Maximizing Space Minimizes Cost

Craig Hartman (Director of Energy) and Doug Stewart (Electrical Engineer) knew that retrofitting the plasma-cupola process with variable frequency drive (VFD) systems would improve Geneva Steel’s steelmaking capabilities. But they also knew there simply wasn’t enough room.

Sixteen VFD build ups and an I/O cabinet were needed, ranging from 25 through 60 horsepower. This was 235% more equipment than the eighteen feet of available space could accommodate. These VFD build ups are typically each placed in their own cabinet enclosure, taking up room that Geneva Steel didn’t have.

“If we had only used the number of VFD build ups the room allowed, then we wouldn’t have been able to save energy or improve precision,” said Stewart.

“And the cost of constructing a second building was enormous,” added Craig Hartman.

Then, Hartman and Stewart sat down with a team of engineers from Energy Management Corp., the local supplier of MDI Systems VFD packages.

“When they (Geneva Steel) explained the situation to us, we knew it was a perfect application for the MDI Systems VFD Power Center, with the ‘Slide-a-Drive’ option,” stated Steve Rossiter, President of Energy Management Corp.

EMC took the site requirements, the VFD sizing, and the needed space for cooling the equipment into consideration. By utilizing the MDI Systems Slide-a- Drive(TM) technology, they would be able to consolidate to fewer panels and conserve space that was not available on site.

The compact and more efficient system allowed Geneva Steel to fit sixteen VFD systems, each with 5% line reactors, and a two-foot I/O cabinet within an 18-foot span along the north (right) wall of this control center. This meant that the needed process control and energy savings could help Geneva Steel to improve their delivery on site.

Click here to find out more about VFD’s and services offered by Energy Management Corporation.