DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Effect of High-Efficient Electric Motors on

Efficiency Improvement and Electric Energy
Saving
A. Zabardast, and H. Mokhtari, Associated Professor

• Friction and windage losses occur due to bearing friction and

Abstract-- In this paper, advantages of energy-efficient
motors over standard-motors in terms of electrical energy
saving and demand reduction in a tire-rubber factory are
thoroughly evaluated. Energy-efficient motors reduce
losses because of their better design, materials, and
manufacturing. These motors are 2 to 8% more efficient
than standard ones. Lengthening the core and using lower-
electrical-loss steel, thinner stator laminations, and more
copper in the windings reduce electrical losses. Because a
motor consumes energy worth 4 to 10 times its own cost
each year, energy-efficient motors often make economic
sense in a wide variety of applications. At the end of this
study, the amount of energy savings, demand reductions,
dollar savings and pay-back time when replacing the
existing or failed motors with high-efficient models are
determined.
Index Terms--Demand Reduction, Energy-Efficient Motor,
Energy Saving, Pay-Back Time , Standard Motor
air resistance.
Losses proportional to the motor load:
• Resistive or copper losses in the stator and rotor conductors.
• Stray load losses are the result of high-frequency losses in
core; strand and circulating-current losses in stator winding,
harmonic losses in rotor conductors under load and other
leakage fluxes induced by load current.
Fig. 1 shows a typical composition of motor losses and
their variation with load. Although the losses increase with
motor load, they are less significant at higher motor loads.
A drive system is composed of several subsystems such as:
power electronics, controller for speed or/and position, electric
motor, gear box or/and coupling and load e.g. pump, fan, and
compressor. Although big energy savings can be achieved by
looking at the complete system, here the focus is on the
electric motor itself.

I. INTRODUCTION

T HE most general consumers of electric energy in different

industries are induction motors. Although, different types
of AC motors exist, three-phase squirrel-cage induction
motors account for over 90% of installed motor horsepower.
They are simple, rugged, reliable, cheap, and found in a wide
variety of commercial and industrial uses. A motor's function
is to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy for useful
work. The only way to improve motor efficiency is to reduce
motor losses. Even though Standard motors operate efficiently Fig. 1. Power losses variation versus load in cage induction motor
with typical efficiencies ranging between 83 to 92 percent, An
efficiency gain from only 92 to 94 percent results in a 25 Energy-efficient motors, also called premium or high-
percent reduction in losses [1]. Power losses in induction efficiency motors, are 2 to 8% more efficient than standard
motors can be grouped into two main categories of [2]: motors. Nearly all energy-efficient motors are induction
Fixed losses, i.e. independent of motor load: motors, available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations.
• Core or magnetic loss represents energy required to change These motors produce the same mechanical output power
direction of magnetic flux flowing in the core material using less electrical input power than a standard efficiency
(hysteresis) and includes losses due to creation of eddy motor. In general, they will be longer-lived than standard
currents that flow in the core. motors under otherwise identical conditions, because they
typically run cooler. This translates into fewer winding
failures, increased bearing life, longer periods between
A. Zabardast is with Azad University of Abhar Branch, Department of scheduled maintenance, and fewer forced outages. These
Electrical Engineering, Abhar, Iran. (e-mail: ab_zb@qazviniau.ac.ir).
H. Mokhtari is with Sharif University Of Technology, Department of
motors withstand stalling and overloads better and usually run
Electrical Engineering, Tehran, Iran. (e-mail: mokhtari@sharif.edu). quieter and operate with lower no-load losses. They are also

