ABB’s new LV Titanium Variable Speed Motor platform merges high efficiency motor technology with variable speed drive (VSD) capabilities in a single, compact, customizable, plug-and-play solution. This innovation empowers industrial customers to significantly reduce energy consumption, cut costs, and minimize carbon emissions.
The LV Titanium presents a straightforward and economical means to achieve IE5 Ultra-Premium efficiency for applications such as pumps and compressors. As a drop-in replacement for existing direct-online (DOL) induction motors, this variable speed motor serves as an effortless upgrade path, providing a fast return on investment (ROI).
However, the LV Titanium goes beyond simply adding a drive to a motor. It is engineered as a fully integrated system, featuring an advanced drive module specifically designed for optimal synergy with a high-efficiency permanent magnet (PM) motor. This streamlined design, with an axial drive mounted at the motor’s end, conserves space—making the LV Titanium particularly suitable for applications like vertical pumps—and operates remarkably quietly.
Another key advantage of the LV Titanium is its capability to function across a wide range of speed and torque demands, offering high torque even at low speeds.
“We developed the LV Titanium in collaboration with customers who asked us to help them achieve energy savings and reduced carbon emissions without installation complexity,” said Stefan Floeck, division president, IEC low voltage motors at ABB. “This variable speed motor delivers just that – advanced performance in a compact, user-friendly, and speed-controlled motor package that draws on our decades of application expertise.”
Thanks to its plug-and-play functionality, the LV Titanium requires no commissioning; both the motor and drive are optimized and pre-assembled before leaving the factory. This features rapid and effortless installation, eliminating the need for cabinets or electrical rooms—specialized personnel are not necessary.
The LV Titanium also boasts an intuitive control panel equipped with user-friendly analog and digital inputs and outputs (I/O), accompanied by a simplified built-in PLC. Its connectivity features, including the Modbus RTU communications protocol, allow for easy integration with PLCs and other control devices.
With its compact design and high power density, this Variable Speed Motor is up to two frame sizes smaller than comparable induction motors, thereby making it ideal for installations where space is limited—particularly in replacing older, inefficient motors.
The potential energy cost savings from transitioning to the LV Titanium can be illustrated in a 7.5 kW centrifugal pumping application—one of the main target areas for the IE5 variable speed motor. Annual savings on electricity bills are estimated to exceed Euro 4,000 based on a typical energy cost of Euro 0.21/kWh in Europe. Concurrently, this switch can lead to a reduction of 6,000 kg in CO2 emissions yearly, based on the average European carbon intensity factor of 0.3 kg CO2/kWh (source – https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/carbon-intensity-electricity).
The LV Titanium Variable Speed Motor is currently available in sizes starting from 1.5 kW, with plans for the platform to extend to applications up to 30 kW across various industrial sectors—including food and beverage packaging. Beyond being readily available off-the-shelf, the motor can be customized to meet specific customer needs.