Method for determining the properties of waste, apparatus for determining the properties of waste, method for controlling the transport of waste incinerators, and transport control apparatus for waste incinerators.

Abstract

To provide a refuse property determination method that reduces labor of a monitoring person as much as possible, and enables automated operation control to be continued.SOLUTION: A property determination method of refuse incinerated on the top face of a stoker mechanism equipped to a refuse incinerator executes the following processing repeatedly with time: imaging processing for imaging a refuse combustion state from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism using an imaging device; flame region extraction processing for binarizing the image obtained in the imaging processing with a predetermined binarization threshold and extracting a flame region composed of a single or a plurality of closed regions; area calculation processing for calculating an area of a convex hull flame region obtained by subjecting an area of the flame region and a contour of the flame region to convex hull processing; and a massive object determination processing for determining whether or not there is a massive object of the refuse on the top face of the stoker mechanism on the basis of a relative value of the area of the convex hull flame region to the area of the flame region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for determining the properties of garbage, a garbage property determination device, a conveyance control method for a garbage incinerator, and a conveyance control device for a garbage incinerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for determining large non-combustibles in a garbage incinerator that determines whether large non-combustibles are mixed in the garbage incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism.

[0003] The large non-combustible determination method uses an imaging device to image the combustion state of the garbage from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism, divides the flame region extracted from the obtained image in the furnace width direction with a region width narrower than the width of a predetermined detection target non-combustible, and determines that large non-combustibles are present when the distance of each terminal position of the divided flame region is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, since it was determined that large non-combustibles were always present when the distance of each terminal position of the divided flame region was greater than a predetermined threshold value, regardless of whether the lump contained in the garbage introduced into the furnace was combustible, it was uniformly dealt with, so there was a problem that appropriate automatic conveyance control was difficult.

[0006] Currently, images showing the combustion state are captured using an imaging device and displayed on a monitor. Operators must visually inspect these images, and if they detect suspicious lumps in the images, they must switch from automatic combustion control to manual combustion control. For example, if the operator determines that the lumps are combustible based on the images, they must reduce the waste transport speed to promote complete combustion. If the operator determines that the lumps are non-combustible, they must increase the waste transport speed to expel them earlier.

[0007] Furthermore, if the operator fails to notice the lumpy material in the image, they cannot switch to manual combustion control. If they misjudge whether the material is combustible or noncombustible, even if they switch to manual combustion control, they may not be able to perform proper control, potentially worsening the combustion state. For example, if the lumpy material is mistakenly identified as noncombustible, combustible material may be discharged downstream in an unburned state. If the lumpy material is mistakenly identified as combustible, noncombustible material may accumulate, worsening the combustion state and reducing the amount of steam.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for determining the properties of waste, a device for determining the properties of waste, a method for controlling the transport of waste incinerators, and a device for controlling the transport of waste incinerators, which enable the continuation of automatic operation control by appropriately and automatically determining whether the lumpy material is combustible or noncombustible, thereby minimizing the labor of the operator and appropriately determining whether the lumpy material is combustible or noncombustible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the first characteristic configuration of the waste properties determination method according to the present invention is a method for determining the properties of waste incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism provided in a waste incinerator, wherein the method repeatedly performs over time an imaging process in which an imaging device is used to image the combustion state of the waste from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism; a flame region extraction process in which the image obtained in the imaging process is binarized by a predetermined binarization threshold to extract a flame region composed of one or more closed regions; an area calculation process in which the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region are used to calculate the area of ​​a convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing; and a lump determination process in which the presence or absence of a lump of waste on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism is determined based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region.

[0010] In the imaging process, a flame region extraction process is performed on the image captured to extract flame regions composed of one or more closed regions. Further, an area calculation process is performed to calculate the area of ​​the flame region, and the area of ​​the convex hull flame region is calculated by convex hull processing the contour of the flame region. If there is a clump of debris on the top surface of the stoker mechanism, a portion of the flame region included in the image captured by the imaging process will be obscured by the debris, so the area of ​​the binarized flame region tends to be smaller. Even in such cases, by convex hull processing the contour of the flame region, a flame region closer to the flame region that should have been captured can be obtained. In the debris detection process, it is determined whether or not there is a clump of debris on the top surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region. For example, if the relative value is greater than a preset threshold, it can be determined that there is a clump of debris. For example, a difference value or a ratio can be used as the "relative value of area".

[0011] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination process determines that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time.

[0012] As the above imaging process and the lump-forming object detection process are repeatedly executed over time, if the relative value tends to decrease over time, it can be determined that the lump-forming object is a flammable lump-forming object.

[0013] The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination process determines that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time.

[0014] As the above imaging process and the block-forming object determination process are repeatedly executed over time, if the relative value does not tend to decrease over time, it can be determined that the block-forming object is a non-combustible block-forming object.

[0015] The first characteristic configuration of the waste properties determination device according to the present invention is a waste properties determination device for waste incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism provided in a waste incinerator, comprising: an imaging device that uses an imaging device to image the combustion state of waste from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism; a flame region extraction processing unit that binarizes the image captured by the imaging device at a predetermined binarization threshold to extract a flame region composed of one or more closed regions; an area calculation processing unit that calculates the area of ​​a convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region; and a lump-like object determination processing unit that determines whether or not there are lump-like objects of waste on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region.

[0016] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination processing unit determines that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time.

[0017] The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination processing unit determines that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time.

