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HVAC

Jul 26 2023

Cooling Data Centers Is Costing Our Planet

Cooling Data Centers Is Costing Our Planet

The booming global market for more data centers will require enormous amounts of energy. Sustainable motors will be the key to meeting this demand.

By JUSTIN SCOTT, Applications Engineer, Infinitum

Data centers have become increasingly critical to the world economy. As computing demands rise due to business reliance on cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), AI innovations and Industry 4.0, more data is being generated along with the growing need to capture, store, evaluate and retrieve it. In the U.S alone, the data center market is projected to reach $69 billion by 2024.

And the more we rely on these capabilities, the more energy we require to support our computing needs.

In the U.S., data center energy consumption is expected to double, reaching 35 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, up from 17 GW in 2022. Additionally, with projections stating that by 2030 information and communications technology (ICT) will account for up to 20% of global energy usage, it’s evident that the growing demand for data center computing is becoming a pressing sustainability concern.

While demand is a major factor in energy consumption, higher outdoor temperatures can also play a role.

As external temperatures rise, data center facilities must “work harder” to maintain the required level of cooling. Liquid cooling, air handling units that can leverage free cooling and economizers, as well as precision cooling, are the types of innovative solutions that can increase the energy efficiency of data centers. In addition, HVAC equipment manufacturers are prioritizing sustainable, power-dense equipment that can handle higher levels of heat, while keeping data centers operating at lower temperatures.

Currently, 40% of the energy in data centers is consumed by motors that power cooling equipment, such as fans, pumps, and compressors. A typical data center employs an average of 500 electric motors to drive HVAC systems alone. Many of the motors powering today’s data centers are heavy and inefficient.

New advancements in motor designs that replace traditional heavy iron core stators with innovative materials, such as PCBs, have led to motors that are smaller, lighter, more efficient and power-dense. Some motors can also be precisely matched to the cooling application’s specific horsepower, speed and torque requirements, allowing data center designers to optimize and reduce the supporting electrical infrastructure, while achieving performance targets to reduce energy consumption by 10-15%.

As data center cooling equipment manufacturers continue to innovate with more efficient HVAC designs, there are three main considerations for sustainable data center cooling that begin with the motor. Below, I’ll explain why each should be considered when introducing a motor into the data center environment:

High-Efficiency Levels Across a Wide Range

Traditional motors that feature an iron core with copper windings will often experience eddy currents that result in motor losses. Replacing the iron core and copper windings with a PCB stator eliminates these losses, resulting in a higher efficiency motor not just at the rated power and speed, but across the entire operating range (including partial load conditions). In motors that use PCB stators, copper can be etched directly into the PCB, which also increases the reliability and life of the stator, and significantly reduces the amount of copper material needed.

In a data center, where loads can vary widely depending on the time of day, it’s important to identify a motor that has a flat efficiency curve across a wide range of load conditions to optimize overall HVAC system efficiency and operations. Doing this will ensure the system will benefit from optimum efficiency under a variety of operating conditions.

Advanced air core motors that leverage PCB stators can run at variable speeds with partial load efficiency, saving energy at off peak times, while maintaining high levels of efficiency across a wide range of loads and speeds. For example, air core motors used together with an efficient fan can improve wire-to-air efficiency, and create a fan with a flat efficiency curve across full and partial load conditions.

Precise Controls and Intelligence

Improvements to motor efficiency and demand-based variable speed controls can save upwards of 65% of energy use depending on the application. Control capabilities for motors range from basic speed control options to more sophisticated speed control features and capabilities. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) that use silicon carbide can operate at higher switching frequencies and temperatures, with fewer losses, and can provide precise control in overall power and energy savings for the motor system.

Having more intelligence built into motors can also allow data centers to require fewer motors for redundancy on fan systems, while also running them at their most efficient operating speeds. Today’s motors can integrate MODBUS, BACnet and SCADA connectivity to communicate motor performance and health data back to a controller or centralized control system. IoT connectivity can also be used to monitor critical equipment to optimize building operations, and alert operators to high temperatures or other system parameters that are out of pattern or range so they can proactively address issues before something fails.

