Test and evaluation of energy saving motor controllers
Energy saving motor controllers were first developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. By reducing the voltage supplied to a lightly loaded alternating current motor, it was found that energy use could also be reduced due to a decrease in core losses. These first controllers were referred to as Nola devices after the primary developer. Because they relied on measuring the power factor to determine the load of the motor, they were also referred to as power factor controllers. They are also sometimes referred to as smart motor controllers or energy saving solid state motor starters. A basic energy saving motor controller consists of a sensing and control device to determine motor loading and to control back-to-back SCRs or Triacs. Because of the control and sensing abilities in the devices, they can also be used to provide overload protection, soft start, and other control functions for the associated motor. With reductions in costs for the controls and SCRs necessary to operate these devices, there has recently been an increased interest in these devices. This project was undertaken to perform an independent and comparative test and evaluation of alternative energy saving motor controller technologies for different applications. Three different applications were considered. They were: (1) Home appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers etc.; (2) Single phase, small horsepower motors; (3) Three phase motors for industrial applications. Devices representing different technologies were tested for each application.
- OSTI ID:
- 54721
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941218-; TRN: 95:003625-0029
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. world energy engineering congress and the 4th environmental technology congress and expo, Atlanta, GA (United States), 7-9 Dec 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Competitive energy management and environmental technologies: Proceedings; PB: 640 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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