The frequency converter: your industrial application solution
Current frequency is an extremely important factor when it comes to guaranteeing the proper functioning of the equipment used in virtually any industry. Keep in mind that industrial equipment and machinery is manufactured at various latitudes to operate at different frequencies, which is why it’s important to install a frequency converter in your production plant.
Frequencies in the Americas and other continents
When we travel to other continents, we face not only different time zones and different customs from ours but also differences in the electrical parameters. As a result, when traveling outside of the Americas, many of us have had to purchase adaptors because the outlets are very different from those we’re used to in Mexico. One of the reasons for this is that the wave frequencies aren’t the same in Europe, Asia or the Americas.
This is a consequence of the differences in the wave amplitude in each of these continents. In the Americas, the frequency is 60 Hz, while the wave amplitude in European and Asian countries is 50 Hz.
A problem for machinery imports?
In our area, a great number of industries need to import machinery in order to carry out their production processes. This presents them with the dilemma of having to operate equipment manufactured at a different frequency from the one that’s prevalent in their country. Logically, this involves a certain degree of risk: if we run a device designed to operate at 50 Hz at 60 Hz, this will affect the way it works, as it will have to function at higher revolutions. This inadvisable practice will almost inevitably lead to unexpected short-term maintenance costs.
Therefore, to ensure that an imported device will work properly in Mexico, regardless of the country it came from, you’ll need to have a frequency converter. These devices are specially designed to appropriately convert the operating frequency of the electrical system. In other words, a frequency converter in Mexico can supply current at a frequency of 50 Hz to a European machine, despite the fact that the power supply in the country runs at 60 Hz. Likewise, a piece of Mexican equipment can run on a 50 Hz power supply in Europe, even though it was designed to run at 60 Hz.
Types of frequency converters
One of the main things your need to know about frequency converters is that there are effectively two different types.
- The first type of frequency converter takes the incoming voltage and changes its wave amplitude by means of a built-in inverter.
- The second type is a rotary frequency converter, which consists of a long shaft and an offset component. This mechanism generates electricity, as it includes an internal generator connected to a turbine that rotates continuously.
Regardless of your company’s line of business, it will always be necessary to find a solution for converting the voltage frequency, especially if you want to ensure that your machinery works correctly and lasts as long as possible so that you can avoid any unexpected circumstances that might require an investment.
The CFR-IND 13000 frequency converter
Among the products we offer here at Industronic, you’ll find the CFR-IND 13000 frequency converter. This model can power loads that require energy at a different fixed frequency from that of the power supply, transforming 50 Hz to 60 Hz or vice versa, as the case may be. It’s also fitting to mention that this device offers the necessary protection for critical loads that need to function with little or no interruption.
This equipment also offers the following features:
- Online double conversion
- Inverter with three-level IGBT technology
- Reliable high-performance double DSP control
- Power factor of 1.0
- Cold-start capability (battery cold-start)
- Fans with smart standby mode
- Electronic and maintenance bypass options
- AC–AC efficiency of 97%
At Industronic, we’ve dealt with all types of industrial situations in which the application of our products has resolved electrical problems in the automotive sector, in the machinery used to manufacture packaging and in the essential robots found on the production lines of a wide variety of companies. Discover our extensive catalogue of electrical solutions on this website. We have the experience and quality you’re looking for!
