Water is the lifeblood of our civilization; we use 10 billion tons of freshwater on a daily basis worldwide. For cities and townships around the globe, this means transporting and distributing water through vast networks of pipes across wide areas. Such piping infrastructure needs pumps, pumps need motors, and motors need motor controls to keep the lifeblood of civilization flowing.

In 2007, Ankara, capital city of Turkey, experienced a severe water supply crisis as the city grappled with the effects of a sustained drought. The drought placed massive pressure on the city. Many hospitals were forced to cancel non-emergency surgery, restaurants were serving meals on paper plates and offering plastic utensils to reduce dish washing, and the the mayor even asked residents to go on vacation to reduce water use in the city.

The global HVAC industry is expected to grow from USD 202 billion in 2020 to USD 277 billion by 2025, and fixed speed motor controls are a key component of efficient and reliable HVAC systems in a variety of applications.

Did you know that AuCom soft starters play a key role in some of the world's most notable HVAC systems? For example, AuCom MV panels are used to start the motors that power the world's first stadium air conditioning system at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.

With the arrival of the dry summer heat comes a heavy reliance on irrigation systems to keep the water flowing where it's needed. Reliable motor control is a vital part of such systems, and users who make the right choice of control solution stand to save money not only by avoiding costly downtime, but through substantial electrical efficiency gains as well.

Motor control plays a key part in the irrigation industry, driving the water pumps that are the foundation of any irrigation system. By understanding all the features and benefits, not only can a correctly applied soft starter protect expensive pumping equipment from damage and early failure, but it can also increase productivity and reduce overall capital costs.

Check out our quick reference guide to identify the key selling points of AuCom soft starters for irrigation applications, from vital protection functions to adaptive starting and intelligent control features.

Correct application of soft start and variable speed technology is often poorly understood. Both technologies fulfill their own important yet distinct roles in the field of motor control, and correct selection and application of each is vital in order to realise the full benefit of each and avoid unnecessary expense.

Fixed Speed: Four to One

Sources suggest that nearly 80% of all AC induction motor applications worldwide are in fact fixed speed applications. If an application truly requires speed control, then a variable speed drive is the only choice, however for fixed speed applications, soft starters are typically the ideal selection. Here's three reasons to consider:

Learn more about the challenges and options when it comes to starting electric motors to ensure you select the right solution.

The Motor Starting Challenge

Occupying the unique space between electrical and mechanical, a motor both affects and is affected by the electrical supply and the mechanical process it powers.

A poor motor start can cause any number of the following problems, which can be very costly in terms of both time and money, including excessive voltage drop, high starting current, high mechanical stress, high thermal stress and overload of local generation.