Our customers
NFO Sinus has advantages in all environments.
"Our customers save up to 70% energy with NFO Sinus."
"NFO Sinus, as the only product on the market, meets all our interference-free operation requirements."
- Manufacturing industry for milk production
- World-leading in marine manufacturing
"Patient safety must come first, which is why we have chosen the NFO inverter for all our hospitals and clinics."
- The healthcare sector
"All NFO inverters could be placed in the adjacent technology building, which is of great advantage for our operating staff."
- Solutions for cold storage
"Frequency noise does not exist at all with NFO Sinus. Quiet fans, frequency inverters, and quiet motors."
- Fan technology for residences
"The installation became easier and more affordable as the NFO did not require shielded cables or had limitations in lengths."
- World-class nanotechnology research
Read more about what our customers think about NFO Sinus.
World leader in milk production & Livestock farming
DeLaval develops, manufactures, and distributes equipment and complete systems for milk production and animal husbandry. The company's strategy is to offer its customers modern and energy-efficient products. A long-term cooperation agreement has been signed with NFO Drives. The agreement concerns annual deliveries of the interference-free frequency converter NFO Sinus, which is to be used to control the speed of electric motors in DeLaval's own products such as milk pumps and vacuum pumps.
"Cows are sensitive to earth currents, and there is also technical equipment in barns and the environment that is sensitive to electromagnetic interference," says Tord Ringenhall, product manager at DeLaval.
"We have tested the NFO inverter for a long time in both laboratory and barn environments on farms around the world and know that it does not give rise to ground currents, bearing currents, or electromagnetic interference. Thus, NFO Sinus fits well into DeLaval's product strategy."
"We are now using the NFO inverter to control all our vacuum pumps but also see a number of other applications where we can benefit from the interference-free technology," says Tord Ringenhall.
Global leader DeLaval, a company in the Tetra Laval group, operates in more than 100 markets and caters to customers with livestock ranging from 1 to 50,000 animals. A key product is the milking machine, which comes in many different versions from the simplest manual standard machine to advanced automatic milking systems and "cow carousels."
"With frequency converters, our customers can save up to 70% energy, and with NFO Sinus, which has unique technical features, we can guarantee that they get a completely interference-free environment," says Tord Ringenhall, product manager at DeLaval.
World-leading surface and submarine vessels
"NFO Sinus is the first frequency inverter approved for marine use," says Karl-Axel Olsson, Manager of Electrical Systems at Saab Kockums in Karlskrona.
"After extensive testing, both in the lab and at sea, we have now approved NFO Sinus for use in our marine vessels. It is the first frequency inverter to be approved for our surface and underwater vessels, as the vessels have a variety of advanced technology that is sensitive to EMC interference. All equipment must therefore be carefully tested to achieve the stealth technology that we specialize in."
A risk for the ships is that they can be exposed to dangerous gases during combat or terrorist attacks, such as chlorine gas or nerve gas. Even in peacetime, gases pose a risk in the event of fire or accidents in the harbor. To prevent gas from entering the ships, an overpressure must be created in the cabin. This is done by controlling the speed of the motors in the ventilation system.
"Previously, we have not been able to use frequency inverters at all," says Karl-Axel Olsson." All inverters have interfered with the sensitive equipment on board, and they have therefore been banned in the navy.
"In connection with a market survey, we became aware of the NFO Sinus. We tested it in our own EMC lab and were impressed with the result. We have also conducted extensive tests at sea. NFO Sinus meets all our requirements for interference-free operation and is also very cost-effective in terms of total cost."
Saab Kockums, one of the world's leading shipyards, specializes in the production of surface and underwater vessels for the navy with a focus on stealth technology.
Properties with requirements of ventilation systems
"With the frequency inverters, we can now control the fans so that the air flow is tailored to our requirements. This has resulted in a more pleasant environment and a quieter sound", says Malte Enocson, property manager at ICA Fastigheter.
"By choosing NFO Sinus, we were able to utilize the existing unshielded cabling to the fan motors and place the inverters at a considerable distance from the motors, exactly where we wanted them", adds Malte Enocson.
The installation was quick and easy, and the converters are now housed in the main electrical panel, easily accessible for our maintenance personnel.
Located in Långeberga, near Helsingborg, is one of ICA's largest cold stores, covering an area of nearly 70,000 square meters. The warehouse, which was put into operation in 2006, is considered one of the most modern facilities for grocery retail in Europe. It handles a massive flow of goods daily through its 141 ports, serving approximately 700 ICA stores with frozen products.
At the highest part of the warehouse, there is a 15-meter gap to the ceiling, housing a large number of fan units designed to distribute the cold air, maintaining a consistent temperature throughout the warehouse at around minus 26 degrees Celsius.
