Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOTE MONITORING AND OPTIMISATION CENTRE
Technical Field
[0001} The present disclosure relates to a method and system for generating
proposed
actions relating to a work site process and, in particular, to a remote
monitoring and
optimisation process and centre for monitoring operating data in relation to
the work site
process and generating those actions.
Background
[0002] Operations centres (0Cs) are used across many industries to monitor and
control
the operation of one or more work sites. An operations centre is coupled to a
work site
via a communications link that enables operating data to be transmitted from
the work
site to the operations centre for operations staff to monitor the status of
one or more
processes or pieces of equipment at the work site. The communications link
also enables
control data to be transmitted from the operations centre to the work site.
The
communications link may be implemented as one or more duplex transmission
paths or as
multiple simplex transmission paths or a combination thereof.
[0003] An operations centre typically has one or more displays for monitoring
operating
data received from a work site and one or more controls for controlling a
process or
equipment at the work site. In a simple implementation, an operations centre
is
oo-located with a work site. In other implementations, the operations centre
may be
located remotely from the work site. In the fields of oil and gas production
and space
exploration, for example, it is a matter of practicality for the operations
centres to be
located remotely from the relevant work sites.
[0004} Operations staff at an operations centre receive "live" or real time
data from a
work site and react to that data by adjusting controls in an effort to
maintain smooth
operating conditions for the work site. Consequently, operations centres
commonly have
staffing levels that reflect the working hours of the relevant work sites. For
a
telecommunications environment, for example, in which a communications network
is
available to customers 24 hours per day, an operations centre is staffed 24
hours per day,
with staff working in shifts.
[0005] In one example, a work site relates to a processing plant, such as may
be found
in the mining and food industries. Such processing plants are typically vast
and complex
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multi-stage systems, which are controlled from an operations centre, wherein
each stage
may include one or more processes or pieces of equipment. The operations
centre is
responsible for the continuous operation of the processing plant, and oversees
the
workflow embodied by the processing plant from start to end,
[0006] The continuous operation of a work site requires operations staff at a
related
operations centre to monitor operating data received from the relevant work
site and act
on any alerts that arise by using controls that affect that work site, either
directly or
indirectly. Such alerts depend on the particular application, but may be used
to indicate
abnormal operating conditions, such as equipment failure, safety alerts, and
non-ideal
operating conditions. Thus, an operations centre is concerned with the day to
day
operation of a work site and acts in a mostly reactive way to current
operating conditions
of the work site by applying controls to maintain a process or piece of
equipment at
predefined operating conditions.
[0007] As an operations centre has control of a live work site, every change
made by
staff in the operations centre has a direct and tangible result in a live work
environment.
Accordingly, staff of an operations centre typically change control inputs in
ways that are
known to deliver well documented outcomes. There is little scope or capacity
in an
operations centre controlling a live work site to mocliN a work site process
or alter
operating conditions of equipment without having a commercial effect. The
nature and
extent of the commercial effect depends on the nature of the work site and the
modification to be implemented, but any change to a live work environment is
associated
with a risk. Any adverse change in a large scale work site, such as a mining
or oil work
site, may result in delays, unsafe working conditions, wasted proclud, the
loss of
substantial amounts of money, or a combination thereof.
[0008] Operations centres are concerned with ensuring that work sites serviced
by the
respective operations centres function within a predefined range of operating
conditions.
Consequently, operations centres are restricted by time and operational
constraints from
performing detailed analysis of the efficiency of the work site processes or
variance of
performance parameters across work sites. Due to the nature of the above-
mentioned
responsibilities and constraints of operations centres, operation centres have
limited
facilities to analyse real time data from a work site to identify weaknesses
that can be
improved in the processes implemented at a work site.
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[0009] Additionally, while an operations centre may control multiple work
sites which are
generally related, such as by product or technology group, geographical
location,
inter-relationship, or inter-dependency, there is limited opportunity and/or
no formal
process for successful operational practices at one work site to influence or
be applied to
non-related work sites controlled by other operational centres.
[0010] Thus, a need exists to provide a method and system for improving one or
more
portions of a production process implemented at a work site using live data
from that
work site and/or other data sources and information external to the work site.
Summary
[0011] The present disclosure relates to a remote monitoring and optimisation
centre
that receives operating data from a work site. The remote monitoring and
optimisation
centre analyses the operating data in order to generate a proposed action in
relation to a
process implemented by the work site. The proposed action has an associated
set of
operating conditions. The proposed action is then stored as a member of a set
of actions
that are available for review by operations staff from an operations centre
assodated with
the work site or staff at the work site.
[0012] Optionally, once an action from the set of actions has been implemented
at a
work site, the remote monitoring and optimisation centre monitors the
implemented
action to ensure that the implemented action functions within the associated
set of
operating conditions.
[0013] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a remote monitoring
and
optimisation centre comprising:
an input interface for receiving operating data from a work site, wherein said
operating data relates to at least one selected process at the work site; and
an analytics module for facilitating analysis of the at least one selected
process
based on the received operating data, and further adapted to facilitate
development of a
proposed action to improve the at least one selected process or a related
process to the
at least one selected process, said analytics module including:
a workflow circuit representing a workflow at the work site, each process of
the workflow being represented by a node of the workflow circuit, wherein the
analytics module is operable to display a visual representation of the
workflow
circuit on a visual display, each node of the workflow circuit being
selectable by a
user to select a process of the work site; and
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a database for storing said proposed action in a set of deployable actions.
[0014} In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of
generating a
deployable action in relation to a process undertaken at a work site, the
method
comprising the steps of:
generating operating data at said work site in relation to said process;
transmitting said operating data in real time to a remote monitoring and
operations
centre;
analysing at said remote monitoring and operations centre said operating data
together with one or more of historical data of the work site, operating data
from another
work site, historical data of another work site, and ideal data;
generating a proposed action, based on said analysis, wherein said proposed
action
is associated with a profile, said profile including a set of operating
parameters; and
transmitting said proposed action to an actions database for assessment by
staff
associated with said work site.
[0015} In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of
generating a
proposed action in relation to a process undertaken at a work site, the method
comprising
the steps of:
receiving at a remote monitoring and operations centre operating data and/or
other
process data relating to said process;
analysing said operating data and/or said other process data to identify a
proposed
improvement relating to said process; and
generating a proposed action for consideration by an operations centre of the
work
site, the proposed action for at least partially realizing the proposed
improvement.
[0016] According to another aspect, the present disclosure provides an
apparatus for
implementing any one of the aforementioned methods,
[0017} According to another aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer
program product including a cornputer readable medium having recorded thereon
a
computer program for implementing any one of the methods described above.
[0018] Other aspects of the present disclosure are also provided.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described
by
way of specific example(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0020] Figs la and lb are schematic block diagram representations of control
systems
implemented using one or more operations centres;
[0021] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a system on which one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure may be practised;
[0022] Fig. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of generating an action
in relation
to a process implemented by a work site;
[0023] Fig. 4a is a schematic representation of information flow between a
work site and
a remote monitoring and optimisation centre;
[0024] Fig. 4b is a schematic representation of the information flow of Fig.
4a applied to
a work site using a ball mill;
[0025] Fig, 5 is a schematic representation of a system on which one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure may be practised;
[0026] Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram representation of a system that
includes a
general purpose computer on which one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure
may be practised;
[0027] Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of monitoring an action
implemented on a work site;
[0028] Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of a workflow circuit;
[0029] Fig. 9a is a schematic representation illustrating operating data
associated with a
selected node of the workflow circuit of Fig. 8;
[0030] Fig. 9b is a schematic representation illustrating display of nodes
representing
sub-processes of a process of the workflow circuit of Fig. 8;
[0031] Figs 10a and 10b are schematic representations of embodiments of a
workflow
circuit;
[0032] Fig. lla is a schematic block diagram representation of a graphical
user interface
for monitoring performance of an implemented solution; and
[0033] Figs llb-d are examples of first, second, and third dashboard layers.
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Detailed Description
[00341 Method steps or features in the accompanying drawings that have the
same
reference numerals are to be considered to have the same function(s) or
operation(s),
unless the contrary intention is expressed or implied.
