Designing for Reliability When Using Electric Drivers to Reduce Carbon Footprint in Petrochemical Plants

The application of electrical motors and drives for high-power compressors is steadily increasing in both prevalence and capacity, due to pressures for point emissions and carbon footprint reduction. Large electric drivers have been in use for more than 40 years and even the latest and largest topologies have more than 10 to 15 years of experience in industrial and petrochemical applications. To users more familiar with mechanical drivers, the switch to an electric driver, particularly an electric driver with a variable frequency control, may be an intimidating prospect.

The process outlined in this paper will help to connect the application and specification of electrical equipment to the desired result of high system reliability. The reliability of any system involves considering the appropriate application of each component in a system. In addition to general application parameters the applied environmental conditions such as in the case of an electrical system temperature, current, vibration, voltage must be within the limits of that component.

A typical electrical drive system is made up of switchgear, utility side impedance (reactor or transformer), switching power devices for frequency conversion, a cooling system, and a motor.

The operating conditions for each of these components and appropriate design for those conditions can be understood and optimized through careful study of the application and use of appropriate standards and specifications. When this assessment is done as outlined it contributes to the extension of the system’s useful life, increases reliability, and provides value to the process operator.