Drives&Controls & BACK TO BASICS n SPONSORED BY There’s more to efficiency than the datasheet When choosing the most efficient motor-and-drive package, you would think it would be as simple as taking the drive and motor with the best nominal efficiency values, and pairing them together. However, as Martin Richardson, water framework manager at ABB, explains, sometimes things are not quite as easy in practice. Datasheets are a valuable tool for helping to determine what type and size of drive and motor will be the right choice for your application. But when it comes to choosing the most efficient motor-and-drive package, the datasheet may only tell half the story. Nominal load efficiency figures are calculated at a fixed operating point, in line with current European standards for efficiency. If your drive and motor only spend 20% of their time running at this point, then it follows that they will spend 80% of their operating hours running at a different – and likely lower – efficiency. As such, the most efficient motor or drive on paper may not necessarily be the most efficient one in practice. In the water industry, we frequently encounter motors that are oversized for their application, on the basis that a larger motor provides insurance against worst-case scenarios. If those scenarios don’t come around very often, then the system will spend the vast majority of its time running at a lower efficiency than it could be. Moreover, each component in a motor-driven system will affect others within the same system. Matched pairs are matched for a reason, and are carefully designed to work optimally together. The ideal choice of equipment for a particular application will depend not only on the nominal torque and speed requirement of the system, but most importantly the intended use profile for different scenarios during operation, and the control philosophy. You won’t find this sort of insight on the datasheet, but you will find it by talking to your supplier, who should have a deep understanding of what their products can and cannot do, and the nuances of how they actually operate in the field. As suppliers of both motors and drives, ABB’s experts and partners can provide assistance with choosing and dimensioning the right package for optimal results and ROI. ABB’s Ecodesign tool allows you to input the details of any ABB motor and drive, and calculate the losses and efficiency for complete drive modules, LV motors, and package efficiency at different operating points. Search for “ABB Ecodesign tool”. pot en ti a l o f y o Are you inve our workforce? esting in the mproves Comp Creates an Adaptable a ncreases Productivi mproves Safe W Industry recognised co I I a I any Reputation nd Flexible Workforce y and Performance orking Practices ourses from the BFPA W t a p Please call 01608 6479 00 or bfpa.co.u RITISH FLUID POW B email enquiries@bfpa.co.uk k/training WER ASSOCIATION / Drives&Controls Follow us on LinkedIn @Drives & Controls Join us on Facebook Drives & Controls Follow us on X @DrivesnControls For the latest news visit www.drivesncontrols.com Drives& Controls
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