies developed for the copper electrocrystalisation process on cathodes.
The analytical automat MAAC is the basic device of the APS analytical network (Analytical Points Structure), which is the integral part of the ROBOCOPPER project. The operation of APS network goes under the supervision of MAAC control system.
The MAAC control system is responsible for the formation of all the factors affecting the electrocrystalisation process, in particular for shaping the optimal relation between distribution of concentration of the organic additives in the structure of production circuits and anodes and cathodes properties. Therefore, the project of the MAAC system includes the other sources of data, which are important for creation the control potential of organic additives (electrolyte’s temperature, flow velocity, anodes and cathodes properties and the data on electrolyte composition set in laboratory conditions).
The project of ROBOCOPPER system covers the whole issues of copper electrorefining control and its ideas comprise the reference for the design of all subsystems, including designing the MAAC subsystem.
The main construction and research works aiming at finding and testing the optimal analyser’s construction has been finished. We understood more deeply the essence of electrolysis processes. There were created new electronic measuring equipment, new software and measuring kits, and methods of their revitalisation. Many technical and construction problems have not been yet satisfactorily resolved, but the main issue, i.e., the analytical kernel of MAAC electrochemical analyser was constructed and successfully tested.
Currently carried out case studies on a model of the electrocrystalisation phase control are a natural consequence of the results of studies and research on the measuring system for the MAAC analyser. Case studies are essential both for the phase of MAAC design, for the manufacture process design and service of MAAC analysers as well as for constructing other devices expected to be tested under conditions of experimental circuits.
Everything seems to indicate that both analysers, as well as a significant part of the designed facilities will have a unique character. These devices and software are not currently available on the control systems market.
Currently, there is no commercial justification for the production and servicing MAAC analysers. At the moment, ordering analysers or analytical systems is possible only within wider projects defined by agreements of co-operation.
Implementation of the analytical phase of the ROBOCOPPER project is the complex and interdisciplinary undertaking. The installation works and testing should be conducted at the experimental circuit.
Solutions arising from research and design work on the MAAC electrochemical analyser became inspiration for the study of many previously unknown issues that may have a significant impact on the evolving technical mind related to the copper electrorefinery. In the field of research on robotics there have emerged barriers resulting in the lack of self-learning modules. However, it is hoped that the enrichment of control systems for data about the distribution of copper concentrations and the concentrations of active components of organic additives in the production circuits will result in a breakthrough, even in this respect.

Laboratories and electrocrystalisation process control in copper refineries
MAAC analyser is designed to work in a network responsible for the determination of concentrations of the active parts of the organic additives in the electrolyte levied and returned along with the washing water directly to industrial installations. The condition of correct operation of the MAAC analyser (analysers’ network) is operating in as close as possible electrolyte stream flowing in the technological pipelines. Moving or transporting electrolyte’s samples from cells to laboratories distorts the composition of the sample. This is due to degradation in time of organic additives and disturbing the other processes in the samples.
MAAC analysers’ network is built for a different philosophy of measurement and to control the electrocrystalisation process. The discovery of the high control potential of organic additives revealed new tasks, which are unable to sustain the traditional equipment and analytical methods.
The results that were generated on the occasion of the work on measuring system of MAAC analyser, rather than unwillingness to supply the analysers or fear of their failures - as some would believe – made us to stop with the preparatory work for their production.

Questions about the future
Production of low-quality electrolytic copper does not create any major technological problems today. However, with the need of stable production the larger quantity of copper with purity of 4-5N, there appear the serious problems of metrological, technical and technological, and economic nature. Today we know that the experience and intuition of engineers is not able to meet the specific low-costs production of the high purity cathode copper. These limits are probably easier to see when the increase in electricity prices, increasing interest in high purity copper supplies, restrictions on access to primary and secondary raw materials or when there are problems associated with maintaining continuity of production in terms of having more and more interferences in the natural environment.
Many of the questions related to the use of MAAC analysers concerns the possibility of their use in the modified production lines at existing refineries. It is possible to unzip the analysers’ network in modified technological circuits. Everything depends on the depth and direction of the designed changes in the infrastructure of technological lines. However, it is clear that before taking decisions on investment in tankhouses, equipment and accessories it is worth to have an automation controlling the electrocrystalisation designed for a specific installation and proven, at least in the experimental dimension.
The basic technological infrastructure in modern copper refineries does not change over one hundred years. Processes of change in the technical infrastructure and control systems will be forced by changes on the copper markets. It is just a matter of time. Modernisation of production lines may soon become very costly or impossible. These are the reasons for which we encourage to calm and argumentative cooperation.

Witold Jan Lech,
March the 30th, 2010, Wroclaw

MAAC system – a chance to create new generation refinery [more]