Of Motors Large and Small

January 17, 2001

Whether conducting performance testing on 250 hp motor prototypes for industrial applications or testing the energy efficiency of fractional hp motors, Advanced Energy's motor system engineers can adapt our test lab to handle a wide variety of testing needs and purposes.

Advanced Energy's independent, NVLAP-accredited test lab is a premiere facility for testing motor operating characteristics and motor efficiency. Our staff is working with motor manufacturers all over the world to assist with testing and associated services as the deadline for EPACT certification approaches. In addition, the team is involved with performance evaluations of a manufacturer's motor prototypes and with testing the efficiency of 0.5 and 0.75 hp motors in support of a new mandated energy efficiency program.

Motor Performance Testing

In an effort to provide a motor manufacturer with an independent assessment of their motor prototypes, Advanced Energy is testing a series of their 75-250 hp motors for both energy efficiency and performance characteristics under various conditions. These motors are specifically designed to run with variable speed drives. Advanced Energy is charged with proving that the motors can achieve their rated torque while running at much less than normal speed, which would enable multiple and diverse applications typically reserved for DC and specialty motors.

With performance data provided by Advanced Energy in hand, this manufacturer can move confidently towards decisions regarding full implementation of its new products.

Energy Efficiency Testing of Fractional Motors

Working with Applied Proactive Technologies (APT) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) , Advanced Energy is testing the efficiency of motors less than 1 hp in support of Southern California Edison's Next Step Motor Program. The program is part of a larger program, the California Motor Initiative, supported by SCE, Pacific Gas & Electric , and San Diego Gas & Electric .

A 0.75 hp motor rests next to its larger, 200 hp cousin

SCE is sponsoring this set of tests as part of an effort to increase knowledge about the efficiencies of this class of motor and to contribute to encouraging customers to choose more efficient motors and thus decrease energy consumption.

While a good deal is known about the stated and actual efficiencies of motors 1 hp and over, the same cannot be said for the copious number of 0.5 and 0.75 hp motors that power such things as small pumps, fans, compressors and conveyors. There is no widely accepted efficiency test protocol for this size of motors. Consequently, Advanced Energy is breaking new ground with this project, by both developing viable test procedures and acquiring efficiency data for this class of motors.

"No one has looked at this class of motor at this level of detail before. I feel this work could create a new area of efficiency opportunities for motor programs nationally," says Dr. Neal Elliott of ACEEE, the project manager and final analyst of the data. "The work in this area is just starting, but I feel we have set a strong foundation.

"Our fractional motor nameplate efficiency research revealed a startlingly wide variance across manufacturers," says APT director Bruce Benkhart. APT is implementation contractor for the SCE Next Step Motor Program.

"This study gives Next Step the ability to introduce informed energy efficiency options at the OEM/customer juncture," says Benkhart. "The kW savings could be substantial given the large number of units and high run hours associated with fractional motor applications."

To find out more about motor testing and consulting services available at Advanced Energy, please contact Kitt Butler at kbutler@advancedenergy.org or (919) 857-9017 .

To learn more about the full range of our available industrial testing and consulting services, click here .