Sustainable Design

With data center space at a premium, design is an important consideration. Motors that take advantage of more compact, axial-flux designs and thin PCB stators (versus heavier iron-core motors) can result in 50% smaller and lighter form factors and reduce overall space required in data center air handling, chillers, coolers and liquid cooling applications.

This can allow for closer proximity to data center equipment and for more effective, efficient cooling and removal of heat. Smaller, lighter motors can also allow for ease of installation and make access easier for maintenance.

Sustainable design that minimizes the use of raw materials and incorporates end of life management can support initiatives to reduce waste. Today, the majority of motors end up in landfills after 10 to 20 years, but advances in circular motor design are allowing for extended component life and reuse. Data centers have hundreds to thousands of motors with valuable materials, such as aluminum, steel, magnets that can benefit from refurbishment and reuse, rather than being thrown into a landfill. Motors that take advantage of modular design can make the motor easy to maintain and allow for components to be reused multiple times.

In conclusion, responsible design in data center cooling equipment is increasingly becoming a priority as data centers continue to grow in number and energy usage. Advanced motors that operate with high efficiency across a wide range of speeds, have precise control and intelligence capabilities, and those that are built with sustainable design in mind can play a major role in reducing the carbon footprint of HVAC systems and data centers overall.

Read the full article at HPAC Engineering.

Written by Mandy Chalman · Categorized: Coverage, IE Coverage · Tagged: Data center, electric motors, HVAC, Sustainability, sustainable

Jun 19 2023

HVAC Solutions Help Data Centers Achieve Sustainability

HVAC Solutions Help Data Centers Achieve Sustainability

The right equipment can reduce energy consumption, as well as the carbon footprint

By Joanna R. Turpin

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS: Adopting sustainable HVAC solutions can reduce a data center’s environmental impact and energy consumption. (Courtesy of Danfoss)

Data center growth has exploded in recent years; however, this increased demand for data processing comes at a cost, as data centers are notorious for their massive energy consumption and carbon footprint. In fact, according to the Department of Energy (DOE), data centers consume 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building, accounting for approximately 2% of the total U.S. electricity use.

To tackle this problem, there has been more of an emphasis on promoting sustainability in data centers. HVAC systems play a large role in achieving sustainability, as this equipment is responsible for ensuring that the temperature and humidity levels in a data center remain within the acceptable range 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By implementing sustainable HVAC solutions, data center operators can significantly reduce their energy consumption and environmental impact.

“A sustainable data center actively works to reduce power usage, energy, water, and carbon emissions.”

– Michael Strouboulis
Director of business development, data centers
Danfoss

Sustainable Strategies

A sustainable data center aims to balance the need for reliable and effective data processing with the need to minimize its environmental impact. To achieve that objective, a sustainable data center actively works to reduce power usage, energy, water, and carbon emissions, said Michael Strouboulis, director of business development, data centers, at Danfoss.

“Lowering power usage effectiveness (PUE), which measures the ratio of the total power coming into the data center to the power consumed by the information technology equipment (ITE), as well as water usage effectiveness (WUE), carbon usage effectiveness (CUE), and increasing energy reuse (ERE), are key to meeting sustainability and net-zero carbon targets,” said Strouboulis. “The transition to all four of these metrics naturally involves looking at the entire data center infrastructure, including the mechanical systems that support data center cooling and ITE thermal management, which account for as much as 30% to 40% of the power into the facility.”

Sustainable data centers also strive to attain carbon neutrality targets and lower carbon emissions by utilizing renewable energy sources and adopting energy-efficient HVAC equipment and monitoring technologies, all while ensuring reliable and effective power supply, said Mukul Anand, global director of business development, applied HVAC global products at Johnson Controls.

