Minimizing ownership cost for motor applications by energy saving

By Josef Limmer, Infineon Technologies

This article reviews a new generation of microcontrollers which enable energy-efficient control of brushless DC motors, permanent magnet synchronous AC motors and AC induction motors, achieving major savings in electricity costs.

In industrial nations more than half of all electrical energy is consumed by electric motors. They account for two-thirds of industrial electric consumption and about a quarter of residential electric use. Improving the efficiency of electric motors can therefore save energy and reduce operating costs. Because of this, energy efficiency should be a major consideration designing a motor drive, in place of the usual “What’s the price of the motor?” A new generation of microcontrollers enables the energy- efficient control of brushless DC motors (BLDC), permanent magnet synchronous AC motors (PMSM) and AC induction motors, and delivers a significant contribution to the overall reduction of energy consumption…