Case in Point

A highly-touted new motor with case studies aimed to back its credibility

Vidar, a company based in Syracuse, NY, released a case study September 2 that involved a chemical company serving the agricultural market.

In this instance, the client in question faced numerous issues with a chlorinator pump driven by a conventional fixed-speed motor.

The pump, used for transferring a neutralized waste stream containing lime grit from the chlorinator vessel to a clarifier "was struggling due to a downstream control valve restricting flow," per Vidar's case study. This restriction forced the pump to work harder, causing the motor to regularly run at 33 hp instead of its rated 30 hp, leading to excessive current draw, overheating, and wasted energy. Frequent shutdowns caused by overheating purportedly disrupted operations, increased maintenance costs, and reduced system reliability.

The control valve was consistently 40% closed, forcing the pump to work harder to maintain the required flow, which in turn increased the load on the motor. As a result, the motor drew 40 amps instead of the expected 35, generating excess heat that could shorten its lifespan by up to 50%. The restricted flow also caused turbulence, driving noise levels to 105 dB "and creating a hazardous and uncomfortable work environment," Vidar says.

Instead of a costly traditional VFD installation, which would have required rewiring, new enclosures, and weeks of downtime, the company swapped the existing motor for Vidar. "To achieve an immediate fix, the customer ran Vidar in manual mode, adjusting the speed while keeping the control valve logic in place. After testing different speeds, they settled on 1600 RPM, which reduced power demand from 33 hp to 28 hp—well within the motor’s safe operating range—eliminating nuisance tripping and ensuring system reliability."