Powertrain as an electro-mechanical total package exemplifies the conceptual precondition for energy efficient integration of individual components. “Focusing entirely on digital components inhibits innovation,” said Daniel Assmann, managing director of Currax. This is why the Hamburg-based drive specialist relies largely on energy efficient mechanical and electrical products which offer customers a variety of possibilities for energy savings.

“Of course, all innovations in the market are linked to the fact of digitalization,” added Assmann. “For our customers, nevertheless, an essential condition remains to be the optimal device balancing and further development of electrical and mechanical components when it comes to CO2 and cost saving.” 

Currax recommends to its customers, especially for the partial load range, a system from out of the new Siemens synchronous reluctance motors Simotics SD and the Siemens Sinamics G120 converter, Flender gear unit and Flender Fludex coupling. 

Simotics SD VSD-4000 synchronous reluctance motors have been optimized exclusively for variable-speed operation with the converter. The electrical motors are characterized by high levels of efficiency, especially in the partial load range, and high dynamic performance. In a first step, this innovative technology is now available in the performance range of 0.38 to 52 kW. The Sinamics S120 frequency converter family comprises a large number of well-balanced components and functions, and enables implementation of customized solutions. Thanks to this product family, users can count on more performance, productivity and flexibility.

About 97% of the life cycle costs account for the energy costs for motors. The high efficiency of the synchronous reluctance drive system, consisting of Simotics SD motors and Sinamics S120 frequency converters, translates into a short payback period and quick ROI, in addition to minimal operating costs and high energy efficiency. Compared to standard asynchronous motors in IE2, the higher initial investment would have paid off within less than 12 months. Its weight being particularly low, the drive system is predestined for pump, fan and compressor applications.

While sophisticated electrical motors and frequency converters open up a vast potential for energy saving, mechanical components are required to use the entire powertrain to achieve low CO2. Currax recommends the tried and tested gear unit range of Flender. The FZG B3SH would be imaginable for use in the synchronous reluctance drive system. The series is compact, high power-packed and available in 25 sizes. Thus, Currax offers its customers a modular system, using which a perfect solution can be designed.

The powertrain is made complete by the reliable Fludex flow coupling from the house of Flender. It limits the starting and maximum torques in the powertrain and provides support for the motor at the starting point, and protection against overloading in the event of a malfunction, as well as for damping and isolating torsional vibrations, where it reduces the reset forces to a minimum.