Hereschwerke uses it in China’s biggest water treatment facility, EVK uses it for the electronic sorting of waste and Rebernegg offers control technology for energy efficiency. Automation in the environmental industry makes processes faster, more efficient and more constant in quality.
Electronic and automation technology are becoming increasingly more relevant, particularly in the field of energy and environmental technology. The scarcity of raw materials, climate trends and statutory environmental protection targets have opened up new opportunities and markets to the industry. After all, the Styrian environmental industry is able to report annual growth of nearly 15 percent and exports also continue to rise, whereby enormous potential is located primarily in the new EU member states in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, so it really is essential to rapidly implement EU legislation.
Recently in Qingdao one of the biggest drinking water treatment facilities in China was built, which is to supply the multimillions of the city’s inhabitants and the venues for the 2008 Olympic Games with 100,000 m³ of water per day. The facility was built by one of theworld’s leading providers in the field of automation in environmental technology,
Hereschwerke Holding GmbH (www.hereschwerke.at) The southern Styrian company whose headquarters are located in Wildon near Graz is specialised in state-of-the-art environmental automation in the areas of water treatment, waste treatment, recycling, environmental measurement networks, pump stations and measuring and analysis technology. In Qingdao Hereschwerke is responsible for the electrical and mechanical engineering, project management, high-voltage facilities, transformers, low-voltage distribution, measuring and analysis technology, central maintenance and control technology, dosing stations, pumps, engine and valves.
Since 1986 environmental automation has been an integral part of the range of services at Hereschwerke and ensures know-how from more than 100 years of experience in the area of energy management. In cooperation with universities and development partners, new processes and methods are continuously being researched in order to improve the positive, sustainable impact of automation facilities on the environment.
A novelty on the electronics market is the HELIOS, a compact imaging spectrometry system for the classification of plastics for thermal reuse.
As a new type of system it is an advantage not only because of its convenient structure, but also because of its ability to detect particles as small as 1cm. HELIOS was developed by EVK DI Kerschhaggl GmbH (www.evk.co.at), a company which conducts research in thearea of optical and inductive sensoring systems for the sensor-supported sorting of loose bulk materials and unit loads. According to the principle of “innovation made to order,” the development team at EVK is continually introducing new technologies, such as diverse optical sensoring systems starting with ultraviolet (UV) to visible light (VIS) and near infrared (NIR).These technologies are used in products of leading companies like Binder + Co (www.binder-co.com). Mediumand long-wave metal sensors operating are part of the range of services as well as glass, plastics, paper, metal recycling and quality control and sorting a variety of loose bulk materials.
Alternative Energietechnik GmbH Ing. Wolfgang Rebernegg is specialised in control technology for solar, biomass, heating, ventilation and climate control facilities. Such systems generally require a large number of pumps, valves and mixers and thus a large number of control circuits, which can limit productivity. Rebernegg offers a control device which monitors several control circuits and is consequently able to deliver better results. With special software it can be programmed as needed as well as controlled from a central location over greater distances via internet. The control devices are used for buildings with energy-efficient building technology, and are especially important when there are several energy sources and these are to be used selectively and in accordance with their value. The control device is a complete solution offering a compact and cost-effective alternative to previous automation systems.
In the environmental industry innovative technologies from Styria are found throughout the world. In the future electronic and automation technology will make an even greater contribution to the improvement of environmental technology and its even more effective operation.
Source: Eco World Magazine, Issue 4, May 2008
