Sorting equipment, sorting methods and computer-readable storage media

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of material sorting, specifically to a sorting device, a sorting method, and a computer-readable storage medium. The sorting device, used for material sorting, includes: at least one disc, generally hollow and annular, with its outer edge higher than its inner edge, and all or part of the inner surface of the disc used to receive material, allowing the material to move downwards along the inner surface and slide off from the inner edge; an identification device, corresponding to the disc, used to identify material on and / or falling from the disc to determine the type of material; and a sorting device, disposed below the identification device, used to sort the material according to its type. This method ensures material sorting capacity while fully utilizing vertical space, improving space utilization, and saving floor space, thus effectively enhancing the spatial adaptability of the sorting device and enriching its application scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of material sorting, specifically to a sorting device, a sorting method, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of material sorting, existing sorting equipment generally suffers from the problem of large size. While large equipment can meet the needs of large-scale production, it occupies a large area, consumes a lot of energy, and results in high operating costs. For example, taking the use of large sorting equipment for ore sorting as an example, traditional ground operations will generate a large amount of waste ore, which will accumulate to form waste rock dumps. This will not only occupy a lot of land resources, but also cause environmental pollution and increase transportation and disposal costs.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for a sorting device that can meet the sorting requirements of large-scale equipment, but can save floor space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a sorting device for material sorting. The sorting device includes: at least one disc, which is generally hollow and annular, with the outer edge of the disc higher than the inner edge of the disc, and all or part of the inner surface of the disc is used to receive material so that the material moves downward along the inner surface of the disc and slides off from the inner edge; an identification device, which is disposed corresponding to the disc and is used to identify the material on and / or falling from the disc to determine the type of material; and a sorting device, which is disposed below the identification device and is used to sort the material according to its type.

[0005] In some embodiments, the sorting device further includes: a vibrating screen disposed above the disc, the top diameter of the vibrating screen being smaller than the bottom diameter, and the outer surface of the vibrating screen being used to receive material and discharge material from the bottom edge to the disc.

[0006] In some embodiments, the bottom edge of the vibrating screen is spaced apart from the inner surface of the disc, so that materials in the same radial direction slide down sequentially.

[0007] In some embodiments, the inner surface of the disc is provided with a plurality of partitions, and a material discharge channel is formed between adjacent partitions so that the material slides down the material discharge channel in sequence.

[0008] In some embodiments, the identification device includes: an X-ray source disposed above the center of the inner side of the disk, the X-ray source being used to emit X-rays toward the disk to irradiate material located on the disk; a plurality of first detectors disposed on the inner side of the disk, the first detectors being used to receive first X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and reflected by the material; and a plurality of second detectors disposed on the outer side of the disk, the second detectors being used to receive second X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and penetrating the material.

[0009] In some embodiments, the identification device further includes a color sorting camera for taking pictures of materials located on or falling from the disc to obtain color sorted images of the materials.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sorting device further includes: a fixed column passing through the hollow region of the disk; a radiation source fixedly disposed on the fixed column; and a first detector fixedly disposed on the fixed column and located below the radiation source.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sorting device includes: a housing disposed on a fixed column and located below the identification device, with a plurality of through holes on the periphery of the housing; a blowing mechanism disposed inside the housing and corresponding to the through holes, the blowing mechanism being used to blow material falling from the disc through the through holes; and a gas pipeline disposed inside the fixed column, one end of which is used to connect to an external gas source, and the other end of which is connected to the blowing mechanism to provide gas to the blowing mechanism.

[0012] In some embodiments, the sorting device further includes a receiving device disposed below the sorting device, the receiving device including at least two annular receiving troughs, the at least two annular receiving troughs being used to receive different types of materials sorted by the sorting device.

[0013] In some embodiments, the number of disks is multiple, including at least: a first disk; and a second disk, coaxially arranged with the first disk, wherein the upper end of the second disk is located radially outside the first disk, and the lower end of the second disk is located below the first disk.

[0014] In some embodiments, a first disk has a plurality of spaced first identification regions in the circumferential direction, the first identification regions being used to receive materials; a second disk has a plurality of spaced second identification regions in the circumferential direction, the second identification regions being used to receive materials, and the plurality of second identification regions and the plurality of first identification regions are staggered in the circumferential direction.

[0015] In some embodiments, the inner edge of the second disk is located vertically below the inner edge of the first disk.

[0016] Secondly, this disclosure also provides a sorting method applied to the sorting equipment provided in any of the above aspects. The sorting method includes: receiving material through all or part of the inner surface of at least one disc, so that the material moves downward along the inner surface of the disc and slides off from the inner edge; identifying the material by an identification device to determine the type of the material; and sorting the material according to the type of the material by a sorting device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the identification device includes: an X-ray source, a plurality of first detectors, and a plurality of second detectors. The X-ray source is disposed above the center of the inner side of the disk, the first detectors are disposed inside the disk, and the second detectors are disposed outside the disk. Identifying materials and determining the type of materials by the identification device includes: emitting X-rays into the disk through the X-ray source; receiving the first X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and reflected by the material through the first detectors; receiving the second X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and penetrating the material through the second detectors; and determining the type of materials based on the first and second X-rays.

