The use of intelligent motor control system in industrial application

This article is to analyze the Motor Control Center (MCC) by its technical structure and network structure, intelligent components and software. By use the typical design process to analyze the implementation of the MCC in the industrial area and technology development trend. typical design process analysis for the intelligent MCC

一、Motor control center，MCC

The motor control center production plays an important role in the industry production, It’s the integration of various motor control and processing control devices. For those application of traditional MCC products, the control system is connect by wire connection for data transmission, the wiring is very complicated and the data transmission is very limited.

As the technology development of IT and intelligent electronic components, it comes out the new generation of intelligent motor control center(iMCC), which is the combination of hardware, software and networking.

Advantages:

（1）internal communication network

（2）intelligent electronic components is connect with network communication in each units 

（3）Monitoring software only for MCC

（4）Network connection control system instead of cable wiring

 

Intelligent Motor Control Center (iMCC)

1. Communication

It could establish a communication network by RS485, Ethernet with the following advantages:

（1）Reduce error caused by the control terminal

（2）Reduce the I/O numbers of the PLC , system, including the D/I and D/O

（3）Reduce human cost and cable material uses

 

2. Intelligent Motor protector

As the core component of the MCC, the intelligent motor protector committed for the following functions:

（1）Stronger protection function, much more than relay control

（2）Including Zero sequence earth fault, PTC thermal resistance input and overload, loss phase, locked-rotor and current imbalance etc. All the protection function were digitalized configuring, precise and reliable, alarm and trip function is available

（3）The alarm function setting is pre-alarm available

（4）Internal Modbus-RTU、Profibus-DP、DeviceNet communication port：all the control within external I/O module of the external PLC

（5）。Provides multiple D/I and D/O for the contactor acquisition and circuit breaker status and the control contactor movement.

（6）Usage of the internal storage information: provide the useful preventive information, including alarm of tripping, time of reset, percentage of heat capacity and the latest multiple alarm and tripping records etc. Customized parameters were available.

 

3.  iMCC Monitoring software

Intelligent iMCC has its own monitoring software to detect various data and monitoring the devices status.

The following characteristics defined the basic characters of the iMCC software

 

（1）    Setup network communication-configure and establish the integrated network communication is a time consuming work. But under ideal circumstances, the manufacturer of the iMCC could download the particular information of the user(customized or standard diagram), such as node address and baud rate into the iMCC products, to test the functionality and communication accuracy of the entire system.

（2）    Display the pre-station images, provide the normal parameters, the intelligent iMCC software could pick up the customized data and display the relevant pictures.

（3）    Panel layout: it provides the layout of the iMCC control panel, display the types of each units, status and various information.

（4）    Detail information rule of the specified circuit, providing various information of the each circuit.

（5）    Data access is available at any level within the internal network，users could access the iMCC data at any level by network, such as devices net, control net or Ethernet

（6）    Including all the relevant documentation: universal software document database provides full range of the documentation as to enhance the work efficiency when the error was happened but the technician could not find the user’s manual. Such documentation including the single unit wiring diagram, cabinet layout of the cabinet, user’s manual and spare parts list

 

4. Cost evaluation

The intelligent iMCC use the communication network wiring instead of various hard cable connection. Comparing to the traditional MCC, the cost of iMCC is could be the same as the MCC. But the benefit of the iMCC communication network is clear. The portable unit enhance the flexibility of system, simplified the system wiring and documentation filed. The cost of the new generation intelligent electronic components such as motor protector, AC frequency converter and soft starter is not high but the benefit is good, the users could get the high class control and monitoring, diagnostic function etc.

So the intelligent iMCC solution were implemented in more and more industries and becomes the first choice of the petrochemical, metallurgy, cement and papermaking industries.

5. Advantages analysis

The intelligent iMCC reduce the cost of design, installation and documentary. the possibility of cost saving is the less use of cable, including cable stands and connection devices such as cabinets, control system I/O module and insect relay. Comparing to the traditional MCC installation, the intelligent iMCC user report that there is 15% cost down. The user could reduce the cost by diagnostic function of the motor management and control device, it also helps the user for trouble shooting. It’s great benefit to release the electrical engineers from repeat testing work by data analysis function of the motor management and control device.

Summery

As the cost of the intelligent devices is decreasing, the motor management and control device of the iMCC provides an advanced technology including diagnose flourishing, enhancement of systematic reliability, design flexibility and wiring simplified. Although an stable, reliable design is great help for error control and minimized devices stop duration, but the network function of the motor management and control device is also important. It’s predicted that the motor management and control device will become the first priority of the motor control center construction.