High-efficiency Synchronous Reluctance Motors such as the IE5 SynRM series

ABB’s IE5 synchronous reluctance motor, often sold together with a drive as a SynRM package, is a rotor design without magnets or windings that gives very high efficiency in the IE5 super premium class. The rotor has a laminated structure with flux barriers, so it produces torque through reluctance. As a result there is very low rotor loss, cooler bearing temperatures and long service intervals compared with induction motors of the same size. The motors are designed to run on a variable speed drive such as the ACS580 or ACS880, and can often be installed in the same IEC frame as an induction motor with higher output. There are no rare earth magnets, which also simplifies recycling and reduces supply chain risk. Typical applications are pumps, fans, compressors and other variable torque loads in water, HVAC, food and general industry where energy savings in continuous operation are valuable.