AS_TD_en_SAFE-Audit-Tools_1304

A white paper issued by: Siemens.

© Siemens AG 2013. All rights reserved

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White Paper | 19 April 2013

This white paper is to describe the use of SAFE Audits for Electrical Equipments. This method

is helpful in order to determine the existing conditions and the remaining life expectancy of all

types of equipment.

This document is published for customers.

Asset Services

SAFE™ Audits For Electrical Equipments

White paper | SAFE Audit for Electrical Equipment | 19 April 2013

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Scope of work .................................................................... 3 – 4

Procedures performing an Audit ........................................ 5–8

SAFETM

– Siemens Audit for Energy ............................... 9–10

SAFETM

– A Short Overview:

Reach and Application .................................................... 11–13

Extended Diagnostic Testing Examples ...............................14

Contents


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Scope of work

Involved in performing a Substation Audit

The assessor will determine the condition, scope of work and

any other alternative requirements of the plant & equipment

considered as “assets” and divide & report on these individual-

ly, if required, based on various levels of critical importance of

the system, incorporating their level of importance, based on

the details extracted from the plant and equipment single line

diagrams, the source of the supply, the normal ongoing produc-

tion of plant and equipment in conjunction with the availability

of critical spares etc., that fall into, or are part of the service

level agreement and also the various requirements that are

linked to the system in maintaining a constant source of supply.

Audits for Medium Voltage Switchgear & Substations in-

clude the following base-line scope of work:

1. Firstly by a visual inspection, the Auditor will be required to do the following:

Siemens audits for medium voltage switchgear and substations are suitable for any electricity utilities or companies as well as industrial companies and are based upon the following structure and scope of work:

Gathering of Sub-station details and important infor-

mation for the future planning of a professional service strategy and its requirements, and their best form of planning and execution of these, over time in order to save the customer the most OPEX costs and maximize

the life expectancy of their CAPEX investments.

Assessing the conditions of existing documentation

available, extent of equipment that should be included

for future observation and co-operatively setting up the

maintenance necessities of these requirements with the

clients own site staff.

The possibility after the completion of the above assess-

ments, of assisting the clients to draw up a proper and complete future maintenance strategy after the audit, which would usually be included in the final audit report for each substation.

The final plan, including the "selective inclusion re-

quired" by the client, would therefore be based on each

substations individual needs, equipment type and specif-

ic conditional assessment as derived by the audit.

Therefore the recommendations and individualized sub-

station Reports will provide for each stations individual maintenance requirements, and enable specifying the exact requirements this planning should entail into all their own medium voltage equipment and switchgear maintenance present in the sub-station that has been as-sessed.

The gathering of historical and technical information is

also a requirement, like existence of any maintenance procedures, records of any historical major faults, modi-fications, retrofit, drawing modifications and the accu-racy thereof, etc.

Medium voltage switchgear Visual Inspection with the

medium voltage switchgear in operation to evaluate the external condition, to measure values of built-in indica-tors and to identify ageing factors, as well as malfunc-tion of operating mechanisms, secondary system, etc.

Actual personal Safety regulations have to be observed strictly during performing an audit as switchgears and

“The assessor will determine

the condition, scope of work

and any other alternative re-

quiremens of the plant &

equipment”


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substations are subjected to modifications during their lifetime.

2. Secondly, by an individual equipment inspection, with the

equipment racked out and isolated, the Auditor would then be required to do the following:

This part of the audit is usually equipment specific, for

medium voltage switchgear and substations, as discussed in

the SAFE literature provided for GIS, Transformers,

Switchgear, Cables etc., this part of the Audit is followed as

per the standard SAFE™ audit requirements, pending what has

been pre-agreed with the Customer to be covered under the

scope and according to this, would normally include the

following:

In a Substation, this next stage of the inspection will

generally require that equipment is isolated and opened up for and internal analysis, assessment and inspection. In this case this would refer to switchgear or circuit breakers which would be racked out and fully mechani-cally inspected and checked.

