Page 8 - Energize September 2021 HR

NEWS

Long life polymer bearings for solar power generation

critical point of failure on large-scale solar panels has been Lubrication free
addressed with the introduction of polymer bearings that “Our bearings are a lubrication-free solution, whose durability has been
dr
A amatically improve the lifespan of the part and nulifies the tested in the laboratory and is guaranteed for 25 years. Tests in our
need for maintenance. own 3800 m2 test laboratory in Germany showed that the service life,
Solar panles need to track the sun for maximum efficiency and the wear resistance and load capacity were examined under real loads of
bearings that facilitate the movement usually take a beating and require the daily motion sequence, simulated in a time-lapse.
regular maintenance to operate for any length of time in the harsh, “The number of movements achieved under a load of 1,5 t
arid and dusty climates where solar farms are traditionally located. As a corresponds to a service life of 72 years. This is why igus guarantees a
result, polymer bearing manufacturer, igus South Africa has worked with runtime of 25 years, which corresponds to the standard service life of a
some of the country’s top design engineers to solve the problem and solar module,“ says Hewat.
introduced its no-maintenance long life pillow block bearing.
Contact Ian Hewat, igus South Africa, Phone 011 312-1848,
Versatile solution Fax 011 312-1594, ihewat@igus.de, www.igus.co.za
According to design engineer, Gerrit-Jan Cronselaar, of Super Armature
Winding Africa, the designers and manufacturers of the SolTrac line of
solar trackers, the pillow block design has eased the installation of its
system as slight misalignment of the piles driven into the ground can
be accommodated in the bearing itself rather than the pile/mounting
hardware. This leads to faster and easier installation, saving effort and
money in the process.
“The igus bearings have a long product warranty and longevity,
are maintenance free and can handle dust and typical harsh conditions
faced in African solar application areas. No other “traditional” bearing
is available that can achieve similar performance and the design would
have to be a lot more involved if bushes and an under swung design
needs to be considered,“ says Gerrit.
Ian Hewat, managing director of igus South Africa, says bearings
used in the alignment of the panels with the sun are typically the
only moving parts, so need extra care when specifying these critcal The maintenance-free and long-lasting igubal pillow block bearing
components. aligns solar modules reliably in a lubrication-free application.

Floodlighting for high school’s hockey field The OMNIBLAST-E illuminates Pietersburg
High School’s Astro hockey field.
B EKA Schréder has supplied the LED floodlighting solution for Pietersburg High

School’s Astro hockey field in Polokwane, Limpopo Province.
Pietersburg High School celebrated their centenary this year. The school
decided to install floodlights to its Astro hockey field to enable practice after sunset.
The South-African manufactured OMNIBLAST-1-E MAXI illuminates the new Astro
hockey field. This LED floodlight was chosen for its high light output and because it offers
a cost-effective and efficient lighting solution to maximise energy and maintenance The OMNIBLAST-E is the ideal tool for sports venues
savings. Furthermore, the LED lifetime of 100 000 hours (L70B10) was an important and other very large area applications that require
factor. The precise light distribution ensures that only the field is illuminated and not the a lighting solution with the highest efficiency and
surrounding areas, thereby respecting the neighbourhood. The school is very satisfied flexibility to adapt to the different lighting needs.
with the result, and the installation serves as a great marketing asset, increasing the Available in a midi and maxi variant, this LED
school’s reputation and prestige. solution offers an alternative with proven benefits
for traditional fixtures fitted with 400 W to 2000 W
Why choose LED lighting? HID lamps.
When considering illuminating a sports field, there are many benefits when choosing BEKA Schréder locally develops and manufactures
LED, compared to traditional light sources, namely: energy-efficient LED lighting products, designed and
• Reduction of energy costs by up to 75% suitable for local conditions. The company says it is
• Better quality lighting: higher uniformity, low glare, low light pollution proud to be associated with Mbatini Construction
• Lower carbon emissions and Pietersburg High School in providing a successful
• Longer luminaire lifespan floodlighting solution for this project.
• Reduction of maintenance costs
• Instant strike – no more waiting for luminaires to warm up/cool down Contact Johan van Deventer, BEKA Schréder,
• Easy integration with a smart lighting control system Tel 011 238-0056, pta@beka-schreder.co.za.

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