Reconstruction capability of the kernel-based stereological inversion applied to particle separation techniques

The paper tackles the problem of characterizing the particulates that deriv e from the comminution of ores or two-component materials in terms of fract ion of particles within a narrow volumetric composition. It reports some re finements to the procedures of regularized-inversion for the solution of th e kernel-based stereological model applied to the conversion of areal grade distributions (readable from polished sections by image analysis) into dis tributions of volumetric grades. These solutions are further exploited to i nfer the efficiency of separation/concentration systems treating particulat es, an important information rarely obtained due to the complex experimenta l work required with traditional heavy liquid fractionating. The use of syn thetic kernels is also discussed. Finally, one practical application with c omputer generated data demonstrates the resolution of the efficiency coeffi cients of a separation process. These are recovered solving a stereological ly posed mass balance around the separator with an original regularizing st rategy that allows including a priori information. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.