There is a possibility here to also do extended diagnos-tics, this would usually be recommended to the client if there are mechanical irregularities observed that are

found, or determined during the mechanical checks and their criticalness.

This extended diagnostics would then also be able to be

offered on a cost plus basis, only as and when required, or as per our motivation, where it will still be the final consideration, or decision of the customer to accept and instruct the carrying out of any of these additionally recommended tests, based on their necessity and im-

portance.

A full physical check of all other equipment, usually by a

close internal, visual and functional inspection, as per the points that are required to be checked individually on equipment types, according to the SAFE tool re-quirements for every different piece of equipment that is covered by the SAFE™ Audit Tool.

Optional additional testing and functional checks and measurements are usually not included in the price as

forwarded to the client in the Extended Diagnostic cate-gories such as applicable SF6 analysis, PD measure-ments, thermography, electrical measurements, oil sam-ple tests, injection testing etc.

However if we, as a result of the outcome of an audit,

determine that this type of extended testing would be necessary or advised due to specific observations during the audits, we would recommend these to the client with

motivation in our reports, and provide with such reports the motivation including any additional costs or testing requirements that we would deem necessary.

In the above cases, it should be remembered that again,

the customer has the final decision to initiate and decide whether to go forward with any further testing, should this be required as per the various report outputs.

3. Thirdly, by finalizing these reports, the customer is giv-

en further options in minimizing their risk with ongoing

production, based on any final additional inspections or

test carried out in the above first and secondary stage, by

being presented with a final report after requesting addi-

tionally extended diagnostics, which will contain long

term solutions and rectifications to any of the problems

that may have been encountered, the Auditor would then be required to do the following:

This final stage of the audit is usually combined with very

specific testing and factual deductions extracted from test da-

ta, which will also be presented in professional report format.

The data would be derived from the specific equipment in-

spected and the factual results of all the tests recommended

and requested. The recommendations will then be made in

the final report and would also contain specific costing de-

tails and all the possible cost comparisons, the various op-

tions and cost analysis of these options side by side, that

would be possible i.e. (with the intention of exploring all

possibilities and saving costs where possible) that could be

implemented to resolve and fully repair all these problems,

with the best possible cost effective and full long-term solu-

tion.

To assess the details of the extended diagnostics and

testing, explore all possibilities of rectification or long term solutions, build a costs Vs costs comparative chart showing the various solutions that can be provided and the cost comparisons involved with each long term solu-tion, including the outage times and work requirement to implement such, estimating also the effect that this will have on production.


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Procedures

usually followed

in performing

an Audit

1. Identifying the Assets

Siemens staff will assist the

customer in determining

which assets should be includ-

ed in an assessment, these

could incorporate any sections

of the plant that are deter-

mined to fall under the re-

quired scope or as per prior

agreement, or as the complete

plant with all equipment in-

cluded.

The client also has the opportunity of specifying exactly what

and which type of assessment he would like to be carried out on

all areas and equipment of the plant. The levels of maintenance

and type of maintenance that should be done, can be as speci-

fied by the OEM requirements, or alternatively can be that, as

specified by the clients own needs, pending various other influ-

ential factors such as environmental or plant specifics. The

procedure involved in this process would be the requirement of

a detailed assessment of each asset.

2. Assessing the Assets

On completion of walking the

plant and having identified

with the customer, which

equipment should be included,

the equipment is then divided

up into a rating of importance

and necessity. In most cases

this is easily done using a

single line diagram. The client

identifies which equipment is

essential for maintaining ongo-

ing production in the plant, from the top source of the supply to

the very last feeder, including the level of importance of the

equipment that is supplied. Once these details have been dis-

cussed and identified, our technicians would assist the client in

establishing the peripherals / variables and overview of which

equipment is fundamental to production, including any second-

ary equipment, where an equipment failure could cause the loss

of any part of the plant or production.

