Importance of Efficiency in Industrial Motors

Why Energy efficient motors in the Industrial Sector are important

Energy consumption in the industrial sector is at an all-time high. No matter the industry, most of the electricity is used by motor-driven systems. These systems account for more than 40 percent of global electricity consumption. Often, energy efficient motors are available. But when a business does not use an energy efficient motor, they are consuming more energy than necessary and paying higher prices to run their equipment.

To put the cost of inefficient motors into perspective, a motor’s first month of energy can cost as much as the initial purchase. Over a motor's lifetime, electricity use can easily exceed 100 times the initial cost. End users spend about $565 billion per year on electricity used in motor-driven systems. That number is expected to rise to almost $900 billion by 2030. Businesses that use energy-efficient motors can experience a 30 percent reduction in energy costs, which is why many are making the switch.

The SyMax® family from Marathon Motors reduce energy costs. SyMAX is a permanent magnet motor. Permanent magnet technology uses pre-existing magnetic fields instead of using energy to start up and magnetize. Permanent magnet motors have extra efficiency thanks to environmental advantages and manufacturing costs.

What does efficiency mean?

So what does it mean for a motor to be ‘more efficient?' The purpose of an electric motor is to convert electricity into mechanical energy. Motors consume extra energy to make that conversion.

Motor efficiency refers to the ratio between mechanical power output and electrical power input. In other words, how much total energy the motor uses out of the rated power and delivers to the shaft. The amount of input power needed to produce the desired horsepower varies from motor to motor. More efficient motors use less excess energy. That's because they need less input wattage than non-efficient models to generate the same output.

What are the benefits of energy efficient motors?

Energy efficient motors have many benefits, including:

• The ability to run cooler/produce less heat
• Low operation costs and less energy consumption
• Increased installation and longer bearing lives
• Exude less noise and vibration
• Longer motor life means less downtime and increased productivity
• ROI typically less than 2 years

Marathon SYMAX offers one of the highest available dynamic response of any motor on the market. Permanent magnet motors are more efficient due to elimination of rotor conductor losses, lower resistance winding and a “flatter” efficiency curve.

Traditional induction motors have what is called a squirrel cage. In this type of motor, the current is induced into the rotor from the field (stator) through the air gap. Aluminum (or other material) bars conduct the current. These bars are typically die cast into the rotor lamination slots. SyMax motors use permanent magnets embedded within the rotor. At 180-280 frame size, SyMax motors provide increased efficiency.

Permanent magnet motors also offer a smaller footprint. This allows for more compact mechanical packages and higher efficiencies. Additionally, users get the ability to maintain full torque at low speeds. In the long run, permanent magnet motors run with cooler operating temperatures, which can extend winding and bearing life.