Variable speed drive or VSD, also commonly called the adjustable speed drive, is a large electric motor which speed can be changed through an external controller. VSD is usually used in process flow control applications to help manufacturing plants with a lot of industrial electric motors to save high in energy. The use of VSD in process control applications allows the motor speed to be adjusted according to the required tasks. It can also help compensate for the changes in the variables of the process flow.
The greatest benefit of utilizing a variable speed drive can be best illustrated shown on how the speed of a cooling fan motor works to suit the operating temperature of the part that it is cooling. Typically, the use of VSDs enhances process operations that involve flow control by providing soft-start capacities. This minimizes the potential electrical stresses and line voltage sags that are principally caused by full startups. This situation is particularly true when dealing with high-inertia loads.
In essence, the fundamental role of a variable speed drive is to control the rotational speed of an AC electric motor. This is done by controlling the frequency of power and voltage transmitted to the motor. While all VSDs operate under the same principle, they do it in various designs. There are three most common VSD designs that are popularly used today, namely the voltage source inverter or VSI, the current source inverter or CSI, and the pulse width modulation or PWM.
Each of those VSD designs has its own benefits and drawbacks and picking the best one depends on your particular application, or the AC motor will control the voltage and power frequency. In order to help you choose the right VSD you need, trust the experts of the industry’s leading supplier of VSDs and gear motors, Bauer GMC. Just get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can assist you to find the best solution.
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