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Why VFDs Fail in Industry
Introduction
Variable Frequency Drives, or VFDs, are the heartbeat of industrial automation systems today. VFDs enable us to control the speed, torque, and power consumption of our industrial processes with the utmost precision, making them an indispensable tool in today’s industrial landscape, including the manufacturing industry, HVAC systems, and other industrial processes. However, the harsh realities of continuous and heavy-duty operation expose VFDs to electrical, thermal, and environmental stresses that may compromise the reliability of these devices over time.
Key Reasons VFD Fail in Industrial Settings
- Input Power Disturbances
Industrial power supplies are not clean power supplies, as they are in the residential sector, as they are often plagued by voltage fluctuations, phase imbalances, harmonics, and power surges, to name a few, that may compromise the performance and reliability of the VFD’s rectification section.
- Thermal Stress and Overheating
As VFDs are known to produce heat, if proper heat dissipation techniques are not applied, the performance of the VFD may be compromised, as thermal stress may be applied to the IGBT modules, capacitors, and control sections of the VFD.
- Contamination and Environmental Conditions
In harsh environments common with many industrial applications, VFDs are exposed to dust, moisture, oil mist, and corrosive gases. These small pieces of contamination have the potential of accumulating and settling on the VFD’s internal circuitry, resulting in insulation failure, corrosion, and possible short circuits.
- Overcurrent and Load Stress
Unpredictable load fluctuations, mechanical shock, and/or operation of the motor at or above nameplate ratings cause more current to flow through the motor. This increased current rating puts additional stress on the power devices. This stress may be exhibited through performance degradation or, eventually, failure of these devices.
- Â Component Aging and DC Bus Degradation
As time goes by, all of the VFD’s internal devices, including the electrolytic capacitors and coolants, deteriorate from constant usage and/or exposure to heat. This deterioration causes a reduction in efficiency of the DC , resulting in voltage stability and reliability problems.
Why choose HES India, for VFD repair?
To identify the cause of failure of the VFD, it is not an easy task, as it needs special knowledge and appropriate diagnostic tools. At HES India, we have the necessary expertise in solving difficult industrial drive-related issues with various brand names, which helps us identify the cause of failure and provide a reliable solution.
What we have to offer:
- Expert knowledge of industrial drive products.
- Advanced fault diagnosis and testing.
- Service support with various brand names.
- Reliable service.
Conclusion
In the industrial environment, the failure of VFDs is generally the result of various power-related issues, heat build-up, contamination, changes in operating conditions, and aging of the VFD itself.
