High speed materials sorting using x-ray fluorescence
US7616733B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 2008 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2223/076
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and process for classifying a piece of material of unknown composition at high speeds, where the system connected to a power supply. The piece is irradiated with first x-rays from an x-ray source, causing the piece to fluoresce x-rays. The fluoresced x-rays are detected with an x-ray detector, and the piece of material is classified from the detected fluoresced x-rays. Detecting and classifying may be cumulatively performed in less than one second. An x-ray fluorescence spectrum of the piece of material may be determined from the detected fluoresced x-rays, and the detection of the fluoresced x-rays may be conditioned such that accurate determination of the x-ray fluorescence spectrum is not significantly compromised, slowed or complicated by extraneous x-rays. The piece of material may be classified by recognizing the spectral pattern of the determined x-ray fluorescence spectrum. The piece of material may be flattened prior to irradiation and detection. The x-ray source may irradiate the first x-rays at a high intensity, and the x-ray source may be an x-ray tube.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.