TECHNOLOGY n 25 www.drivesncontrols.com October 2026 ABB HAS TEAMED UP with the Danish high-efficiency fan specialist Novenco to offer an axial fan package with a claimed system efficiency of up to 85% in a typical air handling unit (AHU), thus outperforming EC (electronically commutated) and belt-driven fan alternatives. The package combines a Novenco ZerAx axial fan, which achieves an aerodynamic efficiency at the impeller of up to 92% – said to be the world’s highest for an axial fan – with an ABB IE5 permanent magnet motor and VSD (variable-speed drive). ABB and Novenco say that at current energy costs, many fan retrofit projects will deliver a return on investment (ROI) of less than two years. The turnkey packages are designed to last 15 to 20 years. In addition, if an EC fan fails, its sealed, moulded construction makes field repair impractical, and the entire package has to be swapped. The modular design of the ZerAx system – with fan, motor and VSD being separate components – means that each element can be upgraded, retrofitted or replaced independently, if needed. When the fans reach the ends of their lives, many of the materials can be recovered. For example, the motors are made of recyclable materials, with at least 98% recoverable through specialised processes. In a typical data centre cooling application – consisting of more than 1,000 fans – replacing EC fans with the new axial fan package will cut energy consumption by 15–40% annually, depending on the age of the installation, according to ABB. Similar efficiency improvements could be achieved in industrial applications, as well as in buildings where ventilation systems run continuously. Novenco’s axial fans have an optimised blade design and a hub reminiscent of a jet engine. They are designed for simple installation and servicing. ABB says that fan and ventilation systems are among the highest energy consumers in any facility, yet they often have a low priority on efficiency agendas. “In today’s world of challenging energy access and rising net-zero ambitions, energy efficiency has become a business-critical priority,” says Novenco CEO, Lars Erik Knaack. “This solution demonstrates how our highly efficient fan technology, combined with advanced motors and drives, can help customers accelerate their efficiency and decarbonisation efforts.” https://go.abb/motion www.novenco-building.com Fan package with record efficiency of 85% could deliver two-year ROIs BELDEN HAS TEAMED UP with the smart manufacturing specialist Edge2Web to offer a package that turns plant floor data into faster, smarter operational decisions. The move is part of Belden's expansion from being a supplier of a communications products to a “solutions provider”. Manufacturers are under pressure to improve efficiency, says Belden, but turning plant floor data into action remains difficult. Many operations still run on a patchwork of control systems and manual processes that make real-time performance visibility hard to achieve. The new package combines Edge2Web’s Factory Insights software-as-a-service application with Belden’s Horizon Data Operations, which connects more than 300 industrial protocols and normalises plant data acquisition and secure transmission to AWS IoT SiteWise. Edge2Web’s Factory Insights application visualises KPIs such as OEE, TEEP (total effective equipment performance), MTBF/MTTR and energy use. “Most manufacturers are not lacking data,” points out Belden’s ecosystem partner program manager, David Ricks. “They are missing the connection from data to decisions, and getting there usually means stitching together three or four vendors and hoping it holds together. “We built this solution with Edge2Web – powered by AWS – so that work is done and customers can realise value quickly. It’s the first in a line of end-to-end solutions we’re bringing to market with our ecosystem partners.” https://solutions.belden.com/ your-machines-know Package links 300 protocols and turns factory data into operational decisions Novenco CEO, Lars Erik Knaack: energy efficiency has become a business-critical priority
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