[0018] In some embodiments, the identification device further includes a color sorting camera, which determines the type of material based on a first X-ray and a second X-ray, including: acquiring a color sorting image of the material through the color sorting camera; and determining the type of material based on the first X-ray, the second X-ray, and the color sorting image.

[0019] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for performing the sorting method provided in any of the above aspects.

[0020] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0021] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: According to the sorting equipment provided by this disclosure, by arranging the disc, the identification device and the sorting device in the vertical direction, the material sorting capacity can be guaranteed, while the vertical space can be fully utilized, the space utilization rate can be improved, and the required floor space can be saved. In this way, the space adaptability of the sorting equipment can be effectively improved, which is conducive to enriching the application scenarios available for the sorting equipment.

[0022] Furthermore, transporting materials via a hollow annular disc not only concentrates the material's fall within a specific area, reducing the difficulty of dispersion and collection after sorting and improving sorting efficiency, but also preserves internal space, thereby reducing the overall structural volume without sacrificing effective load-bearing area. By placing the sorting device below the identification device, material flow is smoother, reducing material dwell time within the system and minimizing the risk of material collisions and intersections caused by horizontal movement. This not only ensures safe material transport but also helps reduce the overall energy consumption of the sorting equipment, extending its service life. Attached Figure Description

[0023] This disclosure can be better understood by describing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ore sorting device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sorting device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another sorting device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the identification device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sorting device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of yet another sorting device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a disk shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a sorting method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a sorting process in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following describes specific embodiments of this disclosure. It should be noted that, in order to provide a concise description, this specification cannot exhaustively describe all features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that, in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in any engineering or design project, various specific decisions are often made to achieve the developer's specific goals and to meet system-related or business-related constraints, and this can change from one embodiment to another. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this disclosure, changes in design, manufacturing, or production based on the technical content disclosed in this disclosure are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient content of this disclosure.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms “a” or “one,” etc., do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., mean that the element or object preceding “comprising” or “including” encompasses the elements or objects listed following “comprising” or “including” and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” etc., are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0035] In the field of material sorting, existing sorting equipment generally suffers from the problem of large size. While large-scale equipment can meet the needs of large-scale production, it occupies a large area, consumes a lot of energy, and results in high operating costs.

[0036] For example, taking the use of large-scale sorting equipment for ore sorting as an example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the ore sorting equipment 100 includes: a feeding mechanism 110, a conveying mechanism 120, a detection mechanism 130, a sorting device 140, and a collecting device 150. The feeding mechanism 110 feeds ore into the conveying mechanism 120. The conveying mechanism 120 includes at least a conveyor belt for transporting the ore fed by the feeding mechanism 110. The detection mechanism 130 detects the ore conveyed on the conveying mechanism 120 to identify the type of ore currently being transported. The sorting device 140 sorts the ore according to its type. The collecting device 150 collects different types of ore. Traditional ground-based ore sorting methods generate a large amount of waste ore, which accumulates to form waste rock dumps, thus not only occupying significant land resources but also causing environmental pollution and increasing transportation and processing costs.

[0037] Therefore, there is a need for a sorting device that can meet the sorting requirements of large-scale equipment, but can save floor space.

[0038] To address the aforementioned problems, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a sorting device for material sorting. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the sorting device 200 may include at least one disk 210, an identification device 220, and a sorting device 230.

[0039] At least one disc 210, which is hollow and annular in shape, has an outer edge higher than its inner edge. All or part of the inner surface of the disc 210 is used to receive material (represented by a circle in the figure), allowing the material to move downwards along the inner surface of the disc 210 and slide off from its inner edge. That is, the disc 210 can be understood as a device for conveying material in the sorting equipment 200. In related technologies, most conveying mechanisms are belt conveyors, which transport material horizontally and need to extend over long distances to meet the material transport requirements, resulting in a large footprint. However, in this disclosure, to reduce the space occupied by the sorting equipment 200, a hollow annular disc 210 is used. Material is conveyed using the inner wall of the disc 210, allowing the material to move downwards along its inner surface and slide off from its inner edge. Compared to conventional belt conveyors, this not only meets the material transport requirements but also effectively saves the space required for material transport, thus greatly alleviating the space occupation problem. Moreover, by using a hollow, annular disk 210 to transport materials, the falling material can be concentrated in a specific area, which helps to reduce the difficulty of material dispersion and collection after sorting and improves material sorting efficiency.

[0040] In some examples, the size of disk 210 depends on the actual working environment (such as space constraints, geological conditions, etc.) and the size of the working area.

[0041] In other examples, to ensure the speed of material transport and that the material transported by the disc falls at a uniform speed to facilitate targeted sorting by subsequent sorting equipment, the inclination angle of the sidewall of the disc 210 can be determined or specified based on the physical properties of the material. This allows the material to slide smoothly off the inner surface of the disc 210 and avoids accumulation. For example, the specified angle could be 45°. Physical properties may include, but are not limited to, the material's density, particle size distribution, and shape.

[0042] The identification device 220, corresponding to the disc 210, is used to identify materials on and / or falling from the disc 210 to determine the type of material. That is, the identification device 220 can be understood as a device in the sorting equipment 200 used to identify the type of material. For example, in an ore sorting scenario, the identification device 220 can be understood as a device used to identify whether the ore is concentrate or waste ore. Or, in a plastic sorting scenario, the identification device 220 can be understood as a device used to identify whether the material is the target plastic or another object.

