Sorting pieces of material based on photonic emissions resulting from multiple sources of stimuli

A method of classifying a piece of material, comprising acts of:

• (A) irradiating the piece with x-ray photons to cause the piece to fluoresce x-rays;
• (B) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the piece;
• (C) vaporizing a portion of the piece to produce a plasma that emits optical emissions;
• (D) detecting the optical emissions emitted from the piece;
• (E) classifying the piece based on the detected x-rays and the detected optical emissions by first reducing a number of potential classifications using only the detected x-rays or the detected optical emissions and then selecting a final classification from among the reduced number of potential classifications using only whichever of the detected x-rays or detected optical emissions was not used in reducing the number of potential classifications;
• (F) conveying the piece into an area in which two or more of the acts (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) are performed;
• (G) conveying the piece out of the area,
• wherein the act (F) includes conveying the piece on a first conveyor, and the act (G) includes conveying the piece on a second conveyor distinct from the first conveyor.

A method of classifying material in a moving stream of materials, comprising acts of:

• (A) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the material as the material moves;
• (B) detecting optical emissions emitted from a plasma resulting from a vaporization of a portion of the material as the material moves;
• and
• (C) classifying the material based on the detected x-rays and/or the detected optical emissions, including
• (1) creating one or more emissions spectra from the detected x-rays and detected optical emissions;
• and
• (2) estimating peak values for one or more regions of interest of the one or more spectra,
• wherein (C) comprises reducing a number of potential classifications of the material by analyzing only a first one of the detected x-rays and the detected optical emissions, and then selecting one of the reduced number of potential classifications by considering only the type of emissions not considered in reducing the number of potential classifications.

A method of classifying material, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) applying an electrical discharge to vaporize a portion of the material to produce a plasma;
• (B) detecting optical emissions emitted from the plasma;
• (C) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the material;
• and
• (D) classifying the material based on the detected x-rays and/or the detected optical emissions,
• wherein a number of potential classifications are available, wherein the act (D) comprises:
• (1) reducing the number of potential classifications by analyzing only a first one of two types of emissions:
• the detected x-rays or the detected optical emissions;
• and
• (2) selecting one of the reduced number of classifications by analyzing only a second one of the two types of emissions that was not analyzed in the act (D)(1).

A method of automated sorting of material in a stream of materials presented for sorting, comprising acts of:

• (A) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the material as it moves;
• (B) detecting optical emissions emitted from a plasma resulting from a vaporization of a portion of the material as it moves;
• (C) classifying the material based on the detected x-rays and the detected optical emissions;
• and
• (D) based on the classification, sorting the material by removing the material from the stream to a location associated with the classification,
• wherein (C) comprises determining a first classification based on the detected x-rays or the detected optical emissions and then determining a second classification based on the other of the detected x-rays or the detected optical emissions not used to determine the first classification.

A method of classifying material, wherein a number of potential classifications are available, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the material;
• (B) detecting optical emissions emitted from a plasma resulting from a vaporization of a portion of the material;
• and
• (C) classifying the material based on the detected x-rays and the detected optical emissions, including acts of
• (1) reducing the number of potential classifications by analyzing only a first one of two types of emissions:
• the detected x-rays or the detected optical emissions;
• and
• (2) selecting one of the reduced number of classifications by analyzing only a second one of the two types of emissions that was not analyzed in the act (C)(1);
• wherein the act (C)(1) includes analyzing only the detected optical emissions and the act (C)(2) includes analyzing only the detected x-rays,
• wherein (C) involves use of immature emission spectra, and
• wherein (A)-(C)(2) is performed in less than one second,
• wherein the method further comprises automatically feeding multiple pieces of material including the material onto a conveyor configured to convey the material into an area in which (A)-(B) are performed and conveying the material out of the area.

A method of classifying material, wherein a number of potential classifications are available, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) detecting x-rays fluoresced from the material;
• (B) detecting optical emissions emitted from a plasma resulting from a vaporization of a portion of the material;
• (C) detecting x-rays transmitted through the material;
• and
• (D) classifying the material based on the detected x-rays fluoresced from the material, the x-rays transmitted through the material, and the optical emissions,
• wherein (D) comprises
• (1) reducing the number of potential classifications by considering a subset of results from (A), (B), and (C);
• and
• (2) selecting one of the reduced number of classifications by analyzing a different subset of results of (A), (B), and (C).