Amtech Electronics (India) Limited, a manufacturer of variable frequency drives (VFD) and soft starters recently announced the installation and commissioning of 11 kV, 7.7 MW, VFD, the largest capacity in Asia, at Birla Copper Limited. This was done through a business partnership between Amtech Electronics (India) Limited and Hiconics Drive Technology Company Limited, Beijing, China for the supply of medium voltage drive (MVD) not only in India but overseas as well on global basis.

The company, a flagship of Amtech Group of Companies, based at Gandhinagar is engaged in the business of motion control and automation. "We expect to reduce the electric power consumption by 15% to 20% on SO2 blower application," said Piyush Patel, Director, Amtech Electronics (India) Ltd, addressing a press conference at Ahmedabad. According to Mr Patel, this is the largest direct medium voltage drive installation in Asia of its type. Amtech have already installed MVDs with ID, FD and PA Fan applications in power plant and established more than 20% reduction in electrical power consumption.

Amtech Electronics (India) Ltd and Aditya Birla Group are having a long term Vendor- Customer partnership for last 20 years. Amtech is the only company in India manufacturing a total range of low voltage AC variable frequency drives (AC VFD) locally. It also exports these products to developed countries like USA, South East Asia and European Countries. Bigger capacity of AC VFDs find major applications in industries with pumps, fans, blowers and compressors for process control and energy conservation. Typically the payback period of VFDs is in range of 6 to 15 months.

Energy is a prime valuable resource and its conservation is the responsibility of every industry. Government of India is giving utmost importance to the subject of energy and its working through associations like BEE, GEDA, FICCI, CII to drive the concept of energy conservation. Amtech is in close touch with these organisations, being the manufacturer of Variable Frequency Drives having energy conservation potential of 30% to 70% for applications like Fans, Blowers, Pumps, Compressors and so on. Normally it is observed that though a VFD saves power, it generates power pollution in form of high harmonic current and low power factor. Also, customer may be required to change the existing motor. However, Amtech-Hiconics MVD does not generate the harmonics, the power factor is very good and any existing motor can be used with it. This is possible because of the latest technology adopted by them. Mr Piyush Patel claimed that their MVDs offer the power factor better than 0.96, input and output harmonics is practically zero and efficiency is better than 97%.