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What is VSD and

how does it
work?
 VSD stands for variable speed Beware of
drive. Hidden behind these letters
is (inverter) technology that subpar VSD
automatically adjusts
compressor’s motor speed to the
the
technology
compressed air demand in real-
time. This often saves a lot of Some manufacturers offer retrofitted fixed-
energy and money. In fact, speed compressors with an add-on inverter
depending on which type of VSD capacity, the inverter provides the VSD as VSD units. These compressors should
compressor you use, energy compressor only with the specific frequency come with a disclaimer. To get the most out
consumption can drop by up to required to meet the current demand. And that of VSD technology, a compressor must be
60%. can save a lot of energy. designed, built and tested as a VSD
The element compressor. All components, not just the
So, how does it work? inverter, must work together to deliver
Rotary screw compressors are best suited to maximum energy savings and a reliable
To understand the operating principle of take advantage of the benefits of VSD operation. That is why Atlas Copco VSD
a VSD compressor, let’s first look at its technology. The reason is that a rotary screw compressors so clearly outperform the
different components. pretend ones. Because only a dedicated
design and custom-built, quality components
The motor and inverter will get the most out of VSD technology.

The variable speed drive adjusts the

compressor’s speed (RPM) by means of an
inverter. Instead of sending all the power directly
into a traditional AC motor that runs at full
capacity, the inverter provides the VSD
 .
of Atlas Copco VSD compressors, that is the
Elektronikon® on-board controller. Sensors Benefits of
continually measure system pressure,
temperature, and in the latest premium VSD using a VSD
comp even relative humidity. In response to this
data, the system adjusts the motor speed to meet compressor
the actual air demand.
The main benefit of using a VSD compressor
technology. The reason is that a rotary screw is that it can drastically reduce your energy
compressor’s flow rate and power consumption costs and therefore save you a lot of money.
are virtually proportional to speed. Therefore, as
the motor adapts its speed to reflect the current However, the technology has other
demand, the rotary screw elements adapt in sync advantages as well. Here are a few:
so the amount of compressed air being delivered
matches that demand. 1. A VSD compressor can start/stop under
system pressure. There is no need to unload,
The brain which saves both time and energy.

Obviously, as a smart technology, a VSD 2. No time is lost to idling.

compressor also requires a “brain.” In the case
of Atlas Copco VSD compressors, that is the 3. No blow-off losses occur in normal
operations.

4. You can avoid power company penalties

for peak current at startup.

5. The air system pressure is more

consistent, and leakages can be minimized.
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Atlas Copco’s VSD

Compressors
 Compressed air is everywhere.
Without it, large parts of the world
would literally come to a halt.
Fortunately, there is no chance of
running out of compressed air.
That’s because its main
“ingredient” is air, which is literally
all around us.
However, compressing air also
requires power – a lot of it.
Traditionally, that has been the
Achilles heel of compressors.

Because, while air is free, power

certainly is not.

And this has been reflected in the total cost of - .

ownership of compressors, i.e. all of the costs anticipate that up to 80% of that total cost of technology behind them – have transformed air
associated with compressing air over their ownership is spent on energy. That not only compression (and manufacturing) forever.
lifetime – from the initial investment to operating affects the bottom line of any business using
expenses and maintenance costs. compressed air but also burdens the To understand why and how, let’s first look at
environment. conventional fixed-speed compressors.
Here, the money spent on energy has always However, Atlas Copco has completely changed As their name indicates, they only have one
dwarfed all other expenses. In fact, the owner this equation with the invention of VSD speed: full power. You turn them on and they
of a conventional fixed-speed compressor can compressors. These three letters – and the deliver their maximum output. That’s great if the
anticipate that up to 80% of that total cost of technology behind them – have transformed air respective application requires exactly that much
 .
respective application requires exactly that much
air all the time.