[0018] First characteristic configuration of the waste incinerator transport control method according to the present invention is,A method for controlling the transport of waste to be incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism in a waste incinerator, comprising: a transport control process that controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on a preset index; an imaging process that uses an imaging device to image the combustion state of the waste from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism; a flame region extraction process that binarizes the image obtained in the imaging process at a predetermined binarization threshold to extract a flame region composed of one or more closed regions; an area calculation process that calculates the area of ​​a convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region; and a lump determination process that determines whether or not there are lump-like waste on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, which is repeatedly executed over time, and if the lump determination process determines that there are lump-like waste, the transport control process is configured to correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

[0019] The transport control process automatically controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on pre-set indicators. For example, indicators such as the waste combustion cutoff position or the amount of steam generated by the boiler can be used. Then, by repeatedly performing the bulk material detection process from the imaging process described above over time, if it is determined that bulk material is present, the transport control process corrects the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the indicators to adjust it to a transport speed corresponding to the bulk material.

[0020] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination process is configured to determine that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time, and when the lump determination process determines that there is a combustible waste lump, the transport control process is configured to reduce and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

[0021] If the waste material is determined to be combustible, the transport control process accelerates the incineration of the material by reducing the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the indicators.

[0022] The third characteristic configuration is, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination process is configured to determine that the lump is a non-combustible lump when the relative value does not decrease with the passage of time, and when it is determined in the lump determination process that there is a lump of non-combustible waste, the conveyance control process is configured to increase the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index for speed increase correction.

[0023] When it is determined that the lump of waste is a non-combustible lump, the conveyance control process promotes the discharge process of the lump from the furnace by increasing the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index for speed increase correction.

[0024] Same as the four above-mentioned first or second characteristic configuration, in addition, the waste incinerator includes a boiler that generates steam with the combustion heat of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the conveyance control process is to control the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism with the amount of steam generated by the boiler as the index.

[0025] When there is a boiler that generates steam with the combustion heat of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, it is preferable to control the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism with the amount of steam generated by the boiler as the index.

[0026] Same as the Five above-mentioned first or second characteristic configuration, in addition, the waste incinerator includes a layer thickness calculation unit that calculates the layer thickness of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the conveyance control process is to control the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism with the layer thickness of the waste calculated by the layer thickness calculation unit as the index.

[0027] When there is a layer thickness calculation unit that calculates the layer thickness of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, it is preferable to control the conveyance speed of the stoker mechanism with the layer thickness of the waste as the index.

[0028] The first characteristic configuration of the waste incinerator transport control device according to the present invention is a waste incinerator transport control device for transporting waste to be incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism, comprising: a transport control processing unit that controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on a preset index; an imaging device that images the combustion state of the waste from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism; a flame region extraction processing unit that binarizes the image obtained by the imaging device at a predetermined binarization threshold and extracts a flame region composed of one or more closed regions; an area calculation processing unit that calculates the area of ​​a convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region; and a lump determination processing unit that determines whether or not there are lump-like waste on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, wherein the transport control processing unit is configured to correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index when the lump determination processing unit determines that there are lump-like waste.

[0029] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination processing unit is configured to determine that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time, and when the lump determination processing unit determines that there is a combustible waste lump, the transport control processing unit is configured to reduce and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

[0030] The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, the lump determination processing unit is configured to determine that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time, and when the lump determination processing unit determines that there is a lump of non-combustible waste, the transport control processing unit is configured to increase and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

[0031] The fourth characteristic configuration is the first one described above. or secondIn addition to the aforementioned characteristic configuration, the waste incinerator is equipped with a boiler that generates steam using the combustion heat of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control unit controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the amount of steam generated by the boiler as an indicator.

[0032] The fifth characteristic configuration is the first one described above. or second In addition to the aforementioned characteristic configuration, the waste incinerator is equipped with a layer thickness calculation unit that calculates the layer thickness of the waste to be incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control processing unit controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the waste layer thickness calculated by the layer thickness calculation unit as an indicator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0033] As described above, the present invention provides a method for determining the properties of waste, a waste property determination device, a waste incinerator transport control method, and a waste incinerator transport control device that minimize the workload of monitoring personnel and enable the continuation of automatic operation control by appropriately determining whether the lumpy material is combustible or noncombustible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0034] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram of a stoker-type waste incinerator. [Figure 2] This is a magnified view of the main components of a stoker-type waste incinerator. [Figure 3] (a) and (b) are functional block diagrams of the combustion control device. [Figure 4] (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relative positions of the burning waste on the stoker and the imaging device, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the estimation of the burnout position based on the combustion flame captured by the imaging device. [Figure 5] (a) is an explanatory diagram of the adjustment principle for the burn-out position based on the area S1 of the combustion flame captured by the imaging device and the area S1' of the flame obtained by convex hull processing of the combustion flame, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the adjustment principle for the burn-out position based on the area S2 of the combustion flame captured by the imaging device and the area S2' of the flame obtained by convex hull processing of the combustion flame. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the principle of adjusting the burn-off position based on the flame areas S11' and S12' obtained by hulling each combustion flame, after the combustion flame captured by the imaging device is separated into two areas, S11 and S12, due to the influence of a lumpy object. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the combustion control procedure. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the procedure for estimating the fuel cutoff position. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing the procedure for determining the properties of a substance. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] The following describes, with reference to the drawings, a method for determining the properties of waste in a waste incinerator, a waste property determination device, a waste transport control method for a waste incinerator, and a waste transport control device for a waste incinerator according to the present invention.

