MONITORING DEVICE FOR DETECTING AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANCE COMPONENT IN COMMINUTED MATERIALS, CONVEYING SYSTEM FOR COMMINUTED MATERIALS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING COMMINUTED MATERIALS

Abstract

A monitoring device of a conveying system for comminuted materials includes at least one measuring apparatus, by which at least one substance component can be detected in the comminuted materials. Further, a conveying system and a method for monitoring comminuted materials are provided. At least one monitoring region, in which the content of at least one substance component in a comminuted material can be determined by at least one measuring apparatus, while the comminuted materials are being conveyed, covers at least one portion of a conveying path of the conveying system. At least one rejection apparatus is arranged downstream of at least one monitoring region on the conveying path in the direction of conveyance of the comminuted materials. Via such a device, the comminuted materials can be rejected if the content of the at least one substance component determined by the at least one measuring apparatus exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A monitoring device of a conveying system for comminuted materials, having at least one measuring apparatus with which at least one substance component in the comminuted materials can be detected, wherein at least one monitoring region covers at least a section of a conveying path of the conveying system, and in which region a content of at least one substance component in a comminuted material can be determined by at least one measuring apparatus during the conveyance of the comminuted materials, and at least one rejection apparatus is arranged downstream of at least one monitoring region in the direction of conveyance of the comminuted materials on the conveying path, by which rejection apparatus the comminuted materials can be rejected when the content of the at least one substance component determined by the at least one measuring apparatus exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

15. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein at least one monitoring region and/or at least one rejection apparatus is arranged in at least one area of the conveying system in which a diversion for rejected materials can be implemented.

16. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein at least one monitoring region and/or at least one rejection apparatus is arranged on a conveyor belt of the conveying system.

17. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein at least one rejection apparatus comprises or consists of at least one sorter.

18. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein the monitoring device has at least one control and processing device or is connected to such a device, with which information of the at least one measuring apparatus can be evaluated and with which the at least one measuring apparatus and/or the at least one rejection apparatus and/or the conveying system can be controlled on the basis of the information.

19. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein at least one measuring apparatus operates without contact.

20. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein at least one measuring apparatus comprises or consists of at least one optical system.

21. The monitoring device according to claim 14, wherein a monitoring device comprises at least one analysis conveying path, which runs at least in sections parallel to a main conveying path of the conveying system for the comminuted materials, wherein on the at least one analysis conveying path, a representative portion of comminuted materials can be conveyed through the monitoring region of at least one measuring apparatus.

22. A conveying system for comminuted materials, having at least one conveying device with which the comminuted materials can be conveyed along a conveying path, and having at least one monitoring device which has at least one measuring apparatus with which at least one substance component in the comminuted materials can be detected, wherein at least one monitoring region, in which a content of at least one substance component in a comminuted material can be determined with at least one measuring apparatus during the conveyance of the comminuted materials, covers at least a section of a conveying path of the conveying system, and at least one rejection apparatus is arranged downstream of at least one monitoring region in the direction of conveyance of the comminuted materials on the conveying path, by which rejection apparatus the comminuted materials can be rejected when the content of the at least one substance component determined by the at least one measuring apparatus exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

23. A method for monitoring comminuted materials which are conveyed by a conveying system along at least one conveying path, comprising: detecting at least one substance component in the comminuted materials by at least one measuring apparatus, and determining the content of at least one substance component during the conveyance of the comminuted materials in at least one monitoring region on the conveying path, and when the content of the at least one substance component determined by the at least one measuring apparatus exceeds a predetermined threshold value, causing the comminuted materials to be rejected downstream of the at least one monitoring region in the direction of conveyance.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the content of at least one substance component is determined without contact.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the content of at least one substance component is determined on a continuous basis.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein comminuted materials contaminated with undesirable substance components are automatically rejected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The FIGURE schematically shows a functional representation of a conveying system for conveying comminuted materials with a monitoring device with which a content of undesirable substance components in the comminuted materials can be determined and any materials contaminated with undesirable substance components can be rejected. In the FIGURE, identical components are provided with identical reference signs.

[0044] In the FIGURE, a functional representation of a conveying system 10 of an installation 11 for the production of material plates is shown. The conveying system 10 is used for conveying comminuted materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Referring to the FIGURE, representative materials may be, for example, materials of plant origin, in particular wood, scrap wood, straw and/or renewable agricultural products, or plastic, composite material or the like.

