What is an AC drive?

What is an AC Drive

Making our world and way of living more sustainable

An AC drive is a device used to control the speed of an electrical motor in order to: 

  • enhance process control
  • reduce energy usage and generate energy efficiently
  • decrease mechanical stress on motor control applications
  • optimize the operation of various applications relying on electric motors

Drives can also be utilized to convert energy from natural and renewable resources like the sun, wind or tides, and transmit it to the electrical network or use it for local consumption. In hybrid technologies, AC drives are used to combine conventional energy sources and energy storages to create total energy management solutions. 

AC drives are also known by various other names such as adjustable speed drives, adjustable frequency drives, variable frequency drives, variable speed drives, frequency converters, inverters and power converters.

Did you know?

  • Emerging economies are driving the increase in energy consumption
  • 20% of the world’s energy consumption is electrical energy
  • More than 50% of electrical energy is used by electrical motors
  • 75% of AC drives are used on pumps, fans and compressors
  • Global electrical energy consumption could be reduced by 10% if AC drives were used in every suitable application

The need for energy conservation in order to save the environment is a key driver in the development of speed control devices, and AC drives provide the optimum method of controlling the speed of electrical motors to match load demand. Even small changes in motor speed can cause significant changes in energy consumption.

AC drives are well hidden, but nevertheless they play a major and very necessary role in modern, everyday life by making the world and our way of living more sustainable.

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