KEC’s new Tower Testing Station: A big leap in technology - 04/01/2010
Mumbai, April 01, 2010 : KEC International, the transmission and project consulting company of the Rs 15,000 crore RPG Group, has announced the setting up of a state-of-the-art new Tower Testing station at Butibori, Nagpur. The test station is the largest of its kind in the world.
The new station is a significant step by the company towards retaining its position as global leader in Power Transmission. Costing over Rs. 40 crore, the test station is also the most advanced using latest computer technology, SCADA system and PROFIBUS controls.
The facility will be inaugurated on April 2, 2010 by Mr. S. K Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director of Power Grid Corporation of India. The first tower tested at the facility is to be used in India’s first 1200 kV transmission line running between Wardha and Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
Speaking about the facility, Mr. Ramesh Chandak, Managing Director & CEO of KEC said “The new test station would facilitate validation of the largest towers ever designed for the country’s futuristic Extra High Voltage energy network. The EHV line would facilitate evacuation of power through the chicken neck area connecting the North East states to rest of the country.”
About KEC International Ltd.
KEC International Ltd. is a global leader in the power transmission EPC business. With global operations spanning over 20 countries, the company is present in India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Australia among other countries. It has so far built power transmission lines spanning a length more than the circumference of the earth.
About RPG Enterprise.
RPG Enterprises is one of India’s leading business groups with a turnover of Rs 15,000 crore. RPG Enterprises has a presence in sectors like Power, Tyre, Retail, IT, Transmission, Carbon Black, Specialty & Entertainment.
Technical Details:-
- The state of the art facility is capable of testing Power Transmission towers up to 35X35 m base dimensions, 100 m high and with voltage rating up to 1200 kV
- The design of enormous steel girders embedded and anchored into the vast concrete foundation allows testing of all shapes of towers including the futuristic mono poles for high voltage transmission
- Built in an area of 65,000 Sq. m, the test bed can be subjected to compression or uplift load up to 1250 tons
- 125 tons of load can be exerted at each of a maximum of 52 points simultaneously on the tower
- Test station is automated with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system controlled by a microprocessor
- Load setting is programmable and data recording and analysis is fully computerized
- Variable Frequency Drives and PROFIBUS controls contribute to precise, fast and simultaneous control of a series of motorized load exerting equipment
- Load cell calibration is automated and all signal and control commands are through a single high speed Optical Fiber Cable employing ring topology for redundancy
- The built-in sophistication allows remote diagnostics
- The test controls are both customer and operator friendly. Touch Panels for Transverse, Vertical and Longitudinal loading points help the operator to program all test parameters in advance.
- 42" LCD Monitors allow the customers to visualize tower loading simultaneously in all three directions.
- Two remotely controlled video cameras capable of optical and digital zooming record continuously the behavior of tower during the testing .
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- Largest of its kind in the world
- Most advanced, using SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) and PRFIBUS(Process Field Bus) automation
- Inaugural test tower to be used in India’s first 1200 kV line between Wardha and Aurangabad
- 1200 kV transmission to reduce power losses in addition to narrowing the power corridor for the lines
