VFDs for Refrigeration

Evaporators
Todd B. Jekel, P.E., Ph.D.
IRC

Objective
Overview of Variable Frequency Drives
(VFDs)
Evaporator fan operation

Part-load

operational considerations

Comparison with fixed speed

Opportunities
Challenges

Notes:
Other names for a VFD are
Variable Speed Drive (VSD)
Adjustable Speed Drive (ASD)
Adjustable Frequency Drive (AFD)

Variable Frequency Drives

Good VFD Candidate

1,500

Good applications
Large

Hours per Year

Poor VFD Candidate

1,000

motors
High hours per
year operation
Frequent part-load operation
Variable torque processes
500

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

Percent of Design Load

As speed is reduced, so is torque

Fans and centrifugal pumps

Allows application without overheating the motor at low
speeds

Variable Frequency Drives

Motor requirements
Inverter-duty

may be necessary

VFD requirements & characteristics

must be within 50-100 ft of application
May apply a single drive to more than one motor
Drive

Size drive for total connected horsepower

Individual motor over-current protection required

Startup

torque is reduced

Power factor
Near

unity (1) for VFDs w/harmonics-mitigating equip.

manufacturer dependent

Variable Frequency Drives

Applicable fan laws

N
N full load

CFM
CFM full load

hp
hp full load

CFM
=
CFM
full load

Limitations
Typical

minimum motor speeds between 20-30-Hz

Impact on heat exchange

CFM
Capacity
=
Capacity full load CFM full load

0.76

Fan Horsepower Impact of VFD

Rearranging results in
1
0.9

hp / hp full-load

0.8

hp

0.7

hp full load

Capacity
=
Capacity
full load

3.95

= PLR 3.95

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0.4

0.5

20-Hz

0.6

30-Hz

0.7

0.8

0.9

PLR

VFD Benefits

Reduced system power

Drastically

reduced evaporator fan

horsepower requirement at part-load
Lower refrigeration load from fans

(5-hp equals 1 ton of refrigeration)

Potentially fewer system transients

Increased motor life

Less

motor cycling
Inherently soft-start

VFD Benefits (continued)

Improved

power factor

(especially

on small horsepower motors)

Decreased

noise and wind-chill

Increased control, more stable
temperature control

Notes:
Power factor on a standard efficiency motor less than 1-hp can be as low as 0.59.
Power factor on a premium efficiency motor less than 1-hp can be as low as 0.78.

VFD Drawbacks

Drive losses (~4-6%, losses increase at low

loads)

Loss of evaporator throw

Typical systems have large number of
small evaporator fan motors (cost)
Additional equipment to maintain
Resonance of equipment (natural frequency)
Power quality
Siting of the drive

When to considered VFDs

Load requires close temperature control

Large fans and motors
Blast

freezers, penthouse freezer evaporators with

ducting, etc.

Low TD installations
Not

necessarily requiring low TD for space conditions

Significant and frequently occurring part-load

operation
Northern

climates

High electricity rates

10

Impact of Evaporator Liquid

Feed Configuration

Direct Expansion
Care

must be taken with sizing of thermal expansion

valve and distributor, and coil circuiting for low load
conditions

Gravity Flooded
Good

fit because liquid feed is proportional to load

Overfeed
Liquid

supply rate is independent of load

Suction riser should be sized to overfeed at part-load
conditions

11

How much can I save?

Evaporator fan horsepower usually a small

fraction of the system horsepower at full-load
Low

TD load requirements result in larger

contribution to the system horsepower & parasitic
refrigeration load

Part-load
Defined

as actual load divided by the installed

evaporator capacity
If no fan control, the fan horsepower contribution
to the system horsepower is constant

12

Analysis Assumptions

Evaporator
TD

= 12oF for cooler and 8oF for freezer

VFD costs
Assume

3-hp VFD for each evaporator

Installation 15 hours/VFD by electrician @
$55/hour

Energy costs
Blended

$0.05/kWh

13

Compressor + Evaporator
kW/ton
1.5

3
N evap =5

Fixed Speed / Variable Suction

Duty Cycling / Fixed Suction

1.3

TD design=11.7 [F]

Variable Speed / Fixed Suction

1.2

Variable Speed / Variable Suction

1.1
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
20

30

40

50

60

70

Fixed Speed / Fixed Suction

T space =35 [F]

