Selected Japanese Environmental
Technologies for Green Industry

An initiative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organizationand the Government of Japan

Selected Japanese Environmental Technologies for Green Industry
An initiative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
and the Government of Japan

Section I
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................3
Harnessing Environmental Technology, Science and Innovation........................................................7
UNIDO Green Industry Initiative...............................................................................................8
UNIDO Green Industry Platform............................................................................................11

Section II
Overview of the six showcased Japanese Environmental Technologies..........................................13
Technologies illustrating Greening of Industries
1. Smart Grid Engineering: Power Router for an Electricity Cluster Oriented Network......14
2. Mobile ODS Reclaimation and Decomposition Unit to Purify and Destroy Refrigerants
using Electrostatic and Plasma Technologies.......................................................................16
3. Green Chemical Management Technologies for Acetic Acid Production and Sulfur-Free
Diesel Production...................................................................................................................18
Technologies illustrating the Creation of Green Industries
4. Rainwater Storage and Usage System............................................................................21
5. Jarikko Wastewater Purification System..........................................................................24
6. Gasification Power Generation.........................................................................................26

2

Introduction

Conscious of the adverse industrial, environmental and energy policy challenges being
faced in developing and transition countries, UNIDO launched its Green Industry
Initiative in 2009, as the sector strategy for achieving the overall aims of green growthand green economy in the manufacturing and associated sectors.
One of the main contributions of the Organizationto accelerating the transition to sustainable development is defined by UNIDO, first and foremost, as
an integral part and key dimension of Green
Economy. As such, Green Industry enables industries
to achieve low-carbon outcomes, resource efficiency,
and better social and environmental performance of
their operations and products, while saving money
and increasing their competitiveness. Furthermore, aGreen Industry approach stimulates the creation of
new and sustainable jobs (i.e. green jobs), newbusiness ventures and drives technology development and innovation. It involves a two-pronged
strategy to create an industrial system that does not
require the ever-growing use of natural resources andpollution for growth and expansion, rather is a proactive way to decouple environmental pressures from
economic growth.
UNIDO’s Green Industry Initiative launch took
place in Asia at the Manila Green Industry Conferencein 2009, which was hosted by the Government of
the Philippines and co-organized by UNIDO inclose partnership with the United Nations

Environment Programme (UNEP), the Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific(ESCAP), and the International Labour Organization(ILO). At this occasion, 21 Asian developing countries agreed on the Manila Green Industry
Declaration. Signatory countries committed tofostering the promotion and implementation ofGreen Industry concepts, methods, techniques, technologies and policies, in collaboration with theirbusiness sectors and other stakeholders, with active
support from UNIDO and its partner agencies.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry(METI), the Government of Japan and UNIDO,
organized the Tokyo Green Industry Conference(TGIC) 2011, between 16 and 18 November
2011, as a follow-up to the 2009 Manila Conference.
The TGIC highlighted the availability of environmental and resource conservation techniques andpractices that are good for business, environmentand climate, employees, communities andconsumers. During TGIC policy and businesssolutions were presented and debated to spreadcurrent proven techniques and technologies, and3enable innovation to deliver longer-term solutions
that enable greater reductions in resource use andpollution intensity.
Through related activities organized in collaboration
with the INCHEM 2011 Environmental Technology
Exhibition, TGIC also provided opportunities tomatch environmental technology needs of participating developing countries with the international
supply of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best
Environmental Practices (BEP).
Green Industry entails a two-pronged approach toscale up and mainstream the application of provenresource efficiency methods and practices and environmental best practices and techniques:
A. Greening of Industries: to enable and support allindustries regardless of their sector, size or location,
to green their operations, processes and products byimproving their environmental performance, andtheir resource and material efficiency, including
water, energy and materials.
B. Creation of Green Industries: to stimulate thedevelopment of industries that provide environmental goods and services, and in that context, green
jobs and technology transfer/technological change.
The UNIDO Green Industry Initiative createsawareness, knowledge and capacities, aimed at
putting sustainable industrial development at theforefront of the global development agenda. Workis undertaken with governments to support industrial institutions, which in turn provide assistanceto enterprises and entrepreneurs in all aspects
relating to the greening of industry and creating
green industries. In order to steer, guide andstrengthen the implementation of projects in thearea of Green Industry, UNIDO has established a
global, high-level multi-stakeholder action partnership, the Green Industry Platform.
Today, with UNIDO’s sound track record in
responding to industrial development challenges, theinitiative has received practical support and highlevel commitment from Member States, UN-sister
agencies, and other relevant stakeholders who standready to jointly advance the Green Industry agenda.
4This Compendium is a follow-up endeavor to the2011 Tokyo Green Industry Conference and a joint
initiative of UNIDO and the Government of Japan.
The Compendium showcases a selection of JapaneseEnvironmental Technology that, broadly speaking,exemplifies the means and benefits achievable with
Green Industry and which have been included in
UNIDO’s technical cooperation portfolio. Three
selected exemplary technologies under the Greeningof Industries and another three exemplary solutions
under the Creation of Green Industries are hereinpresented. Each is explained and showcased separately in section II of this Compendium. Japan’senvironmental technology achievements are at the
cutting edge of innovation and exemplary for
Environmental Technologies and Techniques,
which could be deployed and transferred to othercountries to achieve their Green Industry agenda.
Background

