Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination
To reduce the emissions and weight of vehicles, manufacturers are incorporating polymer materials into vehicles, and this has increased the difficulty in recycling End-of-Life vehicles (ELVs). About 25–30% (mass) of an ELV crushed mixture is the unrecyclable material known as automotive sh...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/2/284 |
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| author | Jiu Huang Chaorong Xu Zhuangzhuang Zhu Longfei Xing |
| author_facet | Jiu Huang Chaorong Xu Zhuangzhuang Zhu Longfei Xing |
| author_sort | Jiu Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To reduce the emissions and weight of vehicles, manufacturers are incorporating polymer materials into vehicles, and this has increased the difficulty in recycling End-of-Life vehicles (ELVs). About 25–30% (mass) of an ELV crushed mixture is the unrecyclable material known as automotive shredder residues (ASRs), and most of the vehicle polymers are concentrated in this fraction. Thus, these vehicle polymers are conventionally disposed of in landfills at a high risk to the environment. The only way to solve this problem is through the development of a novel separation and recycling mechanism for ASRs. Our previous research reported a novel sensor-aided single-scrap-oriented sorting method that uses laser-triangulation imaging combined with impact acoustic frequency recognition for sorting crushed ASR plastics, and we proved its feasibility. However, the sorting efficiencies were still limited, since, in previous studies, the method used for scrap size determination was mechanical sieving, resulting in many deviations. In this paper, a new method based on three-dimensional (3D) imaging and circularity analysis is proposed to determine the equivalent particle size with much greater accuracy by avoiding the issues that are presented by the irregularity of crushed scraps. In this research, two kinds of commonly used vehicle plastics, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polypropylene (PP), and their corresponding composite materials, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/polycarbonate (ABS/PC) and polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (PP/EPDM), were studied. When compared with our previous study, with this new method, the sorting efficiency increased, with PP and PP/EPDM and ABS and ABS/PC achieving about 15% and 20% and 70% and 90%, respectively. The sorting efficiency of ASR polymer scraps can be optimized significantly by using sensor-aided 3D image measurement and circularity analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:05:28Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:05:28Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
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| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-23d64e7e8c78459083e91d40826f61692022-12-22T02:55:10ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202019-01-0119228410.3390/s19020284s19020284Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity DeterminationJiu Huang0Chaorong Xu1Zhuangzhuang Zhu2Longfei Xing3School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaTo reduce the emissions and weight of vehicles, manufacturers are incorporating polymer materials into vehicles, and this has increased the difficulty in recycling End-of-Life vehicles (ELVs). About 25–30% (mass) of an ELV crushed mixture is the unrecyclable material known as automotive shredder residues (ASRs), and most of the vehicle polymers are concentrated in this fraction. Thus, these vehicle polymers are conventionally disposed of in landfills at a high risk to the environment. The only way to solve this problem is through the development of a novel separation and recycling mechanism for ASRs. Our previous research reported a novel sensor-aided single-scrap-oriented sorting method that uses laser-triangulation imaging combined with impact acoustic frequency recognition for sorting crushed ASR plastics, and we proved its feasibility. However, the sorting efficiencies were still limited, since, in previous studies, the method used for scrap size determination was mechanical sieving, resulting in many deviations. In this paper, a new method based on three-dimensional (3D) imaging and circularity analysis is proposed to determine the equivalent particle size with much greater accuracy by avoiding the issues that are presented by the irregularity of crushed scraps. In this research, two kinds of commonly used vehicle plastics, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polypropylene (PP), and their corresponding composite materials, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/polycarbonate (ABS/PC) and polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (PP/EPDM), were studied. When compared with our previous study, with this new method, the sorting efficiency increased, with PP and PP/EPDM and ABS and ABS/PC achieving about 15% and 20% and 70% and 90%, respectively. The sorting efficiency of ASR polymer scraps can be optimized significantly by using sensor-aided 3D image measurement and circularity analysis.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/2/284sensor-aided sortingautomotive shredder residuescircularity determinationparticle size distribution |
| spellingShingle | Jiu Huang Chaorong Xu Zhuangzhuang Zhu Longfei Xing Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination Sensors sensor-aided sorting automotive shredder residues circularity determination particle size distribution |
| title | Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination |
| title_full | Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination |
| title_fullStr | Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination |
| title_short | Visual-Acoustic Sensor-Aided Sorting Efficiency Optimization of Automotive Shredder Polymer Residues Using Circularity Determination |
| title_sort | visual acoustic sensor aided sorting efficiency optimization of automotive shredder polymer residues using circularity determination |
| topic | sensor-aided sorting automotive shredder residues circularity determination particle size distribution |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/2/284 |
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