The source of supply is also determined and it is calculated how

well the ring feed capabilities, if any, would suffice to bring

about any possibilities of maintaining power to the plant in the

event of any major failures. Once these details have been de-

termined from the single line drawings and plant configuration,

items are classed into categories of “level of importance”, in

relation to their status or conditions to maintain supply.

This information is then also checked for the availability of

spares and for the requirements of repair works, to re-instate the

equipment should it fail. It will also identify any critical condi-

tions or shortfalls and outline any risks detailing exactly what

can become critical and why.

3. Devising an Asset Risk Management Plan (Optional – not

included unless requested)

On completion of assessing the assets by level of importance, and replacement times / repair turn-around times, the next step is to attach / calculate a risk factor to each individual part of equipment deemed critical, as these conditions would have a huge effect on the ongoing production of the plant.

So, to mitigate our standing costs during non-production, the

next step is to assess and score the different factors that would

influence these risks. The age of equipment, availability of

spares, remaining life-expectancy and impact in case of a fail-

ure or malfunction, become then the critical points that need to

be mitigated. In doing the risk assessment we can identify ex-

actly which factors and influences would weigh upon the plant

down time and in turn we are then able to mitigate them in

various ways. e.g. (establishing lead-times / delivery times Vs

the cost of retaining & purchasing standardized minimum

spares to speed up plant recovery). There are four types of

categories of maintenance that can occur on the plant during an

SLA, these are:

Normal routine maintenance Normal ongoing plant maintenance as per the OEM

recommendations.


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Preventive routine maintenance

Maintenance of a more inspective and specific nature

aimed at pre-empting areas where the equipment

might be prone to failures and keeping these under

constant observation and in check. It may also include

a list of other maintenance procedures or plans not

necessarily detailed by the OEM, but as uniquely

specified for a specific plant by a client.

Opportunistic maintenance

Where a certain incident may give way to opportunis-tic access of various parts of a plant, where although not planed, opportunistic maintenance may be carried out without purposefully halting the production. This requires some pre-planning already beforehand, obvi-ously targeting specific areas where maintenance needs to be done on the plant that would normally not be accessible during normal ongoing production. It

will be important to have the plans & procedure ready for immediate implementation, including what condi-tions or failures on the plant would constitute such a window of opportunity for doing this maintenance. Hence the importance of a well thought out and ana-lysed Maintenance Plan.

Maintenance and Service of Spare Parts

When there is a sudden malfunction & outage, we

may find ourselves in a position after creating a good

maintenance plan, to have the correct spares in stock,

but what would this be of benefit, if the spares them-

selves have not been looked after and have become

stagnant i.e.(lubricants), rusted i.e.(shafts etc.), wet

i.e.(electronic cards destroyed by moisture etc.) This

therefore also shows the importance of maintaining

even the spare parts, ensuring that these have been

stored in the correct way, in a dry place and are

checked regularly, according to a specific spares

maintenance plan so that they are constantly ready to

be used during an emergency outage.

A new SAFE-module, “Assessment of Customer Spares” will

be available in the next future.

The types of risk categories that this has been divided in, is as

per the standard way of defining risks into blue, yellow and red

score-charts as shown in the risk chart above into levels of blue

(not critical), yellow (spares may be critical to have in stock)

and red (spares or immediate replacement parts must be carried

and kept in stock, preferably at all times.) The description in the

next following lines will show the distinguished calculating

levels that we have categorized as an example to show how

these different factors are weighted by the normal risk assess-

ment chart as shown in the picture below:

Determining the level of importance of a feed, the outage prob-

ability, including the availability of spares to re-instate the feed,

will all form important parts of the factors deciding a risks

placement in the risk chart. In the chart we are then also able to

look at coming up with solutions or ideas how these risks may

be mitigated in such a way that they will no longer be of dam-

aging impact.

