The Benefits of Variable Frequency Drive

There are many benefits of using a variable frequency drive. One advantage is that it can save energy. By controlling the speed of the motor, the variable frequency drive can reduce the amount of electricity the engine uses. This can lead to significant energy savings over time. Therefore, using a variable frequency drive can help to reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Increase the Lifespan of Your Electric Motor

Variable frequency can increase the lifespan of your electric motor. By controlling the speed of the motor, the variable frequency drive can reduce wear and tear on the motor, leading to a longer lifespan. You must be aware of the potential for motor damage when starting up a motor with a variable frequency drive. However, once the motor runs, the variable frequency drive can help increase its lifespan.

2. Reduced Energy Cost

Reduced energy cost is essential to many companies and homeowners. VFD can help with this in a big way. VFDs are also good for the environment. The devices help cut down on carbon emissions by using less energy overall. Operating a motor at lower speeds most of the time also helps increase its lifespan. In some cases, a VFD can more than double the lifespan of a motor.

3. Controlled Acceleration

A VFD can help prevent damage to the motor and equipment in a controlled acceleration. The device can also help maintain torque throughout the speed range, which is essential for some types of equipment. For example, in a lathe, if the spindle does not have enough torque at low speeds, the cutting tool will chatter and cause poor surface finishes.

4. Precise Electrical Control

Precise electrical control is a unique benefit of VFDs. So is the fact that VFDs can make a motor work more efficiently at lower speeds most of the time. The bottom line: A VFD provides many advantages over a standard AC motor speed control. A final benefit of using a variable frequency drive is that it can improve the performance of your electric motor. By controlling the speed of the motor, the variable frequency drive can optimize the performance of the motor. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity in your workplace.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of using a variable frequency drive. Considering a variable frequency drive, carefully weigh the pros and cons to determine if it suits your application. You must be aware of the potential for motor damage when starting up a motor with a variable frequency drive. However, once the motor runs, the variable frequency drive can help increase its lifespan. Contact Ham’s Electric, Inc. today to learn more about variable frequency drives and how they can benefit your business.

While the VFD technically controls voltage and frequency, this is a process often referred to as speed control, because the result of those voltage and frequency changes is changes in speed of the motor.

Here are just a few examples of some of the benefits of adjusting motor speed using a VFD:

• Improved efficiency and energy savings
• Ability to match the drive speed to the requirements of your process
• Ability to match the torque or power of the drive to the requirements
• Ability to convert power in hybridization settings
• Lower levels of mechanical stress on machines, allowing them to have extended lifespans
• Improved working environment
• Lower levels of noise during operation, particularly from pumps and fans

Efficiency

Perhaps the biggest advantage that comes with using a variable frequency drive is the ability to optimize your energy consumption and improve overall efficiency. These drives are capable of drastically cutting down on energy consumption, especially as compared to direct-on-line (DOL) operation, in which the motor operates at full speed at all times, regardless of the demands and needs of the application.

With a VFD, you can achieve fuel or power savings of up to 40 percent or more. The roll-on effect ensures using the VFD also cuts down on nitrous oxide emissions and the overall carbon footprint of the systems in which the drive is installed and used.

Varieties

There are multiple varieties of these drives available, which makes sense considering their broad range of uses within industrial settings. There are both single- and three-phase VFDs, which can be used to suit a wide range of applications. The differences in drive types include the methods used for controlling frequency and voltage, as well as harmonic mitigation.

Of the most common frequency designs used in these drives, three of note include current source inverter, voltage source inverter and pulse-width modification (PWM), the latter being the most common. PWM involves switching the AC drive’s inverter power sources—which can either be insulated-gate bipolar transistors or standard transistors—on and off over and over again to generate the proper voltage levels. The PWM controls and varies the width of those pulses, which results in varied output voltage and frequency.

Interested in learning more about the various types of VFDs available on the market and what their benefits can do for your operation? We encourage you to contact Ham’s Electric, Inc. for more information on what a variable frequency drive is and how it works, as well as any of the numerous services we provide to our clients in Upland, CA. Our experts will be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you have for us.