On Thursday, March 30, Compressed Air Best Practices hosted another installment of their Expert Webinar Series featuring presentations on variable speed drive (VSD) application from industry experts, including Atlas Copco’s Steve Bruno and Compression Engineering Corporation’s Tim Dugan.
Bruno discussed some common misconceptions of VSD compressors in his presentation. Many operators assume that because a VSD compressor is designed to meet the system demand, no extra air storage is required. While this can be true when a system demand is extremely steady with very slight variances, it isn’t the case in most settings.
Another common misconception is that oversizing your VSD compressor is beneficial. However, this is the most common reason for VSD failure, as the compressor oil doesn’t heat up and its ability to cool, seal and lubricate is diminished.
Bruno encouraged listeners to size VSD compressors based on their current system demand (not what they hope to grow into) and to reference Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) datasheets to verify compressor efficiency ratings.
Keynote speaker Tim Dugan, president and principal engineer of Compression Engineering Corporation, explained VSD best practices, including tips on system design, compressor sizing, and control algorithms. He stressed the importance of balancing a base-loaded compressor with VSD trim compressors and explained how to find the VSD sweet spot based on system demand.
Register here to listen to the full webinar. Do you have questions about VSD compressors? Leave a comment below, or reach out to one of our compressed air experts today.
