Home | Central Technical Supplies

The University of Hamburg approached CTS directly with the request to quote and subsequently manufacture and install 3 automatic weather stations at:

• Khorixas
• Kaoko Otavi
• Okangwati

Once again, satellite communication has been chosen, this time not because of GSM not being available, but to reduce future cost of the stations as satellite communication for these stations has got no costs associated.

In addition to the basic data measured:

• Wind speed
• Wind direction
• Humidity
• Air Temperature
• Irradiance
• Barometric pressure
• Ground Temperature
• Rain
• Leaf wetness

The stations are equipped with a WLAN interface. This allows the connection of 49″ SmartTV to be connected to each station to display the current weather inside close by offices.

A 200kW PV peak grid tied PV system was installed at Quality Tyres Lafrenz Industrial Area. Remote monitoring of all 10 inverter allows for early fault detection and system degradation as well as maintenance planing.

System Specifications are:

• 680x 295W Canadian Solar modules
• 10x Fronius Symo 20.0-3 Grid Inverter
• Roof mounting structure for IBR roof sheeting
• AC surge protection
• configured for remote monitoring

This is a typical photovoltaic (PV) medium scale farm system found on many farms around Namibia. Over the past three years this system grew in PV size from 350Wpeak to ~1200Wpeak.

System specs are:

• PV modules with a total capacity of 1220Wpeak
• 1200VA, 24V Inverter charger
• 40A Solar Charge Regulator
• 360Ah battery bank@24V
• Battery Monitor showing: state of charge (%), charging/discharging current (A), Battery Voltage (V) and time to go (h)
• Switchgear for submersible pump control

The PV modules are mounted on frames facing true north for optimal energy harvesting. During times of limited sunshine, especially the rainy season, battery charging can be increased by starting the generator. Should the AC load increase behind the inverter rating, the generator can support the system to cater for the increased load. No automatic generator start function is included.

Furthermore a second PV system for the Farm workers has been installed to cater for lighting and a TV.

• 2x 90Wpeak PV modules
• 20A Solar Charge Regulator
• 2x 105Ah batteries
• 350VA, 12V inverter

CTS was approached by a senior resident of Klein Windhoek to install a grid-tied photovoltaic system with the aim to cut back on the monthly electricity bill. The system included:

• 42x 130W photovoltaic modules and mounting structure
• 1x 6kW grid tied inverter

The system is designed such as to generate an estimated 900kWh per month.

A modern hot water plant was installed based on heat pump technology. Stiebel Eltron storage tanks as well as heat pumps are supplied that are extremely energy efficient and long life expectancy while at the same time low on maintenance. Further energy savings are achieved as the system is connected to heat recovery units as part of the refrigeration plant.

The challenge of such a system is to guarantee even loading and unloading of the tanks with water to guarantee a uniform temperature distribution in all tanks. This has been achieved by careful piping planing based on the Tichelmann principal.

The system comprises of the following:

• 6x 1000 L buffer tanks
• 2x 23kW heat pump units.
• various pumps and control unit

CTS removed old and obsolete laundry equipment and installed new machines.

The installed equipment consisted of:

1. 2 x new Primus FS40 high speed washer extractors
2. 2 x Maytag energy saving tumble dryers
3. 1 x Miele through-feed drying ironers
4. inculding laundry trolleys, ironing trolleys and other small accessories