80

90

Percent Load

100

Compressor + Evaporator kW/ton

Compressor + Evaporator kW/ton

Fixed Speed / Fixed Suction

1.4

T space =-20 [F]

Fixed Speed / Variable Suction

2.8

N evap =7
TD design=8.5 [F]

Duty Cycling / Fixed Suction

Variable Speed / Fixed Suction

2.6

Variable Speed / Variable Suction

2.4
2.2
2
1.8
1.6
20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent Load

Assumptions:
Cooler:
Fully loaded single-stage screw compressor with thermosiphon oil cooling, average
discharge pressure of 165 psia (85oF), includes package losses
Compressor motor efficiency of 93%
Evaporator fan motor efficiency of 78% (0.75 hp, 3-phase, 460 volt, 1,140 rpm)
VFD drive efficiency of 96% at full-load
Freezer:
Fully loaded two-stage screw compressor with thermosiphon oil cooling, average
discharge pressure of 165 psia (85oF), includes package losses
Compressor motor efficiency of 93%
Evaporator fan motor efficiency of 78% (0.75 hp, 3-phase, 460 volt, 1,140 rpm)
VFD drive efficiency of 96% at full-load

14

35F cooler

Hours per Year

1,000

500

0
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

Percent of Design Load

2,000

Hours per Year

Load Profiles

1,500

35

30

-20F Freezer

1,500

1,000

500

0
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

Percent of Design Load

Assumption:
22.5 hours per day in refrigeration mode

15

VFD Cost
VFD Cost per Horsepower

$3,000
Source: Grainger (Wholesale Price)
Manuf acturer: Fuji Electric (GE)
Pow er supply: 3-phase, 460-V olt
A pplication: V ariable Torque

$2,500
$2,000

VFD Model

AF-300 P11, NEMA 1

AF-300 P11, NEMA 4
AF-300 C11

$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0.1

10

100

Horsepower

Notes:
Prices taken from www.grainger.com in December, 2003.
Less expensive VFDs are available if a suitable enclosure already exists or is part
of the new installation.
NEMA 4 (waterproof) requirements results in higher cost, particularly for small
horsepower drives.

16

Economic Analysis
Cooler (35oF)

Freezer (-20oF)

From always on fan control to VFD

Savings per ton
Capital cost per

ton

Installation cost per

ton
Simple payback

$45

$60

$65

$95

$40

$60

2.3 years

2.6 years

From cycling fan control to VFD

Savings per ton
Simple payback

$30

$40

3.8 years

3.6 years

Purchase of a single drive to operate all fan motors (4) on evaporator.

17

Closing Thoughts

Reasonably short payback (<3 years) compared

to always running the fan
Payback

will be shorter with evaporators requiring

larger horsepower drives
Longer if cannot use single drive per evaporator

Ask questions prior to implementation

If

retrofit

Is motor compatible with VFD?

Is resonance at lower fan speeds an issue?

Check

actual current draw on motors prior to sizing

drive

Fans require and motors can deliver more power at low

temperatures

18

Additional Resources

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Evaporator Fan VFD Initiative
Baseline

Market Evaluation Report, April 1999

Market Progress Evaluation Report No 2.,
November 2000
Market Progress Evaluation Report No 2.,
June 2002
Reports available at www.nwalliance.org

19

Controls

On-Off
Controller

turns liquid feed solenoid on or off to try to

maintain set point

Modulating (solenoid not necessarily controlled)

Proportional

The output of the control element is proportional to the

deviation from the set point

Proportional-Integral

(PI)

Adjusts control point based on accumulated deviation from

set point

Proportional-Integral-Derivative

(PID)

Adjusts control point based on accumulated deviation and on

rate of change

20

On-Off Control
39

Space Temperature, F

38

Solenoid
On

Solenoid
On

Solenoid
On

37

36

Deadband
Setpoint

35

34

Solenoid
Off

Solenoid
Off

Solenoid
Off

33

Time

21

Proportional Control
39

Space Temperature, F

38

37

60-Hz (maximum)
36

35

Setpoint
Offset

34

20-Hz (minimum)

Startup
33

Time

22

PID Control
39

Space Temperature, F

38

37

60-Hz (maximum)
36

35

Setpoint

34

20-Hz (minimum)

Startup
33

Time

23