SLA - Risk Chart

Numbers as per risk calculation 1-7 points =

This may be the point score when it has been deter-

mined as a non-critical feed, as the plant can continue

undisturbed and unaffected with normal ongoing pro-

duction, without any affect on the rest of the overall

plant or normal ongoing production.


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This score will be achieved if it has been determined

as a semi-critical feed, as the plant can / may be able

to continue for a while, undisturbed without this, but

possibly only for a pre-determined and set amount of

time, before starting to affect the normal ongoing pro-

duction. (i.e. - a process time-critical event such as the

oil temperature rising, due to an oil-cooling pump

failure. This in turn would cause the temperature to

rise until a trip-temperature condition is achieved, af-

ter which the plant may trip)


This has been determined as a top-critical feed, that under no circumstances can be lost at any time, in the sense that it will cause an immediate Plant Trip and may require several switching procedures to be per-

formed or met, such that plant start-up procedures have to be re-initiated, due to process reasons. This can only be successfully achieved after possibly some “system-flushing” i.e. (in a chemical process plant) or a start-up sequence “reset” and re-initiation which can be a very long & time consuming process to follow, after a trip condition of this nature. Spares for this type of gear would be highly important to retain in-stock, if not critical.

5. Implementing an Asset Risk Management Plan

(optional)

On completion of gathering the required information through

the risk assessments, on the various areas of critical plant sup-

plies, the Asset Risk Management Plan can then be completed

for all plant areas and combined into an overall plant Plan. The

overall plan will ideally be a risk summary, of all the most

critical conditions that are directly and proportionally connected

to the most critical factors of un-interrupted & ongoing produc-

tion. The plan will also cover critical spares, and investigate

whether these are in fact on the shelf and in a usable condition.

All other variables are also considered such as any additional

requirements for a replacement / repair, such as rigging, crane

access, mechanical access, underground cabling, special con-

nection requirements or even with the case of removing an

electronic valve from a pressurized vessel. The Plan must cover

almost every angle of replacing or repairing requirements for

critical equipment and the Engineer will require such detail to

present and motivate certain “ideal” conditions and quantities of

spares and stock levels. Siemens has devised its own tools, in

what is called the SAFE™ Audit tool package, that is used by

Siemens service centres worldwide, in order to assist our tech-

nicians and Engineers to better assess the various different

types of equipment found on the site, specifically looking at the

critical details as derived by many years of research in this area.

The tool not only standardizes how the questions are put for-

ward for each individual classification of equipment, but also

asks exactly the “right” questions. The tool has been put to

stringent testing and has now been accepted and approved for

use on a worldwide basis.

6. Assessment of required staff skills to maintain the plant –

“Skills Matrix”

(Optional – not included unless requested)

As part of the initial audit, Siemens determines from the data

and feedback of the first site visit, the nature of skills and quali-

fications that will be required for the full duration of the con-

tract. This is done with specific reference to each scope of

work, to be covering every task and skill that might be required

as part of the agreed service contract.

Once this detail has been identified, as shown in the Siemens

skills matrix on the left, tasks are then defined by our technical

specialists and graded by level of difficulty and skill. It is also

indicated in the columns on the right side if Siemens have the

available staff and in which part of the organization they are

located. It is therefore, that by the time the contract is in its first

month of initiation, that staff-skill requirements are already

common knowledge from early on, and this has allowed for

some additional time to source any special requirements or

specialized personnel if the skills demands are high or may

have to be specially arranged. The information is also retained

by our Siemens personnel department from the time of RFQ,

after they receive this above skills matrix, usually immediately

after assessing & auditing the site & its equipment, as per the

procedures of SAFE™. Sourcing the best staff & rates per

scope requirements is then undertaken. As the personnel de-

partment send out request for staff quotes to the various differ-

ent suppliers, the suppliers of the local area are always given

preference, in order to increase the capacity of providing local

content in our Tenders. In some cases, other departments within

Siemens are used to source the initial competency requirements

until a local replacement with the required competency levels

are found.