[0046] By way of example, the conveying system 10 is arranged between a comminuting device 12 for comminuting the materials and a material press 14. The material press 14 is used to press the comminuted materials into press plates.

[0047] The materials to be comminuted are provided, by way of example, from a silo 16. A material feed line 18 leads from the silo 16 to the comminuting device 12. By way of example, only one comminuting device 12 is shown. Several comminuting devices 12 can also be provided, including functionally in parallel.

[0048] By way of example, the conveying system 10 has a total of three conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C and two conveyors 22A and 22B. The conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C and the conveyors 22A and 22B are used to convey the comminuted materials from the comminuting device 12 to the material press 14.

[0049] The first conveyor belt 20A leads from the comminuting device 12 to the first conveyor 22A. The second conveyor belt 20B is arranged between the first conveyor 22A and the second conveyor 22B. The third conveyor belt 20C leads from the second conveyor 22B to the material press 14.

[0050] Spatial distances and height differences between the comminuting device 12 and the material press 14 are bridged through the use of the conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C and the conveyors 22A and 22B.

[0051] The conveying system 10 further includes a monitoring device 24. The monitoring device 24 is used to monitor the content of undesirable substance components that may be present in the comminuted materials. The undesirable substance components may be pollutants or interfering substances.

[0052] By monitoring the content of pollutants, it can, in particular, be ensured that legally specified threshold values for pollutants are not exceeded. Examples of pollutants whose content can be monitored by the monitoring device 24 include arsenic (AS), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), chlorine (CI), fluorine (F), zinc (Zn), pentachlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), carbolineum (benzo(a)pyrene), lindane (y-hexachlorocyclohexane), organotin compounds, boron wood preservatives (B), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or the like. Alternatively, or additionally, the monitoring device 24 may be used to monitor the radioactivity of pollutants.

[0053] Interfering substances are substance components that hinder the planned recycling of the materials. If the material is scrap wood, for example, inorganic or organic non-wood substances, in particular soil material, stones, concrete, metal parts, paper, cardboard, textiles, plastics or foils, which adhere to, are admixed with or are connected to the scrap wood, these can be considered as interfering substances.

[0054] By way of example, the monitoring device 24 includes three measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B, and 26C. By way of example, each of the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C is associated with one of the conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C. If necessary, comminuted materials contaminated with unwanted substance components can be rejected more easily from the conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C than from the conveyors 22A and 22B. Moreover, there is sufficient space in the area of the conveyor belts 20A, 20B and 20C to arrange the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C.

[0055] Each of the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C comprises a measuring apparatus 28A, 28B or alternatively 28C, a rejection apparatus 30A, 30B or alternatively 30C, a control and processing device 32A, 32B or alternatively 32C, and a rejection-collection container 34A, 34B or alternatively 34C.

[0056] The respective content of undesirable substance components in the comminuted materials can be determined using the measuring apparatuses 28A, 28B and 28C. The measuring apparatuses 28A, 28B and 28C, shown by way of example, may operate according to different principles and/or may be provided for detecting different substance components.

[0057] By way of example, the measuring apparatus 28A, 28B, and 28C may utilize one or more of the following analytical technologies: near infrared spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical molecular spectroscopy, in particular UVVIS spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, in particular laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, laser-induced plasma spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis, mass spectroscopy, ion mobility spectroscopy or the like.

[0058] Each of the measuring apparatuses 28A, 28B and 28C is designed to detect the comminuted materials conveyed through a respective monitoring region 36A, 36B or 36C and to determine the content of any undesirable substance components contained therein during conveyance.

[0059] The first two monitoring regions 36A and 36B are located on a conveying path of the conveying system 10, which is formed by the respective conveyor belt 20A or 20B. The third monitoring region 36C is located on a conveyor path formed by an analysis conveyor belt 42 extending parallel to the third conveyor belt 20C. The analysis conveyor belt 42 is connected to the main conveyor belt, namely the third conveyor belt 20C, by means of corresponding branch lines. On the analysis conveyor belt 42, a representative portion of comminuted material is conveyed through the third monitoring region 36C.

