Rittal's easily adaptable, modular enclosure range, with is
plasma-welded construction and special corrosion-proof priming system,
has proved the right choice for housing Alstom's gas turbine power
generator set control system
Lincoln based Alstom Power UK has been in the gas turbine business for 50
years, and has supplied more than 3,000 small industrial gas turbine
generator sets to customers in some 80 countries. The current range
comprises four high-efficiency, low emission machines with power outputs
of 5MW, 7MW, 8MW and 13MW. These are built for installation in extremely
arduous environments, so any ancillary equipment - the control system
enclosure, for example - must also be capable of meeting these demands.
When Alstom sought an enclosure supplier for its current range, it was
looking for robustness in the product, an ability to withstand high
vibration levels and reliable EMC shielding. The enclosures also needed
to be flexible enough for mounting either on a skid with the turbine or,
alternatively, as a floor-standing unit in a control room, where the
operator controls are mounted on the door of the enclosure. Rittal was
able to meet these design criteria with a range of products, featuring
plasma-welded construction, electrophoresis immersion priming for maximum
surface protection, and ease of modification.
An EMC version of the floor-standing enclosure was readily available.
This has a conductive seal between the outer surfaces of the housing,
which maintains a practically unbroken electro-conductive connection. The
inner surfaces and seal edges remain unpainted, the aluminium-zinc
coating of the base material providing adequate corrosion protection. The
electronic monitoring and control equipment was easy to fit, thanks to a
482.6mm (19in) swing frame, fitted internally to the enclosure. The
equipment can also be swung out for access to the rear when it is not
possible to get behind the enclosure. Cooling is achieved using fans with
EMC shielded filter units.
As many of these turbines are used by the offshore oil and gas industry,
weight is a key part of the specification. Rittal was able to meet the
special weight requirements by removing the conventional mounting plate
at the rear of the enclosure, and replacing it with punched system rails
(a standard accessory), located only in those positions that the
equipment needed to be mounted. The modular nature of the enclosure also
appealed to Alstom. Together with Rittal's wide range of accessories,
this feature allows the turbine manufacturer to plan for future system
expansions in its products.
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