978-7-900714-13-8/08/ ©2008DRPT 533

 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China
less sensitive to abnormal conditions such as impaired
ventilation, under and over voltage, and phase imbalance.
Many motors, however, fail because of mechanical damage,
hostile environments, or poor alignment. Energy-efficient
motors would not necessarily have longer service factor in
such cases. Their primary disadvantage is their higher cost. In
addition, these motors sometimes have lower starting torque
and/or power factor. If these factors are critical to a customer's
application, energy-efficient motors are not appropriate [3].
Because a motor consumes energy worth 4 to 10 times its
own cost each year, energy-efficient motors often make
economic sense in a wide variety of situations. It is usually
appropriate to consider them when (1) designing new
facilities, (2) modifying existing installations or processes,
(3) considering rewinding failed motors, (4) replacing
oversized motors, (5) setting up an energy management, or (6)
utility rebates are available [3].
II. HIGH EFFICIENCY MOTOR DESIGN
Since the energy crisis in 1970s, motor manufacturers have
increased the efficiency of the motors and have also used
efficiency as another extra feature along with the existing
features of rugged and long-life construction. The efficiency
has been increased by the following improvements [2].
• Improved steel properties: standard motors use low-carbon
laminated steel for the rotor and stator. Such steel typically
has electrical losses of 6.6 watt per kg. High efficiency
motors are built with high-grade silicon steel, which
typically reduces hysteresis and eddy current losses by half,
i.e. about 3.3 watt per kg.
• Thinner laminations: reducing lamination thickness in rotor
and stator steel also lowers eddy current losses.
• Increasing conductor's volume: standard-efficiency motors
employ aluminum or copper conductors of a size no longer
than that needed to deliver the required horsepower.
High-efficient motors utilize bigger copper conductors to
lower the winding resistance with the conductors sized 35 to
40% larger than needed to simply satisfy the motor output
horsepower requirement.
• Modified slot design: to accommodate the longer volume of
copper in the windings and required additional slot
insulation, the winding slot cross-sectional area is increased
and the stator core is lengthened. A longer core yields an
important additional benefit in the form of improved motor
power factor.
• Narrowing airgap: when the airgap between stator and rotor
decreases, the intensity of the magnetic flux will increase,
thereby improving the motor ability to deliver the same
torque at a reduced power. Increasing the length of the stator
and rotor increases the net flux in the airgap, to the same
effect.
• Improved rotor insulation: some losses are incurred because
of unintentional, spurious condition paths established in the
motor manufacturing process. Such a path commonly occurs
between rotor bars when the rotor is skewed. Skewing is a
normal design practice intended to reduce noise and torque
pulses in small motors. In high efficiency motor
534
manufacturing the edges of the rotor slots are treated with
high-temperature insulation to reduce these losses.
• More efficient fan design: Because motors designed for
high efficiency inherently run cooler than standard types, the
design can incorporate a smaller cooling fan, reducing
windage losses and resulting in quieter operation.
Induction motors normally comply one of the following
efficiency testing methodologies [2]:
1. IEEE 112 method B (used in the USA)
2. IEC 60034-2 (mainly used in Europe)
3. JEC-37 (mainly used in Japan)
There are some differences among them but the main
difference is in the determination of stray load losses. IEEE
112 method B determines the stray load losses through an
indirect process. The IEC standard assumes stray load losses
to be fixed at 0.5% of input, while JEC standard assumes there
are no stray load losses. It is widely accepted that, among the
three, IEEE 112 currently gives the most accurate efficiency
values. Fig. 2 shows amounts of full load efficiency for three
phase standard and high-efficient induction motors in the
range of 1.1 to 90kw, having 4-poles, rated for 400v line,
50Hz and S1 duty class according to IEC standard.
100
95
90
Efficiency (%)
85
80
75
70
1 10 100
Rated Power (kW)
Standard Motor High-Efficient Motor
Fig. 2. Comparison of full load efficiency between standard and
high-efficient induction motors (IEC Standard)
III. BENEFITS OF IMPELEMENTING ENERGY EFFICIENT
MOTOR SYSTEMS
Saving energy is beneficial for many reasons. Less fuel
needs to be burned and fewer power plants need to be built.
This saves money as well as saving the environment. Making
energy savings a high priority is likely to yield significant
financial benefits. Some benefits of implementing energy
efficient motor systems are [4]:
A. Economic Savings Potential
Total electricity consumption in the EU-15 in 2000 was
2574 billion kWh. Of this, 614 billion kWh was consumed by
motor driven systems. The save studies calculated the
economical savings potential of those industrial motor driven
systems to be 181 billion kWh. The above figure is the
'economic energy savings potential'. This is the savings
potential of measures with a reasonable pay-back time,
typically between 2 and 3 years. The 'technical energy savings
 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China
potential' is the energy that would be saved by implementing
all existing technical measures, without concern for economic
