Combining motors and drives

摘要

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES BRING GREAT ADVANTAGES IN CONTROLLING MOTORS BUT CARE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO MATCH THE DRIVE TO THE MOTOR TO ENSURE THE COMBINATION IS A WINNING ONE, SAYS GEOFF BROWN, DRIVE APPLICATIONS CONSULTANT AT ABB. Of the approximately 10 million motors installed in UK industry, only some 3% are controlled by variable speed drives. Despite the huge energy savings to be gained, often in excess of 50%, many companies are still not making use of variable speed drives to run their motors Yet, process operators cannot simply connect a drive to any old motor and expect huge energy savings overnight or even a successful motor and drive match. To minimise the risk that the selected motor will fail, users need to understand the required operating and environmental characteristics of the application. Motors have to cope with all sorts of environments, from high ambient temperatures, to being immersed in sewage, to operating in dust or gas hazards.