Consulting - Specifying Engineer - Sizing VFDs For Optimal Operating Efficiency

10/4/2020 Consulting - Specifying Engineer | Sizing VFDs for optimal operating efficiency
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Sizing VFDs for optimal operating e ciency

A new control strategy and implementation system optimize variable frequency drive
(VFD) e ciency to meet cooling-air requirements.
BY ALEXANDER L. BURD, PHD, PE, AND GALINA S. BURD, MS, ADVANCED RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY
MAY 31, 2016
Learning Objectives:
Explain the impact of variable frequency drive (VFD) enclosure parameters on VFD performance and
operational reliability.
Analyze the VFD’s e ciency and its ability to meet enclosure cooling-air requirements with the new
control strategy.
Outline the new control strategy and implementation system developed to optimize VFD e ciency.
The VFD enclosure cooling-air fan should be sized by the mechanical engineer by considering cooling-air
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load, temperature entering the enclosure, and the
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Policy operating temperature. The enclosure cooling
for more information.
load is caused by the drive ine ciency resulting in increased air dry bulb temperature Required cooling air
https://www.csemag.com/articles/sizing-vfds-for-optimal-operating-efficiency/ 1/13
load is caused by the drive ine ciency, resulting in increased air dry-bulb temperature. Required cooling-air
volume should be calculated assuming that the VFD enclosure load will be carried out as the sensible load
only.
The actual VFD enclosure cooling load during design and off-design conditions must be veri ed from
monitoring data; otherwise, the enclosure cooling load could be substantially higher when compared with
data from a VFD manufacturer. The actual enclosure-load deviation is due to the different patterns of the
static and dynamic hydraulic-pressure losses in various systems. The design cooling-air ow rate (CAFRDES)
will be determined based on the maximum anticipated ambient temperature (TAMB MAX) surrounding the VFD
enclosure and by a manufacturer’s allowable VFD enclosure maximum operating temperature (TOPR MAX).
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The following four equations determine major enclosure operational parameters in British system thermal
units:
1. QDES/OFF-DES = QTOT = QSEN = 1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX) x CAFRDES = 4.5 x ∆E x CAFRDES
2. CAFRDES = QDES / [1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX)]
3. TOPR MAX = (TENT MAX + TEXT MAX) / 2
4. TEXT MAX = 2 x (TAMB MAX – TENT MAX)
Where:
QDES/OFF-DES, QSEN, QTOT = VFD enclosure design/off-design, sensible, and total cooling load
TENT MAX = Maximum anticipated dry-bulb cooling-air temperature entering the VFD enclosure; depends on
the location of the enclosure (i.e., in the air conditioned area, in the area with mechanical-free cooling, etc.)
TAMB MAX = Manufacturer’s allowable dry-bulb ambient air temperature surrounding the VFD enclosure, which
represents the enclosure’s maximum allowable operating temperature TOPR MAX
TEXT MAX – TENT MAX = Temperature differential between maximum cooling-air dry-bulb temperatures exiting
and entering the VFD enclosure
∆E = Enthalpy differential for cooling-air exiting and entering the VFD enclosure.
Design cooling-air conditions entering the VFD enclosure are related to the design cooling-air dry-bulb
temperature, relative humidity, air density, and humidity ratio.
Because VFD
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enclosure, the moist loaded air is always present in the enclosure. As indicated by the rst equation, the
y p y q
enclosure’s total cooling load should be equal to its sensible load. However, if the VFD enclosure design’s
cooling-air ow rate is speci ed in the equations, the enclosure’s optimal operating conditions can be
satis ed without a moisture exchange. If these speci cations aren’t met, it might result in moisture
deposition in the enclosure.
Figure 1 demonstrates the impact of TOPR MAX on the design relative cooling-air (RCAFRDES). The TOPR MAX
varied from 104° to 122°F. This is the conservative approach, because the actual TOPR MAX might be higher
due to the TEXT increase associated with heat removal caused by a greater VFD power-loss factor.
Compensating for the increase in TOPR MAX will require employing an oversized VFD. The higher operating
temperature of the VFD enclosure will lead to increased TEXT MAX, which can be calculated in the last
equation.
TENT MAX depends on the location of the enclosure and varies from 50°F for an air conditioned area to 100°F
