HVAC DRIVES

Heating, ventilation & air conditioning systems have their own unique set of issues and ABB has created a dedicated vsd for this type of application – the ACH580 drive.

HVAC applications are rarely required to be operational 24/7, and, as a result, huge cost & energy savings can be made from the efficient control of the motors operating them. For example, a swimming pool or library will not require full ventilation when the building is empty, and turning down the heating/ cooling/ ventilation as the demand varies can save a significant percentage of your running costs (in some applications this energy saving is estimated to be between 20 -70%). With such variations in demand, HVAC is one industry which can make significant and sustained savings through the application of variable speed drives to its motors.                                                                                                                                                                                 ABB has calculated that by reducing the speed of motors driving pumps & fans to the correct operation point – for example, a centrifugal fan taken down from full speed to run at 80% - equates to an energy saving of 50% as the motor requires only half as much energy to run at 80% as it does at 100%. So what are some of the specific problems faced in HVAC drive applications that make the ACH580 drive a perfect fit? Demand fluctuations, RFI (Radio-frequency interference) emissions and harmonics have all been sees as issues in HVAC.  And it has been these issues which ABB's ACH580 drive has been built to combat - with an extensive range of bespoke design features, customised exclusively for HVAC installations. The drive is IE2 rated - the highest possible rating for an inverter, ensuring this HVAC drive won't cause RFI problems in businesses such as data centres. Meanwhile, a swinging choke reduces the harmonic emissions by up to 25% - reducing harmonics at partial, instead of the conventional full-load; a major innovation which was initially devised and patented for the ACH550 drive (the ACH580's predecessor). 

Inbuilt macros make setting up the drive & fault diagnosis fast and intuitive. Cooling tower, supply & return fan, fault histories are all available at the touch of a button on the hand-off-auto enabled keypad (which is also capable of bluetooth integration). Whilst an on-board monitoring system tells the end user of problems with filters, fans and belts, taking the guess work out of break-downs.

With guaranteed efficiency levels from your drive-motor package, guaranteed compatibility with any type of AC motor for HVAC systems (making it perfect for retro-fit jobs) and one of the fastest payback times of any drive, the new ACH580 can product huge energy savings for companies - for a very cost-effective out-lay.

Read more as ABB embarks on identifying the technical challenges facing VSDs in HVAC applications or see the ACH580 range from EDC.