“Digitally equipped BMS and optimization software provide insights and control that help facility managers run buildings as efficiently as possible,” said Anand. “Some facility managers are also working with HVAC manufacturers to find ways to use waste heat in other building areas, which minimizes fossil fuel use. In response, HVAC engineers are developing products that can very efficiently use this waste heat.”

Sustainability in a data center extends beyond just its power sources, encompassing its construction and design as well. For example, the materials and components employed must be durable and minimize waste by avoiding unnecessary repairs and replacements, said Rachel (Ray) Larimore, project manager at Ruskin.

“The design should also maximize the space while allowing for ease of maintenance,” said Larimore. “HVAC systems are generally difficult to access for maintenance, since they are most often built into walls and in high ceilings. However, data center owners are taking particular care to design their facilities with maintenance schedules and longevity in mind.”

Finally, sustainable data centers have an end-of-life strategy that limits waste and environmental pollutants, which is a key aspect of these types of facilities, said Justin Scott, applications engineer at Infinitum.

“Operators must responsibly dispose of refrigerants and other fluids, and work with partners to recycle or remanufacture components and subcomponents,” said Scott. “Data centers also have thousands of motors with valuable materials, such as aluminum, steel, and magnets that would benefit from refurbishment and reuse, rather than being thrown into a landfill.”

HVAC Solutions

Achieving sustainability in a new or existing data center can be a challenge, as it can be difficult to balance design conditions with energy efficiency. Uptime is absolutely critical to data centers, so the HVAC equipment has to be designed to keep the facility operational in the most extreme conditions it will face, said Anand.

OPTIMAL UPTIME: Data centers are running processes 24/7, so uptime and operational efficiency are paramount. (Courtesy of Danfoss)

“Yet a data center may only experience extreme conditions a handful of times — if ever — and this can result in a trade-off when it comes to sustainability,” said Anand. “This is because equipment typically operates in conditions for which it wasn’t originally selected, and that can result in decreased energy efficiency.”

One technology that is widely used to increase sustainability and reduce energy consumption in data centers is free cooling. Free cooling refers to the use of cooler outdoor air to reduce the temperature of the facility’s cooling water or air without the need for mechanical cooling. By using free cooling, HVAC systems can significantly reduce energy consumption and operating costs, especially in regions with mild climates.

“Data centers have used direct evaporative cooling to achieve cooling, which can be water and energy intensive,” said Anand. “We see a shift there. Advances in air-cooled chillers make it possible to use economization instead. Some air-cooled chillers feature additional free cooling coils that generate free cooling when ambient conditions are milder or colder. The latest air-cooled chillers operate at inverted conditions, which means they can provide free cooling even in the absence of free cooling coils, providing excellent efficiency at low ambient conditions. These lighter chillers also allow for a smaller carbon footprint.”

COST SAVINGS: Using efficient motors — such as the Infinitum motors used in this data center fan array — can translate to 10% savings in energy consumption and costs. (Courtesy of Infinitum)

Utilizing energy-efficient motors and variable-speed drives (VSDs) is also essential for optimizing the energy consumption of cooling system components such as compressors, fans, and pumps. The VSD allows the motor’s output to match the computing demand and saves energy by delivering the exact amount of power required at any given time, said Strouboulis.

“The effect that VSDs have on energy consumption is huge,” he said. “Chillers with oil-free, magnetic bearing, VSD compressors are some of the most efficient pieces of equipment used in data centers, because they offer efficient heat transfer and reliable cooling throughout their life cycle without the maintenance requirements and performance degradation experienced with other types of compressors.”

Utilizing efficient components in HVAC equipment to enhance sustainability is important, agrees Scott, especially in data centers that experience usage cycles. He cites Netflix as an example, noting that their data centers may experience a peak load at 8 p.m. when users stream content, and a smaller load at 8 a.m. Given this usage profile, it would make sense to decrease the load on the HVAC system during the morning hours.

