An “intelligent” motor developed in Nottingham appears to offer a game-changing combination of energy savings, performance and small size, providing “an industrial motor with advanced variable frequency technology in a package that is 60% smaller than current market offerings”.
The group behind the technology at the heart of the approach suggests it has the potential to revolutionise the energy efficiency of industrial processes in harsh environments. It was developed by researchers at the University of Nottingham and spinout firm The Thinking Pod innovations (TTPi), in partnership with VIDAR, an ITT company.
VIDAR, a smart motor launched last week in the United States, can adjust its speed in response to changing workload, lowering energy usage and CO2 emissions.
The first of its kind, the smart motor is purpose built for harsh industrial environments. It will drive pumps and fans in industrial settings, such as food and drink processing, energy production, water purification and chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, among others.
In installations at industrial facilities, the smart motor has lowered energy usage by half, reduced costs and increased the lifespan of rotating equipment (case studies are available).
Dr Liliana de Lillo and Professor Lee Empringham, from the University of Nottingham Power Electronics and Machines Group, embarked on a multi-year partnership with ITT to co-develop the VIDAR power converter technology. More recently, the work has continued with the university spin out TTPi, which Professor Empringham and Dr de Lillo co-founded with others in 2017.
Professor Empringham said: “The world is turning to electricity as a source of sustainable energy to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions, which is vital for the future of our planet. The discussions and debates often focus on renewable sources of that energy, which is massively important, but there is another side to that coin and that is to use the energy we generate more efficiently.
“Compact smart motors and the technology that makes them work are a huge step on the road to Net Zero,” added Dr de Lillo. “They can revolutionise industrial processes, so they not only become more efficient, but also to ensure they use less of the world’s precious resources. Through the development and launch of VIDAR we have shown this can be done. It is a game-changer.”
ITT, the industry partner of TTPi and the University of Nottingham, estimates that there is a $6 billion total addressable market for industrial motors. Each year, roughly $300 billion is spent globally to move fluids for critical applications including food and beverage processing, energy production, water purification and chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, among others. Approximately 85% of industrial pumps and fans rely on outdated fixed speed motors and mechanical controls, which often run at full speed constantly, resulting in excess energy usage and low reliability.
Solutions on the market have included variable frequency drives (VFDs), which require costly installation and are space prohibitive in severe, cramped industrial settings.
VFDs must be installed in clean, temperature-controlled rooms to protect their sensitive electronics. A plant with hundreds or thousands of pumps and fans would require significant extra space or new electrical buildings for VFDs. As a result, many industrial companies have been deterred from using them.
However, VIDAR and the Nottingham team have developed a solution that integrates power converters with the motor and control systems. It uses novel power conversion technology, co-developed by VIDAR and the University of Nottingham, with advanced controls supported by TTPi.
Years of collaboration, in which prototypes were iterated and refined through rigorous testing, have prepared the VIDAR motor for real-world applications and the smart motor is compact enough to be embedded in a standard motor housing envelope.
The result is an industrial motor with advanced variable frequency technology in a package that is 60% smaller than current market offerings. The precise motor speed control ensures the rotating equipment is running at desired flow rates, reducing energy and maintenance costs and equipment downtime.
VIDAR’s advanced engineering enables it to replace an existing conventional motor as a ‘drop-in’ replacement, eliminating the need for special wiring, expensive VFDs or additional clean room enclosures.
The performance of VIDAR’s new smart motor was evaluated and assessed through thousands of hours of testing in a variety of harsh industrial environments. In one example, replacing a single fixed-speed motor on an industrial pump with VIDAR decreased power consumption by 52%.
“VIDAR’s innovative design unlocks energy and cost savings potential by addressing common barriers to efficiency and reliability that have impacted the industry in the past,” said Dan Kernan, Vice President and General Manager, VIDAR.
“VIDAR makes the advantage of adjustable speed over fixed speed motors available to more customers of pumps, fans, and fluid process systems through a simplified, combined solution that’s easy to install and simple to operate.”
The first shipments of VIDAR are expected to occur in Q3 2025, and the company expects shipments to increase considerably beginning in 2026.