"In the beginning, we had significant environmental issues with noise, drafts, and turbulent airflows from the fan units, so we decided to implement frequency control of the fans - partly to improve the working environment and partly to save energy," says Malte Enocson, property manager at ICA Fastigheter.
"With the frequency inverters, we can now adjust the fan speed to meet our requirements, resulting in a more comfortable environment and a quieter sound. All NFO inverters could be placed in the adjacent technical building, in the same location as other electrical/control equipment for industrial cooling, which is a significant advantage for our operations personnel."
Malte Enocson,
Property Manager, ICA
ICA's freezing facility in Långeberga is considered one of the most modern in Europe.
The installation was straightforward as the NFO inverters could be placed in the main electrical panel, far from the fans, and the existing unshielded cabling could be utilized.
Trouble-free heat pumps without sparking
SCM Ref is a manufacturing unit within the Beijer Ref Group, specializing in refrigeration and heat pump equipment for various purposes such as industrial, food, property, and comfort. Their products include technical solutions such as cooling units, heat pumps, and pump modules for the distribution of cold and heat.
When SCM Ref started using PWM inverters to control the speed of their facilities, they encountered EMC interference. They then turned to NFO Drives, which, through its unique sinusoidal technology, solved the problems of interference and earth currents while increasing availability. The solution also resulted in a quieter compressor and trouble-free operation.
An important factor that influenced the choice of NFO was the absence of sparking across the layers, enabling the use of flammable refrigerants such as propane for the heat pumps. SCM Ref's choice of NFO sinus led to positive feedback from their customers, who are end users of the NFO inverters.
Wihlborgs, a market leader in commercial properties in the Öresund region, is one of the customers that has benefited from this solution. By using NFO's frequency inverters, they have obtained personnel-safe facilities without earth currents and EMC interference, while saving money in the long run through reduced energy costs and uninterrupted operation. This is a sustainable solution that aligns with Wihlborgs' corporate policy. The solution has also provided them with a higher COP and uninterrupted operation of the facilities. Janne, the technical manager at Wihlborgs, expresses his satisfaction with the solution from SCM Ref and NFO Drives.
NFO Sinus can be safely combined with heat pumps that use flammable refrigerants, as no sparking occurs across the layers.
High-tech hospital
The result with the interference-free NFO Sinus frequency inverter exceeded expectations. With NFO sinus, we avoid costly bearing replacements and EMC interference.
The new Rikshospitalet in Oslo was built in 1997 and was then Norway's largest construction project. The hospital is equipped with over 500 regulated motor drives to adjust air and water to current needs, thereby saving large amounts of energy.
Initially, the hospital chose to use conventional pulse-width-modulated frequency inverters (PWM). Shortly after, they encountered a number of problems, all related to the frequency inverters: electronic equipment failure, motor bearing failures, high ground fault currents, and failures in the inverters themselves.
"At Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet, we have replaced more than 300 conventional PWM-type frequency inverters with the interference-free NFO Sinus inverter," says Martin Olsen, responsible for the service contract at Rikshospitalet for Johnson Control.
"Since the replacement, we have avoided all the problems associated with PWM inverters. The motors run quieter, and all earth currents are gone.
Even the problems with bearing damage caused by PWM inverters have disappeared. Having to replace bearings once a year becomes economically significant when you have 600 motors in the facility."
NFO Sinus is the only frequency inverter on the market that complies with the 'Medical Device Directive' for electromagnetic interference. It can therefore be used in hospitals without shielded cables or interference filters."
"We have replaced more than 300 conventional PWM-type frequency inverters with the interference-free NFO Sinus inverter," says Martin Olsen, responsible for the service contract at Oslo University Hospital HF for Johnson Control.
Grandiose fountain systems
With the interference-free NFO technology, the German company LKE LasershowTechnik can control water pumps more efficiently. Previously, they used conventional frequency inverters but faced issues with earth fault circuit breakers frequently tripping. With the NFO Sinus frequency inverters, they avoid all interruptions, and the facility becomes significantly safer. At the same time, all inverters can be gathered in one place, avoiding expensive costs for shielded cabling.
LKE has extensive experience using frequency inverters in the facilities they build around the world, including mobile installations for major events such as significant anniversaries and sports events, as well as stationary installations in amusement parks, among others.
The frequency inverters are used outdoors to control pumps that shoot up water cascades at various heights according to a designed program. Each pump is controlled with a frequency inverter, and they use different sizes, ranging from 1.5 kW up to 15 kW.