“EC motors used together with an efficient fan creates a highly efficient EC fan with a flat efficiency curve across full and partial load conditions,” said Scott. “EC motors can run at variable speeds with partial-load efficiency, saving energy at off-peak times. Some are able to maintain high levels of efficiency across a wide range of loads and speeds. Using more efficient motors, like EC motors, can translate to 10% savings in energy consumption and costs overall.”

Power consumption in a data center can also be reduced through the use of energy-efficient controls and careful planning to reduce the energy required to operate HVAC systems, said Larimore. For example, she said that it may be possible to reduce the number of actuators used to modulate airflow by reducing the number of sections or optimizing installation locations to power multiple sections of dampers from a single actuator. This can reduce the overall power needs in the design.

“Airflow design needs to be taken into consideration as well,” said Larimore. “Keeping electronics cool to avoid failure is of great importance in a data center. Rather than overcompensating by bringing in extra air, HVAC equipment should be designed to optimize airflow and circulation to keep the building at the required temperature and with enough clean air without being wasteful.”

Looking Ahead

The sustainable data center trend will likely continue, given the rising demand for digital services and growing awareness of the impact of these types of facilities on the environment. As such, the HVAC equipment designed for data centers will continue to evolve. For example, today’s primary way for cooling data centers is precision air, and that will be around for the “low rack power density” data centers for some time, said Strouboulis.

“However, with the proliferation of high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), IoT, and other evolving computing technologies, rack power densities are rising, and liquid cooling is becoming essential to ensuring reliability and performance,” he said. “For example, CRAC/CRAH and row-based containment cooling solutions are ideal up to 15 to 20 kW, but there is a point, maybe around 20 kW, past which they are no longer cost-effective or efficient. At that point, you start to look at other techniques that are cooling closer to the source of heat and are located very close to the rack doors or even closer than that, as these techniques will be cooling microchips directly by direct-to-chip or immersion liquid cooling.”

Compared to traditional air cooling, liquid cooling is more efficient at transferring heat away from electrical components, said Scott. That is because liquid’s heat-carrying capacity can be up to 3,500 times greater than that of air.

“There are a few ways to apply liquid cooling and each has challenges,” he said. “One approach is to bring fluid to the chip set to remove heat, but while this is great for the processor, it doesn’t cool other components. A second approach is bringing liquid cooling to the rack where air supplements the cooling. A third approach is immersion cooling of server racks in a tank, where the fluid surrounds server boards and removes heat. The challenge is moving parts in and out of fluid and potentially contaminating/damaging other components. With liquid cooling, you still need traditional air coolers, chillers, and evaporative cooling.”

PEAK EFFICIENCY: The York YVAM air-cooled magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller can reduce the full-load power consumption of the chiller and deliver peak efficiency beyond typical industry standards. (Courtesy of Johnson Controls)

Speaking of chillers, new technology is available that can help contractors design more sustainable data center systems. Specifically, low-friction, air-cooled, magnetic-bearing centrifugal chillers can reduce the full-load power consumption of the chiller and deliver peak efficiency beyond typical industry standards, said Anand. In addition, the electrical infrastructure that powers the chiller — including transformers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), generators, automatic transfer switches, and switchgear — can all be sized lower, leading to first-cost savings.

“Cooling products that use low-GWP refrigerants are also available to further minimize resource consumption and reduce community and planet impact,” said Anand. “In addition, HVAC engineers are working on quieter products that consume less natural resources and have the maximum amount of recyclable content.”

Another factor that will influence the future design of HVAC equipment is the increasing price of real estate.

“Because land is so valuable in key locations, including Ashburn, Phoenix, Dallas, and Silicon Valley, data centers are now growing vertically rather than horizontally,” said Anand. “When a data center grows vertically, the interior square footage that must be cooled gets larger, but the amount of rooftop space to place chillers doesn’t. Multistory data centers are one of the challenges that continue to drive innovation in the design of HVAC equipment.”

Identifying Improvements

Contractors can help their data center customers identify ways to improve their sustainability by evaluating their operating conditions from three different perspectives, said Mukul Anand from Johnson Controls:

  • Is any equipment operating outside of its parameters that could indicate a potential issue in the near future?
  • Is the HVAC equipment operating at optimal energy efficiency given the ambient conditions?
  • Are there spikes in the system that are reducing efficiency and reliability?

