Part of the motors used in Europe must comply with the IE3 performance standard.
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For people
who use electric motors, January 1, 2015, is an important date. In fact, some of
these must now meet the IE3 (International Energy Efficiency Class 3)
performance standard, requiring changes for all parties involved in the supply
chain, from designers to users to integrators. ABB specifies what needs to
be done in this article, if practicable, to ensure that the market retains an
edge over regulations.
According to
directive EC640/2009 and amendment EU4/2009 (see below), any three-phase motor
operating directly on the network (fixed wire) and marketed with a rated power
range between 7.5 and 375 has been prohibited since January 1, 2015.
Manufacturers of motors
The
requirement for the IE3 class of performance marks the point of reference for
industrial motor manufacturers and suggests that moving forward, only
high-quality materials will be used to manufacture engines. But this isn't
always the case. For well-known manufacturers, there is an opportunity to
demonstrate real differentiation in the market in other areas of their engine
offering, such as dependability, service agreements, and technical support.
Additionally, there will be changes in terms of costs. The transition to IE3
will result in a larger investment from manufacturers, although the production
processes won't change much, if at all. There will be costs associated with
product recycling,
Machinery OEMs
Although the
EU MEPS mandate primarily affects engine manufacturers, there are suggestions
for the range of engines an OEM can obtain from its usual supplier. Getting a
full range of IE3 motors from a single supplier will benefit OEMs, especially
those with a significant presence in Europe. OEMs need to be prepared to use
IE3 engines in their machines and applications and be clear with their
suppliers about what they want or don't want. For example, for heavy torque
applications that do not necessarily require lowering the speed, fitting an IE2
motor, and variable speed drive may not be cost-effective.
OEMs should
also inspect how the change will affect their logistics and supply chain. IE3
motors can be older and larger than equivalent IE2 motors. Certain overhauls of
the product ranges will be essential by integrating new motor sizes, frame
height, or resumption of obsessions. However, some manufacturers, such as ABB,
have proven their relevance in the origination of motors. If only standard the
height of the shaft of an IE3 motor aligns with that of the standard IE2
motor. This promotes faster and more efficient replacement while maintaining
the same mechanical structure of the machine. Thus the installation of an IE3
motor is effective.
Fake users
From the
point of view of end users, IE3 motors are positioned 10 to 20% above the
purchase price of an IE2 motor. But they deliver a payback of that extra cost
in just under two years. With a 200 kW 4-pole motor operating 8000 hours/a for
an electricity cost of €0.1/kWh, an IE2 motor would represent €169,521 in
annual running costs; while the IE3 motor would cost €167,945, providing a
saving of €1,576/year or €131/month. The payback period in this case would be
well under two years.