Posted to News on 2nd Aug 2011, 15:47
Free tool calculates energy savings from variable-speed drives
GAMBICA has launched a simple energy saving calculator that estimates the savings that could be achieved by installing a variable-speed drive (VSD) on a relevant application. GAMBICA, the national organisation that represents the interests of the instrumentation, control, automation and laboratory technology industries in the UK, is launching the calculator on behalf of the members of its variable speed drives group.
According to GAMBICA, the free calculator enables potential buyers to make an informed decision before purchasing a VSD for their application. It comes in the form of an easy-to-use Microsoft Excel file and is available to download from GAMBICA's website.
The new calculator is intended to provide a first-pass indication of the potential energy savings to help users decide if a VSD is desirable. It can also help estimate what payback period can be expected, making it clearer that a VSD represents a 'guaranteed investment' that will reduce energy bills by more than its purchase cost.
Electric motors are estimate to consume about two-thirds of all industrial energy use. Even a simple electric motor, costing a few hundred pounds, can be expected to consume many tens of thousands of pounds' worth of electricity over its useful lifetime. Variable-speed drives can help to make significant energy savings by controlling the motor speed, particularly in pump and fan applications, or other situations where the motor is not running continuously at full-speed.
Steve Brambley, deputy director of GAMBICA, states: "Energy saving is currently a high priority on the British and EU agendas and VSDs are gradually being recognised as one of the most important tools for cutting energy costs. We hope this new tool will encourage non-technical people, particularly in purchasing departments, to embrace the technology."
The energy saving calculator can be downloaded for free from the GAMBICA website at www.gambica.org.uk/vsdcalculator.