The water is illuminated with laser light to create different effects, and they also project images onto the water cascades. Together, they create a spectacular event visible across an entire city or park environment, drawing large crowds. For safety reasons, earth fault circuit breakers must be used in this type of installation.
"We used conventional PWM inverters before, but we had big problems with the earth fault circuit breakers tripping all the time because they have excessive earth currents," says Matthias Kestler from LKE. "When the show started, it sounded like a pinball machine with all the earth fault circuit breakers tripping. We had to have someone on-site just to run around and reset them.
"Now, we have been using NFO Sinus for a while and are impressed with the technology," says Matthias Kestler. "With the NFO inverters, we avoid all the problems with earth currents and have a safer facility."
Each pump is controlled with the NFO Sinus frequency inverter. As it is interference-free, earth fault circuit breakers can be used, thus making the facility safer.
Specialists in comprehensive fan programs.
"Frequency noise does not exist at all with NFO Sinus. Silent fans, silent frequency inverters, and silent motors - NFO Sinus is fully in line with our concept," says Basse Malmquist, sales engineer.
Today, ventilation is so much more than just a spinning fan. It is about customized solutions with controlled airflows tailored to specific needs. Solutions that provide maximum comfort to tenants in multi-family homes regardless of the season. New, higher requirements have thus led to the replacement of many old belt-driven fans in multi-family homes with modern, direct-driven ones equipped with speed control. Gebhardt Fläktteknik, which has its largest market in residential areas, is currently working intensively on these replacements.
Speed control with conventional frequency inverters generates interference and therefore requires filters and shielded motor cables. In old buildings, this meant extensive and costly installations. Today, we can complement these fans with NFO Sinus - a new technology that sets entirely new limits for what a frequency inverter can handle. NFO Sinus guarantees interference-free operation. Interference-free operation means unshielded cables and no radio interference filters. The fan is replaced, and NFO Sinus can be connected to the existing motor cable. This is unique.
Gebhardt Fläktteknik, Germany, one of Europe's major fan manufacturers with its own research, development, design, and production, was acquired a few years ago by the Italian fan company Nicotra and is now called Nicotra Gebhardt. For many years, they have also been a distributor of control technology, offering complete HVAC solutions to housing companies, property owners, and industry. In Sweden, they have sales offices in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö.
"NFO Sinus guarantees interference-free operation, which means unshielded cables and no radio interference filters," says Basse Malmquist.
Waterworks with requirements for long cable lengths
"By installing NFO Sinus, we were able to reduce the energy consumption of the pumps by more than 50 percent," says project manager Anders Nilsson, who is leading the project with the electrical installation at the municipality's waterworks. Karlskrona Municipality has implemented several energy-saving projects in the municipality's water and purification plants, where, among other things, the pumps in the raw water wells are controlled with the NFO Sinus frequency inverter.
"The installations pay off quickly, usually within one to two years. NFO Sinus was the only inverter that met the technical conditions in our applications. We extract groundwater to our waterworks via raw water wells. These pumps are often at depths of 50 meters or more, and the distance to the control cabinets is in some cases several hundred meters. Thanks to the fact that the NFO inverters can be installed with unshielded cabling and can handle long cable distances, we were able to install the inverters in the central control cabinets. This allowed us to utilize the existing cabling and avoid a cumbersome and expensive new installation of over 250 meters of shielded cable, which would have been the case if we had chosen conventional inverters.
"Furthermore, the signal cable to the level sensors could remain together with the power cable down in the well without causing any interference in the surrounding electronic equipment."
"Previously, we operated the pumps with motor control, which was throttled with a manual valve. It consumed far too much energy. We had difficulty in optimally controlling the pumps, and there was also a risk of running them dry. Sometimes we had to go out to the raw water well to change the settings manually - now we can manage everything centrally."
"Even in our purification plants, we have a great advantage in being able to place the NFO inverters in control cabinets several hundred meters away from the pumps. The environment here is very aggressive, with hydrogen sulfide in the air, among other things, but now we can place the inverters in a much more 'gentle' environment."
"The new way of operating our pumps has resulted in significantly improved functionality with higher reliability while saving a lot of energy," says Gunnar Pettersson, head of the electrical department at Karlskrona Waterworks. "NFO Sinus is the only inverter that we could install in this way. We have now completed part of the project and will continue to improve the energy efficiency of several facilities around the municipality."
- Omriktarna kunde placeras centralt och servicevänligt i vattenverket, säger projektledare Anders Nilsson.
"We avoided the cumbersome and costly reinstallation of nearly 250 meters of shielded cable, so the installation quickly paid for itself," says Anders Nilsson.
High-tech university - with special requirements
"Thanks to NFO Sinus, our operational problems were resolved, and we now have a reliable and quiet system, while saving a significant amount of energy," says Christer Andersson.
