Industry solution / Biomass, recycling, and waste-to-energy

Biomass, Recycling, and Waste-to-Energy Fuel Inventory Automation Solutions

Volivue provides 3D LiDAR pile scanning and 80GHz radar silo level monitoring for biomass power plants, RDF/SRF fuel processors, recycling sort lines, and municipal solid waste incineration plants — addressing the unique inventory measurement challenges of non-homogeneous, lightweight, high-fiber fuels.

Request solution review

Volivue LiDAR scanning over a biomass fuel storage hall at a waste-to-energy plant — Irregular biomass and RDF piles measured continuously under the roof.

Industry pain points

Inventory management challenges in biomass, recycling, and waste-to-energy

Operator estimating wood chip pile size by eye from a walkway — Fluffy, shifting fuel piles defeat eyeball estimates and point sensors.

01
Non-homogeneous fuel density varies widely
RDF, wood chips, and straw biomass density changes with moisture content and particle size; converting bulk volume to mass carries large errors that affect fuel dispatch planning.
02
Irregular pile shapes give poor manual measurement accuracy
Biomass shed or RDF storage pile shape changes continuously with intake and loading operations; manual surveys are low-accuracy and high-risk in an operating facility.
03
Feed interruption risk threatens generation continuity
Insufficient biomass or refuse fuel stock forces generating units to de-rate or shut down, causing lost generation revenue and power-purchase agreement non-delivery risk.
04
Dust and corrosion shorten instrument life
Dust, corrosive gases, and high humidity in RDF sheds and refuse bunkers cause frequent conventional instrument failures and high maintenance costs.

Volivue solution architecture for biomass, recycling, and waste-to-energy

Volivue LiDAR point-cloud over biomass piles plus radar level on a pellet silo — LiDAR for the hall, radar for pellet and ash silos.

01
3D LiDAR biomass and RDF pile scanning system (preferred for sheds)
Fixed scanners continuously scan irregular biomass shed or RDF storage piles, automatically computing 3D point cloud volume. Combined with material density, estimated mass feeds fuel management systems.
View biomass and RDF pile scenario →
02
80GHz radar level system (sealed silos and feed hoppers)
Narrow-beam radar penetrates dust for reliable continuous level signals in sealed biomass silos or refuse feed hoppers. HART/Modbus output integrates with DCS.
View 80GHz radar level system →

Business value

Quantified benefits and risk reduction

Volivue fuel inventory dashboard supporting boiler feed planning at a waste-to-energy plant — Fuel days-of-supply stays visible to operations and trading.

01
Reduce feed interruption risk
Real-time pile volume and silo level data supports low-stock early warning, giving dispatch teams lead time to arrange additional fuel deliveries before generation is impacted.
02
Improve fuel intake and consumption reconciliation
3D volume data combined with weigh-bridge tonnages improves intake measurement and consumption reconciliation accuracy, supporting carbon emissions verification and fuel cost analysis.
03
Eliminate manual shed entry risk
Fixed scanners operate while equipment runs, completely removing the safety exposure of personnel entering dust, corrosive, or mechanically hazardous areas for manual surveys.
04
Reduce instrument maintenance frequency
Non-contact measurement principles mean radar and LiDAR instruments are not affected by material adhesion, abrasion, or corrosion; maintenance cost in harsh environments is significantly lower than contact instruments.