The main focus of multilateral development cooperation continues to be the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). For industrial development cooperation, the eradication of poverty, spreading
the benefits of globalization and preserving the environment are, and will continue to be, key challenges.
In the last few years, keeping with its mandate,
UNIDO coined the concept Green Industry to placesustainable industrial development in the context of
new global sustainable development challenges.
Green Industry is a proven approach to attainsustainable economic growth and promote sustainable economies. It requires policymaking, improved
industrial production processes and resource-efficientmanufacturing.
The rising global population, the sky-rocketing emissions, the rapidly increasing global resource extraction(including water and energy), the fact that the world
ecological footprint has now overtaken the planet’s
bio-capacity by some 40%, and the lack of finances
and the necessary technologies, are all obstacles toachieving sustainable development and the internationally agreed development goals. In many countries,
resource demands from present production andconsumption systems are outpacing the renewal

capacity of natural resources and the capacity of local
environment to absorb waste products and emissions.
These facts, along with the global financial andeconomic crisis, make it necessary for countries toreview their strategies and capitalize on the benefits
achievable through Green Industry.
When looking more closely at the industrial sector, it
is projected that global industrial production is toincrease by 2050. The industrial sector uses moreenergy globally than any other end-user sector, andcurrent consumption equals one-third of the world’s
total delivered energy. The manufacturing industry is
responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions from fossil fuel use and industrial
processes, one-fifth of global water use, and most of
the raw materials used. Industry also causes emissionsof other GHGs (methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons—gases that have higher global warming
potential than CO₂).
Many industries use more materials and energy thantheir production processes would require, due tocontinued use of obsolete and inefficient technologies
and methodologies. Producers and consumers haveadopted patterns of production and consumption that

do not take into consideration the limits of the planet’s
available resources and its assimilative capacity foremissions, a situation further complicated by continued
population growth.
Climate change is one main consequence, but loss of
biodiversity, land degradation and desertification, air
pollution, surface and groundwater pollution, andchemical contamination, are all also important. With
that in mind, current production systems are unsustainable because they do not allow today’s resource
needs to be met without jeopardizing the ability of
future generations to meet theirs.
Hence the need for sustainable modes of productionthat are fundamentally based on efficient use of all
natural resources. This is especially so in the developing world, which has the unique opportunity of
avoiding the environmental pitfalls that industrializedcountries have experienced in the course of their development; it can use past experience to build a “green
industrial infrastructure” from the very outset.

56Introduction

Harnessing
Environmental
Technology, Scienceand Innovation
Science and technology are central totransforming industries towards sustainable patterns of production and economic
growth.
New technology and innovation provide importantleverage for Green Industry, both through the widespread transfer and utilization of environment,
energy and resource conservation techniques, aswell as through research led by sustainability andtechnology development. Enterprises and industries
are becoming increasingly aware of the prospects
that environmental technologies hold, not just interms of environmental outcomes, but also thepotential to reap economic rewards from increased
efficiencies and new business opportunities.
Several technologies have potential as platforms to
improve resource productivity and environmental
performance across a range of industry sectors, forexample green chemistry, advanced separation(including membrane technology), and bio- andnanotechnology. These platform technologies cancomplement specific technologies. By effectively
utilizing the existing stock of industrial technology,
developing and emerging economies stand tobenefit from improvements in their national systems
of innovation, particularly by enhancing collaboration between businesses, academia and the providersof technology, management, engineering and financial services, and civil society at large.
In this context, National Cleaner Production
Centres (NCPCs), which promote Resource
Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices

and methods, can play an important role in raisingawareness, disseminating information (including
through clearinghouses), and capacity building,policy advice, and transferring and deploying appropriate technologies to industries, particularly to
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
For developing countries, capacity development andthe diffusion of environmental technology areparticularly important areas for government assistance. Most developing countries are not yet at the
cutting edge of science and innovations, and rely ontechnological advancements though the adaptation
and adoption of pre-existing but new-to-thecountry or new-to-the-firm technologies. If countries are to harness the benefits of environmental
technologies they need the support of integrated
and adaptable science systems that can respondquickly to minimize any environmental risks while
maximizing economic opportunities.
Additionally, governments can support the development of new environmental technologies byinvesting in the development of science platforms,
from which environmental technologies can beleveraged. There is a need to foster partnerships
with industry and end-users to ensure investments
result in relevant and/or commercially viable technologies. Networks and technology transfer mechanisms remain of key importance, particularly for7

developing countries that struggle to finance theirown research and development programmes.
Finally, greater coherence between environmental andinnovation policies needs to be established. Innovation
policy has long underplayed the issue of environmental
and resource conservation and sustainability at large,
mainly because of the misperception that it has weaklinks with commercial interests and because of the lackof recognition that multidisciplinary approaches areneeded. The role of environmental technologies as anenabler of resource and production efficiencies, andnew market opportunities should be reflected inscience and innovation strategies.
UNIDO GREEN INDUSTRY INITIATIVE
Relationship with the ‘Green Economy’ andSustainable Development