“While the first two are pretty self-explanatory, the third relies on understanding facility trends,” said Anand. “For example, if a data center typically ramps up in heat generation at 8 a.m., it can be automated to gradually ramp up capacity starting at 7 a.m. rather than going at 100% capacity at 7:59 a.m. This can minimize system spikes, improve energy efficiency, and extend equipment life.”

It can sometimes be difficult for contractors to obtain this type of information, as some data centers — due to concerns over cybersecurity and privacy — have developed their own real-time, AI-assisted monitoring and tracking systems used for optimizing operations, predictive and service maintenance, energy consumption optimization, capacity management, and planning, said Michael Strouboulis from Danfoss.

“However, there are third-party SaaS packages that offer additional insights, such as predictive analytics, to service enterprise and edge data centers,” he said. “Energy audits and installing smart devices such as energy metering can help identify areas of improvement. Contractors can also install sensors that feed information to cloud-based monitoring of essential components of the cooling system in order to ensure systems are running at peak performance and thereby reducing carbon emissions.”

Read the full article at ACHR News.

Written by Mandy Chalman · Categorized: Coverage, IE Coverage · Tagged: Data center, electric motors, HVAC, Sustainability, sustainable

Mar 27 2023

How to Exceed Customer Expectations by Rightsizing the Motor for Your Fan System

How to Exceed Customer Expectations by Rightsizing the Motor for Your Fan System

Companies that develop fan systems for the HVAC market have a variety of requirements to consider; chief among them are performance and size. Achieving performance targets is the first order of business, but rightsizing the motor for the task at hand can lead to additional benefits. 

Finding the right motor is critical for delivering on these requirements at the systems-level. 
Here, we’ll:

  • Walk through the motor selection process
  • Dive into a few central ways motor design and selection can support overall fan system performance
  • Provide insights surrounding motor rightsizing and how it can be beneficial in applications with a large number of fans or fan arrays (e.g., data centers)

Unlocking the Potential in the Motor Selection Process
The motor selection process starts early in the fan system design cycle. Performance requirements are dictated by customers in the form of flow targets (cfm) and pressure targets (in-wg). With that knowledge, the fan design team makes two important selections:

  • A fan model that can deliver on flow rate expectations
  • A motor with the requisite torque and speed to drive the fan at the customer’s desired operating parameters

Take the example of a data center. These facilities require well-designed fan systems to cool servers, maintain airflow between aisles and sustain appropriate humidity levels. 

Our example data center application requires an operating point of 10,000 cfm at 2.5 in-wg of static pressure. The fan OEM uses that operating information as input for an in-house selection software that specifies an appropriate fan model and a motor that provides the brake horsepower (bhp) and motor speed (rpm) required  to drive that fan. Rather than using a software tool, for illustrative purposes, we’ll use a fan curve.

Based on our example application parameters, fan model ABC was selected. Once fan model selection is complete, the fan curve, shown in Figure 1, is used to determine the combination of motor power and speed that can deliver the requisite operating conditions.

Figure 1: Example fan curve; a tool used to visualize a fan’s flow rate and static pressure performance, which can be used to determine motor horsepower and speed requirements.

In this example, assume the motor that meets customer requirements is a 5.4 hp motor at 1208 rpm with a torque requirement of 23.5 lb-ft (31.8 Nm). Knowing the fan’s power and speed requirements are accounted for, the fan OEM looks for a motor with the best efficiency throughout the fan’s operating range.

Prioritizing Fan Performance and Efficiency in Motor Selection
Motor efficiency benefits the entire fan system, so motor selection is central to energy savings—a focus area for customers and regulators alike. Matching a motor’s peak efficiency with a fan system’s peak efficiency provides the optimal efficiency for the system overall. Motor efficiency curves are helpful for visualizing motor performance across a variety of loads and speeds.

