Wayne Stebbins, Commercial Industry Consultant, ABB, New Berlin, Wis.
Articles
VFDs: Four Easy Steps to Achieving Quick Payback on HVAC Energy Savings
HVAC variable frequency drive solutions running on bypass can waste 56% or more energy for your HVAC air handling system; here's how to get back to efficient usage. Despite the economic advantages and significant energy savings available by using AC variable frequency drives in HVAC applications, many building operators do not repair or replace drives when they fail; this is because the motors can easily continue to run through a bypass contactor. While this is a great solution for short-term outages, continued operation in this mode quickly becomes a very expensive way to operate a fan. The historic challenge Budget cuts and competitive pressures have reduced building maintenance staffs in many public and private enterprises. This frequently results in a re-prioritization of activities, forcing concentration on addressing issues which are required to be fixed at the moment.