As HVAC equipment continues to improve and become more efficient, intelligent, and installer-friendly, so do many of the individual components within the equipment, including motors. And, as the popularity of variable-speed technology increases, many manufacturers are bringing new products to market to meet consumer and OEM demands. Here are a few of the latest HVAC motor-related products available on the market.
VLT DriveMotor FCM106/FCP106
The VLT® DriveMotor from Danfoss is available in two variants: The VLT FCM106, a 0.55- to 7.5-kW drive that can be mounted on either an induction or permanent magnet motor as a factory package, and the VLT FCP106, which utilizes the same 4X drive and can be mounted on the customer’s choice of motor when purchased with an adaptor plate. A wall-mount kit allows the drive to be mounted separately from the motor if the customer so chooses.
The FCM106 combines a high-efficiency motor with a Danfoss drive, providing a lower-cost, high-efficiency drive/motor solution used in air handlers, rooftop units, and pumps. Customers can create their own drive/motor combination using the motor of their choice by purchasing an FCP106 drive.
The FCM106 is a drive/motor combination developed with a focus on HVAC applications. It incorporates either an IE4 motor (super premium efficient) or a permanent magnet motor to achieve high energy efficiency.
The FCM106 motor-drive combination eliminates the need to separately mount a drive and motor and eliminates the wiring between them, resulting in reduced installation time for the OEM or installer. Exceptional efficiency lowers the end-user’s energy costs and improves the return on investment. Features incorporated in the FMC/FCP106 include streamlined production, reduced costs, and improved OEM or installer margins. Service and replacement costs are reduced with the incorporated memory module, which allows the user to store the motor database, drive software, parameters, SIPV files, error logs, and sensorless data.
“The FCM106 offers high energy efficiency, low installation costs, a small size, and low weight,” said Steven Gmeinder, product marketing manager, Americas, Danfoss Drives. “Product development using these products can make their systems smaller and less expensive and offer lower operating costs to end users. Production processes can be streamlined with the hardware and software features built into the FCM/FCP106 and its associated MCT21 software.”
For more information, visit www.danfossdrives.com or call 800-432-6367.
AEGIS Bearing Protection Rings
The AEGIS® bearing protection rings from Electro Static Technology prevent electrical bearing damage, costly motor repairs/replacements, and downtime by safely channeling variable frequency drive (VFD)-induced bearing currents to ground.
Used increasingly to save energy, VFDs cause unwanted voltages on motor shafts. If not diverted, the resulting currents discharge through bearings, causing fusion craters on bearing race walls. Over time, this “bearing fluting” can lead to noise, vibration, bearing failure, and catastrophic motor failure. By preventing such damage, AEGIS rings extend motor life and prevent costly unplanned downtime.
Continuous circumferential rows of conductive microfibers are embedded securely in the ring’s patented AEGIS FiberLock™ channel, completely surrounding the motor shaft and providing millions of discharge points for harmful shaft currents. This unique design creates the path of least resistance that effectively diverts these currents away from bearings to ground. The microfibers themselves are specially engineered for exceptional conductivity and flexibility to minimize wear and prevent breakage.
AEGIS Shaft Grounding Rings are available in solid rings for installation on new or uncoupled motors as well as split ring versions for installation on in-service or coupled motors. Both solid and split ring versions are available in universal mounting kits (uKITS) for installation on motors with shaft shoulders, slingers, or other end bell protrusions. AEGIS Rings are available in models for low-voltage National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) motors as well as medium-voltage motors.
“By protecting bearings from VFD-induced shaft current damage, AEGIS Rings allow motors to last for the L10 life of their bearings, preventing unnecessary repairs and costly unplanned downtime,” said Adam Willwerth, marketing manager for Electro Static Technology.
For more information on AEGIS Bearing Protection Rings, visit www.est-aegis.com, call 866-738-1857, or email sales@est-aegis.com.
Evergreen PF Motor
The Evergreen PF from Genteq, a brand of Regal-Beloit, is a drop-in replacement or proactive upgrade for pedestal and wall-mount fan motors in warehouses, factory floors, amusement parks, institutional buildings, and other similar applications. With a rated efficiency of up to 82 percent and three operating speeds, Evergreen PF makes it easy to provide energy savings and reduce operating noise.
The Evergreen PF has a rated efficiency of 82 percent and power savings of 75-150 W. A free Evergreen PF Savings Calculator is also available through the Dealer Toolbelt app available for both Apple and Android devices.
For more information on the Evergreen PF, visit www.genteqmotors.com or email genteq@regalbeloit.com.
Vari-Green Motors and Controls
Vari-Green® motors by Greenheck Fan Corp. are built and designed with variable-volume airflow in mind. Vari-Green motors are up to 85 percent efficient and selectable with the ability to change the speed of the fan built-in. All Vari-Green motors have a manual speed control onboard or the ability to accept a 0- to 10-V dc signal from any number of controls on the market.
