Adaptative Automatic Control Strategy for High-Rate Thickeners Under Variable Tailings Conditions - SME Annual Meeting 2026

High-rate thickeners play a critical role in tailings management by enhancing water recovery and increasing solids concentration. However, these units face operational instability due to fluctuations in feed solids, flow rate, and flocculant response typically managed in manual mode with delayed corrective actions. This work presents an adaptive automatic control algorithm designed for dynamic thickening environments. The algorithm integrates real-time measurements of feed density, rake torque, bed level, and turbidity (overflow), optimizing the underflow slurry density while minimizing suspended solids in the overflow. The proposed control strategy is modular, simple, scalable, and applicable to both existing and new thickening systems, offering a robust alternative to manual operation in increasingly demanding metallurgical environments.