Inverters prevent motors burning out on emulsion pumps

Grosvenor Chemicals in Huddersfield had been experiencing problems with its PVA emulsion pumps. All too frequently motors were burning out and the resulting downtime was costly. Local drive specialist Westin Drives stepped in and solved the problem with Lenze smd inverters. These allowed the previously fixed pump speed to be adjusted, and built-in thermal monitoring of the motors eliminated the downtime problem.

Part of the Whyte Group, Grosvenor Chemicals specialises in contract chemical manufacture and packing. Its site in Huddersfield manufactures a diverse range of chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates, and, in this case, a range of PVA emulsions. The company has a strong emphasis on good environmental practice and training, with about 70 people working on the site. Grosvenor turns to local company Westin Drives when support is needed for motors, geared motors and inverters. In this case variation in PVA emulsion viscosity across different products was causing motor overloads, particularly on restarts.

Westin supplied a Lenze smd inverter in a small and simple enclosure. The inverter includes a soft start function and can hold 150 per cent rated torque for up to 60 seconds. Furthermore, built-in motor monitoring allows a shutdown with error message if the motor begins to overheat. Inverters supplied are rated at 5.5 and 7.5kW, and are fitted with a footprint filter to meet RFI class A requirements. A separate keypad is mounted on the door to give the operators an easy way to alter the pump speed.

Westins is a StockDrive partner for Lenze frequency inverters. In this case Westins was able to take advantage of the very compact dimensions of the smd inverter; for example, a footprint of only 114 x 171mm at 5.5kW. This results in a compact panel and reduced costs.

Follow the link for more information about smd inverters.