Hitachi Metals' waste-to-energy facility in Utashinai, Japan
Commercial applications of Westinghouse Plasma Corporation’s (WPC) plasma gasification have been in operation since 2002. Japan’s Hitachi Metals, Ltd. uses WPC technology in two Japanese facilities that transform municipal solid waste (MSW), auto shredder residue (ASR) and sewage sludge into steam and electricity.
Utashinai, Japan
The largest of the two facilities is in Utashinai, Japan, where the processing capability is 200-280 tonnes per day of MSW or a combination of MSW and ASR at a rate of 165-190 tonnes per day. The Utashinai facility uses four megawatts (MW) internally and provides 3.9 MW of net electricity output to the grid. Maximizing power output isn’t the primary objective of the Utashinai facility, and if the plant was optimized, it could produce close to 7.0 MW of net electricity. If the facility was configured in combined cycle mode, it could produce as much as 12.0 MW net.
Mihama-Mikata, Japan
The facility processes 22 tonnes per day of waste including 4.8 tonnes of sewage sludge. The sewage sludge is delivered from the local wastewater treatment plant and in preparation for gasification, it is partially dewatered.
Since sewage sludge has less organic material than MSW, the sewage sludge is mixed with the MSW to maintain sufficient energy density in the feed material for stable and consistent thermal energy production.
WPC Pilot Facility
Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC) is able to test, modify and/or validate their modeling assumptions using their plasma gasification pilot plant located at the Westinghouse Plasma Centre in Madison County, PA. To date, over 100 pilot tests have been completed on a wide range of feedstocks.
Other Applications of WPC plasma technology
There are currently 20 plasma torch systems in operation worldwide, example projects are:
- Plasma cupola for supplemental hot metal production commissioned by Geneva Steel at Provo, Utah in 1996.
- Waste to energy ash vitrification commissioned in Kinuura, Japan in 1995.
- Aluminum dross recovery project commissioned by Alcan in Jonquiere, Quebec in 1992.
- Plasma cupola for the production of gray iron commissioned by the General Motors plant in Defiance, Ohio in 1987.
For additional information on Westinghouse Plasma Corporation plasma torches or their plasma gasification process, please visit the Westinghouse Plasma Corporation web site.
