by Chris Yelland, managing director, EE Business Intelligence
. On Friday 20 March 2019, South Africa’s national energy regulator, Nersa, published two draft determinations by Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe in terms of Section 34 (1) of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA). These so-called draft “S34 determinations” are the first step in the process of procurement of new electricity generation capacity in […]by Pete Pomeroy and Stirling Marais, Cosine Developments
This article explains the pitfalls in providing DC or a modified sinewave to drive LEDs in emergency mode. Many LED luminaires have built-in drivers, so emergency gear must either simulate mains or attempt to drive the LED with DC power. Lower-power LEDs with low power factors are easiest to drive due to their simple circuitry. […]by Bjorn Smidt-Hart, SMEC South Africa
Public lighting is one of the services most visually seen by the general public within a city (though it almost goes unnoticed). Lighting provides a sense of visual safety and security. This improved sense of safety and security will often lead to an increase and further promotion of community activities, events, sport, trade, industry and […]by Heinz Lendenmann, Reza Rajabi Moghaddam, Ari Tammi and Lars-Erik Thand, ABB
Synchronous motors controlled by variable-speed drives are bringing higher efficiencies to industrial applications. Most applications have a need for efficiency and for the longest possible lifetime while not increasing maintenance demands or failures. ABB’s synchronous reluctance motors are physically smaller in size, helping machine builders design smaller, lighter, and more efficient equipment. The possibility of […]by Colin Hargis, Control Techniques
AC VSDs generate earth leakage currents which can cause nuisance tripping of RCDs, earth leakage breakers and others. Simple electrical devices such as motors and heaters have no connection between the AC power circuit and the earth (PE) connection. The earth connection is there to keep the device safe in the event of a short […]by Grant Renecle, Combustion Technology
Energy efficiency has become a distinguishing factor when selecting boiler for an industrial application. Considering that manufacturers are only required to prove that their products conform to the maximum continuous rating (MCR), it begs the question, how many actually offer efficiency? While the environmental discussion has had a slower offtake in Africa than in the […]by DR Alan Wainwright Lake, Chemserve Oleochemicals, 1975
From the ICMEESA Archive Problems encountered and the factors involved in the development of a successful protective formulation. The protective formulation is particularly important when shipment is over long distances and the steel is held in stock for extended periods, often under unsatisfactory conditions. This article discusses the problems encountered and the physical, chemical and […]Information from Comtest
Concern for public safety and the increasing complexity of fixed electrical installations place extra responsibility on electrical test engineers. It is therefore important to have suitable test tools for carrying out the stringent tests imposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC). IEC 60364 and its various associated […]by Ivan Grobbelaar, DEHN Africa
To understand the need for surge protection, it is important to understand how lightning causes damage. The sources of lightning damage are quite different, and we use different types of mitigation technique and equipment to protect different items. There are two areas of concern when evaluating a building or structure, namely the structure itself, and […]