Trafo Power Solutions’ dry-type transformers for tin mine in DRC
Trafo Power Solutions has provided the Bisie tin mine with 3 modular substations equipped with dry-type transformers.
One of the transformers (Image credit: Trafo Power Solutions)
South Africa, Sandton: Trafo Power Solutions has provided the Bisie tin mine with 3 modular substations equipped with dry-type transformers.
Three modular substations from South Africa’s Trafo Power Solutions, equipped with dry-type transformers, will soon be headed to the Bisie tin mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Five years since the company supplied Alphamin’s mine with two dry-type transformers, they have performed so well that another three modular substations with dry-type transformers were ordered in order to keep up with the mine’s expansion.
“There were numerous challenges that our design had to accommodate, not least of which is a very arduous section of road in the journey to the mine,” David Claassen, Managing Director of Trafo Power Solutions, said.
The mine’s location in the Walikale Territory of DRC is remote, being about 180 km north west of Goma, and more than 30 km from the national route linking Walikale with Kisangani. Like the initial order, the three 3000 kVA, 400 V/11 kV substations will be supplied in standard six metre containers to facilitate transportation. However, specialised steel bracing is required to withstand the challenging road conditions, especially over the last part the journey.
“These conditions make the road almost impassable by any vehicle other than a six-wheeled Unimog,” Claassen added. “There is intense vibration and tilting of the cargo on these trailers, so our design and bracing is done with this in mind.”
The solution also had to keep in mind the equatorial climate and frequent lightning strikes, as the region where the mine is located is ranked in the top five most vulnerable to them, with a high risk of damage related to electrical surge. The company therefore designed robust surge protection solutions on both the medium voltage and low voltage sides of the substations, and for the transformers.
Given the warm climate, Trafo Power Solutions designed a fully redundant N+2 cooling system for the transformers, meaning that each transformer is cooled by two fans, with another two fans on standby. One advantage of dry-type transformers in this climate is that the MV winding is completely cast in resin and highly resistant to humidity.
Source: Trafo Power Solutions
#Democratic Republic of the Congo#dry-type transformer#South Africa#Trafo Power Solutions