Reported to be the first of its kind, the new AC-AC power converter technology embeds variable-speed functionality directly on the motor. This eliminates systems that rely on throttled valves and dampers, according to the supplier, which shares the product’s name, VIDAR.  

Furthermore, unlike traditional variable frequency drives (VFDs) and motor setups, the new smart motor requires no special inverter-duty wiring, additional clean room enclosures, or extra floor space.  

VIDAR says that traditional VFDs must be installed in temperature-controlled cabinets to protect their sensitive electronics. ‘A plant with hundreds or thousands of pumps and fans would require significant extra space or new electrical buildings for VFDs. As a result, many industrial companies have been deterred from using them,’ say the researchers.

The VIDAR smart motor has been purpose-built to drive pumps and fans in harsh industrial settings. According to VIDAR, case studies have shown the precise motor control ensures that rotating equipment speed adjusts in response to changing workload, reducing energy use by up to half. Equipment downtime and maintenance costs have also been cut, extending equipment lifespan, and CO₂ emissions have been lowered.

The VIDAR smart motor produces a power output of 15–75 hp at 460V. Motors come in 1,800 rpm base speed (max: 2,500 rpm) or 3,600 rpm base speed (max: 4,500 rpm).  

The new motor-drive unit is claimed to be 60% smaller than current market offerings. It is compact enough to be embedded in a standard motor housing envelope and can be used as a ‘drop-in’ replacement for an existing conventional motor.  

ITT, the industry partner of TTPi and the University of Nottingham, estimates that there is a $6bn total addressable market for industrial motors. Each year, roughly $300bn is spent globally to move fluids for critical applications including food and beverage processing, energy production, water purification and chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, among others. Approximately 85% of industrial pumps and fans rely on fixed speed motors and mechanical controls, which often run at full speed constantly, which can result in excess energy usage and low reliability.

‘VIDAR makes the advantage of adjustable speed over fixed speed motors available to more customers of pumps, fans, and fluid process systems through a simplified, combined solution that’s easy to install and simple to operate,’ says Dan Kernan, Vice President and General Manager, VIDAR.

‘The world is turning to electricity as a source of sustainable energy to achieve net zero carbon emissions, which is vital for the future of our planet. The discussions and debates often focus on renewable sources of that energy, which is massively important, but there is another side to that coin, and that is to use the energy we generate more efficiently,’ comments Professor Lee Empringham, from the University of Nottingham Power Electronics and Machines Group.

‘Compact smart motors and the technology that makes them work are a huge step on the road to net zero,’ says Empringham’s colleague Dr Liliana de Lillo. ‘They can revolutionise industrial processes, so they not only become more efficient, but also to ensure they use less of the world’s precious resources. Through the development and launch of VIDAR we have shown this can be done. It is a gamechanger.’