According to the team involved it will help to revolutionise the energy efficiency of industrial processes operating in harsh environments.
VIDAR’s smart motor was recently launched in the United States and can adjust its speed in response to changing workload, lowering energy usage and CO2 emissions. The first of its kind, the smart motor has been purpose built for harsh industrial environments. It will drive pumps and fans in industrial settings, such as food and drink processing, energy production, water purification and chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, among others.
In installations at industrial facilities, the smart motor has lowered energy usage by half, reduced costs and increased the lifespan of rotating equipment.
Dr Liliana de Lillo and Professor Lee Empringham, from the University of Nottingham Power Electronics and Machines Group, embarked on a multi-year partnership with ITT, the owner of VIDAR, to co-develop the VIDAR power converter technology. More recently, the work has continued with the university spin out TTPi, which Prof Empringham and Dr de Lillo co-founded with others in 2017.
“The world is turning to electricity as a source of sustainable energy to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions, which is vital for the future of our planet,” said Prof Empringham. “The discussions and debates often focus on renewable sources of that energy, which is massively important, but there is another side to that coin and that is to use the energy we generate more efficiently.”
“Compact smart motors and the technology that makes them work are a huge step on the road to Net Zero,” added Dr de Lillo. “They can revolutionise industrial processes, so they not only become more efficient, but also to ensure they use less of the world’s precious resources. Through the development and launch of VIDAR we have shown this can be done. It is a game-changer.”
Approximately 85% of industrial pumps and fans rely on outdated fixed speed motors and mechanical controls, which often run at full speed constantly, resulting in excess energy usage and low reliability.
Solutions on the market have included variable frequency drives (VFDs), which require costly installation and are space prohibitive in severe, cramped industrial settings.
VFDs must be installed in clean, temperature-controlled rooms to protect their sensitive electronics. A plant with hundreds or thousands of pumps and fans would require significant extra space or new electrical buildings for VFDs.
As a result, many industrial companies have been deterred from using them.
However, VIDAR and the Nottingham team’s solution integrates power converters with the motor and control systems and its novel power conversion technology, co-developed by VIDAR and the University of Nottingham, operates with advanced controls supported by TTPi.
After several years of development, the result is an industrial motor with advanced variable frequency technology in a package that is 60% smaller than current market offerings. The precise motor speed control ensures the rotating equipment is running at desired flow rates, reducing energy and maintenance costs and equipment downtime.
VIDAR’s advanced engineering enables it to replace an existing conventional motor as a ‘drop-in’ replacement, eliminating the need for special wiring, expensive VFDs or additional clean room enclosures.
The performance of VIDAR’s new smart motor was evaluated and assessed through thousands of hours of testing in a variety of harsh industrial environments. In one example, replacing a single fixed-speed motor on an industrial pump with VIDAR decreased power consumption by 52%.
Above: Professor Lee Empringham from the University of Nottingham Power Electronics and Machines Group
“VIDAR’s innovative design unlocks energy and cost savings potential by addressing common barriers to efficiency and reliability that have impacted the industry in the past,” said Dan Kernan, Vice President and General Manager, VIDAR. “VIDAR makes the advantage of adjustable speed over fixed speed motors available to more customers of pumps, fans, and fluid process systems through a simplified, combined solution that’s easy to install and simple to operate.”
The first shipments of VIDAR are expected to occur in Q3 2025, and the company expects shipments to increase considerably beginning in 2026.
