Dealing with a European machine & its voltage

I have a washer/dryer machine coming from Europe which use 400v/50hz/177A. The machines has some heavy blower/vacumm motors that run on 400v, and some 400v heaters and also 230v circuit to run smaller motors ( 230V coming from one leg of the 3 phase).

Here in the US we use 480v/60hz.

Using the above info, KVA needed will be:

kVA = LoadVoltagexLoadAmpx1.732/1000 = 400x177x1.732/100 = 122.6 KVA

The next available transformer size is 150KVA.

1) Easy but most expensive one. $31,000. buy a Transformer+Inverter which will transform and inverte freq. to 400v/50Hz. We dont have that kind of money.

2) Just use 480V to run those 400V motors. They will run 20% faster than what it was and probably will not last long. Also a small transformer is needed to 230V to take care of the small motors. But I am not so sure if those heaters will put up with 480V??

3) Buy a 150KVA Transformer to 400v . Cost is $6500. Since the motors will
run slower with 400v/60Hz, it probably wont last either.


What do you think I should do?
Thanks in advance.

Done number 3 a few times with success.

480 smah-eighty....we got stuff running here on 190V and 450V. Plug-er up!
Jokes aside, our plant has power problems, but we have had machines come in over seas with multi-tap transformers in them and had to pick the lesser of two evils to get the machine running. I remember having to hook our "480V" to either the 380V tap or the 575V tap to get the voltage turned down/up enough. That was some years ago and don't remember which.

In Canada, what Voltage source do you have?

Most European motors are rated for 50 or 60Hz, so option three shouldn't be an issue. But you will have to control the air being moved by any motors because the increase in air flow due to the increase in speed will affect the current drawn considerably. The rough guide is that the load on a standard fan increases by the cube of the speed. Of course it will depend on the type of fan load you have.

The frequency difference will cause your devices to burn out more quickly, running at the higher frequency.
I worked as a contractor for a plant that brought in machinery with 50 hz valves and all of them were replaced within 6 months. everything rated at 50 hz had to be replaced or had an inverter put on it.

james

The power will be about double, as fans in particular have very high currents on 20% more speed, thus around 40% more power, so all safeties will be active.
Another option is to set up a generator on 50 Hz,400 Volt.

The controls will work, as all power supplies can have both freqs.
but coils of starters are a problem.
Better to setup a VFD for this.

And obvious talk with supplier if they can manage this 60 Hz.

If it's just motors connect it up and go
Look at the Volts to Hertz ratio it's the same for both 400V at 50 Hz and 480V at 60 HZ
the motor will just run faster at 60 HZ most equipment can handle the increase in speed.
Motor cooling in better at 60Hz ( Faster motor speed more air over the windings.)
as in Canada the last time I was up there they were running 600VAC 60Hz as the standard voltage. again most motors can handle this without a problem but VFD's are a different story most are rated at 480 VAC line voltage but with 600V then tend to trip out on Buss Overvoltage you need a VFD that is rated for 600V line.

Have you considered running the heaters off your 480V and buy inverter for the motors?

http://ecmweb.com/motors/how-precise-are-motor-nameplate-ratings

First hit on a google search, seems to cover all aspects of running under/over voltage senerios

Check the name plates on all motors, AC contactors, and AC solenoids. Post your findings here.

You mention blower/vacuum motors, so that is an issue. You cant just run them at 20% faster and assume that they will be fine. Maybe yes, but Murphy's law says probably no.
Are any of these blowers or vacuum fans driven via V-belts ? If so, change the V-belt pulley to compensate for the difference in frequency.

is this a SLE washer ??

1) Didn't the purchasing agent realize that EU and US standards are different? Too late now, of course, but somebody's butt ought to be in a sling, or else there should have been conversion costs figured into the project. If conversion was figured in, find out what they had in mind.

2) Fans, blowers, and pumps will produce more flow and therefore require more power at 120% of nominal speed. You need to follow Jesper's advice if they are belt driven. I not then you may need higher hp motors. Bearings and vibration are also considerations at increased speed.

3) Motors are fairly cheap. It might be less expensive to change them out to US manufactured motors instead of screwing around with higher voltage and speed on the supplied motors or adding a VFD to get to 50 Hz.

4) If you end up with higher flows on the blowers and pumps then you should investigate the impact on the process. Probably OK, but you are essentially re-engineering the system. For example, your heater will produce 40% more heat: Watts = V^2/R. Is that an issue?

Thanks all for your repsonses. Let me summarize the best I can:
@shooter: "Another option is to set up a generator on 50 Hz,400 Volt". That is my option#1 but cost inhibitive.
@Tom Jenkins: "purchasing agent realize that EU and US standards are different?" You are absolutely right about that.
@DWSoft, BryanG: Can you describe a little more on your experience of using transformer to 400V/60HZ on Euro machines. Like what type of machines, components,...
@James Mcquade: I recognized the valves may not last long. but I dont think I have that many.

Get a 480/400v Delta-Wye Transformer.

I purchase mine from these guys all the time and their prices are fantastic.
Give it a look first before pulling the trigger on anything.
http://powertran.com/machinery-nema-1-400v.html

150kva 480vDelta/400Y
Price: ~ $4,600
Delivery: 2-3 weeks