ABB has delivered a complete modular packaged substation to Sasol’s Secunda plant in Mpumalanga, almost eliminating unplanned power outages during annual shutdown periods. The mobile substation is made up of 14 panels of UniGear ZS1 medium voltage (MV) switchgear, future-proof protection and control technology. This innovation, aptly named E-House, is specifically tailored to Sasol’s needs such as slope plant flooring and constant movement around the plant.
The E-House was designed by ABB and Sasol Engineers with a scope which required a universal switchboard in a mobile substation, suitable to be operated at 3,3, 6,6 and 11 kV without significant changes to the switchgear configurations. This optimised solution was created to energise and protect motor feeders, transformer feeders and line feeders without changing of protection equipment.
During the design phase, the team recognised that Sasol Secunda switchgear replacement can only take place during shutdown periods when process equipment is not in full operation. As the switchgear in the plant is reaching its end-of-life span, it was critical to find an alternative replacement strategy to increase the number of switchboards that can be replaced without relying on the shutdown period. Due to limited time and resources during the annual shutdown of 8-10 days, the number of switchboard replacements were limited with increased risks to plant and personnel. The challenge was to conduct switchgear replacements outside the shutdown period, without creating plant disruptions or unplanned outages.
The substation is connected and currently utilised to do the first replacement project at Sasol Secunda site. Product group manager secondary switchgear and modular systems, Hermanus Jooste, says that this project was exciting because of the many considerations such as the air suspended trailer to enable effortless plant mobility for the substation. “The outcome is a brilliant solution for Sasol which further demonstrated our ability to go the extra mile for our customers,” he adds.
ABB and Sasol together developed the scope requirement by using ABB ZS1 Digital switchgear as the main switchboard platform, and the mobile substation had to be fitted permanently on a purpose-built trailer that could be moved around the plant as required.
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