Cairo International Airport is one of the busiest aviation hubs in Africa and the Middle East. With as many as 682 flights in a single day, the airport relies on highly reliable, uninterrupted power for its critical operations. At the very heart of these operations sits the airport’s traffic control tower, where even the briefest power interruption could disrupt communication and compromise safety. To safeguard against such risks, Magic for Engineering Works LTD worked with Crestchic Loadbanks to deliver a dependable standby power system that responds instantly and operates flawlessly.
Magic for Engineering Works installed two 500 kVA Perkins/Stamford diesel generator sets, providing synchronised backup power for the control tower. However, operating generators at low load can lead to reduced efficiency and mechanical issues, such as carbon buildup—a challenge that requires a smart, responsive solution. To address this, a 200kW Crestchic load bank was integrated into the power system to maintain optimal generator loading and ensure long-term reliability.
The Crestchic load bank was configured to operate in Trakker control mode, automatically tracking the site’s load and applying additional power as needed to maintain a healthy minimum load on the generators. Whenever the total generator load dropped below 30%, the load bank would seamlessly activate, applying additional resistive load to keep the engines running within their optimal performance range. Once the system load exceeded 30%, the load bank would quietly disengage, all without human intervention.
“Running a generator on low load for extended periods can lead to a range of issues — from inefficient fuel combustion and carbon build-up to premature engine wear,” explains Isabella Xu, Technical Sales Manager at Crestchic. “In mission-critical facilities like an air traffic control tower, those risks are unacceptable. A properly configured load bank ensures the generator operates within its optimal range at all times, ensuring it operates reliably if called upon.”
Using the included control system, the load bank can also be operated manually. By switching control settings on the panel, the operator can select and apply any desired load level. This flexibility enables the system to be used for both routine maintenance testing and automatic load management during operation.
With Crestchic’s load bank at the heart of the system, the airport benefits from reliable, efficient, and intelligent power management. This ensures that critical backup power operates at peak performance, keeping Cairo’s air traffic control operational no matter what happens on the ground.
