Fluorescence-Based Mineral Sorting via UV Excitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sorting mineral-containing or plastic objects in a single layer material stream are inefficient due to the lack of correlation between surface color and mineral or plastic content, and are often costly, such as X-ray fluorescence analysis or NIR spectroscopy, which are not suitable for industrial-scale sorting.
Innovation Solution
A method involving irradiation with stimulating light to detect fluorescent light, where objects are defined as containing specific minerals or plastics based on fluorescent light intensity and wavelength, allowing for separation from other objects using image processing and appropriate light sources and detectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If X-ray fluorescence analysis or NIR spectroscopy is used for detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex detection systems (X-ray fluorescence analyzers, NIR spectroscopy equipment) with simple, inexpensive UV LEDs that emit fluorescent light. These cheap light sources illuminate the material stream, and standard cameras capture the fluorescent emissions, eliminating the need for costly specialized detectors while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for sorting applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical/optical detection systems with a simplified optical fluorescence-based system. Instead of using X-ray tubes, spectroscopy equipment, or complex sensor arrays, the invention uses UV light sources to excite fluorescent minerals and standard imaging cameras to detect the emitted fluorescent light, replacing sophisticated detection mechanics with a simpler optical phenomenon-based approach
2Device complexity
If surface color detection is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits fluorescence-induced color changes in minerals when illuminated by UV light. Different minerals emit characteristic fluorescent colors (e.g., green for actinolite, blue for fluorite, yellow for sulfur) that are directly correlated with their mineral composition. This fluorescence color property provides a reliable indicator of mineral content and type, overcoming the limitation of surface color detection while maintaining simple device complexity using only UV LEDs and color cameras
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables cost-effective and efficient sorting of valuable minerals or plastics by distinguishing fluorescent objects from non-fluorescent ones, using UV or visible light to stimulate fluorescence and detect it within specific intensity and wavelength ranges, facilitating industrial-scale separation.
Implementation Method 1
objects of the material stream are irradiated with a stimulating light and the resulting fluorescent light is detected
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a sorting plant for sorting out mineral-containing objects car plastic objects from a single layer material stream is shown. Here it is provided thatobjects (12) of the material stream are irradiated with stimulating light and the resulting fluorescent light is detected in the form of an image of the fluorescent points,the objects of the material stream are irradiated with object detection light outside the fluorescent light, and the transmitted light after passage between the objects or the reflected light of the objects is detected in the form of an image of the individual objects,an object is then defined as containing at least one specific mineral or one specific plastic if the fluorescent light of said object lies in a predetermined intensity range for at least one predetermined wavelength range, andthe so defined objects are separated from other objects of the material stream.