[0060] The rejection apparatus 30A, 30B or alternatively 30C of the corresponding measuring and rejection system 26A, 26B or alternatively 26C is arranged in a direction 38 of the comminuted materials on the respective conveyor belt 20A, 20B and 20C downstream from the monitoring region 36A, 36B or 36C of the respective measuring apparatus 28A, 28B and 28C. The rejection apparatuses 30A, 30B and 30C are designed, for example, as automatically operable sorters.

[0061] If the content of undesirable substance components determined by the respective measuring apparatus 28A, 28B or alternatively 28C exceeds a threshold value specified, for example, by law, the respective rejection apparatus 30A, 30B or alternatively 30C is switched in such a way that it is used to reject the comminuted materials on the respective conveyor belt 20A, 20B or alternatively 20C.

[0062] The rejected comminuted materials, which are contaminated with unwanted substance components, are fed to the corresponding rejection-collection container 34A, 34B or 34C and are collected there.

[0063] Overall, the content of undesirable substance components is determined on an ongoing/continuous basis during the conveyance of the comminuted materials and comminuted materials contaminated with undesirable substance components are automatically rejected.

[0064] The measuring apparatus 28A, 28B and 28C and the rejection apparatus 30 of the respective measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C are functionally connected to the corresponding control and processing device 32A, 32B and 32C. The measuring apparatus 28A, 28B and 28C are controlled by the control and processing device 32A, 32B and 32C which are also used to evaluate the respective measurement information of the measuring apparatus 28A, 28B and 28C. The control and processing devices 32A, 32B and 32C are used to compare the measured values with correspondingly predefined threshold values, stored for example in tables, for the respective undesirable substance components and, if the threshold values are exceeded, to control the respective rejection apparatus 30 accordingly.

[0065] The control and processing devices 32A, 32B and 32C are each connected to a central control device 40 of the conveying system 10. With the control device 40, if necessary, the conveying system 10 can be controlled, for example stopped, on the basis of information from the control and processing devices 32A, 32B and 32C of the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C.

[0066] During operation of the installation 11, materials to be comminuted are fed from the silo 16 to the comminuting device 12. The comminuting device 12 is used to comminute the materials. The comminuted materials are initially fed to the first conveyor belt 20A.

[0067] When the comminuted materials are conveyed on the first conveyor belt 20A, the content of undesirable first substance components is determined with the first measuring apparatus 28A arranged there. If necessary, the first rejection apparatus 30A rejects the comminuted materials and collects them in the first rejection-collection container 34A.

[0068] If the content of undesirable first substance components does not exceed the corresponding threshold values, the comminuted materials are conveyed further to the first conveyor 22A. The first conveyor 22a conveys the comminuted materials to the second conveyor belt 20B.

[0069] While being conveyed on the second conveyor belt 20B, the second measuring and rejection system 26B determines the content of undesired second substance components. If necessary, the comminuted materials are rejected by the second rejection apparatus 30B and fed to the second rejection-collection container 34B.

[0070] If the content of undesirable second substance components does not exceed the corresponding threshold values, the comminuted materials are conveyed further to the second conveyor 22B. The second conveyor 22B conveys the comminuted materials to the third conveyor belt 20C.

[0071] There, the third measuring and rejection system 26C determines the content of undesirable third substance components.

[0072] If the content of unwanted third substance components exceeds the corresponding threshold value, the comminuted materials are rejected by the third rejection system 30C and fed to the third rejection-collection container 34C. Otherwise, the comminuted materials are fed to the material press 14 for further processing and pressing into material plates.

[0073] Instead of the different measuring apparatuses 28A, 28B and 28C, measuring apparatus operating according to the same principle can also be provided. In this case, the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C can be redundant.

[0074] Instead of three rejection-collection containers 34A, 34B, and 34C, only a single rejection-collection container 34A, 34B, and 34C may be provided.

[0075] Instead of a total of three measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B, and 26C, fewer or more measuring and rejection systems may be provided.

[0076] Instead of separate control and processing devices 32A, 32B and 32C, the measuring and rejection systems 26A, 26B and 26C can also have a common control and processing device.

[0077] Basically identical or also different rejection apparatuses 30A, 30B and 30C may be provided.

[0078] In an embodiment that is not shown, a measuring apparatus may also be provided, for example, at a location immediately downstream of the comminuting device 12 at the beginning of the conveying path of the conveying system 10, and one or more rejection apparatuses may be arranged at the end of the conveying path. In this way, a longer reaction time is available in which a measurement can be evaluated by the corresponding measuring apparatus.