METAL RECYCLING

Increasing Asset Recovery for Shredder Operations and Metal Processors

The main interest for shredder facilities is in improving recoveries of high valued metals. Existing technology has been used for some time to separate light non-ferrous alloys from heavier non-ferrous alloys; however, over the past several years, there is a significant added value in performing additional separations to recover specific high value alloys. Examples of such are separating pure copper from copper alloys (brass and bronze) or wrought from cast aluminum.

The QXR-M is capable of processing economically viable quantities (many tons per hour) of NFR (non-ferrous residue) metals. It can accurately separate mixed metals with high accuracy by very specific alloy chemistry. Saleable product can be achieved in one pass—no reprocessing.

This same proprietary technology can also be used on the fluff line to clean up induction system output, by increasing the total metal content, removing copper from the stainless steel, and even grading the recovered stainless steel.

The system integrates nicely with, or can replace your current technologies—eddy current, magnetic separation, induction systems, heavy media separators, flotation devices, hand sorting, etc.

With capacities from <1 TPH to >100 TPH, and typical accuracies of 95% and above (material dependent), the QXR Series is the ideal solution for many applications within a high volume shredder facility:

• Extract Cu (or Cu alloys) or SS from your heavies
• Sort your Al product by alloy content
  
• Clean and grade your induction sorter metals
  (SS and Cu)
• Meatball extraction
• Coin and precious metal extraction
• Plastics, glass and more
  

A typical QXR system is composed of a conveyor-mounted XRF spectrometer with integrated material position sensing technology infrared (IR) camera. The camera determines the presence of material, while the XRF device determines the elemental composition. The data, through customer defined parameters, actuates one of a variety of downstream diverter mechanisms—all precisely synchronized via high performance PLC technology. The material is accurately directed to the appropriate collection bin or take-away conveyor.


The QXR is based on our proven XRF technology. This technique is ideal for real-time measurements of moving materials—being fast, non-contacting, and, in most cases, equally accurate on clean, wet, dry, dirty or coated material.

Each QXR is designed specifically to a customer’s process configuration. A wide variety of conveyors, feeders and diverters are available to meet performance requirements.

Engineered with flexibility in mind, the QXR series operates in batch or continuous mode and allows quick, on-site software modifications by the customer to meet changing criteria and new market demands—no additional cost or hardware is required.

The QXR Series is designed around a measurable return on investment. It has a reasonable initial cost combined with a low operating cost—yielding a superior CoO. Every QXR system promises to deliver:

• Reduction in labor costs, such as manual pickers
  
• Increased commercial opportunities for assets
  
• Less product reject
• Peace of mind