Feature 3 | FinlanD’S Marine inDuStrieS
Vacon’s drives towards growth
New type approvals for the Vacon range of air- and liquid-cooled AC drives
– in the 0.25kW to 5MW power ranges – promise greater market share,
according to the supplier.
L
ast year Vacon received marine platform, and the control concept is the front-end of a common DC bus
and offshore type approvals for based on the Vacon DriveSynch, a drive line-up. An external LCL filter is
its Vacon NXL, NXS, and NXP new technology introduced last year. used at the input. This unit is used in
ranges of AC drives from Det Norske Vacon DriveSynch allows the control applications where a low level of mains
Veritas and Bureau Veritas. ‘In practice of one motor by means of two to four harmonics is required.
this means that Vacon NXL, NXS, and power units of 100kW to 2500kW, thus With its 4.2MW main propulsion
NXP drives can be delivered without bringing significant redundancy in drives, Geo Celtic was the first vessel
surveyor presence according to given processes controlled by AC drives. to use Vacon DriveSynch, Vacon’s
terms. This will definitely boost our The modular Vacon NX has separate new, fully redundant control concept
sales in the marine and offshore power and control sections and easily for paralleling high-power Vacon
business,’ said Jussi-Pekka Sampola, customised software. The range NXP drives. Vacon DriveSynch
Vacon product marketing director, provides options for air cooling for technology is also used to control the
marine and offshore. smaller units. Although both solutions pair of 4.5MW drives on Fairmount
Vacon approval procedures are use the same control section, all the Fjord and Fairmount Fjell − originally
also underway with several other components requiring cooling in s e m i su bm e rs i bl e b arge s b e i ng
certification bodies. the liquid-cooled Vacon NX version converted into self-propelled heavylift
Vacon variable speed AC drives are are mounted on aluminium cooling vessels at Malta Shipyards.
used for main propulsion, thrusters, elements, resulting in major space Last summer, Vacon also introduced
steering gear, draw-works, top drives, savings. With plug-and-play modules, one of the smallest drive families
rotary tables, and various types of maintenance and logistics are also in the market today - the Vacon 10,
winches, and also to control pumps simplified. ranging from 0.25kW to 5.5kW. Typical
used in dredging, cooling, cargo applications include HVAC fans and
handling, and oil drilling. A majority of DriveSynch introduced pumps, material handling, conveyors,
the Vacon AC drives used in the marine Built by Bergen Yard and acclaimed and automatic doors. The functionality
and offshore segment are based on as the world’s biggest purpose-built of the Vacon 10 is incorporated into
liquid cooling technology. Available in seismic research vessel, Geo Celtic the flexible control card, called the
the 7.5kW – 5MW power range, liquid- is equipped with diesel-electric Application Interface (API), allowing
cooled Vacon AC drives can be supplied propulsion, using Vacon liquid-cooled clients to specify API cards for their
with a three- or six-phase rectifier or active front-end units (AFE). The specific needs.
with an active front-end rectifier. Vacon AFE unit is a bidirectional Vacon’s Vaasa factory is currently
The Vacon NXP is used as the control (regenerative) power converter for being expanded. Production space
will be extended by a total of 7000m
2
,
and office facilities will be extended
by 5000m
2
. The number of personnel
has increased to more than 800, not
yet including that of US-based TB
Wood’s, the AC drives business that
Vacon announced it would acquire in
December 2007. After completing the
acquisition in January 2008, Vacon has
sales on all continents, and R&D and
production on three continents. NA
Vacon liquid-cooled drives are available
in the power range from 7.5kW to 5MW
and in voltage ranges of 380V to 500V and
525V to 690V.
84 The Naval Architect February 2008
NA Feb 08 -
p84.indd 84 05/02/2008 09:52:02
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