Quanergy Systems, which specialises in OPA-based solid state LiDAR sensors and smart 3D solutions for automotive and IoT, has deployed a new smart LiDAR solution in a waste-to-energy incineration plant in Hunan, China.
The deployment not only automates waste plant operations, but also ensures process efficiency and minimises the environmental impact.
Deployed in collaboration with Hunan University, one of China’s top engineering research universities, and Hunan Qiaokang Bridge Health Intelligent Technology for Puxiang Bioenergy, Quanergy’s high accuracy M-Series 3D LiDAR sensors were applied to scan the surface of the waste piles at the incineration plant and create a 3D point cloud image, to accurately calculate the volume of the waste.
"Before LiDAR, there was no way to accurately measure the volume and density of the waste, critical data points for accurate calorific value estimation," said Enzo Signore, CMO at Quanergy, “3D LiDAR opens up clear and valuable insights that were previously inaccessible in the 2D world, not only improving operational efficiency, but also making the air cleaner and healthier by reducing emissions.”
Through accurate volume data, the waste plant can estimate the density of the waste and apply estimation logic to determine the calorific value. For example, dry waste is less dense and has a higher calorific value than wet waste. With this rich and accurate 3D data, the recycling station can now effectively prioritise burning high calorific value dry fuels while giving wet wastes more time to dry out. This both improves overall efficiency and reduces carbon emissions.
The LiDAR solution from Quanergy features industry-leading high accuracy, through its angular resolution of 0.033 degrees, and point cloud density of up to 1.3 million points per second.
“The data from Quanergy’s LiDAR sensors allows us to generate digital data sets that we can then use to optimise and scale the waste recycling process throughout an entire city and beyond,” said Professor Xiaogang Zhang, deputy dean of the School of Electrical & Information Engineering, Hunan University. “A powerful industrial IoT application, the data from Quanergy’s sensors also gives insight into the operation of the power plant to monitor, measure, and predict the amount of power that can be generated from waste incineration.”
In addition to their accuracy, Quanergy’s 3D LiDAR sensors are robust and reliable, even in the harsh conditions of the incineration plant, providing over 60,000 hours of mean time between failure (MTBF). The sensors can be installed in any environment, indoor or outdoor, and provide reliable performance regardless of ambient lighting conditions. Furthermore, the solution can be easily scaled, compounding its value for the city.
