Quick wins for Motors and Drives

Motor driven equipment with potential for control include: -Escalator, lift or conveyor drives – especially motor-generator DC drive sets; -Process line drives (when no product is moving); -Process air compressors – especially in multi-compressor systems; -Ventilation or exhaust fans serving intermittent processes or loads; -Redundant equipment intended to ensure immediate backup or failsafe operation.

All machinery should have an operating schedule attached to it so operators know if and when it should be turned off
Use an hours run meter to measure how long equipment has been running and compare with the required hours of operation
Reduce the operating time of motors whenever possible by improving control of motor driven loads and switch them off either manually or automatically when not required
Have a schedule and procedure for motor maintenance and ensure staff promptly report faulty or noisy motors
Have a plan for repairing failed motors, which compares long-term repair vs. replacement costs
Match the right size motors to the right loads ensuring that they are typically on 75% loading. The ‘loading’ of a motor is the amount of work it does compared with its capability
Always specify high efficiency motors and new equipment should be sourced from SEAI’s Accelerated Capital Allowance list

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