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7. Update database and review actions

(Optional – monthly checks with SAFE™)

The SAFE™ audit tool is in fact the fundamental software basis

of the Plan and once the site has been established and as per this

example in an “SLA” is in its first monthly stage, the Techni-

cians will start to transfer all the data into the system and popu-

late the database. All Plans are also drawn up within the de-

tailed assessment of the first month of every new SLA if this is

a request or requirement from the client.

With all the data captured in the first audit it can thereafter be

easily kept updated on a monthly basis, or as per the customers

Reporting requirements.

A report is usually issued monthly of all equipment including

all risks or any newly noted developments or successful

achievements. The evaluation of the entire plant will be possi-

ble from these reports, including description of services and

ongoing service plans for the following month. The Reports can

also be filed and kept for SANS history records to implement a

full recording DATA system. This makes the Siemens service

SAFE™ Audit tool one of the most convenient and powerful

single packaged maintenance solutions in the world.

The following section will briefly cover and explain the various

approved and accredited SAFE™ Audit tools that Siemens have

spent many years in research developing to perfect, which are

consider as essential in the Audit of various different plant and

equipment as tools for assessing the present plant & equipment

conditions, the present age & status-quo, of the plant and area

in the location of this equipment and also includes various other

assessments such as environmental conditions, other, as will be

explained under their various sections as to how these are im-

plemented for use.

SAFETM

– Siemens

Audit for Energy

What is SAFE?

The assessor will determine the condition, scope of work and

any other alternative requirements of the plant & equipment

considered as “assets” and divide & report on these individual-

ly, if required, based on various levels of critical importance of

the system, incorporating their level of importance, based on

the details extracted from the plant and equipment single line

diagrams, the source of the supply, the normal ongoing produc-

tion of plant and equipment in conjunction with the availability

of critical spares etc., that fall into, or are part of the service

level agreement and also the various requirements that are

linked to the system in maintaining a constant source of supply.


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SAFE is software, which can be conceived as a set of audit

tools that supports Siemens personnel to carry out condition

assessments of major substation assets like high voltage GIS,

high voltage circuit breakers and power transformers, medium

voltage switchgears and environmental audit. SAFE generates

dynamic forms which serve as guideline for the performance of

audits. The content of the forms is partially configured accord-

ing to the user’s input. These forms are an electronic version of

the classical check-lists and templates for tests reports.

SAFE evaluates the information gathered during the audit and

generates reports of the performed assessment. The generation

of the reports as well as the condition assessments can be car-

ried out in German, English, Spanish or French independently.

SAFE includes a data base, which can be used to share infor-

mation worldwide.

Thanks to this feature and thanks to the multilingual report

generator, an assessment can be performed by an engineer in a

location ‘A’ and the results can be analyzed by a specialist in

location ‘B’, notwithstanding lingual barriers. In this manner

travel expenses are saved and processes are optimized. A Cus-

tomer will therefore already reap a fair amount of financial

benefits in placing an order, from as early as the time of Tender

/ Quotation submission. This is due to the costs only being

calculated and worked out after an Audit has been undertaken,

risks have been mitigated, the equipment & plant conditions

established and the requirements defined. This could therefore

have “a scale-tip” effect on cost allocation, however, quite

fairly, in both directions. This reasoning therefore also gives the

Customer “peace of mind”, in a sense that he already knows

before-hand that the price he will receive for any SLA, are in

fact a very realistic reflection of the future maintenance re-

quirements that would be applicable to a specific plant at that

specific time. These outcomes are based on various true &

accurate software input conditions, derived from a group of

firm-ware logic principals, variables & answers to very specifi-

cally targeted questions. In using an example, if the Plant has

been well looked after & maintained regularly as per the OEM’s

recommendations in the past, after completing the Audit, the

software’s outcome will interpret lower cost-input or effort

requirements, allowing the Bid Engineer to reduce the ongoing

input costs sometimes by as much as 50%, although still pend-

ing standard or first-line ongoing OEM maintenance require-

ments, which are also incorporated. Any special or other re-

quirements are noted in the final report, which is issued by

correlating all collected & recorded data, in preparing for each

individual Unit or Equipment, its own OEM-specific data cost

input schedule, for accurately calculating ongoing maintenance

costs per the OEM requirements.

