Integrated fan drive system for air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHE)

An industrial air-cooled heat exchanger for cooling liquids used in a process, comprising:

• a support structure;
• a tube bundle supported by the support structure, the tube bundle being configured to receive liquids to be cooled;
• a motor comprising a rotatable shaft, a stator and bearings that locate and support the rotatable shaft;
• a fan connected to the rotatable shaft of the motor such that rotation of the rotatable shaft causes rotation of the fan which causes an airflow that cools the liquids flowing through the tube bundle;
• wherein the support structure positions the tube bundle, the fan and the motor at a predetermined height above ground level;
• at least one airflow sensor to measure airflow produced by rotation of the fan and output signals representing the measured airflow;
• a variable motor-speed control device to generate electrical signals that cause rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor at a predetermined rotational speed in order to rotate the fan, the variable motor-speed control device having an input for receiving control signals representing the predetermined rotational speed of the motor;
• and
• an external processing device for processing the signals representing the measured airflow and in response, generating the control signals for input into the variable motor-speed control device.