Baldor releases energy-savings estimation software

A Baldor product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 10, 2009

Baldor has released a software estimating tool that enables users to evaluate the energy efficiency of electric motors and variable-speed drives.

The Baldor Energy Savings Tool (BEST) software analyses the efficiency and annual electricity usage of existing motors and calculates the cost savings that can be achieved by replacing them with equivalent higher-efficiency models.

Built-in motor performance and pricing information enables the software to suggest optimum replacements and to estimate the investment payback period.

BEST is said to be useful for electrical engineers and maintenance personnel wanting to implement a comprehensive site-wide motor management strategy or to compare the costs of a motor rewind against those of a replacement motor.

The software is also helpful for anyone charged with conducting an energy audit of their company.

Baldor's BEST program runs on any standard PC and is claimed to be simple to use.

Data can either be input from the computer's keyboard or imported from a Microsoft Excel file - both methods employ drop-down menus and are backed by extensive built-in help.

A single screen is used for setting all preferences and global project data, such as local currency, electricity costs, supply frequency and default motor load.

The results are available immediately; clicking on the Instant Cost Calculation button will show the amount of energy being used by the existing motor, together with the amount that would be used by comparable Baldor Standard-E (IEC IE2-rated or NEMA 'Energy Efficient') and Super-E (IEC IE3 or NEMA 'Premium Efficient') models.

The results screen also shows the purchase cost of the motors and the payback period, as well as providing a direct link to a full motor specification.

A built-in report writer function facilitates the creation of a simple summary or detailed report, with an export feature allowing the results to be output to an Excel file for further analysis or archiving.

BEST handles 'what-if' scenarios, enabling users to simplify and accelerate iterative calculations.

For example, energy and cost savings can often be obtained by adding a variable-speed drive to an existing electric motor, especially if its load has a variable torque demand, as is often the case with pumps, fans and blowers.

BEST provides Excel templates for various gears, pumps and fans and allows users to ascertain the financial benefit of adding speed control to their particular application.

Mark Crocker of Baldor said: 'We are often asked whether it is cost effective to invest in replacement motors.

'The answer depends on factors such as application lifetime, but it is usually an emphatic "yes".

'Consider a typical 90 per cent-efficient motor with a nominal 30kW output capability.

'It will require an input of about 33.2kW to deliver 30kW out - the remaining 3.2kW dissipates as heat.

'Merely raising the efficiency 4.5 percentage points - by replacing the motor with a Baldor Super-E model - will save significant costs.

'The motor will then only require about 31.6kW of input power to deliver 30kW - in other words, the wasted energy has been cut by 1.6kW or 50 per cent.

'Put another way, for every 1,000 pounds of Sterling or Euros spent on electricity to power the original motor, only 900 was being used; the rest was going up the chimney.

'By substituting a Super-E motor in this equation, 945 of those hard-earned EUR/GBP1,000 get invested in true motive power,' he added.

Baldor's BEST energy estimating tool runs under Microsoft Windows on any standard PC.

Microsoft Excel 97 or above is recommended for spreadsheet data import and export functions.

The latest version of the software - v3.07 - can be downloaded from Baldor's website.

Find out more about this article. Request a brochure, download technical specifications and request samples here.
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