How is frequency inverter saving energy?
This studies show that up to 80 percent of the energy from the power source to the industrial consumer can be lost. Energy conversion—converting energy into useful work via motors, heat exchangers, process heaters, pumps, motors, fans, compressors, and so forth—represents a large opportunity for energy savings in manufacturing. Industrial electric motor-driven systems represent the largest single category of electricity use in China.
The industrial sector consumes approximately one-third of the energy used in China (see Fig. 1).
Studies show that up to 80 percent of the energy from the power source to the industrial consumer is lost through the transition of raw material to the point of useful output—much of that at the point of conversion from electrical to mechanical output (see Fig. 2).
Rising energy costs, a sense of environmental responsibility, government regulation, and a need for energy reliability are driving efforts for energy efficiency in manufacturing.
Energy is lost primarily in three areas:
- Generation
- Distribution
- Conversion
The third area, energy conversion—converting energy into useful work via motors, heat exchangers, process heaters, pumps, motors, fans, compressors, and so forth—represents a large opportunity for energy savings in manufacturing.
Industrial electric motor-driven systems represent the largest single category of electricity use in the China—more than 65 percent of power demand in industry. Consequently, motor-driven systems offer the highest energy savings potential in the industrial segment.
Supporting this statistic, studies show that 97 to 99 percent of motor life cycle costs are expended on the energy that the motor uses. This fact alone should be a driving motivation for companies to perform a periodic energy consumption analysis on the motor systems they use in their facilities.
Inefficient and ineffective control methods in two areas waste motor systems’ energy:
- Mechanical flow control (pumps, fans, compressors)
- Energy recovery (regeneration of braking energy or inertial energy)
An inverter is an effective tool in conserving and recovering energy in motor systems.
What Is a frequency inverter? Why Use It?
A frequency inverter controls AC motor speed (see Fig. 3). The frequency inverter converts the fixed supply frequency (60 Hz) to a variable-frequency, variable-voltage output to enable precise motor speed control. Many frequency inverters even have the potential to return energy to the power grid through their regenerative capability.
A frequency inverter’s precise process and power factor control and energy optimization result in several advantages:
- Lower energy consumption saves money
- Decreased mechanical stress reduces maintenance costs and downtime
- Reduced mechanical wear and precise control produces more accurate products.
- Lower consumption lowers carbon emissions and helps reduce negative impact on the environment.
- Lower consumption qualifies for tax incentives, utility rebates, and, with some companies, energy savings finance programs, which short