Copper-Rotor Motors + Variable Frequency Drives Maximize Savings at Water Treatment Plant THE COPPER SOLUTION: Copper-Rotor Motors

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NYSERDA, seeks to reduce the state’s energy consumption. Among its many activities, the authority supports incentives to purchase high-effi ciency motors. Ultra-high effi ciency, copper-rotor motors (CRMs) have been available for several years, but NYSERDA lacked industrial data on them. The authority therefore initiated an R&D program in 2006 comparing the new motors’ performance and cost benefi ts with those of old but fully serviceable motors. In addition, the program measured operating temperatures of several motors under known loading conditions. NYSERDA selected two industrial sites for tests: the Rome, New York, brass mill owned by Revere Copper Products, Inc., and the Albany County Sewage District’s (ASCD) North Plant in Menands, an Albany suburb. The Copper Development Association administered the contracts and, in turn, engaged the services of Advanced Energy Corporation, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based certifi ed laboratory, to conduct the analyses. This summary report describes results observed at the treatment plant. A companion summary report describes results of a CRM evaluation program conducted at the brass mill. The full reports are available from NYSERDA or CDA.1 Copper-Rotor Motors + Variable Frequency Drives Maximize Savings at Water Treatment Plant THE COPPER SOLUTION: Copper-Rotor Motors