The use of Variable Speed Drives brings numerous benefits; one of which is their ability to help businesses significantly reduce costs in various ways.
Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), often referred to as Adjustable Speed Drives, are devices used to regulate the speed and torque of electric motors. Originally created to allow users to precisely run devices at the correct speeds, it wasn’t long before the energy-saving benefits were realised. Because of this, VSDs are now used across multiple processes and industries to save energy, reduce production costs, and help the environment!
So how could a Variable Speed Drive save you money? Discover more in this article where we will explore the multiple ways VSD can save money, as well as their additional benefits and applications.
Reducing Energy Waste
Most motors are only capable of running at full capacity. While this isn’t always an issue; some equipment will need to operate at fixed speeds only, it can cause numerous problems when it comes to applications that rely on variable speeds, like fans, pumps, precision tools, etc. Unfortunately, in these applications, the amount of speed and torque generated is much higher than the requirements of the device that it’s powering.
This results in a significant amount of surplus energy being used, and with energy costs continuing to rise – nobody wants that! Fortunately, this is where Variable Speed Drives come into play.
In the past, engineers opted for gears and dampers, or even throttle control, to achieve speeds that were compatible with the application and machinery. However, these solutions only added to installation and maintenance costs and more often than not ended up bringing down the overall efficiency of the system – not to mention the enormous amounts of waste energy!
By controlling the speed of a motor, a VSD is able to reduce energy consumption by roughly half. According to recent studies, using a Variable Speed Drive to slow down a motor or fan’s speed from 100% to 80% can save up to 50% on energy consumption. In doing so, you can reduce energy consumption massively. And who doesn’t want to cut their energy bills in half?
Some VSD users have benefitted from savings of over £9,000 per year.
Reduce Maintenance & Repair Costs
As well as cutting energy costs, Variable Speed Drives are also highly useful for prolonging the lifespan of your equipment, meaning you save time and money on costly repairs and maintenance for years to come!
Fixed-speed motors that run at the same high speeds at all times go through a lot of wear and tear in their lifetimes – and the higher the speeds, the faster the components are likely to wear out. When this happens you’ll not only suffer losses thanks to downtime but you’ll also lose money when having your motor repaired.
Instead, when Variable Speed Drives are introduced, you can carefully control the speed and torque of the motor – only reaching the speeds that are absolutely necessary. This dramatically reduces the mechanical stress that is placed on the motor, thereby prolonging its lifespan, reducing the cost of maintenance, and preventing losses caused by downtime.
Increase the Performance of Your Equipment
Thanks to their ability to precisely control the speed of motors, VSDs can also be beneficial in improving the performance of your equipment. While the specific benefits will vary from industry to industry, equipment that performs more efficiently can only lead to increases in overall productivity – helping you to cut overall costs and increase profits!
Also, in certain industries where precision and speed control is crucial to the quality of the end product, Variable Speed Drives are found to be hugely beneficial. By carefully controlling the speed of your motors with a VSD, you can confidently ensure that your end product is of the highest quality. This can help to increase profits, and also reduce costs thanks to a reduction in faulty products.
Save Money with Variable Speed Drives
It’s clear to see that Variable Speed Drives are more than capable of saving you money, and in more ways than one too! And yes, while the initial cost of purchasing and installing a VSD may seem high; the long-term benefits more than outweigh these costs.
If you’d like to harness the benefits that Variable Speed Drives could bring to your business, get in touch with our friendly team of experts today on 01494871544 or send over your queries in an email to info@powersystemsinternational.com.
Here at Power Systems International, we’re leading the industry when it comes to power conversion systems!
