ACH550 HVAC offers peace of mind built-in

ABB UK introduced the ACH550 as dedicated low voltage AC drive for the heating, ventilation & air conditioning (HVAC) market.  To meet the industry’s special requirements, the drives feature built-in control programmes specifically designed for HVAC applications like cooling tower fans, supply and return fans, and booster pumps and condensers up to 355 kW.

ACH550 HVAC drives make maintaining a buildings comfort zone easy, quick and energy efficient. The drives control the speed of pump, fan and compressor motors used in air handling units, cooling towers, chillers and other HVAC applications. Other features include built-in PID control, native BACnet communication, timers, real-time clock and a calendar.

The ACH550 HVAC drive is rated for continuous operation to 40°C with full current, without being compromised by temperature variations within any 24-hour period. Full circulation is available, precisely when needed – usually, when it is hot outside. Similarly, IP54 versions can be operated without the need for de-rating up to 40°C.

Pre-configured HVAC application macros

Fifteen different HVAC application macros are pre-programmed into the HVAC drive. Application macros for supply and return fans, cooling tower fans, booster pumps and condensers are available, just to name a few. The user can create two additional application macros, selectable manually or through a customer contact. To illustrate this, the user can create summer and winter application macros and select between these according to the time of the year.

HARMONIC AND EMC COMPLIANCE

ABB‘s patented swinging choke means the ACH Series Drive reduces harmonics by up to 64% at partial loads when compared to a PWM AFD with no chokes. There is no need to oversize the supply cables. The ACH Series Drive is designed to meet the EMC product standard EN61000-3-12. These standard EMI/RFI filters eliminate the need for any external filtering hardware.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (BMS)

Commonly used HVAC fieldbuses BACnet, N2, FLN and Modbus embedded into the memory of the drive, ensuring that they are always there if you need them. LonWorks, Profibus and other plug-in modules fit under the cover of the drive. A single twisted pair avoids great lengths of conventional cabling, reducing cost and increasing system reliability.

Flux optimization is a standard feature in ACH550 and means the drive supplies only the voltage and current necessary to drive the load. These results in reduced energy consumption and much lower motor noise levels. Silent operation mode further reduces motor audible noise for sensitive applications.

The HVAC drive has two independent PID controllers built in. As an example: one PID controller works with the AFD to maintain the duct static pressure; simultaneously, the other PID controller can be used to control a separate external device, e.g. a chilled water valve. These are monitored and controlled through serial communications.

External timer circuits are no longer needed as the drives real-time clock based built-in timers allow starting and stopping the drive or changing the speed according to a set time and date. Relay outputs can be operated by the timers to control any auxiliary equipment on site.

MAINTENANCE & DIAGNOSTICS

The fault logger of the HVAC drive is especially useful in tracking down drive trips through its use of the real-time clock. In addition to recording time and date, the fault logger also takes a snapshot of 7 diagnostic values – like motor speed and output current. Should a fault occur, the diagnostic assistant displays, in plain language, possible causes and potential solutions. The drive alerts users when maintenance is required based on your individual requirements.

Performance  software tools

– DriveWindow Light 2 further facilitates commissioning and maintenance.

– Pump & Fan Save helps calculate energy savings and pay-back times.

– ABB’s Harmonics Calculator allows the engineer to run harmonics contribution estimates.

See also Big benefits from ACH550 drives in retail HVAC applications

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