TOKYO –  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Environmental & Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. (MHIEC), a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), has received an order from Nisihinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, to refurbish core components at the Nishinomiya Waste Municipal Refuse Disposal Center, a municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plant. The order calls for refurbishment of a stoker type incineration plant(1) with a total capacity of 525 tons per day (tpd) to maintain the plant’s functionality, extend its service life, and further enhance energy conservation. The 2.48 billion yen project is slated for completion in March 2020.

The existing MSW incineration plant was designed and constructed by MHI and completed in August 1997. The plant incorporates three stoker incinerators with capacity of 175 tpd each, and can generate up to 6 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The order just placed with MHIEC includes the replacement or refurbishment of superannuated equipment used primarily for incineration, combustion gas cooling, flue gas treatment and ventilation, as well as electrical and instrumentation systems.

The refurbishment project will also target enhanced energy conservation, largely through the adoption of MHIEC’s proprietary new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) low excess air combustion system and use of high-efficiency invertor motors in key equipment. With these measures the refurbished plant will be able to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 20%, or 2,200 tons of CO2 per year, to help curb global warming.

Modification and improvement of existing MSW incineration plants are increasing to extend their operational lives and reduce their environmental impact. This trend has also accelerated since the Japanese national government introduced a subsidy system in 2015 to help extend operational life and enhance energy savings at local waste treatment facilities.(2)

MHIEC took over MHI’s waste treatment plant business in 2008, acquiring MHI’s technological development capabilities in environmental protection systems and its abundant expertise in the construction and operation of waste management facilities both in Japan and overseas. Based on its strong track record, MHIEC today is in a prime position to provide comprehensive solutions incorporating all aspects from plant construction to operation.

Going forward, MHIEC will leverage its solid track record, including this latest order, and proactively propose further energy-saving enhancements and system improvements for stable operation at existing waste treatment facilities. In addition, it will work to reduce plant lifecycle costs, including operation and maintenance, in a quest to further expand business in this field.

(1) A stoker furnace is a common feature of MSW incineration plants. In a stoker furnace, MSW is combusted as it moves along on a fire grate made of heat-resistant castings.

(2) This program, which falls under the jurisdiction of Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, promotes effective use of existing waste treatment facilities as one measure to address the issue of global warming. Local (city, town or village) governments that seek to extend the operational life of their MSW facilities are eligible for subsidies covering one-third to one-half of project costs, depending on the CO2 reduction rate achieved.