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US awards $22m to develop next generation motors

Five projects funded to merge SiC technology with advanced large scale motors

The US Energy Department is awarding $22 million in funding for five projects aimed at merging wide-bandgap (WBG) technology (such as SiC semiconductors) with advancements for large-scale motors. The aims is to increase energy efficiency in high-energy consuming industries, products and processes, such as the transportation of fossil fuels and industrial-scale compression systems.

This effort is part of the Energy Department's broader Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, which aims to increase American competitiveness in the production of clean energy products and boost US manufacturing competitiveness by increasing energy productivity.

Funded through the Next Generation Electric Machines funding opportunity, the DoE thinks these projects could cut energy waste by as much as 30 percent. The projects also aim to reduce the size of megawatt-scale motors and drive systems used in the chemical and petroleum refining industries, natural gas infrastructure, and general industry compressor applications like HVAC systems, refrigeration, and wastewater pumps by up to 50 percent.

"The industrial sector uses more than 30 percent of the energy consumed in the US and is projected to use more, not less, energy over the next twenty five years," said assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson.

 "Replacing less efficient industrial motor systems with more advanced, variable-speed direct-drive systems and incorporating recent power electronics advances, such as wide-bandgap semiconductors, could reduce industrial electricity consumption by 2 to 4 percent, leading to up to $2.7 billion in annual energy savings, reducing up to 27 million tons of carbon emissions each year, and creating high-quality manufacturing jobs."

These projects will leverage the work of the Department's Power America Institute on WBG semiconductors for power electronics by deploying WBG technology to drive large power, industrial and high-speed electric motors and systems. 

The projects funded are:

Calnetix Technologies will design, build and test a high-speed permanent magnet machine and a SiC based variable speed drive system using 4,160V medium voltage (MV) input. The new medium voltage motors are expected to achieve up to eight times the power density of similar traditional systems.

General Electric Company will develop and demonstrate a medium voltage drive system using SiC semiconductors and a high-speed motor to reduce the system footprint and improve power density and efficiency. To achieve these targets, the program will focus on three technology areas: SiC-based MV high frequency drive, a high-speed motor, and advanced insulation systems.

Eaton Corporation will develop and test an integrated 15kV SiC variable-speed drive and high-speed megawatt motor for gas compression applications. This new drive technology will operate at greater than 99 percent efficiency and achieve ten times the power density of competing drives, providing an integrated, highly-efficient motor and drive system for natural gas applications.

Clemson University will develop a pre-commercial megawatt class variable speed drive based on new motor power converter technologies. The integrated prototype system will be made by TECO Westinghouse Motor Company in its Round Rock, TX facility and be demonstrated at Clemson's eGRID Center.

Ohio State University will design, test, and demonstrate a high performance, high-speed drive capable of integrating into electric grids while avoiding energy losses associated with power transformers. If successful, the proposed project will significantly advance transformer-less drive technologies for a range of industries and motor applications.



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