Abstract: A bill handling apparatus enables insertion of a deposited object therein from an insertion slot, the object including a bill containing a metallic component. The bill handling apparatus includes a memory and processing circuitry coupled to a memory and configured to estimate a number of bills in the object that has been inserted, obtain an actually measured metal quantity in the object that has been inserted, estimate a threshold that is a quantity of metal in the object that has been inserted, based on the number of bills estimated by the first estimating and a reference metal quantity corresponding to one of the bills, the reference metal quantity having been determined beforehand, make a comparison between the actually measured metal quantity and the threshold, and determine, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not the object that has been inserted is a bill or bills only.

Abstract: A screen assembly is formed by attaching side edges of a plurality of screen elements to each other. Reinforcing fibers may be embedded in the material of selected screen elements. The reinforcing fibers extend in a direction in which the screen assembly will be tensioned to secure the screen assembly to a screening machine. Hook strips may be attached to ends or sides of the screen assembly to facilitate mounting the screen assembly to a screening machine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a garment sorting system and method for sorting garments arranged on garment carriers. The system comprises a first transporting conveyor arrangement arranged to receive a garment carrier from a pairing station which transports the garment carriers to an identification and sorting arrangement on a second conveyor arrangement comprising an identification device arranged to identify a garment carrier from an identification code for further sorting. For each garment carrier, a sorting rail address is requested by the identification and sorting arrangement from a garment identification database. The identified garment carrier is transported to a plurality of sorting rails, where the second transporting conveyor arrangement comprises a sorting interface for each sorting rail such that the identified garment carrier is moved from the second transporting conveyor arrangement to the correct sorting rail by operation of the corresponding sorting interface.

Abstract: THIS invention relates to a process for the enhanced recovery of chromite and platinum group metals (PGMs) from a mixed chromite/PGM ore. Ore is ground 12, classified 14, to produce a coarse fraction and a fine fraction 36. The coarse fraction is subjected to gravity separation 16 and coarse particle flotation 20 to obtain a chrome concentrate and a PGM concentrate. The fine fraction 36 and PGM concentrate are ground 28, and subjected to conventional flotation 30 to obtain a PGM concentrate product 32. The benefits of this novel configuration of gravity concentration and coarse flotation technologies, as applied to both chromite and PGM recovery, are higher recoveries of chromite in a saleable concentrate, higher recoveries of PGMs and base metals, and lower chromite content in the PGM concentrate.

Abstract: An item of equipment for separating bagged waste has a hopper, separation means for separating the waste, a scanner for classifying the waste, elements for opening the bagged waste, chutes with gates, classification means, an artificial vision camera, and a plurality of shredders. Thus, the shredders are able to shred the waste subsequent to the classification thereof by type of polymer and color, thanks to the artificial vision camera. The equipment enables the individual separation of the bagged waste for the subsequent treatment thereof, as frequently some bags of waste are adhered to others.

Abstract: Systems & methods for sorting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using an iDEP-based sorting device. The device includes an inlet channel with a constriction and the inlet channel splits into multiple different channels after the constriction—the multiple channels includes a center channel and at least one side channel. A sample is introduced into the iDEP sorting device containing a plurality of SWNTs of different lengths suspended in a fluid. An electrical field is applied to the sample between a first electrode in the center channel and a second electrodes at a proximal end of the inlet channel. The applied electrical field causes longer SWNTs to move towards the side channels while the shorter SWNTs move towards the center channel. Accordingly, a first plurality of shorter SWNTs is then collected from the center channel and a second plurality of longer SWNTs is collected from the at least one side channel.

Abstract: A hydraulic density separation device for separating a heavy material fraction with components of higher density from a light material fraction with components of lower density from a feed material includes a conveying device for conveying away the heavy material fraction, receiving chamber which can be filled with water for receiving the feed, a flow generator for generating a water flow in the receiving chamber and a water-fillable separation chamber for receiving the light material fraction. The conveying device has a shaft with a screw conveyor section for conveying the heavy material fraction out of the receiving chamber. The flow generator is designed and arranged such that a flow path of the water flow leads from the receiving chamber into the separation chamber. The conveying device has, in addition to the screw conveyor section, at least one washing section having a plurality of separate paddles arranged on the shaft.

Abstract: A method of extracting microparticles by detecting target microparticles for extraction in a main flow path which communicates with a pressure chamber, generating for each of the detected target microparticles a change in a negative pressure in the pressure chamber communicating with the main flow path to separate and extract each of the detected target microparticles flowing in the main flow path into the pressure chamber, wherein generating the change of the negative pressure to extract the detected target microparticles comprises generating a negative change in pressure by a different amount in accordance with a separation between the detected target microparticles.

Abstract: A system and method of scheduling tasks, comprising receiving activity and performance data from registers or storage locations maintained by hardware and an operating system; storing calibration coefficients associated with the activity and performance data; computing an energy dissipation rate based on at least the activity and performance data; and scheduling tasks under the operating system based on the computed energy dissipation rate.