Assess Motors at Partial, Optimal and Full Loads
While it’s important to know the system’s optimal duty point, there will be times when the motor runs at full or partial loads, so it’s equally important to consider how it’ll perform under those circumstances. For instance, when cooling demand decreases in an office building over the weekend, the system may run at a partial load. Alternatively, in a redundancy situation where one fan in an array fails, the others will work harder to maintain airflow and static pressure.

Understanding the reality of fan system operation, Infinitum motors are designed to deliver some of the highest levels of efficiency on the market across a wide range of load conditions and speeds. A flat efficiency curve across loads means the motor delivers higher levels of efficiency during the actual operating conditions of the fan system. Figure 2 shows that the Infinitum Aircore EC motor delivers better efficiency than two leading choices: Super Premium AC Induction Motor & VFD and a Leading EC Fan Motor.

Figure 2: Fan efficiency curve comparing Super Premium AC Induction Motor & VFD , a Leading EC Fan Motor and Infinitum’s Aircore EC motor.

Infinitum’s Aircore EC is built with an innovative PCB stator architecture which eliminates core losses and delivers high efficiency levels. The Aircore EC is a motor system that includes the motor and an integrated variable frequency drive (VFD). Each Infinitum motor system comes with a “Final Motor Verification and Test Report” which includes a motor efficiency curve like the one shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Example of Infinitum’s “Final Motor Verification and Test Report”.

How Infinitum Supports Motor Selection for Fan System Applications
To support the selection process, Infinitum offers the Aircore EC Motor Selection Tool to help fan OEMs select a properly optimized motor to fit their fan system. Returning to our fan system example, Figure 4 shows which motors best fit the 5.4 hp at 1208 rpm combination established using the fan curve. In this case, the motor selection tool provided two options. Fan OEMs can compare these motor recommendations, including rated power, rated speed, motor system efficiency, rated amps and rated torque.

Figure 4: Example results from Infinitum’s motor selection tool.

Then, fan OEMs select either:

  • A customized motor system configuration that is provided with a certified nameplate complete with the custom selection’s FLA, rated power, and rated speed
  • A motor with standard settings and nameplate that can be operated at the specified operating point

Custom Nameplating Services
With custom nameplating, motors like Infinitum’s can be rated with a lower amp rating. The motor selection tool includes the rated amps for each motor option. For the 5.4 hp motor, rated amps is 6.4 A. For the 10 hp motor, rated amps is 12.0 A. A lower input current allows the customer—in our case, a data center designer—to save on upstream electrical infrastructure costs by reducing the amount and size of wiring, circuit breakers and transformers.

In our example, input current savings would amount to 5.6 amps per motor. In a fan array composed of six fans, this amounts to 33.6 amps. The savings become significant when you consider that data centers usually require many fan arrays to prevent servers from overheating, allowing them to stay online for long periods of time. If, for example, the data center required 100 fan arrays (comprised of six fans each), the electrical infrastructure for the 5.4 hp motors would need to handle 3,840 amps (100 arrays x 6 fans x 6.4 amps) where the 10 hp motor would drive a requirement of 7,200 amps (100 arrays x 6 fans x 12 amps).

Size Optimizations at All Levels of Motor Design
Another important factor in motor selection is size. For many fan applications, the length of the motor is a crucial dimension in determining the width of the cabinet that houses the fan system. The Aircore EC motor series is shorter in length than an AC induction motor with comparable horsepower, due to its axial-flux motor design. For example, with the integrated VFD, a 10 hp Aircore EC motor at 1800 rpm is 8.9” in length, including the motor and drive. At 19.8”, a comparable AC induction motor from TECO-Westinghouse (10 hp / 1800 rpm) is more than twice the length. Optimizing the cabinet width to be as small as possible saves precious space in the data center mechanical room and simplifies transport and installation.

