ABB develops medium voltage speed-controlled motor concept

“Energy efficiency measures of speed-controlled motors have gained significant traction in small size motors, for low voltage applications. But large motors have so far been left behind, due to initial cost and complexity, with only 10-15 percent currently connected to a drive,” says Heikki Vepsäläinen, president of ABB Large Motors and Generators. “But that is set to change with our new MV Titanium concept that makes it cost-effective and straightforward to install a suitable matched motor, with increased control, monitoring, and connectivity in a single package. It is the right upgrade solution for existing direct-on-line motors. And the potential savings in energy costs and CO₂ emissions are huge – if we retrofitted the entire installed base, it would be like taking just over 1000 coal-fired power stations offline.”

ABB has developed the MV Titanium concept to address the main perceived obstacles related to installing a drive with a large motor. These include not only the initial cost of a separate drive, but also its associated electrical house (e-house), transformers, switchgear and cabling that multiply the capital cost and increase the complexity of installation, especially on existing sites where space is at a premium. In addition to these savings, it will also provide OPEX savings due to the energy efficiency it will provide.

The next-generation concept has been built on ABB’s 140 years of motor design and 50 years of drives technology experience to create a solution that integrates energy efficiency, controllability, and connectivity into a single package. Furthermore, it has intelligence built in, with analytical and connectivity capabilities so it can seamlessly integrate into existing systems, as well as providing software libraries and interfaces for process monitoring and optimization.

The MV Titanium motors are intended for use with pumps, compressors, and fans as typical applications, where they could reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent as well as enhancing productivity and minimizing downtime. They will be used across a wide range of sectors including power and renewables, processing, mining, cement, and water.

Heikki Vepsäläinen concludes: “Beyond its technical progress, this next-generation motor concept represents a significant step towards productivity in a low carbon world. It puts ABB well on the road to support changing large, fixed speed motors to fully electrically controlled motors, one by one.”

new.abb.com/motors-generators