8 PRODUCT NEWS
NEW VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES HELP OVERCOME HARMONIC CHALLENGES ABB’S ACQ580 RANGE OF VARIABLE speed drives (VSDs), developed specifically for pumping applications in the water and wastewater industry, now includes an ultra-low harmonic (ULH) version. This new drive ensures reliable operation even in unstable power supply conditions by keeping the network clean from troublesome harmonics without the addition of filters or special transformers. The use of VSDs with motors that operate pumps and blowers offer significant benefits for a water plant, including enhanced energy efficiency, better control and reliability of operations. The issue is that VSDs can also introduce harmonics into the electrical network. Harmonics can damage sensitive
electronic equipment, trip circuit breakers, blow fuses and cause capacitor failures. They can also interfere with communication systems and cause false readings on measurement devices. In the worst cases, harmonics cause costly process interruptions. The traditional approach to tackle problems created by harmonics is to add filters, multipulse transformers or overdimensioning equipment. However, the ABB ACQ580 doesn’t need external filters or any special equipment. “The new ABB drive has harmonic mitigation built-in, including an active supply unit and integrated low harmonic line filter,” says Simo Niskanen, Drives Product Manager, ABB. “Compared to a conventional drive, the ACQ580 ULH
DRIVE FOR DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS TEC MOTORS HAS INTRODUCED an IP66/NEMA 4X rated version of its general-purpose TECDrive Variable Speed Drive (VSD). Offering the same energy savings, ease of installation and intuitive user experience as the standard model, the IP66 TECDrive VSD is specifically designed for tough applications where durability and reliability are paramount. The IP66 TECDrive VSD has been designed to work outside the control cabinet environment and can be mounted almost anywhere. It will withstand outdoor conditions and regular low-pressure washdowns thanks to its high ingress
protection rating, tough polycarbonate enclosure and corrosion-resistant heatsink. The enclosure is UV stable and impervious to dirt, grease, oils and
can reduce harmonic content down to 3% THDI (total harmonic distortion of current).” www.abb.com weak acids. It also has a wide operating temperature range from -10 to +50°C. TEC says that a key advantage of the new drive is its ease of installation, allowing general-purpose users to start benefitting from energy savings and motor speed control quickly. There is a clear LED display with waterproof buttons for basic settings, plus, the option on every model to include a manual run/reverse switch and speed control potentiometer. There are four frame sizes available with power ratings from 0.37kW single phase, up to 22kW three-phase all available from UK stock. tecmotors.co.uk
PUMPS MINIMISE DOWNTIME IN OIL & GAS EXPLORATION ENGINEERED TO MINIMISE downtime in offshore applications, SPX FLOWs ClydeUnion Pump CUP-BB5 range features a cartridge retention design that means a complete rotor change-out can be completed in under eight hours. The CUP-BB5 range comprises radially split, diffuser type, multi-stage pumps specifically designed for the oil & gas market. With capacities up to 2,800m3/ hr and delivery heads up to 4,100m, typical applications for the CUP-BB5 range include produced water injection, seawater injection and main oil lines. CUP-BB5 pumps require no specialist tools or additional training, making maintenance straightforward and minimising downtime. The shear ring locking system ensures rapid change-out and minimises pump downtime because it does not require the use of high torque Quarter 4 2019
equipment to assemble or dis-assemble. With two main variants of in-line impellers (CUP-BB5i) or a back-to-back impeller arrangement (CUP-BB5b), the pumps are available as engineered-toorder solutions, fully compliant with the latest API 610 and API 682 requirements and customer specifications. The CUP-BB5 can also be packaged with various types of drive equipment to suit customer requirements. Typical options include fixed or variable speed electric motors, combustion engines and gas or steam turbines. Packaged systems are
further equipped with a range of pump healthcare monitoring equipment to enable measurement and analysis of performance data to aid preventative maintenance and increase availability. www.spxflow.com www.bpma.org.uk
