With a useful life that varies between 25 and 30 years, UFVs (photovoltaic plants) face numerous O&M (operation and maintenance) challenges that can globally impact economic results.
This article narrates an exceptional case carried out by Proauto Electric in a photovoltaic plant located in Minas Gerais, highlighting how we used new technology to identify and remedy faults in an agile, efficient and economically viable way.
Find out how the intersection between advanced technology and Proauto Electric's specialization will redefine the paradigm of O&M management in UFVs.
Insulation failures are common
Fault detection and classification in photovoltaic plants are essential to maintain system reliability.
An insulation failure occurs when the barrier between electrically charged components and earth is compromised. This can occur due to wear, aging or damage to the insulators, which can result in leakage currents and negatively impact the system's efficiency.
Therefore, immediate and precise action is essential for mitigation, accident prevention, reduction of loss of energy generated and negative impact on revenue.
What is the market solution to this problem?
If the failure is associated with essential components, such as inverters and cables, and the assessment indicates damage, replacement of this equipment is generally practiced by the market.
For example, if an insulation and grounding fault is identified in a 40m length of cabling, the industry standard today is to replace the entire 40m of cable. A failure of this caliber is extremely negative for the economic balance of a Plant, especially at the beginning of its useful life.
To give you an idea, market practice is to completely shut down the corresponding operational sector, excavate the entire length of the faulty cabling, replacing the equipment, and then bury it again and reconnect the system.
This entire process can cost tens of thousands of reais, from hours worked to the cost of the equipment itself, including the interruption of energy generation, which also has a financial impact.
What Proauto Electric did differently
The strategic collaboration with Bender, combined with Proauto Electric's expertise, is paving the way for a smarter and more proactive approach to organizing and maintaining photovoltaic plants, representing a significant milestone in the renewable energy sector.
Fault location
Locating the circuit where the failure occurred is a relatively simple task in Photovoltaic Plants, as, with proper monitoring, it is possible to automatically identify the failure at the moment it occurs.
A much more difficult task, however, is to precisely locate where the cabling has cracked. With this diagnosis and precise location, changing all grounding cabling becomes unnecessary.
Proauto Electric carried out a pre-location test and identified the fault approximately 37m from the inverter. The exact location was made in sequence and the point was marked with a stake marked with zebra tape.
Repair done accurately
Based on the assessment results, we identified the specific section of buried cable that was compromised. This helped us decide that the most appropriate approach was to carry out a localized repair.
We started excavating the cabling at the exact point of the failure, which saved a lot of time and labor hours. Then, we continue with the insulation and repair of the cable, returning it to its operational state
This Bender technology, combined with Proauto Electric expertise, allowed the repair to be carried out without delay, saving important time and resources.
Advantages and benefits of the new approach
Proauto Electric is committed to its customers and business partners, and is also a great promoter of innovation and new technologies that can benefit everyone involved.
Therefore, we have listed some advantages of the localized repair approach.
Huge savings in time and resources
It can be said that grounding and cable installation defects are among the most difficult to resolve, not because of their complexity, but because of the number of hours worked on excavation, replacement and subsequent grounding. The localized approach saves weeks of working hours.
Reduction in the idle period of energy generation
With the Plant in a suspended state during the failure, energy generation enters an idle period, which directly impacts the economic results of the solar park. By reducing downtime, localized repair allows you to minimize the effects of these failures.
Durability Maintenance
Localized repair returns the durability of the cabling to its original state, maintaining the stability and robustness of the equipment, without any harm to energy generation.
Global economy
With the localized repair solution, the expected savings for the Plant are incomparable. From working hours for excavation and identification of faults, to the cost of cables and the reduction of idle time, this type of repair causes unprecedented savings in this type of service.
The opinions and information expressed are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the author. Canal Solar.
