External PID controllers and PLCs can be expensive or complex to install and operate. Oliver Woolley, ABB’s key account manager for HVAC, explains how a drive’s integrated PID function can help to save energy in HVAC applications.
The heatwaves over the summer were a sober reminder of the risks of fires in buildings. In the event of a fire, modern VSDs can be configured to help clear smoke, keep fire exits clear and preserve life, as Oliver Woolley, ABB’s key account manager for HVAC, explains.
Multi-fan HVAC configurations can help to improve redundancy and reduce reliance on any single fan motor. Oliver Woolley, ABB’s key account manager for HVAC in the UK, explains how VSDs can improve system resilience and reduce wear and tear, while ensuring that a building’s airflow requirements are met.
IE5-efficiency synchronous reluctance motors are becoming the motor of choice for many UK industries, including the water industry, due to their impressive energy savings compared to IE2 or IE3 motors. According to James Thomas, ABB’s UK water industry manager, their lower running temperatures can also help to prolong equipment lives.
It can be difficult to monitor motors operating in potentially explosive atmospheres as easily as standard motors, but there are some simple steps that you can take to make maintenance more predictable and to prolong motor lives, as Steve Hughes, digital lead of ABB’s Motion Business in the UK, explains.
Synchronous condensers have been around for many years, but have recently enjoyed a new lease of life. Robb Wood, ABB’s UK division manager for large motors and generators, explains how.
Many UK water industry companies are still relying on legacy equipment that is decades old. James Thomas, ABB’s UK water industry manager, argues that they need to act quickly to take advantage of more efficient motor technologies if they are to hit their ambitious net-zero targets.
Flowing water represents a huge opportunity for small-scale generation of clean energy with rapid paybacks. According to ABB’s UK water industry manager, Clayton Mead, such applications are easier and cheaper than you might think, and VSDs can play
a key role.
ABB’s water framework manager, Martin Richardson, explains some of the challenges associated with supplying variable-speed drives (VSDs) from generators – and how to solve them.
Oliver Woolley, ABB’s key account manager for the HVAC sector, discusses the merits of variable-speed drives in HVAC applications, and how they stack up against electronically-commuted fans.
Cloud computing allows us to track and analyse VSD data accurately, and to schedule maintenance exactly when it is needed. Liam Blackshaw, product manager for LV drives at ABB Motion UK, believes this is “a game-changer”.
Recycling motors and drives can result in substantial energy and environmental benefits. ABB’s UK managing director, David Hughes, looks at the role these industrial components can play in helping to achieve a circular economy.
Low-harmonic drives can tackle high levels of harmonic distortion at a relatively low cost. Liam Blackshaw, ABB’s UK product manager for LV drives, argues that concerns over higher-order harmonics and efficiency are usually misplaced.
The first EU regulations covering the efficiency of VSDs come into force next month. Liam Blackshaw, ABB’s product manager for LV drives, examines the implications.
Long cables between a motor and a VSD are not generally a good idea, but are sometimes unavoidable. ABB's Martin Richardson explains the factors to consider.
