Hendrik Van Der Westhuizen

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative solutions for complex engineering challenges.
• Mentored junior team members, sharing technical expertise and promoting professional growth within the organization.
• - Logic Software migration on OEMs (RED670, REC670, RE615, RE620, REF/REM543 IEDs.
• Siemens Software logic design via DIGSI, Siemens IED Firmware upgrade.
• Omicron Test bench operation on products: CMC356, CPC with booster units for secondary engineering on protection IEDs, primary injections to 87G(REF), 67N (directional earth fault), 87T(Transformer differential schemes).
• Maintenance on existing protection schemes in the plant consisting of CT tests, primary scheme tests consisting restricted earth fault tests, inter tripping schemes. - Relay replacement duties on ABB REF, REM and SPAM relays consisting quality check of logics before downloading - Relay replacement duties on Multilin products consisting of downloading of logics and verify settings together with complete secondary injection duties. - Secondary injection testing on GEC electro mechanical relays.
• Senior Standby duties when assistance is needed in the plant.
• Construction and re design of missing ABB AR files during relay
• The ability to think out of the box to optimize software of protection IEDs to make it work during emergency situations.
• Protection System Commissioning and Technical lead on projects.
• Give valuable inputs during design review meetings during detail design phase of projects.
• Technical plant support to business units during breakdowns on standby call outs.
• Investigate existing protection scheme operation failures, present valuable inputs in review meetings for possible solutions to continuously improvement.
• Optimize by re-engineering the failure on protection scheme to a continuous improved end product.
• Commissioning and testing of scheme to ensure integrity.

Star Achievements

2H4-SP-02 IED logic migrations
Time Period Oct 03, 2022 - May 31, 2024
Description ALL REC670 and RED670 IED Software migrated from PCM version 2.6 to PCM 2.11 that includes step by step IED migration to IED version 2.2, design new PCM IED structure with online templates of RED/REC 670 IEDS, redesign signal matrix, hardware channels to existing CT VT details with IO assignments, optimize settings in PCM 2.11 in compared to PCM 2.6, Update license tool on IEDs for compatibility of logic function blocks in configuration logic application, re-design and optimize data sets in PCM 2.11 to satisfy microscada requirements to Scada interface, succesfull commisioning of new IEDs to functional Bay feeders

Re design logics for available spare relay on OCGT 543PC-6008BM
Time Period Nov 26, 2023 - Nov 30, 2023
Description ABB REM relay failed on 543PC-6008BM, Logics were redesigned to adapt to available product, proper simulation was done to prove new developed logics, design successfully implemented.

Transfer logic re design for PP2 LV Systems
Time Period Sep 01, 2022 - Jan 17, 2023
Description Logics were re-design to enable manual transfer with scada system out of operation. Slow transfer logics were re-design to enable a slow transfer for transformer device operation that never worked in the past. The re-design logics were simulated via simulator, re-design logics were implemented in the plant by testing the system by slow transfer via transformer deice, slow transfer was tested by tripping upstream supply to enable slow transfer. All function tests and protection tests were implemented succesfully.

Re design logics for missing AR file on 52-Z Incomer 2UU-SS-05
Time Period Aug 10, 2022 - Aug 11, 2022
Description During the relay replacement project on 2UU-SS-05, we experienced that the Software project AR file was not in place for 52-Z in 2UU-SS-05. With the guidance with paper printed logics i could managed to construct a AR logic project file, simulated the logic project file via simulation, implement the prototype in the plant succesfully.

FSC Stop modifications on CC-SS-01 Solvents Substation
Time Period Jul 01, 2024 - Jul 28, 2024
Description FSC stop modification on 102, 110 motors were done by studying the existing operational philosophy of mentioned motors, interface with the client to reinstate integrity of system enable to trip motors via FSC if UPS power fails, re-design logics as agreed upon design review meeting, simulating the design concept, satisfy client via simulation to give the go ahead for implementation. Concept on mentioned motors were successfully implemented in the plant.

FSC Stop modifications on 2CC-SS-01 Solvents Substation
Time Period Apr 01, 2025 - Apr 28, 2025
Description FSC stop modification on 102, 110 motors were done by studying the existing operational philosophy of mentioned motors, interface with the client to reinstate integrity of system enable to trip motors via FSC if UPS power fails, re-design logics as agreed upon design review meeting, simulating the design concept, satisfy client via simulation to give the go ahead for implementation. Concept on mentioned motors were successfully implemented in the plant.

Re design for logic project file for Panel R17 PP2 Substation
Time Period Sep 06, 2021- Sep 10, 2021
Description During September shutdown for 2019, Panel R17 logics were not integrated to software logic project file structure. With the aid of paper printed logics i could managed to re-design logic project file from scratch, re-designed logics were successfully simulated and implemented in the plant.

