Valutec perfects energy efficiency of its kilns with ABB SynRM motors

In Valutec's kilns, the energy efficiency of the drying process, stainless steel materials and heat recovery promote sustainability. Half of the kilns they have supplied to Finland in recent years have been TC continuous kilns, which are fully automated and serve high-volume sawmills. The drying process of the lumber is almost uninterrupted, which means that the fan motors running 345 days a year play a role.  

“As a leading company in wood drying kilns, our starting point is to use the best possible technology in our products and save energy. That is why we have chosen ABB's IE5 energy-efficiency class SynRM motors as the standard solution for our kilns,” states Mikko Pitkänen, Country Manager of Valutec Oy, Finland.  

Drying lumber requires a lot of heat and electricity, and with the increase in energy prices, the importance of energy consumption in kiln solutions has increased.  

“The improvement in energy efficiency enabled by SynRM motors and drives influenced our choice the most, as the solution perfectly matches our way of thinking. High-efficiency motors are also a wish of many kiln customers today. The industry is striving for sustainable investments,” notes Pitkänen.

Energy efficiency and reliability matter  

“When a sawmill's kilns easily have more than 100 motors in total, IE5 energy efficiency class motors enable six-figure savings over the lifecycle of the motor, and the payback period is at best less than a year,” says Jarno Kivistö, ABB Oy Sales Manager for the sawmill industry. 

The high efficiency of the motors is especially emphasized when running at partial load, when the speed of the fan motors is adjusted using drives according to the required airflow.

“If the kiln and the sawn lumber to be dried allow, the fan speed can be reduced, taking into account the effect of the standard deviation of the final moisture content. By reducing the speed, significant savings can be achieved, up to several tens of percent,” explains Pitkänen from Valutec.  

Due to the high temperature, the kiln is a demanding operating environment. “Compared to induction motors, the winding and bearing temperatures of the SynRM motor are clearly lower. The motor is therefore ideally suited to the harsh conditions of a drying plant: thanks to the lower temperatures, the winding insulation lasts four to eight times longer and the service life of the bearing lubricant doubles,” Olli Saksi, Product Manager at ABB Oy, points out.

The collaboration continues  

Valutec ended up with ABB motors through its selection process. The products were carefully tested in test facilities. “During the long test periods, we were convinced of the benefits of ABB's SynRM motors,” says Pitkänen.  

Valutec and ABB have been collaborating for a long time. “It has been seamless cooperation at its best. We value good communication: any issues are solved together - also in the end customer's environment, to achieve the best result,” Mikko Pitkänen states with appreciation.

“The SynRMs have worked well, and it is nice to work with ABB. It is good to continue our journey together.”