Astralpool - P300

imPower T

THE HEART OF THE VIRON P300

Desert Rose Solar Car

The imPowerT technology has its origins in the motor developed for use in Charles Darwin University 's solar car "Desert Rose". Included among several awards was the prestigious General Motors award for Technical Innovation won in the 1993 World Solar Challenge. The technology was also demonstrated in tidal turbine projects, high efficiency ceiling fans and air conditioners.

Following this success a company was formed to commercialise the technology, In Motion Technologies (IMT). IMT developed further applications for the technology including an electric bicycle motor for one of Australia 's leading bicycle distributors.

Electric bicycle

IMT was acquired in 2006 by Fasco Australia , part of Regal Beloit, one of the world's largest motor manufacturing companies. Fasco has continued developing the technology culminating in the release of the imPowerT motor used on the Viron P300.

imPowerT Technology

The patented imPowerT motor used in the Viron P300 is an "Axial Flux" brushless DC (BLDC) motor incorporating rare earth permanent magnets (NdFeB). Combining this motor with the latest in electronic control the motor provides customers with higher efficiency, lower operating costs, lower noise and lower CO 2 emissions in a smaller, more compact package.

Solar car motor

In a conventional (or "Radial Flux") induction motor a circular rotor (somewhat like a small drum) circulates inside the stator. With an Axial Flux motor a disc shaped stator (on the left in the picture) and disc shaped rotor (on the right in the picture) are placed adjacent to each other and kept apart by bearings thereby creating an axial air gap. This design is sometimes called a 'pancake' motor due to its thin flat shape.

Where competitors are experimenting with newer higher performance motors using rare earth magnets, they are invariably trying drum shaped radial flux BLDCs. Our research is consistently showing the axial flux design can produce higher performance in a smaller package, with less active materials. Commonly found in computer disk drives, axial flux motors are already manufactured in high volumes however Fasco is the first company to offer this style of axial flux motor for applications such as pool pumps. With the advantage of 15 years of research and experience with this intriguing format and the backing of one of the world's largest motor manufacturers Fasco's imPower motor is a step forward in motor technology.

Various environmental benefits are offered by the new technology. The Axial Flux motor uses significantly less material compared to a typical induction motor. Advanced electronic control allows the power to be easily controlled while maintaining a high efficiency level. This allows the motor to operate at lower speeds, leading to a significant energy saving.

The motor is able to run at one of three speeds selectable by the user, corresponding with three typical pool pumping functions. Full speed is used for vacuuming, backwash and where high flow is required. For quiet, low power, low cost filtering the minimum speed is used while medium speed provides a good balance between low and high.

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		Desert Rose Solar Car
		Tidal Turbine
		High Energy Ceiling Fan
		Electric Bicycle
		Solar Car Motor