Medium-voltage adjustable-speed-drive retrofit of an existing eddy-current clutch extruder application

This paper describes a case study of replacing an eddy-current clutch with a modern medium-voltage adjustable-speed drive (ASD) for a 2250 hp extruder application. It covers key issues, justification, factory and field measurements of torque-speed profile from 0.5 to 60 Hz, as well power quality analysis. The paper reviews manufacturers' capability to build medium-voltage ASDs that produce very high and stable torque at very low speed.