[0035] The present disclosure provides a method and system for generating one
or
more proposed actions relating to a work site process. In particular, the
present
disclosure provides a remote monitoring and optimisation centre (RMOC) that is
located
remotely from a work site and is adapted to work in parallel with an
operations centre
that is responsible for the day to day operation of the work site. An
operations centre
may be implemented as a physical centre at which one or more controllers are
co-located.
Alternatively, an operations centre may be implemented as one or more central
command
rooms or a distributed collection of controlling interfaces that together act
as a centre that
facilitates control or one or more work sites.
[0036} A work site, as used in this description, is any location, area, or
place where an
industrial activity is performed. Such work sites may relate to one of many
industries,
including, but not limited to, mining, telecommunications, air travel, space
exploration,
manufacturing, and the like. A work site may relate to a single physical
installation, such
as a copper concentrating plant or a coal mine, or multiple physical
installations that are
related in some way, such as multiple coal mines within close geographic
proximity to
each other.
[0037} A work site comprises multiple components which combine to realise a
set of one
or more processes. The work site may, for example, be a copper concentrating
plant
comprised of crushers, grinding mills, flotation cells, and the like, which
together realise a
copper concentrating process. The copper concentrating process may contain
sub-processes such as a crushing process, a grinding process, a flotation
process, and so
forth, which in turn may each contain further sub-processes.
[0038} The RMOC provides a central location for analysing operating
information
received from one or more related or unrelated work sites. Thus, the RMOC
provides an
interface that enables staff to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of
processes within
a work site, and optionally across multiple work sites, by identifying and
measuring
variation within a work site or across multiple work sites serviced by the
RMOC.
[0039] The processes realised at a work site depend on the particular
industry, but may
include, for example, drilling, blasting, ore haulage, ore recovery, smelting,
and the like.
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In one implementation, the RMOC is located remotely from the operations
centre. In
contrast to an operations centre, which is concerned with the day to day
operation of one
or more work sites and includes means for controlling equipment or processes
located at
those work sites, the RMOC has no traditional control of any component at a
work site
and is instead adapted to improving processes or equipment implemented in a
work site
or across multiple work sites.
[0040} A RMOC is arranged to receive operating data directly from a work site
in real-
time or near real-time. That is, operating data from the work site is
transmitted in
parallel to each of an associated operations centre and the RMOC. The RMOC may
be
optionally further coupled to a source of historical data relating to the work
site. The
RMOC may also be further coupled to a database of models configured for
execution on a
processor to model and simulate the behaviours of processes implemented on the
work
sites, and/or to model a solution that dynamically manipulates operating data.
In this
context, a model is a mathematical function characterising an aspect of a
selected
workflow and/or characterising a transformation of a set of process inputs to
generate an
appropriate process control output. Accordingly, each model has one or rnore
parameters
that can be used to investigate the effect on the selected workflow.
[0041} As described above, an operations centre is used to monitor and control
the
operation of one or more work sites. Fig. la is a schematic block diagram
representation
of a control system 100 that includes an operations centre 110 for controlling
a work
site 120. As depicted, a communication link 115 couples the operations centre
110 to the
work site 120. The communication link 115 carries operating data from the work
site 120
to the operations centre 110. The communications link 115 also carries control
signals
from the operations centre 110 to the work site 120. Thus, the communications
link 115
acts as a duplex connection between the operations centre 110 and the work
site 120,
[0042} The operations centre 110 includes one or more controls for affecting
the
manner in which a process or equipment at the work site 120 operates. As
described
above, the role of the operations centre 110 is to ensure that the various
processes or
equipment implemented at the work site 120 function in accordance with a
predefined set
of operating conditions. Controls at the operations centre 110 are used by
operations
staff, typically in a reactive manner based on live operating data, to modify
a process or
equipment at the work site 120 so that the relevant process or equipment
remains within,
or reverts to, the relevant operating conditions.
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[0043] Fig. lb is a schematic block diagram representation of a control system
150 that
includes a single operations centre 160 for controlling a first work site 170
and a second
work site 180. As depicted, a first communications link 165 couples the
operations
centre 160 to the first work site 170. A second communications link 175
couples the
operations centre 160 to the second work site 180. The first communications
link 165
carries operating data from the first work site 170 to the operations centre
160. The first
communications link 165 also carries control signals from the operations
centre 160 to the
first work site 170. The second communications link 175 carries operating data
from the
second work site 180 to the operations centre 160. The second communications
link 175
also carries control signals from the operations centre 160 to the second work
site 180.
[0044] As described above in relation to the operations centre 110 of Fig. la,
the role of
the operations centre 160 of Fig. lb is to ensure that the various processes
or equipment
implemented at the first work site 170 and the second work site 180 function
in
accordance with a predefined set of operating conditions. Controls at the
operations
centre 160 are used by operations staff, in a typically reactive manner based
on live
operating data, to modify a process or equipment at the first work site 170 or
the second
work site 180 so that the relevant process or equipment remains within, or
reverts to, the
relevant operating conditions.
[0045] Figs la and lb illustrate control systems embodying an operations
centre. The
operations centres receive operating data from one or more work sites and
apply controls
in a reactive manner in accordance with known protocols having established
outcomes to
maintain operation of the work sites within the predefined sets of operating
conditions for
the respective sites.
[0046] In contrast to the functionality of an operations centre, as described
with
reference to the operations centres 110, 160 of Figs la and lb, a RMOC has no
direct
control of any work site and is directed to improving processes or equipment
implernented
in a work site or across multiple work sites.
[0047] Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram representation of a system 200 on
which one
or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be practised. The system 200
includes a work site 205 that is coupled to an operations centre 210 via a
first
oomrnunications link 215. The work site 205 transmits to the operations centre
210, via
the first communications link 215, operating data relating to one or more
processes
performed at or in relation to the work site 205. The operations centre 210
transmits
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control data to the work site 205 via the first communications link 215. In
this way,
operations staff at the operations centre 210 monitor and control the day to
day
operation of the first work site 205 and seek to ensure that processes
implemented at the
work site 205 remain within a predefined set of operating conditions.
[0048] The work site 205 also transmits the operating data to a rernote
monitoring and
optimisation centre (RMOC) 250, via a second communications link 240. The RMOC
250
includes an input interface in the form of a live data module 252 that
receives and stores
the operating data from the work site 205. The RMOC 250 also includes a
display
module 254 and an analytics module 256. The live data module 252 presents the
operating data to the display module 254, which controls display of the
operating data on
one or more display screens.
[0049] The work site 205 provides a workflow circuit characterising a workflow
undertaken at the work site 205. The workflow includes a set of processes,
wherein each
process is represented by a node of the workflow circuit. Further, each
process is
associated with a set of operating parameters that may include inputs and
outputs for a
given process, along with optimal and/or acceptable operating ranges.
[0050] The analytics module 256 is configurable by a user to select and
analyse data
corresponding to a process of interest that is being studied for improvement.
In one
implementation, the RMOC 250 displays a visual representation of the workflow
circuit on
one or more visual displays, wherein each node of the workflow circuit is
selectable by a
user to display operating data relating to the process represented by that
node. A user
can navigate through the workflow undertaken at the work site 205. Where a
process
includes one or more sub-processes, the user can drill down to view data
relating to the
sub-process(es). The user is able to view and select data relating to a
process
corresponding to a selected node. The selected data may be derived from the
operating
data, historical data relating to the work site that is being studied,
historical data relating
to another work site, a set of ideal operating data, other relevant
information, or any
combination thereof.
[0051] In one arrangement, the analytics module 256 converts received data
from the
live data module 252, historical database 260 and the models 265 to a
predefined set of
common units. This enables a user to readily view and compare values derived
from
different work sites or sources, enabling meaningful and direct comparison
across all work
sites. In one arrangement, the analytics module 256 converts all data to
standard 51
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units and tirnestamps data appropriately. Alternatively, conversion of data is
performed
by a dedicated conversion module (not shown).
[0052] The user can, therefore, examine workflow undertaken at the work site
205 and,
by viewing data associated with the various processes, select a process for
improvement.
The user then selects data relating to the selected process and analyses the
selected data
to identify a proposed improvement relating to the selected process. The
proposed
improvement may relate to a change in operating parameters for the selected
process.
