| Engineers and electricians gathered at Boling Farms Wednesday to test a whole new electric drive for dryer motors that could save area farmers money on their electric bills. Baigrie said an across-the-line starter drive cost an average of about $1,000 and a variable frequency drive costs about $6,000. "We've sold several [variable frequency drives] this year," Lyerly said. "It also helps reduce your carbon footprint because you're not drawing as much power from the utility," Baigrie said. Lyerly said electrical drives currently in use were "across-the-line starters. We're planning to determine if this thing can actually do what they say it can do. "This drive has the capability of starting the motor at a slower rate and ramping up over a period of time before coming to full RPM," Lyerly said. "A 10-percent reduction in your running speed could probably save you 10-15 percent on your utility bill each year. "If you do not need to run full speed. Lyerly said the slower "ramp-up time" could minimize the "demand charge" of the motor, which was what the utility company charged the customer. He said there were times during the year when grain farmers did not need to operate dryers at full capacity and the new drive would allow them to operate the dryers at a slower RPM. Test results will be released later. |
Friday, 9 March 2012
Farmers test new dryer drives
