A pan for separating granular material may include a bottom wall and a sidewall. The sidewall may have an upper perimeter and a lower perimeter, and the lower perimeter may be coupled to the bottom wall so that the bottom wall and sidewall are watertight or otherwise configured to hold a volume of water. Preferably, the upper perimeter may be larger in dimension than the lower perimeter. A baffle plate may be coupled to the sidewall so that the baffle plate may be positioned between the upper perimeter and the lower perimeter. The baffle plate may have a proximal surface and an opposing distal surface, and portions of the proximal surface may contact the sidewall. A pocket may be formed between the bottom wall, the first baffle plate, and a portion of the sidewall that is between the bottom wall and sidewall.

A pan for separating granular material may include a bottom wall and a sidewall. The sidewall may have an upper perimeter and a lower perimeter, and the lower perimeter may be coupled to the bottom wall so that the bottom wall and sidewall are watertight or otherwise configured to hold a volume of water. Preferably, the upper perimeter may be larger in dimension than the lower perimeter. A baffle plate may be coupled to the sidewall so that the baffle plate may be positioned between the upper perimeter and the lower perimeter. The baffle plate may have a proximal surface and an opposing distal surface, and portions of the proximal surface may contact the sidewall. A pocket may be formed between the bottom wall, the first baffle plate, and a portion of the sidewall that is between the bottom wall and sidewall.

A gold pan and method of panning. A concave pan with lip and an array of curved ribs with linear central regions coupled to and extending above and forward from lip, each rib including a cavity oriented to be orthogonal to the concavity of the pan to trap material flowing thereover. The lip has a front region with a greater radius of curvature than a radius of curvature of a back region. There are a plurality of finishing fins extending into an interior of the concave pan from a back wall or side wall thereof. Panning is performed by disposing particulate material within a provided pan; flowing material over the ribs; flowing material over a plurality of finishing fins; collecting particulate material in a corner of a flat bottom; tipping the pan; and tapping a side thereof to separate heavies.

A gold pan and method of panning. A concave pan with lip and an array of curved ribs with linear central regions coupled to and extending above and forward from lip, each rib including a cavity oriented to be orthogonal to the concavity of the pan to trap material flowing thereover. The lip has a front region with a greater radius of curvature than a radius of curvature of a back region. There are a plurality of finishing fins extending into an interior of the concave pan from a back wall or side wall thereof. Panning is performed by disposing particulate material within a provided pan; flowing material over the ribs; flowing material over a plurality of finishing fins; collecting particulate material in a corner of a flat bottom; tipping the pan; and tapping a side thereof to separate heavies.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminating material that also includes metal elements includes a stirring device having a plurality of blades which are driven in a washing fluid to generate a turbulent stirring action to mechanically remove part of the contaminating material from the plastics material. The tilt of the blades and the rotation speed of the stirring device are chosen carefully to generate an upward thrusting action to maintain the plastics material with a specific weight that is greater than the specific weight of the fluid in a floating condition. The plastics material is retained inside the container for sufficient time to obtain a desired degree of purity and decontamination for the plastics material, after which it is evacuated by controlled overflow.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminating material that also includes metal elements includes a stirring device having a plurality of blades which are driven in a washing fluid to generate a turbulent stirring action to mechanically remove part of the contaminating material from the plastics material. The tilt of the blades and the rotation speed of the stirring device are chosen carefully to generate an upward thrusting action to maintain the plastics material with a specific weight that is greater than the specific weight of the fluid in a floating condition. The plastics material is retained inside the container for sufficient time to obtain a desired degree of purity and decontamination for the plastics material, after which it is evacuated by controlled overflow.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminants includes supplying to a washing container pieces of plastics material containing contaminating material and an entering flow of washing fluid. A turbulent stirring action to detach and separate mechanically the contaminating material from the plastics material is generated, evacuating through overflowing, through an outlet port An outlet flow of washing fluid and a quantity of plastics material that has undergone the turbulent stirring action is evacuated by overflow through an outlet port. A controlled-conveying and retaining arrangement is driven to retain the plastics material in the washing container and to advance in a controlled manner the quantity of plastics material to the outlet port independently of the advancement of the outlet flow of washing fluid. An adjustable bulkhead is arranged in the washing fluid at a depth with respect to the free surface to divert from the outlet port the pieces of plastics material that, once supplied to the container, by advancing more on the surface, tend to reach the outlet zone of the washings container. The bulkhead guides and forces the pieces of plastics to undergo the turbulent stirring action to separate and detach the adhering contaminants therefrom.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminants includes supplying to a washing container pieces of plastics material containing contaminating material and an entering flow of washing fluid. A turbulent stirring action to detach and separate mechanically the contaminating material from the plastics material is generated, evacuating through overflowing, through an outlet port An outlet flow of washing fluid and a quantity of plastics material that has undergone the turbulent stirring action is evacuated by overflow through an outlet port. A controlled-conveying and retaining arrangement is driven to retain the plastics material in the washing container and to advance in a controlled manner the quantity of plastics material to the outlet port independently of the advancement of the outlet flow of washing fluid. An adjustable bulkhead is arranged in the washing fluid at a depth with respect to the free surface to divert from the outlet port the pieces of plastics material that, once supplied to the container, by advancing more on the surface, tend to reach the outlet zone of the washings container. The bulkhead guides and forces the pieces of plastics to undergo the turbulent stirring action to separate and detach the adhering contaminants therefrom.

A system and method of scheduling tasks, comprising receiving activity and performance data from registers or storage locations maintained by hardware and an operating system; storing calibration coefficients associated with the activity and performance data; computing an energy dissipation rate based on at least the activity and performance data; and scheduling tasks under the operating system based on the computed energy dissipation rate.

A system and method of scheduling tasks, comprising receiving activity and performance data from registers or storage locations maintained by hardware and an operating system; storing calibration coefficients associated with the activity and performance data; computing an energy dissipation rate based on at least the activity and performance data; and scheduling tasks under the operating system based on the computed energy dissipation rate.