Like the ‘Green Economy’ concept, ‘Green Industry’is seen as an important and practical pathway towards
achieving sustainable development. The thrust of‘Green Economy’ is achieving improved human wellbeing and social equity, while simultaneously diminishing environmental risks and reducing ecologicalscarcities. Commensurately, ‘Green Industry’ transforms manufacturing and allied industry sectors byintroducing more efficient, resource-productive andresponsible use of raw materials so that they
contribute more effectively to sustainable industrial
development. It is about doing more, and better, withless. Green Industry is thereby the sector strategy forthe realization of Green Economy and Green
Growth, and ultimately, sustainable development.
Unlocking Development Opportunities

There are multiple benefits from pursuing a Green
Industry approach. Green Industry offers a practicalpathway to long term economic growth and sustainable development, as it unlocks development opportunities whereby enterprises improve their resource
productivity and environmental performance(greening of industry), and establish new operations
that deliver environmental goods and services(creating green industries).
8

This is imperative from triple bottom-line economic,
social and environmental perspectives, particularly asGreen Industry supports:
1.
Income and employment creation: advanced
waste management and recovery services, renewableenergy projects, and provision of other environmental goods and services creates jobs, and provides
a source of income, including for poor people withlower formal skill levels;
2.
Competitive and sustainable business:
reduced operational costs due to the reduced
consumption of materials, energy and water, and ofminimization of waste and emission generation,
while assuring continuity of trade in light of tightening buyer requirements for environmental andsocial disclosure, and performance;
3.
Innovative and value-adding products:
mainstreaming environmental and social concerns
into product development results in innovative
products that benefit consumers and society at large,
while not jeopardizing the quality of life of producers
and of the planet Earth;
4.
Natural resource security: reduced use ofwater, materials and fuels eases the pressures on thesealready scarce resources, which are all expected to
become scarcer in years to come if present population, urbanization and development trends continue
as projected into the future;5.
Mitigation and adaptation to climate change:
reduced greenhouse gas emissions from energy andnon-energy sources along with better preparedness forthe impacts of climate change on the operations ofenterprises, the availability of their inputs and themarkets for their products and services;6.
Environmental management: reduced
generation of waste and emissions lessens the pollution burden on the natural environment and biodiversity; and,7.
Industrial and chemical safety: better
operated, maintained and managed plants that use
chemicals responsibly pose fewer risks to workers andcommunities.

Charting the Path

Green Industry can be achieved through a numberof concerted actions:
A: Greening of Industries

Enable and support all industries regardless of theirsector, size or location, to green their operations,processes and products to:
1.
Use resources efficiently: increase the productive use of materials, water and energy in industrial
production, through such approaches as: dematerialization of products and value chains; use of materials with longer service lifetime; replacement ofvirgin materials with recycled materials; recycling,reuse and recovery of materials, energy and water;
and use of materials, water and energy from sustainably managed and/or low-impact sources;2.
Minimize the generation of wastes andemissions: minimize and where possible eliminate
the creation of waste and emissions within factories,
through such approaches as: improvements in process
operation, monitoring and maintenance; waste minimization; application of advanced process technologies with higher efficiency and specificity; and recycling, reuse and recovery of process streams; and,3.
Minimize risks associated with chemicals
and (hazardous) wastes: minimize risks associatedwith production, use, and disposal of chemicals,
through such approaches as: sound management ofchemicals; phasing out of toxic and other environmentally harmful substances (including thosecontributing to ozone layer depletion and/or climatechange); application of Best Environmental Practices
and Best Available Techniques to prevent unintended
formation and emissions of POPs and otherhazardous pollutants; replacement of chemical
processes by non-chemical processes (biological,
physical, etc.); and replacement with safer, more
specific and/or more effective alternative chemicals.
B: Creation of Green Industries

Establish and expand (new) green industries that
supply environmental goods and services to:

4.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste materials:
support industries to develop and deliver advanced
integrated waste management, recycling and resource
recovery technologies, services and systems, formunicipal, commercial, industrial, construction,
demolition and other specific waste streams, andproduce thereof reliable supplies of recycled materials and products;
5.
Improve industrial energy efficiency andmake use of renewable energy: support industries todeliver technology, equipment, products, management systems, know how and/or services thatenhance industrial energy efficiency and the use ofrenewable energy (solar, bio- etc.) or other low
carbon energy sources (in particular waste heat); and,6.
Collect, manage and dispose (hazardous)
wastes and/or emissions in environmentally compatible ways: support industries to develop and delivertechnology, equipment, products, management
systems, know how and/or services that collect,manage and dispose, without threats to the environment, (hazardous) wastes and/or emissions, including
for example chemical and medical wastes, electronic
waste, etc.
C: Enabling Framework

