FAQBaldorRPMACTMCoolingTowerDirectDriveFANMOTOR& VS1CTDVariableSpeedControlSystem

Q. Whatisthistechnologyandhowdoesitdriveafandirectlywithoutspeedreducers?

A. BaldorRPMACTMCoolingTowerDirectDriveFanMotorisamarriageoftwoproven technologiesPermanentMagnet(PM)motorsforhightorque&compactsizeandVariable Frequencydrives(VFD)toprovideprecisespeedcontrol.ThestandardVFDincorporates speciallydesignedsoftwaredevelopedforthecoolingtowerfandriveindustry. Q. CanIreplacemycurrentgearbox&driveshaftwithaBaldorRPMACTMCoolingTower Motor?Whataboutmycurrentmotorstarter? A. Yesyoucandirectlyreplaceyourpresentgearbox&driveshaftwiththeBaldorRPM TM AC CoolingTowerMotor.Formostapplications,itwillsimplybolttoyourpresentgear mountwithoutmodification.Insomecasesanadapterplatewillberequiredwhichwillmatch theexistinggearboxboltholepatternandthatofthenewBaldormotorboltpattern.Your currentmotorstarterwillbereplacedbytheincludedVFDdrivewhichwilloftenmountclose toyourpresentstarterlocation. Q. Isitagoodideatooperateanelectricmotorinthehot,moistairstreamofacooling tower? A. Inthiscase,yes.ThemotorisTEAO(TotallyEnclosed,AirOver)essentiallysealedwitha capabilityofoperatingina40C(104F)ambienttemperatureandasealedClassHinsulation. Additionally,whenthemotoristurnedOFF,aDCtricklecurrentisappliedtokeeptheinterior warmandcondensationburnedoff,afeaturethateliminatestheneedforinternalspace heaters.Themotorcasingalsohasgenerouscoolingfinstodissipateheat.Inproshaftsealwith backupslingerhelpsprotectfromenvironmentingress.100%greasefilleliminatesvoidsand minimizescondensationdamageaswellasprovidesagreasedamassistinginsealingthe system. Q. Whatifthemotorneedsservicingorrewindingafterthewarrantyperiod?WheredoI takeit? A. AlthoughtheBaldorRPMACTMCoolingTowerMotordoesincorporatethelatest PermanentMagnettechnology,itcaneasilyberewoundatanyBaldorserviceshop.Thestator windingistypicalofastandardinductionmotor. Q.

Willwindmillingadverselyaffectthemotor?

A. No.TheautomaticDCtricklecurrentwhenthedriveisOFFwillalsosupplyabraking forcetothemotorpreventingwindmilling.Thisfeaturereplacesexistingmechanicalbrakes. However,ifDCtricklecurrentisnotappliedforsomereason,windmillingwillnotaffectthe motororVFDdrive. Q. Willwindmillingadverselyaffectthemotorunderhurricaneconditions?

A. Weassumethatunderhurricaneconditionswherepowerislost,thatagustofwind couldcauseafanspeedof125%ofbasespeed.Ifamotorisdesignedfor460VacRMSat100% speed,thenthisisanominalbusvoltageof650Vdc.TheBaldorCTdrivesaredesignedto withstandaround800Vdconthebus.WhenaBaldorRPMACTMCTmotoriswindmilling withoutanypowerappliedfromthedrive,thegeneratedvoltagebacktothedriveislessthan thatrequiredtooperateitfromthedrive.Forexample:a30HPmotoroperatinga12ftfanwill generatearound280Vacwhenrotatingatbasespeedof292RPM.Thuswhenrotatingat125% speed,thevoltagebeinggeneratedbacktothedriveisstillwithinthedesignlimits. Q. IfIonlyhaveasinglespeedmotornow,whywouldIneedaVFDdrive?

A. TheVFDdriveisrequiredtooperatethenewCTPMmotorbutitcanbeeasily programmedtosimplyramptofulldesignspeedeachtimeitstarts.Theadvantageofthe slowstartcapabilityinherentinaVFDdriveincludeenergysavingbynothavingthenormal inrushcurrenttypicalduringnormalmotorstartups.Thisslowstartrampwillalsoprovideless mechanicalstressontheoverallsystemandinsomecasesremovetheneedfortorquetubes. AlsodriveshavethecapabilitytocommunicatewithcommonHVACinterfacessuchasBACnet, JohnsonControlsMetasysN2,LonWorksandMODBUSRTUwhichcanadjustfanspeedbased onrequiredsystemload.Thiscapabilitycanhaveamajorimpactonenergysavingsandtotal systemefficiency. Q. Whataboutmoisturegettingintothebearings?

