Drives

AC and DC Variable Speed Drives Application Considerations
Introduction
Knowing what controller/motor package to use in a given situation is just one of the subjects covered in this overview of ACand DC drive application considerations. Published originally as a direct mail piece for distribution use, it has been updated with additional information on drive selection to make it a more usefulreference and training tool. This has been previously released as publication D-7151, but is updated here. This information also appears in the introduction section of the Standard Drives Catalog(D-406). Drive products support diverse applications with a wide variety of products. AC drives serve processing needs and industrial applications such as fans, pumps, mixers, conveyors, and extruders,plus many more. DC drives control processing equipment such as for sheet metal, material handling, and center winders/unwinders. Any drive featured in this publication will provide some form ofmotor speed regulation and variable speed operation. Within these categories, we offer a broad spectrum of horsepower ranges, drive interconnectivity capabilities, and flexibilities.
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ApplicationSolution

Application Discussion
Which drive is right for you? Your choice depends on many application-specific factors such as ambient conditions, type of loads, duty cycle, maintenanceaccessibility, horsepower range, sequencing, and more. The following brief guidelines have been developed to provide you with a basic understanding of the differences between AC and DC drive technologies. Ifyou have specific questions, or require application/selection assistance, please contact your nearest Reliance Electric Sales Office or authorized Reliance Distributor. AC DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS
•AC drives utilize a solid-state adjustable frequency inverter which adjusts frequency and voltage for varying the speed of an otherwise, conventional fixed speed AC motor. This is achieved through...