Create an enabling framework that encourages businesses individually and collectively to adapt andadopt Green Industry to:7.
Mainstream and embed Green Industry inindustrial and related policies and strategies: ensurethat Green Industry is a cross-cutting priority incompetitiveness, innovation, trade and fiscal policies,
through approaches such as setting targets forsustainable production, dematerialization and recycling; employing customized mixes of informationbased, regulatory, voluntary and market-based instruments; and encouraging, supporting and rewarding
industry and business-led initiatives;
8.
Foster access to appropriate and affordable
technology: harness the potential of environment,
resource conservation and energy technologies andtechniques, through support for technology
9diffusion and deployment; technology assessment
and road-mapping; and applied research and technology development;
9.
Enable access to affordable financing:support financial markets to develop and provide
financing for Green Industry in forms suitable to theinvestment needs and risks in particular of Small andMedium Enterprises (SMEs), and where appropriate
ensure appropriate leverage on available publicfunding; and,
10.
Create human and institutional capacity:
invest in dialogue with business and civil society on
the need for and opportunities of Green Industry, intandem with targeted information dissemination;
professional, management and vocational training;
and the establishment of support institutions withadvisory capacity on Green Industry.
Getting Started

Green Industry initiatives are to be customized tothe country’s industrial and development needs, its
environmental, resource and climate considerations,and other relevant national factors. To catalyze awidespread transition to Green Industry however, a
mix of the following elements deservesconsideration:

10

1.
Industrial Policy and Strategy: strengthening and creating trade, technology, training,
economic, fiscal and/or other incentives for greeningof industries and creation of green industries in
relevant policies and strategies for industrial development, as well as the institutions for their implementation, monitoring and enforcement;
2.
SME Support Services: creating andstrengthening the support structure for assisting
industry, in particular Small and Medium Enterprises,with the adaptation and adoption of Green Industry
including accessing, adapting and adopting the necessary technology and financing;
3.
Transformational Learning and Innovation:
developing and disseminating the knowledge,
methods and processes for break-through, transformational Green Industry methods and technologies,
through sustainability led education, training andinnovation initiatives; and4.
Replicable Models: developing, trialling andpromoting replicable models for high-impact Green
Industry solutions, for example for Eco-Industrial
Parks and climate-resilient industries.

UNIDO GREEN INDUSTRY PLATFORM

UNIDO has launched at the occasion of the
Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development the global high-level multi-stakeholder action partnership, the Green Industry
Platform, to strengthen the implementation of its
Green Industry initiative.

policies and practices in organizational strategies andbusiness plans, share and profile best practices to movebeyond ‘business as usual’, and drive forward technological development, application and innovation under
the green industry initiative.
Key features of the Platform

Mission of the Green Industry Platform

The Green Industry Platform is a global, high-level
multi-stakeholder action partnership intended to act
as a forum for catalyzing, mobilizing and mainstreaming action on Green Industry around theworld. It provides a framework to bring together
governmental, business and civil society leaders inorder to secure concrete commitments and mobilize
action in support of the Green Industry agenda, i.e.
greening the manufacturing process and creating green
industries for production of goods and services fordomestic use or export. By encouraging the more efficient use of energy and raw materials in manufacturing processes services, the Platform will contributeboth to cleaner and more competitive industrial
development, and will help reduce pollution andreliance on the unsustainable use of natural resources.
Objective of the Platform

The Platform creates new green industries and helps
existing industries improve their contributions tosocietal and ecological protection. It achieves this byproviding a framework where signatory organizations
can develop road maps to integrate Green Industry

The Platform has several unique features, including:• Mandate: It is the first and largest purpose-built,
multi-stakeholder framework with a focus on Green
Industry. An action-oriented Platform, its goal is toinspire measurable progress towards Green Industry
and to ensure that the emerging ‘Green Industry
revolution’ is given the policy profile and coherence
it deserves.
• Membership Model: While the Platform is hosted
and chaired by UNIDO, it has a multi-stakeholder
governance and membership model to promote
diverse, innovative and effective approaches.
• Materials: The Platform helps linking existing data
resource bases and develops its own materials andcommunication mechanisms, including a web-based
portal to share information on relevant policies, technologies and developments.
For more information, visit:www.unido.org/GIPlatform or contact:
giplatform@unido.org

11

12

Overview of the six showcased
Japanese Environmental Technologies

2. Prevention of Wastes and Emissions
GREENING OF
INDUSTRIESTECHNOLOGY: Mobile ODS Reclaimation andDecomposition Unit to Purify and Destroy
Refrigerants using Electrostatic and Plasma
Technologies
COMPANY: Asada Corporationwww.asada.co.jp/english/index.html

1. Resource Efficiency
TECHNOLOGY: Smart Grid Engineering:
Power Router for an Electricity Cluster
Oriented Network
COMPANY: VPEC Inc.
www.vpec.co.jp/index_e.html

3. Safe Chemicals Management
TECHNOLOGY: Green Chemical Management
Technologies for Acetic Acid Production and
Sulfur-Free Diesel Production
COMPANY: Chiyoda Corporationwww.chiyoda-corp.com/en/

5. Pollution Control
CREATION
OF GREEN
INDUSTRIESTECHNOLOGY: Jarikko Wastewater Purification
SystemCOMPANY: Aquatech, Ltd.
www.aquatech.co.jp/eng/index.html

