The world’s leading supplier of marine air conditioning, Dometic Marine, has been chosen for a prominent DAME Award for its new Bypassable Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). Released at IBEX 2011, the innovative device is the first Bypassable VFD introduced to the marine market and is created to provide builders and owners with extensive benefits including the elimination of electrical and navigation system interference.
Dometic Marine - Bypassable Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)
Frank Marciano, President of Dometic Marine, commented: “This is the second consecutive year that one of our products has been nominated for a DAME Award and it is a testament to our expert engineers and design team who have yet again worked tirelessly to develop an innovative, problem-solving product”.
“For years, yacht builders, owners and engineers have tolerated the unwanted side effects of VFDs that are used to gently start and stop a chiller’s compressor. Representing a clear breakthrough in marine VFD technology, Dometic’s Bypassable VFD not only eliminates start-up surge, but after the start-up is completed it seamlessly disconnects itself, eliminating all harmonic distortion and RFI.”
Used to smoothly and gently start an air conditioning system’s compressor, VFDs eliminate large current surges that would otherwise interrupt the yacht’s AC power supply. Although providing a significant benefit, standard VFDs also cause harmonic distortion and radio frequency interference (RFI) with electrical and navigation systems and require the installation of line filters and conditioners to eliminate the disturbance.
Easily installed within the yacht’s engine room, Dometic’s Bypassable VFD is electrically connected between the power supply and the air conditioning system’s compressor. Once in operation the innovative device smoothly and gradually increases the compressor’s motor current without any start-up surge.
Unlike standard marine VFDs, once at speed Dometic’s Bypassable VFD is precisely synchronized with the current and then seamlessly bypassed so it is no longer part of the electrical circuit, which eliminates noise and radio frequency interference (RFI). Just before the compressor is turned off, the sophisticated Bypassable VFD is brought back into the circuit to gradually ramp down frequency and voltage and bring the compressor to a smooth stop.
Controlling up to four compressors, Dometic’s Bypassable VFD is especially cost-effective for chillers with two to four stages. Standard VFD technology requires one VFD per compressor. The innovative device also protects the compressor by monitoring input voltage and output current and will shut down if a problem is detected. Its unique digital display allows users to monitor operation and faults.
To find out more about Dometic’s Bypassable Variable Frequency Drive, please visit stands 01.615, 01.715 and 10.417 during METS, 15th – 17th November 2011.
