Quarry of the Galion, near Cayenne (French Guiana, 2018).
© BRGM - Bénédicte Pesset
Presentation of the process simulator USIM PAC
Developed more than 30 years ago by BRGM, USIM PAC is a complete software platform to model and simulate industrial processes. It enables engineers and scientists to realize pilot and industrial tests more quickly and less risky, to improve the productivity of mineral processing plants (capacity, yield, recovery...) and to limit investment and operating costs (CAPEX and OPEX).
The USIM PAC software is a decision support tool including a multi-criteria approach allowing economic, technical, and environmental analyses.
USIM PAC is used at all stages in the life of a processing plant for:
- comparing scenarios,
- creating digital twins,
- analysing the performance of your production lines,
- identifying bottlenecks,
- determining material, water, and energy balances...,
- sizing equipment,
- optimizing their settings,
- performing sensitivity analyses,
- etc.
USIM PAC is the only simulator on the market able to model, within a single platform, almost the entire mineral processing value chain: from crushing to refining, passing through grinding, magnetic and gravity separation, flotation, leaching and concentration.
Originally designed for mineral processing and hydrometallurgy, USIM PAC software is also suitable for processing other primary and secondary raw materials such as biomass or waste.
Since 2004, CASPEO has taken over the development and marketing of the product. It is now used in more than 50 countries.
BILCO, USIM PAC et ECHANT : une suite complète pour analyser les procédés de transformation
Le simulateur de procédés USIM PAC intègre un module BILCO. Avec le logiciel d’échantillonnage ECHANT, il forme une suite complète pour analyser les procédés de transformation.
Les logiciels BILCO, USIM PAC et ECHANT, dont le BRGM est l’auteur, sont édités depuis 2004 par la société Caspeo, qui continue d’en étendre les fonctionnalités.
USIM PAC process simulator interface: simulation of a gold hydrometallurgical (left) and size distribution curves of a grinding process (right).
© Caspeo
USIM PAC Features
The USIM PAC software is an all-in-one engineering toolbox. It includes in a single interface:
- flowsheets: unit operations and material streams,
- phase models: description of all the materials handled by the plant,
- mathematical models for each unit operation,
- algorithms: data reconciliation, model calibration, unit operation sizing, full material balance calculation, costs calculation, sensitivity analysis...
USIM PAC is based on a unique material characterization approach particularly suitable when processing solids and complex mixtures. It allows to consider at the same time components, streams and phase transfers, going from simple descriptions to more advanced descriptions (flowrates, size distribution, mineral and chemical composition, liberation classes...).
The software includes an integrated library of more than 150 unit operation models which is enriched over the years:
- crushing, grinding, attrition, fine grinding,
- size classification, gravity and magnetic separation, flotation,
- solid-liquid separation: decantation, thickening, filtration,
- hydrometallurgy: leaching, CIP, CIL, precipitation, solvent extraction, electrolysis,
- membrane technologies,
- etc.
With USIM PAC, it is possible to create your own equipment models to match the processing conditions and accurately represent a plant.
Discover the USIM PAC software
To find out more
Publications
Brochot, S., Bossman, J., de Ville d’Avray, M-A. (2020) - Dense medium separation circuit design and optimisation using enhanced process modelling and simulation. Proceedings of IMPC 2020, the XXX International Mineral Processing Congress, Cape Town, South Africa. https://www.caspeo.net/dense-medium-separation-circuit-design-and-optimisation/
de Ville d’Avray, M-A., Durance, M-V., Braak, E., Guezennec, A-G. (2019) - A new hydrometallurgical processing route for copper recycling. Proceedings of Copper 2019, Th 59th MetSoc Conference of Metallurgists, Vancouver, Canada. https://www.caspeo.net/a-new-hydrometallurgical-processing-route-for-copper-recycling/
González, M., Brochot, S., Durance, M-V. (2018) - Fine modelling of ores for geometallurgy-based process simulation. Proceedins of IMPC 2018, the XXIX International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Moscow, Russia, 15-21 September 2018, Paper ID 558, pp. 1-10.
González, M., Brochot, S., Durance M.-V. (2018) - Advanced modelling and simulation of copper-moly flotation: working with minerals. Proceedings of Flotation 2018 conference, Lima, Peru.
González M., Brochot S. (2018) - Development of a SAG mill model based on the SAG design test: application to plant design and optimization. Proceedings of IMPC 2018, the XXIX International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Moscow, Russie, Paper ID 587, pp. 1-9.
Durance, M-V., Chernykh, E. (2015) - Sensitivity analysis of a grinding-flotation plant with the USIM PAC process simulator. https://www.caspeo.net/sensitivity-analysis-of-a-grinding-flotation-plant-with-the-usim-pac-process-simulator/
Brochot, S., Durance, M-V., Fourniguet, G., Guillaneau, J-C., Villeneuve, J. (1995) - USIM PAC, a new kind of process simulation software. Proceedings of EUROSIM 1995, the congress on modelling and simulation, Vienne, Austria. https://www.caspeo.net/usim-pac-a-new-kind-of-process-simulation-software/
Guillaneau, J-C., Villeneuve, J., Brochot, S., Durance, M-V., Fourniguet, G. (1995) - Mineral processing simulation, a new step of the simulation-based approach: the supervisor. Proceedings of IMPC 1995, the XIX International Mineral Processing Congress, San Francisco, United States. https://www.caspeo.net/mineral-processing-simulation/