6. Energy-related Green Industries
4. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3Rs)
TECHNOLOGY: Rainwater Storage and Usage
SystemCOMPANY: Totetsu Mfg. Co., Ltd.
www.totetu.com/en/

TECHNOLOGY: Gasification Power Generation
COMPANY: Kinsei Sangyo Co., Ltd.
www.kinsei-s.co.jp/index2.htm

13

TECHNOLOGY
Smart Grid Engineering: Power Routerfor an Electricity Cluster Oriented
Network

Resource
Efficiency

COMPANYVPEC Inc.
www.vpec.co.jp/index_e.html

INTRODUCTIONPROCESSThe Power Router (PR) developed by VPEC Inc. isused to autonomously control and disperse the electricity flow from one local cluster to another. A cluster
is composed of approximately 10-30 households. PR
is the key technology used in VPEC’s
ECONETWORK®, which is a network of ProSumers,
making up a Smart GRID. This is a new architecture
for the distribution of electricity that is locally generated and for localized consumption from renewableenergy sources such as solar photovoltaic, geothermal,
micro-hydro, solar thermal, and wind turbines. The
main characteristic is to make the massive deployment
of Renewable Energy Sources available by eliminating
the reverse tide flow to the conventional energy GRID,
and to accommodate excess and shortfall.

ECONETWORK® deploys the renewable energy in aclustered flow. It can start in small units and then
expand progressively as needed. This can reduce thecost and complexity of conventional electrificationand can help contribute to building a low carbon
society. A cluster uses the combination of a generator
and/or storage, and an appliance with a Power Router.
The Power Router consists of two inverters and abattery that accommodate the transfer of electricity
within and amongst the clusters without the use of
expensive telecommunication lines. The simple, yetinnovative method, allows for one inverter to control
the frequency of one of the clusters, related to thestate of charge of the battery, and the other inverter
controls the interconnection of the two clusters
based on the frequency difference. This is done inreal time, automatically and autonomously.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

This technology allows for electrification in rural
areas with lower costs than other methods due to
two factors. The first factor being that that theinitial investment cost is significantly reduced dueto the progressive expansion of standardized
clusters. Secondly, the power router technology
does not require any type of telecommunication to14

be present or used as a prerequisite, as is the casewith other smart GRID technologies.
In the case or urban areas the loosely combined
application of ECONETWORK® and the conventional energy GRID (co-existence) allows for an
optimal scenario. It allows for consumers to knowwhat is available to them in terms of energy resourcesin real time, thus enabling them to control anddecide over their consumption. The conventionalenergy GRID can have more capacity when used in
combination with ECONETWORK® because theconsumption is locally clustered (cluster of renewableenergy sources), the energy transfer is thereby
reduced (generating an estimated minimum 5% ofenergy efficiency by the reduction of the volume inenergy transfer and another 15% reduction given the
consumers involvement to procure energy on ademand-driven basis rather than on predictions) andfinally CO₂ emissions are lowered.

Energy security and energy independence iswarranted for the consumer in the case of a traditional electricity blackout, as well as lower energy
costs since the conventional energy grids are
dependent on the cost of fossil fuels. The system iseasy to procure and installation is also simple.
Contact information:
Mr. Satoshi Nagata
info@vpec.co.jp+81-3-5532-8525

15

Prevention ofWastes andEmissions
INTRODUCTION

Asada Corporation’s technology is available in two
separate models. It contributes in that recovered fluorocarbons are either reclaimed for reuse or destruction in order to prevent atmospheric release. The
application of this technology is particularly suitablefor Montreal Protocol ODS related projects. The
reclaim technology equipment is available as mobile
reclaim units that can easily be transported and thatuse an electrostatic separation process to purify therefrigerants or as centralized stationary purification
centers. The ODS destruction technology equipment is also mobile and uses a method to destroy

16

TECHNOLOGY
Mobile ODS Reclaimation andDecomposition Unit to Purify and
Destroy Refrigerants using Electrostatic
and Plasma Technologies
COMPANY
Asada Corporationwww.asada.co.jp/english/index.html

unwanted ODS through plasma torch decomposition. End products are calcium-chloride and calciumfluoride. It is suitable for operation in a factory orindustrial site where it is impossible to remove refrigerants for the specific site.
PROCESS

1. ODS reclaim technology: The “Eco-cycle Aurora”
is used to recover and reclaim all kinds of refrigerants
from A/Cs or other chillers using an electrostatic separation method. It is an on-site or cylinder to cylinder
system, with a 200g/min capacity.

The purification can be done through recycling, which
is a filtering process that reduces potential contamination to an unspecified level; and reclaim, which is apurification process that brings the refrigerant back to
the level of properties of a new refrigerant.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

2. ODS destruction technology: The “Plasma X”
which is a mobile type of ODS destruction machine(refrigerant decomposition device) is suitable for asmall volume of unwanted ODS by using plasma witha highly efficient 2kg/hour capacity for R22 andR134a (HCFC, HFC) and 1kg/hour for R12 (CFC).

