What exactly is ac drive (frequency inverter)
Ac drive is a device that is used to control the speed of an electrical motor. The speed is controlled by changing the frequency of the electrical supply to the motor.
Ac drive is also called frequency converter, frequency inverter, VFD or others in different countries or different areas.
The three-phase voltage in the national electrical grid connected to a motor creates a rotating magnetic field in it. The rotor of the electrical motor will follow this rotating magnetic field.
The benefits of ac drive
The types of motors that ac drives control are normally operating at constant speed. Enabling the user to control the speed of motor potentially gives ac drive various benefits in terms of process control, system stress and energy savings.
Advantage of frequency inverter for process control:
controlling the process output to match the need; synchronising different parts of the main process to secure smooth flow between subprocesses; easily changing the setup when the process requirements change.
Advantage of frequency converter in system stress:
Reducing the start-up current, which allows use of smaller fuses and supply connections and reduces peak loads on the electrical network; Reducing the mechanical shock in start and stop situations.
Advantage of ac drive for energy conservation:
Saving electrical energy compared to traditional methods of process control. For instance, in pump and fan applications, energy savings (energy conservations) are typically 20-50 per cent.
