.4.

25

ENERGY SAVINGS WITH VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES

K M Pauwels

Energy auditor, Laborelec, Industrial Applications, Belgium

SUMMARY
Ths paper focuses on the economic benefits that can be obtained by replacing mechanical flow control of pumps and fans with variable speed drives. Firstly, different topologies of variable speed drives are discussed: rectifier topologies (thyristor, IGBT) as well as the control of invertors with Pulse Width Modulation. A short overview of the advantages for the different topologies is given. The most important restrictions are also mentioned.
I

TECHNOLOGY
A variable speed dnve (VSD) essentially consists of two main parts: rectifier and invertor (fig. 1).

The core of the paper consists of three case studies, which are taken from our energy consulting experience in Belgian industry. Case study 1 discusses VSD installation on the circulation pumps of the electrocoat bath in a car assembly factory. Before, flow was controlled by valve regulation. Installing a variable speed dnve instead generated a yearly saving of 176.400 kWh for one pump. The payback time amounts to approximately 14 months. Case study 2 explains the economic benefits of VSD on lubricated screw compressors. Depending on the load profile, energy savings up to 41 YO can be obtained by applying frequency regulation instead of loadunload regulation. Case study 3 shows the case of a convertor in a stainless steel factory. Two 800 kW fans blow air into the convertor. The air flow is controlled by a valve. Replaclng the valve with a VSD implies a yearly saving of4.188.277 kwh. Fig. 1 - concept o f a VSD

Rectifier
Nowadays, two main topologies are used for medium power rectifier units:
1

diode rectifiers The rectifjmg unit consists of a diode bridge. This means that .the DC link voltage is fully depending on the AC supply voltage. Some typical characteristics of diode bridges are: - Good power factor: phase shift between voltage and current is very low. - No control needed. - Introduction of line-side harmonics: a diode bridge is a non-linear load. This means that a non-sinusoidal current is taken from the feeding line. Current harmonics cause voltage harmonics. These voltage harmonics can disturb nearby charges.

IGBT rectifiers To eliminate the disadvantages of diode (and thyristor) rectifiers, new solutions are developed.

'

CIRED2001, 18-21 June 2001, Conference Publication No. 482 0 IEE 2001

Authorized licensed use limited to: Nanyang Technological University. Downloaded on June 11,2010 at 08:28:06 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

4.25

These solutions are all based on the principle that the diode bridge is substituted by an inverter consisting of IGBT components (Fig. 2). IGBT stands for Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. Invertors with IGBT rectifiers are called Active Front End (ME) invertors. Some features of Active Front Ends are: - good power factor, even better then diode rectifier bridge - rectifier is controlled by means of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) - PWM technology reduces harmonic distortion to a very low level

Fundamental sinewinr.

Fig.3 -Pulse Width Modulation

RESTRICTIONS

In spite of all the advantages, some problems can occur with Variable Speed Drives. The problems are all related to a deteriorated power quality.

Production of harmonics

Fig. 2 - activefiont end Invertor

The'invertor uses the DC voltage from the DC bus to create an AC voltage with variable frequency (and amplitude). Nowadays, all invertors are equiped with IGBT (or similar) components. PWM control (Pulse Width Modulation) is widely used for control of the IGBT switches. PWM control consists in rapidly switching on and off the IGBT switches in such a way that pulses with variable width constitute a sinusoidal waveform (Fig. 3).

Power electronics always take a distorted current from the feeding line. This causes line-side current harmonics. Some problems that may occur with lineside harmonics are: Harmonics cause supplementary heating in transformers, cables, ... This fastens the aging process. Nearby capacitor banks can be damaged severely by harmonics. Older types of thyristor control (based on switching at zero voltage) can be disturbed.

...
Next to line-side harmonics, motor-side harmonics are also generated. One of the big problems caused by motor-side harmonics is overvoltage: overvoltage appears due to reflections of the voltage waveform at both ends of the transmission cable. Transmission line theory tells us that matching impedances for all components are required to reduce reflection as much as possible.

Sensitivity to voltage dips and short interruptions

An invertor basically consists of a rectifjmg and an inverting unit, linked by a DC-circuit (Fig. 1). In the DC-circuit, the capacitor is the only energy storing element. Even with a big capacity, the stored energy is low.

Authorized licensed use limited to: Nanyang Technological University. Downloaded on June 11,2010 at 08:28:06 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

4;25

Example: the stored energy in a 10 mF capacitor (600 VDC)is

Measurement results
An ultrasonic flow rate measurement (case of valve regulation) revealed a flow rate of 194 m3/h. Taking into account the nominal flow rate of 280 mh, the frequency of the drive needed to be set to 34.8 Hz (nominal frequency = 50 Hz) in order to obtain the required flow rate. In the case of valve regulation, the absorbed power amounts to 36 kW. In the case of frequency regulation, the absorbed power amounts to 15 kW.

001 , Oo2
L

= 1800J = 0,0005kWh .

