ABB’s Longmeadow head office, manufacturing and logistics centre, has been designed with an impressive depth of research and focus on design, construction and facilities management automation, recycling and ongoing minimal environmental impact. There were no holds barred in ensuring that the site is a shining example of ABB environmental best practice.

Take note
• ABB has successfully moved over 1 000 employees from four different locations to the group’s new premises at Longmeadow Business Estate.
• The design of the building and all of its systems has been optimised to minimise its overall environmental impact.
• The Longmeadow building attains the highest green building standards.

About the author
Paulo has been in the employ of ABB South Africa for the past 19 years – now as manager: head of projects. Paulo was tasked with being project manager for the Longmeadow building and visited many local and overseas sites to ascertain best practices. Enquiries: Eubulus Pillay. Tel. 010 202 5770 or email Eubulus.Pillay@za.abb.com.

Halt global warming
Save your business and the planet
Solar - way to go

*Presented at the 4th Southern African SCADA & Industrial Automation Conference 2009

Technological, commercial, competitive and management demands are greater than before. The attitude is that technology will always deliver, regardless of the demands. The author describes some of the fastest and most powerful automatic control systems ever to have been developed. At such high speeds, exceptionally accurate control is imperative.

Take note
• The world in which we live requires faster and faster applications.
• Technology is evolving to meet these needs.
• The postal system is an example of an industry that is relying more and more on fast, complex technologies.

About the author
Pierre Rossouw M.Sc. Engineering (Witwatersrand) is the National Senior Manager for Automation Engineering Systems for the SA Post Office. He is responsible for the Automation Strategy and management of large automation engineering implementation projects. Enquiries: email Pierre.Rossouw@postoffice.co.za.

Profibus has a very large installed base in South Africa. There are new plants being commissioned with Profibus and also old existing plants that still have Profibus. Profibus has taken off well because it provides realtime, reliable and fast communication. Profibus is currently used for many reasons, for instance PLC communication with drives, remote I/O, simocode motor starters, soft-starters and many other Profibus slaves, it can even be used for inter PLC communication and other advanced functions. As with all engineered solutions, following the process of proper design and installation will ensure a reliable and fit-for-purpose final installation. A Profibus installation is a critical part of any plant and must be properly installed. The author discusses Profibus – his personal view and tips.

Take note
o Profibus provides realtime, reliable, fast communication.
o Never treat a Profibus installation as an afterthought.
o Common pitfalls can be avoided by following simple rules of installation.
o Manufacturers of Profibus systems have tools and equipment available to assist in installing a reliable system.

About the author
Gary Wilson completed his electrical engineering studies at the former Port Elizabeth Technikon in 2001. He then joined product sales support for Siemens Industry Automation where he is currently the totally integrated automation product promoter.

Tailored IT control
Upgrade for frozen good manufacturer
Protect building assets against rising energy prices
Monitoring critical plant equipment
PLCs for distributed generation systems
Long life and compact PLC
Safety light curtains for high risk
Wheels in motion
New relay added to product range
Great benefit to plant engineering
Real-time access improves productivity

It is well known that shaft voltages and currents are responsible for numerous problems on rotating electrical machine installations. Improved brushes and shaft grounding devices have become available to mitigate or solve these problems. Even international specifications have radically improved their coverage of shaft voltages and currents in applicable standards and guides. But are these phenomena any better understood as a result? The author attempts to improve the understanding of the causes of shaft voltages and currents in rotating electrical machine installations. The follow-up article will discuss how to solve shaft voltage and current problems, or how to reduce their effects – both by design, good engineering practices, and application of modern shaft grounding devices.

Take note
• Shaft voltages and currents are responsible for numerous problems on rotating electrical machines.
• Causes of shaft voltages can be related to mechanical, electromagnetic and electrical imperfections in a rotating machine.
• Understanding the mechanisms puts you in the best position to start resolving the problem.

About the author
After graduating from University, Rob Melaia joined ABB Alrode as engineering manager, remaining in that position for almost ten years. He then moved on to a small specialist condition monitoring company, Westward Electric and later joined ABB as strategic development engineering manager. He is now with LH Marthinusen where he has been technical director of rotating machines since 2007.

Flameproof electric motors take the heat
Equipment for harbours, shipping and off-shore mining applications

Achieving the green light … a festive look at Sandton’s illumination project By S Wardle (Lighting Logistics), C Reilly (Sandton Central Management District), Lesley Perkes, AAW, Art Project Management

With global warming and energy efficiency firmly on the agenda, the Sandton Central Management District’s BASA Award winning public art Illumination Project has come a long way to reach its green status. With a focus on the environment, innovation and being an exceptional art project since inception, the annual initiative is now one of the most anticipated in Sandton Central.

Take note
• The Why Men project has recycled itself into an exceptional celebration of art with an environmental consciousness.
• LED rope lights were considered to be the best option for this project.
• This project will continue to evolve and remain a highly anticipated festive initiative in Sandton Central.

About the authors
Scott Wardle is the co-owner of Lighting Logistics and has worked in the industry for the past 13 years.
Cara Reilly is the marketing manager for the Sandton Central Management District and has been the driving force behind the annual lighting project.
Lesley Perkes is CEO of AAW, Art Project Management. In the Why Men project, she has had to wear the hat of an artist, electrician, lighting specialist, safety expert – to ensure the success of this project.

Energy efficiency, safety and security

Electrical energy is an asset and engineering is about risk mitigation. This article highlights the need to implement a centralized energy management control system that adopts and modifies existing systems and concepts to meet the overall requirement and de-risk a business or plant.

Take note
• Electrical energy is an asset.
• Without some form of monitoring and control of the energy system the various identified risk levels are too high.
• A PLC based central energy management control system is a system that enables the various levels of management to mitigate the energy risk.

About the authors
Dave Bekink holds a BTech diploma from the Vaal University of Technology. He is a Certified Energy Manager and the managing director of National Power Contractors.

Ashvir Harcharan joined National Power Contractors in January 2009. He is a systems integrator and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in Electrical Engineering through the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

Cutting edge
Light curtain provides real time info
Energy saving audits
Adding 'daq' functionality to plcs

The numerical simulation of High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors is playing an integral part in the design and licensing of nuclear power plants. These numerical models rely on empirical and other correlations to model complex phenomena as accurately as possible with the resources and information available at a certain point in time. This article focuses on the modelling parameters for pebble bed–reflector heat transfer in pseudo-heterogeneous pebble bed models.

Take note
• Reactivity of the control rods housed in the reflectors is highly temperature dependent, so accurate measurement is critical. The pebble bed/reflector interface is on the critical path for heat removal during accident conditions.
• Simulations allow many fundamental aspects of heat flow to be studied accurately, and to identify areas requiring further practical investigation.


About the authors
Jean van der Merwe’s line of expertise is in simulation, design and optimisation of thermal fluid systems; software verification and validation. He is employed by M-Tech Industrial.

Eben Mulder is a faculty member of the post graduate school for Nuclear science and engineering at North-West university. He is a nuclear engineer with experience in the design and safety analysis of innovative nuclear reactors, as well as operating nuclear plant.

Herman van Antwerpen has expertise in thermal-fluid systems simulation process design systems engineering and has special interest in the thermo dynamic simulation of pebble bed reactors.

'Hotspot' temperature monitor
Go for gold
Central energy management control systems
RB Series digital temperature controller