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Up to an
additional 30%, compared to traditional choke designs
One of the truly unique features of the new
ACS550 drive for industrial applications is that it employs a
groundbreaking Swinging Choke technology to reduce harmonics at partial
load, making an essentially efficiency-driven solution that much more
efficient - at zero added cost to the user," he noted. "What's more,
ACS550 drives makes precise motor control easier than ever before."
Motors powering mechanical equipment consume an
astounding amount of energy. They account for a full 60% of the total
electrical energy consumed in the
U.S., for example. And when motors run
at a fixed speed, much of the energy they use is simply wasted. Variable
speed drives, like the ACS550, precisely control motor speed to reflect
actual demand, eliminating waste caused by fixed-speed operation and
generating end-user savings of up to 70%.
Even so, current harmonics cause energy loss in
devices operating with variable speed drives. Harmonics are electrical
disturbances generated by non-linear devices (just about anything with a
microprocessor)
connected to the supply system. Current harmonics
squander energy by causing excessive transformer heat loss. In addition,
current harmonics require expensive compensation in the form of
oversized cabling and can cause sensitive equipment to malfunction.
Reduced Harmonics at Partial Load
Use of conventional chokes or line reactors bring
down harmonic levels at full load to meet existing standards, but do
nothing to reduce them at partial load. Since devices operating with a
variable speed drive operate at partial load most of the time, reducing
harmonics at partial load can lead to savings in transformer heat
losses. Through ABB's patent-pending Swinging Choke design, the ACS550
reduces harmonics at both full load and partial load for a total
reduction of up to 30% compared to traditional choke designs.
"The Swinging Choke is important because it
provides increased inductance at reduced current, something that quite
literally has never been done before," according to Kenyon. "When users
realize what a 30%additional reduction in harmonics at partial load
means in terms of energy saved, lowered first costs and increased system
reliability, they won't be prepared to live without it. This helps take
care of an issue that is a growing concern to industry."
Design Driven by Customers' Requirements
The ACS550 is a landmark product in other
respects, as well. It was the first-ever, joint-development effort
between ABB in
Finland and the U.S. And it's based on a
needs-assessment process that asked customers worldwide what they wanted
in a motor drive. As a result, the ACS550 features an intuitive keypad,
modelled after a cell phone.
Standard Start-Up Assistant software rapidly
guides users through set-up procedures and Maintenance Assistant
software signals when it's time for routine maintenance. Plus,
Diagnostic Assistant software provides users with suggestions for
correcting faults.
Kenyon concludes: "The ACS550 offers
precedent-setting harmonics mitigation, and it also is the easiest motor
drive on the market to install, start and use benefits that our
customers asked us for!"
ABB Inc., Automation Technologies, Drives, is the
world's largest manufacturer of electric motors and drives. In the
USA,
an integrated channel of sales representatives, distributors, and system
integrators allow ABB, New Berlin, Wisconsin, to supply a complete line
of energy-efficient electric drives, motors and engineered drive systems
to a wide range of industrial and commercial customers. Products
manufactured include AC and DC variable speed drives for electric motors
from 1/8th through 135,000 HP, large AC machines and drives,
medium-voltage drives, power electronics and rectifier systems, AC & DC
motors, and application-specific drive system solutions to meet diverse
customer needs (www.abb-drives.com).
ABB (www.abb.com)
is a leader in power and automation technologies that enables utility
and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100
countries and employs about 120,000 people. The company's
U.S. operations
employ about 9,500 in manufacturing and other facilities in 40 states.
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