New NRT sorter color analyzes opaque objects

National Recovery Technologies (NRT), Nashville, Tennessee, has added the ColorPlus- R to the company’s product offering. Similar to the ColorPlus, the ColorPlus-R uses an image processing system to detect materials based on color analysis and object recognition. Unique to the ColorPlus-R is the ability to color analyze opaque objects, such as black plastics, the company says. 

All ColorPlus models employ transmissive detection, placing the material between the light source and the detection camera. NRT says its In-Flight Sorting technology, processing up to 50 million pixels per second, is able to detect and target objects in flight. In addition to transmissive detection, the ColorPlus-R has added a second LED light source above the material to facilitate reflective detection. 

“The real advantage to the ColorPlus-R is the ability now to recognize the color of an opaque object with extreme confidence and in a fraction of a second,” says NRT President Matthias Erdmannsdoerfer. “For example, black plastics pose a problem to our customers, particularly in plastic recycling facilities where accuracy is ultimately defined by the parts per million. Black plastics absorb too much light for near infrared detection by polymer type, so, with this new equipment, we can effectively remove this type of contamination. Our team should be proud of yet another accomplishment that will pay dividends to our customers.”
 
The composition of black plastics can be unknown and the material is problematic in waste-to-fuel operations where end product specifications require a particular material recipe. Other ColorPlus-R applications include the separation of white containers from other colored opaque plastics, separating colored inert objects, such as glass, or removing brown paper grades from a news stream.

The entire ColorPlus line is equipped with LED lighting. The light source, combined with In-Flight Sorting technology, also allow the equipment to auto-calibrate. The first ColorPlus-R will operate at Suez’s Altens Easte materials recovery facility (MRF) in Aberdeen, Scotland, to remove OCC (old corrugated containers) from mixed paper. Installation is underway for an expected 2Q startup.