Electric motors represent 70% of energy consumption in industry and 33% in the service
sector. Since saving the environment and reducing energy bills are major challenges for our
planet, increasing the efficiency of electric motors is undeniably key to their energy
performance.
Numerous standards or regulations are currently used to define the efficiency of electric
motors (NEMA, EPAct, NRCan, CEMEP, COPANT, AS/NZS, etc), and others are in
preparation.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for manufacturers to design motors for a global market
and for users to understand the differences and similarities between standards in different
countries.
The recent introduction of new efficiency standards and directives applicable to three-phase
cage induction motors will clarify a situation which has become increasingly complicated for
all those involved in this market:
- Standard IEC 60034-30 defines the principle to be adopted and brings global
harmonisation to energy efficiency classes for electric motors throughout the world.
- Directive 2005/32/EC (6 July 2005) from the European Parliament established a
framework for setting the eco-design requirements to be applied to “energy-using products”.
These products are grouped in lots. Motors come under lot 11 of the eco-design
programme, as do pumps, fans and circulating pumps.
- The Commission’s regulation 640/2009 for application of the ErP (Energy
related Product, formerly EuP) - European Directive - lot 11 was published in July 2009. It
is based on standard IEC 60034-30 and defines the efficiency classes whose use will be
mandatory in the future. It specifies the efficiency levels to be attained for machines sold in
the European market and outlines the timetable for their implementation. These efficiency
levels are:
- IE1: Standard efficiency, level equivalent to Eff2
- IE2: High efficiency, level equivalent to Eff1 or “Energy Efficiency” in the
United States (EPAct’92), applicable from June 2011
- IE3: IE3: Premium efficiency, new in Europe or “Nema Premium” in the
United States (EISA) applicable from January 2015 or 2017 depending on the power ratings.
A fourth class is currently in preparation:
- IE4: SUPER PREMIUM efficiency
Thanks to its capacity for innovation, LEROY-SOMER, the specialist in industrial electric
motors, is already able to supply class IE2 totally enclosed and open drip proof motors:
LSES/FLSES series IP 55 protection and PLSES series IP 23 protection, both 2 and 4-pole
versions with power up to 375 kW.