n CLEAN ENERGY VSDs and the sun help Brazilian farmer to cut pumping costs Camaratuba farm in Piaui, Brazil, is located in a semi-arid region that is challenging for producing fodder for its livestock, especially during dry periods. In the past, large quantities of fodder needed to be transported to the farm, as well as water being pumped to different parts of the farm for irrigation and for the livestock to drink. Previously, the farm – which is not connected to the electricity grid – relied on a 150kVA diesel generator to pump water from a 50m-deep well into an irrigation system that feeds 17 hectares of farmland. There was no control over the amount of water being pumped by the 35hp (29kW) submersible pump in the well, resulting in water being wasted. The farm was therefore struggling to produce enough fodder for its livestock without relying heavily on irrigation or buying it in from a supplier, both of which were costly. The farm’s owners worked with a local engineering firm WM Engenharia to convert the pumping system to solar power. They designed and installed an array of 15 photovoltaic (PV) panels on a six-string system connected to a dedicated solar variable-speed drive which controls the pump. The PV array has a total rating of 47.7kW. The PV-powered pumping system has eliminated the need for the generator, and is allowing the farm to irrigate a larger area of land when needed and to supply the ideal amount of water. The new system is using an Optidrive P2 Solar VSD from the Welsh drives-maker Invertek. A second drive has been installed for use in a planned future PV-powered pumping system. The 380V drives are rated at 50hp (37kW) and have IP20-protected enclosures. According to Marcus Silva, head of sales at Invertek Drives Latin America, the farm is now able to produce its own fodder with a higher nutritional value throughout the year, thus avoiding the costs of transportation and diesel consumption, as well as the emissions created by the generator. “Another advantage is the ability to control the amount of water being pumped,” he adds. “Previously, it was a case of switching the pump on and a constant flow was fed into the irrigation system. The VSDs allow the flow and quantity to be altered depending on the amount required, preventing water from being wasted.” n An off-grid livestock farm in Brazil has eliminated its use of a costly, inefficient diesel-powered water pumping system by replacing it with a solar-powered system controlled by a VSD. The Brazilian farm now gets its water from a pump powered by the sun and controlled by a VSD NEW! Designed for the Factory Floor Gigabit Hardened PoE Industrial Ethernet Switches sales@brainboxes.com
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