Objective, transparent and comparable etermina-

tion of assets condition.

Detection of aging and incipient faults when per-

forming on time or regularly condition ssessments.

Information for asset management and decision

support.

Safeguarding of environmental sustainability with

selective measures recommended by SAFE.

Contribution to the implementation of a Condition

Based Maintenance (CBM) strategy.

SAFETM

Condition Assessments

Condition assessments of substation’s major assets like high

voltage GIS, high voltage circuit breakers and power transform-

ers can be performed in three steps:

General Information

Gathering of technical and historical information

about asset’s operation and performance, being the as-

set in or out of operation.

Visual Inspection

Engineers with certain level of expertise or specialists

perform a visual inspection of the equipment. The as-

set may remain in operation.

Extended Diagnostic

Specialists perform measurements, functional checks

and an internal inspection of the equipment. This third

step can be optionally performed after carrying out the

two first steps, being the equipment out of operation.

Audit Reports

After the performance of each assessment SAFE automatically

generates a report. This report includes details of the asset

condition, representative charts, recommendations for condition

based maintenance and a statement regarding the asset envi-

ronmental sustainability. SAFE evaluates the gathered infor-

mation to create part of this report. This evaluation is carried

out with parameters, which have been defined by Siemens

specialists in assets of power transmission and distribution

systems.


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A Short Overview:

SAFE™ Audit Tool

Reach &

Application

The following will shortly give some quick glances at areas in

which SAFE has been introduced into, in order to draw assess-

ments on the various equipment as covered below:

Audits for Transmission and Distribution equipment

SAFE™ For Transformers

Siemens has a strong heritage of expertise across Transmission

and Distribution equipment. Our audit tools have been specifi-

cally developed for the performance of objective, transparent

and comparable condition assessments. Siemens assessments

provide the basis for a targeted maintenance strategy of critical

substation assets like high voltage gas insulated switchgear

(GIS), high voltage circuit breakers, power transformers and

medium voltage switchgear. The results of these assessments

are properly documented with multilingual audit reports. Each

report includes a graphical representation of the transformer

condition, comprehensive audit information, a statement about

the environmental impact of the transformer condition as well

as recommendations for condition based maintenance.

Power Transformers Siemens audits for power transformers are structured as follows: Gathering of General Information about the transformer like operation time, performed maintenance, technical key data, etc. Visual Inspection of the transformer, being the equipment in operation or out of operation. Assess-ment of the installation, oil condition, tank and gaskets, cooling system, bushings, tap changer, etc. Extended Diagnostic, per-

forming specific measurements, functional checks of secondary system and tap changer as well as an internal inspection of the tank, bushings, tap changer, etc.


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SAFE™ For Medium Voltage Switchgear

Siemens Audits for Medium Voltage Switchgear & Audits for

Transmission and Distribution equipment. Siemens has a strong

heritage of expertise across Transmission and Distribution

equipment. Our audit tools have been specifically developed for

the performance of objective, transparent and comparable con-

dition assessments. Siemens condition assessments provide the

basis for a targeted maintenance strategy of critical substation

assets like high voltage gas insulated switchgear (GIS), high

voltage circuit breakers, power transformers and medium volt-

age switchgear. The results of our assessments are properly

documented with multilingual audit reports. Each report in-

cludes a graphical representation of the medium voltage

switchgear condition, comprehensive audit information as well

as recommendations for condition based maintenance. Siemens

audits for medium voltage switchgear suits to electricity com-

panies as well as industrial companies and are structured as

follows: Gathering of medium voltage switchgear historical-

and technical information like maintenance procedures, major

faults, modifications, retrofit, etc. Medium voltage switchgear

Visual Inspection with the medium voltage switchgear in opera-

tion to evaluate the external condition, to measure values of

built-in indicators and to identify ageing factors, as well as

malfunction of operating mechanisms, secondary system, etc.