Alternatively, the proposed improvement may relate to a change in operating
parameters
for another process in the workflow. This may occur, for example, when
changing the
parameters of another process results in improved efficiencies to be realised
in the
selected process. The proposed improvement may also relate to a change in the
implementation of a process or sub-process of the workflow or even to a change
in the
workflow through the introduction, modification, or deletion of one or more
processes.
[0053] By way of the analytics module 256, the user is able to review and
analyse the
selected data, and if desired apply the selected data to one or more models
from the
database of models, to review, refine, and/or manipulate a process of
interest. The
analytics module 256 further allows the user to create a new model to
dynamically
analyse operating data and manipulate the process of interest. Additionally,
the analybcs
module 256 provides a construct in which the effects of models, and/or
proposals
resultant from analyses, can be simulated using live or historic operating
data, whereby
various hypotheses postulated by users of the RMOC to improve the process of
interest
may be tested, and/or the model/proposal itself tested to confirm it works as
intended.
[0054] In one arrangement, the RMOC 250 includes one or more display screens
for
displaying live operational data derived from the operating data. In one
implementation,
the display module 254 presents a user with a user interface that enables the
user to
select operational data that is to be displayed on the display screens and the
manner in
which the operational data is presented. This enables the user to select one
or more
processes from the work site 205 and readily swap between not only different
processes
within the work site 205, but also different presentations of information.
Such
presentations may include, for example, flow circuits, telemetry, pie charts,
bar graphs,
tables of data, alerts, data trends (over any specific time horizon),
analytical trends (over
any specific time horizon), and the like.
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[0055] For example, a default viewing display for a copper concentrating plant
may
simaaneously display operating data relating to an overall workflow circuit
implemented
at the plant, allowing the user to monitor live operating conditions of the
entire circuit.
From the exemplary default viewing display, the user can focus on one or more
sub-
circuits, such as a bank of flotation cells, a mill, a concentrator, and the
like. Preferably, a
user is able to select a viewing display from a set of predefined viewing
displays.
Predefined viewing displays may include, for example, a viewing display
dedicated to an
overall process implemented at the work site 205, a viewing display dedicated
to a
selection of one or more specific processes implemented at the work site 205,
a viewing
display showing operational data from the work site 205, a viewing display
showing live
operational data from the work site 205 juxtaposed with historical data from
the work
site 205, a viewing display showing live operational data from the work site
205
juxtaposed with a set of ideal operating data, and the like. In another
implementation,
the user is able to customise the viewing display, based on user preference.
The viewing
displays may include, for example, workflow circuits corresponding to work
sites serviced
by the RMOC 250.
[0056] In the example of Fig. 2, the RMOC 250 further includes an optional
verification
module or monitoring module) 258, which monitors the performance of proposed
actions
generated by the RMOC 250 that are implemented at a work site. The
verification
module 258 uses live data received from the work site via the live data module
252 to
track the performance of one or more implemented actions relative to the set
of action
attributes associated with each respective action. If the performance of an
implemented
action deviates outside the associated set of operating parameters associated
with that
action, the verification module 258 issues an alert to staff at the RMOC 250.
[00571 Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of an exemplary workflow circuit
800 relating
to a copper concentrating plant. The workflow circuit 800 characterises
aspects of the
workflow undertaken at the copper concentrating plant and functions as a live
updating
state diagram fed by operating data from the copper concentrating plant In
this
example, the workflow relates to copper concentration, wherein the copper
concentration
includes a set of processes. Each process is represented as a node of the
workflow
circuit 800.
[00581 Ore is delivered from a mine as an input to the workflow, represented
by ore
delivery node 805. The raw are is presented to a screening node 810, which
screens the
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raw ore to remove any material which may negatively affect downstream
processes or
cause a hazard. Such material may include, for example, very large rocks which
should
instead be transferred to a stockpile for further processing at a tater time.
The output of
the screening node 810 is presented to a crushing node 815, which breaks the
ore into
smaller pieces. The crushing node 815 may be implemented using a series of
crushers,
such as cone crushers.
[0059} The output of the crushing node 815 is presented to a milling node 820.
The
milling node 820 grinds the crushed ore to a finer consistency and produces a
slurry. The
slurry passes through a classifier 822 and is then mixed with one or more
chemical
reagents in flotation cells, represented by flotation cells node 825. The
flotation cells 825
produce a layer of bubbles carrying copper, whilst waste material discharges
at the
bottom of the tanks as tailings. The tailings are sent to a tailings node 840.
In this
example, the tailings are fed back at least once to the flotation cells 825 to
extract any
further copper that may be present in those tailings. The tailings node 840
may also
output content to a tailings thickener node 850, which in turn provides an
output to a
tailings storage node 855. The layer of bubbles, or froth, are sent from the
flotation
cells 825 to a tailings concentrator 830 to condense the bubbles and the
output is
presented to a filter 835.
[0060] Thus, the workflow circuit 800 provides a visual representation of the
copper
concentration process. The RMOC 250 displays the workflow circuit 800 and a
user is
able to select any of the nodes 805 .., 840. In one implementation, operating
data
relating to each process is displayed alongside the corresponding node. Thus,
the
RMOC 250 displays crusher node 815 alongside operating data relating to the
crushers at
the copper concentrating plant. In another implementation, a user selects a
node,
whereupon the RMOC 250 displays information relating to the selected node. In
the case
in which a process includes one or more sub-processes, those sub-processes are
represented by nodes and the user is thus able to drill down within any
selected process.
[00611 In one example, the flotation cells node 825 represents three flotation
cells used
in the actual copper concentrator plant. A user at the RMOC 250 selects the
flotation cells
node 825 by clicking on the node 825 and in response the RMOC 250 displays an
initial
set of operating data 905 relating to the flotation cells process, shown in
Fig. 9a. The
user is able to double click on the flotation cells node 825 to display any
sub-processes
relating to that node. Fig. 9b shows each of the three flotation cells
represented by the
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flotation cells node 825 as individual nodes 910, 915, 920. Thus, the user can
select each
individual node 910, 915, 920 to view information relating to each of the
flotation cells.
[0062] Thus, the RMOC 250 provides a central location for monitoring and
displaying
operating data from the work site 205. This enables staff to monitor the
operating data
and identify processes or aspects of processes that might be improved.
[0063] It will be appreciated that the flow of each workflow circuit may
include serial
and parallel flows, along with feedback loops and the like. Further, a
workflow circuit
may relate to a work site having independent processes co-located at a single
site, in
which case the workflow circuit may include nodes or set of nodes that are
independent
of each other. For example, Fig. 10a is a schematic representation of a
workflow
circuit 1000 for a work site having two parallel workflows. Thus, Fig. 10a has
a first set of
nodes 1010 representing a first workflow and a second set of nodes 1020
representing a
second workflow. Similarly, Fig. 10b is a schematic representation of a
workflow
circuit 1050 having a central set of nodes 1060 implementing a first workflow
and a
discrete and independent node 1070 implementing an independent second workflow
conducted at the same work site.
[0064] Returning to Fig. 2, the analytics module 256 is coupled to a
historical
database 260, which is implemented as a first storage medium for storing
historical data
relating to the work site 205. In one implementation, the historical data
relates to
operating data from the work site 205 over time. The historical data may also
include
historical data obtained from other work sites. Further, the historical data
may include a
set of ideal operating data, based on theoretically optimum parameters. The
analytics
module 256 is also coupled to a models database 265. The models database 265
is
implemented as a second storage medium for storing a set of one or more
models,
simulations, and other tools for use in analysing performance characteristics
and/or
manipulating operating characteristics of one or more processes realised at
the work
site 205.
[0065] In an exemplary operation of the RMOC, a user of the RMOC 250
identifies a
process at the work site 205 that can be improved. The user may identify this
process
independently as part of the own initiative of the user, or be requested by a
third party,
such as the operations centre, to analyse a specific process. It should be
noted that the
user in this context may be a cross-disciplinary team of subject matter
experts.