Because of the axial-flux motor design, the Aircore EC has a larger diameter than the typical AC induction motor. The larger diameter can be advantageous for centrifugal fan applications if it is close to the diameter of the wheel; in that case, there is less air turbulence through the fan array, so there is smoother airflow through the fan.

In summary, as we saw with our data center example, the ability to pinpoint the motor that best fits the actual power and speed needs of a given fan application will provide downstream benefits. Focusing on performance as early as the motor selection process results in reduced input power per motor, meaning fewer electrical infrastructure needs, reduced energy consumption and significant financial savings up front and over time.

To talk performance requirements with our team or try our motor selection tool for yourself, visit our website.

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Written by Jill Denney · Categorized: Blog · Tagged: Data center, Fan Applications, HVAC

Feb 24 2023

Partnership makes electric motors more efficient

Partnership makes electric motors more efficient

by Carolyn Mathas, contributing writer 

A collaboration between Infinitum and Infineon will yield SiC-based advanced industrial electric motors that deliver efficiency improvements.

Infinitum and Infineon Technologies AG have recently entered a strategic technology collaboration, leveraging Infineon’s silicon carbide (SiC) solutions for Infinitum’s smart industrial electric motors. For Infinitum, the collaboration solidifies production of its sustainable and high-efficiency Aircore EC motors. Both companies bring a wealth of knowledge and substantial experience in SiC technology.

Electric motors are estimated to consume from 45% to 53% of the world’s electricity, according to industry estimates. In excess of 800-million motors are sold annually and the numbers are rising. The collaboration will make a dent in those numbers by helping to increase the energy efficiency of the electric motors.

The joint effort is focused on embedding Infineon’s SiC solutions into Infinitum’s smart industrial electric motors that are finding their way into the most rigorous applications including HVAC fans, pumps, commercial electric vehicles and materials handling equipment.

Aircore EC integrated motor and drive (Source: Infinitum)

Infinitum’s Aircore motor design eliminates heavy iron used in traditional motors, replacing it with a lightweight, printed circuit board (PCB). The motors are 50% smaller and lighter, 10% more efficient and use 66% less copper compared with traditional motors, according to the company.  The precise motor control is claimed to save upwards of 65% of energy use depending on the application.

Aircore EC features a unique, integrated variable frequency drive (VFD) that takes advantage of SiC and other embedded technologies, resulting in more precise motor control, optimal power and energy savings. Designed and manufactured with a sustainable, circular lifecycle, the motor’s modular architecture allows the housing, rotors and stators to be reused multiple times, giving parts a second and third life, keeping the motor in service and out of landfills.

Infineon SiC solutions

Infineon’s first SiC chip was introduced over 20 years ago. Infineon’s CoolSiC semiconductors provide better efficiency, size and cost when compared to silicon-based solutions. The use of SiC technology brings power switching at voltages of 650 V and above for a variety of applications that deal with high temperatures and harsh environments — parameters that Infinitum targets.

Under the collaboration, the CoolSiC technology and Infineon’s motor control expertise will be used to help Infinitum achieve energy efficiency and control improvements over standard induction motors. CoolSiC 1200-V SiC Trench MOSFETs, for example, are built on a state-of-the-art trench semiconductor process that is optimized to deliver both the lowest losses and the highest reliability in operation.

The 650-V CoolSiC MOSFETs in a D²PAK with .XT interconnection technology offer improved switching behavior at higher currents and lower reverse recovery charge and drain-source charge than silicon. (Source: Infineon Technologies AG)

CoolSiC MOSFET advantages also include the lowest gate charge and device capacitance levels available in SiC switches, no reverse recovery losses of the anti-parallel diode, temperature-independent low switching losses, and threshold-free on-state characteristics. The advantages also include superior gate-oxide reliability enabled by a trench design, best-in-class switching and conduction losses, highest transconductance level (gain), a threshold voltage of Vth = 4 V and short-circuit robustness.

