Posts

MagnaDrive recently introduced the ASD-SSD  for belt-driven applications. The product was first introduced as a retrofit solution to accommodate federal regulations and market conditions found in complex industrial applications such as gas compressor air cooling fans, centrifugal process fans and centrifugal pumps.

The MagnaDrive ASD-SSD delivers performance and efficiency improvements through rare earth magnets and non-ferrous conductors in order to transmit torque across an air gap from driver to load. This change in air gap allows the speed of the belt driven equipment to bemore efficiently controlled.

“With the ASD-SSD we’re able to reduce energy consumption on belt driven centrifugal applications with minimal impact or modifications to the existing installation “said  Geoff Harmon, senior applications engineer at MagnaDrive.

The benefits of the ASD-SSD include ease of installation, reduced energy consumption, reduced maintenance as well as noise reduction. 

This adjustable speed drive can now be directly installed on new or existing engine cooler drive shafts as a direct replacement.  As a result, installation time and cost is significantly reduced making it a suitable solution for retrofits on existing belt driven centrifugal equipment.

The ASD-SSD also minimizes the power needed to operate the application by optimizing the cooling efficiency of gas compressors. This provides extensive energy efficiency gains in order to meet stringent DOE and EPA regulations. Shaft power can be controlled in order to minimize power required by a gas compressor cooling fan leading to increase efficiency.

By lowering the fan speed when process demands are lower, the ASD-SSD can reduce the wear and maintenance of the equipment’s rotating components including shafts, bearings, and belts. This helps to eliminate scheduled downtimes and reoccurring maintenance shutdowns at the plant.

Fan noise is also greatly reduced thanks in part to less air flow requirements and the reduction of maintenance for the other temperature control devices. The ASD-SSD is also a suitable alternative to high voltage, variable frequency drives that may not be suitable for certain electrical classifications.

With the ASD-SSD, plants can achieve a fast ROI in less than a year. The plug and play drive eliminates the need for expensive modifications to the fan shaft or system design. A single magnet rotor and conductor rotor saves on overall costs. The equipment provides accurate and repeatable speed control. The actuator supplied also handles explosion proof requirements.

“The Adjustable Sheave Speed Drive is designed to replace a single speed belt reduction system without having to modify the existing system.  Therefore installation will be very cost effective and as a result increases the return on investment. “

MagnaDrive adjustable speed drives are available in sizes up to 200 HP @ 1800 RPM. Lower maintenance and operating costs are a result of transferring torque from motors to driven equipment across an air gap without shaft-to-shaft physical connection. This “disconnected connection” provides reduced vibration that increases bearing and seal life.

MagnaDrive specializes in magnetic couplings and drives that reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) by lowering maintenance costs, increasing process availability and improving system reliability. Learn more at www.magnadrive.com.

In the next blog, we’ll examine how MagnaDrive’s ASD-SSD was used to upgrade a gas compression air cooler application at XTO Energy – ExxonMobil.