The owner of the patent, Power Efficiency Corp. (Las Vegas, NV), was awarded it for a core algorithm incorporated in its E-Save Technology platform. The patent encompasses the method, system and apparatus for controlling electric motors and optimizing their energy use. Explained Steve Strasser, chairman and CEO of Power Efficiency Corp., "This patent covers the core control algorithm for reducing electricity use by an electric motor when it is lightly loaded and so is an integral part of our E-Save Technology platform."
Power Efficiency Corporation's E-Save Technology platform was developed to reduce electric motor energy consumption by matching the power supplied to the motor with its load. Most electric motors are sized for the worst case operating conditions of the equipment it is powering. Since most equipment does not operate constantly at its peak potential load, it is common to see a motor operate at less than 40% of the rated load for significant periods of time, says the company. Its technology allows for variation in the load profile and adjusts the amount of energy required to optimize the energy use of the motor. This results in energy savings of up to 35% in appropriate applications, such as injection molding. Among users of the technology are rigid plastics processor Berry Plastics.