Christian Bruderer ABB Inc.

, Medium Voltage Drives - North America

Gas/Electric Partnership Conf. XVII VFD Compressor Drives

ABB Inc. - MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 1

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives Agenda

Introduction Compressor Basics The most common torque load types Centrifugal torque speed curve example Summary Determine the application requirements

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 2

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives Introduction

A variable frequency drive system is typically sized for the system nominal point. Most compressors are driven via a gearbox and a 4 pole motor. Therefore the nominal point of such a system is defined at 60Hz, or 1800rpm. The motor and the VFD are designed to reach nominal power at 1800rpm. The centrifugal compressor has a quadratic load characteristic (torque is proportional to the square of the speed), it is assumed that the power will be reduced with the cube of the speed, for any speed below 1800rpm. However, the reality is often different

The compressor is designed for several design points. Many of these points are likely below nominal speed. It often occurs that the VFD system needs to provide more torque than the rated torque at these below rated speed conditions.

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 3

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives Compressors Basics

Centrifugal compressors approximate the constant head variable volume machine Reciprocating compressors are constant volume variable head machines Axial compressors are low head, high flow machines With variable speed, the centrifugal compressor can deliver:

constant capacity at variable pressure variable capacity at constant pressure A combination variable capacity and variable pressure

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 4

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives The most common torque load types
1.2

1 Torque / Powe r [pu]

The most common load type is the quadratic torque. The power is cubically proportional to the speed. Applications

0.8

0.6

M=k*n
0.4 0.2

2 3

P=k*n
0 200 4 00 600 80 0 100 0 1200 1400 16 00 1800 Speed [rpm]

200 0

Centrifugal pumps / compressor and fans

1 .2

C o ns tan t T o rq ue

1 Torque / Pow er [pu]

A constant torque load type is typical when fixed volumes are being handled. The power increases linear with the speed Applications

0 .8

P = k *n

0 .6

0 .4

0 .2

0 20 0 400 6 00 800 1 000 1200 140 0 1600 180 0 2 000 Sp e e d [r p m ]

Recip compressors, conveyors

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 5

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives Centrifugal compressor torque speed curve example
1.2

Constant torque

1 Torque / Power [pu]

Constant motor power region Nominal point

0.8

0.6

M=k*n
0.4 0.2

2 3

P=k*n
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 Speed [rpm]

0 2000

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 6

Gas/Electric Partnership Conference XVII VFD Compressor Drives Summary - Determine the application requirements

What are the torque requirements?

Motor torque (not power) is usually the decisive factor

Torque requirements establishes current requirements

Torque requirements

Constant vs variable torque Define as many operating points as possible

What is the speed requirement?

Maximum speed Minimum speed

ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 7

 ABB Inc. MV Drives, North America February 8, 2009 | Slide 8