IP65 SMV inverter minimises wind tunnel downtime

A breakdown of an old inverter drive brought student research to a stop at Coventry University, as the inverter controlled the airflow through a wind tunnel. Lenze partner Modern Drives & Controls supplied an IP65 enclosed SMV inverter that does not need a panel for mounting so, within just two days, the wind tunnel was back in service.

Lenze SMV inverters can be readily mounted in areas where there might be water splashes or low-pressure jets. They are available in a power range from 0.25-7.5kW with options for single- and three-phase supplies in a voltage range from 120-600V AC. In this case the wind tunnel required a 0.75kW drive for a single-phase 240V AC supply. SMV inverters are sensorless vector drives with high performance, delivering highly dynamic response and a starting torque of200 per cent, for example.

Modern Drives & Controls is a Lenze StockDrives partner based in Leicester. The company's engineer selected an SMV model with an integrated and lockable isolator. The IP65 ingress protection enabled the inverter to be mounted easily and safely on the front of the wind tunnel. This unit also offers many options for control, including a simple keypad or connection of 0-10V, 4-20mA signals, a potentiometer or eight preset speeds. Modern Drives & Controls performed a demonstration on the Friday. By the following Tuesday the inverter was delivered, installed and running.

Lenze SMV inverters are an excellent low-cost option for variable-speed control of AC motors, as they are very simple to install and operate. Coventry University is delighted with the drive and the response from Modern Drives. Furthermore, the wind tunnel fan now runs quieter than before and the lockable isolator is useful to prevent student abuse.

Follow the link for more information about SMV IP65 enclosed frequency inverters.