Method and apparatus for analyzing inhomogeneous bulk cargo

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for easily determining the composition of plastic waste that has been pressed into bales. Here, the proportion of plastic on at least one surface of a bale is determined with the aid of an NIR spectrum and, optionally, an image from a visual system. In a preferred embodiment, the proportion of plastic of a bale is determined on a plurality of sides of a bale. This increases the accuracy of the method. By way of the method according to the invention and the apparatus according to the invention, it is consequently possible to undertake a quality control of plastic waste that has been pressed into bales, which quality control is fast, reproducible and documentable.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing the plastic proportion of inhomogeneous bulk cargo, which is compressed into bales, comprising: recording at least one near infrared spectrum of at least one side of a bale, optionally recording an image of the at least one side of the bale by way of a visual system for detecting contaminants, analyzing the recorded near infrared spectrum/spectra and optionally analyzing the recorded image of the at least one side of the bale by way of the visual system with respect to a composition of the bale, and storing data of the near infrared spectrum and a determined composition of the bale, wherein a proportion of plastics is determined.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a near infrared spectrum of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 sides of the bale is recorded and analyzed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a near infrared spectrum of at least one lateral surface and at least one cover surface of the bale is recorded and analyzed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mean value or a weighted mean value is calculated from the NIR spectra of various sides of the bale.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visual system is a color camera.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an image is recorded by the visual system of the at least one side of the bale of which an NIR spectrum is also detected.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a proportion of contaminants is determined by way of the image which was recorded using the visual system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a weighting factor in the calculation of a weighted average is determined on the basis of the proportion of contaminants which was determined by the visual system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a proportion of contaminants and/or water in the bale is determined via the NIR spectrum.

10. An apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises: at least one near infrared camera, optionally at least one visual system for recording an image, optionally a means for conveying a bale, an analysis apparatus for near infrared spectra, optionally an analysis apparatus for images of a visual system, and a storage medium.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises the visual system in addition to each NIR camera.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for conveying the bale is embodied as a transportation belt.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for conveying the bale is embodied as a turntable.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the near infrared camera and optionally the visual system for recording images are attached to a mobile apparatus.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the near infrared camera and optionally the visual system for recording images are attached to a portable carrier apparatus.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plastics comprise polyolefins.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the polyolefins comprise polyethylene or polypropylene.

18. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a mean value or a weighted mean value is calculated from the NIR spectra of various sides of the bale.

19. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the visual system is a color camera.

20. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein an image is recorded by the visual system of the at least one side of the bale of which an NIR spectrum is also detected.

Description

FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention having 3 NIR cameras and 3 visual systems on a bridge-like structure, wherein the bale is transported using a transportation belt.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention having 2 NIR cameras and 2 visual systems on a column having a girder element, wherein the bale is located on a turntable.

(3) FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, wherein an NIR camera and a visual system are attached to a forklift.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) ON

(5) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, wherein the bale (6) is conveyed by a transportation belt (7) through a bridge-like structure (8). The bridge-like structure (8) consists of two columns and a crossmember, which connects the two columns. An NIR camera (1a) and a visual system (1b) are attached to one column, an NIR camera (3a) and a visual system (3b) are also attached to the second column. An NIR camera (2a) and a visual system (2b) are located on the crossmember. All NIR cameras and the visual systems are aligned such that a spectrum or an image, respectively, of the respective lateral surface of the bale (6) is recorded, which faces in the direction of the respective NIR camera or the respective visual system. In this embodiment, an NIR spectrum and an image can be recorded by a visual system simultaneously from 3 sides of the bale (6).

(6) FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. The bale (6) is located on a turntable (9). A column having a girder element (10) is located adjacent to the turntable. An NIR camera (1a) and a visual system (1b) are attached to the girder element, an NIR camera (2a) and a visual system (2b) are also located on the column. The column is attached to the turntable such that the NIR camera (2a) and the visual system (2b) can record an NIR spectrum or an image, respectively, of the side of the bale (6) facing toward them. The girder element protrudes over the bale (6) in this case such that the NIR camera (1a) and the visual system (1b) can record an NIR spectrum or an image, respectively, of the side of the bale (6) facing toward them. By rotating the bale (6) with the aid of the turntable, 4 sides of the bale (6) can be checked in succession.

(7) FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, wherein an NIR camera (1a) and a visual system (1b) are attached to the movable part of a forklift (11). The forklift (11) can then drive past bales (6) which are stored on a truck, for example, and subject the accessible sides of the bales (6) to a quality check.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(8) 1a NIR camera

(9) 1b visual system

(10) 2a NIR camera

(11) 2b visual system

(12) 3a NIR camera

(13) 3b visual system

(14) 6 bale

(15) 7 transportation belt

(16) 8 bridge-like structure

(17) 9 turntable

(18) 10 column having girder element

(19) 11 forklift