Gas compression is commonly used across a range of industries where refrigeration is required, including food processing and pharmaceuticals. In such contexts, this technology can play a key role in enhancing productivity and energy efficiency. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that ensuring the smooth running of gas compressors is top of the agenda for global manufacturers such as Mayekawa. The company turned to Weg technology to equip its latest packaging compressor units with reliable and highly efficient motors.
Mayekawa is a leading provider of freezing and compressor technologies with 3,500 employees worldwide. The company offers a comprehensive range of gas compressors to meet the needs of a variety of applications requiring refrigeration. One of Mayekawa's key goals is to supply its customers with highly efficient and energy-saving solutions for line engineering processes including material acceptance, thawing, heating, cooling, freezing, packaging, boxing, and product storage.
At its Belgian operations, Mayekawa specialises in the production of packaging compressor units for food processing, pharmaceutical and petrochemicals industries. This equipment plays an important role in thermal management processes, which are key to ensuring the quality and safety of products such as freeze-dried medicines or even the flavour, quality and taste of foods.
Ensuring reliability and efficiency
With compressors playing a major role in vital thermal management processes, efficiency and reliability are top the agenda for Mayekawa. For example, its SCV-Series of standard screw compressors is a thoroughly reliable and easy to maintain oil injected screw compressor package which delivers the highest performance during its lifetime of operation. The use of the SCV-Series in thousands of refrigeration installations worldwide is testimony to its quality.
Besides the SCV-Series, Mayekawa's GH-Series of high pressure screw compressors are capable of running continuously at a discharge pressure of 50 barG. By employing a special rotor profile the GH-series enables a highly efficient operation. The GH-series compressors are designed for various gases: Hydrocarbons, Helium, Hydrogen, CO2, NH3 and others. Therefore these compressors are ideal for such applications as low temperature freezing systems on CO2 with a defrost cycle. Mayekawa's range also includes J-series compressors offering higher coefficient of performance (COP) at higher evaporation temperature thanks to a special rotor shape and HK and HS-series delivering higher pressures, which are needed in heat pump applications. Every compressor needs an electric motor to power it and, with this in mind, Mayekawa demanded reliable electric motors which could drive its compressors smoothly and efficiently. To meet such needs, the company approached WEG, which specified its open drip-proofed (ODP), W22 super premium motors and W40 industrial motors
"WEG motors are well known for their high quality and reliability, thus they are the ideal match for our compressors, which are used in industries where avoiding downtime and maintaining high levels of productivity are top priorities," comments Michel Ernemann, Head of Purchase at Mayekawa Europe. "Not only does WEG produce very reliable and safe equipment, it also offers a great customer service and, thanks to its worldwide network, is always responsive in assisting us throughout our operations across, Europe, Africa and the Middle East."
Meeting environmental obligations
Besides ensuring reliability, sustainability and the environment are also key considerations for Mayekawa. "Reducing our environmental footprint is top of our agenda and when it came to choosing electric motors to drive our packaging compressor units we put energy efficiency first," comments Michel. "Weg motors are well-known for their high efficiency standards and will help us fully comply with the IE3 regulations."
Mayekawa needed Weg equipment to comply with the latest energy efficiency standards. From June 2011 until now, carbon footprint reduction regulations stipulated that motors shall not be less efficient than the IE2. However, the new legislation which came into force on January 1, 2015 stipulates that motors with a rated output of 7,5-375 kW shall not be less efficient than the IE3 or meet the IE2 efficiency and be equipped with a variable speed drive (VSD). With motors being responsible for over 40% of total global energy consumption and 70% of industry's energy usage, the highly efficient Weg motors driving Mayekawa's compressors are beneficial to end users, helping them achieve significant energy savings.
The W22 Super Premium is the only complete standard range available on the market to exceed the yet-to-be-implemented IE4 regulations. The motor gives outstanding performance across the full power range from 3 kW to 355 kW and presents up to 40% less losses compared to previous designs. The three-phase induction motor is based on W22 motor mechanical design and meets the requirements of the most demanding industrial users, offering increased productivity, extended lifetime and lower maintenance. These features make it ideal for demanding industrial applications including fans, blowers, pumps and compressors. Similar to W22 motors, the ODP range offers high reliability and safety. The ODP range has been specifically designed to provide maximum ventilation and heat dissipation and thus operate al lower temperatures to ensure extended life cycles and easier maintenance.
W40 motors are the smallest members of the manufacturer's standard industrial motors family and are only suitable for applications where dirt and moisture are not factors. Weg launched new frame sizes from IEC280L to IEC450 with rated power from 185 to 1,500 kW for low and medium voltages. They have IP23 or IP24 protection rating. These modular motors also feature especially low noise and vibration levels.
