34 n MOTORS May 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com 68-year-old UK compressor motor gets a modular replacement AUK producer of industrial gases has commissioned a modular 6MW gas compressor motor to replace a motor that was originally commissioned in 1957. The replacement 11kV three-phase squirrel cage motor had to be designed to comply with the site’s maximum crane lifting capacity of 16 tonnes, and to avoid any structural changes to the building or the need to remove the roof. Ther family-owned German motor-maker Menzel Elektromotoren met these restrictions and replicated the mechanical interfaces of the original motor. The new motor has a three-tonne base. The base, the motor – which alone weighs 14.7 tonnes – and a twotonne cooler, were installed in three lifts carried out consecutively. The replacement motor is based on Menzel’s MEBKSW series, which is characterised by a high power density and flexible options such as a choice of cooling technologies. The compressor motor has a 1120mm shaft height (including the base), a nominal power of 6MW, a nominal torque of 57,995Nm, and a nominal speed of 988 rpm. The motor has an IP54 protection rating and uses an air-to-water heat exchanger. It underwent inspections in Menzel’s load test field in Berlin before shipping. The UK customer travelled to Berlin to witness the testing. n The modular compressor motor had to comply with the site’s 16-tonne crane lifting capacity
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