10x - 20HP VFD's in one control panel

[iLeKtRiKoS]

Hi all,

I am tasked to work on a control panel that will house 10x - 20HP VFD's, (VFD Details: 20Hp, 460V, 35A, 3Ø, 60Hz. My plan is to have 1-400A main circuit breaker,
1-300HP ac line reactor and an individual branch circuit breaker. I have determine the total heat loss and cooling was not an issue. Can you please help me if this design as fine and within standard. What solution have you guys used in the past?Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[ptonsparky]

I think you will need a lot more detail than what you gave to even begin.
That might be something you want to farm out to a panel builder.

 

[iLeKtRiKoS]

I think you will need a lot more detail than what you gave to even begin.
That might be something you want to farm out to a panel builder.

This will be use to control and individual pumps. What details do I need to provide so we can have solution

 

[ptonsparky]

Do the drives require fusing?
Load reactors?
Does it need UL or other listing agency stamp?
Thirty years ago I would have thrown something together. Not that easy any more.

Not necessarily a panel builder but a MCC.

 

[going_commando]

Stuff like that is normal in sawmills, it's done every day.

 

[iLeKtRiKoS]

To the best of my knowledge, I would like to have an individual fuse or breaker for each VFD that controls its own motor. I'm from Canada, and this will be CSA certified. No load reactors, just a 5% line reactor.

 

[iLeKtRiKoS]

Stuff like that is normal in sawmills, it's done every day.

Probably. This one is going down in California.

 

[hillbilly1]

Stuff like that is normal in sawmills, it's done every day.

Yeah, they just fuse everything off the main! No individual ocp! LOL! Got one a customer bought last year, and I have to clean it up.

 

[herding_cats]

YASKAWA dealer here:

I can design the panel for you, show you where and if line or load reactors are required.

 

[kwired]

Line side reactor is partly for adding line side impedance for fault current limiting purposes. Question is will a reactor sized for a 200 HP drive have enough impedance to limit fault current enough for a 20 HP drive? I guess first thing is to know what the available fault current is to begin with before you can even answer this question.

 

[Jraef]

20 x 20HP VFDs in one panel is a lot. I have a couple of few thoughts:

1. It’s best to limit the line side impedance ahead of a VFD to avoid possible transients in excess of what the VFD front ends can handle. The rule of thumb is that if using a line reactor, you don’t want the reactor to be larger than 10x the rating of any VFD. So your plan for all 20 behind one reactor puts them all at risk. I would split that up into two groups of 10.
2. You also need to check with the VFD manufacturer as to the protective devices they are listed with, as well as the sizes and coordination with regard to SCCR. That much of a power feed will have a significant level of available fault current, so a simple untested/uncoordinated 5kA SCCR value is going to leave you with not being able to connect this (and meet Code).
3. Be VERY careful with conductors, routing, shielding etc. you are going to have a LOT of EMI/RFI issues in that box. Follow all of the manufacture’s recommendations and keep line and load conductors totally separate, as well as no multiple outputs in common conduits.