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Free tool evaluates motor and drive efficiencies

09 September, 2009

Baldor has released a free software tool for evaluating the energy efficiency of electric motors and variable speed drives. The Baldor Energy Savings Tool (Best) analyses the efficiency and electricity use of existing motors and calculates the savings that could be achieved by replacing them with more efficient models. The software uses built-in motor performance and pricing information to suggest replacements and to estimate payback periods.

The tool (shown above) can be used to implement site-wide motor management strategies, or simply to compare the costs of a motor rewind against those of a replacement motor.

Data can be input from a PC keyboard or imported as an Excel file. A single screen is used to set all preferences, as well as project data such as the local currency and electricity costs. A report writer function can create simple summaries of the results or detailed reports.

The software handles “what if” questions. For example, it provides Excel templates for various gears, pumps and fans, and allows users to ascertain the financial benefit of adding speed control to an application.

“We are often asked whether it is cost-effective to invest in replacement motors,” says Baldor UK`s Mark Crocker. “The answer depends on factors such as application lifetime, but it is usually an emphatic ‘yes’.

“Consider a typical 90% efficient motor with a nominal 30kW output capability,” he explains. “It will require an input of about 33.2kW to deliver 30kW out – the remaining 3.2kW dissipates as heat.

“Merely raising the efficiency by 4.5% – by replacing the motor with a Baldor Super-E model – will save significant costs,” Crocker continues. “The motor will then only require about 31.6 kW input power to deliver 30kW. In other words, the wasted energy has been cut by 1.6kW, or 50%!.

“Put another way, for every £1,000 spent on electricity to power the original motor, only £900 was being used,” Crocker adds. “The rest was going up the chimney.” By substituting a high-efficiency motor, “£945 of those hard-earned £1,000 get invested in true motive power”.

The Best software can be downloaded from Baldor’s Web site.