ABB has launched a highly efficient IE6 motor certified under ATEX and IECEx for use in hazardous areas. The new enhanced-safety IE6 motor, based on ABB’s synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) technology without magnets or rare earths, offers up to 60% lower energy losses than the IE3 motors typically used in Zones 1 and 2.
This enables operators to significantly boost energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in industries where gas, vapor, or dust may be present, such as chemicals, marine, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage.
Main Features
The enhanced-safety IE6 SynRM motor is certified for use with variable-speed drives (VSDs) to deliver precise control and high performance across the full speed range, even at partial loads. This makes it the ideal upgrade for standard IE3 induction motors in pumps, fans, and compressors. Over a typical 20-year life, the energy savings from replacing a single motor with IE6 would be €87,520, yielding a payback period of eight months with 157,540 kg of CO2 avoided, equivalent to driving 37 gasoline-powered cars for a year.
“In its Energy Efficiency 2025 report, the IEA highlights the urgent need for sustainable technology to be affordable. And this is central to ABB’s Engineered to Outrun philosophy,” said Stefan Floeck, President of ABB’s LV IEC Motors. “With the world’s first hyper-efficient IE6 SynRM motor for hazardous areas, we now have the ideal solution for customers looking to cut operating costs while meeting stringent sustainability targets.”
The new IE6 SynRM enhanced-safety motor covers power ratings starting at 110 kW, with IE5 variants available up to 90 kW. In addition to greater reliability and lower maintenance, SynRM technology enables a more economical installation. In Zone 1, cold-start operation may permit the use of a SynRM enhanced-safety motor where a flameproof motor with a special enclosure would traditionally be chosen. Additionally, in Zone 2, the superior load capacity of SynRM motors enables more power from the same size as an equivalent induction motor. This could allow a smaller, cheaper motor to perform the same function.
ABB’s SynRM IE6 and IE5 technologies form part of ABB’s broader BT IEC motor portfolio for hazardous areas, with induction alternatives up to IE4 efficiency. Regardless of the technology, these motors combine rugged construction, high energy efficiency, and reliable operation to deliver steady performance and certified safety in the most demanding environments.
