Feature

Driving for more efficiency

The optimisation of energy usage by electric motors can lead to environmental benefits, as well as reductions in operational expenses (OPEX). Forward-looking businesses interested in reducing their motors’ energy use can now go further than before, by implementing new tools that enable variable speed drives (VSDs) to save even more energy.

01/12/2021 11:15:40

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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

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.