An inspection and sorting apparatus includes a support frame supporting a transport mechanism with an endless transport belt extending along an inspection zone with an inspection mechanism for transported items and a sorting zone with a sorting mechanism for moving rejected items transverse to a transport path to a sorting side. When in an operation state, a space lateral to and alongside the sorting zone is covered by a housing cover but is open to the sorting zone and to a downside to allow rejected items to further fall or slide down by gravity. Alternatively, or additionally, the apparatus includes a side cover covering a region below the sorting zone laterally from the sorting side. The housing cover and/or the side cover is movable between a covering position in the operation state of the apparatus and a release position granting lateral access to the sorting zone and/or to said region from the sorting side.

An inspection station for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in a manufactured product, the inspection station having (a) a conveyor for advancing manufactured product, and (b) an infrared detection apparatus, including (i) a high intensity infrared light source for directing at the manufactured product, and (ii) a high speed NIR spectrometer sensor tuned to detect an emitted signal from a taggant disposed in the oil or lubricant.

Methods and systems for detecting foreign material within a product stream in real-time, involve illuminating a portion of the agricultural product stream with light spanning a wavelength range including or within near-infrared and/or shortwave infrared wavelengths; scanning a line of the illuminated agricultural product stream to acquire a hyperspectral image of the line, the hyperspectral image of the line having a width of a single pixel; processing the hyperspectral image of the scanned line to obtain spectrum data for one or more pixels of the hyperspectral image of the scanned line; comparing the obtained spectrum data of the one or more pixels to predetermined spectrum data to determine whether the obtained spectrum data is indicative of foreign material within the scanned line of the agricultural product stream.

A method for detecting mentholated tobacco, comprising irradiating tobacco containing menthol and a fluorescent taggant with radiation and observing the tobacco for fluorescence from the taggant. A system and method for detecting and separating mentholated tobacco from non-mentholated tobacco within a product stream is also provided.

A refractory material for forming a refractory product includes a refractory component and a taggant having an amorphous or a crystalline solid dispersed within the refractory material. The taggant is configured to be distinguishable from the refractory component after heating of the refractory product between 300 degrees F. and 3500 degrees F. A method of reclaiming refractory material of a refractory lining constructed from different types of refractory products, the refractory lining having been subjected to temperatures in excess of 300 degrees F., includes demolishing the refractory lining to produce a mixture of refractory pieces of different types of refractory products. The mixture of refractory pieces is analyzed to detect the presence of one or more taggants, and the refractory pieces are sorted into groups based on the detected one or more taggants.

A method for detecting mentholated tobacco, comprising irradiating tobacco containing menthol and a fluorescent taggant with radiation and observing the tobacco for fluorescence from the taggant. A system and method for detecting and separating mentholated tobacco from non-mentholated tobacco within a product stream is also provided.

A copolymer is prepared by the polymerization of monomers that include an ultraviolet absorbing monomer, and a base-solubility-enhancing monomer. The copolymer is useful for forming a topcoat layer for electron beam and extreme ultraviolet lithographies. Also described are a layered article including the topcoat layer, and an associated method of forming an electronic device.

Apparatus and methods for identifying substances in a material include at least one light source configured to irradiate a sample of the material with light of at least one wavelength. A detector is configured to detect light re-emitted or transmitted by the sample. An analysis device analyzes the detected light by UV/VIS spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, or absorption spectroscopy, and generates a first identification result for at least one substance of the sample. Further, the analysis device generates a second identification result in response to the first identification result being an ambiguous identification result. The second identification result may be generated by fluorescence light decay time analysis (FLZA). At least one substance is at least partially identified based on the first identification result or based on the first and second identification results.

A method for separation of at least one catalyst or adsorbent from a homogeneous mixture of catalysts or adsorbents, used in a method for treatment of gas or hydrocarbon feedstock, in which the grains of catalysts or adsorbents are separated according to a sorting threshold corresponding to a content of the constituent element that is sought and defined by the user.

The invention relates to a device and corresponding method for sorting bulk material, in particular pellets, comprising a vibration conveyor apparatus and a feed apparatus, which feeds bulk material to the vibration conveyor apparatus and is examined for defects using a detector apparatus. Bulk material identified as being non-defective is deposited in a first outlet and bulk material identified as being defective is shorted out and deposited in.