Both machines are easy to transport due to theircompact size. Further to this both technologies areeasy to maintain and have safe and automatic operation features. The “Eco-cycle Aurora” uses high purity
and speedy reclaiming techniques by electrostatic
separation and is applicable to high pressure refrigerants like R410A, in a compact and lightweightpackage. “Plasma X” has a very accurate destruction
with a decomposition rate of 99.9%, and an added
advantage of a low investment cost. Currently decomposition is usually carried out at separate plant facilities that require large spaces which is not the case withthis technology.
Contact Information
Mr. Satoru Shidara
trade@asada.co.jp+81-52-914-1062

17

TECHNOLOGYGreen Chemical Management
Technologies for Acetic Acid Productionand Sulfur-Free Diesel Production

Safe Chemicals
Management

COMPANY
Chiyoda Corporationwww.chiyoda-corp.com/en/

INTRODUCTIONPROCESS

Chiyoda develops green chemical management technologies and offers them to clients through theirEngineering business. As one example, acetic acid,
which is an important chemical reagent and industrial
chemical and clean diesel, can be produced fromnatural gas, CO₂, and diesel oil with Chiyoda’s green
chemical management technologies described below:

CO₂ reforming process: Chiyoda’s CO₂ Reforming
Process reuses efficiently CO₂ emitted from various
industrial processes or enables the development of
low-quality natural gas fields containing CO₂. This
reforming process can produce synthesis gases1 more
efficiently than conventional steam-reforming
processes. This process uses CO₂ as a raw material
and uses Chiyoda’s unique reforming catalyst, thereby
achieving high energy efficiency. Therefore, thisreforming process is an environmentally-friendly
technology due to significant reduction of carbon
dioxide emissions.

• CO₂ reforming process: A reforming process forsynthesis gases (H2 and CO) production with utilizing CO₂. HiCOT reformer furnace: an ecofriendly reformer furnace.
• ACETICA: A green process for acetic acidproduction.
• Hybrid TiO₂ catalyst: A novel hydrodesulphurization catalyst for sulfur-free diesel production.

1
Gas mixtures consist of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Synthesis gases are used as raw materials for producing liquid fuels(GTL, DME, etc.) and various chemicals. The produced liquid fuelscontain no sulfuric and nitrogenous compounds, so that exhausted
gases after combustion become extremely clean.

18

HiCOT reformer furnace: Chiyoda’s High Temperature
Air Combustion Technology (HiCOT)2 is an innovative technology which has following characteristics:• Fuel saving / CO₂ reduction by waste heat recovery of high temperature exhaust gas with regenerative burners• Ultra-low NOx emission level by uniform temperature distribution without local peak temperature zone inside fire box• Downsizing of convection section by its very highradiant efficiency.
By using HiCOT reformer furnace, hydrogen andsynthesis gas production can be carried out with highradiant heat efficiency.

• Without the solubility limitations, the amount of
catalyst in the reactor can be raised to promoteacetic acid production rate.
• The loss of expensive rhodium by precipitation canbe lowered.
• As the amount of water can be decreased to a minimum level required for the reaction, the refining
cost of the product acetic acid can be reduced.
Bubble column loop reactor technology: ACETICA™
PROCESS adopts a bubble column loop reactor
designed for effective usage of resin catalysts. The
bubble column loop reactor has the following features:• High contact efficiency among the gas-liquid-solid
three phases• Because there are no rotating elements, high airtightness is achieved. Resin erosion can also be
reduced.
• Reaction heat can be easily removed by installinga heat exchanger at the down-comer unit, achieving a more precise control of reaction
temperature.
Schematic illustration of the acetic acid production
process:

The ACETICA™ PROCESS is a process to produce
acetic acid from methanol and carbon monoxide.
With a unique line of technologies including highperformance resin-supported rhodium catalysts andbubble column loop reactors, this differentiates fromother similar processes.
High-performance resin-supported rhodium catalyst:
Fixing the rhodium complex catalyst on the Chiyoda
proprietary resin exhibits the following advantages:
2
The combustion technology utilizes a new combustion
region at a high temperature of air above 800ºC under lean oxygen
content where the burner flame spreads entirely in the combustion
chamber and the flame becomes invisible. The high temperatureof air combustion of this HiCOT reformer furnace is achieved byregenerative burners recovering waste heat of flue gas from the radiant section. Such combustion conditions provide uniform temperature distribution in the combustion chamber

19

The Hybrid TiO₂ catalyst is a unique diesel oil desulfurization catalyst that uses titania carriers with a
combination of its own applied technology foralumina carrier pore control that has been developedsince the 1970s.
Titania Catalyst Carrier:
The conventional understanding is that titania
catalysts have a higher
activity per unit surface
area than alumina catalysts, but increasing thesurface area has been atechnical
challenge.
Chiyodasuccessfully
developed a titania
catalyst with a larger
surface area and using it,
developed a highly efficientdesulfurization
catalyst that can produce sulfur-free diesel oil.
Stable activity, high denitrogenation selectivity, andlow hydrogen consumption: This catalyst makes desulfurization possible at a low reaction temperature,
where its deactivation becomes slow, providing alonger catalyst life. In addition, this catalyst brings
about highly efficient denitrogenation activity andreduced hydrogen consumption at the same time,completely contradicting previous understanding inthis field (see the graph above). This makes it
possible to reduce hydrogen consumption, relative
to conventional alumina catalysts, under sulfur-freereaction conditions.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE:

CO₂ reforming process: Chiyoda’s CO₂ reforming
process realizes CO₂ efficient utilization, and enables
to produce synthesis gas in wide range of Hydrogen/
Carbon monoxide ratios and can be applied tochemical syntheses such as acetic acid synthesis, oxosynthesis, and GTL, etc. In addition, it is possible
to stably operate under low Steam/Carbon andCO₂/Carbon conditions whereas in comparison astable operation by conventional steam reforming
process is impossible.

