IE3 motors ensure 10% efficiency increase says NORD
Drive technology specialist NORD is developing IE3 motors which it claims will ensure an efficiency increase of at least 10% compared with the IE2 class. According to NORD, this is primarily due to the use of different materials.
By using copper instead of aluminum as the conductor material for the squirrel cage, rotor losses in IE3 systems are said to be 'considerably reduced'. The specific conductivity of copper is approx 60% greater than that of aluminium and the slip under load, which is proportional to the rotor losses, is significantly decreased compared with aluminum motors.
The torque curve in the operating region is considerably steeper, while the breakdown torque is attained with a lower slip.
In addition, the starting torque, which is proportional to the rotor losses, is significantly lower. Unlike aluminum motors, IE3 motors with a copper rotor do not require an increased amount of iron or need merely a moderate increase.
However, NORD says as well as the choice of alternative materials such as copper, other measures can also be taken. These include the use of sheet lamination material with lower specific core losses, larger conductor cross-sections in the windings, flux-optimised windings and smaller winding heads.Further increases in efficiency can also be achieved with permanent magnet motors and with frequency inverter operation (synchronous motor principle).
