Motors
Increasing motor efficiency and taking measures to reduce the amount of energy it requires to run a motor can directly impact the bottom line of your business. By replacing inefficient motors with premium efficient motors equates to significant cost savings over the life of the motor, not to mention the additional benefits of reduced down-time and increased productivity and reliability. Here are few suggestions that can help you achieve greater motor effienciency:
- When purchasing a new motor choose the most energy efficient one you can afford. Premium efficiency motors cost about 20 percent more, but can have a relatively short payback to off-set these costs.
- Motors are oversized when they power end uses that require less horsepower than the motor is capable of producing. Select a lower power motor and operate it at a higher load factor near optimal efficiency to help justify the motor replacement. Motors operated at low load factors have lower power factors, thus having less efficiency.
- Optimize transmission efficiency by using synchronous belts instead of v-belts. V-belts can slip and deteriorate reducing efficiency at higher loads.
- Consider using a variable speed drive motor system instead of traditional motors when loads vary significantly over the course of daily use.
- Make sure the voltage of the motor is as close to the design limits, found on the nameplate, as possible. Voltage at the motor that is not within the design limits leads to a decrease in power factor. Low power factors may be monetarily penalized by your power company.