Jules White, Author at Inverter Drive Systems Ltd

ABB Ultra Low Harmonic Variable Speed Drives

Understanding Harmonics To appreciate the full benefits of ABB’s Ultra Low Harmonic drives, it’s necessary first to understand the concept of harmonics. Essentially, harmonics are unwanted currents that flow within a power system, caused by non-linear electrical loads. Non-linear loads, such as variable speed drives, switch power on and off abruptly to control the output. This action can cause a distortion of the electrical waveform, resulting in harmonics. Harmonics have the potential to impact negatively…

What is it Harmonic Distortion and where does it come from?

For this blog article we are delighted to have George Dodwell, ABB Water Framework Manager – South, explain harmonic distortion and where it comes from: When we look at harmonic distortion (most often known simply as “harmonics”), I feel it’s best to start at the beginning and understand what it is and how it is generated. We will also discuss why harmonics are potentially an issue and why they can cause problems with an electrical…

ABB ACS180 The All New Entry Level Variable Speed Drive

The much-anticipated ABB ACS180 is now widely available including, as you would expect, here at IDS. In this article we take a look at the last member of the ACS general purpose drives and review what it does really well, the applications where it stands out, and the range of its capabilities. The performance you expect, in a compact design! If you are seeking an easy to use, cost effective variable speed drive that doesn’t…

Tips to Save Energy with Variable Speed Drives

In today’s energy-conscious world, industry is increasingly focused on finding ways to reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and improve energy efficiency. One often overlooked solution is the use of variable speed drives (drives). In this article, we will explore how these versatile devices can help a variety of UK, public and private facilities save energy, reduce costs, and protect the environment. A variable speed drive is an electronic device that controls the speed, direction and…

Are you Using Variable Speed Drives as Efficiently as Possible?

By now it’s fair to say that people are aware that energy reduction is becoming more of a hot topic than ever. At the time of writing this article, May 2023, people are paying upwards of 31p per kWh. Some Statistics We all love a good statistic and one that I feel is worth noting is that in Industry, 66% of the energy used is consumed by the humble electric motor. I have seen other…

Is Pumping Dirty Costing You Money?

In this article, George Dodwell, ABB Water Framework Manager – South highlights how pumping dirty can be costing you money: Did you know? Your pump isn’t running at its peak efficiency unless it’s clean! It is becoming more and more common within the water industry today to run pumps on variable speed drives for efficiency reasons, ABB variable speed drives can also help to keep your pump clean. Here is a very good example of…

Energy Saving Inverters on Hydraulics

Electric motors driving hydraulic pumps are in common use in industry today. They provide motive power to machines using rams to move and hold machines in position. When the oil flow to the rams is not required, the hydraulic pump will continue to operate and the oil is then diverted around the circuit back to the tank by a pressure relief valve. This wastes energy and heats up the oil. In this case, inverters can…

IDS Welcomes Matt Handley as New General Manager

Inverter Drive Systems Ltd (IDS) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Matt Handley as its new General Manager. With a wealth of experience spanning over 25 years in variable speed drive technology, Matt brings a rich knowledge base and a fresh perspective to the company. His time served as an electrical engineer, coupled with his impressive career history in a variety of senior roles for industry key players, makes him the ideal candidate to…

ABB Variable Speed Drive Training Webinars 2023-2024

We are pleased to announce the new ABB variable speed drive webinar agenda for 2023-2024. The experts at ABB have created these webinars with the intention of sharing knowledge and best practices. The webinar topics run from; an introduction to variable speed drives, through to condition monitoring and specific topics like PID, harmonics, variable speed drives in borehole and submersible pump applications, how inverters can help towards Net Zero and our own course which…

How does a Variable Speed Drive Work

An AC variable speed drive, also known as an AC drive or a variable frequency drive (VFD) or an Inverter. This is a device that is used to control the speed of an AC motor. The basic function of an AC variable speed drive is to convert the incoming AC voltage into a DC voltage and then invert it back to an AC voltage with a variable frequency and voltage. Here are the main components…

Author : Jules White