What is a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) Air Compressor?
Air compressors are used in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to automotive and construction. However, the type of air compressor businesses use varies greatly. Noisy reciprocating compressors used in workshops and by mechanics are different from screw compressors commonly used in manufacturing processes, and a VSD air compressor can be used for applications that need a controlled speed.
It is even more precise than that because, unlike other types of compressors, a VSD works in real time to match the speed of the motor to the amount of air needed to complete the task.
Even though there are only small fluctuations and speed changes on each task it performs, this adds up to a much more energy-efficient process when used consistently. It is not just a small amount either because VSD can save businesses around 30–50% on energy consumption compared to other air compressors, resulting in lower energy bills and less wear on the parts.
How Does a VSD Air Compressor Work?
Compared to most other air compressors, a VSD is efficient because it has built-in intelligence in the form of a smart inverter. This inverter can take in real-time feedback from the air compressor’s performance and then dynamically adjust the system to deliver the most efficient results.
This frequency inverter can alter the speed of the motor so that when the demand for air is high, the machine responds with a higher output. Conversely, when the demand is low, energy is conserved by lowering the revolutions per minute (rpm).
Regular fixed-speed compressors without a VSD produce a constant flow of air, which is ideal for some applications but less efficient for other requirements.
What are the Benefits of a VSD Air Compressor?
A VSD has many advantages over traditional compressors with a fixed speed. The main benefit is the high level of energy efficiency it provides to operations large and small, as the motor is not running at a high rpm when it does not need to. The energy reduction is significant, and some models can make using the equipment up to 50% more efficient, which translates into significantly reduced energy bills for a business and a smaller carbon footprint.
You can expect less wear and tear on the parts, as the VSD only runs at speeds fit for the task, resulting in savings on new parts and the machine lasting longer. They are also much quieter than their counterparts as the rpm fluctuates, and they do not make loud noises when they do not have to.
Additional advantages include preventing idle time and unnecessary overpressurisation, reducing blow-offs, and less leakage due to consistent and uniform pressure.
Where are VSD Air Compressors Used?
VSD air compressors are highly versatile and are used in countless applications to provide high efficiency for vehicle assembly lines or packaging food. Here are just some of the many ways VSDs are used by businesses:
- Electronics manufacturing: VSDs are an essential part of operations, whether printed circuit boards need soldering and blasts of clean, pure air to clean any dust or robotic arms for pick-and-place tasks.
- Food production: VSDs can help dry food with a blast of precisely controlled air, and they are also used in packaging processes such as vacuum packing, bottling, sealing, canning, and applying labels.
- Automotive assembly: VSDs give car assembly lines the power they need to undertake a wide range of tasks, from controlling compressed air tools like riveters and impact wrenches to spray painting the surface of a newly built vehicle.
- Pharmaceutical production: drugs and chemicals must be created and packaged in a clean and sterile environment. VSDs can be used as they have an oil-free option and can power systems used for air filtration and tablet pressing.
- Consumer goods: lots of the plastic we use in everyday life is created by injection moulding, and VSDs power the pneumatics used to cool the products and clamp them ready for painting or further moulding.
So, whether it is the production of microchips for our computers and phones that we use daily or the safety of the vehicles we drive, VSDs in air compressors play an important role in every aspect of life across various industries.
What is a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) Air Compressor?
How to Maintain VSD Air Compressors?
As with any piece of machinery, maintenance is the secret to its longevity and ability to function as efficiently as possible. A qualified technician can diagnose and monitor the performance of a VSD air compressor to keep it in top shape and continue to deliver the high level of efficiency it is known for.
When they perform a maintenance health check, they will examine the inverter to ensure no faults with the wiring or connections and to see if there is adequate insulation. The circuit boards will also be checked for signs of damage or corrosion, and the whole system will be tested for pressure and airflow to ensure the filters are clean and there are no leaks.
As VSDs owe their efficiency to sensors, a technician will check the pressure and temperature sensors to calibrate them properly for maximum accuracy.
If you are considering purchasing or hiring a VSD air compressor for your business, reach out to the air compressor experts here at Search Air, and we will be able to walk you through the range of options best suited to your requirements. We also offer servicing, maintenance, and repair of VSDs so that your operations run smoothly and maximise productivity.