Standing Against the Wind
Three of the global leaders in renewable energy formed a consortium and started building one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world. Spread across nearly 100 km², the wind farm would be able to power about half a million households annually while significantly cutting the region's carbon dioxide emissions.
The farm's energy supply structure engineers required screened connect outsized cross-section cables inside extra-small switchgears, which were unique to this project. Given the wind farm's offshore location, the engineers also needed a sturdy solution that would fare well in the extreme conditions of high humidity, high salinity, and temperature variations.
To ensure the offshore wind farm's technical integrity and reliable performance, a custom electrical engineering approach was in order.
Putting Wind in the Sails
Standing tall on over 60 years of know-how and expertise, TE supplied a complete package of custom-made switchgear connect solutions to match the wind farm's unique technical requirements.
- RSTI Screened Separable Connectors and Coupling Connectors
The customer's cable size and type were quickly and easily paired with Raychem screened separable connectors RSTI. The installation was quick, easy, and error-free thanks to the RSTI connectors' compact design and flexible, easy-to-handle silicone components.
- RSTI Screened Separable Connectors with Surge Arrestors
To minimize the costly risk of overvoltage that could damage the electrical equipment and lead to outages, TE engineers chose RSTI connectors with surge arrestors. These connectors are known for their superior short circuit performance and margin protection, and they would keep the wind farm running without failure.
- RSTI Dead End Plugs
The uniquely compact switchgears of the offshore wind farm called for the development of custom dead-end plugs. The customized components ensured the reliability of the large cross-section cable connections.
- Installation Training
To further limit the risks of failure, TE's local engineer team offered a comprehensive product training which ensured a hassle-free installation procedure for the separable connectors and kept installation errors at bay.
Smooth Sailing in the Tailwind
Thanks to its large portfolio of screened separable connectors and its decades-long experience in the engineering of cable accessories, TE Connectivity supplied a complete switchgear connect solution. The installation of the Raychem screened separable connectors RSTI into the compact switchgears was free of problems and errors thanks to the products' flexible and smart design.
Apart from devising the perfect solution, TE also cut down the project management time thanks to its end-to-end customer service, including support and installation training in the local language. Because it relied on one competent and experienced partner - TE Connectivity - for its medium voltage separable connectors, the project could meet the technical challenge in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
