Wet Paper-Plastic Ratio Control Using NIR Dry Flow Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in accurately adjusting the paper/plastic ratio in recycled material streams for producing finished products, often requiring extensive drying and sorting processes that are time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing near-infrared (NIR) devices to determine the dry flow rates of paper and plastic material streams from solid waste, allowing a controller to adjust the flow rates of these streams to achieve a precise paper/plastic ratio without prior drying, and incorporating a sorter and dryer to refine the material streams for a target ratio and moisture content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional drying and sorting processes are used to adjust paper/plastic ratio, then material purity is improved, but processing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of paper and plastic content in wet material streams using NIR sensors before the materials are dried. This allows the controller to calculate dry flow rates and adjust stream ratios in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial-and-error drying and sorting processes while achieving precise paper/plastic ratio control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical drying and sorting systems with optical measurement and electronic control. NIR sensors optically measure material composition, and controllers electronically adjust flow rates, substituting the mechanical processes of drying and manual sorting with non-contact optical detection and automated flow control, thereby reducing processing time.
2Manufacturing precision
If extensive drying processes are implemented, then material moisture content is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures moisture content and paper/plastic ratios in wet material streams using NIR sensors before drying is required. The controller uses these measurements to calculate dry flow rates and pre-adjust the mixing ratios, so that when drying does occur, it can be done more efficiently with lower energy consumption because the target composition is already known and pre-calculated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors moisture content and material composition using NIR sensors, providing feedback to the controller. This feedback loop allows real-time adjustment of flow rates and drying parameters, optimizing energy consumption by only applying the minimum necessary drying energy to achieve the target moisture content and paper/plastic ratio.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple storage bins and dryers are used, then material processing flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control system that handles multiple material streams (paper, plastic, and their combinations) using a single integrated approach. The controller universally applies NIR measurement, dry flow rate calculation, and flow rate adjustment across different material streams, eliminating the need for separate specialized equipment for each material type and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges measurement, control, and processing functions into a single integrated workflow. NIR sensors measure composition, the controller calculates dry flow rates and adjusts ratios, and the system handles both wet and dry material streams through unified logic, combining what would traditionally require separate bins, dryers, and control systems into one streamlined operation.
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 precise adjustment of the paper/plastic ratio and moisture content in combined streams, reducing time and costs by eliminating the need for extraneous dryers and storage bins, and ensuring accurate production of finished products with required material ratios.
Implementation Method 1
receiving, by a controller, from a first near-infrared (NIR) device, a first amount of contaminants in a wet paper material stream harvested from solid waste, receiving, by the controller, from the first NIR device, a first moisture content of the wet paper material stream
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method may include determining a first dry mass flow rate of a wet paper material stream based on a first amount of contaminants, a first moisture content, and a first wet mass flow rate of the wet paper material stream, determining a second dry mass flow rate of a wet plastic material stream based on a second amount of contaminants, a second moisture content, and a second wet mass flow rate of the wet plastic material stream, calculating, using the first dry mass flow rate and the second dry mass flow rate, a paper/plastic ratio of a combined stream of the paper material stream and the plastic material stream, and adjusting, a flow rate of paper into the paper material stream and a flow rate of plastic into the plastic material stream such that the calculated paper/plastic ratio of the combined stream equals a target paper/plastic ratio.