Adjustable speed drive: Harmonic effects on induction motors. Volume 1: Analytical and experimental work. Final report
There are many uses for large induction motors in utility power plants. Among the most common are driving pumps or fans. Classically, the induction motor has been a single speed machine. Its speed will vary very slightly depending on the load and voltage. but the machine will run close to synchronous speed and the only means available to change speed has been the use of multiple windings. This means that to control the flow of air or water, vanes or valves or gears were used with the motor running at close to full speed. This results in very inefficient operation when the plant and therefore the motor is lightly loaded. These vanes, valves and gears are also high maintenance pieces of equipment, often subject to problems of noise and vibration. With the recent availability of solid state adjustable speed drives in high ratings for induction motors, the utilities have the opportunity of running the motors over a wide range of speeds and can therefore match the speed to the load requirements. This results in considerable savings in energy and also has some additional benefits.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). School of Engineering
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 150932
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-105323-V1; TRN: 96:000044
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jul 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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