NEWS n www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 9 AN INSTALLATION OF eight 1MW medium-voltage drives on cooling pumps at a UK CCGT (combined-cycle gas turbine) power station is saving around 12GWh a year – enough to power around 4,500 homes. The installation, carried out by Innomotics Motors and Large Drives, has been chosen as Project of the Year in this year’s awards organised by the AEMT (Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades). The project paid for itself in less than 18 months. The unidentified power station has four 355kW gas turbine generating sets. Waste heat is recovered from their exhausts to raise steam that drives a turbine to generate additional power. Each set has two main cooling water pumps, each driven by 980kW, 6.6kV, ten-pole motors, which previously used to start direct on-line and run at fixed speeds. The pumps draw water from a nearby river which is used to condense exhaust steam back to feedwater. Because the pumps were running at fixed speed, energy was being wasted and there were fluctuations in the steam turbine vacuum, resulting in inefficient operation. It was therefore decided to fit VSDs to all of the pumps, while keeping the motors. The drives provide precise speed control of the pumps against a turbine vacuum setpoint. Only the required amount of water is pumped to the condenser, saving a significant amount of energy because the absorbed power varies with the cube of the pump speed, and the pumps are running around the clock. Precise control of the vacuum means that the steam turbine always runs at its optimum operating point, leading to further efficiency improvements across the cycle. The VSDs also result in a much improved power factor to the mains supply, and this delivers further improvements in reactive power drawn from the grid. The project has also raised the reliability of the pump motors, which had previously been suffering form serious issues resulting from stresses at start-up using the original DOL starters, and mechanical resonances while running. Other winners of 2024 AEMT awards included: n Product of the year: Megger Baker for its ADX static motor analyser, which verifies winding circuits and the condition of insulation systems in motors and generators. n Service centre of the year: Hidrostal for its 20,000ft2 service and distribution centre in Castleford which carries out servicing, refurbishments and repairs, and holds spare parts for the company’s centrifugal pumping systems and technologies. n Supplier of the year: Preformed Windings, the manufacturer of high-voltage diamond coils, whose products, such as its QualCoil H, have “revolutionised” hydropower efficiency, contributing to CO2 reductions. n Contribution to skills and training: Westin Drives, which invests in its workforce to enhance its expertise through continuous training programmes, apprenticeships, and skill development initiatives. n Rising star award: James Schooler, from ADC Electrical, who has only just started the second year of his apprenticeship, but has established himself as an integral member for the engineering team. n Sustainable engineering award: IPS Newcastle, which partnered with Newcastle University to assess the carbon footprint of motor and generator repairs compared to replacements. n Special recognition award: Hidrostal, which has “clearly demonstrated” inclusive participation in its everyday operations which contribute “significantly” to the enhancement of equality, diversity and inclusion at work. The call for nominations for the 2025 awards, which coincide with the AEMT’s 80th anniversary, will open in the spring. MV drive retrofit at power station wins AEMT project of the year DANFOSS DRIVES IS ENTERING into a cooperative agreement with Innomotics – the motors and MV drives specialist that was spun out of Siemens in 2023 and was acquired by KPS Capital Partners in 2024 for €3.5bn. By combining their strengths, the two companies are aiming to increase competitiveness and provide their customers with a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The partnership will allow Danfoss and Innomotics to offer tailored packages. They will focus on joint approaches to selected customers, and on strengthening the technical compatibility, performance, efficiency and competitiveness of their motor-anddrive combinations. The companies are still defining the areas of the cooperation and plan to release more details soon. “We are delighted to announce the cooperation with Danfoss Drives to help minimise our customers' carbon footprints together,” says Innomotics CEO, Michael Reichle. Danfoss Drives president, Mika Kulju, adds that the tailored packages will offer “competitive, efficient and convenient solutions to our customers”. The retrofitting of MV drives at a UK power station has won the AEMT’s project of the year award for 2025 Danfoss Drives and Innomotics form drives and motors partnership Danfoss Drives and Innomotics have formed a strategic partnership
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