GEARS , MOTORS & DRIVES COOL AND CLEAN HIFLEXDRIVE
BAUER GEAR MOTOR GMBH
Eliminating the heat dissipation challenges of hygienic motors
It is critical that any equipment operating on a food and beverage production line is designed to hygienic criteria . This includes motors driving conveyors . However , the features required to achieve a hygienic motor design can present heat dissipation challenges that can affect the reliability of induction units and threaten uptime .
Bauer Gear Motor offers a solution with its HiflexDRIVE range of aseptic coated and stainless-steel hygienic motors , which feature permanent magnet synchronous motor ( PMSM ) technology to ensure the problems of heat are solved effectively .
HYGIENIC MOTOR DESIGN FEATURES
Motors in hygienic applications must offer several innate features to operate within a highly regulated environment . Washdowns are common across food and beverage production lines to safeguard product quality and legislative compliance . As a result , the exterior of the motor must be smooth to expediate this cleaning and remove areas where contaminates and bacteria could propagate . Naturally , a high ingress protection rating is also key .
As a result , the traditional design features which facilitate cooling in standard induction motors must be omitted . Cooling fins present areas that are harder to clean during washdowns , providing bacteria with additional purchase . Fans further compromise the smooth exterior design , while also presenting a risk of spreading contaminates in operation .
Choosing a construction material that is a good conductor of heat could be a solution . However , hygienic material options are limited . Stainless-steel , a material often selected for the exterior of hygienic motors , is poor at heat dissipation - compounding the issue . Upsizing the motor could improve the dissipation of heat , but in the case of stainless-steel , this would greatly increase weight with little benefit .
For induction motors which naturally produce heat in operation , the requirements of hygienic design present a real reliability risk due to insufficient cooling .
HOUSING PROBLEMS
A solution to this induction motor heat issue could be to place the motor inside a separate , hygienic containment housing . The installation would therefore by compliant with washdown regulations , while the motor itself would still benefit from traditional cooling methods .
However , this is counterproductive over the long term . While the containment housing will receive regular external cleaning , it will collect grime internally during long-term operation which will require additional washing . Consequently , the containment housing will need disassembling to carry this out , causing more risks in terms of germ distribution and product contamination . Increased cleaning requirements will also reduce productivity .
Space is at a premium at any food and beverage production facility . To ensure an efficient use of space and ease of access to the line , choosing compact equipment is important . However , a motor within a large containment housing takes up unnecessary space . This compromises both the design of the production line and overall space efficiency at the plant .
Ideally , a hygienic motor needs a compact , easy to clean design that eliminates heat dissipation issues .
COOL AND CLEAN
Bauer Gear Motor , a leading brand of Altra Industrial Motion Corp ., has tackled the unique challenges of motor design for hygienic environments by eliminating the need for induction motor heat dissipation entirely .
The HiflexDRIVE utilises PMSM technology to eliminate heat losses from the rotor by
100 % and reduce total losses by 25 %. This removes the necessity for the cooling fans and fins that keep a traditional induction motor cool . Therefore , the smooth exterior of the HiflexDRIVE has no heat dissipation penalty , while offering exceptional hygienic performance . As well as benefitting the aseptic coated design , this elimination of heat losses also ensures that the stainless-steel material option needn ’ t contend with heat dissipation problems .
The inherent benefits of PMSM technology and a smooth , hygienic motor exterior means that the HiflexDRIVE needs no additional containment housing . The HiflexDRIVE doesn ’ t require any specialised cleaning beyond usual washdown routines , which helps to improve production uptime . An ingress protection rating up to IP69K ensures suitability for even the most rigorous washdowns . With no containment housing to disassemble for cleaning , contamination risks are further reduced . A compact design with high power density also ensures the HiflexDRIVE doesn ’ t take up excessive space on the production line , improving space efficiency and optimising equipment design .
Efficiency is another feature of the HiflexDRIVE . Offering a total efficiency improvement of 10 % or more , the HiflexDRIVE unlocks reduced energy costs and contributes to a lower carbon footprint for food and beverage production operations . Furthermore , it helps operators offset future increases in energy costs . Motors up to IE5 efficiency ratings are available . With the quantity of conveyors required for food and beverage manufacture , this efficiency improvement becomes a sizable cost saving .
NO LONGER OPPOSING AIMS
Thanks to decades of experience delivering hygienic motors to meet the needs of food and beverage manufacturers around the world , Bauer Gear Motor has challenged the paradox of adequate heat dissipation and a smooth hygienic exterior within the same motor . The HiflexDRIVE delivers cool , efficient operation with an easy clean design that means food and beverage production managers needn ’ t worry about things getting too hot on the production line .
For further information , please visit www . bauergears . com
70 PECM Issue 53