Systems available to vary the Speed

A VFD is basically an electrical circuit, which is connected between a supplying network and a motor. Unlike a Direct-On-Line (DOL) operated motor, the speed of which is fixed to the frequency of the supplying AC network, the main purpose of a VFD is to provide the motor with an AC supply voltage / AC current of variable frequency, enabling a variable motor speed and torque. In general, a state-of-the-art VFD consists of a rectifier section, a DC-link section and an inverter section. The rectifier section rectifies the supplying AC network voltage of fixed frequency (usually 50 or 60Hz) into a DC voltage / DC current, which then, in the inverter section of the VFD, will be transformed into an AC voltage / AC current of variable amplitude and frequency.

Types variable frequency systems available

A. Low voltage drives B. Medium voltage drives /in tommorows article/ C. High voltage drives /in tommorows article/ When talking about Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), one has to distinguish between Low Voltage VFDs (up to 690V motor voltage) and Medium Voltage VFDs (above 1kV motor voltage). Typically the economically reasonable power ranges are: for LV-VFDs is up to 500 Hp for MV-VFDs is upto 1000 Hp and for HT VFDs is above 1000 H.P . This system is to reduce THD and transmission loss.

A. Application of LV VFDs In Sugar Industry Introduction

Inially LV-VFDs were introduced into the market in the late 60s only The benefits of LV-VFDs in those days were basically the same as today ie. energy savings, improved process control, less maintenance cost. However, these benefits were to some extent, compensated by the drawbacks such as low power factor issues, harmonic distortion, torque pulsations and reliability problems. These problems have now been basically eliminated allowing the advantages of a LV-VFD system to clearly dominate. This opened the doors for LV-VFDs to enter in many industries such as oil & gas petrochemical,power, water & sewage water pumping, metals, minerals & mining, marine and Sugar plant etc to name just a few. This is mainly for the controlled and economical transport of liquids, gas and solid.

In the sugar industry, a lot of applications are suited for operation with a LV-VFD instead of the conventional driving methods such as: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Cane Carrier Drive, Feeder Table Drive, Milling Plant Drive, Raw juice Pumps, Sulphited Juice Pumps, Molasses Pumps, Injection Pumps, Cooling Tower Pumps and Centrifugals for a Sugar Curing and Chemical Dosing pump.