Christer Andersson is a research engineer at Chalmers Nanotechnology Laboratory in Gothenburg. Initially, the pumps were directly connected to the grid, and water flow was controlled with throttling valves. This resulted in the pumps operating at maximum power, subjecting them to significant wear. During start and stop operations, there were hard impacts on the water system, causing damage to the flow indicators. To solve this issue, we searched for suitable frequency inverters with soft start capabilities.
Given that our entire ventilation system is controlled by conventional type frequency inverters, we are aware of the problems they bring, including noise, electrical interference, and motor bearing damage," continues Christer Andersson.
"We then discovered NFO Sinus, a new type of frequency inverter that provides a clean sine wave. With it, we could achieve a perfect soft start and the right speed for the pumps without the other operational issues, resulting in a reliable and quiet system. Another advantage concerns the electrical installation, which becomes significantly easier and cheaper with the new technology, as we no longer require shielded cables and do not face any cable length restrictions.
To assess the overall economics, in addition to ensuring that the pumps have a significantly longer lifespan, the electricity savings are a critical factor. By controlling all pumps with frequency inverters, we achieve significant electricity savings. We estimate that the installation will pay for itself within 1-2 years," concludes Christer Andersson.
The Chalmers Nanotechnology Laboratory at the Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience-MC2 contains super-clean rooms with very high requirements for humidity, temperature, and air purity. Given the emphasis on environmental performance, we must carefully monitor all emissions and, most importantly, strive to optimize energy consumption. Air from all fume hoods is purified in scrubbers, where the air passes through a zone of water spray nozzles and is treated to prevent the release of any environmentally harmful substances."
"The electrical installation became significantly easier and cheaper as the NFO inverter did not require shielded cables and had no limitations on cable lengths."
Hospital with Requirements for Interference-Free Operation
"The safety of our patients must come first, which is why we have chosen the NFO Sinus inverter for all our hospitals and healthcare centers in the county. It generates no earth currents, thereby eliminating all interference issues. We also avoid the irritating whining motor noises generated by PWM inverters. With NFO Sinus, we achieve both a safer and quieter facility," says P-O Eliasson, Technical Developer of Electrical Systems at the County Council of Östergötland.
"The power grid within the healthcare sector must remain clean. We need to be able to save energy without risking disturbances in our medical equipment. When a conventional PWM-type inverter is installed, it is immediately noticeable in the network. Earth currents exceed the limits in the earth fault monitoring, which must be raised to make the system function. This is not acceptable. The fact that NFO Sinus eliminates these issues makes it an obvious choice for us.
Within the County Council of Östergötland, there is the University Hospital in Linköping, hospitals in Norrköping and Motala, as well as a large number of healthcare centers, public dental care, and nursing homes."
"Patient safety must be the top priority," says P-O Eliasson, Electrical Technology Developer at the County Council of Östergötland.
Completely interference-free at a lower overall cost
"NFO Sinus was slightly more expensive, but the installation became significantly simpler, and we avoided pulling new cables in the older properties. Thus, the total cost became lower," says Mikael Falk, Chief Engineer at Högskolefastigheter in Jönköping.
"When the new university was built, we wanted to use frequency inverters to control the motors for fans and pumps, thereby saving energy. However, it was important to have a disturbance-free operation. We have a lot of technical equipment and also quite a bit of wireless transmission within the area.
"We wanted to control the ventilation in the buildings and find a solution to avoid pulling expensive shielded cables through the properties," Mikael Falk continues. "That's when we found the Swedish inverter NFO Sinus. It was completely interference-free and unlike conventional inverters, it didn't require filters or shielded cables. Standard cabling was sufficient. The inverter was slightly more expensive, but the installation became much simpler, reducing the overall cost.
"Using NFO Sinus in the older properties was particularly beneficial. We avoided pulling new cables and could use the existing ones when installing the new inverters. This way, we saved a lot of money.
"A common problem with conventional inverters is that they generate bearing currents, which cause wear on the motor bearings. We have some such inverters for motors with a power higher than 15 kW, which is currently the maximum for NFO Sinus. However, despite potential equalization in all properties, we have still had some issues from these PWM inverters. We haven't seen any such tendencies from NFO Sinus. We have now had the NFO inverters in operation for over ten years, and they have worked without any problems."
Mikael Falk, Chief Engineer at Högskolefastigheter in Jönköping
Jönköping University is centrally located by Lake Munksjön and comprises several newly constructed properties as well as an older building housing the School of Health Sciences. Some historic industrial buildings have also been integrated into the campus, including a transformation into a modern library.