By John Raptakis, offer marketing CLD, CLS & FD, Home & Distribution Business, Schneider Electric.
John Raptakis.
Commercial and industrial properties are faced a with a number of fundamental challenges when ensuring the safety of people and their facilities. One of the biggest challenges is the fire and surge hazards which have the potential to cause critical damage and, worse, loss of life.
It is estimated that electrical fires account for 22% of workplace fires. These fires often occur due to defects in medium- or low-voltage (MV or LV) system wiring, switches and motors; however, one major insurer estimates that 25% of electrical failures are due to loose or faulty connections.
The tragedy is that, often, many of these fires can be prevented if organisations partner with accredited, qualified electricians whose work meets the highest standards and who use reliable equipment. There are no shortcuts when installing and maintaining electrical equipment. Unqualified organisations or individuals will often use cheaper equipment that compromises the overall integrity of the system, or incorrectly select, deploy and apply technology.
As mentioned, faulty electrical connections are a major cause of failure in MV and LV installations. Improper tightening torque, constant vibrations, corrosion, or excessive pressure or friction can cause cable, busbar and circuit breaker connections to deteriorate. Frequent temperature cycling and on/off switching can also contribute to loosening equipment.
Where to start?
Organisations must get to the root cause of why equipment fails which can lead to potential electrical surges and fires.
The first step is conducting an initial audit that includes:
• Identification of specific electrical risks.
• Analysis of risks and the likelihood of occurrence and consequences, both in terms of possible harm to employees, property damage and business interruption.
• Evaluation and ranking of risks to provide a baseline of exposure.
The second step is to develop a mitigation strategy. This involves determining which risk(s) can be removed or reduced, and how these potential consequences can be limited.
The good news
Smart sensing has come a long way, and now allows organisations to proactively focus on and mitigate potential electrical fires, providing a substantial improvement in resilience. Smart sensing devices, combined with cloud-based data analytics, are enabling inspections to be supported by continuous 24/7 thermal monitoring.
Considering the above, organisations can benefit from:
• Monitoring, with selected sensors in strategic locations throughout the electrical system that continuously collect data on operational conditions.
• Analysis, using sensor-derived data either locally or delivered to cloud-based data analytics software, to identify trends and alert local personnel of potential changes in e.g. thermal conditions.
• Recommendations that result in implementing corrective actions, with ongoing feedback and analysis over time to ensure changes have been made – and that those changes have delivered the desired operational improvements.
At Schneider Electric, we have developed a large portfolio of sensors that monitor specific risks, such as over-temperature conditions either in LV and MV settings, or the performance of arc flash mitigation solutions in transformer applications. To fully utilise smart sensors, we also offer monitoring solutions at the customer’s site and cloud-based monitoring services.
Ultimately, to protect people and buildings, organisations must partner with accredited and experienced suppliers that offer the requisite skill and technology to prevent any electrical fires or surges.
Designing the modern AI cooling stack Schneider Electric South Africa
Industrial Computer Hardware
As average rack densities in data centres climb from 16 to 27 kW in a single year, Schneider Electric’s Canninah Dladla outlines the six liquid cooling architectures available to operators, seven design factors, and three operational practices that determine energy and water efficiency.
Read more...Software-defined automation is overcoming hardware interoperability limits Schneider Electric South Africa
SCADA/HMI
Schneider Electric’s Kobus Vermeulen and Sydney Higgo explain how open communication standards and software-defined architectures are enabling industrial operators to integrate legacy equipment, new control systems, and cloud platforms without disrupting operations.
Read more...Zinc-based batteries power a more sustainable energy future
Electrical Power & Protection
Zinc-based batteries are gaining ground as a safe, recyclable and cost-effective energy storage option, from consumer electronics to grid-scale systems. The International Zinc Association’s Simon Norton explains why zinc is well placed to support the clean energy transition.
Read more...Calcamite partners with Schneider Electric and 4Sight for smart water management Schneider Electric South Africa
Editor's Choice
Schneider Electric, AVEVA and 4Sight OT Automation are helping South African wastewater specialist, Calcamite, digitalise its modular treatment plants through a scalable edge-to-cloud automation platform, with the award-winning Gourikwa pilot now scaling to hundreds of remote sites.
Read more...AI in industry is an early warning system, not a guarantee Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric’s Paul Steyn argues that AI in industrial maintenance is only as good as the infrastructure and people behind it, and explains the three layers a facility needs before predictive maintenance can deliver on its promise.
Read more...Energas introduces lower-cost German gas genset for South African market
Electrical Power & Protection
Energas Technologies will supply R Schmitt Enertec’s new Energy Line genset to the South African market, offering German-engineered gas-to-power generation of 400 to 500 kW at a lower entry cost through focused standardisation and a simpler standalone architecture.
Read more...ACTOM plays key role in large transmission substation project in Swellendam ACTOM Electrical Machines
Electrical Power & Protection
ACTOM has been appointed to engineer, procure, construct and commission the 1000 MVA main transmission substation for the Overberg Wind Farm in Swellendam, one of the largest substations of its kind in South Africa.
Read more...Reliable power conversion from high-voltage DC buses Conical Technologies
Electrical Power & Protection
The MEAN WELL DDRH-240 from Conical Technologies is a high-reliability DIN-rail DC-DC converter with a wide 250 to 1500 V DC input range, deriving stable low-voltage power directly from high-voltage DC buses in renewable energy, storage, charging, railway and industrial installations.
Read more...AES maintains a strong value and safety stance on boiler retrofits
Electrical Power & Protection
AES Commercial Director Dennis Williams explains when a boiler retrofit makes more sense than replacement, outlines the range of efficiency and emissions upgrades available, and draws the line at safety: a boiler not legally signed off is shut down, no exceptions.
Read more...Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme for energy and industrial tech startups.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version