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[0066] In due course, the user analyses the specified process and determines
one or
more proposed actions. In one implementation, a proposed action is associated
with a
set of action attributes containing proposed operating parameters for at least
one process
of the workflow with which the selected process is associated. As the RMOC is
not
responsible for the day to day operations of the work site 205, the time taken
by the user
to analyse the specified process is not constrained by needing to address
issues such as
ensuring that the work site 205 continues to operate normally. Rather, as the
day to day
operation of the work site 205 is maintained by the operations centre, the
RMOC 250 is
able to dedicate more resources (e.g., time, man power, computing power, etc.)
to
analysing the specific process. The proposed actions arrived at by the user
are actions
which, for example, rectify a problem in the process, optimise the process,
change the
process, and the like. The actions may take the fom-i of a proposed change to
one or
more operating parameters, or may take the form of a proposal to implement a
model
which dynamically and continuously monitors and manipulates operating
parameters
andjor controls. The model may be an existing model obtained from the database
of
models, a model derived from an existing model obtained from the database of
models,
or a new model created by the user or a third party.
[0067] Each action is associated with a profile that stores a set of action
attributes for
that action. Such action attributes may include, for example, the date of
creation, work
site or work sites to which the action is applicable, and a set of operating
parameters. In
practice, the set of operating parameters may relate to operating conditions
of a process
to which the action is applied or an acceptable range within which an output
of the
process must lie. The proposed action is stored in an actions database 270,
which is
implemented as a storage medium for storing a set of proposed actions. In the
example
of Fig. 2, the actions database 270 forms part of the RMOC 250. In another
implementation, not shown, the actions database 270 is external to the RMOC
250 and is
coupled to the RMOC 250 by a communications link.
[0068] In one arrangement, a user assigns a ranking to each action, wherein
each
ranking is based on value criteria. Thus, the ranking associated with an
action provides
an indication of the importance of that action, in terms of the risk
associated with not
implementing the action or the value to be gained from implementing the
action.
Depending on the implementation, the actions database 270 sorts the set of
proposed
actions based on the associated rankings. An action may be assigned a ranking
indicating
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that the action is a pre-approved action which the operations centre has
decided to
implement automatically upon proposal by the RMOC 250.
[0069] When a new action is transmitted to the actions database 270, a
notification is
sent to staff at the work site(s) and/or operation centre(s) to which the
action applies.
Staff at the operations centre 210 and the work site 205 are able to review an
action in
the actions database 270 and decide whether or not to implement that action in
relation
to the work site 205. If the operations staff at the operations centre 210 do
decide to
implement the action, the operations staff send the relevant control data, via
the first
communications link 215, to the work site 205. In the case of actions that
have the
aforementioned pre-approved ranking, a notification need not be sent to staff
at the work
site(s) andior operation centre(s), and such pre-approved actions are
autornatically
implemented.
[0070} An example of a pre-approved action is an action that is generated by a
model,
wherein the model has been previously approved by staff at the relevant
operations
centre or work site.
[0071] Each of the communications links of the system 200 may be implemented
using
one or more wired or wireless transmission links and may include, for example,
a
dedicated communications link, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network
(WAN),
the Internet, a telecommunications network, or any combination thereof. A
telecommunications network may include, but is not limited to, a telephony
network, such
as a Public Switch Telephony Network (PSTN), a mobile telephone cellular
network, a
short message service (SMS) network, a radio network, a satellite link, or any
combination
thereof.
[0072} Fig. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 300 of generating or
devising an
action in relation to a process implemented by a work site. The method 300
begins at a
Start step 305 and proceeds to step 310, which generates operating data at the
work
site 205 relating to one or more processes implemented at the work site 205. A
process
may include the settings or manner in which a piece of equipment is operated.
Operating
data may include, for example, controls applied to a process, operating
conditions,
telemetry data from plant equipment, and analytic data from the work site.
[0073} Control passes to step 315, which transmits the operating data in real
time from
the work site 205 to the remote monitoring and optimisation centre (RMOC) 250.
It will
be appreciated that while this example relates to a RMOC coupled to a single
work site,
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alternative embodiments include a RMOC coupled to multiple work sites, in
which case
the RMOC may receive operating data from multiple work sites
contemporaneously.
[0074] In step 320, the RMOC 250 displays the operating data received from the
work
site in step 315 on one or more display devices for viewing by staff at the
RMOC 250. A
next step 325 analyses selected data. The selected data to be analysed depends
on the
particular application and may relate, for example, to one or more selected
processes, a
specified period of time, or any combination thereof. In the scenario in which
the
RMOC 250 is coupled to multiple work sites, the selected data may further
relate to one
or more selected work sites. In one example, staff at the RMOC 250 examine
processes
at the work site 205 and identify a process to improve. As previously
mentioned, the
identified process may be a process specifically identified by the operations
centre, or
may be a process that the staff of the RMOC 250 identify by independent
initiative. The
staff then select data based on the identified aspect. It is to be noted that
the selected
data may include operating data and/or historical data relating to the
identified aspect.
In an effort to improve the identified aspect, the staff may also select data
not directly
related to the identified aspect, but which relates to a process or control
that the staff
consider may have application to the identified aspect.
[0075} Depending on the application, analysis may be performed within and
across one
or more selected processes. Analysis is typically performed by staff at the
RMOC 250. In
a yet further implementation, staff in combination with a computer program
analyse the
operating data
[0076} Analysis of the selected data may include, for example, a trouble-
shooting
analysis, analysis by a team of experts, a comparison with historical data
from the same
work site, a comparison with historical data from a different work site, a
comparison with
a theoretical ideal, or any combination thereof.
[0077] Control passes to step 330, where one or more improvements are
identified from
the analysis performed at step 320. The improvements are realised as changes
in one or
more work site processes, changes to operating conditions cif one or more
pieces of
equipment, constraining of one or more parameters within predetermined bounds,
design
of new operating or control algorithms and models, new feedback or feedforward
loops,
and the like. As previously mentioned, the improvements may be effected as
static
changes to one or more parameters, or through the implementation and
continuous
execution cif a model which dynamically generates proposed changes as inputs
change.
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[0078] In a next step 335, the staff generate a proposed action to be
performed on the
selected process. The action is submitted to an action repository, such as the
actions
database 270, for viewing by either operations staff at an operations centre
associated
with the work site or by work site staff at the work site. Such operations
staff or work
site staff decide whether to implement the action on the actual work site. As
noted
above, some implementations enable actions to be pre-approved. When such a pre-
approved action is generated, there is no need for that action to be reviewed
before
being implemented at the relevant work site. Control passes to step 340 and
the
method 300 terminates,
[0079] Fig. 4a is a schematic representation of information flow between the
work
site 205 and the RMOC 250 of Fig. 2. In this illustration, the work site 205,
also referred
to as a host plant, in a first step generates operating data in relation to
one or more
processes performed in the host plant control environment. In one example, the
work
site 205 is a copper concentrating plant that performs a number of processes
involving a
plurality of flotation cells. Each flotation cell generates data over time
relating to
operation of that particular cell. The work site 205 transmits operating data
derived from
the host plant environment to the RMOC 250.
[0080] In the second step of the information flow shown in Fig, 4a, the RMOC
250
receives the operating data in real time from the work site 205 and stores the
received
operating data. The RMOC 250 optionally receives multiple streams of operating
data
from multiple work sites that are similarly being monitored by the RMOC 250.
As
described above, the display module 254 of the RMOC 250 provides an interface
that
enables staff of the RMOC 250 to configure the manner in which the operating
data is
displayed on one or more display devices. In one implementation, an array of
display
devices is arranged to form a video wall, wherein a user is able to arrange
information on
different display devices. This allows the user to selectively view live and
historical data
relating to one or more work sites, as well as the status of any alarms. In
one
implementation, the RMOC 250 processes operating data received from different
work
sites to be presented in a consistent and standardised format, to assist staff
in correlating
data and identifying statuses, trends, and variances within and across work
sites. The
display devices optionally display the results of models that are presently
being run or
have previously been run in relation to a work site process.
