METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ANALYSING AND/OR SORTING SCRAP METAL

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for the analysis and/or sorting of scrap metal, more particularly of scrap aluminium, in which a quantity of scrap metal, more particularly aluminium scrap, in the form of a scrap bundle or a group of scrap bundles is provided, in which method the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is irradiated by at least one neutron source, the gamma radiation emitted by the scrap bundle or by the group of scrap bundles is captured by at least one detector, and composition information relating to the composition of the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is determined on the basis of the gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector. The disclosure further relates to a device for analysing and/or sorting scrap metal.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A device for analysing and/or sorting scrap aluminium, comprising: a conveyor system for conveying scrap bundles, a scrap bundle being understood to mean a quantity of scrap fragments which are pressed together to form a bundle; a measuring device, which has at least one neutron source for irradiating scrap bundles conveyed on the conveyor system, and at least one detector for capturing the gamma radiation emitted by the scrap bundles as a result of this neutron irradiation; and a computation device which is arranged to determine composition information relating to the composition of one or more scrap bundles conveyed on the conveyor system on the basis of the gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the conveyor system comprises one or more belt conveyors.

18. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a weighing device, including a belt weigher, for determining the weight of scrap bundles.

19. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a sorting device arranged for sorting scrap bundles on the basis of composition information determined for the respective scrap bundle.

20. The device according to 16, further comprising a feeding point for feeding scrap bundles onto the conveyor system and/or a removal point for the removal of the scrap bundles from the conveyor system.

21. A method for analysing and/or sorting scrap aluminium, carried out with a device according to claim 16, in which a quantity of scrap metal, more particularly aluminium scrap, in the form of a scrap bundle or a group of scrap bundles is provided, a scrap bundle being understood to mean a quantity of scrap fragments which are pressed together to form a bundle, in which the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is irradiated by at least one neutron source, in which the gamma radiation emitted by the scrap bundle or by the group of scrap bundles is captured by at least one detector, and in which composition information relating to the composition of the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is determined on the basis of the gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the group of scrap bundles is provided as a loose stack or a pack of scrap bundles.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein a value for the weight of the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is determined or measured.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the composition information comprises a value for the content of at least one element, preferably values for the respective content of several elements.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the composition information is assigned to the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is assigned to one of several predetermined classes depending on the determined composition information and a predetermined assignment rule.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is sorted depending on the determined composition information.

28. A method for analysing and/or sorting scrap aluminium, carried out with a device according to claim 16, in which a plurality of scrap bundles and/or a plurality of groups of scrap bundles are provided, a scrap bundle being understood to mean a quantity of scrap fragments which are pressed together to form a bundle, in which the respective composition information for the scrap bundles and/or the groups of scrap bundles is determined in that the respective scrap bundle or the respective group of scrap bundles is irradiated by at least one neutron source, the gamma radiation emitted by the respective scrap bundle or the respective group of scrap bundles is captured by at least one detector, and composition information relating to the composition of the respective scrap bundle or the group of scrap bundles is determined on the basis of he gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector.

29. The method according to claim 21, in which a plurality of scrap bundles and/or a plurality of groups of scrap bundles are provided, in which the scrap bundles and/or the groups of scrap bundles are placed on a conveyor system, and in which the scrap bundles and/or the groups of scrap bundles are conveyed with the conveyor system successively through a measuring device in which the scrap bundles and/or the groups of scrap bundles are irradiated by at least one neutron source, wherein the gamma radiation emitted by a respective one of the scrap bundles or by a respective group of scrap bundles is captured by at least one detector and composition information relating to the composition of the respective scrap bundle or the respective group of scrap bundles is determined on the basis of the captured gamma radiation.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0042] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] Further advantages and features of the methods and the device will be apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawing wherein it is shown by:

[0044] FIG. 1 a first exemplary embodiment of the methods,

[0045] FIG. 2 a further exemplary embodiment of the methods and one exemplary embodiment of the device, and

[0046] FIG. 3 further exemplary embodiments of the methods and the device.

[0047] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the methods. In the method, a quantity of scrap metal 2, in particular scrap aluminium, is provided in the form of a group 4 of scrap bundles 6, and in the present example in the form of a group of scrap bundles 6 stacked on a pallet 8.

[0050] The pallet 8 with the stacked scrap bundles 6 is arranged in its entirety in a measuring device 12 for prompt gamma neutron actuation analysis (PGNAA) using a forklift 10. For this purpose, the measuring device 12 has a receptacle 14, the size of which is such that the pallet 8 with the scrap bundles 6 can be arranged in this receptacle 14.