for mechanical-free cooling with a once-through ventilation system. The top graph in Figure 1 indicates that
RCAFRDES is drastically reduced when TENT MAX drops from 100° to 90°F, which coincides with VFD enclosure
cooling-air temperature differentials increasing from 8° to 28°F. A further reduction of TENT MAX and the
correlated increase in the enclosure’s temperature differential leads to a lower reduction of the design’s
relative cooling-air ow rate.
Figure 1 also indicates that, for the considered conditions, the maximum design cooling-air ow rate of 100%
occurs at TENT MAX = 100°F and TEXT MAX = 108°F (i.e., at TOPR MAX = 104°F). The increase in allowable VFD
enclosure operating temperature from 104°F (shown in the top graph of Figure 1) to 113°F (shown in the
middle graph of Figure 1) leads to the reduction in RCAFRDES from 100% to 30.8%. It also causes the VFD
enclosure’s temperature differential to increase from 8°F (at TENT MAX =100°F and TEXT MAX = 108°F; see
Figure 1, top graph) to 26°F (at TENT MAX =100°F and TEXT MAX = 126°F).
The further increase in allowable operating temperature from 104° to 122°F (shown in the bottom graph of
Figure 1) leads to the additional reduction in RCAFRDES from 100% (see Figure 1, top graph) to 18.2%. It also
causes the VFD enclosure’s temperature differential to further increase from 8°F (at TENT MAX =100°F and
TEXT MAX = 108°F; see Figure 1, top graph) to 44°F (at TENT MAX =100°F and TEXT MAX = 144°F).
Therefore, RCAFRDES could be noticeably reduced by lowering the cooling-air temperature entering the
enclosure. The reduction of TENT from 100° to 50°F could lead to the RCAFRDES decreasing from 100% to
7.4% (shown in the top graph of Figure 1).
Given equal load conditions, the reduction in cooling-air temperature entering the VFD enclosure leads to an
increased exiting cooling-air temperature, causing an increase of the temperature differential and correlated
reduction in cooling-air ow rate. Maintaining a lower operating temperature at the same load and cooling-air
temperature entering the enclosure will require a lower cooling-air temperature exiting the VFD enclosure and
a higher relative air ow rate compared to the design magnitude (shown in the rst graph of Figure 1).
Further analysis demonstrates how the cooling-air temperature exiting the VFD enclosure impacts the
enclosure’s operating temperature of 70°F and ow rate at constant entering-air temperature. A wide variety
of operating temperatures, from 75° to 100°F, might apply by adjusting the VFD enclosure’s cooling-air ow
rate. For instance, the increase in the enclosure operating temperature from 75°F to 85°F will allow the
reduction in cooling-air ow from 100% to 33.3%. The increase in operating temperature from 75° to 100°F
will reduce required cooling-air ow from 100% to 16.7%.
VFD enclosure moisture deposits, moisture-exchange control
While VFD manufacturers’ statistical data show how the enclosure’s elevated dry-bulb operating temperature
impacts VFD service life and reliability, frequency-controller electronic equipment make apparent the
negative impact of moisture residing in the VFD enclosure The conditions with no moisture exchange in the
negative impact of moisture residing in the VFD enclosure. The conditions with no moisture exchange in the
enclosure could be found from the following equations:
5. ∑MENT =∑MEXT
Equation 5 could be modi ed as:
6. (CAFRENT / DENT) x HRENT = (CAFREXT / DEXT) x HREXT
Thus, equation 5 is equivalent to:
7. HRENT = HREXT
Where:
∑MENT = cumulative amount of air moisture entering the enclosure, pounds of water per minute
∑MEXT = cumulative amount of air moisture exiting the enclosure, pounds of water per minute
DENT and DEXT = density of the cooling-air entering and exiting the enclosure, cubic feet per pound of dry air
HRENT and HREXT = humidity ratio of the cooling-air entering and exiting the VFD enclosure, pounds of
water/pounds of dry air.
The conditions of equalized entering and exiting moisture amounts in the enclosure can be achieved by
varying the cooling-air ow rate. The required air ow rates to satisfy these conditions are governed by the
following equations:
8. QDES/OFF-DES = QTOT = QSEN = 1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX) x CAFRDES = 4.5 x ∆E x CAFRDES
9. CAFRDES = QDES / [1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX)]
10. HRENT = HREXT
Given the xed cross-section area for the particular VFD enclosure, the variation in the amount of cooling-air
through the enclosure will result in respective change in the enclosure cooling-air velocity. There are three
operational scenarios that have to be considered to determine the required cooling-air ow rate via the
enclosure:
HREXT = HRENT: No control actions are required.

