2 minute read
LVSA Group
need for the additional cooling and ventilation measures normally required to extract heat during operation. Furthermore, closed-loop controllers mean that the only piece of peripheral equipment required is a pressure transducer - no pump controller is necessary. “Finally, BMG, as an authorised Danfoss service partner, with accredited technical staff and an extensive spares stock holding, can offer farmers support all year round. With regards to DrivePro services, we stock several service exchange units and spare parts at the nearest BMG branch, in Kimberley.”
Results
After the installation of the variable speed drives and programming the setpoint to 2.8 bar, the Danfoss-BMG team were able to run this same pump set with an absorbed power of 51 kW, a saving of 24 kW or 50 A. It is noteworthy that the farmer began with a set of three variable speed drives on three pumps and, because of the energy-saving, he eventually installed variable speed drives on every pump on his farm. “At the last count,” says Baugh, “there were over 20 variable speed drives on the farm, with a projected annual power saving of 155,491 kW. After the installation of variable speed drives on all pump sets, the power supply is used more efficiently, resulting in improved crop production and expansion of the farmer’s supply of maize, which now also includes pecan nuts. The project was conducted under the umbrella of BMG’s Boer Slim/ Smart-Farming agricultural initiative, which has been operating for some six years now, aiming to assist farmers throughout Southern Africa with the selection, installation and operation of new electromechanical systems. These projects are designed to improve efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and minimise maintenance requirements.”
Showcasing an additional practical application of this methodology
In another project that operated along similar lines, Danfoss and BMG assisted a tobacco farmer who wanted to accelerate his tobacco drying process and expand crop production, but who was also restricted by power supply limitations. After the installation of Danfoss electronic variable speed drives, this farmer was able to run 22 tobacco drying containers at once, where previously he could only run and alternate between nine. As a result, the farmer has more than doubled his crop production output. Further, there are no more noticeable voltage dips when the process is started up and wear and tear on mechanical components is reduced. Production is also now less labour-intensive, which additionally reduces costs.
Conclusion
Govender notes, “Maize is South Africa’s most important field crop, being both a staple food for many of its citizens, as well as making a significant contribution to the economy. At the same time, the country’s maize exports are generally inconsistent over time due to uneven surplus levels from one year to the next. To compete more effectively in global markets, South Africa has to reduce its logistics and production costs. This, however, is difficult while the country’s power grid remains constrained at the macroeconomic level.
“The featured Danfoss/BMG initiatives illustrate how assisting two farmers has helped to free up energy, which was then channelled elsewhere to increase productivity. If the farming sector were able to follow this example, this would assist individual farmers, while simultaneously allowing them to play their incremental role in improving the macroeconomics of the country while the electricity supply continues to be constrained.”