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[0081] In a third step, the RMOC 250 performs analysis in relation to one or
more work
processes performed at the work site 205. Staff view the received operating
data and
identify a process from a work site to be improved. The staff then use one or
more
models to analyse ways in which the identified process can be affected. The
models
allow the staff to vary parameters for the models to test hypotheses and
optionally
simulate part of a workflow circuit associated with the work site. Based on
the results of
the analysis, the staff generate an action associated with the identified
process.
[0082] In the example in which the work site is a copper concentrating plant,
staff at
the RMOC 250 are able to view data relating, for example, to fluid levels and
flow rates
for each flotation cell at the work site 205. In this way, the staff are able
to identify
variations across flotation cells within a single work site and, where
applicable, across
multiple work sites. In one arrangement, the analytics module 256 includes
software
executing on a processor that identifies discrepancies, based on either a
predefined set of
operating parameters for a process, a predefined deviation from operating data
returned
from similar plant equipment, or a deviation from bounds set by one or more
executing
models. For example, the analytics module receives operating data from three
flotation
cells at the work site 205 and triggers an alert in relation to the third
flotation cell if an air
recovery rate of the third cell is outside a bound specified by a previously
implemented
and currently executing model governing the air input rate.
[0083] In a fourth step, the RMOC 250 generates an action in relation to a
work process
undertaken at the work site 205. Such an action is associated with a profile,
wherein the
profile includes a plurality of action attributes. As previously described,
such action
attributes may include a creation date, name of process to which the action
applies, name
of work site(s) to which the action applies, proposed verification period
corresponding to
the frequency at which the action should be monitored once implemented on a
work site,
and a set of operating parameters. Depending on the process to which the
action
applies, the action attributes may include settings for one or more controls
to be applied
to the process.
[0084] In a fifth step, staff at the work site 205, or at the corresponding
operations
centre 210, choose to implement the action and the action is imposed on the
selected
process performed at the work site 205.
[0085] Fig. 4b is a schematic representation of the information flow of Fig.
4a applied to
a work site 490 using a ball mill 455. A RMOC 401 is coupled to a storage
medium that
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stores a set of historical databases 420. The historical databases 420 receive
live plant
data 405 from the work site 490. Depending on the implementation, the RMOC 401
optionally includes input from an external research unit 410 and an external
industry
development unit 415, each of which provides input to a set of traditional
methods 425.
The set of traditional methods may include, for example, one or more models or
simulations based on known strategies for modelling and simulating a process
with which
the work site 490 is associated. In this example, such a process may be the
operation of
the ball mill 455. The set of traditional methods may also include one or more
operating
models provided by the manufacturer of the ball mill 455. Such operating
models receive
an input and produce a controlling output for the ball mill 455.
[0086} The set of traditional methods 425 and historical databases 420 provide
inputs to
an RMOC analytics module 430. In one arrangement, the set of traditional
methods 425
and historical databases 420 present information to the RMOC analytics module
430
periodically, such as hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The RMOC
analytics
module 430 is also optionally coupled to an analytics centre 435, which is
adapted to
perform analysis of big data derived from one or more sources, which may
include the
work site 490, the RMOC 401, or other sources.
{0087} In the example of Fig, 4b, the work site 490 includes the ball mill 455
and the
RMOC 401 is tasked with improving the efficiency of that ball mill. The RMOC
analytics
module 430 processes input data received from at least one of the set of
historical
databases 420 and traditional methods 425 and, based on further input received
from the
analytics centre 435 and input from the cross-disciplinary team operating the
RMOC 401,
produces as an output one or more new models and algorithms 440 relating to
operation
of the ball mill. In the particular example illustrated in Fig. 4b, the input
data from the
traditional methods 425 may be new research findings regarding mass balancing
of mills,
and generic mass balancing models provide(' by the original equipment
manufacturer
(OEM) of the ball mill 455 or by industry. The input data from the analytics
centre 435
may be big data findings, such as trends and patterns from multiple sources of
data. The
RMOC analytics module 430, from one or more of the input data from the
traditional
methods 425, input data from the historical database 420, input data from the
analytics
centre 435, and theories/know-how/experience from the cross-disciplinary team
operating
the RMOC 401, produces a new model for operating one or more aspects of the
ball
rnill 455. In the particular example illustrated in Fig, 4b, the new model is
a new or
improved mass balancing model 445 for controlling the ball bill 455.
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[0088] The mass balancing model 455 receives input in the form of live plant
data
received from the work site 490 and presents as an output control commands for
operating the ball mill 455. In the example of Fig. 4a, the mass balancing
model 445
presents that output control commands for operating the ball mill 455 an input
to a
cyclones cluster optimiser 450, which produces an output that is presented as
an input to
the ball mill circuits 455 of the work site 490. The ball mill circuits 455
exchanges
information with a Distributed Control System (DCS) 460 of the work site 490.
The
DCS 460 periodically outputs live plant data from the work site 490 to the
live plant
data 405 and mass balancing model 445 of the RMOC 401. Thus, a feedback
control loop
is effectively formed by the components of the mass balancing model 445, the
cyclones
cluster optimiser 450, the ball mill 455, and the DCS 460. The RMOC 401
improves or
replaces the mass balancing model 445 over time.
[0089] Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram representation of a system 500
embodying
multiple work sites serviced by a RMOC. The system 500 includes a first work
site 505
that is coupled to a first operations centre 510 via a first communications
link 515. The
first work site 505 transmits to the first operations centre 510, via the
first
communications link 515, first operating data relating to one or more
processes
performed at or in relation to the first work site 505. The first operations
centre 510
transmits first control data to the first work site 505 via the first
communications link 515.
In this way, operations staff at the first operations centre 510 monitor and
control the day
to day operation of the first work site 505.
po9o1 The system 500 also includes a second work site 520 that is coupled to a
second
operations centre 530 via a second communications link 525. The second work
site 520
transmits to the second operations centre 530, via the second communications
link 525,
second operating data relating to one or more processes performed at or in
relation to
the second work site 520. The second operations centre 530 transmits second
control
data to the second work site 520 via the second communications link 525. In
this way,
operations staff at the second operations centre 530 monitor and control the
day to day
operation of the second work site 520.
[0091] The first work site 505 also transmits the first operating data to a
remote
monitoring and optimisation centre (RMOC) 550, via a third communications link
540.
Similarly, the second work site 520 transmits the second operating data to the
RMOC 55C)
via a fourth communications link 545. The RMOC 550 includes an input interface
in the
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form of a live data module 552 that receives the first operating data and
second operating
data from the first and second work sites 505, 520, respectively. The RMOC 550
also
includes a display module 554 and an analytics module 556. The live data
module 552
presents the first and second operating data to the display module 554, which
controls
display of the first and second operating data on one or more display screens.
[0092] In one arrangement, the RMOC 550 includes one or more display screens
for
displaying live operational data derived from the first and second operating
data. In one
implementation, the display module 554 presents a user with a user interface
that
enables the user to select operational data that is to be displayed on the
display screens
and the manner in which the operational data is presented. This enables the
user to
select one or more work sites and readily swap between not only different work
sites or
sets of work sites, but also different presentations of information. Such
presentations
may include, for example, workflow circuits, telemetry, pie charts, bar
graphs, tables of
data, alerts, data trends over any specific time horizon), analytical trends
over any
specific time horizon), and the like.
[0093] For example, a default viewing display simultaneously displays the
first and
second operating data relating to processes implemented at the work sites 505,
520, so
that the user can monitor live operating conditions of both the first and
second work
sites 505, 520. Depending on the implementation, a user is able to select a
viewing
display from a set of predefined viewing displays. Such viewing displays may
include, for
example, a viewing display dedicated to a selection of one or more processes
implemented at the work sites 505, 520, a viewing display showing operational
data from
the work sites 505, 520, a viewing display showing live operational data from
the first
work site 505 juxtaposed with historical data from the first work site 505, a
viewing
display showing live operational data from the second work site 520 juxtaposed
with
historical data from the work site 520, a viewing display showing live
operational data
from the first work site 505 juxtaposed with a set of ideal operating data, a
viewing
display showing live operational data from the second work site 520 juxtaposed
with a set
of ideal operating data, a viewing display showing data relating to an
executing model
relating to either one of the work sites 505, 520, and the like. In another
implementationõ the user is able to customise the viewing display, based on
user
preference.