[0036] [Structure of a waste incinerator] Figure 1 shows a stoker-type waste incinerator 1. It includes a platform A into which garbage trucks enter, a waste pit B for accumulating the waste collected by the garbage trucks, a waste input hopper D, a waste crane C for transferring waste from waste pit B to waste input hopper D, a furnace chamber E, a waste heat boiler F and economizer G installed in the space above furnace chamber E. The combustion exhaust gas generated in furnace chamber E is purified by exhaust gas treatment equipment such as a cooling tower H and dust collector I arranged along the flue before being exhausted through the chimney J. An induced draft fan L is installed in the flue to maintain negative pressure in furnace chamber E.

[0037] By opening the double-hinged garbage input door K, which is located between platform A and garbage pit B to prevent odor leakage and ensure safety, the garbage collected and transported by the garbage truck is dumped into garbage pit B.

[0038] The waste collected in waste pit B is grasped by a grab bucket type waste crane C, which is operated automatically or by an operator in a control room, and transported to an opening formed at the top of the waste input hopper D before being dropped into it.

[0039] A dust supply device P is provided at the bottom of the waste input hopper D, and the waste filled in the waste input hopper D is pushed into the furnace chamber E. The waste filled in the waste input hopper D functions as a sealing mechanism that blocks the inflow of outside air from the waste input hopper D into the furnace chamber E, and the furnace chamber is maintained under negative pressure.

[0040] The furnace chamber E is equipped with a main combustion chamber 2 and a secondary combustion chamber 3 for the complete combustion of the exhaust gas produced in the main combustion chamber 2. Multiple water tubes WT of the waste heat boiler F are embedded in the wall of the secondary combustion chamber 3.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the main combustion chamber 2 is equipped with a stoker mechanism ST in which a fixed grate and a movable grate are alternately arranged along the direction of waste transport. The movable grate is driven back and forth relative to the fixed grate by hydraulic mechanisms h1, h2, and h3, thereby agitating and transporting the waste downstream.

[0042] Four wind boxes W1, W2, W3, and W4 are installed at the bottom of the stoker mechanism ST, in order from upstream to downstream, and main combustion air is supplied from a forced-air fan. The upstream region corresponding to wind box W1 of the stoker mechanism ST is the dry zone ST1, the midstream region corresponding to wind boxes W2 and W3 is the combustion zone ST2, and the downstream region corresponding to wind box W4 is the post-combustion zone ST3.

[0043] Pressure sensors PS1, PS21, PS22, and PS3 are provided in each of the wind boxes W1, W2, W3, and W4, and a pressure sensor PS is provided in the main combustion chamber 2, so that the pressure difference between each wind box and the main combustion chamber 2 can be detected. Furthermore, a flow sensor QS is provided to detect the flow rate of combustion air flowing into the main combustion chamber 2 via the stoker mechanism ST.

[0044] The waste pushed from the dust supply device P into the main combustion chamber 2 is mainly heated and dried in the drying zone ST1, then gasified and burned in the combustion zone ST2, and the waste that has been carbonized by gasified combustion is in the combustion zone ST2From the downstream side, the material is solid-burned in the post-combustion zone ST3 and turned to ash, and after being turned to ash, it falls into the ash chute from the end of the post-combustion zone ST3.

[0045] A constricted section is formed in the front wall 2F and rear wall 2R of the furnace chamber E, extending from the main combustion chamber 2 to the inlet of the secondary combustion chamber 3, and a gas supply mechanism 4 is provided in this constricted section. The gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 4 agitates and rectifies the combustion exhaust gas flowing into the secondary combustion chamber 3, allowing for complete combustion in the secondary combustion chamber 3.

[0046] The gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 4 may be air for secondary combustion, exhaust gas drawn from the main combustion chamber 2, recirculated exhaust gas branched from the flue downstream of the dust collector I, or exhaust gas branched from other exhaust gas flow paths, or a mixture of air and each of the aforementioned exhaust gases.

[0047] The total amount of main combustion air and secondary combustion air should be adjusted so that the theoretical air-to-incineration ratio is approximately 1.3. For example, if all the air is supplied by the main combustion air so that the theoretical air-to-incineration ratio is approximately 1.3, the gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 4 may be only the exhaust gas drawn from the flue. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that approximately 1.0 of the air is supplied by the main combustion air and approximately 0.3 by the secondary combustion air. A temperature sensor and a gas sensor are provided at the outlet of the secondary combustion chamber 3.

[0048] An industrial television camera (ITV), acting as an imaging device 5, is installed on the rear wall 2R of furnace chamber E, and the combustion state, including the combustion flame of the waste being transported and incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST, is captured.

[0049] [Configuration of combustion control device] Figure 3 shows the configuration of a combustion control device 10 that controls the combustion state of the waste incinerated in the waste incinerator 1 described above and controls the amount of steam generated in the waste heat boiler F. The combustion control device 10 includes a dust supply control unit 11 that adjusts the amount of waste supplied to the main combustion chamber 2 by the dust supply device P, a transport control unit 12 that controls the transport speed of the dry zone ST1, combustion zone ST2, and post-combustion zone ST3 by hydraulic mechanisms h1, h2, and h3, an air supply control unit 13 that adjusts the amount of main combustion air supplied from each wind box W1 to W4 and also adjusts the amount of air supplied from the gas supply mechanism 4, and an arithmetic processing unit 14 that outputs control commands to each of the control units 11, 12, and 13.

