South Africa-based Trafo Power Solutions is supplying 13 dry-type transformers for e-houses to strengthen the power infrastructure at a copper-gold project in Pakistan. Commissioned by one of the EPC contractors working on the project, the transformers are designed to meet the site’s harsh, arid conditions.
Dry-type transformers provide mining operations with a robust and low-maintenance power solution suited to demanding industrial applications.
The mining project is on one of the world’s largest, undeveloped copper-gold reserves, located in the Chagai district of Balochistan, close to the borders of Afghanistan and Iran. The terrain is arid to semi-arid, characterised by deserts, mountain ranges, sparse vegetation and regular dust storms.
David Claassen, Managing Director of Trafo Power Solutions, says the transformers have been designed to meet the challenges of this remote and demanding mining environment.
“The range of dry-type transformers we are supplying to one of the engineering, procurement and construction contractors involved in this copper-gold project, now in its early works phase of development, include smaller isolation transformers rated at 5 kVA, lighting transformers of 75 kVA, and larger units of between 250 kVA and 1 000 kVA for power distribution functions,” he explains.
Although Trafo Power Solutions has designed the transformers for indoor operation in the e-houses, the high ambient temperatures of the site have been taken into account. The design therefore caters for daytime temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius – with Class H insulation.
“To improve the turnaround time, we manufactured the enclosures in South Africa and – importantly – these could be flat-packed for easier logistical handling en route to the site,” Claassen adds. “The dry-type transformers were shipped by our manufacturing partner TMC Transformers in Italy, directly to the site in Pakistan.”
He highlights that although the manufacturing of the transformers takes place in Italy, Trafo Power Solutions conducts the factory acceptance testing with the customer.
The order also includes 18 neutral earth resistors (NERs) which are connected to the star point of the transformers to limit the earth fault current.
“We are supplying a number of 690 V air-type NERs as well as 11 kV NERs which are rated at 300 amps for 10 seconds – also capable of operating in air temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius,” Claassen says.
He points to the reliability of dry-type transformers and the limited maintenance they require as important benefits for users on remote sites such as this one in Pakistan. Unlike conventional oil-cooled transformers, where the oil needs regular testing and replacement, dry-type units are air-cooled and seldom require any active maintenance.
With its depth of experience in installing and commissioning its transformers and other electrical power solutions, Trafo Power Solutions supports the customer during these phases and provides technical support into the future.
“We will work closely with our EPC customer who is installing the e-houses to ensure the transformers are adequately protected from the severe external environment conditions such as heat and dust,” he says.
Consequently, the transformers will require minimal attention after being commissioned, limiting the need for anyone to undertake the costly and time-consuming journey to the site. This factor further reduces the total cost of ownership of the units over their operating lifetime.
For more information visit: www.trafo.co.za