[0043] The number of identification devices 220 can be the same as the number of discs 210, meaning there is a one-to-one correspondence between the identification devices 220 and the discs 210. Each identification device 220 can be used to identify the type of material in its corresponding disc 210, thus ensuring the specificity of material type identification and avoiding interference caused by cross-identification. This improves the accuracy of material sorting and guarantees the sorting performance of the sorting equipment 200. Furthermore, configuring one corresponding identification device 220 for each disc 210 allows for quick location of the faulty identification device 220 when a material type identification failure occurs. This not only improves maintenance efficiency but also avoids affecting the working status of other identification devices 220, reducing the probability of downtime for maintenance of the sorting equipment 200.

[0044] In some examples, the identification device 220 may be located in the hollow part inside the disc 210 or downstream of the bottom edge of the disc 210. The specific layout position can be determined based on ensuring that the identification device 220 can effectively identify the material on and / or falling from the disc 210. There are no restrictions on this, which can effectively improve the space utilization in the vertical direction and reduce the footprint of the sorting equipment 200.

[0045] The sorting device 230 is located below the identification device 220 and is used to sort materials according to their type. That is, the sorting device 230 can be understood as the device in the sorting equipment 200 used for sorting materials. After the type of material is determined by the identification device 220, the sorting device 230 performs targeted sorting, which can meet the sorting requirements of the sorting equipment 200 and ensure the sorting performance of the sorting equipment 200.

[0046] Furthermore, by placing the sorting device 230 below the identification device 220, materials can be sorted vertically according to their corresponding types after falling from the disc 210. This reduces material transport distance and waiting time, simplifies the material sorting process, and improves overall production efficiency. Moreover, this layout helps save space, improves vertical space utilization, simplifies maintenance and cleaning of the sorting device 230, and extends its service life.

[0047] According to the sorting device 200 provided in this disclosure, by arranging the disc 210, the identification device 220 and the sorting device 230 along the vertical direction, the material sorting capacity can be guaranteed, while the vertical space can be fully utilized to improve the space utilization rate and save the required floor space. This can effectively improve the space adaptability of the sorting device 200 and help to enrich the application scenarios available to the sorting device 200.

[0048] Furthermore, transporting materials via the hollow annular disk 210 not only concentrates the material's fall within a specific area, reducing the difficulty of dispersion and collection after material sorting and improving sorting efficiency, but also preserves internal space, thereby reducing the overall structural volume without sacrificing effective load-bearing area. Moreover, positioning the sorting device 230 below the identification device 220 allows for smoother material flow, reducing material dwell time in the system and minimizing the risk of material collisions and intersections caused by horizontal movement. This not only ensures safe material transport but also helps reduce the overall energy consumption of the sorting equipment 200, extending its service life.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sorting device 200 may further include a vibrating screen 240, positioned above the disc 210. The top diameter of the vibrating screen 240 is smaller than its bottom diameter. The outer surface of the vibrating screen 240 is used to receive material and discharge it from the bottom edge onto the disc 210. In other words, the vibrating screen 240 can be understood as a feeding device in the sorting device 200. By positioning the vibrating screen 240 above the disc 210, not only can the utilization rate of vertical space be improved, but the material can also smoothly slide down the vertical direction to the inner surface of the disc 210. Moreover, during the vibration of the vibrating screen 240, because the top diameter of the vibrating screen 240 is smaller than its bottom diameter, the centrifugal force experienced by the material at different vertical heights will vary. This not only helps prevent material from accumulating or forming dead zones in the disc 210, but also allows for precise control of the material flow rate, avoiding overload or underload, thereby helping to ensure the overall sorting efficiency of the sorting device 200 and improving its sorting performance. In some examples, the angle difference between the top and bottom of the vibrating screen 240 can be determined based on the physical properties of the material. This not only ensures the reasonableness of the angle difference determination but also helps to ensure that the material slides smoothly, avoiding situations where the sliding speed is too fast or too slow. For example, based on the physical properties of the material, the angle difference between the top and bottom of the vibrating screen 240 can be determined to be 30°.

[0050] In some embodiments, the bottom edge of the vibrating screen 240 and the inner surface of the disc 210 are spaced apart, allowing materials to slide down sequentially in the same radial direction. This spacing on the inner surface of the disc 210 helps prevent material accumulation, thus reducing the risk of blockage. Furthermore, the sequential sliding design reduces direct collisions and impacts between materials, ensuring continuous and stable material transport. This helps lower the risk of production line malfunctions or accidents, and improves the safety of personnel.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the inner surface of the disc 210 is provided with multiple baffles 211, and adjacent baffles 211 form a material discharge channel, allowing materials to slide down sequentially along the discharge channel. The material discharge channel formed by adjacent baffles 211 effectively controls the flow direction and speed of the material during transport, ensuring that the material moves along a preset path and helping to avoid uneven pressure caused by material concentration during transport. In some examples, the width between the discharge channels can be determined based on the particle size of the material, thereby meeting material sorting requirements and making material sorting more flexible and adaptable.

