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- More Stable Operation by System Incorporating Operational Know-How of Operators -

Realization of Fully-Automatic Operation of Waste Incinerator
- More Stable Operation by System Incorporating Operational Know-How of Operators -

18 July 2019
JFE Engineering Corporation

JFE Engineering Corporation (President and CEO: Hajime Oshita, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) recently realized fully-automatic operation of a waste incinerator, which is the most important facility in waste treatment plant, for the first time in Japan.

In waste treatment facilities, stable operation of the incinerator is performed by an automatic combustion control system (ACC). However, due to the unevenness of wastes , by its sizes, shapes, materials, etc.
operation of waste incinerator is necessary to be monitored by the operators from the central control room of the waste treatment plant or from JFE Engineering's Global Remote Center*, and intervention operation when necessary are indispensable.

In parallel with developing more advanced ACC technology, JFE Engineering has worked also in development with a system for automation of the intervention operation which is conventionally performed by operators. JFEE began demonstration operation with this system at the Niigata City Shinden Clean Center from October 2018, and realized fully-automatic operation of the incinerator.

In particular, the developed system reduced intervention operation by operators by 100%, and that condition was continued for more than 2 weeks. During this period, combustion was more stable than by the conventional method, and the stability of steam generated by the boiler also improved, leading to an increase in the amount of electricity generated. In the future, operation by this system will be continued in order to verify the long-term stability of operation, and commercialization will be promoted, aiming at expansion to a waste treatment plant delivered by JFE Engineering and to a newly-constructed plant.

Following automation of incinerators, JFE Engineering will continue these advanced efforts, aiming at total plant automation. As a company that creates and supports the foundations for life, we will make full use of our abundant knowledge and leading-edge technologies to contribute to the formation of a recycling society and preservation of the global environment.

  • * Global Remote Center (GRC): A centralized monitoring center for various types of plants which began operation at the JFE Engineering Yokohama Head Office in March 2018. GRC performs remote monitoring and operation support for object plants throughout Japan by a 24 hour-a-day system. For more information, see: http://www.jfe-eng.co.jp/en/news/2018/20180316.html

Image of automatic operation

Conventional operation
(intervention operation by operators)
Operation after introduction of this system
(full automation)
Example of tool used in developed intervention operation system
(visualization screen of AI combustion image analysis system)

Distribution area of the combustion control temperature was reduced more than ▲20 % by automatic operation → Power generation is also stable because combustion condition has stabilized.

For inquiries regarding this press release, please contact:

  • Public Relations Section, General Administration Department, JFE Engineering Corporation
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- More Stable Operation by System Incorporating Operational Know-How of Operators -