Design and application considerations for inverters in fluid flow control

Adjustable-speed AC drives designed for constant-torque applications are not optimized for fluid-flow control applications. Though the required power and torque estimation is simple, torque/speed characteristics can be complicated in the case of a variable system head curve. A novel approach to variable-flow control is suggested. Process-oriented factors like protection requirements and diagnostics are discussed. It is shown that specialized drives could be developed for fluid flow applications that provide improved, more efficient process control while improving system reliability.<>