A system includes a stage for supporting a sample having at least first and second atomic elements. The first atomic element has a first characteristic x-ray line with a first energy and the second atomic element has a second characteristic x-ray line with a second energy, the first and second energies lower than 8 keV and separated from one another by less than 1 keV. The system further includes an x-ray source of x-rays having a third energy between the first and second energies and at least one x-ray optic configured to receive and focus at least some of the x-rays as an x-ray beam to illuminate the sample. The system further includes at least one x-ray detector configured to detect fluorescence x-rays produced by the sample in response to being irradiated by the x-ray beam.

A multisource volumetric spectral computed tomography imaging device includes an x-ray source array with multiple spatially distributed x-ray focal spots, an x-ray beam collimator with an array of apertures, each confining the radiation from a corresponding x-ray focal spot to illuminate a corresponding segment of an object, a digital area x-ray detector, and a gantry to rotate the x-ray source array and the detector around the object. An electronic control unit activates the radiations from the x-ray focal spots to scan the object multiple times as the gantry rotates around the object. The images are used to reconstruct a volumetric CT image of the object with reduced scattered radiation. For dual energy and multi energy imaging, radiation from each focal spot is filtered by a corresponding spectral filter to optimize its energy spectrum.

An XRF inspection system, and a respective method are presented. The system and method are directed at inspection of a sample. The system comprising at least one X-ray radiation source providing X-ray radiation of selected energy spectrum, an optical arrangement for focusing the X-ray radiation onto a selected inspection spot of the sample, and at least one detector configured for detection of radiation emitted from the sample and providing output data indicative of emission spectrum from the sample; wherein the output data comprises data indicative of L-line excitation fluorescent response of the sample.

Described herein are a computed tomography scanning system for inspecting an object and methods incorporating the same. The system includes an imaging assembly including a frame positioned within an underground chamber below a ground surface, a platform coupled to and translatable with respect to the frame, and a stage coupled to and rotatable with respect to the platform. The platform is translatable to raise the object above the ground surface and lower the object below the ground surface when the object is on the stage. The imaging assembly also includes an X-ray source fixed with respect to the frame and configured to emit radiation that is attenuated by the object as the platform translates and the stage rotates, and an X-ray detector fixed with respect to the frame, the X-ray detector configured to detect the radiation transmitted through the object and generate a signal representative of the transmitted radiation.

Sorting device (10), comprising: conveying means (12) for conveying a material flow (14) through the sorting device (10); a multi-energy X-ray system (20) configured to radiograph the material flow (14) by using at least two different energies and to detect radiographs based on the radiography, wherein each radiograph includes, per area, first information regarding a density and/or an atomic number as well as second structural information; a processor (28) configured to detect one or several areas comprising a component to be recycled (16) or a battery, in particular a lithium-ion battery, or a battery cell, in particular a lithium-ion battery cell, in a respective one of the radiographs using an AI algorithm; wherein detecting takes place based on a first feature (M1) derived from first information and a second feature (M2) derived from the second structural information.

A method of determining at least one x-ray scanning system geometric property includes the steps of positioning a calibration device inside a scanning chamber of the scanning device, the chamber being intersected by at least one fan beam of x-rays during a scanning operation, measuring a distance between the calibration device and at least one inner wall of the chamber, scanning the calibration device to produce an image of the calibration device, identifying pixels representing the a geometric feature of the calibration device in the image, determining a position and orientation of the pixels representing the geometric feature in the image and, determining a scanning system property based on the position and orientation of the pixels representing the geometric feature in the image. The position and orientation of the feature in the scanning chamber and the x-ray scanning system property may be determined simultaneously.

A system for inspecting an object, includes: a source of X-ray radiation; a horizontal array of detectors, wherein the source and the array of detectors are positioned substantially on a first plane; a platform configured to rotate as well as translate in a vertical trajectory, wherein the platform is positioned on a second plane between the source and the array of detectors, and wherein the object is disposed on the platform; and a computing device configured to: cause the source to fire a substantially horizontal fan beam in a third plane, wherein the third plane is above a top of the object; acquire calibration data from the array of detectors while the third plane is above the top of the object; cause the platform to simultaneously rotate and raise the object vertically upwards; acquire scan data of the object; and generate a three dimensional scan image of the object.