HREXT < HRENT: The cooling-air’s moisture is separating from the air and dropping off into the
enclosure because the cooling-air velocity is lower than the critical air velocity, which is necessary to
carry the moisture suspended in the air at a given load. Under these conditions, the cooling-air ow rate
through the enclosure must be increased until HREXT = HRENT.
HREXT > HRENT: The air velocity exceeds its critical magnitude at a given load. Under these conditions,
the cooling-air ow could be reduced. However, the rate of reduction is limited by the maximum
allowable cooling-air temperature exiting the enclosure (see Figure 1) to prevent the cooling-air
operating temperature from exceeding the allowed magnitude. The alternative control strategy would
be to maintain constant cooling-air ow at its design magnitude. This approach, however, isn’t the best
for energy conservation due to the increased energy usage by the enclosure’s cooling fans and
associated cooling equipment during design and off-design conditions, which results in lowering the
VFD’s operational e ciency.
The system’s schematics shown in Figure 2 outline the speci cs of the VFD enclosure’s developed variable
operating temperature and cooling-air owPrivacy control.
PolicyThis control
for more system achieves the optimal operating
information.
temperature by resetting the exiting air’s temperature set point at a given VFD enclosure’s entering air
temperature by resetting the exiting air s temperature set point at a given VFD enclosures entering-air
temperature and cooling load. If the enclosure’s operating air temperature is maintained above its optimal
value of 75°F, then the service life of the VFD is reduced.
On the other hand, when the operating air temperature gets below 75°F, the overall VFD e ciency is lower
due to the additional energy expenditure to maintain cooling-air below optimal conditions. The selection of
the optimal cooling-air operating temperature and exiting-air humidity ratio will increase the VFD’s service life
and reduce its energy consumption, thus, increasing overall operational e ciency. A multispeed, cooling-air
fan-motor control could also be
employed to realize the system
control strategy as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 3 depicts the three-way

VFD enclosure’s comparative
control parameters with
constant and variable cooling-
air ow rate. In comparison, the
cooling-air operating
temperature, humidity ratio, and
cooling load with moisture
exchange are all assumed to be
related to the same conditions
adopted for the data gathered
earlier from the monitored
parameters for a 125-hp VFD
servicing a secondary loop
chilled-water pump.
The top graph in Figure 3 shows cooling-air operating temperatures of the VFD enclosure for the current
mode when the enclosure cooling fans are not controlled and cooling-air ow remains relatively constant and
close to its design magnitude per the manufacturer’s speci cation (i.e., about 604 cfm). The current control
strategy uses on/off cooling fans control for two cooling fans, depending on the VFD operational status.
When the VFD is on, the cooling fans are running. When the VFD is off or switched to the VFD bypass mode,
the cooling fans are turned off.
The second set of operating temperatures in the rst graph of Figure 3 represents the increased design
The second set of operating temperatures in the rst graph of Figure 3 represents the increased design
cooling-air ow calculated using Equation 2.
The third set of operating temperatures on the top graph in Figure 3 is related to the variable cooling-air ow
rate, which is applied to match the VFD enclosure’s operating temperatures to the current control strategy.
The second graph from the top of Figure 3 shows the humidity ratio of the cooling-air entering the VFD
enclosure. The second graph from the top of Figure 3 also gives the humidity ratio of the air exiting the
enclosure at the current control strategy with constant air ow speci ed by the VFD manufacturer. This
control, as other articles show, leads to the moisture exchange in the enclosure when HREXT > or < HRENT.
Finally, the second graph from the top of Figure 3 also shows the exiting-air humidity ratio with suggested
variable or increased design ow rate. In both cases, HREXT = HRENT and no moisture exchange takes place
in the enclosure.
The third graph from the top in Figure 3 shows comparative magnitudes of the cooling-air ow rates for the
considered options. The calculated design cooling-air ow, based on the developed methodology, is by the
factor of 1.6 higher as compared with the cooling-air ow magnitude suggested by the VFD manufacturer.
This increase of cooling-air ow via VFD enclosure is necessary to eliminate the moisture exchange.
The application of developed variable cooling-air ow control is advantageous from an energy-conservation

