1st Quarter 2013Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Zest WEG Group recently commissioned an installation at a sugar mill in Mozambique that not only led to robust improvements in centrifuge performance, but also achieved significant energy savings.
The scope of supply included three 132 kW squirrel cage electric motors from WEG`s W22 range and three WEG AFW11 variable speed drives with an active front end to drive the mill’s centrifuges. The drives supplied were equipped with a regenerative unit that regenerated energy back to the supply under braking conditions and the design of the motors was also customised to avoid any change on the existing installation.
The mill’s existing motor also had external cooling and additional 18,5 kW motors were used to draw clean air in from the outside atmosphere. The solution provided by Zest WEG Group completely eliminated the need for this external cooling system, thereby saving on energy.
In addition to a 30% improvement in productivity, the quality of the sugar from the new centrifuges also improved at the mill. The existing system had taken too long to slow down and the sugar had dried out more, creating a caking effect. With the new system, the mill operating team now has more flexibility and control over the drying times.
The installation, fully customised to integrate with existing technology, was installed and commissioned within a week. At the same time, the Zest team installed an 800 kW motor in another area of the mill to control the cane cutter and a 1,8 MW slipring motor to power the cane shredder.
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