Case Study

Power Factor and Current Unbalance Correction in an Automotive plant that shared an electrical substation.

Problem

Company dedicated to the manufacture of engine heads for automobiles located in Saltillo Coahuila. This international company has 4 branches in Mexico and branches in the United States.

Its main problem was the non-compliance with two of the parameters of the Grid Code:

  • Power Factor: Because they did not have enough reactive compensation equipment to reach a satisfactory value.
  • Current unbalance: Due to the load's own unbalance as they had certain types of furnaces, which caused variability in the unbalance.

They faced the following challenges:

  • Limited available area: The area for the installation of the equipment was complicated, so it was necessary to carry out a creative civil and electromechanical engineering to not only accommodate the equipment, but also to adapt it aesthetically.
  • Parameter Compliance: Comply with Grid Code requirements in Power Factor and Unbalance parameters.
  • Double requirements: The company was adjacent to a larger company in the same industry with which it shared a substation, which complicated the execution of the project due to safety issues. Therefore, we had to comply with the safety, electrical installation and civil works criteria of both companies during the project.

Distance between the main power supply and the main equipment: It was very long, which complicated the installation both in terms of power and control.

Challenges

Products

Solution

  • We successfully fulfilled everything proposed to the client.
  • The work was never delayed despite the complexity of the case due to the permits and accesses required for its execution.
  • Compliance with the Power Factor during practically 100% of the time.
  • Reduction of the Unbalance to satisfactory levels.
  • New technology that will serve the client in the medium term in its future power and reactive power quality requirements.
  • The client was satisfied with the installation in the aesthetic aspect, since a good use of the space in the plant was made.

At Diram we provide new power electronics solutions that adapt to the industry to help you comply with the Grid Code.

Results

Based on a study conducted by us in 2018 where these non-compliances had been previously detected, we proposed an equipment capable of helping the plant to comply with the guidelines of the Grid Code.

We chose the STATCOM for its particularity of complying with various electrical parameters, including Power Factor and Unbalance.

The proposal was submitted and the project began. However, as we progressed we realized that the client lacked certain requirements for its implementation, which we helped him to successfully conclude the project.