New Industry Products

Medium-Voltage Multi-Level Inverters for IIoT

July 26, 2016 by Jeff Shepard

Hitachi, Ltd. has introduced HIVECTOL-HVI-E2 Series to expand its product line of HIVECTOL-HVI medium voltage multi-level IGBT drives, which contribute to energy conservation in process plants, as well as improvements in productivity and quality. Sale of E2 Series, the smallest in class, will start on October 1st. Hitachi will market these products targeting a broad range of fields throughout the world, including chemical, iron & steel, cement, and water treatment plants.

By adopting an all-in-one structure with the main circuit and control components combined in a single unit, and installed on a single platform rather than using separate platforms, the E2 Series has been made light and compact, thereby increasing the flexibility of installation, and improving efficiency in transport, installation, and maintenance operations. The unit is also designed for integration into the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), being equipped with data gathering and communication functions.

Retrofitting inverters to fans and pumps of process plants in order for efficient operation has become a growing trend in industrial plants. In particular, inverters for 2000kW (or less) motors have higher demand in steel, chemical and other process plant. On the other hand, limitation of installation space and efficient transportation, installation and maintenance has become matters and requirement for advanced facility operation and for IIoT connectivity is increasing.

To meet these needs, installation area for the E2 Series is reduced by approximately 30% compared to existing models, by adopting optimum parts mounting technologies and cooling design technologies, and realized the smallest in class. In this way, the E2 Series can be installed even in locations where space is limited. Furthermore, with its all-in-one structure, the E2 Series can be transported without disassembly. This leads transport and installation operations more efficient. The unit is also IoT compatible, with functions for gathering and communicating data on facility operations. The compact size of the components of main circuit improves ease of maintenance.

Hitachi is strengthening the global competitiveness of its industrial product business, while at the same time focusing its efforts on enhancing products that can be linked through digital technologies. The new HIVECTOL-HVI-E2 Series of medium voltage multi-level IGBT drives was developed with the advanced motor control technologies and the extensive track record, accumulated over 80 years in the field of drive systems. Through the broad sales of these products, Hitachi will contribute to greater energy conservation in industrial fields.

Main features include: The smallest inverter in class, it takes up very little space, so can be installed in locations with limited space available. This also enables transport more efficient, as it can be loaded in standard containers. The all-in-one structure, combining the main circuit, control, and transformer components, enables efficient transport and installation operations using a forklift, with no need for disassembly. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is installed as a standard feature. This enables the gathering and communication of facilities operation data, and Internet connectivity supports IIoT compatibility. The compact size of the components of main circuit, along with optimum circuit wiring, minimizes time required for maintenance and inspections. Auto tuning functions reduce the time of product implementation. 15 year maintenance services (long-term comprehensive maintenance and long-term warrantee are offered as an option).