By adopting Schneider Electric’s Altivar ATV 212 and ATV61 inverter drives, US based pump company Taco, Inc., was able to improve flow control and reduce power consumption of their HVAC pumps in response to customer demand.

As energy concerns gained increasing visibility with building owners, the HVAC/ pump industry has moved to reduce energy costs and provide more accurate flow control. The building market consumes close to 25 percent of all energy consumption and presents significant opportunities for savings.

Similar to the UK, several government backed industry initiatives have been put in place to provide building owners with assistance and incentives to incorporate energy savings in both new and existing buildings.  As a result of the increased energy focus, Taco, Inc. found more and more customers requested variable frequency drives (VFDs) in addition to their pumps.

Because they were not familiar with all aspects of VFDs, Taco engineers approached Schneider Electric about their stand-alone drives, and the possibility of selling a pump with a mounted drive for its smaller horsepower series.

Multi-pump controller

Working closely with Taco, Schneider Electric modified its multi-pump controller inside card for the Altivar 61 drive to offer maximum benefits for Taco’s customers. The software adds pump functions like pressure maintenance and parallel pump balancing, Delta T control, up to three zones of control, and flow limiting capabilities. The software also recognises embedded products so the system knows exactly what it’s working with, making configuration, ease of use, and preventive maintenance easier.

At the time, Taco had no controller available for its customers, so the multi-pump controller inside card allowed them to have control over the Altivar 61 drive and subsequently, the pump.  It provided a low cost solution for their customers and gave them a wider range of capabilities. Currently, Taco, Inc. is offering the ATV 212, 61, 12, and 312 inverter drives for their products.

Altivar ATV drives from stock at discounted prices here