20

HiCOT reformer furnace: The three main merits
are fuel saving/reduction of CO₂ emission, ultralow NOx emission level, and downsizing of convection section.
ACETICA: Energy saving and reduction of noble
metal loss will be achieved by utilizing a unique bubble
column loop reactor and proprietary high-performance catalyst support resin.
Hybrid TiO₂ catalyst: Hybrid TiO₂, developed by
Chiyoda with applying original catalyst preparation
technology, has both desulfurization performance ofTiO₂ and functions as a catalyst support of Al2O3.
Due to the synergy effect of TiO₂ and Al2O3, Hybrid
TiO₂ shows higher desulfurization activity thanconventional catalysts. Due to its high activity, Hybrid
TiO₂ catalyst can make it possible to conduct ultra
deep desulfurization of diesel oil under low temperature conditions.
Contact information
Mr. Makoto Yasui
myasui@ykh.chiyoda.co.jp+81-45-225-7777

TECHNOLOGY
Rainwater Storage and Usage System

Reduce, Reuse
and Recycle (3Rs)

INTRODUCTION

The Company Totetsu has created a complete
product line for the full scale collection and use of
rainwater. Their technology contributes to solving
the manifold pressing water shortages that many
areas are facing.
Since rainwater is in effect distilled water, it is avaluable resource that is extremely pure, that can beobtained using a minimum of energy resources andwithout generating harm to the environment. It isa viable alternative to using recycled wastewater ordesalinating seawater as both these options require
vast amounts of energy in their cleaning processes.

COMPANY
Totetsu Mfg. Co., Ltd.
www.totetu.com/en/

also allows for the underground storage tanks to beinstalled near rivers. With this storage system, rainwater that falls in each designated area is stored
right there and used in that local reality. Nonetheless,there is also the possibility to connect a collection
pipe to a large or small river nearby to be able totap into additional water resources when the riverwater levels are high in rainy seasons. This is also
useful to control the flood risks that certain areas
around large rivers often face.

Conventional water reservoirs often lose water
through evaporation, and they easily become tainted
by foreign matter mixing in the water. This system

21

PROCESSThe Totetsu technology collects, purifies and storesthe rainwater in specifically designed plastic waterproof underground storage tanks. These storage
tanks are resistant to earth pressure and earthquakes. The purified water (99.5% of contaminants
can be removed) is suitable for daily life needs,
agriculture and industry. It will need to undergo an

22

additional filtration and sterilization process to
obtain drinking water quality, yet this is possible ifneeded. The stored water in these undergroundstorage tanks can easily be supplied to the end-used
via a power pump or also via manual human power
if necessary which makes the system applicable fornon-electrified areas.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

This is a good solution to harvest and store water
resources in areas where there are water shortages orwhere conventional water supply systems are not inplace (i.e. remote rural areas). Additionally, the technology allows for the collection of vast amounts ofrainwater and has the flexibility that it can collectrainwater from a series of different sources, such as
rivers, drainage systems, waterways, etc.
The initial investment for the procurement of thestorage tank for the rainwater, inclusive of the special
sealing sheets to avoid leakage, is lower than that oftanks that are made of concrete and/or steel. The
type of plastic construction and integrated underground positioning contribute to an excellent stablestructure that is resistant to earth pressures, impacts
and earthquakes.
This enables the construction of large-scale underground storage tanks that have a depth of morethan ten meters. Further to this, the period of
construction for this storage tank is much shorter

than for those aforementioned (thereby also
reducing costs), and customers are given the flexibility to select the shape of the tank according totheir specific site requirements.
Most of the piping used in the system is recyclable.
The operational cost to purify rainwater is close tozero when in comparison to the purification of waste
or seawater using other methods that are very energy
intensive. There is a suggested interval of three to six
months to carry out maintenance procedures that are
low in cost.
Contact information
Mr. Seiichiro Takai
seiichiro.takai@totetu.com+81-3-3493-5911

23

TECHNOLOGY
Jarikko Wastewater Purification System

Pollution
Control

INTRODUCTION

The Jarikko ( JRK) Wastewater Purification System
performs using clumped crushed rocks, called
Jarikkos, which are made of 2cm size gravels andbound together by resin, measuring 10cm in diameter.
The JRK purification system is used to purify water
bodies such as rivers and lakes, to treat industrialorganic wastewater or to treat community wastewater plants. The types of pollution that can becleansed by this system
are organic carbohydrate substances orcompounds,
organic
waste, sludge, etc. The
system is innovative inthat it does not need asludge treatment due tothe application of the
Jarikkos.
PROCESSThe solid organic matter that pollutes the specificwater body accumulates inside of the Jarikko and asolid-liquid waste separation process begins. The
liquid wastewater flows through the Jarikko and thesolid organic matter remains within the Jarikko andliquidizes itself in a time span of 10 to 30 days due
to anaerobic reducing conditions. Thereafter it flows
24