Actual personal Safety regulations have to be observed strictly

during performing an audit as switchgears and substations are

subjected to modifications during their lifetime. Optional func-

tional checks and measurements are included in the Extended

Diagnostic such as applicable SF6 analysis, PD measurements,

thermography, electrical measurements, etc.

SAFE™ For Cables and Cable Footprinting

The objective is to identify degradations in the cables before

serious failures increase the risk for outages. The condition

assessment performed with LIRA® technology, together with

other inspection tools, will provide the grid operator more

comprehensive data of cables under harsh environmental and

operational conditions. This will enable the grid operator to

consider cable condition monitoring data as a part for optimisa-

tion of operation, asset services and optimal utilisation of

standby service capacity. The recorded measurements can be

stored as reference information (fingerprints) for later compari-

son with repeated measurements.

The aging process or identification of new damage to the cable

can thus be assessed and recorded. In case of any mechanical

impact on cables during installation and operation or aging of

the total grid, LIRA® measurements will be performed to eval-

uate any damage or deteriorating effect on the single asset.

Recorded measurement data and reports are stored in the Data

Base. Statistics from the Data Base are used to decide the repe-

tition frequency for cable condition assessment measurements.

This is of significant benefit in terms of quality of supply and

ensures maximum reliability. The Cable Condition Assessment

services are available from our local representatives. Your

benefits at a glance A Actionable input for Asset Management

plans and Maintenance strategy developments. Enables high

availability at reduced total cost of ownership. Improved

knowledge base enables reduced emergency repairs. Valuable

input for network operation based on cable condition infor-

mation. Additionally, consequence and necessary corrective

action caused by accidental mechanical impact can be assessed

more accurately by performing LIRA® measurements to assess

if the dielectric properties are changed. The benefits apply to

Transmission & Distribution grids On- and Off-shore windmill

parks Process Industry - Oil and Gas Industry. Topside and

submarine cables (md. umbilical). (Nuclear) Power Plants —

I&C and power cables, Cable Manufacturers Reference meas-

urements & Quality control.

SAFE™ For Outdoor Switchgear – Circuit Breakers etc.

Our audit tools have been specifically developed for the per-

formance of objective, transparent and comparable condition

assessments. Siemens assessments provide the basis for a tar-

geted maintenance strategy of critical substation assets like high

voltage gas insulated switchgear (GIS), high voltage circuit

breakers, power transformers and medium voltage switchgear.

The results of assessments with our audits tools are properly


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documented with multilingual audit reports. Each report in-

cludes a graphical representation of the circuit breaker condi-

tion, comprehensive audit information, a statement about the

environmental impact of the circuit breaker condition as well as

recommendations for condition based maintenance. Audits for

High Voltage Circuit Breakers.

Siemens audits for high voltage circuit breakers are structured

as follows: Gathering of circuit breaker General Information,

like technical and historical data about the CB operation, years

of operation, performed maintenance procedures, customer

remarks. etc. Visual Inspection with the circuit breaker in opera-

tion to evaluate the environment of the installation, stress of

operation, condition of pole columns, base, operating mecha-

nisms, etc. Extended Diagnostic to perform functional checks of

the secondary system and measurements like operating time,

resistance of main contacts, SF6 analysis, etc.

SAFE™ For GIS with Thermography or Radiography etc.