[0050] The calculation processing unit 14 includes a combustion cut-off position estimation unit 15 that estimates the combustion cut-off position of waste in the combustion zone ST2, a property determination unit 16 that determines the presence or absence of lumpy material mixed in the waste and the properties of the waste such as waste depletion, and a steam amount adjustment unit 17 that adjusts the amount of steam generated by the waste heat boiler F. It also includes a control command generation unit 18 that generates control commands to be output to each control unit 11, 12, and 13 according to an index obtained based on the calculation results of each calculation unit. The detection values ​​of each of the above-mentioned pressure sensors, flow rate sensors, gas sensors, temperature sensors, and steam amount sensors, as well as images taken by the imaging device 5, are input to the calculation processing unit 14.

[0051] The combustion control device 10 is comprised of a CPU board, a memory board, an input / output interface board, a display device, an input device, and the like. The combustion control program is installed in the memory on the memory board, and the combustion control program is executed by the CPU on the CPU board, thereby realizing each of the above-mentioned functional blocks.

[0052] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the combustion control device 10 receives values ​​from various sensors such as the pressure sensor, flow sensor, temperature sensor, and gas sensor (SA1), acquires combustion images captured by the imaging device 5 (SA2), and performs combustion cutoff position estimation processing (SA3), property determination processing (SA4), and vapor amount adjustment processing (SA5) based on this input information. Then, based on these results, it performs various control calculations, including PID calculations, to generate control commands to be output to each control unit 11, 12, and 13 (SA6), and repeatedly performs dust supply control processing via the dust supply control unit 11 (SA7), transport control processing via the transport control unit 12 (SA8), and air supply control processing via the air supply control unit 13 (SA9) at predetermined time intervals (SA10). The repetition period of each calculation process is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate. For example, it is preferable to set the repetition period to a few seconds to several tens of seconds.

[0053] [Burnout position estimation unit] The combustion cutoff position estimation unit 15 is a calculation unit that estimates the combustion cutoff position based on image information showing the combustion state of the waste being incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST, which is captured by the imaging device 5.

[0054] The combustion cutoff position estimation unit 15 comprises the following functional blocks: a flame region extraction processing unit 15A, a combustion cutoff position estimation processing unit 15B, an area calculation processing unit 15C, and a combustion cutoff position adjustment processing unit 15D.

[0055] As shown in Figure 7, the burnout position estimation unit 15 is configured to repeatedly perform the following processes over time, that is, to repeat them at predetermined time intervals: flame region extraction processing by flame region extraction processing unit 15A, burnout position estimation processing by burnout position estimation processing unit 15B, area calculation processing by area calculation processing unit 15C, and burnout position adjustment processing by burnout position adjustment processing unit 15D.

[0056] Figure 8 shows the procedure for the combustion cutoff position estimation process performed by the combustion cutoff position estimation unit 15. The flame region extraction processing unit 15A includes a memory for storing moving images captured by the imaging device 5, and a binarization processing unit that extracts flame regions composed of one or more closed regions by binarizing the pixel values ​​of predetermined frame images extracted from the moving images stored in the memory using a predetermined binarization threshold. The image can be composed of any type of pixels, such as a grayscale image or an RGB color image, as long as it can distinguish between flame regions and other regions, and brightness values ​​or RGB component values ​​can be appropriately used as the pixel values ​​for extracting flame regions. Furthermore, the binarization threshold is not limited to a specific value, and can be set as appropriate as long as it is a value that can extract flame regions.

[0057] The flame region extraction processing unit 15A binarizes the frame image to obtain one or more flame regions (SB1), and distinguishes and extracts first flame regions FA whose size (area) is equal to or greater than the first threshold, and second flame regions FAs whose size (area) is smaller than the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold (SB2, SB3). The value of the first threshold should be such that the largest combustion flame burning on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism can be extracted, and the main combustion flame can be extracted even if it is divided into multiple flames due to the influence of a lump-like object described later. The second threshold should be such that the minute combustion flames excluding the main combustion flame can be extracted.

[0058] The burnout position estimation processing unit 15B is a functional block that estimates the burnout position of waste from one or more first flame regions FA whose size (area) is equal to or greater than a first threshold among the extracted flame regions.

[0059] More specifically, a virtual straight line VL (in this embodiment, a horizontal straight line) is generated along the furnace width direction for the binarized image, and this virtual straight line VL is scanned (translated) from below (downstream) to above (upstream) the first flame region FA (SB4). The number of pixels where the virtual straight line VL and the first flame region FA overlap is calculated (SB5), and the ratio of this number to the total number of pixels of the virtual straight line VL is calculated and this process is repeated (SB6). The first (farthest downstream) position where the ratio obtained in step SB6 is greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio R is estimated as the burnout position (SB12, SB13).

[0060] In light of the fact that the size of the first flame region FA varies depending on whether or not lumpy material is mixed in with the waste incinerated in the combustion zone ST2, the predetermined ratio R is adjusted according to the following procedure.

[0061] The adjustment procedure is described below. The area calculation processing unit 15C calculates the area S of the first flame region FA and the area S' of the convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the contour of the first flame region FA (SB7, SB8, SB9). A convex hull is the smallest convex polygon that encloses all the given points, and convex hull processing is the process of generating the smallest convex polygon that encloses all the contour points of the flame image as the convex hull flame region.

[0062] The combustion cutoff position adjustment processing unit 15D calculates the relative value RV of the area S' of the convex hull flame region with respect to the area S of the first flame region FA (SB10), and adjusts a predetermined ratio R referenced by the combustion cutoff position estimation processing unit 15B based on the calculated relative value RV (SB11). As the relative value RV, the difference (S'-S) of the area S' of the convex hull flame region with respect to the area S of the first flame region FA, or the ratio (S' / S), can be used.

