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Switchgear Monitoring: Enhancing Asset Performance and Reducing Risks

In modern industry, where efficiency and risk mitigation are paramount, the monitoring and maintenance of critical assets stand as a cornerstone of operational success. Among these assets, medium to high-voltage switchgear is pivotal, safeguarding essential electrical systems within facilities. Ntokozo Nkosi, the Data Centre Manager at Martec, offers insights into the intricate world of switchgear monitoring and the indispensable role it plays in ensuring operational continuity.

At the heart of Martec’s approach lies a profound understanding of the imperatives driving modern organisations: achieving optimal asset performance while minimising costs and risks. Nkosi elucidates, “To create a real competitive advantage, an organisation must achieve optimum performance from its asset base while reducing costs and risks. Martec understands this uncompromising need and has developed a functionally rich portfolio of solutions for organisations wanting to take up this challenge.”

Switchgear, with its intricate components and critical function, demands meticulous attention. Nkosi delineates the anatomy of switchgear, highlighting its three primary sections: the cable termination points, the circuit breaker compartment, and the bus bar sections. Partial discharge (PD) is particularly concerning, a phenomenon implicated in approximately 85% of switchgear faults. Understanding the nuances of PD is imperative for effective monitoring and maintenance strategies.

Nkosi expounds on the diverse origins of PD within switchgear. Conductive contamination, foreign objects, humidity, and moisture ingress can lead to surface tracking discharges, resulting in electrical treeing and insulation degradation. Contact type discharges or partial arcing, a term coined by Martec, manifest as localised electrical discharges at interfaces within the switchgear. These discharges can stem from various issues, including lousy circuit breaker contacts and inadequate air gaps.

Terminations, crucial connection points within switchgear, are particularly susceptible to PD activity due to installation challenges and environmental factors. Nkosi underscores the importance of meticulous installation, highlighting that it is not just a task but a critical step to prevent internal PD activity and maintain operational integrity.

When PD activity is detected, crucial questions arise, necessitating advanced technologies for accurate diagnosis and remediation. Martec, with its proactive approach, employs the Partial Discharge Frequency System Analyzer (PDFSA), a cutting-edge technology that identifies, locates, and quantifies electrical discharges within switchgear and terminations. This sophisticated tool enables analysts to discern PD activity’s type, location, and severity, facilitating informed decision-making regarding maintenance and repair.

Nkosi sheds light on the intricacies of PDFSA, elucidating its methodology and capabilities. By capturing PD pulses with a wide frequency range of up to 200MHz, PDFSA enables analysts to discern between internal PD, tracking, contact, and corona discharges. Through meticulous analysis of frequency domain spectra, analysts can pinpoint the source of PD activity within the switchgear assembly, empowering proactive maintenance strategies.

In addition to PDFSA, Martec leverages advanced technologies to separate background noise from actual PD patterns, further enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficacy.

In conclusion, the monitoring and management of switchgear represent a critical imperative for organisations seeking to optimise asset performance and mitigate operational risks. Through deploying advanced technologies and meticulous diagnostic methodologies, Martec stands at the forefront of innovation, empowering organisations to navigate the complexities of switchgear maintenance with confidence and precision.


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