UV Absorption Glass Sorting Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sorting special glass in scrap glass streams, such as glass-ceramics, lead glass, and borosilicate glasses, face challenges due to their high thermal resistance and non-standardized colors, leading to unreliable detection and sorting, especially when using visible light or X-ray sensors, which can pose health hazards and incur high energy costs.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing UV light to detect special glasses by comparing UV absorption or transmission values with standardized reference values, where UV absorption edges are analyzed to reliably identify and sort special glasses independent of color and coating thickness, without health hazards, using a radiation source and a detector unit connected to an evaluation and control system that activates removal nozzles for accurate sorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visible light or X-ray sensors are used to detect special glass, then detection capability is provided, but health hazards and high energy costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from visible light or X-ray to ultraviolet light. This parameter change allows detection of special glass through UV absorption characteristics without the health hazards and high energy costs associated with X-rays, while visible light detection is unreliable for non-standardized colored glasses.
2Measurement precision
If visible light sensors are used to detect special glass, then detection is attempted, but unreliable detection occurs due to non-standardized colors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from visible light to ultraviolet light. Special glass exhibits characteristic UV absorption edges that are independent of color and coating thickness, providing reliable detection across all color variations whereas visible light detection fails due to non-standardized colors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the detection mechanism from color-based visible light sensing to UV absorption-based detection. This substitution enables reliable identification of special glass by measuring UV absorption edges, which are material-specific and unaffected by surface coatings or color variations.
3Measurement precision
If X-ray sensors are used for detection, then detection capability is achieved, but high energy costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the radiation parameter from high-energy X-rays to lower-energy ultraviolet light. UV light provides sufficient detection capability for special glass through absorption edge analysis while consuming significantly less energy and eliminating health hazards associated with ionizing radiation.
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
This method enables reliable and cost-effective detection and sorting of special glasses, ensuring accurate recognition and separation regardless of color or thickness, without safety hazards, by utilizing UV light absorption characteristics specific to each type of special glass, allowing for efficient recycling processes.
Implementation Method 1
A method utilizing UV light to detect special glasses by comparing UV absorption or transmission values with standardized reference values
Data Source
AI summary
A cost efficient and reliable method for online sorting of special glass which works independent of the color of glass and the shape of the material. The scrap glass stream to be detected is thereby irradiated by UV absorption or transmission values of the scrap glass stream, more specifically of the material-specific UV absorption edges and “UV-cutoff” frequencies, with reference values obtained before from standardized material laboratory inspections. If special glass is being detected, blowing nozzles disposed downstream of a detector unit divert the special glass toward a predetermined location where it is deposited. There can also be a system which includes a radiation source, a detection unit, an evaluation and control unit and a removal apparatus.