[0063] The fuel cut-off position adjustment processing unit 15D adjusts the fuel cut-off position so that, when the relative value RV is greater than a predetermined threshold, the predetermined ratio R decreases as the relative value increases, that is, the fuel cut-off position is corrected to the downstream side. When the relative value RV is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the initial value is adopted as the predetermined ratio R. The threshold value of the relative value RV can be determined in advance by testing with an actual machine or the like.

[0064] In other words, if flame-retardant or non-combustible lumps are present in the waste incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST, the flame tends to be obstructed by the lumps, resulting in a smaller size of the first flame region FA extracted by the flame region extraction process. This can make it difficult to distinguish between this case and a case where the combustion state deteriorates without the presence of lumps, causing the first flame region FA to shrink.

[0065] Therefore, an area calculation process is performed to calculate the area S of the first flame region FA and the area S' of the convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the contour of the first flame region FA. Since the area S' of the convex hull flame region is the area that includes at least the flame that is obstructed by the lumpy material, the degree of influence of the lumpy material can be understood from the area S of the first flame region FA and the area S' of the convex hull flame region. This is because the area S' of the convex hull flame region when it is obstructed by the lumpy material tends to be larger than the area S' of the convex hull flame region when the combustion state decreases and the first flame region FA becomes smaller.

[0066] Therefore, by adjusting a predetermined ratio R based on the relative value of the area S' of the convex hull flame region to the area S of the flame region through a combustion cutoff position adjustment process, the risk of misjudging the combustion cutoff position to be upstream of the actual position due to lumpy material can be reduced.

[0067] Figure 4(a) shows an imaging device 5 installed on the rear wall of the furnace chamber E, which photographs the combustion state of waste being incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism ST. In this embodiment, the left-right center of the imaging device 5 is adjusted to the center in the furnace width direction, and the vertical center is adjusted to the center of the vertical length along the transport direction of the drying zone ST1 and combustion zone ST2 of the stoker mechanism ST.

[0068] Figure 4(b) shows an image captured by the imaging device 5. The first flame region FA and the second flame regions FAs, which are generated by gasification combustion in the combustion zone ST2, are hatched. The waste that is gasified and carbonized in the combustion zone ST2 is transported to the post-combustion zone ST3, where it is burned into embers and reduced to ash, which then falls into the ash chute. In Figure 4(b), the upper part of the flame that extends above the field of view of the imaging device 5 is approximately flat.

[0069] The upper part of Figure 5(a) shows a binarized image of the first flame region FA (the dashed line represents the image lost due to binarization). When a virtual straight line VL (shown as a dashed line) along the furnace width direction is scanned (translated) from below (downstream side of the furnace) to above (upstream side of the furnace) the first flame region FA, the virtual straight line VL and 1 When the flame region FA comes into contact with the virtual line VL (indicated as "lower end position" in the diagram), and scanning (moving) further upwards, the virtual line VL 1 The flame region FA will overlap. The overlapping region is shown by a thick solid line.

[0070] The combustion cutoff position estimation processing unit 15B increases the scanning amount (movement amount) of the virtual straight line VL, 1 The downstream position where the ratio of the number of pixels PF in the superimposed region of the flame region FA to the total number of pixels PV in the virtual line VL (PF / PV) is a predetermined ratio R is estimated as the burn-out position.

[0071] By estimating the combustion cutoff position in this way, the operation of the stoker mechanism ST and the fluctuations in the combustion state determine the first Flame Domain FA Even when the lower end fluctuates frequently, this system can mitigate the effects of such fluctuations and accurately and stably estimate the fuel cut-off position.

[0072] The predetermined ratio R is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is set to R=0.3 (30%) as an initial value. For example, in the case of a video corresponding to full HD with a horizontal pixel count of 1920, the total number of pixels of the virtual line VL becomes 1920. 1The burn-out position is determined when the number of pixels PF in the superimposed area of ​​the flame region FA is 1920 × 0.3 = 576 pixels. To reduce the computational load, the system may be configured to calculate the ratio (PF / PV) for an image obtained by downsampling the image at a predetermined rate.

[0073] As shown in the upper part of Figure 5(b), when a lump MT is introduced into the furnace and reaches the combustion zone ST2, and a portion of the combustion flame captured by the imaging device 5 is blocked by the lump MT, the binarized image is obtained. 1 The flame region FA may split into multiple parts or shrink in size. As a result, the downstream position where the ratio of the number of pixels PF in the first flame region FA to the total number of pixels PV in the virtual line VL (PF / PV) in the overlapping region with the first flame region FA is a predetermined ratio R shifts upstream compared to the position when no lump-like object MT exists. In other words, it is incorrectly determined that the combustion cutoff position is upstream. Therefore, the predetermined ratio R is adjusted using the procedure described above.

[0074] The lower parts of Figures 5(a) and (b) show the areas S1 and S2 of the hatched flame regions and the areas S1' and S2' of the convex polygons that have undergone convex hull treatment, respectively. When the difference (S'-S) is used as the relative value RV, the relative value RV2 = (S2'-S2) when there is a lump MT in the combustion zone ST2 tends to be larger than the relative value RV1 = (S1'-S1) when there is no lump MT in the combustion zone ST2.

