LUCIE

Introduction to the Expert System Theory

L afarge

U niversal
C ontrol
&

I nference
E ngine
2

Expert System

Basic form of artificial intelligence

Decisions equivalent to those of the human bean

Developed by interviewing an experienced person

Consolidates process operating know how into a

standard product easy portable to any plant

Two key components:

1. The Knowledge base

A set of rules, information, facts about a certain

subject

Stored in an organized structure

Populated with both questions and answers

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2. The Inference Engine

Rule-based algorithm that interacts with a

Knowledge Base to draw conclusions about a set of
inputs

Emulates the human capability to arrive at a

conclusion by reasoning

LUCIE Mill
Process Principles

What do you wish as Mill Operator?

The highest production of very

good quality cement/raw mix under
stable conditions

Is this all ?
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What do you need?

Sensors

Actuators

What do we use
SENSOR
Amps Elev

ACTUATOR

Sep Speed

Rejects

Quality Blaine, SO3

Mkw
Nl1

Temp

Nl2

Feed Rate
Gypsum %
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Control Limitations

LUCIE changes set-points ONLY!

No actual equipment control (motor starts/stops,

alarm acknowledgement)

Lucie is not hiding mechanical/process problems.

On the contrary!

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Principles

1st Stabilize Mill Throughput

2nd Increase Production Level by Optimizing

Throughput

3rd Optimize Quality

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Mill Strategy Organization

Sensor 1
Set-points

Sensor 2

Sensor 3

Virtual Sensor (Estimates)

Normalized values

Short term
Potential

Long term
Potential
LT-Action

STActions

Time constant

Lucie Actuators Set-points

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Treatment of sensors
WHY?

To allow Lucie to continue to operate when a sensor

signal is no longer significant

To enable the strategy to always work with a plausible

signal value

To provide the most representative information of the

real state of the kiln / mill

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Treatment of sensors
HOW?

By filtering - eliminate the signal noise

By defining inside Lucie of four possible sensor

states and two validity values

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FILTERS - Example
Sensor

Field

Value Set-point

State

Validity

The field-value
of the sensor is
not enough filtered.

The Lucie filtered

value

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Sensor

Signal Treatment

Normal

Doubtful

Frozen

Abnormal

Valid

Valid

Valid

Invalid

Invalid

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LUCIE Mill
The Estimates

The Estimates (Virtual Sensors)

Evaluate and forecast continuously how a particular

control parameter (mill throughput, material level,
etc.) will vary

Are the

All actions are determined from the estimate results

of Lucie

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The Mill Estimates

Estimates with impact on production

The Mill Throughput Estimate
The Material Level Estimate
The Drying Estimate

Estimates with impact on quality

The Quality Estimates

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The Mill Throughput Estimate

Goal:

Calculate the mill throughput deviation

from the set point

Sensors: Elevator Amps,
((Rejects, Feed))

To each sensor a mono-estimate is connected

The mono-estimate converts the value from the

sensor into a common reference unit (t/h of MTP)

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The Mono-Estimate

Mathematically expressed:
Mono-Estimation =
Gain x (PV - Set Point) + Offset

The gain can be calculated:

Reference Sensor
Gain =
Monos Sensor
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The Multi-Estimate

The Mono-Estimate which is Estimating the Smallest

Margin is Chosen

The output of the multi-estimation are the State and

the Tendency in Normalized Values

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Normalization

Converts a particular value within a predefined

range [-4 , +4]

Brings all the signal on the same playing field

Enables reasoning with symbolic states

error = Value - Set Point

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Normalized State
30 t/h
24 t/h
17 t/h

Multi
Estimate

9 t/h

very high
20 t/h

+4

high

+3

slightly high

+2

normal

+1

-9 t/h

slightly low

-1

-17 t/h

low

-2

-24 t/h

very low

-3

-30 t/h

-4

N
O
R
M
A
L
I
Z
A
T
I
O
N

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Normalized Tendency

How quickly and in what direction the error is changing

Based upon 2 errors compared ~8 minutes apart

Norm. Tendency = Norm. State (t) - Norm. State (t-)