efficiency. The technical savings potential is, of course, higher
than the economic savings potential.
B. Environmental Benefits
One of the major current environmental concerns is the
'green house gas' emissions ( CO 2 , N 2 O , etc ) created by the
use of fossil fuels. There are four ways of reducing CO 2
emissions from electricity:
• Increasing the use of renewable energy sources
• Increasing the use of nuclear power
• Through cogeneration and increased power plant efficiency
(e.g. by using other fuels)
• Energy saving
Of course, energy saving currently offers the biggest potential
at the lowest cost.
The burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation
produces various types of emissions. Apart from CO 2 , the
main offenders are SO 2 and NO X , which contribute to the
acidification of the environment. Additionally, emissions also
contain heavy metals (nickel, zinc, chrome, copper, mercury
etc) and dust. Although they can be substantially reduced by
using the latest flue gas cleaning techniques, a small amount
will always escape into the environment. Burning fossil fuels
also produces fly ashes and solid ashes. Improving the
industrial motor systems for example in Europe could result in
an annual saving of 202 billion kWh of energy consumption.
This would eliminate the need for adding 45000 MW of
power generating capacity to the European electricity system.
C. Micro Economical Benefits
The pay-back periods for most investments in energy
efficient motor systems are relatively short, ranging from 3
months to 3 years. The non-energy benefits of higher
efficiency systems are better process control, reduced
disruption and improved product quality. Overall cost savings
related to these benefits can be in the same order of magnitude
as the energy cost saving itself. So companies or organizations
that invest in energy saving on motor systems also improve
profit in an indirect way.
D. Macro Economical Benefits
Investments in high efficiency motor systems have the
direct effect of creating jobs in three areas:
• Energy service companies, engineering consultants, and
contractors.
• Manufacturers of motors, variable speed drives,
compressors, fans and pumps and other system components
such as hoses, tubes or control systems.
• Jobs in energy or maintenance departments; a shift from
'fire fighting' to condition monitoring and preventive
maintenance that can increase the added-value of
manufacturing.
Although most investments create employment, money can
only be invested once. When faced with several choices, it is
535
necessary to decide whether investing the same amount of
money in another area would not create more jobs. Investing
to reduce the energy use of motor systems pays back over a
relatively short period, after which the energy cost savings are
pure profit. Therefore, investing in high efficiency motor
systems does not divert money from other essential areas. On
the contrary, it even creates more money for new investments
and, consequently, new jobs. Finally, saving energy on motors
would allow more time to develop alternatives for fossil fuels.
With just this argument in mind, it would even be defensible
to look beyond the current economic saving potential of motor
systems, and to encourage technology that can make them as
energy efficient as possible. In other words, in the long-run, a
large portion of today's technical savings potential could
become tomorrow's economic savings potential.
IV. ESTIMATION OF ENERGY SAVING ON UNDER STUDY
SYSTEM
To establish opportunities for energy savings, it is
necessary to answer these questions [3]:
1- How many motors are in the system and of what size?
2- What is the duty factor and part-load for these motors?
The higher the duty factor is equal to the larger the
potential savings. Any motor that operates at 25% or more
duty factor (around 2,000 hours per year) should have a well-
documented load profile. Ways to determine motor duty
include monitoring hours of operation per months (if the
motor controller has a run-hour meter) or attaching a recording
current meter.
Part-load is a term used to describe the actual load served
by the motor as compared to the rated full-load capability of
the motor. Motor part-load may be estimated through input
power measurement (when direct-read power measurement is
available), line current measurement (when only amperage
measurement is available), or speed measurement (when only
operating speed measurement is available). Most electric
motors are designed to run at 50% to 100% of rated load.
Maximum efficiency is usually near 75% of rated load. A
motor efficiency tends to decrease dramatically below about
50% load. However, the range of good efficiency varies with
individual motors and tends to extend over a broader range for
larger motors. A motor is considered under-loaded when it is
in the range where efficiency drops significantly with
decreasing load. Over-loaded motors can overheat and lose
efficiency.
3- How efficiently are these motors operating?
4- Which motors can be feasibly and economically retrofitted
to improve energy efficiency?
In this paper, the motors in demand processes in a
tire-rubber company in Iran are examined and the following
procedures are done:
• Getting information about motors from name plates.
• Measuring and recording of motor parameters.
• Processing the obtained information and identifying motor
condition.
• Comparing the existing motors with high-efficient motors to
see if replacement is necessary; and estimating the rate of
 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

