PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2018

COMPRESSORS PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 09/18 www.petpla.net 23 The bottom line on drive efficiency Shaftless motors PET bottle blowing is an energy intensive process. It is therefore important that the compressors powering the bottle blowing machines are operating as efficiently as possible. Bellis and Morcom’s range of shaftless motor drives claim to eradicate inefficiencies which can occur when using traditional drive systems for PET compressors. COMPRESSORS Oct. 24-26,2018, Mumbai German Technology One of the benefits claimed for the shaftless motor is that it is con- nected directly to the compressor crankshaft, transmitting 100% of the motors output power directly into the compressors running gear. According to the company, this solution results in fewer wearing parts and a reduced machine footprint. Other benefits, states the company, relate to the transfer of power from the compressor motor. Even the smallest issues here can have a large impact on energy consumption. For example, a single 500 kW PET compressor may cost over $ 400,000 a year to run. How- ever, even a 1% loss of efficiency on the drive system can add over $ 4,000 in energy costs. Many conventional compressors use inefficient belt drive systems, which operate with inefficiencies of between 5-7%. This can rise to as much as 12% after belt wear and fric- tion losses, depending on the main- tenance schedule that a plant has in place. As a result, a drive belt drive system could be costing as much as $ 50,000 per compressor every year in wasted energy. By contrast, the company claims that their shaftless motor reduces absorbed power and can eliminate the losses that may be incurred by a belt drive system. The company offers its shaftless motor technology as standard on compres- sors rated above 110 kW. A further benefit which the com- pany claims for its shaftless motor is reduced maintenance. Regarded as a necessary evil by most operators, the shaftless motor requires no mainte- nance, thus eliminating the routine maintenance required by traditional belt drives, such as belt tensioning, replacement, motor alignment and coupling checks, are eliminated with shaftless motor technology. Another factor is that businesses have become increasingly wary of purchasing a compressor for a low upfront capital cost, only to find maintenance issues arise further down the line and any ini- tial capital purchase savings are lost to unscheduled repairs. Finally, the company points out that in the forty years they have been supplying the PET market, the savings due to improved motor performance and reduced maintenance can yield considerable cost savings and improve the bottom line. www.gardnerdevner.com/ shaftlessmotors The shaftless motor factory View from the top: a shaftless motor