However, the demand for compressed air

fluctuates to a significant degree in nearly 90%
of compressed air installations. In other words,
fixed-speed compressors often produce way
more air than is needed, which is a waste of
resources.
That’s where VSD compressors enter the
picture.
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Does a VSD
compressor make
sense for you?
 - ,
As you now know, a VSD
compressor excels when the air
recent models have become more efficient than
fixed-speed models, even at maximum speed. Did you know
demand of an operation fluctuates,
as it does in the vast majority of If you are unsure whether a VSD compressor that you can
applications that use compressed
air.
makes sense for you, just commission a
professional air audit. That is the best way to also get a dryer
Specifically, that means that a VSD with VSD
compressor is usually the best
option when: technology?
demand for compressed air fluctuates Because refrigerant dryers have their own
significantly between jobs. small compressor, you can now also take
demand varies by shift, on weekends or advantage of the variable speed drive
seasonally. technology when drying air.
manufacturing processes require tight
operating pressure tolerances. , In fact, by significantly reducing both the
professional air audit. That is the best way to active and inactive energy consumption,
Traditionally, VSD compressors were not the identify the most appropriate compressor and these dryers are the most efficient on the
best choice for continuous operation at full controls for your specific application. market – far surpassing thermal mass dryers.
speed. In that case, switching losses of the
inverter result in lower energy efficiency at full Simply contact Atlas Copco and talk to us about In addition, as opposed to thermal mass
speed, which means a VSD model would be less your needs and applications! dryers, a VSD dryer offers dew point stability.
efficient than an otherwise identical fixed-speed
compressor. On the other hand, while this is true
Contact an expert
for first-generation VSD compressors, more
recent models have become more efficient than
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Great, greater,
greatest
 Atlas Copco launched the first
VSD compressors about a
quarter-century ago and
revolutionized the market.

The first models lowered the

energy costs of their users by up
to 35%, which sharply reduced the
total cost of ownership of , - -
compressors. can drastically reduce your energy consumption VSD models, the energy savings quickly make
Instead of resting on its success, Atlas Copco and costs by up to 35%. Thanks to their up for that. Ultimately, the low operating
has continued to develop the technology and has outstanding reliability, these compressors remain expenses result in a much lower total cost of
launched two other types of variable speed a great option for operations with a variable air ownership of GA VSD+ models.
drives since then, the VSD+ and the VSDS. demand.
VSD+ The entire drive train of these compressors is a
Let’s take a look at how VSD compressors have closed circuit, where both motor and elements
evolved and which model might be the right are cooled with oil. This provides additional
choice for you. The GA VSD+ range is a true engineering energy savings.
marvel. It features an interior Permanent Magnet
VSD (iPM) motor that further boosts the efficiency of Another major benefit of VSD+ compressors is
VSD compressors. Compared to idling that they can be installed flexibly. First, their
compressors, that can mean energy savings of vertical design has reduced the footprint of these
This is the classic among compressors with up to 50%. compressors by 60%, which means they fit in
variable speed drive. Compared to a fixed-speed While the initial investment is greater than that of more places. In addition, because there are no
compressor, a first-generation GA VSD model traditional compressors and first-first generation coupling or gears between the motor and the
can drastically reduce your energy consumption VSD models, the energy savings quickly make screw element, VSD+ compressors are
 . ,
that all parts are easily accessible, which It all starts with the new Neos Next inverter, in-
facilitates maintenance. house designed specifically for compressor
Finally, VSD+ compressors come with the state- applications. Combined with the new drive train,
of-the-art Elektronikon® smart controller system the Neos Next reduces the amount of energy
that features embedded connectivity with needed by up to 60% compared to conventional
SMARTLINK. This allows simple and effective compressors.
remote monitoring and integrates with plant
management systems (See more below).
VSDS