energy saving, demand reduction, and pay back time for cost-effective depending on how heavily the motor is used.
each motor by Motor Master+ International software. Because it reduces capital costs, the return from upgrading to a
This software is designed to support motor systems one size smaller energy-efficient replacement instead of
improvement planning at industrial facilities by identifying rewinding is even more attractive than replacement with a
the most cost-effective choice when deciding repair or same sized energy-efficient motor. Many existing motors have
replace older motor models. With Motor Master+ been repaired more than once with typical loss of 1 to 2
International we can evaluate repair/replacement options for percent in efficiency at each rewind. Thus existing standard
a broader range of motors, including those tested under the efficiency motors may be much less efficient than nameplate
IEEE standard and those tested using the IEC methodology. comparisons would suggest making them particularly
It can display motor performance and technical data that can attractive for replacement at or before their next failure. It is
help to optimize a drive system [5]. At the end of this study more common to rewind larger motors due to their high
the amount of total dollar savings in the case of replacing the capital cost, but these motors usually operate at very high
existing or failed motors with high-efficiency motors are duty, and even modest efficiency improvement is
provided. Table 1 shows motor information in factory economically rewarding, increasing the incentive to consider
processes. As it can be seen some motors are working 24 replacement with a more efficient new motor.
hrs/day and some are not. The recording period for each
motor is determined according to motor working schedule. Retrofit
Since the economics of a retrofit must include the cost of
Table 1. Processes Motor information
removing the old motor and installing the new one, high duty
Process Name: Cooking Engine Room factor applications are much more likely to be economically
Name and Operating attractive. Often the old motor can be relocated to standby,
Power(kW)
Number of Motors Schedule(hrs/y) reserve, or light applications that don't justify an energy-
Hot Water(2) 140 8760 efficient motor. This preserves the capital investment in the
cooling Water(1) 90 8760 original motor, while the retrofit increases overall efficiency.
Forcing Water(2) 55 8760 The economics are often favorable for retrofitting existing
Make up Water(1) 30 8760
standard-efficiency motors with smaller energy-efficient
models. Many existing motors are oversized for their
Vacuum Pump(2) 22 8760
applications resulting in efficiency loss and excessive energy
Process Name: Refinery
use. Replacing them with smaller energy-efficient models
Name and Operating
Power(kW) improves efficiency and also reduces the capital cost of
Number of Motors Schedule(hrs/y) retrofit. Since the new motor will operate at a load closer to
cooling Water(4) 90 8760 rated, its speed will be less, reducing the energy consumed in
Hot Water(4) 55 8760 equipment such as fans and centrifugal pumps. It is important
Fire Fighting(1) 11 8760 in these situations, though, to verify that the fan or pump can
Cooling Tower(26) 11 8760 operate at a lower speed and still provide sufficient output.
Soft Water(1) 11 8760 In energy calculations, the following objects are considered:
Drink Water(1) 11 8760 • Energy consumption and demand costs increase 15% yearly.
Demine Input(2) 7.5 5475 • According to IEC standard, induction motors are divided
Anion Input(1) 7.5 5475
into three categories of: EFF1 (high-efficiency motors),
EFF2 (improved-efficiency motors) and EFF3 (standard
Product Pump(3) 7.5 2190
motors). In this study, standard motors are compared with
8760
both types.
Agricultural Water(3) 5.5 8760
• Efficiency reduction for rewind motors under 30kW is 2%
4380 and for over 30kW is 1%.
Raw Water(2) 5.5 5475 • The best pay back time is 3 years.
Table 2 summarizes the measurement results and shows
The next paragraphs discuss the economics and
the best proposal for each motor. The loads supplied the drives
applicability for energy-efficient motors in new installations,
are of types of pump or centrifugal fans. In selecting suitable
as replacements for failed motors, and for retrofitting standard
motors for replacement, parameters such as load point,
motors.
purchase price, rewind cost, energy cost, operating hours, load
Replacements for Failed Motors factor and utility rebates are taken into consideration. As it can
When motors fail, they must be repaired or replaced be seen, for some motors due to the lengthy pay back time, no
quickly to avoid lost production. Often it is economically recommendation for replacement is given. One of the
attractive to replace these motors rather than incur the expense important things in energy calculation is motor load changes
of rewinding. Replacing all failed motors up to 50 hp is almost during measurement period. Figs. 3 and 4 shows load changes
always economic. Replacing larger failed motors is also often at two motors in the cooking process in