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traditional VFD control to VFD↔VFD bypass control to reduce a system’s electrical motors’ overall design
traditional VFD control to VFD↔VFD bypass control to reduce a systems electrical motors overall design
power demand, according to a study.
During investigations, the system was operating with constant and inadequate cooling-air ow rate, which
caused protracted periods during which the magnitudes of HREXT and HRENT were not equalized, resulting in
residual moisture being present in the enclosure. When the suggested control strategy -either a variable or
permanently oversized cooling-air ow rate- was implemented to maintain HREXT = HRENT, there was no
moisture exchange in the enclosure during design and off-design VFD operations.
The third graph in Figure 3 also depicts power demand for the enclosure cooling fans. The power demand
uctuates between its maximum and minimum values of 0.175-kW and 0.0466-kW loads, respectively, in
correlation with the enclosure’s daily cooling-air ow. The enclosure cooling-air fans’ cumulative daily power
demand for variable air control (0.073 kW) is lower as compared with permanently increased cooling-air ow
(0.175 kW), allowing 900 kWh/year in energy savings. The last graph in Figure 3 depicts relative values of the
VFD enclosure’s sensible, latent, and total load.
Figure 3 also indicates that if the existing control strategy is applied for enclosure cooling then both sensible
and latent cooling loads will be present, causing moisture exchange in the VFD enclosure. When the control
strategy with variable cooling-air ow or increased design cooling-air ow is realized, the total load always will
be equal to the VFD enclosure’s sensible load only. This will preclude moisture exchange from occurring in
the VFD enclosure. A similar control strategy could also be used for VFDs with no enclosures.
Alexander L. Burd is president and Galina S. Burd is a project manager and vice president at Advanced
Research Technology. Alexander Burd has 35 years of experience in the design, research, and optimization of
HVAC and district energy systems with veri ed monitored electrical and thermal energy savings for large
facilities and energy utilities. Galina Burd has more than 25 years of design and research experience in the
HVAC and architectural engineering eld and has co-authored many technical and research papers both in the
U.S. and Europe.
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10/4/2020 Consulting - Specifying Engineer | Sizing VFDs for optimal operating efficiency

Sizing VFDs for optimal operating e ciency

2. CAFRDES = QDES / [1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX)]

3. TOPR MAX = (TENT MAX + TEXT MAX) / 2

4. TEXT MAX = 2 x (TAMB MAX – TENT MAX)

VFD enclosure moisture deposits, moisture-exchange control

Equation 5 could be modi ed as:

6. (CAFRENT / DENT) x HRENT = (CAFREXT / DEXT) x HREXT

Thus, equation 5 is equivalent to:

9. CAFRDES = QDES / [1.085 x (TEXT MAX – TENT MAX)]

10. HRENT = HREXT

HREXT = HRENT: No control actions are required.

Figure 3 depicts the three-way

The application of developed variable cooling-air ow control is advantageous from an energy-conservation

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