Remote Monitoring

Smart Analytics Lead to Improved Operations & Reduced Business Risks

The efficient operation of an entire power plant depends upon the condition of its critical equipment. Good condition monitoring is essential in order to detect defects early on and carry out predictive maintenance. MegaSatCom has both the knowledge and tools needed to effectively monitor plant components and advise on the appropriate corrective actions to take in order to improve their reliability. We provide surveillance service from our SNC Remote Center.

MegaSatCom services and solutions to support the best monitoring tools to use for their specific situations and needs, including the parameters that need to be monitored and the most appropriate location(s) for sensor installation.

Solutions for specialized condition monitoring tools include:

Generators
Transformers (including those at industrial sites)
Combustion dynamics in gas turbines
Wind turbines

Condition monitoring services help operators save significant amounts of money by avoiding unplanned stoppages:

Early fault detection – Monitoring enables us to identify problems at an early stage so that they can be addressed before costly damage occurs.
Predictive maintenance and condition-based maintenance – The condition monitoring of in-service equipment helps predict when and which type of maintenance should be performed.

MegaSatCom offers the full range of power plant monitoring services, including remote monitoring. Our experts follow up on alarms, anticipate problems, immediately inform plant operators of potential issues, and advise them on the necessary maintenance interventions.

Solar Farm – Remote Monitoring

There is growing demand for technology that enhances the operation, security, monitoring and maintenance of solar farms. MegaSatCom has been able to offer solar farm operators a tool that keeps them informed about the solar farm’s productivity. Should a fault arise, the tool can identify the precise location so that it can be resolved quickly, helping to reduce maintenance costs. Solar farm security from a market-leader in remote CCTV monitoring.

Solar farms face a unique set of risks and are increasingly being targeted by thieves.

Solar panel theft is an increasing concern. One farmer, who lost 192 solar panels to theft, was quoted in Farmer’s Weekly saying, “My advice to other farmers is put security higher up your priority list…I just wonder if this might be the start of a crime wave.”

So what can you do to stop your solar farm becoming a target for criminals?

There is growing pressure on the solar industry to supply up-to-date information on the generation of power and the identification of potential faults, and as most solar farms are unmanned, remote monitoring is essential. Plant operators are able to monitor production in real-time and this knowledge gives security and confidence in the plant’s operation, setting a benchmark for environmental sustainability in solar farm operation.

In the event of a fault or a blown fuse at a solar farm, the ITS will detect a voltage drop and transmit its readings to a control centre. The voltage drop will set off an alarm and identify exactly where the fault lies, prompting a technician to visit the site with the right equipment and spares to rectify it – all without having to undertake an on-site investigation.

Goals

Maintain equipment per industry standards
Monitor equipment to proactively spot failures
Reduce the operations and maintenance costs
Maximize total cost of ownership Avoid lead times

Critical Assets

Main Power Transformers
Circuit Breakers – Transformer High Side (SF6) – Transformer Low Side (Vacuum)
VAR Compensation Systems – Dynamic (DSTATCOM) – Static (Filter, Capacitor and Reactor Banks)
Motor Operated Disconnects (MOD)
Station Batteries
Relays
Turbine
Solar Panels (DC)

Motivations

Real time information
Improve understanding of ‘true’ asset condition
Support asset related decisions – short and long term Expected benefits
Reliability improvement – can reduce the risk of an un-scheduled outage.
Failure avoidance costs: – Equipment replacement costs – Safety & Environmental penalties and fines – O & M Costs
Capital investment deferment
O&M cost reduction

Wind Farm Remote Monitoring

To guarantee a sustainable and safe power supply, wind turbines must reliably produce energy every day under extreme conditions and therefore should be controlled and monitored efficiently and in a real-time basis. Ensuring reliable communication and remote control of hundreds of wind turbines located in large areas becomes even more difficult when considering the severe environmental conditions and temperature variations under which they operate.

Endurance’s Remote Interface Centre lets you check wind speed and see exactly what your turbine is doing, anytime, anywhere. ERIC provides real-time performance data on your computer, tablet or smartphone. This enables users to monitor their turbine’s operational status, live energy production, power output, wind speed, check detailed historical data and offset carbon emissions while operating securely on a VPN network.

The SCADA system can run on a computer in the control room of the wind park or it can run on any internet-connected computer accessing the wind park using TCP/IP.

The SCADA solution provides advanced report generation features. Graphical presentations are used for maximum overview.

Main features of the SCADA system

Park overview
Park control
Turbine overview
Turbine control
Log viewer
Report Generator

Park overview
The park overview of the SCADA system provides a graphical overview of the wind park indicating the status of each individual turbine. Furthermore, current wind and production data are shown.

Park control
The park overview makes it possible to start/stop the entire wind park, clusters of turbines or individual wind turbines. Furthermore, the park control can be used for setting production limits for the wind park.

Turbine overview
The turbine overview of the SCADA system gives a full overview of all relevant parameters of the wind turbine, for instance temperatures, pitch angle, electrical parameters, rotor speed, yaw system, etc.

Log Viewer
The SCADA system features a flexible browsing of the log data of the wind turbine. All relevant log data are accessible and can be sorted by different parameters.

Report generator
The report generator of the SCADA system makes it possible to make all relevant reports based on the log data. The reports can be graphically presented to provide the best possible overview.