Grupo Oeste has a vast experience in low- and medium-voltage capacitor banks. We specialize in the integration of controls for high-voltage banks. Our clients include large industrial users and electric power distribution and transport companies.
Finding the best solution calls for a previous comprehensive, in-depth analysis of facilities’ physical aspects and operating conditions. Well managed measurement campaigns yield essential data for accurate measurement during engineering works. We offer consulting services and have adequate tools to meet the requirements of this project stage.
With regard to low- and medium-voltage capacitor banks, we provide basic and detailed engineering or turnkey facilities. We offer consultancy services and supply all components, including power capacitors; switches; vacuum switches; and control, measurement, and protection comprehensive systems. Our long experience in control algorithms for banks developed jointly with leading capacitor manufactures has allowed us to find satisfactory solutions according to specific needs with regard to power factor or line voltage regulation.
Harmonic distortion in alternating current networks may result in higher current across capacitor banks reducing their service life, malfunctioning of protection devices, overheating of motors and transformers, damage and malfunctioning of electronic equipment and computers, communication equipment interferences, resonance, insulation problems, among others. Harmonic filters can solve distortion problems. Finding the right equipment calls for detailed analysis, current and voltage measurements (with specific tools), circuit simulation and, finally, equipment selection.
With regard to capacitor banks, the use of an “electrical-room solution” results in “portable” facilities that can be relocated as needed and are fully tested at the factory. This reduces installation and infrastructure costs, as well as assembly time.
We offer communication systems designed to tolerate high EMI conditions in industrial areas or substations. We find the correct solution using GPRS and satellite technology, fiber optic Ethernet networks with a basic or redundant ring topology, and wireless Ethernet networks.
We offer rugged hardware solutions to acquire digital and analog signals to feed local and remote control systems. Our solutions include SCADA software originally designed to be used in electric power settings. We choose software vendors that allow the creation of open-source systems, using standard protocols, universally accepted by users and supplied by all IED manufacturers, such as capacitor banks controllers, protective relays, mutivariable measurement devices, etc. Our software includes a multi-stage bank control module and a current or power factor compensation algorithm. Thus, it is possible to exercise centralized control from the remote control center (manual or automatic) or to transfer the algorithm to multiple remote controllers for balanced network compensation.