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[0094] Thus, the RMOC 550 provides a central location for monitoring and
displaying
operating data from the first and second work sites 505, 520 and analysing
information
relating thereto. This enables staff to monitor the operating data and
identify processes
or aspects of the processes that might be improved. Further, as the work sites
505, 520
may relate to different technologies, work practices, geographical areas, and
the like,
staff at the RMOC 550 are able to learn techniques and practices from one work
site and
apply those techniques and practices to other work site(s) serviced by the
RMOC 550.
This provides cross-fertilisation of ideas within different areas of a
company. Further,
where two work sites relate to similar processes, such as the case in which
two work sites
both relate to copper recovery or concentration by flotation, the staff at the
RMOC can
investigate why one work site performs differently from the other and then
correct a
weakness or defect in a work site or add an improvement from the other work
site.
[0095] The analytics module 556 is coupled to a historical database 560, which
is
implemented as a first storage medium for storing historical data relating to
the first and
second work sites 505, 520. In one arrangement, the historical data relate to
first and
second operating data from the first and second work sites 505, 520 over time.
The
historical data may also include historical data obtained from other work
sites. Further,
the historical data may include a set of ideal operating data, based on
theoretically
optimum parameters. The analytics module 556 is also coupled to a models
database 565. The models database 565 is implemented as a second storage
medium for
storing a set of one or more models, simulations, and other tools for use in
analysing
and/or manipulating performance characteristics of one or more processes
undertaken in
relation to the first and second work sites 505, 520.
[0096] Staff at the RMOC 550 identify a process at one of the work sites 505,
520 for
which improvement is sought and select data relating to that process. The
analytics
module 556, together with the various analytical tools in the models database
565, allow
the staff to analyse the identified process, and develop and test proposals to
improve the
process. The identified process may be analysed by staff in consideration of,
for example,
the first operating data relating to the first work site 505, the second
operating data
relating to the second work site 520, historical data relating to the first
work site 505,
historical data relating to the second work site 520, historical data relating
to a different
work site, a set of ideal operating data relating to the first work site 505
or second work
site 520, test data, or any combination thereof.
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[0097] Based on the analyses, staff at the RMOC 550 generate a proposed action
for
implementation in relation to the identified process at the first work site
505 or the
second work site 520. The proposed action may, for example, be a proposed
change to
one or more operating parameters in the identified process, a proposed change
to one or
more operating parameters in another process (e.g. an upstream process, or a
downstream process, or some other explicitly or implicitly related process),
or a proposal
to implement a model to dynamically manipulate one or more operating
parameters of
the identified process or other process in accordance with one or more inputs,
wherein
the inputs may include the first operating data relating to the first work
site 505, the
second operating data relating to the second work site 520, historical data
relating to the
first work site 505, historical data relating to the second work site 520,
historical data
relating to a different work site, a set of ideal operating data relating to
the first work
site 505 or second work site 520, test data, or any combination thereof.
[0098] Each action is associated with a profile that stores a set of action
attributes for
that action. Such action attributes may include, for example, the date of
creation, work
site or vfork sites to which the action is applicable, and a set of operating
parameters. In
practice, the set of operating parameters may relate to operating conditions
of a process
to which the action is applied. The proposed action is stored in an actions
database 570,
which is implemented as a storage medium for storing a set of proposed
actions. In the
example of Fig. 5, the actions database 570 forms part of the RMOC 550, In
another
implementation, not shown, the actions database 570 is external to the RMOC
550 and is
coupled to the RMOC 550 by a communications link.
[0099] In one arrangement, a user assigns a ranking to each action, wherein
each
ranking is based on value criteria. Thus, the ranking associated with an
action provides
an indication of the importance of that action, in terms of the risk
associated with not
implementing the action or the value to be gained from implementing the
action.
Depending on the implementation, the actions database 570 sorts the set of
proposed
actions based on the associated rankings.
[00100] When a new action is transmitted to the actions database 570, a
notification is
sent to work site staff at the relevant work site and operation centre to
which the action
applies. Operations staff at the first operations centre 510 and the second
operations
centre 530 are able to review an action in the actions database 570 and decide
whether
or not to implement that action in relation to the relevant work site 505, 520
controlled by
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that operations centre. Thus, operations staff at the first operations centre
510 review an
action in the actions database 570 and decide whether or not to implement the
action in
relation to the first work site 505. If the operations staff at the first
operations centre 510
decide to implement the action, the operations staff send the relevant control
data, via
the first communications link 515, to the first work site 505. As previously
described, an
action may also have a ranking indicating that the action has been pre-
approved and does
not require further approval by staff at the first operation centre 510. Such
pre-approved
actions may include, for example, outputs from a model where the act of
implementing
the model was itself an action that previously required approval by the
operations staff.
[00101] In the example of Fig. 5, staff at the first work site 505 are also
able to access
the actions database 570 and decide whether or not to implement one or more
actions
from the actions database 570 that relate to the first work site 505.
Similarly, staff at the
second work site 520 are also able to access the actions database 570 and
decide
whether or not to implement one or more actions from the actions database 570
that
relate to the first work site 520.
[00102] Each of the communications links of the system 500 may be implemented
using
one or more wired or wireless transmission links and may include, for example,
a
dedicated communications link, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network
(WAN),
the Internet, a telecommunications network, or any combination thereof. A
telecommunications network may include, but is not limited to, a telephony
network, such
as a Public Switch Telephony Network (PSTN), a mobile telephone cellular
network, a
short message service (SMS) network, a radio network, a satellite link, or any
combination
thereof.
[00103] In the example of Fig. 5, the RMOC 550 further includes an optional
verification
module 558, which monitors the performance of proposed actions generated by
the
RMOC that are implemented at a work site. The verification module 558 uses
live data
received from the work site via the live data module 552 to track the
performance of one
or more implemented actions relative to the set of action attributes
associated with each
respective action. If the performance of an implemented action deviates
outside the
associated set of operating parameters associated with that action, the
verification
module 558 issues an alert to staff at the RMOC 550.
[00104] In one arrangement, the display module 554 provides a graphical user
interface
in the form of a dashboard for monitoring the performance of implemented
(deployed")
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actions. Fig. lla is a schematic block diagram representation of a graphical
user
interface 1100 for monitoring performance of an implemented action. In the
example of
Fig. 11a, the graphical user interface 1100 includes multiple dashboard
layers, which may
be displayed simultaneously on a single display screen or alternatively may be
selected by
a user for viewing as separate display screens. A first dashboard layer 1110
illustrates a
set of deployed actions 1112, 1114, 1116, 1118 that are being monitored by the
verification module 558.
[00105] In one arrangement, each action 1112, 1114, 1116, 1118 is represented
by an
icon, wherein a colour of the icon indicates an operating status of the
action. Thus, an
action associated with an alert condition is displayed, for example, with a
red icon,
whereas an action that is operating smoothly is displayed with a green icon.
It will be
appreciated that any number of colour combinations or graphical indications
may be used
to indicate an operating status associated with an action, without departing
from the spirit
and scope of the present disclosure.
{00106] A user is able to select one of the deployed actions 1112, 1114, 1116,
1118 to
view details relating to the selected deployed action. In this example, the
user selects
deployed action 1116, and a second dashboard layer 1120 presents information
relating
to deployed action 1116. In one arrangement, each action is associated with a
set of
operating parameters, wherein each operating parameter is presented
'graphically in the
second dashboard layer 1120. In the example of Fig. 11a, the selected action
1116 is
associated with two components 1130, 1142 of a process implemented at a work
site.
The component 1.130 has a set of attributes 1132, 1134, 1136, 1138, 1140 and
the
component 1142 has a set of attributes 1144, 1146, 1148, 1150. Depending on
the
implementation, each attribute of the components 1130, 1142 is represented
graphically
with a size or shape indicating a relative value or significance of that
attribute. Thus, the
relative proportion of the display region allocated to component 11.30 that is
occupied by
each of the attributes 1132, 1134, 1136, 1138, 1140 indicates the relative
importance of
the respective attributes 1132, 1134, 1136, 1138, 1140 to the component 1130.
