Energy savings achievable with Flender Motox geared motors

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A large proportion of gearboxes in the UK food and drink industry are helical worm units, with average efficiencies of around 75%. Retro-installing Flender helical bevel geared motors, with their typical efficiencies of 96%, provides efficiency improvements of up to 28%, according to Siemens Automation & Drives.

Significant energy savings were made at a large Midlands brewery, thanks to the installation of Flender Motox helical bevel geared motors. The brewery’s conveyor drive featured non-Flender helical worm drives, each using 1.5kW at 82rpm, with an overall drive efficiency of just 59%. Actual monitored power consumption was 1.1kW.

When a Flender helical bevel drive with an energy efficient (eff1) motor was fitted, providing 1.5kW at 82rpm, the drive efficiency improved to 81% and the actual monitored power consumption dropped to .48kW. New helical bevel units were fitted following this result with motors achieving .55kW consumption.

The overall savings were calculated assuming an energy charge of 6p per kilowatt hour, and equated to £562 per annum per unit; £657 per annum per unit assuming energy charges of 7p per kilowatt hour. For a plant with more than one geared motor on site, this saving can be multiplied accordingly. At the brewery project 42 high efficiency Flender Motox units were installed on the packaging conveyor line within a period of 12 weeks. Calculating typical energy charges at 6p per kilowatt hour, this equated to almost £24,000 in savings per annum, a significant sum, and representing a payback period of well under two years.

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Benefits of the Flender units included the following:

  • Standardisation, through utilisation of standard IEC frame eff1 motor

  • Reduced cost, as IEC motor is considerably less expensive than a dedicated motor

  • Reduced downtime through immediate availability and motor being a ‘dry fit’ to the gearbox

  • Increased productivity, as motor can be replaced with gearbox in situ

  • Cost reduction – inventory reduced and ability to claim ECA on 1.1kW and above

High efficiency helical bevel gear units therefore mean lower long-term energy costs with easier maintenance through the dry fit motor adaptor, and eff1 rated motors bring further significant savings in energy costs. Units can be supplied with same-day build from Siemens Automation & Drives at Bradford.

This is an excellent example of where involving Siemens at an early stage on ‘best practice’ can identify considerable savings within a typical food and beverage plant.

More details are available from Siemens Automation & Drives by telephoning 01274 657700 or by emailing paul.dudley@siemens.com

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