Sortex

FIG. 19-11 Sortex 711M feed-rate characteristics. Coutiesy Gunson s So7-tex Ltd.)... 

FIG. 19-10 Sortex 711M optical separator. (Courtesy Gunmens Serfex Ltd.)... 

FIG. 19-12 Optical separation of mixed glasses separation of opaques from glasses. Courtesy Gunsons Sortex Ltd.)... 

Fig. 6.2 Sortex 90000 machine for rice, coffee, nuts and grains.

Fig. 6.3 Sortex Niagara machine sorting frozen peas.

To detect small blemishes on frait and vegetables reliably, it is necessary to inspect the product from two sides. The traditional architecture of an optical sorting machine is to feed the product along a horizontal conveyor and then observe the product from top and bottom views as the product flies off the end of the conveyor. The drawback with this approach is that the bottom camera is soon covered in product. The Sortex Niagara machine overcomes this problem with the PowerShde feed system (Fig. 6.14). The belt conveyor on the Niagara is inclined at 60° to the horizontal, such that the cameras can view the product from either side, and remain clean. This novel feed mechanism is known as the PowerSlide and is patented by Sortex. 

Fig. 6.15 The Sortex 3400 machine is a compact design with two single channels. Three sensors surround each of the two channels providing all-round inspection and therefore a highly efficient sort. The 3400 is particularly suited to sorting low volumes of high-value commodities, since the yield and efficiency of the machine is very high.

Dr Sarah Bee and Dr Mark Honeywood Project Leader Sortex Limited Pudding Mill Lane London E15 2PJ... 

However, separation between resistance levels of 1000 to 300 kQ. may be marginal. A typical application of conductivity sorting is the separation of massive ilmenite from anorthosite. Both are compact rocks, but ilmenite is a good electrical conductor, whereas anorthosite is an insulator. The dimensions and operating information for the Sortex CS-03 conductivity sorter, which is capable of processing up to about 25,000 kg/h (27.5 tons/h) of0.05-to 0.15-in mesh size (2 to 6 in), are given in Table 19-4. 

The first installation and use of an ash monitor in the U S. was a Sortex unit at the Moss No. 3 Preparation Plant (Clinch-field Coal Company, Division of Pittston Coal Group, Lebanon, Virginia). The Moss No. 3 plant produces three blends of metallurgical coal and a steam coal. The Sortex Ash monitor is used to monitor the metallurgical coal product, and its output is used by the plant superintendent to select the blending ratios of run-of-the mine coal being cleaned at the plant. 

A schematic drawing of the sensor system employed in the Sortex Ash Monitor is shown in Figure 4. The x-rays emitted by the Pu source irradiate the coal sample and penetrate up to 38 mm. This radiation is absorbed and scattered the fraction backscattered is counted with a gas proportional counter. The aluminum filter is used to compensate for iron fluorescent x-rays, which are excited by the incident x-rays. The filter preferentially absorbs most of the iron fluorescent x-rays ( 6 KeV), and its thickness is chosen based upon the iron content of the coal samples. The aluminum filter also compensates for sulfur variations in the coal. This occurs because a major fraction of sulfur is present as pyrite and the decrease in x-ray backscatter intensity due to sulfur is partially offset by an increase in iron fluorescence. Organic sulfur is generally constant, and it is corrected for in the calibration of the instrument ( 5). 

Figure 5 contains the flow diagram for the installation of the Sortex Ash Monitor at the Moss No. 3 coal preparation plant. The clean coal product is sampled, crushed to a top size of 5 mm, and presented to the ash monitor. The discharged sample is... 

Figure 4. Schematic drawing of Sortex ash monitor sensor system.

The operating experience at Moss No 3 clearly indicates that the Sortex Ash Monitor is a very useful tool and that it possess sufficient reliability and accuracy to be suitable for control of plant circuitry Through use of a correlation equation and careful calibration, the system should be able to provide the accuracy required to meet the quality control requirements of the coal preparation industry. 

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