[001.07] In one arrangement, a predefined scale of operating status is applied
to each
attribute 1132, 1134, 1136, 1138, 1140. In one example, the predefined scale
of
operating status includes three states: grey indicating normal, yellow
indicating a short
term alert, and red indicating that action is required.
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[00108] In the example of Fig. 11a, the dashboard includes a third dashboard
layer 1175,
which enables a user to view further details associated with a selected
attribute 1132, 1134, 1136, 1138, 110, 1144, 1146, 1148, 1150 from the second
dashboard layer 1120. Such further details may include the set of action
attributes
associated with the selected action and attribute, such as tools used to
generate the
action, a set of operating parameters for the action, a set of one or more
alert thresholds,
a value that is being sustained, a date of deployment of the action, and
personnel
involved in the deployment of the action,
[00109] Fig. llb is an example of a first dashboard layer showing a set of
actions
deployed at a set of worksites around the world. Fig. 11c is an example of a
second
dashboard layer showing a set of attributes relating to actions deployed at
Work Site B.
In this example, the action relate to attributes of a Flotation Level Control
Tuning,
Thickener Control, and Reagent Optimisation. A user is able to "drill down" to
view
further details relating to actions implemented in relation to each action.
Fig. lld is an
example of a third dashboard layer showing a set of action attributes relating
to an action
deployed in relation to Reagent Optimisation.
[00110] The remote monitoring and optimisation centre of the present
disclosure may be
practised using one or more computing devices, such as a general purpose
computer or
computer server. Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a system 600 that
includes a
general purpose computer 610. The general purpose computer 610 includes a
plurality of
components, including: a processor 612, a memory 614, a storage medium 616,
input/output (I/0) interfaces 620, and input/output (I/O) ports 622.
Components of the
general purpose computer 610 generally communicate using one or more buses
648.
[00111] The memory 614 may be implemented using Random Access Memory (RAM),
Read Only Memory (ROM), or a combination thereof. The storage medium 616 may
be
implemented as one or more of a hard disk drive, a solid state "flash" drive,
an optical
disk drive, or other storage means. The storage medium 616 may be utilised to
store one
or more computer programs, including an operating system, software
applications, and
data. In one mode of operation, instructions from one or more computer
programs
stored in the storage medium 616 are loaded into the memory 614 via the bus
648.
Instructions loaded into the memory 614 are then made available via the bus
648 or other
means for execution by the processor 612 to implement a mode of operation in
accordance with the executed instructions.
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[00112] One or more peripheral devices may be coupled to the general purpose
computer 610 via the 1/0 ports 622. In the example of Fig. 6, the general
purpose
computer 610 is coupled to each of a speaker 624, a camera 626, a display
device 630,
an input device 632, a printer 634, and an external storage medium 636. The
speaker 624 may be implemented using one or more speakers, such as in a stereo
or
surround sound system. In the example in which the general purpose computer
610 is
utilised to implement a RMOC, one or more peripheral devices may relate to
monitors,
speakers, alarms, keyboard, touchscreens, and printers connected to the I/0
ports 622.
[00113] The camera 626 may be a webcam, or other still or video digital
camera, and
may download and upload information to and from the general purpose computer
610 via
the I/0 ports 622, dependent upon the particular implementation. For example,
images
recorded by the camera 626 may be uploaded to the storage medium 616 of the
general
purpose computer 610. Similarly, images stored on the storage medium 616 may
be
downloaded to a memory or storage medium of the camera 626. The camera 626 may
include a lens system, a sensor unit, and a recording medium.
[00114] The display device 630 may be a computer monitor, such as a cathode
ray tube
screen, plasma screen, or liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. The display 630
may
receive information from the computer 610 in a conventional manner, wherein
the
information is presented on the display device 630 for viewing by a user. The
display
device 630 may optionally be implemented using a touch screen to enable a user
to
provide input to the general purpose computer 610. The touch screen may be,
for
example, a capacitive touch screen, a resistive touchscreen, a surface
acoustic wave
touchscreen, or the like.
[00115] The input device 632 may be a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, drawing
tablet, or
any combination thereof, for receiving input from a user, The external storage
medium 636 may include an external hard disk drive (HDD), an optical drive, a
floppy disk
drive, a flash drive, or any combination thereof and rnay be implemented as a
single
instance or multiple instances of any one or more of those devices. For
example, the
external storage medium 636 may be implemented as an array of hard disk
drives.
[00116] The I/0 interfaces 620 facilitate the exchange of information between
the
general purpose computing device 610 and other computing devices. The I/0
interfaces
may be implemented using an internal or external modem, an Ethernet
connection, or the
like, to enable coupling to a transmission medium. In the example of Fig. 6,
the I/0
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interfaces 622 are coupled to a communications network 638 and directly to a
computing
device 642. The computing device 642 is shown as a personal computer, but may
be
equally be practised using a smartphone, laptop, or a tablet device. Direct
communication between the general purpose computer 610 and the computing
device 642 may be implemented using a wireless or wired transmission link.
[00117] The communications network 638 may be implemented using one or more
wired
or wireless transmission links and may include, for example, a dedicated
communications
link, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, a
telecommunications network, or any combination thereof. A telecommunications
network
may include, but is not limited to, a telephony network, such as a Public
Switch Telephony
Network (PSTN), a mobile telephone cellular network, a short message service
(SMS)
network, or any combination thereof. The general purpose computer 610 is able
to
communicate via the communications network 638 to other computing devices
connected
to the communications network 638, such as the mobile telephone handset 644,
the
touchscreen srnartphone 646, the personal computer 640, and the computing
device 642.
[00118] One or more instances of the general purpose computer 610 may be
utilised to
implement a server to implement one of more functions of a RMOC in accordance
with
the present disclosure. In such an embodiment, the memory 614 and storage 616
are
utilised to store data relating to historical work site data and models for
modelling and
simulation exercises. Software for implementing one or more aspects of the
RMOC is
stored in one or both of the memory 614 and storage 616 for execution on the
processor 612. The software includes computer program code for implementing
method
steps in accordance with the methods of monitoring live operating data from
work sites,
modelling scenarios based on at least one of operating data and historical
data relating to
at least one work site, and generating actions described herein.
[00119] As noted above, each proposed action is associated with a profile that
includes a
set of operating parameters. In one arrangement, the RMOC further monitors a
proposed
action that is implemented on a work site, to ensure that the action is
operating within
the associated set of operating parameters. The set of operating parameters
may relate
to an acceptable range within which an output of the process must lie. For
example, an
action relating to an ore extraction process may have a set of operating
parameters that
relates to the quantity of are extracted within a predefined period or a
percentage of are
extracted from raw materials. Other operating parameters may relate, for
example, to
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operating efficiencies, such as measured downtime, measured uptime, number of
alerts,
and the like. In one implementation, the RMOC uses a verification module to
monitor
each proposed action that is implemented on a work site, such as the
verification
module 558 of Fig. 5,
[00120] The RMOC monitors an implemented action to validate whether the
practical
results of implementing the action are consistent with the models run by the
RMOC. If an
action is not operating within an associated set of operating parameters, then
staff at the
RMOC can investigate to determine whether the action needs to be modified and,
if
necessary, modify parameters associated with the action, introduce new
parameters, or
propose a new action.
[00121] Further, the RMOC monitors an implemented action to determine whether
an
action has operated within an associated set of operating parameters for a
predefined
time period. If the action has operated within the set of operating parameters
for that
predefined time period, it is possible that further optimisation of the
relevant process may
be available by modifying parameters associated with that action.
[00122] In one implementation, all such actions are checked at a predefined
interval of
time. In an alternative implementation, a predefined time interval is an
action attribute of
the profile associated with the respective action. In another alternative
implementation,
each action is classified into one of a predefined number of classes, wherein
related
actions are in the same class. In such an implementation, a predefined period
of time is
assigned to each class. Checking the performance of such actions enables staff
to
determine whether or not the action is having the desired effect. Further, if
an action has
been implemented and has always performed within an associated set of
operating
conditions, or has performed within the set of operating conditions for
greater than a
predefined operating interval, then the periodic check generates an alert to
prompt staff
to review the set of operating conditions to ensure that the set of operating
conditions is,
in fact, optimal for the relevant process.
