Electric motor efficiency is rapidly improving as operators demand solutions that can drive down their energy and carbon footprints.
While Australia’s minimum motor efficiency requirement is efficiency class IE2, the country is increasingly putting measures in place to align with international standards.
This is making IE4, IE5 and IE6 motor options more enticing, particularly when customers see the rapid payback potential of these higher efficiency options.
At the same time, motor original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are pouring investment into new technologies that not only unlock greater efficiencies but achieve lower maintenance demands and safety advantages.
One such innovator, ABB, has been working on a solution that not only achieves the highest motor efficiency available in the market, but also strips the machine of expensive and environmentally fraught rare earth metals.
The company has developed the world’s first magnet-free IE6 motor, with its Hyper Efficiency Synchronous Reluctance (SynRM) motor – which delivers 20 per cent less losses than IE5 alternatives – now available from 110 to 450kW in frame sizes 280 and 315.
Head of ABB Motion Australia Rory Paltridge discussed the significance of a magnet-free motor.
“In the past, vendors have used permanent magnets to achieve higher levels of efficiency,” he told Pump Industry.
“Now, permanent magnets face supply risks as they’re largely concentrated in one country and one supply chain. They’re also heavier and create maintenance headaches, as they require specialised equipment and training to repair.
“Our Hyper Efficiency IE6 SynRM motor, on the other hand, incorporates 98 per cent recyclable materials and is Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) verified as part of ABB’s EcoSolutions portfolio.”
ABB product specialist Goutam Agashe said with industrial electric motor systems accounting for about 60 per cent of global industrial electricity demand and roughly one quarter of all electricity use worldwide, the need for higher efficiency options is becoming more urgent.
“Why do we need higher efficiency motors?” Agashe said. “Firstly, we need to look at the total cost of ownership (TCO) advantages.
“If you install a higher efficiency motor, the energy consumption will be less, which translates to a lower electricity bill. If you consider plants that are running several motors on-site, reducing energy consumption contributes to significant savings.
“And while the purchase price is higher, the return on investment is fast – usually under a year. This leads to a lower TCO.”
Agashe said the SynRM motor “is not limited in its application”, with the technology able to replace any standard induction motor.
“If you operate a standard IE2 induction motor, you can replace it with a IE6 motor right away,” he said. “This is benefited by the SynRM motor having the same footprint as a standard induction motor.”
This means customers needn’t worry about redesigning their layout to install a SynRM motor.
“It can be a drop-in replacement,” Agashe said. “It can also be used in any industry and has significant potential to help lower energy consumption in pump stations and wastewater treatment plants, for example.”
The SynRM IE5 motor has already experienced significant industry cut-through, with a “large installed base” globally and in Australia.
“We have many IE5 use cases across Australia and the world, with demonstrated capability supporting pump systems, food and beverage and wastewater plants, and pulp and paper mills, to name a few,” Paltridge said.
One of ABB Australia’s motor value provider partners undertook a project to replace a failing IE3 motor on the air handling unit (AHU) at a major shopping centre in Australia. By upgrading the existing 7.5kW IE3 induction motor to a 7.5kW ABB IE5 SynRM motor, they helped the customer significantly save in energy consumption costs and reduced carbon emissions by over 10,000kg per year.
“With the current trajectory of the SynRM range, we expect IE6 uptake to be just as strong,” Paltridge said.
With clear industry benefits and an esteemed pedigree, the Hyper Efficiency IE6 SynRM motor is more than just a novel concept, but a proven solution to the most pressing cost and energy consumption quandaries.
For those initially reluctant to move to IE6, ABB starts by learning what’s important to their operations.
“Customers often prioritise reliability and operational costs first and foremost, because they need their pump station or plant to be running in the first place,” Paltridge said.
“This is where the Hyper Efficiency IE6 SynRM motor comes to the fore. Because it’s more efficient, less energy is wasted as heat, which reduces strain on the parts, with excess heat often wearing out motors more than anything else.”
Then, when it comes the higher upfront cost of the SynRM motor, ABB demonstrates the rapid payback period.
“The technology is not a prototype, it’s available now, and its payback can be under a year,” Paltridge said. “So we say, ‘Why wait? Why not get ahead of the curve now and install something that’s going to save you money for the next 20 years?’”
Learn more about ABB’s new Hyper Efficiency IE6 SynRM motor here.
