Green revolution motors on

As with many businesses the users are not always the purchasers and this is definitely true with electric motor technology. This is the gap that blocks the right technology from reaching the right project. The knock-on effect of the motor purchaser focusing on the acquisition cost and not the operating costs can have wide implications. History has shown that ground-breaking technology is often misrepresented leaving the view that cheaper must mean more efficient. This is clearly not the case. For example, for high use applications the cost of electric motors can be less than 5% of the total cost of ownership.

In 2011 the IEA report, Walking the Torque, laid out quite clearly the issues present with regards to motors, and even whole drive system, where efficiency was not optimised. An example of this is where synchronous motors are used to drive constant speed pumps or fans controlled via a throttle or valve.

De Almeda has made this common knowledge for some time and has concluded that if all elements of these drive systems could be converted to the optimal efficiency, there would be an overall 10% reduction in electricity consumption. This is a significant saving; especially as electric motors are estimated to use 45% of the electricity generated.

Application

So where are all these motors being used? As you may expect, most of these motors are being used in industrial applications. However, transport is surprisingly one of the smallest sectors, but with expected future growth.

Climate change has been the dramatic force that has made influencers sit up and take notice. We are now seeing a drive towards positive change and now many Governments are supporting the idea of innovation grants, and better still, linking them to the green agenda.

The latest IEA Report recommends governments should set minimum standards in terms of motor efficiency, and whilst many motor manufacturers have responded by developing a more efficient range, it is the authors’ experience that many motor purchase decisions are made on price, not the operating cost. Considering that the energy cost will be 95% of the cost of ownership, it does not seem to be logical.

Development project

The UK’s Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) program (funded by BEIS and managed by the Carbon Trust) is trying to address the cost versus energy issues through the funding of projects that focus on energy efficiency. One of these projects is the Caiman project which involves the development of a Wolong Laurence Scoot motor, using Magnomatics’ technology, for use in a refuse shredder which will be manufactured by Donasonic.

The new shredder will be used for the production of solid recovered fuel. By removing the need for inefficient gearboxes and pulley systems, commonly used in this sector, the project will demonstrate the energy savings available from this advanced motor technology, compared with currently used IE3 motors equipped with gearboxes and pulleys.

The installed shredder will be installed alongside an existing processing line, allowing for an exact comparison to be made against a traditional processing route. This also allows an opportunity for the trial to tackle other feed materials and provide valuable data. It will use a new direct-drive magnetically geared motor at Ellgia’s Scunthorpe waste management site. The site produces over 80,000 tonnes per year of refuse derived fuel and solid recovered fuel, an important fuel source for industry and electricity co-generation.

The recovery of fuel is a harsh application and provides the perfect demonstration platform for our magnetically geared motor in unforgiving operating conditions where the motor will experience high torque, speed fluctuations and vibration. Additionally, thanks to the technology, the shredder can benefit from reduced maintenance times thanks to the removal of gearbox components, and the ability to deal with high torques caused by abnormal loads owing to the drive pole being able to slip safely should material become lodged in the rotor.

Energy & carbon savings

The forecasted result of this demonstrator project, using the new motor technology, is that it will deliver approximate energy savings of 16% compared to the original IE3 motors equipped with gearboxes and pulleys. To put this in to perspective, this would result in an efficiency saving of over 61,000 tonnes of CO₂ after only five years for a UK market uptake of 40%.

Working in isolation will not yield commercially exploitable results quickly or efficiently. The IEEA funding provides the project partners the necessary financial support to enter into this collaboration by diminishing some of the financial risk. It also allows all parties to draw upon each other’s expertise in a commercially constructive manner. Ultimately, it will allow the effectiveness of the technology and its carbon/energy saving advantages to be demonstrated in a real-world situation with a consortium that includes both a vendor and a buyer for the shredders. Thus, enabling a route to market that would not otherwise be accessible due to the financial constraints the partners might experience individually.

As the global drive towards lowering greenhouse gas emissions gains further momentum, together with spiralling fuel costs, the need for efficient and cost-effective magnetic drive solutions further cements Magnomatics’ position as the world leader in this technology. This allows Magnomatics to continue to attract sustainable business from international “blue-chip” OEMs, develop significant UK based non-recurring engineering revenues and support a sustainable future in renewables.

David Latimer is CEO of Magnomatics

http://www.magnomatics.com/