[0075] The fuel cut-off position adjustment processing unit 15D determines that the fuel cut-off position has shifted upstream due to the presence of a lump when the relative value RV = (S1'-S1) is greater than a predetermined threshold, and adjusts the fuel cut-off position so that the predetermined ratio R decreases as the relative value increases, i.e., so that the fuel cut-off position moves downstream. If the relative value RV is below the predetermined threshold, it is determined that the effect of the lump is small even if it is present, and the fuel cut-off position is maintained at a preset fixed value. The predetermined threshold and adjustment ratio can be determined based on the correlation between the relative value RV at which the fuel cut-off position is judged to be in an appropriate position and the predetermined ratio, which can be determined by conducting tests in advance.

[0076] Figure 6 shows the first by the lump-like substance MT. flame area An example is shown in which FA is separated into two. In this case, the downstream position where the ratio (PF / PV) of the total number of pixels in the superimposed region of each first flame region FA and the virtual line VL to the total number of pixels in the virtual line VL is a predetermined ratio R is estimated to be the burn-out position.

[0077] In this case as well, as described above, if the relative value RV = {(S11'-S11)+(S12'-S12)} is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the combustion cutoff position has shifted upstream due to the presence of the lump MT, and the predetermined ratio R decreases as the relative value RV increases, that is, the combustion cutoff position is adjusted to move downstream.

[0078] Furthermore, the first flame area If FA is assigned to two or more areas, multiple first flame area Of the FAs, the first one has the largest area. flame area With respect to FA, the downstream position where the ratio (PF / PV) of the total number of pixels PF in the superimposed region of the first flame region FA and the virtual line VL to the total number of pixels PV in the virtual line VL is a predetermined ratio R may be estimated as the burn-off position.

[0079] [Property determination department] The properties determination unit 16 is a calculation unit that determines the properties of waste based on image information captured by the imaging device 5 of the waste being incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST.

[0080] As shown in Figure 3(b), the property determination unit 16 includes the following functional blocks: a flame region extraction processing unit 16A, a debris depletion estimation processing unit 16B, an area calculation processing unit 16C, and a clump-like object determination processing unit 16D. The flame region extraction processing unit 16A and the area calculation processing unit 16C are shared by the flame region extraction processing unit 15A and the area calculation processing unit 15C that constitute the aforementioned burnout position estimation unit 15.

[0081] As shown in Figure 7, similar to the burnout position estimation unit 15, the property determination unit 16 is configured to repeatedly perform the flame region extraction process by the flame region extraction processing unit 16A, the waste depletion estimation process by the waste depletion estimation processing unit 16B, the area calculation process by the area calculation processing unit 16C, and the lump-like object determination process by the lump-like object determination processing unit 16D over time, that is, repeatedly at predetermined time intervals.

[0082] Figure 9 shows the procedure for the property determination process performed by the property determination unit 16. As explained in the flame region extraction unit 15A, the flame region extraction unit 16A distinguishes and extracts from the single or multiple flame regions obtained by binarizing the frame image, a first flame region FA whose size (area) is equal to or greater than the first threshold, and a second flame region FAs whose size (area) is smaller than the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold (SC1, SC2, SC3).

[0083] The area calculation processing unit 16C calculates the area S of the first flame region FA and the area S' of the convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the contour of the first flame region FA (SC4, SC5, SC6). The clump determination processing unit 16D determines whether or not there are clumps of debris MT on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism ST based on the relative value RV of the area S' of the convex hull flame region with respect to the area S of the first flame region FA. As the relative value RV, 1 The difference (S'-S) or ratio (S' / S) between the area S of the flame region FA and the area S' of the convex hull flame region can be used.

[0084] The lump-forming object determination processing unit 16D determines that a lump-forming object MT exists (SC8) when the relative value RV=(S'-S) is greater than a predetermined threshold (SC7,Y), and determines that a lump-forming object MT does not exist (SC9) when the relative value RV=(S'-S) is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (SC7,N). Furthermore, the lump-forming object determination processing unit 16D determines that the lump-forming object MT is a combustible lump-forming object (SC11) when the relative value RV decreases over time (SC10,Y), and determines that the lump-forming object MT is a non-combustible lump-forming object (SC12) when the relative value RV does not decrease over time (SC10,N).

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, if the first flame region FA is separated into two or more parts, the lump determination processing unit 16D determines that a lump MT exists regardless of the relative value RV=(S'-S), and determines that the lump MT is a combustible lump MT.

[0086] The waste depletion estimation processing unit 16B estimates whether there is a tendency for waste depletion based on the combustion cut-off position estimated by the cut-off position estimation processing unit 15B and the second flame regions FAs extracted by the flame region extraction processing unit 16A. Specifically, the waste depletion estimation processing unit 16B estimates that there is a tendency for waste depletion if the second flame regions FAs are scattered downstream of the combustion cut-off position (SC13,Y) (SC14). Specifically, it estimates that there is a tendency for waste depletion if the number of second flame regions FAs located downstream of the combustion cut-off position is greater than a preset waste depletion threshold.

[0087] When the thickness of the debris layer upstream of the combustion cutoff point decreases, combustion air supplied from below the stoker mechanism ST blows through, causing debris to be blown downstream of the combustion cutoff point, resulting in the phenomenon of scattered small flame regions downstream of the combustion cutoff point. The debris depletion estimation processing unit 16B can estimate that there is a tendency towards debris depletion if the number of scattered second flame regions downstream of the combustion cutoff point exceeds the debris depletion threshold. The value of the debris depletion threshold can be set appropriately to a value of 2 or greater.

