Electricity and Control May 2024

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE

in underserved communities in the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. In one project, as part of a partnership between the CSIR, the UNDP, AL Baraka Bank and AdNotes, a high-tech computer laboratory has been set up at Olwandle High School in Gamalakhe, located outside of Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal. The initiative benefits learners in a resource-limited context, enabling them to gain exposure to the digital age for the first time. To further support ICT-based SMMEs owned by youth and women, the CSIR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SEACOM South Africa Ltd, a prominent global internet service provider. The collaboration will offer direct internet access, national private lines, co-location services and cloud solutions to the beneficiaries. In other projects supporting local industrialisation the CSIR highlights the work it is doing with Eskom, Transnet Engineering, and in developing digital twin technology for trackless mobile machinery. The CSIR and Eskom are collaborating in the develop ment of laser shock processes for the South African pow er generation sector. In a first outcome of the partnership, engineers developed a prototype laser shock processing platform. Using this platform, they applied laser shock pro cess technology to the attachment area of a turbine blade, known as a fir-tree root. Low pressure steam turbine blades are about one metre long, and rotate at about 3 000 revo lutions per minute in a wet steam environment at around 42°C. The highly stressed area around the blade attach ment can become susceptible to failure factors such as fatigue and stress corrosion cracking. Conventionally, ben eficial compressive residual stresses are introduced by me chanical shot peening. Laser shock peening has emerged as an attractive technology for cases where shock peening may be inadequate. It provides for the lifetime of the metal components to be extended and the resilience to failure improved. Extending the lifetime of components, which are costly, means they require less frequent replacement. The process thus offers advantages over the current mechani cal shot peening process. The breakthroughs in laser shock processes enable significant advances in critical turbine infrastructure oper ations, in turn contributing to improved energy generation and reduced operational costs. Condition monitoring for locomotives on track The CSIR has been working with Transnet Engineering since 2015 to develop a condition monitoring system to track the performance and health of locomotives. In March 2023, the research team delivered 30 production units to Transnet Freight Rail. As part of the collaboration, the CSIR provided Transnet Engineering with data packs, equipping the state-owned Improving durability in power generation components

Based on development work done with the CSIR, Transnet Engineering aims to become an original equipment manufacturer of locomotive condition monitoring units for the industry. company to manufacture its own locomotive condition monitoring units. The data accumulated by the locomotive monitoring systems helps to predict when the locomotive and its equipment will require maintenance and to identify any potential issues before they become critical. Transnet intends to become an original equipment manufacturer of the products used in the locomotive condition monitor ing system, leading innovation in the railway industry. The collaboration is guided by a Memorandum of Agreement between the CSIR and Transnet. Under this agreement, fu ture upgrades to the system are planned, ensuring that the technology remains cutting-edge and adaptable to evolv ing industry needs. The partnership extends its focus be yond the current systems to the joint development of other ground-breaking systems. The CSIR has developed a near real-time digital risk pre diction tool to help prevent collisions of trackless mobile machinery in the mining industry. The tool has been de veloped with industry inputs to reduce and potentially eliminate vehicle accidents, which have been the second largest contributor to fatalities in the South African mining industry for over a decade. The tool uses fourth industrial revolution technologies such as big data analysis, artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital twin technology to evaluate the risk associated with vehicle interaction. The tool provides data-driven insights into driver behaviour and existing control measures to enable the continuous im provement of trackless mobile machinery safety and pro ductivity and thus to develop possible scenarios for opti mised mining operations. The CSIR made significant progress during a pilot study of the technology at a South African open cast mine. The study contributed to safety improvements through opti mised mining traffic management plans and operational ef ficiencies by generating insights into vehicle performance data. The organisation is collaborating with the mining in dustry to determine a commercialisation approach for the successful uptake of the tool in the industry. Digital twin technology for trackless mobile machinery

For more information visit: www.csir.co.za

MAY 2024 Electricity + Control

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