When a copper-zinc mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo needed mini-substations and transformers fast, Trafo Power Solutions was able to respond to the call. Leveraging its experience of the country, the mining sector and its strong partnerships with EPCs, it is ensuring all the equipment is delivered on time.
Trafo Power Solutions is supplying three mini-substations and two transformers to the mine. Managing Director, David Claassen says the pressure was on from the early planning stages to ensure delivery as due in order to facilitate the mine’s continuing expansion. That meant a timeline of just four months from the date of the contract being awarded – despite most of South African industry taking an annual December break.
“We have conducted projects previously with the end-client and the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, so have a good understanding of their requirements,” says Claassen. “This experience – combined with our history in the DRC and in the mining sector – gave us the edge in expediting the process.”
The order was for two 2 000 kVA transformers to step down the electricity supply from 6.6 kV to 550 V, plus three dry-type miniature substations. Two of the mini-substations are rated 315 kVA and 6.6 kV to 400 V, and the third is a 630 kVA unit which also steps down from 6.6 kV to 400 V.
The equipment forms an important part of the mine’s electrical infrastructure upgrade. Claassen highlights the dry-type mini-substations which, he says, were quite unique in certain respects.
As a specialist in dry-type transformer applications, Trafo Power Solutions designed the mini-substations in an IP54 configuration – ensuring the units are completely sealed from dust and water. This level of insulation usually requires a forced air solution to ensure adequate air movement for cooling.
“However, for this application, the requirement was for natural air cooling – so the installation would not include external fans and related control instrumentation,” he says. “This enhances simplicity and further reduces any chance of ancillary equipment needing maintenance attention.”
The design of the enclosure and the transformer took account of this configuration, allowing for enough natural cooling despite the high ambient daytime temperatures in the region.
Another demanding aspect of the contract was that the two 2 000 kVA transformers are to replace units in the mine’s existing substation. This required that the design ensure the new equipment would fit into the available space.
“Our units have a higher power rating than those they will replace, so the design was customised to ensure the mine does not have to re-engineer the space,” says Claassen. He highlights this as an example of Trafo Power Solutions’ flexibility in designing solutions to optimise ease of installation.
The units will be delivered to site after a factory acceptance test (FAT) has been conducted. Although the functional commissioning of the units is not part of Trafo Power Solutions’ scope of supply on this contract, the company offers a standard commissioning and assistance service on any of its contracts.
“The fast pace of this project indicates a growing trend not only in mining but also in other sectors, towards fast-tracking new developments and expansions,” he notes. “Clients are expecting supply partners to deliver on shorter timelines, so one of our key strategies is to learn from each project and apply those lessons going forward.”
This keeps Trafo Power Solutions at the forefront of efficient project execution, focusing on quality and communication. Its approach supports first-time accuracy and customised designs, so no time is lost by unnecessarily revisiting aspects of the project as it progresses.
“Our approach means we can take decisions and act quickly on matters commercial and technical,” says Claassen. “Our proven skill is in achieving these goals and ensuring due delivery without compromising on quality.”
For more information visit: www.trafo.co.za/