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Table 2. Summery of Measurement Results and Recommendations

Process Name: Cooking Engine Room Process Name: Refinery

Motor Name Average Average Recommendation

Payback
Motor Name Average Average
Recommendation
Payback
Load(%) PF (year) Load(%) PF (year)
Hot Water 1 78 0.87 L - Cooling Tower 10 51 0.61 J 2.1
Hot Water 2 77 0.87 L - Cooling Tower 11 51 0.66 J 2.1
cooling Water 91 0.88 B 2.8 Cooling Tower 12 54 0.68 J 2.1
Forcing Water 1 51 0.82 D 3.1 Cooling Tower 13 56 0.64 J 2.2
Forcing Water 2 56 0.83 D 2.8 Cooling Tower 14 53 0.63 J 2.1
Make up Water 60 0.86 K 2.0 Cooling Tower 15 53 0.70 J 2.1
Vacuum Pump 1 92 0.82 L - Cooling Tower 16 53 0.71 J 2.1
Vacuum Pump 2 93 0.83 L - Cooling Tower 17 54 0.62 J 2.1
Process Name: Refinery Cooling Tower 18 51 0.65 J 2.1
Average Average Payback Cooling Tower 19 54 0.68 J 2.1
Motor Name Recommendation
Load(%) PF (year) Cooling Tower 20 52 0.62 J 2.2
cooling Water 1 88 0.85 B 3.0 Cooling Tower 21 53 0.61 J 2.1
cooling Water 2 86 0.81 B 3.1 Cooling Tower 22 52 0.67 J 2.1
cooling Water 3 79 0.80 B 3.1 Cooling Tower 23 54 0.61 J 2.2
cooling Water 4 90 0.82 B 3.0 Cooling Tower 24 54 0.60 J 2.2
Hot Water 1 83 0.88 B 3.0 Cooling Tower 25 56 0.71 J 2.2
Hot Water 2 85 0.93 B 3.0 Cooling Tower 26 38 0.55 J 1.0
Hot Water 3 80 0.93 B 3.0 Soft Water 1 43 0.64 C 2.3
G 2.8 Drink Water 1 67 0.85 B 2.9
Hot Water 4 78 0.93
H 1.8 Demine Input 1 78 0.79 B 2.2
Fire Fighting 111 0.85 E 2.9 Demine Input 2 76 0.86 B 2.1
Cooling Tower 1 63 0.63 J 2.4 Anion Input 75 0.82 B 2.1
Cooling Tower 2 42 0.49 J 1.4 Product Pump 1 93 0.89 L -
Cooling Tower 3 56 0.66 J 2.2 Product Pump 2 92 0.88 L -
Cooling Tower 4 57 0.67 J 2.2 Product Pump 3 90 0.86 L -
Cooling Tower 5 57 0.63 J 2.2 Agricultural Water 1 87 0.85 A 2.9
Cooling Tower 6 49 0.55 J 1.5 Agricultural Water 2 91 0.89 A 2.7
Cooling Tower 7 51 0.64 J 2.1 Agricultural Water 3 89 0.89 B 3.2
Cooling Tower 8 54 0.66 J 2.1 Raw Water 1 98 0.89 F 2.3
Cooling Tower 9 51 0.63 J 2.1 Raw Water 2 85 0.88 B 2.6
A: Replacement EFF1 Motor with Same Size B: Replacement EFF1 Motor with Same Size after Fail
C: Replacement Smaller EFF1 Motor D: Replacement Smaller EFF1 Motor after Fail
E: Replacement Larger EFF1 Motor F: Replacement Larger EFF1 Motor after Fail
G: Replacement EFF1 Motor with Same Size H: Replacement EFF1 Motor with Same Size
and Less Speed and Less Speed after Fail
I: Replacement Smaller EFF2 Motor J: Replacement Smaller EFF2 Motor after Fail
K: Replacement Variable Speed Drive(VSD) and Inverter Duty L: Without Modifying
EFF1 Motor

