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IEC publishes standard defining IE4 motor efficiency level
Published:  13 March, 2014

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has published a new standard which, for the first time, officially defines IE4 Super Premium efficiency motors, as well as eight-pole motors with outputs from 0.12kW to 1MW for operation on 50Hz and 60Hz supplies.

The standard – IEC 60034-30-1:2014, titled Rotating electrical machines - Part 30-1: Efficiency classes of line operated AC motors (IE code) – supersedes the 2008 edition of IEC 60034-30, which has now been withdrawn. It will be followed shortly by IEC 60034-30-2 that will define efficiency classes for motors rated for use on variable frequency supplies.

IEC 60034-30-1:2014 specifies efficiency classes for single-speed electric motors that are rated according to IEC 60034-1 or IEC 60079-0, for operation on a sinusoidal voltage supply. It establishes a set of limit efficiency values based on frequency, number of poles and motor power

The standard does not distinguish between motor technologies, supply voltages or motors with increased insulation designed specifically for converter operation, even though these motor technologies may not all be capable of achieving the higher efficiency classes. This allows different motor technologies to be compared with respect to their energy efficiency potential.

Nord is one of several motor manufacturers that launched IE4 motors before the IEC standard was published

Several motor manufacturers had already launched machines which they say are IE4-compatible, long before the IEC standard was published. Some are now announcing IE5 motors before the IEC has defined them formally in a standard.

The new 50-page standard can be purchased from the IEC as a hardcopy for or PDF for CFr150.