Energy efficiency analysis of industrial conveyor drive motor using experimental dynamometer testing
Farse, Md Salman (2026)
Kandidaatintyö
2026
School of Energy Systems, Energiatekniikka
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20260730113526
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20260730113526
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines how to operate a conveyor motor more efficiently. I tested a 2.2 kW motor at different speeds and loads using a dynamometer at LUT University. I wanted to see at what RPM the motor works best and how efficiency changes at different rotational speed.
I tested six speeds, from 600 to 1500 RPM, and eight loads, from 30% to 100%. That gave me 48 test points. The results show that the motor performs best at 1400-1500 RPM under a 60-80% load, reaching about 88.8% efficiency. The interesting thing is that running the motor at 600 RPM instead of 1400 RPM drops efficiency by about 10 percentage points. That is a much bigger difference than upgrading from an old motor to IE3 motor, which only gives you 2-3%.
I also compared my motor to the IEC efficiency standards. For a 2.2 kW motor, IE3 requires 86.7% and IE4 requires 89.5%. My motor got 88.8%, so it sits between IE3 and IE4. That is pretty good for a motor this size.
The main point of this thesis is that before buying expensive new motors, industries should first check how they are running their existing motors. Just changing the speed to the right range can save a lot of energy for free. Adding variable speed drives can save another 25- 35% if the conveyor has varying material flow. Motor replacement should be the last step, not the first.
For a typical sawmill with 20-30 small conveyor motors, just optimizing the operating speed could save around €2,600-3,900 per year without spending any money on new equipment.
I tested six speeds, from 600 to 1500 RPM, and eight loads, from 30% to 100%. That gave me 48 test points. The results show that the motor performs best at 1400-1500 RPM under a 60-80% load, reaching about 88.8% efficiency. The interesting thing is that running the motor at 600 RPM instead of 1400 RPM drops efficiency by about 10 percentage points. That is a much bigger difference than upgrading from an old motor to IE3 motor, which only gives you 2-3%.
I also compared my motor to the IEC efficiency standards. For a 2.2 kW motor, IE3 requires 86.7% and IE4 requires 89.5%. My motor got 88.8%, so it sits between IE3 and IE4. That is pretty good for a motor this size.
The main point of this thesis is that before buying expensive new motors, industries should first check how they are running their existing motors. Just changing the speed to the right range can save a lot of energy for free. Adding variable speed drives can save another 25- 35% if the conveyor has varying material flow. Motor replacement should be the last step, not the first.
For a typical sawmill with 20-30 small conveyor motors, just optimizing the operating speed could save around €2,600-3,900 per year without spending any money on new equipment.