Page 5 - AUTOMATED - Issue 2 The sustainability challenge
P. 5
THE SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE
EFFICIENCY CLARIFICATIONS loss from these should be excluded from
maximum loss figures so as not to discourage
There is some debate as to who originally invented the incandescent light designers.
bulb. Some say Thomas Edison whilst others say Sir Joseph Swan. There
are also those who claim both of these great minds were merely tweaking The main problem is that efficiency can't be
existing devices. What is certain is that the incandescent light bulb is effectively measured for motors that are
going the way of anyone that staked a claim on its invention. specifically designed to operate only with a
VSD. The IET recommends instead that these
Today, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Columbia, to a request for comments regarding Lot 30 types of motors be specifically excluded from
Cuba and Mexico have already prohibited the and highlighted some interesting points within the regulations.
use of the highly wasteful bulbs, while the draft regulation.
Canada, China, the European Union and the Furthermore, the IET commented that current
United States are in the process of turning out The points that the IET picked up on were in regulations don't explicitly address the
incandescent light bulbs for good because of regards to the unclear efficiency regulations difficulty in calculating the overall efficiency of
how inefficient they are. concerning VSD and motor combinations.The a motor operating in tandem with a VSD. Its
difficulty in regulating the area stems from the recommendation is for a review of this
In the European Union, we have the flexibility of the modern general purpose combination in the next assessment process.
Ecodesign Directive to thank for ensuring VSDs.
wasteful electrical products are gradually The IET also highlights the increasing sales of
becoming replaced by more efficient ones. “ THE VSDs for medium voltage motors (1-35kV)
The directive stipulates the ecological INCANDESCENT and recommends that this be taken into
requirements of electrical products LIGHT BULB IS account in the next assessment process as
manufactured and used within the EU. The JUST ONE well.
incandescent light bulb is just one product PRODUCT THAT
that doesn't make the grade. In fact, the DOESN'T MAKE The final point raised, and one which we here
phasing out of the bulbs is predicted to reduce THE GRADE ”Energy losses depend closely on operational at European Automation agree with
annual CO2 emissions by 16 million tons in settings. For example, if a VSD has a low unwaveringly, is that there needs to be more
2020. switching frequency, losses would be much onus on the manufacturer to ensure access
lower than practical operations settings. data for each model and build variant.
A far bigger offender than the infamous However, this isn't taken into account by the Countless times we see clients unsure about
incandescent light bulb is the electric motor, current framework of the Ecodesign Directive. what part they need once a breakdown has
accounting for about two thirds of industrial occurred. Who can honestly say they are
power consumption and about 45 per cent of A beneficial feature of the modern VSD is that completely aware of the year of manufacture
global power consumption as a whole. functionality often spans beyond conventional for every motor within their operation? But if
Ensuring maximum efficiency from electric motor control. Sequencing, process control, things go wrong, you might well need to know
motors is a must. motion control and system control are and quickly.
associated with using more energy than an
In 2014, the Department of Energy and average VSD function. These are important That's where we come in. Regardless of
Climate Change (DECC) released a elements of drive system design and energy whether or not you're running a motor or VSD
preparatory study that identified the that is now obsolete thanks to the Ecodesign
environmental improvement potential for Directive, we can find and replace those
products outside the scope of Regulation parts, sometimes in as little as nine hours. No
640/2009 of the Ecodesign Directive. This incandescent bulbs though. Sorry.
study is called Lot 30 and refers to special
motors and variable speed drives (VSDs).
In September 2014, the Institution of
Engineering and Technology (IET) responded
www.euautomation.com 05
EFFICIENCY CLARIFICATIONS loss from these should be excluded from
maximum loss figures so as not to discourage
There is some debate as to who originally invented the incandescent light designers.
bulb. Some say Thomas Edison whilst others say Sir Joseph Swan. There
are also those who claim both of these great minds were merely tweaking The main problem is that efficiency can't be
existing devices. What is certain is that the incandescent light bulb is effectively measured for motors that are
going the way of anyone that staked a claim on its invention. specifically designed to operate only with a
VSD. The IET recommends instead that these
Today, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Columbia, to a request for comments regarding Lot 30 types of motors be specifically excluded from
Cuba and Mexico have already prohibited the and highlighted some interesting points within the regulations.
use of the highly wasteful bulbs, while the draft regulation.
Canada, China, the European Union and the Furthermore, the IET commented that current
United States are in the process of turning out The points that the IET picked up on were in regulations don't explicitly address the
incandescent light bulbs for good because of regards to the unclear efficiency regulations difficulty in calculating the overall efficiency of
how inefficient they are. concerning VSD and motor combinations.The a motor operating in tandem with a VSD. Its
difficulty in regulating the area stems from the recommendation is for a review of this
In the European Union, we have the flexibility of the modern general purpose combination in the next assessment process.
Ecodesign Directive to thank for ensuring VSDs.
wasteful electrical products are gradually The IET also highlights the increasing sales of
becoming replaced by more efficient ones. “ THE VSDs for medium voltage motors (1-35kV)
The directive stipulates the ecological INCANDESCENT and recommends that this be taken into
requirements of electrical products LIGHT BULB IS account in the next assessment process as
manufactured and used within the EU. The JUST ONE well.
incandescent light bulb is just one product PRODUCT THAT
that doesn't make the grade. In fact, the DOESN'T MAKE The final point raised, and one which we here
phasing out of the bulbs is predicted to reduce THE GRADE ”Energy losses depend closely on operational at European Automation agree with
annual CO2 emissions by 16 million tons in settings. For example, if a VSD has a low unwaveringly, is that there needs to be more
2020. switching frequency, losses would be much onus on the manufacturer to ensure access
lower than practical operations settings. data for each model and build variant.
A far bigger offender than the infamous However, this isn't taken into account by the Countless times we see clients unsure about
incandescent light bulb is the electric motor, current framework of the Ecodesign Directive. what part they need once a breakdown has
accounting for about two thirds of industrial occurred. Who can honestly say they are
power consumption and about 45 per cent of A beneficial feature of the modern VSD is that completely aware of the year of manufacture
global power consumption as a whole. functionality often spans beyond conventional for every motor within their operation? But if
Ensuring maximum efficiency from electric motor control. Sequencing, process control, things go wrong, you might well need to know
motors is a must. motion control and system control are and quickly.
associated with using more energy than an
In 2014, the Department of Energy and average VSD function. These are important That's where we come in. Regardless of
Climate Change (DECC) released a elements of drive system design and energy whether or not you're running a motor or VSD
preparatory study that identified the that is now obsolete thanks to the Ecodesign
environmental improvement potential for Directive, we can find and replace those
products outside the scope of Regulation parts, sometimes in as little as nine hours. No
640/2009 of the Ecodesign Directive. This incandescent bulbs though. Sorry.
study is called Lot 30 and refers to special
motors and variable speed drives (VSDs).
In September 2014, the Institution of
Engineering and Technology (IET) responded
www.euautomation.com 05