[0052] In some applications, the height difference between the bottom edge of the vibrating screen 240 and the inner surface of the disc 210 can be determined based on the particle size of the material. This ensures that when material sliding down from the same position on the bottom edge of the vibrating screen 240 falls onto the inner surface of the disc 210, it falls orderly along the baffles. This effectively prevents multiple materials from simultaneously receiving material at the same position on the inner surface of the disc 210, reducing direct collisions and impacts between materials and helping to avoid uneven pressure caused by material concentration during transmission. For example, the height difference between the bottom edge of the vibrating screen 240 and the inner surface of the disc 210 can be greater than 3-5 mm of the material particle size.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the identification device 220 may include: an X-ray source 221, multiple first detectors 222, and multiple second detectors 223. The X-ray source 221 is located above the center of the inner side of the disk 210 and is used to emit X-rays onto the disk 210 to irradiate the material located on the disk 210. The multiple first detectors 222 are located inside the disk 210 and are used to receive the first X-rays emitted by the X-ray source 221 and reflected by the material. The multiple second detectors 223 are located outside the disk 210 and are used to receive the second X-rays emitted by the X-ray source 221 and penetrating the material. To improve material sorting accuracy, multiple detectors are configured in the identification device 220 to integrate multiple detection methods for comprehensive evaluation of the material type, thereby effectively improving the identification accuracy of the material type and enhancing the sorting performance of the sorting equipment 200.

[0054] Specifically, the identification device 220 includes an X-ray source 221, multiple first detectors 222, and multiple second detectors 223. By positioning the X-ray source 221 above the center of the inner side of the disk 210, the X-rays emitted by the source 221 can irradiate the material on the disk 210 during material transport. By positioning the multiple first detectors 222 inside the disk 210, the first X-rays reflected by the material can be effectively received, allowing for subsequent targeted analysis based on the intensity and characteristics of the first X-rays to determine the surface characteristics of the corresponding material. For example, the thickness, density, and surface defects of the corresponding material. In some applications, the first detectors 222 may include, but are not limited to, fluorescence detectors or silicon drift detectors (SDDs), depending on the specific requirements.

[0055] By placing the second detector 223 on the outer side of the disk 210, the second X-rays that have penetrated the material can be effectively received. This allows for targeted analysis based on the intensity and characteristics of the second X-rays to determine the internal structure of the corresponding material. For example, this could include internal defects, density variations, and compositional distribution. In some applications, the second detector 223 may be, but is not limited to, a scintillation detector or a semiconductor detector, depending on the specific requirements.

[0056] The number of first detectors 222 and second detectors 223 is the same. Therefore, when X-rays irradiate the material on the disk 210, the first X-ray reflected by the material can be received by the corresponding first detector 222, and the second X-ray penetrating the material can be received by the corresponding second detector 223. This arrangement not only allows for the determination of the material's internal structure and external characteristics, improving the accuracy of type identification, but also saves on the number of X-ray sources 221 required, reducing space occupancy.

[0057] In some application scenarios, the layout of the first detector 222 and the second detector 223 corresponds one-to-one with the position of the material feeding channel in the disc 210. That is, each material feeding channel corresponds to one first detector 222 and one second detector 223, making the material identification process more targeted. When an identification failure occurs, the abnormal material feeding channel and the corresponding first detector 222 and second detector 223 can be quickly located. This not only improves maintenance efficiency but also reduces the probability of downtime maintenance, ensuring that the sorting equipment 200 can always be in operation and reducing production losses caused by downtime.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the identification device 220 may further include a color sorting camera 224, used to photograph materials located on or falling from the disc 210 to obtain color-sorted images of the materials. By photographing materials located on or falling from the disc 210 using the color sorting camera 224, a color-sorted image of the material can be obtained. The color and texture information of the material can then be determined from this image. The color characteristics of the material can be determined by analyzing the color information, and the texture characteristics can be determined by analyzing the texture information. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of the material's surface features and internal structure when determining the material type, effectively improving the accuracy of identification and ensuring the precision of material sorting, thereby enhancing the sorting performance of the sorting equipment 200. The color characteristics can be quantified based on the color information by calculating the pixel value distribution and statistical characteristics of different color channels, such as color mean and standard deviation. The texture characteristics can be determined based on the texture information using an algorithm based on the gray-level co-occurrence matrix to calculate parameters such as texture roughness, contrast, and directionality. In the case where the color sorting camera 224 is used to photograph the material falling from the disc 210, the color sorting camera 224 can be set below the disc 210 and deployed on the same side or different side (e.g., opposite to the second detector 223).

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sorting device 200 also includes a fixed column 250, which passes through the hollow area of ​​the disc 210. The radiation source 221 is fixedly mounted on the fixed column 250; the first detector 222 is fixedly mounted on the fixed column 250 and located below the radiation source 221. The fixed column 250 can be understood as a support mechanism for the sorting device 200. Since all devices in the sorting device 200 are arranged vertically, the fixed column 250 not only stabilizes the positions of the radiation source 221 and the first detector 222, but also ensures that each material identification process is performed at the same height, thereby reducing errors caused by equipment movement or tilting and improving the accuracy of material identification.

