ENERGYCONSERVATIONUSINGVARIABLESPEEDDRIVES

PreparedBy:HassaanRauf;ReviewedBy:FaisalNaeem

Variable Speed Drive (or Variable Frequency Drive) is an electronic controller for speed
adjustment of an electric motor. It varies the speed of the motor by varying the supply
frequencybeingfedtothemotor.
Traditionalmethodsofenergyconservationusedinthepastatprocessplantsmostlyinvolved
somesortofprocessoptimization.Butoverthelastcoupleofyears,amajorparadigmshifthas
beenobservedintheprocessindustryfromenergyconservationviewpointasthepotentialof
energyconservationthroughtheuseofVariableSpeedDriveshasbeenrecognized.
Tocontroltheprocessvariablesinaprocessindustry,threeavailableoptionsare:
1. ThrottlingControl(Bythrottlingavalveplacedatthedischargeofthedrivenmachine)
2. ON/OFFControl(ByturningthedrivenmachineON/OFFrepeatedlyasperrequirement)
3. VariableSpeedControl(Byvaryingthespeedofthedriverdrivingthemachine)
Firsttwomethodsarethetraditionalmethodsbeingusedatalmostalltheprocessplants(first
methodbeingthemostpopularone),bothinefficientfromtheenergyviewpoint.MethodNo.3
based on VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) based control is the latest and the most energy
efficientmethodwherethespeedofthemotor(driver)isvariedpreciselytocontrolthespeed
ofthedrivenmachineandthuscontroltheprocessvariablesinvolved.
Anexamplecanbequotedtocomparetheabovethreemethods.Tostoporslowdownafast
moving car, car driver first needs to release the accelerator followed by the application of
brakes. But with the throttling control, the method is analogous to pressing the brake pedal
withtheacceleratorfullpressed(i.e.throttlingthevalvetoachievethedesiredpressureand
flowwhereasthedrivenmachineisoperatingatfullspeed).Anenergyefficientalternativeon
the other hand would be to reduce the speed of the driven equipment to reduce the
pressure/flow(VFDbasedcontrol).
ThisconceptofENERCONthroughVFDshasbecomeverypopularworldwideinthelastcouple
ofyearsduetopersistingenergycrisisandindustriesareswitchingmoreandmoretowardsthis
VFDbasedprocesscontrol.
Recently Engro Chemicals Pakistan Limited (ECPL) has retrofitted its urea plant with this VFD
basedprocessvariablecontrolfortheenergysavingspurpose(ReportAttached).Thedetailsof
thisprojectareasfollows.

TotalProjectCost:PKR74.64Million
GuaranteedSavings:PKR17.39Million/year
PaybackPeriod:4.29years

AVANCEON (a strategic partner and distributor of ROCKWELL AUTOMATION) has completed

thisprojectatECPL.Themostimportantpointinthisprojectisthattherehasbeennocapital
investmentandECPLwillpaythroughtheenergysavingsinaperiodof4.29years.
To show the potential of energy saving available through the use of this VFD based process
controlatFFC,astudyhasbeencarriedoutforthepumpmotorsetMP4302BatAmmoniaII
using a tool provided by ABB for Energy Savings Calculations. The results of this study are as
follows.

AnnualEnergySaving=34MWh
SavingPercentage=7.2%
AnnualSaving=295,116PKR
PaybackPeriod=3.0years

Followingistobenotedabouttheaboveresults.
1. Theaboveresultsarejustaroughestimationandareforelaborativepurposeonly.The
exactcalculationswouldneedadetailedstudyandextensivecollaborationfromallthe
departmentsincludingProcess,ProductionandMachinery.
2. The tool used for the above results calculates the payback period based just on the
energy savings. The fact that we can use this reduction in Natural Gas consumption
(achieved through the use of VFD based control) for increase in our UREA production
canreducethepaybackperiodevenfurther.
Recommendation:
BasedonthecurrentNGcurtailmentandforeseeingthefuture,FFCmustgoforthisVFDbased
ENERCONsolution.AVANCEONhasvisitedFFCandiswillingtocarryoutthesimilarprojectwith
FFConsametermsofpaybackperiodaswithECPL.Sothefeasibilitystudyfortheprojectneeds
tobestartedASAP.