What are the trade-offs between PWM frequency and VFD efficiency and performance?
Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are devices that control the speed and torque of electric motors by varying the frequency and voltage of the input power. VFDs use pulse width modulation (PWM) to create a simulated sinusoidal waveform from a direct current (DC) source. PWM frequency is the number of times per second that the PWM switches on and off, creating pulses of different widths and durations. PWM frequency affects the VFD efficiency and performance in several ways, but there are trade-offs to consider. In this article, you will learn how to choose the optimal PWM frequency for your VFD application.