[0088] [Combustion control by combustion control device] The control command generation unit 18 calculates a control value for the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST based on a predetermined index, and controls the hydraulic mechanisms h1, h2, and h3 via the transport control unit 12 to adjust the transport speeds of the dry zone ST1, combustion zone ST2, and post-combustion zone ST3 that constitute the stoker mechanism ST. In other words, the transport control processing unit is composed of the control command generation unit 18 and the transport control unit 12. The hydraulic mechanisms h1, h2, and h3 are adjusted so that the dry zone ST1, combustion zone ST2, and post-combustion zone ST3 maintain a constant speed ratio while their speeds are controlled.

[0089] Furthermore, the transport control processing unit is configured to correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST based on a predetermined index when the lump object determination processing unit 16D determines that a lump object MT is present. Specifically, lump object determination process Part 16 D If the bulk material MT is determined to be a combustible bulk material, the transport control processing unit reduces the transport speed to ensure sufficient burning time for the bulk material MT. process Part 16 D If the bulk material MT is determined to be non-combustible bulk material MT, the transport control processing unit increases the transport speed to quickly discharge the bulk material MT from the stoker mechanism ST (inside the furnace).

[0090] This transport control processing, performed by the transport control processing unit, automatically controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST appropriately based on pre-set indicators, thereby reducing the need for manual intervention by the operator.

[0091] Furthermore, the transport control unit is configured to prevent waste depletion from occurring by increasing the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST based on a predetermined indicator when the waste depletion estimation unit 16B estimates that there is a tendency for waste depletion.

[0092] As a predetermined indicator, the waste ignition position estimated by the waste ignition position estimation unit 15 can be used. Specifically, the control command generation unit 18 calculates a control value for the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST so that the estimated waste ignition position is maintained within a preset control range. At the same time, the control command generation unit 18 calculates a control value for the dust supply device P, and the dust supply speed by the dust supply device P is adjusted via the dust supply control unit 11. At this time, the dust supply speed is increased or decreased in conjunction with the increase or decrease correction of the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST.

[0093] The amount of steam generated by the waste heat boiler F can also be used as a predetermined indicator. The steam amount adjustment unit 17 calculates a target steam amount based on the furnace outlet temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the amount of steam detected by the steam amount sensor so that a predetermined amount of steam is generated. The control command generation unit 18 calculates control values ​​for the amount of combustion air supplied, the transport speed of the stoker mechanism ST, and the dust supply speed of the dust supply device P so that the target amount of steam is obtained. Each control value is input to the air supply control unit 13, the transport control unit 12, and the dust supply control unit 11, and the air supply amount, transport speed, and dust supply speed are controlled.

[0094] Furthermore, if a layer thickness calculation unit is provided in addition to, or separately from, the waste depletion estimation processing unit 16B, for calculating the layer thickness of waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism ST, it is also possible to control the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the waste layer thickness calculated by the layer thickness calculation unit as an indicator. For example, as a layer thickness calculation unit, an image obtained by binarizing the combustion image of waste captured by an infrared camera to remove the flames can be obtained, and the average height from the floor surface of the combustion zone ST2 to the surface of the waste can be detected from this image as the waste layer thickness. The specific configuration of the layer thickness calculation unit is not particularly limited, and an existing configuration of a layer thickness calculation unit can be adopted.

[0095] When the waste depletion estimation processing unit 16B described above estimates that there is a tendency for waste depletion, the combustion cutoff position it refers to may be a combustion cutoff position other than the combustion cutoff position estimated by the combustion cutoff position estimation unit 15. For example, the first flame area The downstream position of the FA (Fuel Assist) may be used as the fuel cut-off position.

[0096] In the above-described embodiment, the flame extinction position estimation unit 15 determines the flame region (first flame region) from the frame image captured by the imaging device. FA A flame region extraction processing unit 15A extracts the flame region (first flame region) along a virtual straight line along the furnace width direction. FA When scanning from below to above, the virtual line and flame region (first flame region) are observed. FAThe configuration described includes a combustion cutoff position estimation processing unit 15B that calculates the position at the furthest downstream where the ratio of the number of pixels where the two superimposed elements overlap to the number of pixels of the virtual line is a predetermined ratio, an area calculation processing unit 15C that calculates the area of ​​the convex hull flame region obtained by convex hull processing the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region, and a combustion cutoff position adjustment processing unit 15D that adjusts a predetermined ratio based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region. However, the combustion cutoff position estimation unit 15 may be configured with only a flame region extraction processing unit 15A and a combustion cutoff position estimation processing unit 15B, without the area calculation processing unit 15C and the combustion cutoff position adjustment processing unit 15D.

[0097] Furthermore, the burnout position estimation unit 15 may be configured to include: a flame region extraction processing unit that binarizes an image with a predetermined binarization threshold to extract flame regions composed of one or more closed regions; a convex hull processing unit that generates a convex hull flame region, which is the smallest convex polygon that encompasses all the contour points of the flame region; and a burnout position estimation processing unit that estimates the downstream position as the burnout position when a virtual line along the furnace width direction is scanned from below to above the convex hull flame region, and the ratio of the number of pixels where the virtual line and the convex hull flame region overlap to the number of pixels of the virtual line is a predetermined ratio.

