Cool solutions for cooling tower fans

A new direct drive technology for controlling commercial building cooling tower fans greatly improves reliability by eliminating moving parts while also saving energy and running quieter.

Based on a novel permanent magnet motor from Baldor, it packs the high torque required into such a compact space that it can easily be retrofitted into cooling towers - sitting underneath the fan in the space currently required for the gearbox element of conventional power transmission systems.

Air cooling towers are commonly used as part of the HVAC systems of medium to large-scale office and industrial buildings and in industrial processes. Large fans pull air over a water soaked media to cool the water before it is returned to the chiller unit.

The most common driving technique has been a standard AC motor. This is connected to the fan via a drive shaft and right angle gearbox. Such arrangements have drawbacks: the gearbox runs at high speed and requires regular maintenance; misalignments can cause vibration, wear and noise; and the complex power transmission system introduces significant energy losses.

Baldor's unique VS1 Cooling Tower Drive, provides a direct slow-speed drive combined with variable speed control optimised for the application. By eliminating the drive shaft and gearbox, and using a permanent magnet motor, the solution minimises moving parts, greatly improving reliability and power efficiency - as well as reducing bill-of-materials.