What is Variable Frequency Drive

 What is a frequency converter?

In the industrial automation world, a variable frequency drive (VFD) is a type of motor controller that drives an electric motor by varying the frequency and voltage of its power supply. The frequency converter also has the ability to control the ramp up and down of the motor when starting or stopping, respectively. Even though the drive maintains the frequency and voltage of the motor supply, it is often referred to as speed control because it results in an adjustment of the motor speed

Other names for a VFD are variable speed drive, variable frequency drive, AC drive, Microdrive and inverter. Before seeing how it works and how it can be used, it is worth considering the history of motor controllers, and also how the induction motor itself works. IP Systems has used all its experience and skills to offer you the best ranges of frequency converters, entry-level or high-end, for standard or advanced drives.

What is the main advantage of using a frequency converter?

A variable frequency drive can vary the power supply according to the energy needs of the driven equipment, and this is how it saves energy or optimizes consumption.

Why is a variable frequency drive used and for what types of applications?

There are many reasons why we may want to adjust this motor speed, such as to save energy and improve system efficiency, convert energy in hybridization applications, match driving speed to the requirements of the process, adapt the torque or the power of a drive to the process requirements, improve the working environment, reduce noise levels, for example from fans and pumps, or reduce the mechanical stresses on the machines to prolong their lifespan. Let's discover more precisely below the three most important uses of variable frequency drives.

Reduce energy consumption and energy costs

If you have an application that does not need to run at full speed, you can reduce energy costs by controlling the motor with a variable frequency drive, which is one of the advantages of variable frequency drives. Variable speed drives allow you to match the speed of motorized equipment to the required load. No other method of AC electric motor control allows you to achieve this goal. Electric motor systems are responsible for more than 65% of energy consumption in the industry today. Optimizing motor control systems by installing or upgrading remote control devices can reduce your facility's energy consumption by up to 70%. In addition, the use of variable frequency drives improves product quality and reduces production costs.

Extend equipment life and reduce maintenance

Your equipment will last longer and have less downtime due to maintenance when controlled by variable frequency drives ensuring optimum motor application speed. With variable speed drives optimal control of motor frequency and voltage, the variable frequency drive will provide better protection for your motor against problems such as elector thermal overload, phase protection, under voltage, power surge, etc. When you start a load with a variable speed drive, you don't subject the motor or driven load to the "instantaneous shock" of starting across the line, but you can start smoothly, which eliminates belt wear, gears and bearings. It's also a great way to reduce and/or eliminate water hammers since we can have smooth acceleration and deceleration cycles.

Finally, current readers incorporate networking and diagnostic capabilities to better monitor performance and increase productivity. Thus, energy savings, intelligent motor control and reduced peak current consumption are three good reasons to choose a variable frequency drive as the controller in any motor system. The most common uses of a variable frequency drive are controlling fans, pumps and compressors, and these applications account for 75% of all drives operating worldwide.