GIS Thermography Condition Assessment & Radiography Assessment is becoming popular in the marketplace. An In-creasing number of customers scan their GIS installations by thermal imaging or Radiography and finds contact failures. In

accordance with CIGRE-Statistic, approximately 10% of all Major Failures is based on bad contact connection. This per-centage is expected to increase in near future! As an extension of our visual GIS Audits, we provide advanced thermography analysis and also Radiography analysis. This thermography / Radiography analysis consists of detection of bad contact con-nection based on imaging and expert advice. And results in: Increased quality assurance.

These tests can all also assist to avoid break-downs due to

assembling or repair mistakes. Siemens audits for high voltage

gas insulated switchgear are structured as follows: Gathering of

GIS General Information like past maintenance procedures,

average number of short circuits per year, major faults, GIS

arrangement, etc. GIS Visual Inspection with the GIS in opera-

tion to evaluate the GIS external condition, to measure values

of built-in indicators and to identify ageing factors, as well as

malfunction of operating mechanisms, secondary system, etc.

Optional functional checks and measurements included in the

GIS Extended Diagnostic like SF6 analysis, PD measurements,

thermography, electrical measurements, etc.

Siemens also offer many different types of accepted and indus-

try approved non-destructive testing methods that may be of-

fered to any form of electrical evaluation of any types of

equipment whether it be a mechanical or electrical audit, in-

spection, evaluation or test. We are even able to offer any type

of pre or post Cable or equipment “foot-printing” by using

LIRA (line resonance testing) technology, which is a type of hi-

definition frequency generated fingerprint measured over the

(cable* or other type equipment) distance and can then be used

as a comparative footprint for later re-evaluation of the condi-

tions of equipment or cable after repairs or installation.


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13

This type of testing would also hi-light if any damage has been

caused to any equipment during an installation or commission-

ing phase, as the test can be repeated several times during the

construction and operational phases, allowing a true history

type footprint comparison from one service to the next or one

year to the next. Siemens also conducts many other forms of

very modern technological testing methods, which have been

introduced into the industry and have integrated these technolo-

gies into our, already very broad asset management service

portfolio.

For further information on these topics, or a quotation on

any of the services on offer, please contact the sales repre-

sentative indicated below:

Thank you for your time and interest.

T: +27 10 222 7315

F: +27 86 506 5941

M: +27 72 287 4525

Niels Inderbiethen

Specialist – Technical Support - Siemens

South Africa

Accredited SAQA / SETA Electrical

Assessor Reg.No. ATS/12/2838

Infrastructure & Cities Sector –

Smart Grid

Newmarket Street, Northriding

[email protected]

www.siemens.co.za

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.siemens.co.za/


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14

Example of the additional

Extended Diagnostics Testing:

Specific Computer generated test reports as per modern and hi-tech test equipment output capabilities as per the picture

below.

CURRENT TRANSFORMER MAG CURVE OIL SAMPLE TESTER

RADIOGRAPHY CIRCUIT BREAKER SYNCHRONIZATION

INJECTION SET CIRCUIT BREAKER TEST UNIT

http://www.google.co.za/imgres?q=Mag+curve+test&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1280&bih=633&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=Eh4ZSAfirdugbM:&imgrefurl=http://www.cy-magnetics.com/Mag_Curve_BF.htm&docid=G5xLqheUFPhSWM&w=488&h=364&ei=Q8V5TuCPL4Ox0QWH8ZmsAQ&zoom=1

http://www.google.co.za/imgres?q=oil+sample+tests&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=633&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=CqRRAoxzU_yFKM:&imgrefurl=http://www.machsources.com/dielectric-strength.html&docid=PbvzhT48IhvTGM&w=546&h=465&ei=A8h5TtLdLOHEmAXX8tzQAQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=0&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=167&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0&tx=112&ty=56

http://www.google.co.za/imgres?q=mechanical+Radiography&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1280&bih=633&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=ynqfa6i_LBXQuM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mne.ksu.edu/research/centers/reactor/uses&docid=h0l0ZeeR1rHDDM&w=400&h=250&ei=SMd5Tr3gGK2PiAfTuP0t&zoom=1

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