07 January 2014
Mixing Solutions, is a member of the international PSML family of companies, manufactures a range of industrial mixing machines for applications in the petrochemical, chemical, water treatment and other sectors.The company tests all of its products before despatch and in 2010, it decided that it would be useful to include the electrical characteristics of the machines using exactly the same supply system as the site where the machine will ultimately be used.Because supply systems vary considerably around the world, this presented the company with a challenge – how to replicate those supply systems cost-effectively for a wide range of motor sizes with a test rig that could be powered conveniently from the standard 415 V 50 Hz UK mains supply.To help it find a solution, the company contacted T A Boxall & Co Ltd, who, after analysing the requirements of the application, proposed a solution based on the use of Vacon NXS-series AC variable speed drives.A key feature of these versatile drives for this project was the availability of the Multimotor 7add software option, which allows up to eight different types of motor to be controlled from a single drive. When this option is used, the drive stores operating parameter sets that include, for example, full load current and power factor, for all eight of the motors and these parameter sets can be instantly recalled as required by using the drive’s auxiliary digital inputs.To meet Mixing Solutions’ full range of testing needs, T A Boxall & Co Ltd produced a control panel for the project that incorporates two NXS drives, one rated 18.5 kW, the other 75 kW. The operation of the drive system is matched to the motor under test simply by using a switch on the panel to select the motor type.Commenting on the solution, a spokesperson for Mixing Solutions said: “The Vacon drives in our new testing panel have made it easy and convenient for us to check the electrical characteristics of our mixers before despatch. With the drives, we can accurately simulate 50 Hz and 60 Hz three-phase supplies over the voltage range 380 V to 500 V. This covers the supply systems for all of the markets we operate in but the drives could easily provide a much wider range of frequencies and voltages.”
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