New technology assists the design of outdoor rated medium voltage drives

There is a trend in the pipeline industry where large electric motor driven pumping systems are replacing the traditional natural gas or diesel driven pumps. Challenges exist when starting these typically large motors, especially when local power grids have limited capacity. One solution available to industry is the electronic variable speed drive (VSD). When this option is selected, significant infrastructure is required to maintain and protect the large sensitive electronic power conversion equipment inside a VSD. Requirements for air conditioning and sometimes water cooling reduce reliability and have a cost of ownership due to maintenance requirements and energy costs. For a large motor, the power converter must be protected by an enclosure which can be as large as a small family home and the power conversion process of the drive creates heat that must be removed without exposing the converter to the outside environment.