[0060] In some applications, the radiation source 221 and the first detector 222 can be fixed on the flange of the fixed column 250 to ensure that the connection between them and the fixed column 250 is a stable fixed connection.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the sorting device 230 may include: a housing 231, a blowing mechanism 232, and a gas pipeline (not shown in the figure). The housing 231 is disposed on the fixed column 250, located below the identification device 220, and has multiple through holes on its periphery. The blowing mechanism 232 is disposed inside the housing 231, corresponding to the through holes, and is used to blow gas onto the material falling from the disc 210 through the through holes. The gas pipeline is disposed inside the fixed column 250, with one end connected to an external gas source and the other end connected to the blowing mechanism 232 to supply gas to the blowing mechanism 232.

[0062] The housing 231 is the outer shell of the sorting device 230, used to house the internal blowing mechanism 232 and gas pipeline, so as to protect the internal blowing mechanism 232 and gas pipeline as much as possible during the material sorting process. Moreover, by setting the blowing mechanism 232 and gas pipeline inside the housing 231, space utilization can be improved and space occupancy can be reduced.

[0063] By mounting the housing 231 on the fixed column 250, the blowing height can be fixed, the blowing logic simplified, and the management efficiency of the blowing mechanism 232 improved. The multiple through holes on the periphery of the housing 231 are related to the number of material drop channels. The number of through holes can be greater than or equal to the number of material drop channels, thus ensuring that materials falling from each drop channel are specifically sorted according to their type when passing the position of the blowing mechanism 232, thereby avoiding missed sorting. In other words, a blowing mechanism corresponds to each material drop path of each drop channel to ensure the effectiveness of the blowing process.

[0064] In some examples, the housing 231 can be a complete ring structure, which can improve mechanical stability and help reduce the risk of failure due to structural deformation. In other examples, the housing 231 can be a ring structure composed of at least two arcs joined together, which can improve equipment maintenance efficiency.

[0065] By fixing the gas pipeline inside the fixed column 250, the gas flow path can be stabilized, so that the gas supplied by the external gas source can be smoothly transmitted to the blowing mechanism 232 to meet the blowing requirements of the blowing mechanism 232.

[0066] In other examples, the blowing mechanism 232 can perform the blowing operation when it is determined that the material type is the target type, and standby (do not perform the blowing operation) when it is determined that the material type is not the target type. In some scenarios, if the quantity of the target type material is much greater than the quantity of the non-target type material, the blowing operation is performed for the non-target type material, and the blowing operation is not performed for the target type material, in order to save power consumption.

[0067] In some applications, the external air source can be provided by an air supply device. This device may include, but is not limited to, an air compressor, an air tank, and a filter. The air compressor provides high-pressure gas. The air tank is connected to the air compressor to stabilize the gas pressure. The filter can be installed at any location within the air tank to filter impurities in the gas, ensuring that the gas entering the blowing mechanism 232 through the gas pipeline is pure. This prevents impurities in the gas from clogging the blowing mechanism 232 and affecting material sorting, thus helping to extend the service life of the sorting equipment 200.

[0068] In other application scenarios, the fixed column 250 may also include a bottom fixing flange, a hollow cylinder, and a valve plate fixing flange. The bottom fixing flange is used to secure the fixed column 250. The hollow cylinder is hollow inside and is used to lay gas pipelines. A stepped groove is provided at the top of the hollow cylinder to fix the valve plate fixing flange, allowing the blowing mechanism 232 to be fixed to the fixed column 250, ensuring the structural stability of the blowing mechanism 232.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sorting device 200 may further include a receiving device 260, disposed below the sorting device 230. The receiving device 260 includes at least two annular receiving troughs 261, each used to receive different types of materials sorted by the sorting device 230. That is, the receiving troughs 261 correspond one-to-one with the type of material. Since the disc 210 is annular in shape, when materials fall from the bottom of the disc 210, the falling positions of materials of the same type are annular. Therefore, by arranging the receiving troughs 261 in an annular manner, missed collection can be avoided, thereby improving the material collection efficiency and ensuring the smooth progress of the sorting process.

[0070] In some application scenarios, the number of sorting devices 230 can be multiple, thereby refining the sorting types of materials and ensuring the accuracy of material sorting. To ensure that all types of materials can be effectively separated, the sorting device 230 can perform targeted control based on the physical characteristics of each material when controlling the blowing structure 232, so that the falling positions of different types of materials after sorting do not overlap, thus ensuring the effectiveness of material separation. The number of rings in the receiving trough 261 depends on the number of types of materials to be sorted. The number of rings can be greater than or equal to the number of types to avoid missed collection and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of material collection. For example, if the material to be sorted is ore, and the sorting equipment 200 includes two sorting devices 230, then the ore can be divided into concentrate, middlings, and waste ore by the two sorting devices 230, and the falling positions of different types of ore are different. The receiving device 260 includes three annular receiving troughs 261, which are used to collect concentrate, middlings and waste ore respectively, corresponding to the falling position of the corresponding ore type.

[0071] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, there are multiple disks 210, including at least a first disk 212 and a second disk 213. The second disk 213 is coaxially arranged with the first disk 212, with its upper end located radially outward of the first disk 212 and its lower end located below the first disk 212. By using multiple disks 210, the material conveying capacity can be increased, thereby improving material conveying efficiency. Furthermore, by coaxially arranging the second disk 213 with the first disk 212, the vertical space utilization rate can be improved, significantly reducing the floor space occupied by the sorting equipment 200.

