With rising gas and diesel prices, heating oil likely to jump up just as much, and energy now being tiered at ten levels or more for excessive users, it’s no surprise that companies are looking for every tool possible to help improve their energy consumption efficiency. Energy resources have literally become as important to limit use as buildings and enterprise networks. If the consumption of that energy isn’t directly associated with production and value creation, it’s a waste, literally.
Variable frequency drives, or VFDs, have long been used as system controllers, especially with electrical motors. However, where early VFDs were primarily just used for smoothing out electrical energy flow so that machinery and motherboards weren’t burned out by unexpected grid fluctuations, today’s VFDs are doing a lot more. And the Eaton VFD line is at the front of the pack in terms of providing additional value in their models and packages.
What many companies, particularly in manufacturing which relies heavily on electrical power grids, are finding out is that VFDs have a tremendous potential to cap and control costly swings in energy consumption. And that’s applicable to a lot more than just the assembly line alone. VFDs can be applied to facility lighting, HVAC systems, plumbing and fluid flow pumps, and similar controllers. And it is more than reasonable to expect that the most modern VFDs, like those provided by Eaton, can easily reduce energy consumption costs for a facility by well over 20 percent. That’s serious cash flow savings by anyone’s measure today, especially with rising grid electricity rates going up.
VFDs can also be used to manage modern entry systems as well. The corporate building is a hodge-podge of electronic demand systems, from sliding doors to adjustable window shades and vent systems. All of these things are connected to the facility grid and create costs. An Eaton VFD can easily manage its power demand and cap to just what is necessary all the time. From an aggregate perspective, this then begins to create savings from costs that would otherwise occur. And after a few months, the difference becomes noticeable in company cash flow for capital asset management. Additional advantages start to happen when VFDs are combined in the same system. Many industrial teams are realizing well over 30 percent efficiencies in spending reductions on their capital operations with this approach.
Seagate Controls provides all company types and sizes both initial entry as well as advanced upgrading of electrical management with Eaton VFDs. Our specialists can work with your facility team to fully evaluate the current system control setup and how Eaton VFDs can best be used to reduce power costs and maximize output performance. In this day and age, with the chance of energy costs going down less likely than an entire reboot of the Star Wars movie saga, the best plan of attack is to hit the problem head on. Apply Eaton VFDs to stop the cost drivers where they happen. Seagate Controls can help. Give us a call or email to find out more.