COMPANY
Aquatech, Ltd.
www.aquatech.co.jp/eng/index.html

out again by itself and in doing so makes room forthe new solid organic waste matter to take its place
within and thereby to undergo the same decomposing process within the Jarikko again. Hence,
purified water and solid organic matters are separated, solids are confined in the Jarikko, and thewater is thus purified. In measurements taken by theCompany Aquatech, the polluted water is purified
whereby BOD (mg/l) is reduced by 80-90%.

Jarikkos are piled-up or banked-up in containers or tankvessels. Wastewater enters into these mediums and flows
through the Jarikkos. Conventional activated Sludge
Methods and Contact Oxidation Methods have thespace ratio of 95-100%. Therefore, a reaction tank isalways in the equal environment of aerobic condition.
The space ratio between Jarikkos is 40% and aeration
pipes are placed 40cm apart. Therefore, the flow aboveand between aeration pipes is differentiated into a small
and a large flow. Moreover, the surface and the inside

of the Jarikko have a different flow rate, and therefore,
many different environments can be created. Solidorganic wastes need anaerobic conditions in order to beliquefied. The separation of large and small flows ofwater can create anaerobic areas within the tank thatlead to the creation of anaerobic bacteria which in turnliquefies solid organic waste.

made of gravel and are maintenance free. No major
infrastructure investments are necessary as in the caseof ordinary solid waste treatment plants.
The illustration below shows the advantage of thistechnology in that the installation of the Jarikko
technology underneath a park or recreation area
where wastewater flows, or could flow, people will beable to enjoy their activities in a safe environment
and will not be affected by any chemical treatments
or toxic cleansers, which would alternatively be
employed by other technologies to combat suchproblems. In most applications to date, Jarikkos areused near river bodies where contaminated water isdrawn into the Jarikkos and purified water flows backinto the rivers.
Contact information
Mr. Yoshitaka Fujii
aqua@aquatech.co.jp+81-42-628-7373

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The operational and construction costs are comparatively lower than technologies that use the activatedsludge method to purify wastewater. The material
costs of Jarikkos are inexpensive as they are simply

25

TECHNOLOGY
Gasification Power Generation

Energy-related
green industries

INTRODUCTION

The Kinsei Sangyo Company Gasification Power
Generation technology converts waste to useful energy
resources through a specific incineration process thatuses a dry distillation gasification combustion system.
PROCESSThe waste that is fed into the incinerator does notneed pre-treatment. The technology is comprised ofa dry distillation gasification furnace that gasifies thewastes. The second element of the technology is themain furnace where perfect combustion takes placethat mixes the dry distilled gas that is generated in
the afore explained furnace and air. This generates aspiral flow system that prevents carbon generationfrom the flames and hence delays combustion. Thereis a reduced generation of dioxins throughout thisprocess with a retention time within the furnace ofover 2 seconds with a temperature exceeding 900
degrees Celsius.
The third element of the technology, and which is
optional, is the cooling tower and waste heat boiler.
The function here is to cool the high temperature gas
from the main furnace. The added value here is thatsteam pressure can be generated here that can beconnected to heat a water boiler. Additional elements
are the numerous options and the adaptability of the
26

COMPANY
Kinsei Sangyo Co., Ltd.
www.kinsei-s.co.jp/index2.htm

system for the utilization of the heat that is generated
in this process. For example the heat generated canbe used to dry garbage, to dry sludge, to ferment
sludge, to heat a hot water pool, as energy for a
production factory, and many more.
As an example, a plant is able to process 100 tons
per day of municipal waste. In the case of medical
waste, the plant would be able to process approximately 30 tons per day. A smaller plant is able toprocess one ton of waste per day. This type of planthas the added advantages that it can be installed
within one day.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Contact information
Mr. Keiichi Kaneko
kkaneko@kinsei-s.co.jp+81-27-346-2161

Controlled gasification, clean and safe, economic
benefits, construction permits already available inmany countries, almost no auxiliary fuel required,recycling of rare metals, high efficiency of heatrecovery and automated operation. In terms of pollution reduction, the dust volume of the dry distillation
gasification combustion is rather little in comparison
to direct combustion incineration technologies. Less
ash is generated as well.
The separation of the gasification zone and the
combustion zone within the technology allows for thewaste heat utilization with waste water boilers anddrying equipments, as well as in the applications to be
used as recovery equipment.

27

This document has been produced without formal United Nations editing. The designations employed and the presentationof the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of
the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or
area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or its economic system or degree ofdevelopment. Designations such as “developed”, “industrialized” and “developing” are intended for statistical convenienceand do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development
process. Mention of firm names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement by UNIDO.
Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information herein, neither UNIDO nor its Member Statesassume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from the use of the material.
This document may be freely quoted or reprinted but acknowledgement is requested.

Printed in Brazil
June 2012 — 500

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