According to the survey, manufacturers are making various improvements to boost energy efficiency. These include investing in building improvements, encouraging cultural and behavioural changes, and replacing industrial equipment. Many operators have tried to optimise energy efficiency and power quality by installing variable speed drives (VSDs). These sit in front of motors, controlling their speed and torque while providing good power factor.
Though effective, standard 6-pulse VSDs distort the sine wave, which creates harmonic distortion – another headache for operators. A standard pulse drive with no in-built harmonic mitigation can easily impact neighbouring equipment, reducing equipment life and causing unexpected downtime. There is also no regen function, and operators will typically divert the energy from the drive and dump it into a resistor – wasting it as heat.
This is the worst of both worlds.
Read the full article in DPA's November 2024 issue