Energy efficiency measurement procedure for gearboxes in their entire operating range

Over the last decade, forced regulations and a growing social awareness with respect to energy efficiency have resulted in a renewed interest in the research for high efficient electrical machines. When an electrical motor is coupled to a machine, in many cases a gearbox or belt transmission is used. Research shows a lack of information on energy efficiency of these components. In comparison to electrical motors and drives, there is very few regulation and if efficiency values can be found in catalogues, there is no regulated test procedure available to validate the data. As a result, the reliability of these efficiency values is unknown and comparison between manufacturers and technologies is impossible. In this paper a test bench is proposed to measure the energy efficiency of a gearbox with an accuracy up to 0.4%. The test bench is used to measure the efficiency of gearboxes in their entire speed and torque range. Contour maps are used to visualize these measurement results. Moreover, a measurement campaign using different gearboxes is carried out to compare the energy efficiency in the manufacturers catalogue and the measured efficiency

Total drive train optimization of industrial fans and pumps consider-ing VFD driven motor, transmission and load

Standards and mandatory legislations concerning minimum efficiencies of electric motors have entered our world of electromechanical drive trains over the last years. It was a logical step to consider these elements as they account for the largest amount of energy consumption in the European industry. The European ecodesign measures count for 40% of total estimated savings in electric motors by 2020. However, not only the driving motor has to be considered when it comes to optimizing the drive train efficiency. This paper shows the saving potential in other drive train components based on measurement campaigns during several research projects at Ghent University Campus Kortrijk

Visualizing the efficiency of a continuously variable transmission

This paper investigates how the efficiency of a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) can be visualized in a compact way. At this point there is no standardized method to describe CVT efficiency as there are many inputs which affect the efficiency. Input speed, load torque, speed ratio and clamping force have been identified as dominant factors influencing efficiency. By analyzing the impact of each parameter a method is proposed based on an efficiency map and a scaling law. Efficiency maps are used because they represent the efficiency in the complete operating range and not only in the optimal conditions. The results of this study are of importance for constructors and end users of CVTs. The constructors benefit from the fact that they can plot the efficiency data in a compact format while the end users can use the data to optimize their drivetrain. The approach where efficiency data is used by the end users to optimize the drivetrain in terms of efficiency is called the Extended Product Approach (EPA). By implementing EPA in the design process, large savings on the long term are possible

Diseño de un sistema rompesacos con desempolvado acoplado al sistema central de la planta y transporte mecánico del material.

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad diseñar un equipo rompesacos orientado a una empresa de morteros para que realice la recuperación del material en sacas no aptas para la venta, teniendo como principal objetivo el evitar que dicha recuperación de material sea realizada por operarios, dado que esto puede acarrear problemas de salud y lesiones a medio y largo plazo. El sistema de transporte, es una banda transportadora apoyada en herramientas de análisis por elementos finitos se pudo dimensionar el sistema de rotura, que en este caso se trató de un tornillo sin fin sin eje, mientras que, para la siguiente etapa, la de recolección y descarga, se diseñó un transportador de tornillo sin fin haciendo uso de teoría de mecánica de materiales y diseño mecánico, además de guías de ingeniería

Optimised power take-off configuration for wave energy converters

The energy in the waves of seas and oceans has a huge energetic potential to contribute to the renewable energy production. One of the big challenges of the technology is the economic profitability. Therefore, research has been performed on the optimization of the system in the wave energy converter that converts the motion energy to electricity: the Power Take-Off system (PTO). On the one hand, efforts have been made to maximize the energy yield by optimizing the PTO; and on the other hand, the effect of the installed power on the annual energy yield has been investigated. Because maybe bigger is not always better? And is there an economic optimum to be found? What is clear, among other things, is that the efficiency across the entire operational range is essential because the wave energy conversion requires a very wide operational range from the PTO. The thesis proposes some methods to select the most interesting PTO configuration(s) using computer simulations. This can help developers as an input of a techno-economic analysis to choose the most cost-effective configuration for a targeted location. In addition to the simulation work, also a lab setup was designed and built as a test bench to test PTOs in an accessible lab environment with adjustable wave conditions. An interactive wave emulator applies the same loads as when the PTO would work in a wave energy converter at sea.--- _Nederlands_ De golfenergie in de golven van zeeën en oceanen heeft een enorm energetisch potentieel om een belangrijke bijdrage te leveren aan de hernieuwbare elektriciteitsproductie. Een grote uitdaging ervan is de economische rendabiliteit. Daarom is onderzoek gedaan naar de optimalisatie van het systeem dat in de golfenergieconvertor de bewegingsenergie omzet naar elektriciteit: het ‘Power Take-Off’ systeem (PTO). Er is enerzijds getracht om de energieopbrengst te maximaliseren door de PTO te optimaliseren; anderzijds is het effect onderzocht van het geïnstalleerde vermogen op de jaarlijkse energieopbrengst. Want misschien is groter niet altijd beter? En is een economisch optimum te vinden? Wat o.a. alvast heel duidelijk is, is dat de efficiëntie over het gehele werkingsbereik essentieel is, doordat de golfenergieconversie een heel breed werkingsgebied vergt van de PTO. De thesis stelt enkele methodes voor om aan de hand van computersimulaties de interessantste PTO-configuratie(s) te selecteren. Dit kan ontwikkelaars helpen om met een technisch-economische analyse de rendabelste configuratie te kiezen voor een beoogde locatie. Naast het simulatiewerk werd ook een labo-opstelling ontworpen en gebouwd om PTO’s te testen in een bereikbare labo-omgeving met instelbare golfcondities. Een interactieve wave emulator legt dezelfde belastingen aan als wanneer de PTO in een golfenergieconvertor op zee zou werken

Proceedings of the 10th international conference on energy efficiency in motor driven systems (EEMODS' 2017)

The 10th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems (EEMODS'17) was be held in Rome (Italy) on 6-8 September, 2017. The EEMODS conferences have been very successful in attracting distinguished and international presenters and attendees. The wide variety of stakeholders has included professionals involved in manufacturing, marketing, and promotion of energy efficient motors and motor driven systems and representatives from research labs, academia, and public policy. EEMODS’15 provided a forum to discuss and debate the latest developments in the impacts of electrical motor systems (advanced motors and drives, compressors, pumps, and fans) on energy and the environment, the policies and programmes adopted and planned, and the technical and commercial advances made in the dissemination and penetration of energy-efficient motor systems. In addition EEMODS covered also energy management in organizations, international harmonization of test method and financing of energy efficiency in motor systems. The Book of Proceedings contains the peer reviewed paper that have been presented at the conference.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable