Our colleague Martin Fischer from SET is proudly presenting the #SETCON – our innovative, variable-speed gearbox – live at Flender Booth #9333 in Hall 9.
SETCON represents a new generation of high-efficiency mechanical power transmission, delivering flexibility, reliability, and energy savings for demanding industrial applications. ⚙️⚡
If you’re attending ADIPEC, make sure to stop by, meet Martin, and learn more about how SET is shaping the future of motion and drive technology.
We’re happy to announce that FLENDER & SET will be presenting the SETCON (a SET and FLENDER Collaboration) at ADIPEC 2025, taking place from November 3–6, 2025, in Abu Dhabi — one of the world’s leading energy exhibitions. You can find us at Booth 9333, Hall 9. 🔧 SETCON, our innovative variable drivetrain solution, enables energy-efficient, reliable, and digital operation across demanding industrial applications. Visit us to explore how SETCON technology is driving the transformation toward smart, sustainable, and flexible power transmission. We look forward to connecting with partners, clients, and industry leaders to discuss how we can shape the future of energy and motion together. 📍 Meet us at ADIPEC 2025 🗓️ 3–6 November 2025 📦 Flender Booth 9333, Hall 9
At the Duisburg-Huckingen gas-fired power plant (HKM / RWE), a recent retrofit of the Boiler Feed Pump (BFP) drive system has significantly outperformed expectations—delivering energy savings well above the guaranteed targets.
The modernization involved replacing a low-efficiency, geared variable-speed fluid coupling with a state-of-the-art SETCON SE6R electro-mechanical variable speed gearbox. This upgrade directly addressed the typical thermal losses associated with fluid couplings, resulting in a marked increase in system efficiency and long-term operational reliability.
The new drive system powers a 5.7 MW Boiler Feed Pump through a planetary gear stage, controlled by low-voltage Servo motors that precisely regulate the gearbox output torque, while reusing existing constant running Main Motor. Unlike fluid couplings—which suffer from increased losses when operating below full load—the SETCON gearbox maintains high and consistent efficiency across the entire load range. Additionally, the SETCON system is optimized for footprint compatibility. It shares the same footprint as the replaced geared variable-speed fluid coupling, utilizing existing anchor points and eliminating the need for any foundation modifications. This significantly reduced downtime during installation. Furthermore, the Booster Pump required no modifications and continues to operate at a constant speed using the existing Main Motor.
Independent measurements conducted by RWE Generation SE confirmed that the SETCON system saves over 1.3 MW on average within the plant’s defined operating conditions—substantially outperforming the legacy setup.
This successful retrofit not only demonstrates the technical and economic advantages of SETCON, but also establishes a proven reference project that can serve as a model for future upgrades in similar applications.
The Duisburg-Huckingen gas-fired power plant, with a net unit output of 2×303 MW, is part of Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann GmbH (HKM)—one of Germany’s leading steel producers, with an annual output of approximately four million tons. The site’s energy supply is managed in partnership with RWE Generation SE (RWE), an international energy company strongly focused on emission reduction targets. RWE Generation is well known for promoting the sustainable transformation of the power generation sector.
The SETCON variable-speed gearbox, developed by the Austrian company SET Sustainable Energy Technologies GmbH, is a proven solution for retrofit projects in power plants and refineries that aim to improve energy efficiency without a complete system overhaul. Thanks to its compact frequency converter and space-optimized gearbox design, SETCON is particularly well suited for upgrading existing systems while offering high system availability.
The SETCON variable speed gearbox offers an ideal replacement for outdated variable speed fluid couplings. Thanks to its matching footprint, drivetrain downtime can be minimized to just 14–20 days during installation. Additionally, the existing main motor and lube oil cooler can be reused, helping to significantly reduce overall CAPEX.
👉 Check out our latests video below for more information:
In modernization of large rotating equipment, one recurring challenge stands out: how to improve performance without adding unnecessary complexity? Although medium-voltage variable frequency drives ( MV-VFD ) were the default, they often led to substantial infrastructure extension requirements, heat management issues, and high maintenance demands.
Meanwhile, SET Sustainable Energy Technologies GmbHengineering teams believe efficiency should not be delivered with extra complications. That is why SETCON variable speed gearbox is becoming the technology of choice. With its compact low-voltage electronics, energy regeneration capabilities, and proven efficiency up to 97%, it offers a more streamlined path forward — the technically reliable and operationally simpler alternative. In this article, we explore why more and more clients are choosing SETCON as the smarter solution for retrofits.