[0072] In some examples, the disk 210 can have three or more layers, and they are set coaxially. The specific number of layers can be determined according to actual production needs.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the first disk 212 has multiple spaced first identification areas on its circumference, which are used to receive materials. The second disk 213 has multiple spaced second identification areas on its circumference, which are also used to receive materials. It can be understood that in the first disk 212, not the entire inner surface area can be used for material transfer, but only a portion of it. The portion of the first disk 212 used for receiving and transferring materials is the first identification area, and these first identification areas are not adjacent but spaced apart. Similarly, in the second disk 213, not the entire inner surface area can be used for material transfer, but only a portion of it. The portion of the second disk 213 used for receiving and transferring materials is the second identification area, and these second identification areas are not adjacent but spaced apart. The multiple second identification areas and the multiple first identification areas are staggered circumferentially, which improves identification efficiency and ensures the overall processing speed of the sorting device 200.

[0074] Moreover, since each disc 210 has its corresponding identification device, by setting the positions of the first identification area and the second identification area in a staggered manner, it is possible to perform targeted identification of materials in different areas at the same time, thereby improving the material identification efficiency per unit time, promoting sorting efficiency, and thus helping to improve the sorting performance of the sorting equipment 200.

[0075] In some embodiments, the inner edge of the second disk 213 is located vertically below the inner edge of the first disk 212. That is, the lower inner diameter of the second disk 213 is equal to the lower inner diameter of the first disk 212. By arranging the first disk 212 and the second disk 213 in this way, the blowing force of each blowing mechanism 232 in the sorting device 230 can be uniformly managed, simplifying the management logic of the sorting device 230 and improving management efficiency.

[0076] In other embodiments, the lower inner diameter of the second disk 213 is larger than the lower inner diameter of the first disk 212. By arranging the first disk 212 and the second disk 213 in this way, collisions between materials falling from the first disk 212 and materials falling from the second disk 213 can be avoided, which helps to ensure the safety of the falling materials.

[0077] In some embodiments, the sorting device 200 further includes a processing device for receiving a material type identification signal sent by the identification device 220, and controlling the corresponding blowing mechanism 232 in the sorting device 230 to perform targeted sorting of the material according to the type identification signal, so as to improve the effectiveness of material sorting.

[0078] In other examples, if there are multiple sorting devices 230 in the sorting equipment 200, the processing device can also determine the sorting device used to sort the material based on the obtained type identification signal, and then control the corresponding blowing mechanism in the sorting device to perform targeted sorting of the material, so as to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of material sorting. In some application scenarios, the processing device may include contactors, relays, and PLC programs. The processing device can use the built-in PLC program to determine the target sorting device for sorting materials and the target blowing mechanism in the target sorting device corresponding to the material discharge channel, so as to control the target blowing mechanism to perform targeted sorting.

[0079] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a sorting method applied to sorting equipment. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the sorting method may include the following steps:

[0080] Step S310: Receive material through all or part of the inner surface of at least one disk, so that the material moves downward along the inner surface of the disk and slides off from the inner edge.

[0081] Step S320: Identify the material using the identification device to determine the type of the material.

[0082] Step S330: The materials are sorted according to their type using a sorting device.

[0083] The sorting method provided in this disclosure can meet the material sorting requirements. Furthermore, the multiple devices in the sorting equipment are arranged vertically, which saves the floor space of the sorting equipment, adapts to various material sorting application scenarios, and helps improve the practicality of the sorting equipment.

[0084] In some embodiments, the identification device includes: an X-ray source, a plurality of first detectors, and a plurality of second detectors. The X-ray source is disposed above the center of the inner side of the disk, the first detectors are disposed inside the disk, and the second detectors are disposed outside the disk. Step S320 may include...

[0085] Step a1: X-rays are emitted onto the disk through a radiation source;

[0086] Step a2: Receive the first X-ray emitted by the X-ray source and reflected by the material through the first detector;

[0087] Step a3: The second X-ray emitted by the X-ray source and penetrating the material is received by the second detector;

[0088] Step a4: Determine the type of material based on the first and second X-rays.

[0089] Specifically, in the identification device, in order to determine the type of material, first X-rays and second X-rays are acquired respectively. The surface features of the material are determined by the first X-rays, and the internal structure of the material is determined by the second X-rays. Then, the surface features and internal structure of the material are combined for comprehensive analysis to determine the type of material.

[0090] In some applications, pre-trained neural network models can be used to determine the type of material, thereby improving the efficiency of type determination. This neural network model is a multi-input, single-output network. The input layer of the network receives signal data from different detectors, and the data undergoes feature extraction and dimensionality reduction processing through multiple convolutional and pooling layers. For example, taking an SDD semiconductor detector as the first detector, the SDD semiconductor detector generates a charge signal based on the received first X-ray. Due to the high voltage applied to the SDD semiconductor detector, the charge in the SDD semiconductor detector moves directionally, generating a current signal. This signal is processed and simply amplified by the ASIC coupled to the detector, then amplified by the main amplifier, and undergoes multi-channel analog-to-digital conversion to obtain the characteristic energy spectrum of the material surface. Taking a scintillation detector as the second detector, the scintillation detector excites scintillation light based on the captured second X-ray, and then the photomultiplier tube converts the optical signal into an electrical signal. Subsequent electronic processing results in image signals of different grayscale levels. In the convolutional layers, convolutional kernels of different sizes and strides are used to extract features at different scales and resolutions. After multiple convolutional and pooling layers, the features from different channels are fused in the middle layers of the network. The fusion method can employ either concatenation fusion or weighted fusion. Concatenation fusion stitches together features from different channels along their dimensions to form a comprehensive feature vector. Weighted fusion assigns weights based on the importance of features from different channels, then performs a weighted summation to obtain the fused feature. Finally, a fully connected layer classifies and determines the fused feature, outputting the material type.

