Customers not only had access to ABB transformer experts, and electrical and engineering consultants, but had a chance to network with other ABB end user customers, such as South African public utility, Eskom, Africa's largest electricity producer.
As a leading transformer component manufacturer, ABB is continuously researching and developing competitive products that improve equipment safety, reliability and efficiency with minimal environmental impacts.
Events like Technology Day is an opportunity for customers to speak with a trustful partner, who is continuously addresses major technology trends, in order to identify solutions that could reduce the risk of current generation challenges.
"The end user benefits from an event like this because he or she knows what specifications to include in their next tender or project request for quotation," said Jason Evershed, ABB's regional marketing specialist for insulation and components in South Africa. "They are able to control what they want."
Eskom's Corporate Specialist Transformers and Reactors, Sidwell Mtetwa, says good collaboration between end users and product developers or manufacturers is important so that end-users are empowered with product knowledge when specifying a product for their operations, while the former will get to know the exact challenges of the product's end users.
Mtetwa also reminded the delegates of the need to balance good product acquisition with optimized maintenance regime post the acquisition, if maximum return on investment is to be realized from power generation, transmission and distribution equipment such as transformers.
"The life of an asset does not start when you switch it on, but rather at the point of identifying the need for the asset. There is a great need for good co-operation by all role players from the engineer to procurement to ensure the correct asset is purchased. Thereafter the asset should be operated for its purpose and be used outside its parameters," says Mtetwa.
A new smart monitoring system minimizes the risk of transformer outage due to insulation fluid impairment through moisture. With the new Self Dehydrating Breather (SDB), air in the transformer is always fully dehydrated because silica gel tanks are independent of each other, so the regeneration process does not start simultaneously in the two tanks.
Luca Masetto, marketing manager for ABB COMEM, said the SDB range increases transformer reliability and moves away from the conventional air breather process which required constant physical and visual monitoring. The SDB family can be monitored digitally from work station monitors, and either installed on new transformers or retrofitted to existing stations.
ABB COMEM smart devices can be connected with CoreTec™ enhancing transformer intelligence that increases performance, reduces the risk of failures and cuts maintenance costs. CoreTec™ continuously monitors mission-critical functions of the transformer. The system performs an evaluation of operating conditions, both current and historical. It can also simulate different operating conditions and forecast their impact on the transformer's life.
The two-day ABB Technology Days seminar for transformer insulation and components in Johannesburg, South Africa attracted about 100 delegates from utilities like Eskom, municipal electricity companies like City Power (Johannesburg), and independent electrical and engineering consultants. Topics of discussion included new technology in transformer insulation, vacuum tap changers as well as dry-type transformer bushings and technology.
For more information on Product Group Insulation and Components, please contact Jason Evershed on jason.evershed@za.abb.com.
For additional transformer technical support, please visit ASK ABB.