the factory. Fig. 3 shows that the load change of hot water If the study is performed to other processes, the amount of
motor 2 is low while in make up motor the load change which saving will be considerable.
is done by a control valve is considerable. In such cases,
software which can simulate variable load motors is to be 86

used. Motor Master + International software is suitable when

85.5
motor load is almost constant. Although, energy cost is very
cheap in Iran, as compared to other countries, still calculation
Load Percent

85
shows that the use of high efficiency motors is cost effective
with a reasonable pay back time. Table 3. shows the demand 84.5
reductions and energy savings in dollar for a period of one
year if the recommendations made in Table 2. are taken. 84

83.5

537 11:30:03 12:49:15 14:08:27 15:27:39 16:46:51 18:06:03 19:25:15

Time
 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

engineering of Razi University, Iran in 1998. In

Fig. 3. load profile of Hot water 2 2001, He received his M.Sc. degree from University
of Mazandaran, Iran. His Research area is power
. 95 quality and energy saving in industries. He is
currently Work with Azad University of Abhar
85
branch.
Load Perecent

75
Hossein Mokhtari was born in Tehran, Iran. He received his B.Sc. degree in
electrical engineering from Tehran university, Tehran, Iran in 1989. He
65
worked as a consultant engineer for Electric Power Research Center (EPRC)
in Tehran in dispatching projects. In 1994, He received his M.A.Sc. degree
55 from University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B., Canada. He obtained
his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the
45
Fig. 4. load profile of Make up water University of Tronto in 1998. He is currently
09:10:05 10:29:17 11:48:29 13:07:41 14:26:53 15:46:05 17:05:17 associated professor in electrical engineering of
Table 3. Summery of Energy and Demand Calculations
Time
Sharif University of technology.

Total Energy Savings, Demand Reductions

and Money Savings
Energy Savings(Kwh/year) Demand Reductions(Kw)
628,764 48.5
Money Money
Savings(Dollar/year) Savings(Dollar/year)
12,915 870
Total Money Savings(Dollar/year)
13,785

V. CONCLUTION
Three-phase cage induction motors account for over 90% of
installed motor horsepower. In addition, energy-efficient
induction motors are 2 to 8% more efficient than standard
motor. Use of such motors offer many advantages such as
energy and money saving, demand reduction, and green house
gas emission reduction. They have generally longer insulation
and bearing lives, lower heat output, and less vibration. In
addition, these motors are often more tolerant of overload
conditions and phase imbalance. This results in low failure
rates, which has prompted most manufacturers to offer longer
warranties for their energy-efficient lines. Because a motor
consumes energy worth 4 to 10 times its own cost each year,
energy-efficient motors often make economic sense in a wide
variety of applications.

VI. REFERENCES

[1] G. A. McCoy, T. Litman, and J. G. Douglass, "Energy-efficient motor

selection handbook," U.S. Department of energy., Revision 3, January
1993.
[2] "Understanding high efficiency motors," Published by copper
development center, 2001.
[3] 'Efficiency improvement for AC electric motors," Application note,
Pacific gas and electric company (PG&E), May 1997.
[4] "Energy efficient motor driven systems," Published by European Copper
Institute, April 2004.
[5] "International motor selection and saving analysis (IMSSA) software
user's guide," Copyright by Washington state university extension
energy program and the international copper association, Version 2, May
2004.

VII. BIOGRAPHIES

Abolfazl Zabardast was born in Qazvin, Iran, in

1974. He received his B.Sc. degree in electronic

538