European eco-design regulation sets new standards for energy efficiency of motors and VFDs

Get ready for the new eco-design directives 2023

Saving energy on your electrical installations is becoming more and more important. The new eco design regulations from the EC dictates eco-design requirements for energy-using products. This includes eco-design requirements for electric motors, variable frequency drives and an extended product approach for applications such as pumps. It requires you to identify the efficiency of the total system consisting of e.g. “pump + motor + drive/controller” and assess motor efficiency categories.

Emotron FDU- and VFX-series AC Drives are capable of running asynchronous Induction Motors as well as the high efficient PMSM and SynRM types.  Our installed base already includes a lot of applications with PMSM in the power range of 1.5kW up to 1,400kW in 400VAC and 690VAC variants.

Do you have a question regarding the motor legislation or how to comply?

Contact your Emotron respresentative

 

Motor limitations according to the new eco-design rules

There are limitations set on electrical motors brought to the markets, including:

  • For new motors 0.75kW ≤ Pmot ≤ 1,000 kW, the efficiency classes IE1 and IE2 are not allowed anymore
  • For motor powers 0.12kW ≤ Pmot ≤ 0.75kW at least the combination “IE2+Drive” or better efficiency is needed from July 2023
  • From July 2023, the motors of 75kW ≤ Pmot ≤ 200 kW should have an efficiency class of at least IE4

Efficiency curves overview/comparisons to be made, see picture:

Motor choice

To be able to fulfill the motor efficiency demands, the used motor design technologies are changing, resulting in increased usage of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) and Synchronous Reluctance Motors (SynRM) in many applications, including the Water & Wastewater sector.

Depending of the application, your motor supplier can advise the best solution Permanent Magnet motor; frame size, construction, but also concerning magnet positioning, e.g. rotor surface (picture Right) mounted magnets or rotor integrated (picture Left).