Recently, the performance testing of the Jieyang Green Fuel China plant has been completed successfully. During the 21-day performance testing period, plant availability, throughput, input and output moisture, heating value, machinery sorting efficiency and odor treatment efficiency has individually been tested. Every test has received solid and satisfying testing results. The Jieyang plant converts 401.500 t/a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) with high calorific value and recyclables (FE and non-FE metals, PVC, etc.)

WTT as the main contractor of this turn-key MBT project, is responsible for designing, engineering, constructing, commissioning and start-up of two biological treatment lines with 20 bio-drying boxes automatically filled and emptied by 2 overhead cranes, two mechanical sorting lines and a complete odour abatement system. Check out the video below for an overview of the facility.

A unique installation

As one of the few Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facilities in China, the Jieyang Green Fuel MBT Plant is the only installation that  combines bio-drying technology with heating and cooling ventilation. This is achieved by plug-and-play modular skids integrated with heat exchangers and radial fans, equipped with customized automation and control system.

Higher efficiency

The RDF output of this MBT plant is about 60-70% by volume of the initial MSW, so it reduces the incinerator capacity by 30%. In addition, it largely decreases the leachate/wastewater treatment capacity by 15%. As MSW in China has relatively high moisture (ca. 55-60%) due to its large content of food waste, the pre-treatment by MBT produces RDF with lower moisture and thus higher calorific value. In the Jieyang plant, 1 tonnage of RDF generates electricity above 700 kWh via the grate furnace compared to 400 kWh generated by MSW without pre-treatment.

The increase of RDF’s calorific value results in a higher efficiency of energy recovery, which leads to a higher subsidy income on electricity generation (10-15%) and also contributes to GHG emissions reduction by 5-10% compared to direct incineration on raw MSW, and even more if utilization in cement kilns as substituting coal.

Lower GHG emissions

Bio-drying decreases the water content of MSW, which is one of the critical parameters that influence the GHG emissions due to raw waste with high moisture has low LHV and might require auxiliary fuel (mainly diesel) consumption. In addition, the excess heat produced by the incineration plant is also recovered to the bio-drying process by using heating skids. This diverse energy recovery strategies contributes to additional GHG savings.

The future of waste treatment in China

More than 1 million tonne per day MSW is properly treated on Chinese city levels dated 2021 in which nearly 70% is treated in more than 500 incineration plants across the nation. Due to decreasing subsidies on direct incineration and market focus shift to county-level smaller projects, Chinese investors and operators have started to seek for a more profitable and sustainable alternative that requires less CAPEX, OPEX and GHG emission than waste incineration and MBT seems to be a promising candidate for the future market.

If you want to learn more about this project or similar projects in China, please contact our Chinese Managing Director Jimmy Liang: jimmy.liang@wtt.nl