Soft sensor for parameters of mill load based on multi-spectral segments PLS sub-models and on-line adaptive weighted fusion algorithm

The parameters of mill load (ML) not only represent the load of the ball mill, but also determine the grinding production ratio (GPR) of the grinding process. In this paper, a novel soft sensor approach based on multi-spectral segments partial least square (PLS) model and on-line adaptive weighted fusion algorithm is proposed to estimate the ML parameters. At first, frequency spectrums of the shell vibration acceleration signals are obtained. Then the PLS sub-models are constructed with the low, medium and high frequency spectral segments. At last, the PLS sub-models are fused together with a new on-line adaptive weighted fusion algorithm to obtain the final soft sensor models. This soft sensor approach has been successfully applied in a laboratory-scale wet ball mill grinding process. & 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.