The free calculator allows potential buyers to make an informed decision before purchasing a VSD for their application. It comes in the form of an easy to use Microsoft Excel file and is available to download from GAMBICA’s website.
The new VSD energy saving calculator is intended as a first-pass indication tool to help decide if a VSD will bring energy savings to the application. The calculator can also help estimate what payback period can be expected, making it clearer that a VSD represents a guaranteed investment that will reduce energy bills by more than its cost.
Electric motors consume significant amounts of electricity; estimated to be about two-thirds of all industrial energy use. Even a simple electric motor, costing a few hundred pounds, can be expected to consume many tens of thousands of pounds worth of electricity over its useful lifetime. Variable speed drives can help to make significant energy savings by controlling the motor speed, particularly in pump and fan applications.
“Energy saving is currently a high priority on the British and EU agendas and VSDs are gradually being recognised as one of the most important tools for cutting energy costs,” explained Steve Brambley, deputy director of Gambica. “We hope this new tool will encourage non technical people, particularly in purchasing departments, to embrace the technology,” concluded Brambley.
The energy saving calculator can be downloaded for free from the Gambica website at http://www.gambica.org.uk/vsdcalculator .