CASE STUDY
Commissioning Complex Deep Sea Electronics Power Controls and Custom HMI for Coca-Cola Beverages Africa
Project Background & Client Profile
Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) engaged in a project to install significant backup generation capacity at its Midrand and Wadeville facilities. The installation, managed by Electric Storm, features four 2000kVA Perkins engines per site. Hagar Distribution handled the critical settings and commissioning of the Deep Sea Electronics (DSE) control hardware. Our role was to program the power management scheme and develop the operator interface, addressing complex integration challenges.
Project Requirements
The primary challenge emerged at the Midrand site, which features two physical 11kV Incomers and two DSE8660MKII controllers. The inherent architectural constraint of the DSE86xxMKII series is that it is limited to governing power flow using only one utility incomer. This constraint meant the site’s full capacity of two 11kV Incomers could not be fully managed within a single, unified power management scheme, necessitating one DSE8660MKII to be inactive at any time. This design limitation arose from the initial controller selection, where a more capable series (DSE G-Series) would have been preferable.
(Note: The Wadeville site, having a simpler single 6.6kV incomer design, did not face the same control system limitation).
Project Requirements
The key objectives included:
- Successfully synchronising and load-sharing the four 2000kVA generators.
- Integrating the generators with the utility supply (11kV at Midrand, 6kV at Wadeville).
- Implementing robust protection interlocks for personnel and equipment safety.
- Developing a single, intuitive operator interface to manage the entire power plant, overcoming the complexity of interacting with multiple individual DSE controllers.
The Solution
Hagar Distribution provided a dual solution focusing on control and visibility:
- DSE Control Implementation: We commissioned the 4 x DSE8610MKII controllers to manage the Generator Circuit Breakers (GCB1 – GCB4) for synchronisation and precise load sharing. We integrated critical safety inputs, such as the “Trip from MV ABB Relay REF615” input to the DSE8610MKII, which ensures MV protection trips immediately shut down the LV generators.
- M812 HMI Development: We developed a custom site overview/control display using a DSE M812 display per site. This HMI provides a single point of control and monitoring.
Implementation
The physical setup involved the four containerised generators supplying power to the LV Busbars before being stepped up via 3 x Gen Tx transformers (Tx 1, Tx 2, Tx 3) to 11kV.
- Solving the Visibility Hurdle: The DSE M812 HMI was programmed to visually represent the entire power flow via a mimic screen. It clearly displays Mains Status (11kV Mains Voltage, kW Mains Power) and the load flow across the generators, GCBs, step-up transformers, and the connection to the Load.
- Centralised Control: The HMI provides essential control functions such as “Island Mode” and “Test Off Load” control buttons.
- Instrumentation: The display aggregates specific generator data, including the kWh of accumulated energy for Generators 1 through 4.
Results & Impact
The implementation resulted in a functional, synchronised, and highly protected generator system. The key impact was the success of the DSE M812 HMI in mitigating the complexity of the DSE controller architecture.
- The DSE M812 display successfully delivers a single-screen, user-friendly interface for operators, ensuring quick and safe operation.
- The clear visual representation of status and load flow streamlines diagnostics and decision-making for CCBSA
- The system includes critical protection assurance, with MV relay trips hardwired to cascade shutdowns, ensuring robust safety.
Client Experience
“Our experience at CCBSA was defined by Hagar Distribution’s technical problem-solving. Despite the constraint of the chosen DSE86xxMKII controllers, Hagar delivered a functional, unified system. The entire system commissioning process was professional and adhered to our stringent safety standards.”
“What stood out was the development of the DSE M812 HMI. This custom solution completely mitigated the complexity of managing multiple individual DSE units. The mimic screen’s clear representation of power flow and instrumentation is a game-changer for our operators. Hagar’s deep expertise as DSE agents was evident in their programming and safety interlock integration.“
Would you recommend Hagar? – “Yes, particularly for complex, multi-set synchronisation projects, as their ability to commission sophisticated power management and provide crucial custom HMI interfaces is invaluable.“
Future Plans
Next Steps/Follow-on Projects:
Now that the initial Midrand and Wadeville systems are stable, a planned next step is the long-term review of the Midrand incomer architecture. This is to potentially integrate the second 11kV incomer fully, which may require an eventual upgrade to a DSE G-Series controller or a similar controller with dual-incomer master capability, as initially identified.
Long-Term Support
The current system, particularly the custom DSE M812 interface, will be crucial in supporting the business’s long-term energy security. The monitoring provided by this HMI, including accumulated energy (kWh) data, will be essential for maintenance planning and operational efficiency tracking for all four 2000kVA generators.
