What the utility requires
In Panama, the distribution utility applies the harmonic emission limits of Title IX of the ASEP Distribution and Commercialization Regulation, referred to the contracted current.
// Medium voltage — Danfoss and Wolong
Medium-voltage drives and soft starters in Panama
For large medium-voltage motors (for example, 2.3 to 6.6 kV) on pumps, compressors and fans: Danfoss VACON® 3000 and Wolong WD4000 variable frequency drives (VFDs), Wolong VFS soft starters and GE (Wolong) medium-voltage motors, with local commissioning. If your plant is fed at 13.8 kV, we propose the equipment with or without a transformer.
- Danfoss VACON® 3000 at 3.3 and 4.16 kV
- Wolong WD4000: 4160 V, 3.3 to 13.8 kV option
- Wolong VFS soft starters from 3 to 10 kV
- GE (Wolong) medium-voltage motors up to 6.6 kV
// Products
Lines we carry
VACON® 3000 Enclosed Drive
3.3 and 4.16 kV · 2450–7060 kVAEnclosed, liquid-cooled medium-voltage drive with 3L-NPC topology, IP54 and operation up to 45 °C. 2450 to 7060 kVA continuous at 4160 V, with AFE or 12-pulse input. Mining, oil and gas, cement, marine and offshore.
See details VACON® 3000 Drive Kit
For integratorsThe VACON® 3000 as a kit, for integrators who build it into their own panel: 3.3 and 4.16 kV, liquid-cooled, 3L-NPC topology.
See details
Wolong WD4000
4160 V · 3.3–13.8 kV optionCascaded H-bridge medium-voltage drive with IGBTs and an 18-pulse phase-shifting transformer, designed for IEEE 519. 1000 to 5500 HP (746–4104 kW), with cell redundancy and UL certification.
Request a proposal
Wolong VFS series
3–10 kV soft starterMedium-voltage soft starter with series-connected thyristors, from 100 kW to 10 MW, for synchronous and induction motors.
Request a proposal
GE (Wolong) medium-voltage motors
100–7000 HP · up to 6.6 kVQuantum LMV line: 100 to 7000 HP at 2300/4000 V and at 6600 V. Sized together with the VFD or soft starter that feeds them.
See model details // How to choose
VFD or soft starter?
Rule of thumb: if the load must change speed, a VFD; if it only needs to start and stop without a jolt, a soft starter. The final call comes from the load profile and the grid.
| Criterion | Medium-voltage VFD | Medium-voltage soft starter |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Controls speed and torque throughout operation. | Limits current and torque only during starting and stopping. |
| When it fits | Variable load: pumps and fans with adjustable flow, compressors with changing demand. | Fixed-speed load that only needs a soft start: pumps and compressors at constant flow. |
| Energy savings | Yes: it matches speed to actual demand. | It does not regulate speed; its benefit is mechanical and electrical during starting. |
| Harmonics | Generated while running: the input matters (AFE, 12 or 18 pulses). | Only during starting, which lasts seconds. |
| Investment | Higher. | Lower. |
// Harmonics
IEEE 519 and ASEP
A large VFD weighs on the power quality of the whole plant. That is why the input topology is decided before buying, not after.
IEEE 519-2022 as the technical reference
It is the standard used to design for and verify distortion at the point of common coupling (PCC).
Input topology
The WD4000 uses an 18-pulse phase-shifting transformer, designed for IEEE 519; the VACON® 3000 takes an AFE or 12-pulse input. A prior Fluke analyzer measurement defines which one fits.
// Service
Commissioning and local support
Commissioning
On-site parameter setup and testing, with training for operations and maintenance staff.
DrivePro for VACON®
Danfoss DrivePro services for the VACON® line: preventive maintenance, spare parts and technical support, from the only DrivePro partner in Panama.
VACON® 1000 installed base
If your plant runs VACON® 1000, we support it: the line is in the Limited phase of its life cycle, so we plan spare parts and the migration ahead of time.
// Frequently asked questions
What we get asked most
Quick answers to the questions technical teams in Panama ask us most often.
Q01 VFD or soft starter for a pump or a compressor?
It depends on whether the load needs to change speed. If the pump or compressor runs with variable flow or demand, the VFD matches speed to demand and saves energy. If it runs at fixed speed and the concern is starting (voltage dip, mechanical stress, water hammer), a soft starter such as the Wolong VFS solves it with a lower investment. We decide it from the operating profile and your grid data.
Q02 Do you have equipment that runs directly at 13.8 kV, without a step-down transformer?
13.8 kV is the grid or distribution voltage at which many plants receive power; motors are usually rated at a lower voltage. The Wolong WD4000 is 4160 V ±10% as standard and has a 3.3 to 13.8 kV option, so for a plant fed at 13.8 kV we propose the equipment with or without a step-down transformer, depending on your motor's power and voltage. We confirm the available configuration per project before proposing it. The VACON® 3000 runs at 3.3 and 4.16 kV.
Q03 Does my medium-voltage VFD have to comply with IEEE 519?
In Panama, what is enforceable is Title IX of the ASEP Distribution and Commercialization Regulation: the utility evaluates harmonic emissions at the delivery point, referred to the contracted current. IEEE 519-2022 is the technical reference used for design and verification. That is why the VFD input matters: 18 pulses on the WD4000, AFE or 12 pulses on the VACON® 3000. If needed, we measure before and after with a Fluke analyzer.
Q04 What happens if a drive cell fails?
The WD4000 has a cascaded H-bridge architecture with cell redundancy, meant to keep a single failed cell from stopping the process. How many spare cells it carries and at what power it keeps running depends on the configuration, and is specified in the proposal.
Q05 What are the lead time and commissioning time?
They depend on the power rating and configuration: voltage, input type, enclosure and options. We give you the lead time in the proposal, together with the commissioning scope.
Related
Get a quote for your medium-voltage project
Send us the grid voltage, the motor power and the type of load (pump, compressor, fan). With that we tell you whether a VFD or a soft starter fits and send you the proposal with a lead time.