[0091] In other application scenarios, the type of material can be determined by feature matching. For example, based on a built-in feature library, multiple candidate surface features that match the surface features of the material are identified, thus obtaining a first candidate type corresponding to each candidate surface feature. Similarly, multiple candidate internal structures that match the internal structure of the material are identified, thus obtaining a second candidate type corresponding to each internal structure. The type of material is then determined based on the matching results of the first and second candidate types.

[0092] In some embodiments, the identification device further includes a color sorting camera, and step a4 above may include:

[0093] Step a41: Obtain color sorting images of the materials using a color sorting camera;

[0094] Step a42: Determine the type of material based on the first X-ray, the second X-ray, and the color sorting image.

[0095] Specifically, to improve material sorting efficiency, color sorting cameras are used to acquire color-sorted images of the materials to determine their color and texture characteristics. This, combined with first and second X-rays, helps determine the material type, ensuring accuracy and precision in type identification. This makes the sorting process more precise and improves the sorting performance of the equipment. In some scenarios, color sorting cameras can continuously capture images at high frame rates (e.g., 100 frames per second) to avoid missing any images. The image processing chip inside the color sorting camera preprocesses the acquired images, including noise reduction and contrast enhancement.

[0096] In some optional application scenarios, such as Figure 9 As shown, the material sorting process using sorting equipment can be as follows:

[0097] The material is shaken onto a disc by a vibrating screen. As the material slides down the material drop channel in the disc, X-rays emitted by the X-ray source of the identification device irradiate the material. The first X-ray is captured by the first detector, the second X-ray is captured by the second detector, and the color sorting image is captured by the color sorting camera. By combining the first X-ray, the second X-ray, and the color sorting image, the type of material is determined and informed to the processing device, which then controls the sorting device to perform targeted sorting.

[0098] In other alternative application scenarios, combined with Figure 3 and Figure 4 The sorting equipment architecture shown below illustrates the material sorting process using sorting equipment 200, which can be performed as follows:

[0099] The vibrating screen 240 receives the material and discharges it evenly from the bottom edge to the disc 210 by vibration.

[0100] The inner surface of the disc 210 is provided with multiple partitions 211, and a material discharge channel is formed between adjacent partitions 211, so that the material can slide down along the material discharge channel in sequence.

[0101] As the material slides down the inner surface of the disc 210, the X-ray source 221 of the identification device 220 emits X-rays, and the first X-ray reflected by the material is received by the first detector 222 corresponding to each material drop channel, the second X-ray penetrating the material is received by the second detector 223, and the color sorting image of the material is acquired by the color sorting camera. Based on the first X-ray, the second X-ray and the color sorting image, the type of material is determined.

[0102] According to the type of material, the sorting device 230 controls the blowing mechanism 232 corresponding to the material falling channel to sort it in a targeted manner, so that it falls along the original falling trajectory or the falling trajectory after blowing, and is collected in a targeted manner through the receiving trough 261 corresponding to the material type to meet the sorting requirements.

[0103] In some alternative application scenarios, the sorting device consists of two units, and the receiving trough is a three-layer ring structure. Taking ore as an example, combined with... Figure 3 The sorting equipment architecture shown below illustrates the material sorting process using sorting equipment 200, which can be performed as follows:

[0104] The ore is received by the vibrating screen 240 and discharged evenly from the bottom edge to the disc 210 by vibration.

[0105] The inner surface of the disc 210 is provided with multiple partitions 211, and a material discharge channel is formed between adjacent partitions 211, so that the ore can slide down along the material discharge channel in sequence.

[0106] As the ore slides down the inner surface of the disc 210, the X-ray source 221 of the identification device 220 emits X-rays, which are received by the first detector 222 corresponding to each material feeding channel after being reflected by the ore. The second detector 223 receives the second X-rays that penetrate the ore, and a color sorting camera captures a color sorted image of the ore. Based on the first X-rays, the second X-rays, and the color sorted image, the type of ore is determined. The types of ore include concentrate, middlings, and waste ore.

[0107] The processing device determines, from among multiple sorting devices 230, the target sorting device for sorting the ore and the target blowing mechanism in the target sorting device corresponding to the material discharge channel through which the ore passes, based on the determined ore type, and informs the target sorting device.

[0108] The target sorting device controls the target blowing mechanism to specifically sort the ore according to its type, ensuring it falls along its original or post-blowing trajectory and is collected by a receiving trough 261 corresponding to that ore type, thus meeting the sorting requirements. For example, the multi-layer receiving trough includes a first receiving trough, a second receiving trough, and a third receiving trough. The first receiving trough collects concentrate, the second collecting trough collects middlings, and the third collecting trough collects waste ore. If the ore is concentrate, the target sorting device controls the target blowing mechanism to adjust the ore's falling trajectory according to the concentrate's trajectory, allowing the ore to fall into the first receiving trough. If the ore is middlings, the target sorting device controls the target blowing mechanism to adjust the ore's falling trajectory according to the middlings' trajectory, allowing the ore to fall into the second receiving trough. If the ore is waste ore, the target sorting device controls the target blowing mechanism to adjust the ore's falling trajectory according to the waste ore's trajectory, allowing the ore to fall into the third receiving trough.