Abstract: A material separator system including a separation device to separate at least a first group and a second group of material from an incoming stream of material; the stream of material laying on a conveyor belt and being carried along a longitudinal axis to a separation device; the material separator system including at least one air nozzle adapted to blow air between the conveyor belt and the support table in order to create an air-cushion in-between.

Abstract: A vibratory screening machine includes replaceable screen assemblies. Compression mechanisms are used to secure replaceable screen assemblies to the vibratory screening machine. Each compression mechanism applies a force to a replaceable screen assembly that includes both a horizontal component and a downward vertical component. Each replaceable screen assembly is typically substantially flat prior to installation on a vibratory screening machine. The force applied to a screen assembly by one or more compression mechanisms causes the screen assembly to be pushed into engagement with underlying concave support members such that the screen assembly itself assumes a concave shape with the center of the screen assembly being lower than the side edges. The vertical downward component of the force helps to secure the screen assembly to the screening machine.

Abstract: A method for processing organics includes the introduction of mixed organic and inorganic material into a separator and reducing the material into large and small fragments of inorganic material and a recovered organic stream. Removing a portion of the large fragments of inorganic material from the separator. Transporting the recovered organic stream to a de-pulping machine and processing the recovered organic stream in the de-pulping machine. Removing at least a portion of the small fragments of inorganic material providing a de-pulped organic stream. Depositing the de-pulped organic stream into a de-pulped organics container where the de-pulped organic stream may be post processed into recycled material.

Abstract: A cyclical and continuous device and method for wet sieving of polysaccharide granules are provided. The device includes a first dosing tank, a second dosing tank connected to the first dosing tank by a first circulation pump, a first suction filtration tank connected to the second dosing tank by a second circulation pump, and a second suction filtration tank connected to the first dosing tank by a third circulation pump. An overflow port provided on a side wall of the second dosing tank is higher than a feed port of the first dosing tank. A sieve of a mesh filter for coarse powder is disposed in the first dosing tank. A sieve of a mesh filter for fine powder is disposed in the second dosing tank. A stirring device is disposed in both the first dosing tank and the second dosing tank.

Abstract: A method can be used to cool bulk material in a fine material cooler. The method may involve admitting bulk material to be cooled into the fine material cooler through a material inlet, conveying the coarse material with a first mechanical or pneumatic conveying unit, and conveying the fine material with a second conveying unit in a conveying direction through the fine material cooler to a material outlet. The bulk material may have a fine material proportion of 70% to 95% and a coarse material proportion of 5% to 30%. The fine material may have a grain size of 10-5 mm to 4 mm, and the coarse material may have a grain size of 4 mm to 100 mm.

Abstract: A method for reducing the turbidity of as-mined sand comprising adding water to the as-mined sand to increase its moisture content to between about 5% and about 40% by weight, mixing the sand and water, piling the wet sand on the ground, allowing the sand to rest for a predetermined period of between about 12 hours and about 3 days, then harvesting less than all of the sand from the pile as reduced turbidity sand.

Abstract: A material handling system sorts materials utilizing a vision system of multiple vision devices configured with single board computers that each implement an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify materials, which are then sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification by sorting devices that are each coupled to one of the vision devices.

Abstract: Devices and methods for improved separation of small particles from other stock. The device includes a sifting tray assembly and means for vibrating the screen of the sifting tray assembly for separating components and a cryogenic fluid source and injection system for freezing the small parts to the point where they are solid enough to pass through the screen without adhering to the screen. The method entails use of the system to separate small particles in sifting trays while spraying the stock with a cryogen such as liquid nitrogen.

Abstract: A fluid-bed granulator system for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size including a fluid-bed granulator, a first cooler externally connected with the fluid-bed granulator or forming an internal part of the fluid-bed granulator, and a product screen connected with the first cooler. The product screen includes an exit for on-size particles; an exit for oversized particles and an exit for undersized particles. The exit for undersized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and the exit for oversized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator via one or more crushers. The exit for on-size particles is connected to a first splitter. The first splitter is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and a post processing unit. A particle size analyzer is located between the fluid-bed granulator and the product screen.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for automatically separating fine-sized seeds including a hopper where a plant object for seed separation is introduced, a crushing separator disposed below the hopper, to crush the plant object being introduced from the hopper and physically separate the seeds from the plant object, a cyclone part that the seeds and non-seed plant objects, which are crushed and separated in the crushing separator, are introduced, and by cyclone flow, the heavy seeds sink whereas the light-weighted non-seed plant objects float inside, thereby separating the seeds from the rest of plant debris, and a strainer filter part that is mounted to a lower end of the cyclone part and passes the seeds through a strainer filter, thereby spatially separating the seeds from the rest of plant debris.

Abstract: A system classifies materials utilizing a vision system that implements an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify and then remove automotive airbag modules from a scrap stream, which may have been produced from a shredding of end-of-life vehicles. The sorting process may be designed so that live airbag modules are not activated, which may cause damage to equipment or persons.