[0051] The forklift 10 preferably has a weighing device with which the weight of the scrap bundles 6 stacked on the pallet 8 can be determined.

[0052] Instead of arranging the pallet 8 directly in the measuring device 12 by means of the forklift 10, the pallet 8 with the stacked scrap bundles 6 can also be placed in its entirety on a carriage using a forklift 10, which carriage then moves automatically into the measuring device 12 for prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA). In this way, persons can be protected from any increased radiation exposure in the area of the measuring device 12.

[0053] The PGNAA technique is known in principle and therefore does not need to be explained in detail here. In this context, reference is made, for example, to EP 3 393 687 B1. Likewise, measuring devices for prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) are known in principle, so that they also need not be explained in detail here.

[0054] The measuring device 12 comprises a neutron source so that the group 4 of scrap bundles 6 arranged in the measuring device 12 is irradiated with neutrons. The gamma radiation thereby emitted by the group 4 of scrap bundles 6 is captured by at least one detector of the measuring device 12.

[0055] The gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector of the measuring device 12 is analysed by a computation device 16, which may also be designed as part of the measuring device 12. The measuring device 12 then computes composition information about the composition of the group 4 of scrap bundles 6 based on the captured gamma radiation. In particular, the measuring device can determine the contents of certain alloying elements, such as for example Al, Si, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, etc.

[0056] Since the entire group 4 of scrap bundles 6 has been analysed in its entirety by the measuring device 12, the composition information determined in this way is very reliable for the overall composition of the group 4 of scrap bundles 6 so that the group 4 can be further used in a targeted manner.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the methods as well as an exemplary embodiment of the device.

[0058] The device 20 comprises a conveyor system 22 with a plurality of conveyor belts 24, by means of which scrap bundles 6 can be transported from a feeding point 26 through the measuring device 28 for prompt gamma neutron activation analysis to a removal point 30. The measuring device 28 comprises a neutron source for irradiating the scrap bundles 6 conveyed on the conveyor system 22, and at least one detector for detecting the gamma radiation emitted by the scrap bundles 6 by this neutron irradiation. The area of the measuring device 28 can be bounded, for example, by a fence 32 in order to protect persons from a possibly increased radiation exposure in the area of the measuring device 28. The measuring device 28 is configured in such a way that scrap bundles can be analysed in their entirety.

[0059] The device 20 further comprises a computation device 34 which is arranged to determine respective composition information about the composition of the scrap bundles 6 conveyed on the conveyor system 22 based on the gamma radiation captured by the at least one detector of the measuring device 28. The respective composition information is then preferably assigned to the respective scrap bundles 6 so that the scrap bundles 6 can be further processed, for example sorted and/or melted down, depending on the respective assigned composition information.

[0060] In order to assign the composition information to the individual scrap bundles 6, the scrap bundles can in particular be assigned identifiers, for example in accordance with the sequence in which they are transported on the conveyor system 22. The composition information can then be easily assigned to the respective identifiers of the scrap bundles 6.

[0061] The device 20 further preferably comprises a weighing device 36, in particular in the form of a belt weigher, which can be used to determine the weight of the individual scrap bundles 6. The computation device 34 can be configured to determine the composition information also depending on the weight of the respective scrap bundle determined by means of the weighing device 35. In this way, instead of or in addition to a content information in wt. %, for example, the total weight for an alloying element in a scrap bundle can also be determined.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows further exemplary embodiments of the methods and the device.

[0063] The device 40 comprises the device 20 of FIG. 2 and additionally a series of bunkers 42a-d for four predetermined classes each with defined content limits for certain alloying elements (e.g. bunker 42a for AA6xxx content limits, bunker 42b for AA5xxx content limits, bunker 42c for mixtures of AA6xxx and AA5xxx, bunker 42d for AA3xxx content limits).

[0064] The individual scrap bundles 6 are assigned a respective composition information as described for FIG. 2. Depending on the respective composition information and a predetermined assignment rule, the scrap bundles 6 are assigned to one of the four predetermined classes and can then be sorted accordingly, in particular by means of a sorting device 44, into the corresponding bunkers 42a-d. In FIG. 3, sorting is carried out using a forklift 10 as an example. An automatic sorting device can also be provided instead.

[0065] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are inter-changeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.