ACS, ACQ, ACH – which drive should I choose? A brief guide to ABB drive model selection.
The ABB portfolio covers the complete spectrum of drives. From micro and machinery drives for machine building to industrial drives for controlling processing lines, all the way up to industry specific drives with purpose-designed features and functionality but should you choose an ACS, an ACQ or ACH?
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Whilst many of the features of each model are similar when selecting which model of drive to use it is important to consider the application for which it will be used.
As a general guide the ACS drives are general machinery drives. ACH models are for use in the HVAC industry. ACQ models are used in the water industry. So what are the differences?
Which ABB Drive Should You Choose
ACS drives – these are general purpose drives which suit many industry applications. These drives are ready to control conveyors, compressors, pumps, fans and mixers as well as many other variable and constant torque applications in industries such as Automotive, Food and Beverage, Printing, Agriculture, Material Handling, Rubbers and Plastics and Sawmills amongst others. These drives are relatively easy to commission, and stocks are readily available in wall mounted and cabinet installations from ABB AVPs. The software in the ACS drive is designed to meet the widest range of requirements from a diverse variety of applications.
ACH drives are used for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) applications and control any type of AC motor for HVAC including induction, permanent magnet and synchronous reluctance motors. They are simple to operate and efficient to run. HVAC assistants help support speedy set up and commissioning and the drive can operate with your existing management system to control your buildings climate. The ACH drive also has Firemans Overide which allows the extraction motors to run to destruction to clear smoke in the event of a fire.
ACQ drives are water and waste water industry specific drives tailored for simplifying pumping processes and motor control whilst ensuring energy efficiency. The drives are designed for pumping functions supporting single and multi-pump configurations. They can be configured to ensure the drive can efficiently control all applications for raw, clean and waste water treatment.
Micro drives – these are good value for money and are standard drives with no frills. The range consists of ACS55, 150, 310 and the new ACS480 drive.
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As well as the above drive models other variants are available such as ATEX, Water Cooled, Regenerative and Ultra-Low Harmonic drives.
ATEX drives – These are used in explosive or hazardous areas. ABB are one of the few manufacturers who offer motors and drives packages under /34/EU certification.
Water Cooled drives – these are used where space is a challenge.
Regenerative drives – these are used where there is a high regenerative load which can be diverted back to the mains whilst providing motor braking.
Ultra-Low Harmonic drives – ABB produces a range of ultra-low harmonic drives based on active rectifier technology. You can find out more about harmonic distortion here.
Summary
This position paper explains appropriate applications for ABB's single and multiple drives. In general terms, the ABB multidrives can be used whenever several drives/motors form part of a single or integrated mechanical process. The common supply of the multidrive enables the implementation of overall safety and control functions, and permits the close coordination of individual drive motors.
(A new generation of technology delivers precise control of multiple motors via a compact multidrive design) NEW BERLIN, Wis., September 21, - Extremely compact multidrive series from ABB - the ACS800 offers an array of benefits to integrators, OEMs, panel builders and end users who are optimizing energy usage through precise control of motors. Since drives are available both in multidrive and single drive configurations, it is useful to define the difference - and profile the benefits that the next generation of multidrives now provides to users.
A single ABB industrial drive Adjustable Speed Drives are used in any application in which there is mechanical equipment powered by motors; the drives provide extremely precise electrical motor control, so that motor speeds can be ramped up and down, and maintained, at speeds required; doing so utilizes only the energy required, rather than having a motor run at constant (fixed) speed and utilizing an excess of energy. Since motors consume a majority of the energy produced, the control of motors, based on demands of loads, increases in importance, as energy supplies become ever more strained. Additionally, end users of motors can realize 25 - 70% energy savings via use of motor controllers. (Despite these benefits, the majority of motors continue to be operated without drives.) Single ABB industrial drives are highly flexible AC drives that can be customized to meet the precise needs of a single-motor application. These units convert AC power to DC, and then invert the DC back to an AC output to a motor. These drives cover a wide, full range of powers and voltages. Single industrial drives also feature a wide range of built-in options as standard equipment. They can be installed for most applications right out of the box; and they also can be ordered and manufactured as a customized unit for a particular application.
