drives, motors & controls - Industrial Technology Magazine

with the newand start savingoffers at least 17.5 percent discount on thepurchase cost, as well as help obtaininggovernment aid under various national energysaving initiatives. The swappage scheme operatesin four phases.1. The application: The first step is a thoroughknowledge of the parameters of your drives ormotors. But all is not lost if this information is notavailable. ABB supports a national chain of channelpartners with the expertise to assess any drive andmotor application for its energy saving potential.This could involve a free on-site energy appraisal,looking at suitable applications that could producethe most significant savings. Measurements will betaken of the application’s energy use as it stands,often over a week to get a full picture of the processand how its energy use varies with shift patternsand production demands.This data will be analysed to show what energysavings the user can expect to achieve, togetherwith the equivalent amount of CO2 saved. Thefindings will be methodically presented – oftentables or graphs will be created to help see wheresavings are likely to arise. The results will help auser target their investment so that it produces thehighest possible savings and gives the best return.The report should also clearly show the expectedpayback time on fitting new equipment. Thisevidence is essential to make use of the interest freeloans offered by the Carbon Trust. ABB channelpartners can also advise on other sources of financesuch as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme andEnhanced Capital Allowances.2. The appraisal: If the application can benefitfrom a new variable speed drive and motor, ABBchannel partners can advise on any engineering thatneeds to be done to accommodate the newequipment. Consideration is given to such issues asfuses, cabling, dimensioning and any mechanicalmodifications needed to components such asbedplates and couplings. Removal of existingequipment and installation of the new can also bearranged.To keep downtime to a minimum, ABB’spartners can install over weekends and bankholidays, supplying the drives or motors as well asassociated equipment such as control componentsand cabling.3. The savings: Drives or motors from anymanufacturer can be replaced with a new ABBequivalent and the scheme offers at least 17.5percent discount off the list price. It covers drivesfrom 0.12 kW to 400 kW and motors from 0.75kW to 710 kW and is available to organisations ofall sizes. A new drive can save as much as £1,000per year in energy, with ABB’s current drives offeringover ten per cent higher efficiency than its mostpopular drive from the 1980s.4. The recycling: Last but not least is thedisposal of the drive or motor once it has beenremoved and installation of the new equipment hasbeen completed. ABB or its channel partners willdispose of the old equipment in accordance withcurrent environmental legislation and if possible,recycle any re-usable components or materials in asafe way. ABB also issues a certificate that can beused for environmental audits for organisationscomplying with ISO 14001.Act now to get the most benefitAs well as the energy saving benefits of using thenewest, most efficient drives and motors, there arealso several other benefits of using the latesttechnology. The reduced size of modern drives inparticular saves plant room space, their lowercomponent count improves reliability and more upto date technology means additional features,including more advanced control andcommunications capabilities.New drives, with their greater reliability, willensure that process uptime is maximised. This canbe particularly important in critical applicationssuch as water pumping or where product will spoilif not processed at the right time, such as in thefood and beverage industry.Clearly the time to act is now if companies wantto take advantage of government backed energysaving schemes. The Carbon Trust has a pot of£100 million to invest in energy saving equipmentsuch as variable speed drives and motors, withinterest-free loans that are available from £3,000 to£500,000.With the new atmosphere of austerity beingintroduced by the government to deal with thebudget deficit, this money may not be around forever.For more information on the swappage scheme,visit: www.industrialtechnology.co.uk and click onthe ABB ‘Drives & Motors Marketplace’ button.Or call: 07000 DRIVES (that’s 07000 374837);or email: energy@gb.abb.com.June/July 2010 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY27