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The Drives Blog is the place for conversation and discussion about Drive Advances & Applications; AC & DC Motor Drives; Drive Tools & Technology; Drives for Motion Control. Here, you'll find everything from application ideas, to news and industry trends, to hot topics and cutting edge innovations.

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Sensorless Starts to Make Sense

Posted October 30, 2007 8:06 AM

In some ways, high energy prices are not all bad. This is especially true when global power demand and the price of copper push engineers to develop new energy efficient motor control technologies. While AC motor use dominates most applications, it isn't efficient at variable speeds. Permanent magnet motors have been available for years, but they have been expensive and require complicated control methods. Now the good news; advances in low cost sensorless PM control technology are widening the use of these motors while reducing power consumption. Does this strategy make sense for your process?

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Power-User

Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 182
Good Answers: 1
#1

Re: Sensorless Starts to Make Sense

10/31/2007 2:11 AM

Check out African Cat's website for their latest catamaran.

The twin motors use so little energy, they run on a 6 hour Jenny charge; once every 30 days, (if there's no wind or sun)!

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Associate

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 41
Good Answers: 3
#2

Re: Sensorless Starts to Make Sense

10/31/2007 11:12 AM

That's interesting about the motors. I worked with a manufacturer that was spending about 50 thousand a month on electricity some years ago, it's probably twice that now. Mostly Mills and Lathes. I wonder how that they could convert to this and if it would pay off.

Also, about that African Cat. I was at the Solar Power Convention about a month ago, it seems like the Cat's panels are about twice as efficient as the ones on display at the convention. Pretty much most panels put out 100watts +/-, the Cat's panels look like they are getting 210 watts per hour. It would seem to me that they would have to be smaller and lighter. They have four panels that put out 840 total.

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Guru

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 548
#3

Re: Sensorless Starts to Make Sense

11/17/2007 3:25 PM

lots of potential for the technology .it surely has advantage at its disposable and requires attention for awareness in the industry as a whole

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