What is an ABB multidrive? A multidrive is built from industrial drive modules that are connected to a common DC bus bar. The common bus bar is used to supply the drive modules with DC power, and each module then inverts the DC to AC and powers an individual motor. The DC power is derived from a single supply unit (rectifier) that is built into the front end of the same multidrive configuration. This construction simplifies the total installation and results in many benefits: savings in cabling; reduced line currents and simpler braking arrangements; energy distribution over the common DC bus bar, which can be used for motor-to-motor braking without the need for a braking chopper or a regenerative supply unit; reduced component counts; increased reliability; and space savings; and there is no need for a separate Motor Control Center (MCC).
Where can multidrives be used?In general terms, the ABB multidrives can be used whenever several drives/motors form part of a single or integrated mechanical process. The common supply of the multidrive enables the implementation of overall safety and control functions, and permits the close coordination of individual drive motors. For example, a paper machine has many motors that must be individually controlled as a complete system. The ABB multidrives offer fast communication of torque and speed signals between the drives, to control the tension in the paper web. Multidrives also can be used where the shafts of the individual drive motors are not tightly coupled; for example, in processes where each drive module can be programmed with a speed profile so that the overall use of energy is minimized. These two examples merely demonstrate the range of applications where ABB multidrives offer substantial benefits over other types of drive constructions.
ABB multidrive promises Modular configuration of multidrives provides control of multiple motors across a 1 - HP power range, from 380 - 600 (690) VAC. A single rectifier unit can be combined with a host of inverter units that are connected in parallel, to provide output current required by any given application. Additional major benefits include:
Encoder-less Motor Operation - Superior dynamic-response performance of ABB's patented Direct Torque Control (DTC) motor control algorithm. Many applications can be run without encoder feedback. Flexibility - Only four types of diode rectifiers are used to invert AC three-phase input power to the common DC bus bar across the entire ACS800 power range (200 - HP). Inverter modules (drives) are available in seven sizes (R2i - R8i frame sizes) and cover the 1 - HP range; single R8i units, or R8i units in parallel, supply the motors. Compact Design - Improvements in technology and power components have reduced the total footprint of these multidrives by up to 50 percent, compared to the generation of multidrives preceding the ACS800 line! This frees up significant wall-, panel- and floor-space. Wide Range of Options - I/O extensions, field buses and a pulse encoder module all fit inside the inverters. Adaptive Programming - This program extends the freely programmable I/O and extensive parameter selections built into the multidrives and accessed via the Start-up assistant. The Adaptive Programming accesses extensive parameter selections for complete flexibility in precise control of all individual motors; like a mini PLC built in. Reduced Installation Costs - Since the modular configuration utilizes a common DC bus, the cabling input power required is a single three-phase AC connection. Further, the cabling is wired to the rectifier module through a unique plug-in connector, which then powers the entire common DC line-up. And the plug-in connectors for the inverters (132 kW and up) are wired to the motor terminals. Both the rectifiers and the inverters are rolled in on their wheels and seated into the connectors. Redundancy - Common spare parts and the ability to keep running at reduced load, if module is disabled. Overview of the construction An ABB multidrive is built from several different sections (see Figure 1). The key units within these multidrive systems include: Drive units - inverters have built-in capacitors for smoothing the voltage of DC bus bars. Diode Supply Units (DSU) - these units automatically adapt to 6- or 12-pulse operation and, during start-up, they deploy a built-in control system that automatically charge the inverters' capacitor banks. IGBT Supply Units (ISU) - used in regenerative drive systems and applications requiring low harmonics, to convert three-phase AC voltage to DC voltage. Thyristor Supply Units (TSU) - in a regenerative drive, can regenerate power back to the mains. Dynamic braking units - in resistor braking, whenever the DC bus voltage of a frequency converter exceeds a certain limit, a braking chopper connects the circuit to a braking resistor. Control units (optional) are equipped with communication interfaces, power supplies, etc., for automation equipment. ABB, Automation Products, Low Voltage Drives, is the world's largest manufacturer of electric motors and drives. In the USA, an integrated channel of sales representatives, distributors, and system integrators allow ABB, New Berlin, Wisconsin, to supply a complete line of energy-efficient electric drives, motors and engineered drive systems to a wide range of industrial and commercial customers. Products manufactured include AC and DC variable speed drives for electric motors from 1/8th through 135,000 HP, and application-specific drive system solutions to meet diverse customer needs (www.abb.us/drives ). ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 107,000 people.
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