On Solid Ground
JUMO measurement and control technology for composting plants
German law requires the temperature in municipal composting plants to be monitored in a controlled and documented manner. This step is important because dangerous pathogens can emerge during the process. JUMO has the answer in the form of an integrated solution combining an automation system with wireless measuring technology.
Germany is home to over 1,000 municipal composting plants. The correct handling of biodegradable waste destined for
composting is stipulated in Germany by the so-called German Biowaste Ordinance (Bioabfallverordnung). According to this
ordinance, the specified temperatures for all batches of a
composting system must be documented. The treatment temperature must be measured and documented at regular intervals. Only if documentation is verifiable at any point in time can the manufactured compost be deemed hygienic.
The JUMO mTRON T automation system and the JUMO
Wtrans T wireless temperature probes allow the process to be monitored completely automatically and documented in a tamper-proof way. The temperature sensors are equipped with a Wtrans wireless temperature system in which the transmitter is located in the probe handle and protected by a watertight case. The used radio frequencies are largely impervious to external interference and allow transmission even in harsh environments.
The JUMO mTRON T system logs and analyzes all the transmitted data. In addition to enabling visualization, the multifunction panel also enables convenient operation of the controllers and program generators. Moreover, user-dependent access to
parameter and configuration data for the entire system is possible. For this application, the recording functions of a fully fledged paperless recorder, including a web server, are implemented as a special feature in the JUMO system. Using standard predefined screen masks, startup times for the user are significantly
reduced.
The entire process of monitoring and documenting temperatures in composting plants is simplified to the extent that data no longer has to be recorded manually in a complex undertaking but is
instead documented and logged automatically as proof of the plant's hygiene standard. In addition, the use of individual data loggers is no longer required. The lack of extensive cabling work makes the system extremely flexible.
Photo: JUMO
Caption: JUMO offers an integrated solution to monitor temperatures in municipal composting plants.
The JUMO corporate group, headquartered in Fulda, employs more than 2,200 people worldwide and is one of the leading manufacturers in the field of industrial sensor and automation technology. JUMO products are used worldwide in industries including heating and air-conditioning, food and beverage, renewable energies, and water and sewage. The corporate group encompasses five branch offices in Germany, 24 subsidiaries abroad, and more than 40 agencies around the world. The company posted a turnover of 221 million euro in 2014.