US 11,796,479 B2
System and method for material characterization
Paul Scoullar, Fitzroy North (AU); Christopher McLean, Kangaroo flat (AU); Shane Michael Tonissen, Kensington (AU); and Syed Khusro Saleem, Fitzroy North (AU)
Assigned to Southern Innovation International Pty Ltd, Carlton North (AU)
Filed by SOUTHERN INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, Carlton North (AU)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/199,090.
Application 17/199,090 is a continuation of application No. 16/305,801, granted, now 10,962,485, previously published as PCT/AU2017/050512, filed on May 30, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2016902060 (AU), filed on May 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0199592 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/85 (2006.01); G01N 23/087 (2018.01); E21B 49/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/25 (2006.01); G01N 21/93 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/85 (2013.01) [E21B 49/005 (2013.01); G01N 21/255 (2013.01); G01N 21/93 (2013.01); G01N 23/087 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8557 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8592 (2013.01); G01N 2021/933 (2013.01); G01N 2223/316 (2013.01); G01N 2223/345 (2013.01); G01N 2223/423 (2013.01); G01N 2223/501 (2013.01); G01N 2223/505 (2013.01); G01N 2223/616 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material characterization system for characterizing a stream of material emanating from a material identification, exploration, extraction or processing activity, the system comprising:
a source device for providing incident radiation configured to irradiate the stream of material in an irradiation region;
one or more detector circuits configured to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream of material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation and thereby produce a detection signal;
one or more digital processors configured to process the detection signal to characterize the stream of material; and
a pipe configured to act as a conduit for the stream of material and configured to allow the stream of material to enter and pass unimpeded through the material characterization system, the pipe being disposed between the source device and the one or more detector circuits and containing the irradiation region,
wherein the source device for providing incident radiation and the one or more detector circuits are configured to be disposed relative to the stream of material so as to irradiate the stream of material and detect the radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream as the stream passes through the irradiation region,
wherein the source device and the one or more detector circuits are provided in a housing surrounding the irradiation region, the housing having an inlet and an outlet disposed at opposite ends of the chamber, the pipe connecting the inlet to the outlet, the housing being configured to be installed in the stream of material so that the stream of material enters unimpeded at the inlet through the pipe, passes unimpeded through the irradiation region, and exits unimpeded at the outlet through the pipe,
wherein the source device comprises X-rays and the one or more digital processors are configured to accumulate at least one detector energy spectrum of at least 10 bins and perform energy resolved photon counting X-ray transmission spectroscopy analysis using the at least 10 bins, and
wherein the material comprises a subsurface resource and the stream of material comprises rock, chip or powder material.