Atlas Copco’s third-generation GA VSDS

compressors are the industry’s gold standard
and have raised the bar yet again in terms of
efficiency, reliability, connectivity and
sustainability.
This range does not just offer incremental
improvements or a single innovation. Instead,
VSDS compressors are a combination of
decades of experience and everything that new
screw element, VSD+ compressors are technologies have to offer.
exceptionally quiet. This allows for installation
outside the compressor room, at the point of use. The result is a smart, adaptable compressor that
VSD+ compressors are built to last with robust benefits your operation, your bottom line and the
components, which reduces service environment.
requirements. In addition, they are designed so
that all parts are easily accessible, which
The efficiency of the GA VSDS series is boosted
further by its Smart Temperature Control oil
cooling system. This innovative technology The world’s most sustainable
combines multiple parameters such motor
speed, ambient temperature and humidity to compressor
ensure that the compressor always runs at the
optimal temperature. As a result, it eliminates The “s” in VSDˢ does not stand for “sustainability,” but it might as well. That’s because the new
compressor series from Atlas Copco is the world’s most sustainable and can help you meet your
climate goals.

First and foremost, there are the unprecedented energy savings. They won’t just reduce your
operating costs but also your environmental footprint. And, because compressing air requires so
much energy, that will make a massive difference in your eco balance.

However, the VSDˢ series does a lot more than “just” reduce your energy consumption – it was
designed with sustainability as a guiding principle.

For example, it uses a minimal number of components and features an IE5 motor with sustainably
sourced materials.

,
optimal temperature. As a result, it eliminates Then there is the “Boost Flow Mode,” which high-end connectivity features that allow you to
the risk of condensation completely. The STC allows you to safely exceed the maximum remotely monitor your compressor. In addition,
system makes the VSDS truly unique: It is the capacity of the compressor when you need it the latest-generation compressors are OPC UA
only compressor hat can measure the ambient most. enabled to be able to “talk” with your other
conditions and then adapt its operation based on Finally, VSDS compressors come with the latest manufacturing equipment more easily. You can
them. high-end connectivity features that allow you to find out more about OPC UA below.
 .
find out more about OPC UA below.

The result of these innovations is a compressor

that excels in the four key areas of efficiency,
reliability, connectivity and sustainability.
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OPC UA – Making
sure nothing gets
lost in translation
 The GA VSDS range from Atlas
Copco is the world’s first
compressor series that is OPC UA
enabled.

The acronym stands for Open

Platform Communications Unified
Architecture,
which is a machine-to-machine communication
protocol developed specifically for industrial
automation

In addition to helping things run more smoothly,

OPC UA also offers additional benefits, such as
greater security through various encryption
levels and authentication protocols, as well as
auditing and user control features that provide
the security that mission-critical systems require.

Finally, the use of this technology will simplify

data collection from different machines to
optimize your operation
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The future of VSD is

smart
 before they become big, costly problems. Boost Flow Mode and a limp mode. The former
Connectivity features are a allows you to meet a surge in demand by
relatively recent addition to The system will even alert you and offer advice temporarily exceeding the compressor’s
compressor technology. However, on what to do. maximum capacity without harming the unit or
they are already playing a crucial stopping production. Limp mode ensures the
role in ensuring that users get the compressor keeps working even when
most out of their compressors. something is wrong. Both features are an
important safeguard to avoid expensive
shutdowns.
This is especially true in the case of VSD = Very Solid Decision
the new VSD generations from Atlas No matter which way you look at it – from
Copco. efficiency, reliability, connectivity and
For example, in the past, operators had to be sustainability – VSD compressors deliver.
physically present. The SMARTLINK remote
monitoring system allows users to keep an eye And if you are one of the nearly 90% of
on their compressor at any time from just about compressed air users with fluctuating air
anywhere on the globe. demand, you should look into how you can put
one to work for you.
All you need is an internet connection and a
mobile device to optimize the compressor’s In this way, these new connectivity capabilities
performance and safeguard its reliability. provide an additional boost to the compressor’s
already outstanding efficiency and reliability.
In addition, the Elektronikon® Touch controller,
which comes standard with the new VSD Speaking of a boost …
generations, allows you to detect small issues
in your compressor early on and address them VSDS compressors come with an intelligent
before they become big, costly problems. Boost Flow Mode and a limp mode. The former
Calculate your VSDs/VSD⁺
⁺ energy savings yourself!
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Atlas Copco’s VSD

Compressors
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