How to Downsize a Diesel Generator for Industrial Shredder Operations Using Flywheel Peak Shaving

Customer Requirements

The TYRON 2000 XL 2.0 from Haas Recycling Systems is a hybrid industrial shredder powered by 280kW electric motors driving dual shredding shafts. It can operate on grid power or diesel generators where grid access is unavailable.

When powered by diesel, the shredder typically requires an 800kVA generator to handle highly dynamic load cycles:

• High power peaks when material is fed into the shredder
• Low demand between loading cycles

This results in:

• Oversized generators
• Inefficient and unreliable operation at low load
• Excess fuel consumption
• Higher emissions and operating costs

CRJ Services, the UK agents for Haas Recycling Systems, arranged a test to validate whether the generator size could be reduced without impacting performance.

The test took place at the new Geminor waste processing facility in Hull, UK. This facility is capable of producing 150,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel (RDF) per year and shredding is a key step in that process.

Results

The test demonstrated that generator downsizing could be achieved without compromising performance:

• Fuel savings: ≈ 6 litres per hour
• Annual savings: £22,500 (≈ 26 000 €)
• Emissions reduction: >40 tonnes of CO₂ per year

Operational analysis showed:

• Peak loads successfully absorbed by the flywheel
• Stable and reliable system performance throughout the test

Additional technical benefits of the higher generator average load factor include better efficiency and improved reliability of after-treatment systems (DPF and SCR), which tend to clog below 30% loads.