Reinstate integrity on Oxygen Train 5
Time Period Jul 24, 2022 - Jul 30, 2022
Description During the Train 5 GO, Train5 logics were updated to reinstate integrity in Oxygen plant, The following key hazards were identified during GO: Earth fault protection did not work properly, thermal protection did not trip breaker, Earth switch interlocking between train 4 and 5 did not operate correctly, fiber connection between relays failed ,Goose communication for interlocking failed to work with fiber problem. By reinstate integrity to these hazards found, logic project file was re designed to change setting of core balance earth fault to non-direction, map thermal tripping in matrix of software to enable tripping of breaker, change logic interlocking between train 5 and train 4 to breaker racked out signal to prevent closing breakers on to earth, fibers were re spliced by interconnect to ensure effective communication for effective goose operation. ,

Fertilizer Project commissioning
Time Period Feb 01, 2023 - Aug 29, 2023
Description Fertilizer Project phase for Factory acceptance testing Factory acceptance testing were successfully done that includes: Point to point and component audit on design as per schematic, Mechanical interlocking and functional testing of logics according to philosophy and logic schematics, secondary engineering of relays according to protection grading study, arc detection, under-voltage blocking, slow transfer schemes were tested according to philosophy and logic schematics. Fertilizer Project phase for Site acceptance testing. Site Acceptance testing and commissioning were successfully done that includes: Scheme testing (Directional Earth fault, Under-voltage blocking scheme, arc detection scheme, motor differential scheme, interface signals to control room, Hi-potential testing of cables, inter-tripping between LV and MV, inter-tripping between MV and 132kV feed, interlocking interface between MV to 132kV feed, Slow transfer testing on LV system, Fast Transfer blocking interface and fast transfer testing.

ODS Distribution Greenfield Project
Time Period Sep 28, 2020 - Jan 30, 2021
Description 33kV ODS Project phase for Site acceptance testing. Site Acceptance testing and commissioning were successfully done that includes: Scheme testing (Directional Earth fault, arc detection scheme, transformer differential scheme, interface signals to control room (MECR) ,RCP panel and IRP panel, direction overcurrent scheme, Hi-potential testing of cables, inter-tripping between 33kV incomers and 132kV feeders, interlocking interface between MV to 132kV feeders, commissioning of cable differentials schemes between 132kV feeders and 33kV incomers, cable differential schemes between feeders and incomers on Fine Ash dam plant.

Block3 and Block4 West Switchgear replacement
Time Period Mar 01, 2019 - Jul 31, 2019
Description Block 3 and 4 West Project phase for Factory acceptance testing Factory acceptance testing were successfully done that includes: Point to point and component audit on design as per schematic, Mechanical interlocking and functional testing of logics according to philosophy and logic schematics, secondary engineering of relays according to protection grading study, arc detection, under-voltage blocking, slow transfer schemes were tested according to philosophy and logic schematics. Block 3 and 4 West Project phase for Site acceptance testing. Site Acceptance testing and commissioning were successfully done that includes: Scheme testing (Directional Earth fault, Under-voltage blocking scheme, arc detection scheme, motor differential scheme, interface signals to control room (MECR), BASU interface Hi-potential testing of cables, inter-tripping between LV and MV, inter-tripping between MV and 132kV feed, interlocking interface between MV to 132kV feed, Slow transfer testing on LV system, Fast Transfer blocking interface and fast transfer testing.

Block 1 East Switchgear replacement
Time Period Jun 01, 2020 - Jan 31, 2021
Description Block 1 East Project phase for Factory acceptance testing Factory acceptance testing were successfully done that includes: Point to point and component audit on design as per schematic, Mechanical interlocking and functional testing of logics according to philosophy and logic schematics, secondary engineering of relays according to protection grading study, arc detection, under-voltage blocking, slow transfer schemes were tested according to philosophy and logic schematics. Block 1 East Project phase for Site acceptance testing. Site Acceptance testing and commissioning were successfully done that includes: Scheme testing (Directional Earth fault, Under-voltage blocking scheme, arc detection scheme, motor differential scheme, interface signals to control room (MECR), BASU interface Hi-potential testing of cables, inter-tripping between LV and MV, inter-tripping between MV and 132kV feed, interlocking interface between MV to 132kV feed, Slow transfer testing on LV system, Fast Transfer blocking interface and fast transfer testing.