[0098] It should be noted that the embodiments described above are merely examples of the present invention, and the specific configuration of each part can be appropriately modified and designed within the scope of achieving the effects of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1: Garbage incinerator 2: Main combustion chamber 3: Secondary combustion chamber 4: Gas supply mechanism 5: Imaging device 10: Combustion control device 11: Dust supply control unit 12: Conveyance Control Unit 13: Air supply control unit 14: Processing Unit 15: Burnout position estimation part 15A: Flame region extraction processing unit 15B: Burnout position estimation processing unit 15C: Area Calculation Processing Unit 15D: Fuel cut-off position adjustment processing unit 16:Property determination section 16A: Flame region extraction processing unit 16B: Waste depletion estimation processing unit 16C: Area Calculation Processing Unit 16D: Block-like object detection processing unit 17: Steam volume control unit 18: Control Command Generation Unit A: Platform B: Garbage pit C: Crane mechanism D: Garbage input hopper E: Furnace room F: Waste heat boiler G: Economizer FA: Flame Domain VL: Virtual Line

Claims

1. A method for determining the properties of waste incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism installed in a waste incinerator, An imaging process is performed using an imaging device to image the state of waste combustion from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism, Flame region extraction process, which extracts flame regions composed of one or more closed regions by binarizing the image obtained in the imaging process using a predetermined binarization threshold, Area calculation process to calculate the area of ​​the convex hull flame region obtained by performing convex hull processing on the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region, A clump determination process that determines whether or not there are clumps of debris on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, A method for determining the properties of waste by repeatedly performing the following steps over time.

2. The method for determining the properties of waste according to claim 1, wherein the lump determination process determines that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time.

3. The method for determining the properties of waste according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lump determination process determines that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time.

4. A device for determining the properties of waste incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism installed in a waste incinerator, An imaging device that uses an imaging device to image the state of waste combustion from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism, A flame region extraction processing unit that extracts flame regions composed of one or more closed regions by binarizing the image captured by the imaging device at a predetermined binarization threshold, An area calculation processing unit that calculates the area of ​​the convex hull flame region obtained by performing convex hull processing on the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region, A clump-forming object determination processing unit that determines whether or not there are clumps of debris on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, A waste material properties determination device equipped with [specific features / equipment].

5. The waste properties determination device according to claim 4, wherein the lump determination processing unit determines that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time.

6. The waste properties determination device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the lump determination processing unit determines that the lump is a non-combustible lump when the relative value does not decrease over time.

7. A method for controlling the transport of waste to be incinerated on the upper surface of a stoker mechanism in a waste incinerator, A transport control process that controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on a preset index, An imaging process is performed using an imaging device to image the state of waste combustion from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism, Flame region extraction process, which extracts flame regions composed of one or more closed regions by binarizing the image obtained in the imaging process using a predetermined binarization threshold, Area calculation process to calculate the area of ​​the convex hull flame region obtained by performing convex hull processing on the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region, A clump determination process that determines whether or not there are clumps of debris on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, This is repeated over time, A method for controlling the transport of a waste incinerator, wherein, if the lump-like material determination process determines that there are lump-like waste materials, the transport control process is configured to correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

8. The aforementioned lump determination process is configured to determine that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time. The method for controlling the transport of a waste incinerator according to claim 7, wherein, if the lump determination process determines that there are lump-like materials of combustible waste, the transport control process is configured to reduce and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

9. The aforementioned lump determination process is configured to determine that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time. The method for controlling the transport of a waste incinerator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, if the lump determination process determines that there are lump-like objects of non-combustible waste, the transport control process is configured to increase and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

10. The waste incinerator is equipped with a boiler that generates steam using the combustion heat of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control process controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the amount of steam generated by the boiler as the indicator, according to claim 7 or 8.

11. The waste incinerator is equipped with a layer thickness calculation unit that calculates the layer thickness of the waste to be incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control process controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the layer thickness of the waste calculated by the layer thickness calculation unit as an indicator, according to the transport control method for a waste incinerator according to claim 7 or 8.

12. A transport control device for a waste incinerator that controls the transport of waste to be incinerated on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism, A transport control processing unit that controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on a preset index, An imaging device for imaging the state of waste combustion from the downstream side of the stoker mechanism, A flame region extraction processing unit that binarizes an image obtained by the imaging device at a predetermined binarization threshold and extracts a flame region composed of one or more closed regions, An area calculation processing unit that calculates the area of ​​the convex hull flame region obtained by performing convex hull processing on the area of ​​the flame region and the contour of the flame region, A clump-forming object determination processing unit that determines whether or not there are clumps of debris on the upper surface of the stoker mechanism based on the relative value of the area of ​​the convex hull flame region to the area of ​​the flame region, Equipped with, A transport control device for a waste incinerator, wherein, when the lump-like object detection processing unit determines that there are lump-like waste objects, the transport control processing unit is configured to correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

13. The lump determination processing unit is configured to determine that the lump is a combustible lump when the relative value decreases over time. The transport control device for a waste incinerator according to claim 12, wherein, when the lump-forming object determination processing unit determines that there are lump-forming objects of combustible waste, the transport control processing unit is configured to reduce and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

14. The lump determination processing unit is configured to determine that the lump is a non-combustible lump if the relative value does not decrease over time. The transport control device for a waste incinerator according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, when the lump determination processing unit determines that there are lump-like objects of non-combustible waste, the transport control processing unit is configured to increase and correct the transport speed of the stoker mechanism based on the index.

15. The waste incinerator is equipped with a boiler that generates steam using the combustion heat of the waste incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control unit controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the amount of steam generated by the boiler as the indicator, as described in claim 12 or 13.

16. The waste incinerator is equipped with a layer thickness calculation unit that calculates the layer thickness of the waste to be incinerated by the stoker mechanism, and the transport control unit controls the transport speed of the stoker mechanism using the layer thickness of the waste calculated by the layer thickness calculation unit as an indicator.

Images