Eskom produces 96% of the total energy generated in South Africa. Of this total, 92% is available to South Africa and 5,3% is exported. The balance is consumed by power stations and auxiliary systems. In this article, we will consider how Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) and motors contribute to energy consumption and how to optimise your plant.

Take note:
• Electric motors use between 50 and 60% of the national electricity load.
• A VSD and motor combination can be made optimally efficient.
• As electric energy costs rise, savings from motors should be seriously considered in the first instance.

About the author
Johan van Niekerk has worked in the drives industry for 20 years. He gained practical experience as a technician involved hands on with installations and applications. He has since filled various posts including project manager, business development manager and drives manager. Currently, he is drives and automation manager for Zest Electric Motors and Drives.

Electrical energy is an extremely valuable commodity and many market studies demonstrate that the demand for electrical energy is continually increasing exponentially. In the period from 2001 to 2006, energy consumption increased by 16,1%. Owing to the limited availability of electrical energy and ever increasing oil prices, however, a new technical age has begun – an age in which the goal is to reduce electrical energy consumption and promote research into alternative sources of energy. As a result, continuous improvements are urgently needed on the efficiency front in all industrial and consumer applications.

Take note:
• Electrical energy is becoming a more and more vulnerable commodity.
• Three-level inverter topology is being increasingly used in UPS applications.
• Three-level inverters reduce the stress on switches and offer reduced losses.


About the authors
Riccardo Ramin and Marco Di Lella are both located at SEMIKRON in Italy. Riccardo Ramin is Technical Director and Marco Di Lella Product Manager with focus on product marketing and customer support. Riccardo.Ramin@semikron.com Marco.DiLella@semikron.com

SEW Eurodrive and Southern Air partner in innovative installation
Protection for motors in various applications
Unique burn-in tests for IPM's
Digital driver - proven control platform for IGBT modules and systems
CMG go mining
Motor protection in confined spaces

Maintaining and upgrading an earthing and lightning protection system is just as complex as designing and installing the original system. This article identifies some of the challenges that you will face.

Take note:
• Earthing and lightning protection systems must be considered in a holistic manner.
• An earthing and lightning protection system is a comprehensive system that includes a number of inter-related elements or sub-systems.
• Implementation of effective lightning protection requires a structured and engineered approach.
• Lightning protection is a risk management process and not a risk elimination process.

About the authors:
Ian McKechnie is a Pr Eng with the ECSA and a registered professional construction project manager (PrCPM) with the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP). He holds a BSc(Eng) degree in electrical and electronic engineering from UCT, is a Fellow of the SAIEE and an Associate of the Association of Arbitrators. He is the immediate past President of the SAIEE. Ian is managing director of Global Africa Projects (GAP) and its sister company, Innopro.

Prof Ian R Jandrell has his BSc (Eng), GDE, PhD, Pr Eng and is a Fellow of the SAIEE and Member of the IEEE. Ian holds the position of Head of School, Electrical and Information Engineering at Wits, and is a director of Crown Publications. Ian is a director of Innopro and Wits Commercial Enterprises.

Reliable earthing while working on electrical systems
SPDs for IT Systems
DEHNventil MTT lightning current surge arresters
Snappy and safe for overhead line operation

Today’s competitive and global-oriented manufacturing climate is driving the deployment of newer technologies at an accelerated rate. Growth-oriented businesses recognise that retaining a competitive advantage means understanding and wisely selecting these new technologies and then deploying them with maximum effect.

Take note
• Wireless offers many benefits in industrial applications.
• Wireless security must be considered carefully.
• Wireless security must be company-wide and must include various levels of protection.


About the author
Frank Williams is President at Elpro Technologies, a division of MTL Instruments and a leader in industrial wireless solutions. Williams earned a BSEE from San Diego State University and is widely respected in the instrumentation business, he has given many speeches, written numerous articles and introduced new technology through trade shows and business forums. Frank Williams can be contacted at frankw@elprotech.com. Elpro is available in South Africa through Tabateq Wireless Solutions,-Willem Krige, willemk@tabateq.com.

Wireless Solutions for Ex Zone 1
Deposita Cash Management Solution goes global with Wavecom Wireless Technology
Banner has a new wireless solution for sensor connection
Wireless signal transmission - a cost effective and reliable communication system
Battery-free wireless pushbutton
Wireless Ethernet solutions - WLAN-Bride with integrated easy browser-based configuration

Ernst & Young world entrepreneur award
Energy and ideas - the eta awards
Pressure sensors - hydraulic/vibration environments
Climate compensated electornics for pressure transmitter
Endress+Hauser honours innovation
SAIEE awards excellence
Fuji Electric and Semikron Team Up

When a process engineer at Sappi was looking to increase production in the mill’s digesters, she knew she would have to first find a way to accurately determine the digesters’ capacity. For this, a reliable level measurement sensor was required and so various options were looked at. Finally, the ideal solution was found and the mill is now able to process an extra four tons per day from just one digester, with plans to install level gauges and increase production on all digesters.

Take note
• Old plant can be made more efficient.
• Appropriate instrumentation ensures accurate measurement.
• Running this digester at optimal yield saw payback for the instruments within weeks.

About the author
Anne van Vliet has been a technical writer and journalist specialising in the field of general engineering for the past 25 years. She has written for industries which have included electrical safety, industrial automation, communications technology and instrumentation and control.

Capacitive level switch with compensation key
New pressure transmitters with mathematical compensation from Instrotech
LevelCheck 350C - level switch for bulk material
Pressure recorder with big memory
The precision pressure siwtch - Manocomb
K-TEK's new compact, ultrasonic level transmitter/switch

Over the last 30 years, the standby battery industry has become dominated by the Valve Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) battery, with its cousin the Gel. These high-capacity sealed cells are used to support a wide variety of critical systems. The batteries are held on a small continuous float charge, and this affects the failure modes of the cell.

About the author

Nigel Scott, technical and business development manager at LEM, describes new approaches that enable standby battery systems to be continuously monitored during their service life, offering the capability to detect potential failures before they happen. For more information, contact M Stocks at Denver Technical Products. Tel. 011 626 2023.

New scalable, modular UPS system launched
APC's new back-UPS RS models feature advanced LCD status indicators
New generation - DIN rail mount UPS power supplies
Lucy Switchgear and Zest Group alliance
ECSA welcomes Bill withdrawal
Endress+Hauser opens training facility in Namibia
Swedish Trade Council opens forum for discussion between Sweden and SA for clean technology