Wayne Turtill, Product Manager VSD Servos & LVS at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how to reduce energy usage even more with the right VSD technology.
VSDs have long been used in applications where varying motor output speeds are required, such as fans, pumps, winches, conveyors, and varied production machines. By controlling the key elements of a motor’s electricity supply – namely voltage and frequency – VSDs can adjust the speed and torque to deliver the process requirements of the machine or device they are driving, to a very precise level.
Using VSDs to reduce energy use makes a huge difference already, especially when compared to other solutions used to adjust the output speed, for example, dampers and valves or gears and pulleys. In effect, using a VSD to reduce the motor speed from 100 percent to 80 percent in variable torque load applications can cut energy use by up to 50 percent. In constant torque systems, a 50 percent speed reduction typically results in 50 percent less power being consumed.
Read the full article in DPA's December issue