Variable Speed Coupler Control

Variable Speed Coupler control application was specifically developed to provide control for the Voith Vorecon RWE and RWC variable speed drive units.  The Voith Vorecon RWE is the “compact” version of the Voith Vorecon, offering a speed control range of 60 – 100% of the electric motor’s nominal speed, and suitable for driven loads of 1,000 – 50,000 kW.  It uses a planetary gear arrangement and a torque converter. The Voith Vorecon RWC is suitable for applications with a higher driven load, or where it is desirable to reduce the start-up torque as much as possible. This is achieved by adding a hydrodynamic startup coupling to the RWE arrangement.

Key Benefits and Features

The Vorecon Speed Control (VSC) application was designed to have all the necessary I/O and functionality to interface the Vorecon. The VSC application’s primary function is to regulate the speed of a compressor to a desired set-point by modulating either the Vorecon’s Torque Converter’s inlet guide vanes (IGV) or the Vorecon’s Hydrodynamic Start-up Coupling’s scoop tube position to ensure that the compressor speed remains within a safe and acceptable range.  The VSC application includes the following features:

• Compressor speed may be measured by up to three frequency inputs or three analog inputs
• Two independent Speed Control loops, one for the Torque Converter using the IGVs as its modulating element and one for the Start-up Coupling using the scoop tube as its modulating element
• Bumpless toggling between Remote and Local set points for the Torque Converter Speed Loop
• Overspeed trip function
• Overspeed Avoidance algorithm
• Manual control of both Torque Converter’s IGV and Start-up Coupling’s scoop tube
• Automatic start-up and shut-down sequencing
• Critical Speed Avoidance
• Seamless integration with other CCC control applications, e.g. Performance and Antisurge Controllers.

Voith and Vorecon are registered trademarks of Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG