Variable frequency drives are the best means for regulating industrial fan speeds. To optimise the application, variable frequency drives are used to power vacuum pumps, compressors and centrifugal fans with an optimal voltage and frequency. This flexibility makes it possible to adjust the flow and the pressure to meet requirements as well as minimising energy consumption. Moreover, operational reliability can be increased by various settings related to motor protection. The benefits of the use of a variable frequency drive are offset against investments in the necessary system components, installation costs and commissioning costs. Together with the solid construction, these form the basic factors for including the OPTIDRIVE E3 and the OPTIDRIVE P2 in our programme of industrial fans. Here you have the choice of economic solutions in the IP20 version and the IP55 and IP66 versions that are very attractive for installation and use. The IP55 and IP66 models require no housing so that the cooling usually requires no specific attention. Moreover, enormous savings can be made on materials and installation time.

How can I save energy with vacuum pumps and fans?

Thanks to the relationship between speed and capacity (pressure and flow), a variable frequency drive enables you to optimise the application's energy consumption.

Side channel blowers have a strong correlation between pressure and energy consumption. An increase in excess pressure will immediately lead to significant energy losses. In passive systems, the excess capacity is often vented by safety valves thereby preventing overloading. However, if you adjust the speed down to the application's requirements, then you can minimise the energy consumption while maintaining the pressure.

Centrifugal fans have a strong correlation between flow and energy consumption. This often also means that with too little system resistance, the centrifugal fan will generate too much flow and so be overloaded. By adjusting the speed down, you can return the centrifugal fan to normal operation while at the same time maintaining a high flow. If the flow falls due to reduced application requirement, the energy consumption will decrease. Usually the centrifugal fan has the characteristic of generating a reduced flow and an increase in pressure for a constant speed. By reducing the centrifugal fan's speed to the minimum required system pressure, you can minimise the energy consumption in this operating condition.

Of course, you must only make adjustments within the allowable working range of the industrial fan. You can find this working range and the relationship between energy, pressure, flow and speed/frequency in our technical documentation on this website. We will be happy to provide an explanation through the means of contact.

Characteristics of the OPTIDRIVE E3 variable frequency drive

• Extremely user-friendly EASY-TO-USE Concept
• Sensor-less vector control
• Built-in mains filter (EN61800-3 Cat.C1/C2)
• Built-in braking unit, version size 1 excepted
• PI Control with sleep mode
• Modbus RTU and CAN Open
• Master / Slave function
• ambient temperature maximum 50 °C