Methods and systems for sorting cottonseed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11298723-B2
Application number	US-201916667280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

Methods and devices for sorting cottonseeds. Methods include the use of an optical sorter to sort cottonseed by color. Additionally, methods include sorting cottonseed using a gravity table to collect high-density seed (“accepts”) and mid-density seed (“middlings”), followed by sorting the mid-density, and optionally, the high-density seed using an optical sorter to collect dark cottonseed, thereby providing high-quality cottonseed for packaging. Devices and systems comprising one or more gravity tables and one or more optical sorters are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for sorting cottonseed comprising using an optical sorter to collect dark colored cottonseed, and separating cottonseed using a gravity table to separate high-density cottonseed, mid-density cottonseed, and low-density cottonseed, wherein the gravity table is used to separate the cottonseed into an accept fraction, a middling fraction, and a reject fraction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dark colored cottonseed are accepted and the light cottonseed are rejected by programming the optical sorter.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said optical sorter is a monochromatic sorter which separates the cottonseed by shade of color.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said optical sorter is a bichromatic sorter which separates the cottonseed using two filters to combine multiple wavelengths.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said separating using a gravity table is performed prior to sorting using an optical sorter.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the middling fraction and optionally, the reject fraction are sorted using the optical sorter.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reject fraction is sorted using the optical sorter.

8. A method for cleaning and/or sorting cottonseed, comprising:
a) sorting cottonseed using a gravity table to collect a high-density seed fraction, a mid-density seed fraction, and a low-density seed fraction;
b) sorting the mid-density seed, and optionally, the low-density seed using an optical sorter to collect dark cottonseed; and
c) combining the high-density seed fraction of a) and the dark cottonseed of b) to obtain a high-quality seed fraction.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
d) packaging the high-quality cottonseed fraction.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said high-quality cottonseed fraction is further sorted using an optical sorter to remove broken, misshaped, and/or damaged cottonseed prior to or after packaging, transporting or storing.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said high-quality cottonseed is coated before sorting using the optical sorter.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the dark colored cottonseed are accepted and the light cottonseed are rejected by programming the optical sorter.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said optical sorter is a monochromatic sorter that separates the cottonseed by shade of color.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said optical sorter is a bichromatic sorter that separates the cottonseed using two filters to combine multiple wavelengths.

15. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the mid-density seed and the low-density seed are sorted using an optical sorter to collect dark cottonseed.

16. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising sorting the cottonseed by size using a screen cleaner.

Assignees

• BASF Agricultural Solutions Seed US LLC

Inventors

• Schmidt Sebastian Ulrich
• Ratliff Jeff
• Ulfik Benno Franz
• Van Winssen Fatma Alexia
• Crossland Tonya
• Huebner Hartmut

Classifications

• B03B4/06

  using fixed and inclined tables {; using stationary pneumatic tables, e.g. fluidised beds} · CPC title

• B07C5/368

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• B07C5/3425 Primary

  of granular material, e.g. ore particles, grain (investigation moving fluids or granular solids using optical means G01N21/85) · CPC title

• B07C2501/0018

  Sorting the articles during free fall · CPC title