Wesfarmer CSBP

CSBP specified the need of new Class A Power Quality Analysers for the measurement of harmonics and disturbances on its medium voltage network at its facility in Kwinana, WA. In the event of a network (operated by Western Power, DSO) disturbance or issue, CSBP had identified it was unable to determine or capture the key data from the existing site SCADA and switchboard protection relays the amplitude, duration or extent of the disturbance. CSBP have experienced process plant trips or operational issues relating to disturbances and have spent excessive time in determining the cause of such trips.

CSBP Senior Electrical Engineer, Dave Young comments “Our earlier process relied on making contact with Western Power to confirm if there have been any network events. Generally, the response was to confirm that there has been a trip within their system, but CSBP were unable to accurately confirm the overall impact (in terms of voltage dip/swell or frequency deviation) of the disturbance to their facility network.”

Earlier electrical faults on CSBPs internal 22kV network have resulted in unexplained trips and equipment failures across the facility. CSBP’s existing SCADA system was not able to confirm if the fault had caused these trips or failures as it had neither the high-speed resolution nor the reach to record the event.

As a result of the past events CSBP selected and performed the installation of Metrum PQX3 Class A Power Quality monitoring devices that have allowed CSBP to:

1. Monitor key feeders for system disturbances and faults both upstream and downstream of the recorder
2. Provide information that advises the user the location or source of a disturbance
3. Measure and record any harmonics, disturbances or transients on feeders.

Jonas Lindholm the Principal Consultant for Metrum´s local partner KingHill is very excited to its first installation in WA and to work with CSBP. He says: “We are happy to have been selected in a tender process with CSBP! It has been a great journey to work closely with the CSBP team to get the best set up in place for this installation to ensure we capture the PQ Disturbance as well as fulfil all Cyber Security requirements!”.

Having had the PQ meter running for few months, CSBP Senior Electrical Engineer, Dave Young is very happy with its capability and the support his team has from the solution. “We are very happy with the installation so far as it has captured a few incidents already and instantly gave us the report of the events that have occurred. The analytical platform is user-friendly and yet versatile so one can easily manipulate and analyse data from several sources if needed!”.

Additionally, going forward CSBP will utilise the equipment to monitor the Power Quality of the network and analyse the data extracted to assist CSBP with improving the network to gain efficiencies and power usage cost reductions.