CoolSiC benefits include longer life, high efficiency for reduced cooling effort, reduced system complexity and cost, higher frequency operation, increased power density and ease of design and implementation. SiC MOSFET technology delivers the highest-level efficiency at high switching frequencies allowing for system size reduction, power density increases, and high lifetime reliability, according to Infineon.

Applications for CoolSiC devices in addition to servo and motor drives, include photovoltaic inverters, battery charging and formation, server and telecom power, energy storage and UPS, industrial SMPes and auxiliary power supplies.

Why the collaboration makes sense

Until the last decade, SiC was an exotic material for semiconductors. Today, SiC is essential to power electronics in part because of their inherent characteristics and because of the limitations of silicon. Silicon balks when used in higher temperatures, voltages and frequencies.

SiC has 10× the breakdown electric field strength and 3× the bandgap than silicon and it enables a wider range of p- and n-type control required for device construction. SiC also is cooled easier and faster than silicon, and it features low thermal expansion and excellent thermal shock resistance.

SiC will become dominant for power devices with voltage ratings in excess 600 V that require wider temperature ranges, thermal conductivity, lower switching losses and increased switching frequencies. Another important factor involves drift layer thickness, which can be reduced using SiC, allowing for smaller components. The thickness strongly influences a MOSFET’s on-resistance and SiC enables MOSFETs with lower ohmic losses, improving efficiency.

Infineon’s SiC MOSFETs are rugged and suited for harsh environments, a key material for industrial applications and electric vehicles.

Existing SiC expertise from both companies will be central to bringing next-generation energy-efficient motors and motor control to market.

Read the full article at Electronic Products.

Written by Mandy Chalman · Categorized: Coverage, IE Coverage · Tagged: electric motors, HVAC, PCB Stator

Nov 08 2022

Industrial electric motor startup Infinitum raises $30M to expand production in Mexico

Industrial electric motor startup Infinitum raises $30M to expand production in Mexico

Hiring on tap at Round Rock HQ, as well

By Brent Wistrom – Editor, Austin Inno

Round Rock-based electric motor company Infinitum didn’t reinvent the wheel. But it did reinvent how the fans and other components of industrial motors work by using different materials that last longer.

With a nearly endless market of industrial applications, such as HVAC systems, investors have been pumping millions of dollars into the company as it revs up production. On Nov. 8, a little less than six months after raising an $80 million series D round, Infinitum announced it has secured another $30 million in new investment as it looks to build more products faster.

The new investment included backing from prior investors Riverstone Holdings Latin America, Alliance Resource Partners, Caterpillar Venture Capital and Cottonwood Technology Fund. Additionally, the business founded in 2016 as Infinitum Electric Inc. has rebranded to just Infinitum.

“Partnering with our network of existing investors allows us to automate assembly in our dedicated facility so that we can scale production this year and next, to meet escalating customer demand for our highly efficient motors,” founder and CEO Ben Schuler stated. “Rebranding the company as Infinitum underscores our commitment to future generations by going beyond to produce motors that can power the world with less energy and waste because they are designed with circularity in mind.”

Ben Schuler

The company has now raised $168 million total.

Infinitum said the fresh capital will be used to expand its 65,000-square-foot production facility in Tijuana, Mexico, as well as expedite motor production and automate assembly of its products. The Tijuana site has about 20 contractors currently working on production, and it plans to add about 30 more in the next 12 months.

Infinitum has developed what it calls an Aircore EC motor that is smaller and lighter than traditional iron core motors that allow HVAC system designers to set up individual motor units that operate more efficiently and in small spaces.

Infinitum has 81 full-time employees, including 67 who are based at its Round Rock headquarters, which it established last May. The startup is currently hiring about 20 additional full-timers for its local office. Current openings include roles in finance, operations and sales.

In the third quarter, Austin-area companies raised $701 million across 70 deals, according to PitchBook data. That was down from the nearly $1.1 billion raised in the same quarter a year prior as venture capital activity slows nationwide.

Read the full article at Austin Business Journal.

Written by Mandy Chalman · Categorized: Coverage, IE Coverage · Tagged: electric motors, HVAC

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