Payback enormous for variable-frequency motor drives

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Power; (United States)

OSTI ID:5999874

Collins, S

The City Utilities of Springfield's (Mo) 200-MW Southwest power station is a 200-MW plant anchored around a single coal-fired steam generator and its major support systems, including an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and two wet limestone scrubbers. In the late 1980s, engineers at Southwest began evaluating the feasibility of installing variable-frequency drives (VFD) to reduce the plant's parasitic load and boost overall performance. This article reports on VFDs installed to control the induced draft (i-d) and forced-draft (f-d) fan motors at the plant. The devices have surpassed the utility's expectations by reducing parasitic load, improving combustion control, and increasing overall plant reliability. Virtually every major plant component--including the ESPs and scrubbers--performs better as a result of the retrofit.

• OSTI ID: 5999874
• Journal Information: Power; (United States), Journal Name: Power; (United States) Vol. 137:2; ISSN 0032-5929; ISSN POWEAD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200104 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Components
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
BLOWERS
ELECTRIC MOTORS
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
MOTORS
PERFORMANCE
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT