Many manufacturers of electrical gear in the Middle East are pushing the envelope in testing to make sure their products can withstand the extreme temperatures in the region. Thanks to the KEMA high-temperature test, the Malaysian company Power Plug Busduct sdn bhd, whose products had already undergone KEMA type testing according to the international standard, can be confident that their power ducts will provide unwavering performance at 50 °C. This opens up lucrative markets for their products in the Middle East and beyond.

Power Plug Busduct sdn bhd, which was established in January 2000, has a manufacturing facility in Johor and markets its products throughout eastern Asia. The company specializes in producing extremely reliable, cost-effective power ducts. Their products, which are the result of extensive research, have many unique patented features.

The product
The company’s main product is a range of bus bars which are used to distribute a heavy electrical current within a building. Open bus bars are not suitable for publicly accessible areas, although they can be used in manufacturing plants and power company switch yards. In industrial applications, conductor bars are assembled with insulators and placed in grounded enclosures. This assembly, which is known as a bus duct, is useful for making connections to large switchgear or for bringing the main power feed into a building. It is often placed in an uncooled shaft that runs down the length of a building.

High temperature requirements
KEMA’s Henk Kormelink says, “A bus duct tested according to the standard complies to a mean ambient air temperature of less then or equal to 35 °C (IEC 60439-2 international standard). However, day time temperatures in the Middle East often exceed 50 °C. It was particularly important for this client to have their product tested at the most extreme temperatures, because many of their products carry high-voltage cables that are placed in uncooled areas of buildings. These ducts must continue to operate safely at the very highest temperatures and customers cannot afford failures.”

The only company to offer a high-temperature test
Bryan Lau, Executive Director of Power Plug Busduct sdn bhd decided to engage KEMA for full type testing according to the IEC 60439-2 international standard so that their products could be marketed in the Middle East and Malaysian markets, as well as beyond. He says, “We chose KEMA because they are a well known worldwide as an authority in this area. Their certificates are recognized by all of the countries and electrical authorities where we want to market our products. We needed a high-temperature test of our bus duct products and KEMA was the only company that offered such a test.” KEMA tested the ducts in a special climate-controlled chamber at various power levels corresponding to a range of busbar sizes. In addition, the products were also subjected to a heating test at 50 °C. According to Kormelink, “The new heating test at 50 °C is an extension of our normal test, which is done at normal ambient temperatures up to 35 °C. There is a lot of demand for this test from our customers in the Middle East and we’re happy to be able to provide this service.”

Excellent support
“I’m very happy with the services provided by KEMA,” says Lau. “So far they have given us excellent support about areas that need attention and the issues we need to address. This certification shows that our bus duct products can withstand the most extreme temperatures and will continue to operate safely. That will help us enter new markets outside of Malaysia.”

PTT Oil & Gas, Rayong, Thailand
Client: PTT
Building Type: Oil & Gas Industrial
Total Site Supplied:
(1)PTT-ROCS#1
(2)PTT-CWWTP
(3)PTT Wangnoi
(4)PTT 6th Gas Separation Plant
(5)PTT Ethane Separation Plant
(6)PTT 3th Gas Separation Plant
Busduct: 3200A & 5000A TX-MSB & 1600A, 2000A, 5000A

INFINITY Tower, Dubai, UAE
Client: CAYAN
Total Height / Floors: 80 storeys, rising to height of 330 meters (1083fts)
Designed By: Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM)
BUSDUCT:2500A, 2000A, 1600A, 3200A, 4000A (1700meters)

2006 International Property Awards in London

Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar

Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar
Client: Tornado Tower Company
Building Type: Office
Date of completion: December 2008
Total Area Above Ground: 861,100 sq. ft. (80,000 sq.m)
Total Area Below Ground: 538,196 sq. ft. (55,000 sq.m)
Total Height / Floors: 656 ft. (200 m) / 52
Architect: CICO Consulting Architects & Engineers / SIAT Architekten + Ingenieure München GmbH
Structural Engineer: Stroh + Ernst AG / CICO Consulting Architects and Engineers
MEP Engineer: CICO Consulting Architects and Engineers
Contractor: MIDMAC-Six Construct JV

Tornado Tower utilizes an efficient yet striking structural system to house 52 floors of office space in a 200m tall building. In addition, the project aims to minimize effects on the natural environment through proper site utilization, innovative uses of materials, energy reduction, reduced emissions, and water consumption. The building demonstrates relevance to the contemporary and future needs of the community in which it is located, and adds economic vitality to its occupants, owner, and community.

The Met

The Met has won the 2009 Bronze Emporis Skyscraper Award. WOHA, the architectural firm, won the Singapore President’s Design Award – Design of the Year 2009 for The Met. In 2010 the Met won the German “The International Highrise Award” and was cited for “sustainable living conditions in this tropical region without recourse to air conditioning”.

Northpoint Skyscraper in Pattaya, Thailand

Northpoint is a skyscraper under construction in Pattaya, Thailand.

The project is being developed by Raimon Land PLC and was awarded the title of Best Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard of Thailand) at the Thailand Property Awards 2008.

The building comprises of residential condominiums and was topped off in December 2008 and consists of two towers, the 54-floor South Tower and the 46-floor North Tower. The south tower is the tallest building outside Bangkok and the third tallest residential building in Thailand. The north tower is the twenty-fifth tallest building in Thailand and second tallest building outside Bangkok.

“Since installation was completed and commissioned on March 2007, Busduct has been performing well and functioning satisfactorily.”

Eng Ahiba, Engineering and Maintenance Department, EAB Consulting Engineering SDN BHD

“On behalf of PTT Public Company Limited, we would like to thank you for your Powerade Ltd. team. They provided great support for the 3 projects.”

Preecha Kaewpun, Vice President, Engineering and Maintenance Department, PTT Public Company Limited

Mass Rapid Transit System (MRT) in Taipei City Taiwan (R.O.C)

The main public transit vehicle operating around whole Taipei city.

• Client: Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
• Number of lines: 9
• Number of stations: 93
• Total length: 100.8km
• Ampere rating: 1000A, 1200A, 1600A, 2000A, 2500A, 3200A, 4000.
• IP66

Taipei ChengGong High School

Taipei Chenggong High School is situated in the city center where government offices and important institutions abound. Covering a beautiful campus of 6,000 odd pings, or about 2 hectares, it comes complete with all the necessary facilities. To actively promote science education and introduce current scientific and technological information, the school is equipped specifically with a variety of experimental facilities so that the students may raise their interest in scientific research and extend their scientific knowledge.

• Total Length: 200m
• Ampere rating: 600A, 1200A, 1600A, 2000A, IP54
• Operation: July 2008