Soft starters
Together with Schneider Electric, Hoyer Drives & Controls offers a wide range of soft starters. We offer customised solutions where the starting and stopping of the electric motor is adapted to the application and market requirements.
ATS 22
Industrial
ATS 480
Marine and Industrial
MOTOR SIZES
4-900 kW
Hoyer's range of soft starters
Our assortment of soft starters, developed in partnership with Schneider Electric, caters to a wide array of industrial applications.
Whether it's for a small pump or a large conveyor system, we have a soft start solution, as well as other drives and controls that fits. The soft starters are meticulously designed to ensure smooth operation, featuring soft start capabilities that reduce electrical and mechanical stress on your equipment.
The solutions are versatile enough to support various sectors, including soft starters for pumps for the water industry and industrial soft starters for heavy-duty machinery.
General information
When designing applications driven by electric motors, consider what happens when you start and stop the motor. Incorrect component assembly can result in reduced product life or even complete system failure. In addition to start-up methods such as direct on line (DOL), Star/Delta starters and the use of variable frequency drives, the soft starter is an obvious choice for starting many applications.
A soft starter works by gradually increasing the voltage to the motor for a smoother and softer start. Stopping gradually reduces the voltage and ensures a more controlled stop.
Key benefits of soft starters
The main advantages of using a soft starter are better control of the application, limiting mechanical wear and stress, as well as limiting peaks in current.
With a single point of contact, Hoyer Drives & Control offers combined soft starter and electric motor solutions based on the Hoyer motor range and the ATS 22 and ATS 48 series from Schneider Electric.
Selecting a soft starter depends on the following criteria:
- Application type and load
- Rated output and motor current
- Supply voltage conditions and locations
- Start and stop frequency in a given period
Soft starter or VFD?
Both soft starters and variable frequency drives can reduce starting currents and limit torque in your motors.
Where a motor with variable frequency drivehas control of the speed and voltage of the motor throughout the entire run cycle, including the start and stop, a soft starter’s benefit lies in the start and stop of the motor. The soft starter gradually increases and decreases the voltage to the motor during start and stop. Soft starters are thus essential when your applications require a gradual start to avoid torque spikes.
Choosing the right soft starter involves considering a variety of factors to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with your electric motors:
- Motor size and type: Ensuring the soft starter can handle the motor’s power requirements.
- Application type: Different applications may require specific soft starter features.
- Environmental conditions: Assessing the operating environment for temperature, dust, and moisture.
- Load type: Understanding the nature of the load (constant or variable torque).
- System integration: Compatibility with existing control systems and infrastructure.
To help you make an informed decision, you can read our guide for soft starters for electric motors
Product information
Hoyer can also offer line and bypass contactors to suit the soft starter application, as well as complete starter panels tailored to the task.
Applications
Pumps
In pump applications, such as centrifugal pumps, a soft starter is often used to reduce motor torque during the start-up sequence. The soft start and soft stop option prevents pressure surges that can cause wear and stress on pipe systems.
Soft starters are used for a wide range of marine pump applications, including ballast water pumps, cargo pumps and scrubber pumps. They are often used for cargo pumps that require soft start and stop, but otherwise run at full speed.
Ventilation
Soft starters are often used to reduce the starting torque on centrifugal fans. Among other things, this can prevent V-belts from slipping and at the same time limit voltage drops on the grid, which can otherwise be caused by the high motor start currents that can occur at DOL start-up. A significant number of large fans are driven by powerful motors fitted with flywheels, which require a high starting torque. On these applications, a soft starter can support a smooth start and stop by reducing the starting voltage and extending the start time.
Compressors
A soft starter provides better starting performance for compressors, especially screw compressors, where the load torque increases with speed. It reduces the initial load of the application and can thus extend the mechanical life of the product.
Marine applications
Using a soft starter in marine applications has the benefit of reducing the risk of current surges during motor start-up. This prevents the generator from being overloaded and reduces potential operating errors caused by voltage drops.
Contact us
Do you have any questions, or do you want to know more about our solutions within soft starters? Contact us via below contact form.