ABB cooperating with Termomeccanica has signed a contract to provide the latest state-of-the art process automation technologies to support the development of a greenfield waste-to-energy project in Gdańsk, Poland. The plant, called Clean Energy Port, is currently under construction and expected to be operational during 2023. The modern waste-to-energy plant is planned to process approximately 160 thousand tons of waste from Gdansk and surrounding municipalities, generating an estimated 109 GWh of energy and 509 TJ of heat.
Credits: Port Czystej Energii 
Credits: Port Czystej Energii 
Credits: Port Czystej Energii 
Credits: Port Czystej Energii
Latest state-of-the-art technology ensures safer, smarter and more sustainable operations
ABB scope of supply includes the ABB Ability™ System 800xA distributed control system along with communication packages. As part of the overall implementation, a dozen remote cabinets with input/output modules, resistant to environmental conditions (temperature, dust, vibrations), and additional control cabinets will be installed. A digital system will reduce the need for cables, reducing assembly costs and installation time.
The master control system will ensure safety and full control over every element of the process. In addition, the grate incineration technology, which is used in 95 percent of over 400 waste incineration plants in Europe, will also contribute to the plant reliability and efficiency. In Poland, such systems are currently operated in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Konin, Kraków, Poznań, Rzeszów and Szczecin.
“According to the technical design, the system in the new Gdansk plant will receive over 3500 signals coming from the entire process of combustion and energy production. The signals will be digitally processed and then visualized on operator stations with extended functionality. An additional subsystem will take care of historical data. This will ensure safer, smarter and more sustainable operations," said Sławomir Cieślak, Project Manager, ABB Process Automation Poland.
ABB’s emission monitoring system ensures adherence to EU regulation
To meet the goal of clean energy production in line with the European Union regulation, the technology installed in the plant must ensure a high level of emission control. ABB’s emission monitoring system, which includes an analytical container equipped with analyzers for continuous measurement of the flue gas from the stack and a raw gas measurement station, ensures adherence to the current regulation.
After leaving the boiler, flue gases will be examined twice: at the initial stage, as the so-called raw gas, and at the chimney, i.e. after passing through all flue gas cleaning systems. At this latter stage, the emissions released into the environment are thoroughly examined and summarized into a daily control report that is shared with Wojewódzki Inspektorat Ochrony Środowiska (WIOŚ), the local environmental authority.
Automatic calibration to ensure the highest reliability
“To ensure the highest reliability, ABB will install two analyzers that will operate independently. Both analyzers will send the same data to the system. Should either of them fail, measurements will be automatically "frozen". Following this logic, the system will verify the data received and only the working analyzer will be used to create reports,” said Witold Huminiecki, design engineer, ABB Process Automation Poland.
In addition, ABB's solution will use the so-called validation wheels, which automatically calibrate the analyzers.
The analyzers are equipped with special lenses which hold the standard gas. At any time, the analyzer can "refer" to such a standard to verify the accuracy of the measurement made, and the operator can run the verification procedure. The validation wheel solution eliminates the need to purchase separate test gas cylinders and build an installation to supply test gas to the analyzers.
“Clean Energy Port plant has been designed in accordance with the Best Available Technique standard for reducing emissions. To support this project, we have provided reliable solutions that have been proven to perform well at some of the world's most demanding facilities," said Marek Strymer, Key Account Manager, ABB Process Automation Poland.