To round out the suite of variable-volume products to work with the Vari-Green motor, Greenheck offers a variety of controls. For manual control from a location away from the motor, there are two different types of remote speed controls; both vary the speed of the motor, and one comes with a timer function. The Vari-Green Constant Pressure controller can be programmed for the specific application, whether it’s constant-pressure or constant-volume. The Vari-Green Thermostat/Humidistat or volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor both come with 0- to 10-V outputs that vary the speed of the fan based on how far away the environment is from the set point.
When a Vari-Green motor is placed in a commercial fan, it makes that fan much more energy-responsible. The motor’s exceptional efficiency and ability to slow the fan is a great combination for reducing energy bills. Building owners pay to heat or cool air inside their buildings, and when a fan is exhausting that very expensive air, they’re figuratively throwing money out the window. Having the ability to slow the fan and reduce the amount of air being wasted during off-peak or unoccupied time in the schedule puts money back in the building’s energy budget.
“The Vari-Green EC motor is a high-efficiency, programmable dc motor that is significantly more energy efficient than ac motors, such as a typical PSC motor with speed control,” said Rick Davies, area manager for E.H. Price Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “PSC motors with speed controls will typically operate in the 12-45 percent efficiency range whereas ECM motors can maintain an efficiency of 65-80 percent at all speeds. The exceptional energy efficiency, along with the added benefit of being able to pre-set airflow and its inherent quiet operation, make the Vari-Green EC motor very attractive to design engineers and building owners.”
For more information about Vari-Green Motors and Controls, visit www.greenheck.com, email marty.johnson@greenheck.com, or call 715-355-3952.
ICM866U RapidStart
The ICM866U RapidStart® motor-starting solution from ICM Controls is a hard start that is used to provide a boost to a motor to help it start. The ICM866U infuses a high-powered relay output design with ICM’s patented circuitry and differential voltage-sensing technology for greater precision and reliability. Self-adjusting to voltage changes, the ICM866U is rated for 1/12- to 5-hp applications, saving contractors and distributors money by requiring only one part number to stock. It measures the back electromotive force (EMF) across the start winding, but does not rely on preset factory default ranges of a standard potential relay to determine the pickup and drop-out voltages, thereby offering greater precision and reliability when cutting the start capacitor out of the circuit. The ICM866U is UL-recognized, offers easy 2-wire installation; is not affected by ambient temperature; and recycles instantly.
The ICM866U features patented circuitry and differential voltage-sensing technology to make the product universal.
“The ICM866U is yet another in a series of products that puts ICM Controls at the forefront of innovation,” said Kevin Jobsky, director of marketing and aftermarket sales for ICM Controls. “This one-size-fits-all hard start is manufactured with patented technology that delivers exceptional value to the marketplace.”
For more information about the ICM866U RapidStart, visit www.icmcontrols.com, email info@icmcontrols.com, or call 800-233-5266.
ECOsine Active 30/50/100A
The ECOsine® Active 30/50/100A from Schaffner EMC is a harmonic filter line that provides harmonic compensation in real time. The filters are utilized to reduce the harmonics generated by VFDs contained within the respective chiller package.
With a capacity of 100 A, operating at 480 vac (+/- 10 percent), the 30/50/100A (3-wire) models are the smallest, most compact versions, which are easy to install in most industrial and commercial environments. They are ideal for manufacturing environments with nonlinear loads, such as VFDs, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), HVAC equipment, data centers, banking/heavy computing, and more. This proven equipment uses digital technology to monitor and dynamically correct harmonics up to the 50th order in less than 300μs, eliminating disturbances before they can cause problems. ECOsine Active Filters compensate for individual disturbance patterns with a targeted manner and automatically adapts to changing network loads. Open-type or cabinet options are offered with NEMA 1, NEMA 3R, and other protection ratings. As many as five units can be installed in parallel to attain optimal results. Weighing just 104 pounds and with a noise rating of 65 dBA (at 1 m), the proven ECOsine® Active 30/50/100A Filters are equally suited for new installations and retrofits.
“Although passive and active harmonic filters are used in the HVAC arena, the active filter is ideally suited to achieve less than 5 percent THDi, per IEEE 519-2014,” said Chuck Gougler, director of power quality, North America, Schaffner EMC. “Large chiller and HVAC [manufacturers], like Johnson Controls Inc. and Trane, an Ingersoll Rand brand, will use both active and passive filters. The filters are utilized to reduce the harmonics generated by the VFDs contained within the respective chiller package. VFDs are part of a chiller design, helping to operate the equipment more efficiently while reducing electrical costs. The AHF can be used to operate with multiple VFDs with multiple horsepower ratings.”
For more information about the ECOsine Active 30/50/100A product line, visit www.schaffnerusa.com or call 800-367-5566 ext. 276
Editor’s Note: The preceding information was provided directly by the manufacturers. Therefore, any questions or comments should be directed to them
Publication date: 12/7/2015
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