ABB Drives Reduce Energy Used By Fridges

ABB Group's Variable Speed Drives have won an award for cutting energy usage and extending the life of refrigerators. The Food and Drink Innovation Network Clegg Food Projects Award for New Process and Environmental Awareness was presented to ABB at a gala dinner at the National Space Centre, Leicester. More than 60 per cent of industrial electrical energy is used to power electric motors, the majority of which are used on fans, pumps and compressors.

These devices are used in refrigeration equipment. The motors driving these applications usually run at a constant speed, even though the load is varying. Using variable speed drives (VSDs), the speed of the motor can be slowed down, thereby reducing the amount of energy consumed. A VSD can be retrofitted to most existing systems.

The mechanical controls are simply locked fully open and the VSD directly controls the speed of the electric motor. Since cold storages and fridge plants typically run for 24 hours, most refrigeration drive applications are potential VSD candidates. Any refrigeration system with a wide variation in operating hours or with a heat load that is less than the peak load can benefit from a VSD. ABB applied existing technology to the food industry by developing bolt on variable speed drive motors for refrigerators.

These keep units running at regular speeds and prevent peaks of energy use when something is put inside a fridge, reducing energy use and costs and cutting carbon footprints. This increases the life of the equipment. Instead of continually running at full speed, the lower speed reduces stresses, increases the equipment life and extends service intervals, cutting maintenance costs.

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