Value between (-4 to +4)

i.e., fast filling, slow emptying

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The Material Level Estimate

Goal:

Calculate the material level of the mill

(security)

Sensor: Electrical ears (C1 / C2)

Mill power / Amps
(P)

Same treatment as done by the mill throughput

estimate

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The Drying Estimate

Goal:

Qualify the margin of available heat in

the mill

Sensor: Gas temperature at mill exit

Material temperature at mill exit
(Gas temperature at mill inlet)

This estimate is reducing the feed if the minimum

temperature is not achieved
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Potentials

From each multi-estimate a potential of feed is

determined

A Short Term Potential

A Long Term Potential

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Potential Calculation

Sum of
Normalized
Mill Tend.
and State
from
Estimate
[- 4; +4 ]

ST/LT
Action
Fuzzy
Logic
Table

Short/Long Term
Action
Potential

in tons of mill feed

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Potential Selection
Major vs. Minor

Major
Continuous control
Potential used

Minor
Security control - SAFEGUARD
Potential Used IF
(State, Tendency) Exceeds Threshold

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The Min-Action Object

The Minimum of the short- and long term

potentials is chosen

These potentials are piloting the mill

They are called the short- and long term Pilot

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The Short Term Actions

Used to stabilize the mill

They Are:
Proportional to the set point deviation
Of big amplitude
Temporary
Superimposed on the long term actions

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The Long Term Actions

Used to maintain the long term stability

They are:
Of low amplitude
Cumulative
Permanent

Weighted by a factor which takes into

account the past

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Who Is The Pilot?

Major MTP estimator

Minor ML estimator which has

not exceeded the threshold

Proposes

Proposes

+ 1 ton per hour

- 3 tons per hour

Pilot estimator = Mill Throughput

Result = + 1 ton per hour

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Who Is The Pilot?

Major MTP estimator

Minor ML estimator which has

exceeded the threshold

Proposes

Proposes

+ 1 ton per hour

- 3 tons per hour

Pilot estimator = Material Level

Result = - 3 tons per hour

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LUCIE Mill
Optimization Of Mill Throughput

Relationship Feed / Mill throughput

Feed

LUCIE Calculates
the Feed and MTP
Set Point Variation

Same Sign ->

MTP Set Point
Increases

Different Sign ->

MTP Set Point
Decreases

Max
Feed

Positive
Increment

Negative
Increment

Feed
>0
MTP

Feed
<0
MTP

Opt.
Set Point

Mill
Throughput

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LUCIE Mill
The Quality Estimates

The Quality Estimates

Fineness, SO3 ...

Input: Sensor or Manually

Quality Target is the Set Point in LUCIE

Designed to mimic SPC control

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The Quality Estimates

Calculation:
Quality Level = Input Value - Set Point

A normalized value is then calculated from

this quality level

Actions triggered by control card

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Normalization
350
300
200
90

3750 3500
Blaine

-90
-200
-300
-350

Very High
High
Slightly High
Normal
Normal
Slightly Low
Low
Very Low

+4
+3
+2
+1

-1
-2
-3
-4

N
O
R
M
A
L
I
Z
A
T
I
O
N

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Calculation Of Action

Gain
State of the
Quality
Estimate

LT-Fuzzy
Table

Long-term
Increment
for separator
speed

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LUCIE Mill
The Product Table

The Product Table

Add / Remove Products

Define individual recipe for each product

Set Points for Mono Estimators
Scale Factors for Actions
Quality set points

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Recipe Files

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LUCIE

Is a tool for the plant improvement

Duplicates the Operator behaviour based on

fundamental process principles

Can yield higher production rates (~3%) and

lower standard deviation for quality
parameters

Is dedicated to both Process and Production

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Do you know that Lucie controls

109 cement mills

34 raw mills
5 coal mills
7 vertical mills

in more than 50 plants all over the world ?

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LUCIE Mill
The Operator Screen

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