ANN modeling and residual analysis on screening efficiency of coal in vibrating screen

ABSTRACT

In this paper, coal screening in vibrating screen was carried out with the size ranges of −6 mm + 4 mm, −4 mm + 2 mm, and −2 mm + 0.5 mm. The vibrating screen was newly designed with flexibility in angle and frequency. The vibrating screen experimentation was carried out by varying screen mesh, angle, and screen frequency. During the screening, the angle was kept constant, and frequency was varied to obtain each size range’s screening efficiency. The experimental results of screening efficiency were evaluated for each size fraction range of coal. The maximum efficiency for screening coal with −6 mm+4 mm, −4 mm+2 mm, and −2 mm+0.5 mm size range obtained was 87.60%, 80.93%, and 62.96%, respectively. Further, the prediction model was developed for each size range using a feed-backward artificial neural network (ANN) to consider the back-propagation error technique. For each screening condition, 10 ANN models were developed with the variation in 1–10 different neurons. ANN has provided mathematical models with a 99.9% regression coefficient for predicting each size range’s screening efficiency. Furthermore, the residuals of each optimal ANN model were analyzed using a normal probability plot and histogram. The ANN model’s accuracy was obtained from the residual analysis by evaluating four different model conditions, i.e., independence, homoscedasticity, normality, and mean error.

KEYWORDS:

• Screening
• coal
• back-propagation
• artificial neural network
• efficiency
• particle size

Acknowledgments

The physical and technical contribution of NITK, Surathkal, and JSW Steel, Ballari is truly appreciated. Without their support, this research work could not have reached its goal.