Simpler Design, Lower Installation Requirements
Packaging size plays a crucial role in choice of a variable speed drive. Especially when a plant faces limitations of the existing spaces such as e-rooms. Large sizing of Medium-Voltage VFDs themselves (see grey zone at point 3 in the scheme below) may cause extra installation expenses for expansion of storage rooms. MV-VFDs demand bulky transformers (see gray zone at point 2 in the scheme) or integrated ones, complex safety measures, and specifically trained staff to handle the high-voltage electronics. This adds costs, implementation burden, and maintenance complexity.
Additionally, the choice of MV-VFDs leads to unavoidable modifications of the existing infrastructure in order to fit the new operating conditions. The new isolation criteria necessitate the installation of a new Main Motor when a MV-VFD is implemented. Furthermore, if a booster pump is in operation (connected to exchanged Main Motor) an additional Pony Motor is required, to maintain the constant input speed.
✔ SETCON, by contrast, uses low-voltage electrical components – standardized Frequency Converters and Control Cabinet (see point 2 in the scheme). The compact design minimizes space requirements and simplifies installation. Plus, in case of availability of a low-voltage supply source, the need of a transformer eliminates completely.
✔As well, SETCON allows reuse of the existing constant-speed Main Motor (see point 1 in the scheme). The variable speed gearbox is adjusted to the operating conditions of the existing machinery, which significantly saves installation time and investments.
✔Are you requiring a new Main Motor anyway? => You are still winning with SETCON. Thanks to the 20% power from SETCON Servo motors (see them in orange colour, point 1 in the scheme), a new Main Motor can be supplied in a smaller size for new business projects – 80% of total output power.
SETCON Gearbox vs MV-VFD: Space Requirements
Heat & Energy Losses into Built-In Power Regeneration
MV-VFD systems inherently incur heat emissions, requiring constant large-scale AC room cooling systems or additional water supply to maintain cabinets’ operation.
✔ SETCON profits from its combined electro-mechanical design. Only 20% of the driven power goes through its air-cooled low-voltage Frequency Converters which leads to much lower losses in the cabinets.
✔From the mechanical side, SETCON Servos, connected to a planetary gear stage, function as generators in partial loads, feeding excess energy back into the grid. This mode minimizes overall power consumption and operational expense. The gearbox offers up to 97% overall efficiency. Read more interesting facts about SETCON Planetary gear stage.
Low-Voltage Electronics of SETCON Variable Speed Gearbox
Smooth Maintenance & Serviceability
Diving into the safety of working environment, another critical advantage of SETCON variable speed gearbox is worth mentioning — serviceability.
MV VFDs require maintenance by highly trained, certified technicians due to high voltage hazards. A typical MV system demands monthly inspections, stringent lock out/tag out procedures, and annual overhaul by factory authorized specialists to ensure insulation integrity and safe operation.
✔ In contrast, SETCON contains familiar low-voltage architecture in Frequency Converters and Servo motors, allowing routine tasks to be performed by local maintenance teams after basic trainings. This dramatically reduces service response time, reliance on external contractors, and associated maintenance costs.
✔ SET notes as well the wide availability of the spare parts for the LV system. SETCON design includes standardized components from well-known suppliers.
🎯 Final Takeaway
SETCON outperforms MV-VFDs by:
delivering equivalent or higher energy efficiency,
eliminating complexity of electrical infrastructure,
reducing cooling requirements,
adapting to the existing infrastructure & minimizing modifications,
enabling energy regeneration, and
simplifying maintenance.
For operators seeking smooth, reliable, and cost-effective Drive Train modernization, SETCON is a compelling electro-mechanical alternative to medium-voltage VFDs — delivering highly competitive performance with long-term guarantees.
Below you can find a typical efficiency comparison between SETCON variable speed gearbox and MV-VFD with gearbox for a boiler feed pump application:
Rated Power: 6000 kW
Rated Speed: 5000 rpm
Speed Range: 50% - 100%
Operating time: 8500 h/year
Load distribution: see blue histogram
Average savings: 1400 MWh/year
SETCON Gearbox vs MV-VFD: Annual Efficiency Comparison
Within the upcoming World Sustainable Energy Days 2025, SET Sustainable Energy Technologies would like to highlight a crucial role of the clean energy and modernization of existing infrastructure.
SETCON® – variable speed gearbox
The transition to climate neutrality extends beyond building new renewable energy projects – the maximization the efficiency of existing equipment is also vitally necessary. As WSED 2025 focuses on a #competitive, #collective, and #climate_neutral future, we draw attention to enhancing retrofits for the operating power plants.
