Chemical Engineering June 2017 - 27

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FIGURE 2. The ABB Ability Smart Sensor provides remote condition monitoring for low-voltage motors.
It attaches to the frame of the motor, without wires, and picks up data on vibration, temperature and
other parameters
(Cary, N.C.; www.abb.com). " So,
processors are starting to realize the
value of more efficient motor control
methods like vector control over traditional
volts-per-hertz control. "
He continues: " And, because
chemical plants are typically a highdollar-value
investment, which need
to operate 24/7, reliability is important,
as a failed drive can shut down
a plant's essential processes and restart
time can be days. Availability of
the drive system has become a more
prominent concern, as are reduced
maintenance intervals and quick and
safe recovery from failure situations. "
Designed for reliability & efficiency
As such, providers of equipment
wish to incorporate improvements,
such as more cost-efficient computational
power to improve motor
control methods, additional programming
features and more intelligence
in the drives. Motor designs
have also improved to include new
materials and encapsulation methods.
Further, motor types that were
not previously cost effective, such
as permanent-magnet motors and
synchronous-reluctance motors,
are being redesigned and gaining
more acceptance in the chemical
process industries (CPI) due to energy
efficiency benefits and reduced
cost of ownership.
Because the chemical industry
presents many challenging applications,
motor manufacturers are
working to design motors that can
better withstand the environment,
says Chris Medinger, product marketing
specialist with Leeson Electric
(Grafton, Wis.; www.leeson.com).
" Reliability of motors is a great need,
for the downtime costs in chemical
applications are very expensive.
Because processors can't afford to
have downtime in their applications,
they need a motor that can stand up
to chemicals and washdowns, " he
says. So, Leeson went to work and
re-engineered their design to provide
a liquid-proof motor, called the Extreme
Duck Ultra (Figure 1). The motor's
design ensures that liquids don't
penetrate the motor in any mounting
position via a new encapsulation process
with better materials to ensure
complete filling of the motors and
curing of the epoxy encapsulation.
Another way motor manufacturers
are adding reliability is by adding
more sophistication. For example,
ABB offers an add-on device, the
ABB Ability Smart Sensor, says Weihrauch.
The device provides remote
condition monitoring for low-voltage
motors. It attaches to the frame of
the motor, without wires, and picks
up data on vibration, temperature
and other parameters (Figure 2). It
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JUNE 2017
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27
03.08.2016 13:21:28

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Chemical Engineering June 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering June 2017