Improved waste incineration since 1986

High and partly increasing environmental standards and considerably fluctuating fuel qualities – in this area of conflict operators of waste incinerators must run their plants efficiently. Since 1986 our engineers have been working on continuously optimizing the combustion in waste incineration.

Gas temperature as the central lever

Our starting point: If you measure the gas temperature above the waste incineration - fast, precisely and with a high local resolution - you have created the basis for a variety of optimizing interventions. Important for this measurement: It must be free from radiation effects from the combustion and must provide reliable values without drift over time.

Eyes and ears in the combustion chamber

Our acoustic gas temperature measurement system AGAM has evolved since 1992 and has become the standard for gas temperature measurement in waste incineration plants – with speed of sound, two-dimensional temperature distribution and being free from radiation effects. Via the acoustics we provide insights into the combustion, which make AGAM for our customers the eyes and ears in the combustion chamber.

Local temperature fluctuations

The quality of the fuels used in waste incineration plants varies significantly. Without active control measures this results in high local temperature imbalances between 200 – 400 °C. In addition, temporal temperature fluctuations in the combustion chamber may occur. The consequence: high and considerably fluctuating emissions, suboptimal throughput, loss of performance, bad burnout and high plant wear due to corrosion and clogging.

Active balancing control and combustion control

The solutions are active balancing control and combustion control. The combustion control benefits from the high measurement speed of AGAM and can thus react faster and more precisely to gas temperature fluctuations. The active balancing control uses the ability of AGAM to measure the temperature distribution above the fire. By targeted interventions, it ensures a more uniform temperature in the combustion chamber, thus allowing a stronger and more efficient operation of the plant.

Effective and efficient denitrification

The temporally and spatially precise and fast temperature measurement with AGAM also provides the basis for effective denitrification (SNCR). The local gas temperatures measured by AGAM, which are free from radiation effects, are the central input values for controlling the injection of reducing agents. AGAM thus ensures consumption optimization, low NOx emissions and low slip values.

Success story Moerdijk

The Moerdijk incineration plant uses an automated active balancing control and combustion control. The basis: Gas temperatures determined with AGAM. The main benefits are:

• 60-90 % less corrosion
• 8 % more throughput
• 6 % higher availability
• 54 % less natural gas consumption
• 2 % lower on-site power requirement
• 29 % less use of ammonia for the SNCR

Measurement in hazardous waste incineration plants

Even at very difficult and unfavourable positions in hazardous waste incineration plants AGAM has been working successfully. Examples are the incineration plants Grillo, Dormagen (Currenta) and Antwerp (Indaver). In these references, AGAM systems have been installed in horizontal and vertical planes at the transition point between rotary kiln and after-burner chamber.

Minimum temperatures according to the German 17. BImSchV

Since the mid 1990’s, AGAM monitors the minimum temperatures according to 17. BImSchV in the waste incineration plants Rugenberger Damm and Borsigstraße. There AGAM has also been installed for the approval of the boiler by the authorities.

The advantages: Complex measurements with suction pyrometers are not required. Radiation errors, drift, clogging, inertia and uncertainty in the gradient calculation do not occur. Thus auxiliary burners can be switched more easily – with the corresponding savings in the auxiliary fuel consumption.

AGAM reference plants

The following waste incineration plants use AGAM successfully:

• Alkmaar
• Antwerpen, Indaver
• Bernburg
• Bialystok
• Buschhaus
• Dormagen, Currenta
• Dürnrohr
• Emlichheim, EVI
• Frankfurt
• Hamburg, Borsigstraße
• Hamburg, Rugenberger Damm
• Hameln
• Hengelo
• Hoersholm
• Jönköping
• Krefeld
• Linköping
• Lissabon
• Magdeburg
• Moerdijk
• München Nord
• Oberhausen
• Oerebro
• Oostende
• Oulu
• Plymouth
• Rotterdam
• Solingen
• Spremberg
• Staßfurt
• Stettin
• Weener
• Weisweiler
• Wien Spittelau
• Wiesbaden
• Wijster