Control

Maintenance
Dave Polka
ABBs Drives & Power Products Group

Basic VFD
D
o you know how to maintain a variable frequency drive (VFD)? Its easier than you might think. By integrating some simple, logical steps into your preventive maintenance (PM) program, you can ensure your drives provide many years of trouble-free service. Before looking at those steps, however, lets quickly review what a VFD is and how it works. sequence. A microprocessor or digital signal processor meets all the internal logic and decision requirements. From this description, you can see a VFD is essentially little more than a computer and a power supply. For that reason, the same safety and equipment precautions youd apply to a computer/ power supply combination apply here. VFD maintenance requirements fall into three basic categories: Keep it clean. Keep it dry. Keep the connections tight. Lets look at each of these. Keep It Clean Most VFDs fall into either the NEMA 1 (side vents for cooling airflow) or the NEMA 12 (sealed, dust-tight enclosure) category. Drives categorized as NEMA 1 are susceptible to dust contamination (see Figure 1). Dust on an electronic device (such as VFD hardware) can cause a malfunction or even failure. It contributes to a lack of airflow, resulting in diminished performance from heat sinks and circulating fans. Dust absorbs moisture, which also plays a role in failure. Periodically spraying air through the heat sink fan is a good PM measure. However, although discharging compressed air into a VFD is a viable option in some environments, typical plant air contains oil and water. To use compressed air for cooling, you must

A VFD controls the speed, torque, and direction of an AC induction motor. It takes fixed-voltage, fixedIts not hard to frequency AC input and conkeep a drive running, verts it to a variable-voltage, variable-frequency AC output. if you follow a few In very small VFDs, a single power-pack unit might contain simple steps. the converter and inverter. Intricate control circuitry coordinates the switching of power devices, typically through a control board that dictates firing power components in the proper

1 This VFD shows evidence of fan-injected dust particles.

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use dry, oil-free air or youre likely to do more harm than good. This, in turn, requires a specialized, dedicated, and expensive air supply. Moreover, you still run the risk of generating electrostatic discharges (ESDs). A non-staticgenerating spray or a reverse-operated ESD vacuum reduces static buildup. Common plastics are prime generators of static electricity. The material in ESD vacuum cases and fans is a special, non-static-generating plastic. These vacuums, and cans of non-static-generating compressed air, are available through companies that specialize in static control equipment. Keep It Dry Figure 2 shows a control board that was periodically subjected to a moist environment. Initially, this VFD was wall mounted in a clean, dry area of a mechanical room, and moisture wasnt a problem. However, as is often the case, a wellmeaning modification led to problems. An area of the building required a dehumidifier close to the mechanical room. Because wall space was available above the VFD, this is where the dehumidifier went. Unfortunately, this was a NEMA 1style VFD. The obvious result: Water dripped from the dehumidifier into the drive. In six months, the VFD accumulated enough water to produce circuit board corrosion. What about condensation? Some VFD manufacturers included a type of condensation protection on earlier product versions. When the mercury dipped below 32F, the software logic wouldnt allow the drive to start. VFDs seldom offer this protection today. If you operate the VFD all day, every day, the normal radiant heat from the heat sink should prevent condensation. However, unless the unit is in continuous operation, use a NEMA 12 enclosure and thermostatically controlled space heater if you locate it where condensation is likely. Keep Connections Tight While this sounds simple, checking connections is a step many people miss entirely or do incorrectlyand the requirement applies even in clean rooms. Heat cycles and mechanical vibration can lead to substandard connections, as can standard PM practices. Retorquing screws isnt a good idea, and further tightening an already tight connection can ruin it (see sidebar, page 36). Bad connections eventually lead to arcing. Arcing at the VFD input could result in nuisance overvoltage faults, clearing of input fuses, or damage to protective components. Arcing at the VFD output could result in overcurrent faults or even damage to the power components. Figures 3 and 4 demonstrate potential results. Loose control wiring connections can cause erratic operation. For example, a loose START/ STOP signal wire can cause uncontrollable VFD stops. A loose speed reference wire can cause the drive speed to fluctuate, resulting in scrap, machine damage, or personnel injury.

or u db 2 Cxcrosiion caoiseure.y e ess ve m st

i 3 Loose cniputspower conne t on .

4 Loose output power connections.

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Additional Steps 1) As part of a mechanical inspection procedure, dont overlook internal VFD components. Check circulating fans for signs of bearing failure or foreign objectsusually indicated by unusual noise or shafts that appear wobbly (Figure 5). 2) Inspect DC bus capacitors for bulging and leaking (Figure 6). Either could be a sign of component stress or electrical misuse. 3) Take voltage measurements while the VFD is in operation. Fluctuations in DC bus voltage measurements can indicate degradation of DC bus capacitors. One function of the capacitor bank is to act as a filter section (smoothing out any AC ripple voltage on the bus). Abnormal AC voltage on the DC bus indicates the capacitors are headed for trouble. Most VFD manufacturers have a special terminal block for this type of measurement and for connecting the dynamic braking resistors. Measurements more than 4 VAC may indicate a capacitor filtering problem or a possible problem with the diode bridge converter section (ahead of the bus). If you have such voltage levels, consult the VFD manufacturer before taking further action. With the VFD in START and at zero speed, you should read output voltage of 40 VAC phase to phase or less. If you read more than this, you may have transistor leakage. At zero speed, the power components shouldnt be operating. If your readings are 60 VAC or more, you can expect power component failure. 4) What about spare VFDs? Store them in a clean, dry environment, with no condensation allowed. Place this unit in your PM system so you know to power it up every six months to keep the DC bus capacitors at their peak performance capability. Otherwise, their charging ability will significantly diminish. A capacitor is much like a battery: It needs to go into service soon after purchase or suffer a loss of usable life. 5) Regularly monitor heat sink temperatures. Most VFD manufacturers make this task easy by including a direct temperature readout on the keypad or display. Verify where this readout is, and make checking it part of a weekly or monthly review of VFD operation. You wouldnt place your laptop computer outside, on the roof of a building, or in direct sunlight, where temperatures could reach as high as +115F or as low as 10F. A VFD, which is essentially a computer with a power supply, needs the same consideration. Some VFD manufacturers advertise 200,000 hoursalmost 23 yearsof mean time between failures. Such impressive performance is easy to obtain if you MC follow these simple procedures.

Make Contact!

Dave Polka is the drives training manager for ABBs Drives & Power Products Group. Contact him at 16250 West Glendale Drive, New Berlin, WI 53151; tel: (414) 785-3517; fax: (414) 789-8608; dave.polka@ us.abb.com; www.abb.com/usa.

Retorquing A Screwy Practice Although retorquing as a way of checking tightness is common in many PM procedures, it violates basic mechanical principles and does more harm than good. A screw has maximum clamping power at a torque value specific to its size, shape, and composition. Exceeding that torque value permanently reduces the screws clamping power by reducing its elasticity and deforming it. Loosening and then retorquing still reduces elasticity, which still means a loss of clamping power. Doing this to a lock washer results in a permanent 50% loss. What should you do? Use an infrared (IR) thermometer to note hot connections. Check their torque. If theyve merely worked loose, try retightening them. Note which screws were loose, and be sure to give them an IR check at the next PM cycle. If theyre loose again, replace them. Finally, dont forget the tug test. This checks crimps, as well as screw connections. Dont do this while the drives online running the process, though, or you may cause some very expensive disturbances.
36 June 2001 Motion Control

5 A fan with a foreign object in it.

6 An obvious capacitor stress problem.