Reinstate integrity for slow transfer on KK-SS-04 MV board
Time Period Feb 03, 2017 - Feb 28, 2017
Description Slow Transfer on KK-SS-04 did not function correctly in the follow reasons: Incomers tripped on undervoltage and then tie breaker closed when both incomers with under-voltage condition. With under-voltage occurred on either incomer with healthy remote supply with relay selected in local, slow transfer occurred by switching relay from local to remote. Slow transfer logics were designed in incorrect PLC order. Manual transfer logics conflicted without trip selector logic. To reinstate integrity of system, relay logics were re designed in correct PLC order and preventing incomers from tripping on under-voltage, adapt the design according to the original GEC design, remove any local/remote selection on slow transfer scheme, wire trip selection switch in RCP interfaced to switchgear, goose trip selection signals to tie breaker relay because of limited outputs on incomer relays. Re-design was successfully simulated and implemented in plant

Block 8 West, Panel 16 Spare motor feeder conversion to transformer feeder
Time Period Jul 11, 2021 - Jul 13, 2021
Description Block 8 West spare panel 16 was designed to be a motor feeder and the challenge was to re-design the system to a transformer feeder. I considered the cost and time implication for wiring changes on existing design by changing the REM relay to REF relay. With the time constraint and cost implication i suggested to keep the REM relay to eliminate wiring changes on design, adapt the existing logic design by removing relevant function blocks for motor feeder, instate function blocks for transformer feeder, develop close delay logic operation to design for transformer feeder, simulate re-design via simulator and implement re-design successfully in the plant.

EE-SS-05 Transfer failure investigation
Time Period Jan 08, 2025 - Feb 26, 2025
Description Activities conducted on Substation EE-SS-05 transfer investigation: A pendant control trip/close switch was incoroprated in the design but never configured in the transfer logic configuration, a complete re design was conducted and aligned with the standards GEC transfer design to comply with Sasol specification, the new developed configuration were simulated via simulation and declared fit for implementation in a shutdown opportunity

Substation 2T3-SS-01 transfer failure investigation
Time Period Nov 16, 2015 - Mar 10, 2016
Description Activities conducted on Substation 2T3-SS-01 transfer investigation: Re design and re develop of logic configuration to align the transfer scheme to GEC transfer scheme standard, align slow transfer logics to the correct PLC order for more efficient time execution, logic configuration were simulated via simulator declared to be fit for implementation. Implementation was successfully conducted.

Substation N2-SS-03 slow transfer re-design
Time Period Dec 03, 2013 - Nov 30, 2015
Description Protection IED on incomer went faulty and AR logic project file was missing. I used paper printed logics to develop as build configuration and align transfer configuration to GEC standard design for transfer scheme (align to Sasol specification). I succesfully re commisioned the scheme via by replacing the faulty relay.

R8L-SS-04 Slow transfer failure investigation
Time Period Mar 16, 2012 - Mar 16, 2012
Description Slow transfer at R8L-SS-04 failed at instant when upstream feeder breaker trips blocks slow transfer at R8L-SS-04 via 86 operation. The defect was rectified and succesfully re commisioned.

17th Reformer Substation Commisioning
Time Period Sep 16, 2011 - Jan 31, 2012
Description 17th Reformer project was a turn key project and the challenge was to allign protection schemes to Sasol specification, complete Factory and Site Acceptance testing in scheduled time. I received recognition for Sasol Values "Custormer focus" and "Execelence in all we do"

Oxygen Train 15 Bus arc protection trip failure
Time Period May 16, 2011 - Jul 25, 2011
Description During maintenance tests on arc protection scheme on R8L-EE-132B, incomer did not trip on bus arc trip on breaker compartment, highspeed tripping contact on REA101 relay failed. due to time constraint to energized the substation i propose a solution shift the tripping wires on faulty high speed contact to a more robust auxillary contact with a little slow operating time but still grade with upstream protection.

Tasks performed:
- City Power protection Audits
- Sasol (Secunda plant) Gas Circuit phase 3 switchgear replacement.
- Sasol (Secunda plant) Octene 3 Commissioning.
- Sasol (Secunda plant) Gas Circuit Phase 4 switchgear replacements.
- Sasol (Secunda plant) PP2 LV Commissioning.
- Sasol (Secunda plant) Sulphur switchgear replacement.
- Sasol (Secunda plant) Alpha Olefins system study.
The entire above mentioned project activities contains of a Factory acceptance
testing phase where the following activities were performed:
- Point to point, functional check together with secondary injections to
protection equipment on the panels to verify that the product meets the
design requirements. CT and PT tests need also to be done to meet
design requirements.
- IRP panel point to point check with electrical functional check is also a
activity to be completed before the project reaches the site acceptance
testing phase
The entire above mentioned project activities contains of a Site acceptance
testing phase where the following activities were performed:
- Primary injections to proof the restricted earth fault, transformer
differential and directional earth fault schemes.
- Plant interfacing testing to proof that the product meet the design
requirements.
- Arc detection scheme testing to proof that the product meets the
design requirements.
- Hipot testing to proof that the applicable HT cable terminations meet
the withstand capabilities.
- Develop and improve existing earth switch and racking interlocking
schemes to improve safety capabilities during switching applications.