Dedicated Drive Technologies for HVAC-R Applications Delivered
HVAC-R systems account for some of the most demanding motion control challenges in industry; with energy costs and efficiency standards higher than ever, getting drive technology right first time has never been more important.
Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ specialist technical expertise spans the full breadth of HVAC-R drive systems - from gears, motors and variable frequency drives, to integrated drive solutions. Backed by a dedicated product portfolio from industry leading brands, Sumitomo Drive Technologies matches the right equipment to customers’ exact applications.
This means customers benefit from robust, fit-for-purpose drive systems that perform reliably in the real world – delivering tangible benefits including precision motion control, reduced energy consumption, and regulatory compliance.
“The global HVAC-R industry is expected to see significant growth over the next few years,” comments Nigel Evans, Sumitomo Drive Technologies EMEIA Marcoms Manager. “This is driven by a number of factors including increased construction and the desire for energy efficient technologies to meet sustainability and climate control goals.”
Compressors, heat pumps and coolant distribution units (CDUs) all require efficient motor control, whilst fan drive applications including wet cooling towers, air cooled condensers, and direct air capturing need gearboxes built to perform in these demanding applications. Energy efficient motors have been a pre-requisite for a long time and remain high on the priority list for many customers in the HVAC-R industry.
“Ensuring the various components of drive systems will work effectively together can be challenging for customers,” continues Nigel. “Our broad product portfolio and technical expertise mean our customers can be confident they are investing in robust motion control technologies from industry leaders.”
Gears
Sumitomo Drive Technologies offers large industrial fan drive solutions tailored to meet a range of HVAC-R requirements. These systems are designed to meet diverse operational needs, including cooling steam, water, or other fluids for reuse. They also ensure compliance with environmental regulations, and can facilitate effective air and carbon capture.
Products include bevel and spur gear industrial gearboxes, vertical and horizontal configurations, and right-angle and parallel shaft gearboxes.
These drive systems are designed in accordance with Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) standards and offer high resistance in corrosive and extreme humidity environments. ATEX options are also available for applications sited in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Follow this link to find out more about our large industrial fan drives.
Motors
The continuous duty nature of applications in the HVAC-R industry means energy efficiency is vital; Lafert Group high and variable speed electric motors with constant torque are designed for continuous operation. The range includes highly efficient permanent magnet motors or packages, and integrated solutions that combine a motor with a dedicated drive to ensure high efficiency and energy savings.
Lafert also offers a range of Integrated Fan Motors - brushless motors designed to move the large blades responsible for air movement in ventilation and air treatment systems. Lafert motors are able to move blades up to seven metres in diameter in a controlled and silent manner. They are equipped with an on-board drive and electronic speed and position control to ensure smooth acceleration and braking.
Refrigeration systems need to guarantee a continuous, constant temperature for the environment in which they are installed. Lafert provides electric motors specifically designed for refrigeration which can be customised for applications requiring special execution and energy-saving installations. Follow this link to find out more about Lafert’s energy efficient permanent magnet motors for refrigeration applications.
Variable Frequency Drives
Reducing the amount of flow in rotating equipment such as fans and pumps provides huge energy savings. In the case of fans, mathematical theory for fan law states reducing airflow by half can result in the power used by the fan reducing by over 80%.
Using a suitable variable frequency drive (VFD) is the most effective way of achieving performance that is close to the theoretical limits of the fan and pump laws.
Invertek Drives offers a number of dedicated HVAC-R VFDs including Optidrive ECO – AC drives designed specifically for fan and pump control, whilst the Optidrive Coolvert range was specifically developed to control BLDC (brushless direct current compressors), heat pumps and condensing units.
The general purpose Optidrive E3 and Optidrive E4 ranges are also suitable for use in HVAC-R applications. Visit the Invertek Drives website to find out more about VFDs for HVAC-R applications and see a wide range of HVAC application stories.
Integrated Drive Solutions
As well as stand-alone products, Sumitomo Drive Technologies also offers complete drive packages that can be tailored to suit exact customer requirements. Components including the input shaft, gearbox, motor adapter, supporting structure, motor, variable frequency drive, auxiliary drive and output shaft can all be selected to best meet the needs of the specific application.
Visit https://emeia.sumitomodrive.com/en-gb/drive-package-solutions-your-gearbox to find out more.
Sumitomo Drive Technologies has local representatives throughout the EMEIA region - contact our team now to discuss your HVAC-R drive system requirements.