At the recent Hannover Fair, ABB announced a range of low-voltage AC drives aimed as pump and fan applications. The IP20-protected drives, with ratings from 0.37–22kW, have built-in PID controllers that respond to changes in pressure, flow and other variables, eliminating the need for external PLCs and helping to save energy.

The drives (below) incorporate several dedicated pump and fan control functions. One, for example, modulates the speed of a main pump or fan and brings any auxiliary pumps or fans on line as needed. The drives can also switch between pumps or fans to ensure that they are all used to the same extent over the long term.

A soft-start control reduces unwanted pressure peaks in pumps and pipelines that can cause water hammer and mechanical stresses. The drives can also initiate pump-cleaning sequences to prevent jamming, as well as detecting underloads and overloads.

A built-in energy optimiser helps to reduce noise and boost operating efficiency. Energy savings can be monitored on a counter which displays savings in kWh, local currencies and CO₂ emissions.

Another software tool analyses drive loads, helping users to dimension the drive and motor for a particular application.
Software-controlled phase inversion offers a quick way of changing the phase order of motor rotation without needing to change the output cable manually.

The drive comes with several pre-programmed application macros for common tasks. Users can also call up a variety of “assistant screens” including: a start-up assistant for essential settings; a maintenance assistant that helps to set criteria for preventative maintenance; a diagnostic assistant that tries to find the cause of a problem; a timer assistant that helps to set timed functions; and a PID assistant that helps to set up sensor feedback.

For more Hannover Fair news, see our in-depth report.