[0109] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for performing the sorting method of any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0110] This disclosure uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the present disclosure. Terms such as "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" in different locations throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure can be appropriately combined.

[0111] In the context of this disclosure, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0112] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of this disclosure and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments, the foregoing description of embodiments of this disclosure may sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of this disclosure requires more features than the features claimed. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0113] The basic concepts have been described above. It is obvious that the above disclosure is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this disclosure. Although not explicitly stated herein, various modifications, improvements, and corrections may be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this disclosure and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A sorting device, characterized in that, For material sorting, the sorting equipment includes: At least one disc, which is hollow and ring-shaped, with its outer edge higher than its inner edge, and all or part of the inner surface of the disc used to receive material so that the material moves downward along the inner surface of the disc and slides off from the inner edge, comprising: the inner surface of the disc being provided with a plurality of partitions, with adjacent partitions forming a material discharge channel so that the material slides off sequentially along the material discharge channel; An identification device is provided corresponding to the disk, and the identification device is used to identify the material on and / or falling from the disk to determine the type of the material; A sorting device is disposed below the identification device, and the sorting device is used to sort the material according to the type of the material; The disks are multiple in number, including at least: a first disk; a second disk, coaxially arranged with the first disk, wherein the upper end of the second disk is located radially outside the first disk, the lower end of the second disk is located below the first disk, and the inner edge of the second disk is located vertically below the inner edge of the first disk; the first disk has multiple first identification areas spaced apart in the circumferential direction, the first identification areas being used to receive the material; the second disk has multiple second identification areas spaced apart in the circumferential direction, the second identification areas being used to receive the material, the multiple second identification areas and the multiple first identification areas being staggered in the circumferential direction, and the identification device corresponding to each disk allows for the identification of the material in different areas at the same time.

2. The sorting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sorting equipment also includes: A vibrating screen is disposed above the disc, the top diameter of the vibrating screen is smaller than the bottom diameter, and the outer surface of the vibrating screen is used to receive the material and discharge the material from the bottom edge to the disc.

3. The sorting equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom edge of the vibrating screen is spaced apart from the inner surface of the disc, so that the materials in the same radial direction slide down sequentially.

4. The sorting equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The identification device includes: An X-ray source is disposed above the center of the inner side of the disk, and the X-ray source is used to emit X-rays onto the disk to irradiate the material located on the disk; Multiple first detectors are disposed on the inner side of the disk, and the first detectors are used to receive the first X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and reflected by the material; Multiple second detectors are disposed on the outer side of the disk, and the second detectors are used to receive the second X-rays emitted by the X-ray source and after penetrating the material.

5. The sorting equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The identification device further includes: A color sorting camera is used to photograph the material located on the disk or the material falling from the disk to obtain a color sorted image of the material.

6. The sorting equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sorting equipment also includes: A fixed post is inserted through the hollow area of ​​the disk; The radiation source is fixedly mounted on the fixed column; The first detector is fixedly mounted on the fixed column and located below the radiation source.

7. The sorting equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sorting device includes: A housing is disposed on the fixing post and located below the identification device, and multiple through holes are provided on the periphery of the housing; A blowing mechanism is disposed inside the housing and corresponds to the through hole. The blowing mechanism is used to blow material falling from the disc through the through hole. A gas pipeline is installed inside the fixed column, with one end connected to an external gas source and the other end connected to the blowing mechanism to supply gas to the blowing mechanism.

8. The sorting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sorting equipment also includes: A receiving device is disposed below the sorting device. The receiving device includes at least two annular receiving troughs, which are respectively used to receive different types of materials sorted by the sorting device.

9. The sorting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner edge of the second disk is located vertically below the inner edge of the first disk.

10. A sorting method, characterized in that, The sorting method, applied to any one of claims 1-9, comprises: Material is received through all or part of the inner surface of at least one disk, such that the material moves downward along the inner surface of the disk and slides off the inner edge; The material is identified by an identification device to determine its type; The material is sorted according to its type using a sorting device.

11. The sorting method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The identification device includes: an X-ray source, multiple first detectors, and multiple second detectors. The X-ray source is positioned above the center of the inner side of the disk. The first detectors are positioned inside the disk, and the second detectors are positioned outside the disk. Identifying the material and determining its type using the identification device includes: X-rays are emitted toward the disk through the radiation source; The first detector receives the first X-ray emitted by the radiation source and reflected by the material. The second detector receives the second X-ray emitted by the radiation source and after penetrating the material; The type of the material is determined based on the first X-ray and the second X-ray.

12. The sorting method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The identification device further includes a color sorting camera, wherein determining the type of the material based on the first X-ray and the second X-ray includes: The color sorting camera is used to acquire color sorting images of the material. The type of the material is determined based on the first X-ray, the second X-ray, and the color sorting image.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a program for performing the sorting method according to any one of claims 10-12.

Images