Drive cuts 20% off Firth Rixson’s dust extraction costs

The firm, which manufactures 1,500 tonnes of rings, forgings and nickel, cobalt and iron-based super alloys every year at its Glossop plant, used ABB drives alliance partner, Halcyon Drives for the project. Halcyon's energy survey revealed that Firth Rixson's grinding stations and their centralised dust extraction were presenting a variable dust extraction requirement to the plant, which was running with a fixed speed 75kW extraction fan motor. Garry Nock, maintenance manager at the Glossop plant, says that introducing the ABB industrial drive to power the fan motor, and reducing its speed, was enough to generate the 20% savings, which equate to 44 tonnes of CO2 per annum. However, the installation had two motors, one a standby, and Halcyon Drives had to ensure that the standby was also available at all times. Nock explains that, because savings at this stage did not justify two drives, a dual standby option was arranged by building a changeover mechanism. Incidentally, he also says that another problem solved by the installation of the ABB drive was excessive wear and tear experienced by the fan ducting, which was being eroded by the constant inflow of abrasive metal dust. "We worked well with Halcyon and are pleased with the results of the project," comments Nock. "The drive is currently set to run the fan motor at 60% speed but this could be improved and we have a plan to shut the duct extension to machines not in use, and use a sensor in the ducting to feed back to the drive to maintain suction at an appropriate level."