Driving efficiency forward
January 1st 2006

Mitsubishi Electric has expanded its F700 series of variable speed drives for electric motors with 15 larger sizes up to 530kW.

The range now covers virtually every likely use for drives in fields as diverse as manufacturing, HVAC, utilities, wind tunnels and commercial kitchens.

The FR-F700 features both optimum excitation and optimum torque patterns so the drive is always giving maximum performance and efficiency to the load. The company says it has redefined energy efficiency expectations since its initial launch.

It is able to automatically optimise energy use for every possible load profile. For instance some materials, such as batter, can change their viscosity when being mixed and the F700 can detect this and constantly reoptimise its settings to follow the changing conditions.

Other features include ease of commissioning, a predictive maintenance monitor, high level connectivity to control systems and tripless reliability. Additionally, a flux vector option is available for applications requiring high levels of dynamic control.

Mitsubishi Electric says the units can provide up to 12% extra savings compared to other drives, which is particularly significant in the many pumps and fans applications where an oversized motor has to be fitted to allow very occasional peak conditions.

Energy savings can be monitored via the front panel, which can display the power, percentage or cumulative energy saving in kilowatt/hours or local currency. This data, along with other performance measures, can be downloaded via the communication network to a central location.

An on-board EMC filter ensures compliance with European EMC legislation for industrial environments, while the cooling fan uses larger than normal bearings for an operating life in excess of 10 years.

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