Northern Power, a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: DESC), has signed a $1.3 million contract with Direct Drive Systems to build, test, and deliver power converter products optimized for use with Direct Drive’s Frame 2 high-speed electric motors and generators. In addition, Direct Drive selected Northern Power to be its long-term partner in providing power converters for its products in the future.
Based on Northern Power’s FlexPhase(TM) modular power converter platform, the three systems ordered can serve as both high frequency variable speed motor drives, and as AC output inverters for generator applications using Direct Drive’s proprietary high-speed permanent magnet machine technology.
Direct Drive selected Northern Power based on its ability to meet the special demands of their high power, high speed Frame 2 motor-generator, with power levels of up to 2.4 MW and output frequencies of up to 750 Hz. The combined package is designed to be smaller, more reliable, more efficient and more economical than the current compressor, motor drive and turbine-based generation equipment currently used in oil and gas applications. The initial product application will be as a high-speed motor drive for a compressor directly coupled to the Direct Drive Frame 2 machine. The package will be delivered to a major multinational in the oil and gas sector.
Thomas Smith, president of Direct Drive Systems, stated: “Direct Drive evaluated several power converter manufacturers and Northern Power came out on top in terms of quality and ability to match our particular needs. We look forward to integrating this exciting product with our high-speed permanent magnet machine technology. The modularity, reliability and small footprint of Northern’s FlexPhase(TM) power platform are a great fit with our overall value proposition to the oil and gas market.”
“This innovative product reflects one of our company’s major strengths,” stated Darren Jamison, president of Northern Power. “Northern Power has a 25-year record of leading edge development for power solutions in the distributed generation (DG), oil and gas, and renewable energy markets. We recognize that advanced power electronics are a key enabling technology for many motoring and generating applications, and have focused on this critical development area for several years. The result is embodied in our new FlexPhase power converter platform. We look forward to serving Direct Drive and other clients with power electronics solutions now and in the future.”
For information about the FlexPhase(TM) power converter system, see the following website:
Loading...