Capacity of the color sorter greatly depends on the sorting product, its physical properties and properties of the contaminant. Such parameters of the product and the contaminant as color, dimensions of the grain, unit weight, aerodynamic qualities and density collectively affect quality and speed of the color sorting. These parameters should be taken into account by the operator when adjusting the sorter for a specific product. They are displayed in the settings of the machine.

It is notable that in principle color sorters of different manufacturers are structurally similar since the basis for color sorter construction is physics of the dropping body being inspected in the process of its dropping. In case it is recognized as reject by the electronics, the body by the air jet changes the trajectory of descend, thus being separated from the bulk of the good product.

In the inspection zone each grain is separately checked by the sensors and this very analysis of the details ensures leadership in the sorting quality which may reach up to 99,99% of output product purity. In order to avoid product layering (which unavoidably leads to the deterioration of the product quality) it is very important to select a feeding mode of the grains and ensure their flow in one layer with equal speed and equidistance. Obviously the grain of the lighter sorting product will flow to the inspection zone slower than the heavier product which influences the production capacity and should necessarily be considered by the operator in sorter settings. eight. Due to that the layering of the product onto the contaminant in the inspection zone occurs leading either to the losses of the good product or to the increase of the reject in the good product which in return affects the production capacity on the whole.

The degree of good product contamination strongly affects the production capacity of the machine. It is known that the more contaminants are in the input product, the less is the capacity of the color sorter. It happens due to the fact that the machine needs to “process” the bad grains and eliminate them from the bulk product. Since the color sorter eliminates the bad grain, changing its trajectory with the air jet, it is necessary to consider the mechanical properties of the basic device for this purpose- the ejectors.

Ejectors, precise and designed for billiards of responses, like every device have their physical limit of response within definite time limit. In other words, if the contamination of the input product is high, the computer will send to the ejector signal after signal which leads to the signal overlapping. It means that the ejector fails to close, shooting at all grains in the action field. In such cases the operator should slow down the operation of vibrators decreasing the product flow and reducing the production capacity.

Each sorter has its capacity limit determined by the abovementioned factors and dimensions of the machine. As of today, manufacturers produce color sorters with maximum capacity of 20 tons per hour, though it is upper limit of capacity with low percentage of the contaminants. Often such marketing decision leads to the misunderstanding from the customers’ point who operating the sorter face the actual capacity which is significantly lower than the one declared by the manufacturer.

CSort LTD has chosen other marketing strategy based on the experience in multiple sorting tests, sales and maintenance. We always declare the capacity of the sorter close to the real one. Since it is hard (and sometimes impossible) to state the real capacity without the product, it is important to have sorting samples at hand. To get detailed information about the production capacity for the product you are interested in, you can send or personally bring the samples to the CSort service center.