[00123] Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 700 of monitoring an
action
proposed by an RMOC. The method begins at a Start step 705 and proceeds to
step 710,
in which the RMOC proposes an action relating to a work site. As described
above in
relation to Fig. 3, such a proposed action may be stored in an actions
database 270 for
review by staff associated with the relevant work site or staff associated
with an
operations centre that controls the work site.
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[00124] Control passes from step 710 to decision step 715, which determines
whether or
not the proposed action has been implemented on the work site. If the proposed
action
has not been implemented, No, control loops to decision step 715. In one
implementation, a first timer may be implemented such that the RMOC checks for
whether the proposed action has been implemented periodically in accordance
with the
first timer.
[00125] If decision step 715 determines that the proposed action has been
implemented
at the work site, Yes, control passes to step 720, which periodically conducts
a check of
the action in accordance with a second timer. Such a periodic check of the
implemented
action may be performed by a verification module 558 of a RMOC 550, as
described
above with reference to Fig. 5. In such an implementation, a computer program
executing on a processor receives live data pertaining to an implemented
action and
automatically compares the received live data with a stored profile associated
with the
implemented action. Thus, the verification module 558 executes in the
background and
periodically compares, for each implemented action or a set of implemented
actions, live
operating data with a stored profile corresponding to each respective action.
[00126] Decision step 725 determines whether the action is producing a desired
result by
operating within a set of operating parameters. If the action is not operating
in
accordance with the set of operating parameters, No, control passes to step
730, which
issues an alert for staff at the RMOC to review parameters associated with the
action.
Control passes from step 730 to step 735, in which the staff at the RMOC
determine new
parameters for the action. New parameters for the action may include disabling
the
action, if it is determined that the action is not working as desired and
either cannot be
modified suitably or can be replaced by an alternative action. Control passes
from
step 735 and returns to step 710, in which the RMOC proposes a new action
based on the
new parameters determined in step 735.
[00127] Returning to decision step 725, if the action is operating within the
set of
operating parameters, Yes, control passes from decision step 725 to a further
decision
step 740, which determines whether a third timer has exceeded a predefined
threshold.
The predefined threshold represents a time period at which a successfully
implernented
action is reviewed in order to determine whether further efficiencies can be
identified.
[00128] In one arrangement, the predefined threshold is consistent across all
actions
proposed by the RMOC. In an alternative arrangement, the predefined threshold
is
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unique to each action and forms an action attribute of the profile associated
with the
action. In a further arrangement, each action has an associated threshold and
the RMOC
further imposes a global threshold. For example, an action relating to a
copper flotation
cell has an associated threshold of 3 months, to force the RMOC to review
successful
operation of that action on a 3 monthly basis. In addition to that 3 month
threshold, the
RMOC implements a global threshold of 12 months, such that every implemented
action is
reviewed on a 12 monthly basis.
[00129] If at decision step 740 the timer has not exceeded the predefined
threshold, No,
control returns to step 720. However, if at decision step 740 the timer has
exceeded the
predefined threshold, Yes, then control passes to step 745, which resets the
tinier, and
then to step 730 for the staff at the RMOC to review parameters associated
with the
action.
[00130] If a process to which an action has been applied operates outside the
operating
parameters associated with the action, then the relevant work site transmits
an alert to
the associated operations centre. An alert may be an audible or visual alert.
Such an
alert may form part of the operating data generated by the work site, in which
case the
operating data encompassing the alert is also transmitted to the RMOC. Thus,
the RMOC
is able to monitor the effect of any actions that are implemented in a work
site serviced
by that RMOC.
[00131] Thus, a RMOC receives a constant flow of select data in relation to
one or more
supported work sites. The RMOC may have one or more models running
contemporaneously on an analytics module, wherein each model is a dynamic
optimising
construct. Each model is used to investigate, analyse, and characterise
aspects of
processes that constitute the workflow of the supported work sites. As noted
above, the
models may be used to simulate a process or part of a process of the workflow
itself or
alternatively the models may be used to investigate and test hypotheses
postulated by
staff at the RMOC to improve a process performed at one of the supported work
sites.
[00132] The models may be run with live operating data from a work site to
monitor the
efficiency of a selected process and test the effects of modifying
characterising aspects of
the selected process. If the modification of those aspects is determined to be
beneficial
to the execution of the process, then staff at the RMOC generate a proposed
action to
implement a set of controls to effect the modified aspects, such that, when
implemented,
the set of controls result in the selected process operating within a
predefined set of
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operating parameters. The operating parameters may be improved upon, over
time,
through further monitoring and modelling. The models thus may be used to
monitor and
improve performance of the supported work sites, whereby each supported work
site
relies on constant monitoring, evaluation, and actions from the RMOC to
maintain and
improve operational efficiency of that work site.
[00133] In one example, a work site relates to a copper flotation plant that
is serviced by
an operations centre and an RMOC. Operations staff at the operations centre
monitor
and control the day to day operation of the copper flotation plant. In this
example, the
operations staff notice that performance of a flotation circuit is of concern
and send a
notification to the RMOC advising of their concerns.
[00134] The RMOC staff receive the notification and create an analytical tool
to examine
the flotation circuit. The analytical tool may be based, for example, one or
more models
stored in the models database 365. The RMOC staff select a portion of
operating data
received from the flotation plant that relates to the flotation circuit under
investigation.
Depending on the implementation, the RMOC staff configure one or more displays
to
present the selected operating data in a desired manner. The RMOC staff
optionally look
at historical data relating to the flotation circuit and a set of optimal
operating data
relating to the flotation circuit
[00135] The RMOC staff use the selected operating data, historical data,
optimal
operating data, test data, or any combination thereof to examine the flotation
circuit at
any level of detail. Thus, the RMOC staff can examine the overall process
implemented
by the flotation circuit or alternatively drill dovvn to investigate fine
details relating to a
sub-component of the flotation circuit process, limited only by the
constraints of the
available data.
[00136] Based on the analysis of the selected data, the RMOC staff identify
one or more
opportunities to improve the performance of the flotation circuit. In this
example, the
RMOC staff examine the identified opportunities and select one or more of
those
opportunities for further development, which may include creating and testing
models
relating to those opportunities. Any models can be tested using available
data, including
the live operating data from the flotation plant.
[00137] The RMOC staff use the models to develop one or more proposed actions
for
improving the performance of the flotation circuit. Each action is associated
with a
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profile, wherein the profile includes a set of action attributes for
implementing the action
and monitoring the action.
[00138] The RMOC staff store each proposed action in an actions database 370.
A
notification is then sent to either one or both of operations staff at the
operations centre
and staff at the work site, who decide whether or not to implement each
proposed action.
If an action is to be implemented, the relevant staff make the required
changes to
implement the action. When an implemented action fails to operate within an
associated
set of operating parameters, a data sentinel triggers an alert to one or more
of the work
site staff, the operations staff, and the RMOC staff.
[00139] The RMOC staff optionally monitor each deployed action to ensure that
the
action results in performance that is within a set of operating parameters
associated with
that action. Further, the RMOC staff optionally implement periodic checks to
investigate
those actions that have operated within a relevant set of operating parameters
for a
predefined period. This enables the RMOC staff to determine whether or not the
action is
still required or whether the action can be further improved.
Industrial Applicability
[00140] The arrangements described are applicable to processing industries and
particularly for the mining, transport, oil, gas, and food production
industries.
[00141] The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present
invention, and
modifications andjor changes can be made thereto without departing from the
scope and
spirit of the invention, the embodiments being illustrative and not
restrictive.
[00142] In the context of this specification, the word "comprising" and its
associated
grammatical constructions mean Including principally but not necessarily
solely" or
"having" or "including", and not "consisting only of." Variations of the word
"comprising",
such as "comprise" and "comprises" have correspondingly varied meanings.
[00143] As used throughout this specification, unless otherwise specified, the
use of
ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc., to describe
common or related
objects, indicates that reference is being made to different instances of
those common or
related objects, and is not intended to imply that the objects so described
must be
provided or positioned in a given order or sequence, either temporally,
spatially, in
ranking, or in any other manner.
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[00144] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific
examples, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be
embodied in
many other forms.
