Improved reliability of cooling tower fan drives is now possible due to new advancements in motor technology. This paper discusses the development of low speed, permanent magnet motors and how they can be used in direct-drive applications to eliminate the gearbox, NEMA motor, driveshaft, and disc couplings from cooling tower designs. A case study is presented where a tower was refurbished using a direct-drive motor designed to fit the exact footprint and height of the existing gearbox. Design considerations, performance data, maintenance, and efficiency comparisons will be discussed.
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