Sparks Electrical News May 2018

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

18

JOHNSON CONTROLS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN SOUTH AFRICA

120 HZ INFRARED CAMERA FOR THE SOLAR INDUSTRY

duce some of its new, innovative products. Says Cameron, “We have introduced the Hitachi Sigma range of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems, which sets a new standard for energy effi- cient cooling, as well as the York YZ Magnetic Bear- ing Centrifugal Chiller, which turns conventional chiller design on its head through a combination of innovation and expertise. We have recently intro- duced the market to our revolutionary smart Glas thermostat, which combines Microsoft intelligence with Johnson control design.” The Hitachi Set Free Σ range of indoor and outdoor cooling and heating systems is extremely energy efficient, boasting up to 39% energy sav- ings compared to traditional HVAC systems. The range also offers flexible design options and low CO 2 emissions. York’s new YZ Magnetic Bear- ing Centrifugal Chiller introduces a host of firsts to the HVAC industry, including Variable-Speed Drive, Magnetic Bearing Driveline, and Falling Film Evaporator, which reduces refrigerant charge up to 60% when compared to other flooded, low- pressure refrigerant designs. The system also leverages a next generation low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant.

JOHNSON CONTROLS, a global diversified technology and multi-industrial leader, is celebrat- ing 50 years in South Africa, creating intelligent buildings, efficient energy solutions, integrated infrastructure and next generation air conditioning systems. To commemorate this milestone, Johnson Controls hosted an exclusive event at the O.R. Tambo Premier Hotel for its customers, partners and affiliates. Several speakers, including John- son Controls’ General Manager for Africa, Neil Cameron, President of EMELA, Jeff Williams, and VP and General Manager of MEA, Claude Allain, took guests on a visual journey through Johnson Controls’ prominent history, partnerships and in- novations – including a few exciting new develop- ments. After a rousing introduction by Cameron, in which he thanked customers, partners and em- ployees – both past and present – for the legacy that has grown into the successful enterprise that is Johnson Controls South Africa, Williams, took the stage to elaborate on Johnson Controls’ con- tinuing investment in South Africa. “We are proud of the sustainable growth we continue to see in South Africa, thanks in no small part to customers who believe in our value proposition,” said Williams. “There is still a huge growth opportunity for us as we pour unprec- edented investments into products and tech- nology geared towards this market and look for ways in which we can better serve our partners and customers over the next fifty years.” Allain touched on Johnson Controls’ growing portfolio, investment in branches, channels and capabili- ties, and strategic acquisitions of brands such as Tyco and Hitachi as intrinsic to Johnson Controls’ success. Johnson Controls used the opportunity to intro-

P rocess and product temperature is an important physical indicator within al- most every industrial manufacturing process. This applies to the solar industry, too. Instrotech's Optris infrared cameras, used for industrial services, are achieving higher im- portance within the solar industry due to new developments in the area of infrared sens- ing technology, specifically the compact and fast PI160 for visualising and monitoring the process, production and monitoring of solar modules. The unit relies on numerous thermal processes. The temperature allocation of wafers for the production of solar modules is captured during string brazing. This assures a reliable and efficient assembly process. Temperature measurement takes place on the silicium surface, which is connected to the braze point. This is how the quality of the homoge- neity of the brazing is measured. Challenges during the monitoring of the brazing processes are: the adequate local resolution and the temporally resolution, as the heating of the braze points can happen in less than a second. With a resolution of 160 x 120 pixels as well as a frame rate of 120 Hz for the whole picture, Optris PI160 IR camera is designed to measure according to these specs. A further area of application for the Op- tris PI160 thermal imaging camera is the thermal monitoring of laminating processes after the single wafer has been brazed to a

string. A process report based on thermal monitoring can provide consistent tempera- ture allocations across the panel area during the heating and cooling down phase. Thus the laminating process will be less stressful for the solar cells and the laminating film, and the rate of defective panels can be sig- nificantly decreased. Another inspection method is ‘Dark Lock- In Thermography’. The solar cell is connect- ed with the power supply unit and will then react with heat emission. The thermographi- cal camera can support the localisation of areas with low product quality by measuring the surface temperature. Modern thermal imaging cameras are extremely compact and feature a high im- age frame rate of 120 Hz. It is therefore easy to integrate the user’s established auditing method into the ongoing processes, with concurrent testing times.

Enquiries: +27 (0) 11 921 7141

Neil Cameron

Enquiries: sales@instrotech.co.za

GENSETS KEEP FARMS RUNNING SMOOTHLY IN OUTAGES

A ny type of power outage, no mat- ter how short, can place crops and farm animals at risk – which is why a reliable source of backup power has become vital for agricultural operations to operate efficiently and safely. Power disruptions on farms are even more damaging due to the economic pressures and the difficulty of surviving

imperative for every farm to have a sustainable and secure supply of energy. The good news is that solutions are available. A good, dependable backup diesel power generator set – or genset – can effectively keep everything running smoothly

even more vulnerable to power cuts and damaged power lines, as electricity supply generally takes longer to restore – thereby aggravating the impact on normal farm activities. The result is that agriculture – likemany industries – can experience catastrophic consequences as a result of power outages, and this has made it a business

in this ever-changing market sector. Today, there are many factors outside of the farmer’s control that can affect profitability. Modern farming methods are increasingly assisted by a range of automated equipment that relies on a steady supply of electricity to do its work. The rural and often isolated setting in which many farms operate makes them

until mains power is restored. Industry experts like the Zest WEG Group offer the experience and capacity to design and

Integrated packages that include mechanical and electrical manufacture and assembly as well as electronic design incorporating in-house control panel manufacture, are available. The company also provides supply and installation of transformers, cabling, bulk fuel systems and sound attenuation with standby generators on a turnkey basis, together with project management, installation, commissioning and maintenance. Zest WEG Group’s power generator offering comes in three ranges: the value range; the premier range; and the custom range. The value range is a cost effective 10 kVA to 2 250 kVA 50 Hz/60 Hz solution with the option of FAW, Doosan or Mitsubishi engines. The premier range is also made up of 10 kVA to 3 350 kVA 50 Hz/60 Hz units, but with engine offerings from Perkins, Volvo, Scania, Cummins, MTU and Deutz. The custom range is tailor-made for customers, built and installed for their specific applications.

provide high quality agricultural generator solutions with top engine brands, for reliable backup or continuous power in various farming applications. The right solution begins with making the appropriate generator selection, by considering the load size, voltages, running cycles, access to site and delivery constraints. The Zest WEG Group – which locally manufactures generator sets at its Cape Town facility – offers fit-for-purpose solutions that are either standard off-the-shelf units or custom-built for specific applications. Zest gensets can be supplied in stationary or mobile configurations from 10 kVA up to 3 350 kVA – and their capacity can be increased upwards with multiple synchronised sets. All generator sets are supported by customised service and maintenance agreements.

Enquiries: www.zestweg.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MAY 2018