4 Ways Integrating Variable Frequency Drives Can Benefit Your Facility

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) have most commonly been used in water treatment plants, where they’re used to regulate water flow. But in recent years, they’ve grown in popularity throughout many areas of the industry. Integrating a VFD into your automation system can provide numerous benefits. These include process optimization, increased motor life, energy savings, and time savings.

1. Process Optimization
VFDs make automation or industrial process operate more smoothly. With speed control based on flow rate, AC motors operate more efficiently and effectively. By incorporating PLC programming, VFDs can also run via automation, eliminating the need for manual operation.  Through the use of basic communication protocols, PLCs monitor and control motor speeds using the VFD. This leads to a more efficient process. Plus, it effectively cuts out hammering effects due to pipe flow.
Overall, VFDs can make your facility’s operations more efficient and sophisticated while giving operators better control of their process.

2. Increased Motor Life
As it turns out, improving the efficiency of motor-based systems can also be great for the motor. By enabling an AC motor to run at speeds appropriate to the flow rate, VFDs decrease strain and wear to the motor during operation. VFDs make it possible for AC motors to ease into startup, rather than only switching between off and full speed. With a gradual startup, motors experience less strain. Both the gradual startup and the ability to adjust speed based on flow rate decrease stress to the motor.

3. Energy Savings
VFDs adjust to allow a motor to run at slower speeds when needed, which reduces overall energy consumption. Energy companies are aware of the energy savings VFDs bring to facilities and have started offering their own incentives.

4. Time Savings
Any process inefficiency within a production facility equals wasted time.  By easing motor wear, VFDs extend motor life and reduce the need for repairs. And by automating what could otherwise be a manual process component, VFDs save on labor costs as well. Depending on the specifics of your process, there are likely additional opportunities for saving time.

Over the last few years, they have become more and more popular, especially in competitive industries looking to increase overall efficiencies. Any facility that uses an AC motor as part of its process stands to benefit from integrating VFDs. We offer various types of solar water pump vfd.