A. TheverylatestInproVBXXsealsandashaftslingerareincorporatedintothedriveend shafttominimizecontaminationingress.Thebearingcavitiesarelubricantpacked100%to eliminatevoidsandminimizecondensationcontamination.Thereisonlyoneentrypointfor contaminateswiththisdesign,nottwoasisstandardforgearboxes.Thetopendbrackethas beendesignedwithacastdraftanglewhichwillfunnelstandingwateroffofthemotorinthe staticcondition.Intheoperatingconditiontheflingercentrifugalforcewilldrivecontamination awayfromtheonlyingresspoint. Q. CanIuseageneralpurposeACDrivetocontrolthismotor?

A. TheBaldorCTDDriveutilizesaunique,customfirmwareforoptimalcontrolofthe CoolingTowerMotorandispowermatchedforthePermanentMagnetTechnology. Q. Whatkindofwarrantyisoffered?

A. Afull5yearwarrantyappliestoboththemotorandVFDdrivepackagefrom manufacturingdefectsandperformance.Fanbalancemaintenanceandrelubricationofmotor bearingsarestillrequired.(Refmotorrelubricationfrequencyrecommendationsbelow) Q. A. Q. Whataboutmotorlubricationfrequency? Astandard12monthrelubricationcycleisrequiredonbothbearings. IsthereadangeroftheVFDoverdrivingmyfanstospeedshigherthanrated?

A. No.TheVFDdrivesaretorquelimitedthuspreventingoverspeedbutadditional measuresalsopreventthissinceexcessivefanspeedswouldalsorequireexcessivedrive current.EachVFDdrivehasbuiltinelectronicmotoroverloaddetectionwhichwill immediatelyshutdowntheunitintheeventofoveramperage. Q. Arethebearingsprotectedfrommotorshaftcurrentdamage?

A. AlloftheBaldorCTmotorbearingsareprotectedfromshaftcurrentdamage.Smaller Hpunitshaveceramiccoatedbearingouterrings.AndthelargerHpunitshavetheend bracketswithaceramicsleevetopreventthepassageofshaftcurrentsthruthebearings. Q. CanIusemycurrentBMSsoftwarewiththisnewmotor?

A. Yes.TheBaldorVS1CTDCoolingTowerdrivesarefullycompatiblewithallpopular communicationprotocols. Q. Whatkindofvibrationmonitoringoptionssuppliedwithmotor?

Eachmotorissuppliedwithavibrationpadwhichisusedtoattachavibrationswitch. A. Thiswouldbethesameaswhatisusedonthepresentdaygearboxsolutions.Ifvibration accelerometersarerequiredthenrequiredmountingholesotherthenstandardwouldneedto beknown. Q. Doesthissolutionhavesoftstartcapabilities?

A. Yesthepackagehassoftstartcapabilitieswhichrampupthespeedslowlyfromstopto fullspeed/load.Thisfeatureminimizesimpactstressestothetowerstructureandmechanical components.

Q.

IfIhaveabankof4towerscanIuseonedrivetorunallfourtowers?

A. TheBaldorCoolingTowerDirectDriveMotorsolutionrequiresonedriveforeach motor. Q. WhatisthemotorPowerFactor(PF)?

A. TheBaldorCTmotorPFisintherangeof88whichisapproximately5%higherthana typicalACmotorPF.AnotheradvantagetotheBaldorCTmotorPFisthatitonlyreduces slightlyastheloaddecreases.Unlikeastandardmotorwhichreducesatahigherrateasthe loaddecreases.OneofthemainreasonsisthenoslipadvantageoftheBaldordesign. Q. WhatisthemotorbearingratedL10life?

A. AlltheBaldorCTmotorbearingsareratedforanABMAL10lifeofgreaterthan100,000 hours.Thesmallerhpmotorsutilizeballbearingsandthelargerhpunitshavetaperedroller bearings. Q. IpresentlyhaveaheaterwithinmygearboxwillIalsoneedaheaterwithintheBaldor CTmotor? A. NotheBaldorCTmotor&drivepackagewillsenseoncethemotor/fanhasstoppedfor 5minutesatwhichtimethedrivewillsendatricklecurrenttothemotorcreatinganinternal heatsource.Thishasanumberofbenefits.Itminimizesthepossibilityofcondensationwithin themotorduringperiodsofidleconditions.Italsowarmsthegreasewithinthebearingsto minimizestartingfrictionafterlongperiodsofdowntimeinwintermonths. Q. NoiseisbecomingagreaterconcernhowdoestheBaldorsolutioncomparetoexisting solutions? A. TestingaccordingtoCTIStdATC128hasshownuptoa5dBAreductionatthefandeck withtheBaldorsolution. Q. WhatkindofairflowisrequiredovertheBaldorCTmotor?

A. TheBaldorCTmotorisdesignedbasedoncatalogedhpratingstorequireanairflowof 750fpmoverthemotor.Ifagreaterthan750fpmairflowoverthemotorispossiblethenthe hpcapabilitiesofthemotoraregreatlyincrease. Revdate7222009