🔶 SETCON, state-of-the-art electro-mechanical variable-speed gearbox, is designed to optimize the performance by exchanging existing drives in thermal power plants. Instead of costly and time-consuming overhauls, the electro-mechanical gearbox upgrades power plant’s machinery in frames of a remaining foundation, ensuring smoother maintenance, lower operational costs, and a faster return on investment (ROI).
❔ How does SETCON contribute to a climate-neutral future?
Increases energy efficiency by up to 97%
Lowers CO₂ emissions by regenerating excess energy and bring it back to the grid
Reduces environmental impact by eliminating working oil, therefore cutting losses and cooling requirements
Enables effective retrofits, avoiding major structural changes
Ensures long-term reliability
Europe’s power sector demands solutions that are both sustainable and economically feasible. SETCON has already been proving its performance in the region for years, optimizing Drive Trains with boiler feed pumps and other high-energy demanding applications.
When it comes to ensuring operational excellence, no one understands the importance of reliability better than those responsible for achieving it every day. Meet Franz, a valuable part of SET team for over 15 years. His expertise contributes to what makes SETCON variable speed gearbox a benchmark in safety and innovation.
“Reliability isn’t just about preventing failures; it’s about building trust—trust within customers in technology that keeps operations running smoothly year after year,” – Franz, SET Head of Mechanical Design, explains.
He emphasizes that efficient and long term performance of such a high-power machine as SETCON gearbox is achieved through intensive team efforts in development. SET Sustainable Energy Technologies GmbH brings together specialists from multiple disciplines to deliver the products that achieve exceptional rates of efficiency.
Franz and his team are as well involved in SET’s supplier qualification and manufacturing coordination:
“We rely on standardized components sourced from trusted, well-known European partners. The production and optimization are constantly supervised by SET Quality Management. For me, this is important to see that all suppliers and our employees share our commitment to high quality principles,” – he adds.
For years, SET has been transforming energy markets with its dedication to engineering innovation and reliability. With SETCON variable speed gearbox, industries gain a solution backed by the track record of proven success.
At hot and dry ambient conditions, SETCON Gearbox maintains highly efficient performance. The air-cooled option of the SETCON variable speed gearbox provides low cooling requirements, as it operates without any water supply or working oil. Due to its innovative technology of power regeneration, SETCON gearbox stands out in the market.
Don’t miss the video to glance into the details:
More video content about the technology of the SETCON electro-mechanical gearbox at the SET Channel
We are thrilled to announce a new milestone in our project collaboration between Sulzer and SET. This exciting project partnership marks a significant step forward in delivering such a new cutting-edge technology as SETCON variable speed gearbox.
What is the SETCON Gearbox?
The SETCON gearbox is a state-of-the-art variable speed gearbox that stands at the forefront of modern engineering. Designed to deliver exceptional performance and reliability, this advanced gearbox ensures optimal power transfer, enhanced efficiency, and unparalleled durability. It’s set to revolutionize the variable speed market, offering numerous benefits for workflows and output quality.
Why is This Implementation a Game-Changer?
Enhanced Efficiency: The SETCON gearbox is engineered to minimize energy losses and ensuring maximum efficiency driving high power pumps and compressors. This translates to lower operational costs and a reduced environmental footprint, aligning perfectly with global sustainability goals.
Increased Durability: Constructed with top-tier materials and precision engineering, the SETCON gearbox promises long-lasting performance and reduced maintenance needs. This means less downtime and more consistent productivity for operations.
Improved Performance: The advanced design of the SETCON gearbox provides smoother operation and better handling of load variations. This results in improved performance and better outcomes for operators.
SETCON variable speed gearbox
Stay tuned for more updates and behind-the-scenes insights into this exciting development. Together, we are driving the future of engineering excellence!
Feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments below! Let’s propel forward together!
Recently, SET showcased outstanding results during the internal Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of SETCON variable speed gearbox, in collaboration with our valued customer from Oman.
The innovative SETCON SC4A, engineered to deliver variable speed to a 4.1 MW crude oil booster pump, has been designed to excel in hazardous environments and withstand ambient temperatures of up to 55°C. Its exceptional energy efficiency performance promises significant power savings and reduced CO2 emissions compared to conventional Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), offering substantial benefits to our customer.
Congratulations to the entire SET Sustainable Energy Technologies GmbH team on their remarkable achievement in contributing to our latest Oil & Gas project. We eagerly anticipate witnessing the deployment of this state-of-the-art SETCON gearbox at the customer’s site.