Furthermore, the capacitor in the DC-link is limited to avoid too big inrush currents at switching on. Most important consequence of the low capacity to store energy.is the fact that invertors are very sensitive to short interruptions and voltage dips. In the worst case, the control of the VSD simply blocks. Nowadays, a lot of constructors provide different kinds of techniques that improve this weak point. However, none of this solutions guarantees complete protection to short interruptions and voltage dips.

CASE STUDY 1 : CIRCULATION PUMP Gain - payback time Short description (of the original set-up)
The pump functions continuously during 50 weeks a year. +,car assembly factory paints the body works by means of an electrocoat bath. The paint is attached to the body work by applying a DC voltage to the body work. To maintain temperature and concentration of the paint in the bath, the paint is continuously circulated by pumps, even when theres no production. Flow regulation is effectuated by means of valves. The use of VSD thus implies a yearly saving of:

(36 - 15)kW x 24 h/d x 7 dlw x 50 WJY = 176.400 kWWy.

For thls case, the payback time (investment + installation) amounts to approximately 14 months.

Measurements
-To be able to know the energy saving with Variable Speed Drive, the following parameters have to be measured:

CASE STUDY 2: COMPRESSORS

LUBRICATED

SCREW

Introduction
In industry, lubricated screw compressors are widely used. For these compressors, three regulation methods exist:

1) flow rate: In order to have a reliable comparison

between the two regulation methods, the flow has to be the same in the two cases. 2) Power: for the two regulation methods, the power has to be measured. The measurements were limited to one circulation P-P.

Characteristics of the pump

Nominal power: 45 kW Nominal flow rate: 280 m3h

I ) Loadhnload regulation Air flow is regulated by opening and closing the inlet vane. During the time that the vane is closed, the motor is running unloaded. 2) Valve regulation Air flow is regulated by a valve that can be put in all positions. 3) Frequency regulation Air flow is regulated by controlling the speed of the electric motor.
To compare the energy consumption for the three methods, measurements were carried out.

Authorized licensed use limited to: Nanyang Technological University. Downloaded on June 11,2010 at 08:28:06 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

4.25
To do so, three compressors of the same installed power were taken from one constructor, each with a different flow regulation. The power of the compressors is 45 kW.

Load profiles
Each of the compressors has been tested for three different load profiles:
Weekly profile (Sunday to Saturday)

1) profile A: compressed air consumption all day, even during weekends (fig. 4) 2) profile B: compressed air consumption all day, not during weekends (fig. 5) 3) profile C: compressed air consumption during working hours (5 am to 20 pm), not during weekends (fig. 6 )

Fig. 6 -profile C

These profiles have been simulated by using control valves of different flow rate connected to a compressed air vessel (2000 1). The control was made by PLC (fig.7).

-mo,

- t i l l i l l

weekly profile (Sunday to Saturday)

Fig. 4 --profile A

120

1 !

'

I'
Fig. 7 -picture of the vessel

+ valves

Measurements

For each of the three compressors, the three load

Weekly profi (Sundi to Saturday)

Fig. 5 -profile B

profiles were simulated during one week. This makes a total measuring time of 9 weeks (3 compressors - 3 profiles). The power (1/4 h average) was measured and registered for each of the 9 situations.

Authorized licensed use limited to: Nanyang Technological University. Downloaded on June 11,2010 at 08:28:06 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

4.25
Measurements During one week, the position of the valve of 1 fan was registered. The opening of the valve appeared to be 60 % on average.

Results Figure 8 gives an overview of the obtained results:

0

Depending on the load profile, a valve regulation gives a saving from 3,9 % up to 8,8 YO in comparison with loadunload regulation. The average saving amounts to 8,l %. Depending on the load profile, a variable speed drive gives a saving from 15,7 % up to 41,l YOin comparison with loadunload regulation. The average saving amounts to 37,2 %.

Software simulation Simulation on software (fig. 9) gives a yearly saving of 4.188.277 kWh (for one fan).

0
c )

$ 46

'

$ 0

g * c
'5

Taking into account an investment of 105.000 euro, the payback time amounts to 8 months. Including the estimated installation cost, the payback time comes to 14 months.

P m
IS

E 8

io

.s
:o

F5
profile A

profile B

profile C

average

Fig. 8 - overview savings

CASE STUDY 3

Introduction

Fig 9 - software simulation 800 kWfan

A large stainless steel manufacturer uses an AC arc furnace to melt the steel. The molten steel goes from the arc furnace in a convertor to reduce the percentage of carbon.

CONCLUSIONS

Essentially, air is blown into the convertor to oxidise the carbon. Two 800 kW fans blow the air into the convertor. The air flow isregulated by valves.

Invertor technology is improving continuously: more performant components in combination with more performant control increase accuracy and speed of control, and reduces current harmonics. The three case studies taken from industry show clearly that installing variable speed drives generates important energy savings. Screw compressors, centrifugal pumps and fans with mechanical flow regulation are especially suited for variable speed regulation. However, one has to be aware of the fact that electronic speed regulation also implies some restrictions, especially in relation with deteriorated power quality. Line-side as well as motor-side harmonics are created, invertors are in the mean time very sensitive to short interruptions or voltage dips.

Authorized licensed use limited to: Nanyang Technological University. Downloaded on June 11,2010 at 08:28:06 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.