Atlas Copco GA 45 (FF 45⁺) Oil-Injected Rotary Screw Air Compressor

Description

The Atlas Copco GA 45 is the most powerful member of the compact GA 30-45 frame inside the GA 30⁺-90 oil-injected screw family, and it closes the gap between the small workshop class and the large GA 55-90 machines. The model comes in two branches: the GA 45 with free air delivery up to 138 l/s and the GA 45+ with up to 151 l/s at the same 45 kW motor rating.

Every version ships as a complete Pack with the element, motor, cooling system and controls arranged inside a canopy only 890 mm wide, and the Full Feature branch adds the refrigerant dryer and filtration to the same frame. A built-in energy recovery system is available on the GA 45, so the machine can heat workshops or process water while it produces air.

Fixed speed remains the right answer for plants with a steady base load. Running at full load is the operating point where the GA 45 converts electricity into air most efficiently, and the Elektronikon controller manages loading, unloading and shutdown around that base load automatically.

Where the GA 45 Fits in the Oil-Injected Range

The GA 45 stands at the top of the small frame: below it sit the GA 30+ and GA 37 machines of the same envelope, and above it the platform moves to the large GA 55 frame shared with the GA 75 and GA 90. Plants choose the GA 45 when the flow demand has outgrown a 37 kW machine but the machine room cannot offer the footprint of the larger class.

The four pressure versions make the GA 45 a planning tool in the usual platform manner: one model covers the ladder from 7.5 bar workshop air to 13 bar high-pressure process air. The GA 45+ branch runs the same ladder one step higher in flow, so plants that expect moderate growth stay inside the same model choice and the same installation envelope.

What Pack and FF Mean

The Pack designation covers the complete compressor: element, motor, oil system, cooling circuit, controller and protective canopy, ready for connection to an external air treatment chain. The FF, or Full Feature, branch integrates the refrigerant dryer and filtration inside the package, so the delivered air leaves the machine already dried to a pressure dew point of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

Both branches use the same carrying frame, which keeps the installation planning identical apart from the added depth of the treatment chain.

Technical Specifications of the GA 45

The table below condenses the GA 45 into its headline figures:

50 Hz Pressure Versions

Unit performance of the 50 Hz versions is measured according to ISO 1217, Annex C, Edition 4:2009, with the FAD referenced to the effective working pressures of 7, 8, 9.5 and 12.5 bar(e), with the first four rows covering the GA 45 and the last four the GA 45+ branch:

60 Hz Pressure Versions

The 60 Hz versions follow the same design with pressures quoted in psig, and their performance is measured according to ISO 1217, annex E. The footnotes, reference conditions and FAD details of the 50 Hz versions apply:

The noise level of 68 dB(A) is the A-weighted emission sound pressure level at the work station, determined according to the noise level test code ISO 2151 and the noise measurement standard ISO 9614, with an uncertainty of 3 dB. The reference conditions are an absolute inlet pressure of 1 bar and an intake air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, and the integrated refrigerant dryer of the Full Feature branch holds a pressure dew point of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius at these conditions. Both branches post the same 68 dB(A) figure.

Dimensions and Weight

The Pack of the GA 45 measures 1310 mm deep, 890 mm wide and 1790 mm high, and weighs 692 kg. The Full Feature branch extends the depth to 1810 mm to house the integrated dryer and filters, keeping the 890 mm width and the 1790 mm height unchanged, and weighs 900 kg. The plus branch weighs 808 kg as Pack and 978 kg as Full Feature with the same envelope. A footprint under one meter wide lets the GA 45 into machine corners that larger compressors cannot use, and the canopy opens for service access without extra clearance at the sides.

The Maintenance-Free Drive Train

Motor and Direct Drive

The GA 45 carries a Super Premium efficiency electrical motor design with IP55 protection, insulation class F and a temperature rise class B that keeps the windings well inside their limits. The motor drives the element directly, with no coupling and no slippage losses between the two, so the shaft power reaches the compression element unchanged.

The non-drive side bearing is greased for life, which removes it from the maintenance schedule entirely, and the whole drive system is totally enclosed and protected against dirt and dust. The machine runs in ambient conditions up to 46 degrees Celsius as standard, with a high ambient version rated for 55 degrees Celsius.

Filtration on the Air and Oil Side

The oil system runs through a robust spin-on oil filter that removes particles 300 percent smaller than a conventional filter, with an integrated bypass valve that keeps the element supplied if the filter clogs. The intake side uses a heavy-duty air filter that removes 99.9 percent of dirt particles down to 3 microns, and the inlet pressure drop is monitored so the filter element is renewed on condition instead of on suspicion. Together the two stages protect the element, the oil separator and the cooler block across the whole service interval.

Smart Features on the Plus Branch

EQ2i Dual Compressor Control

The GA 45+ comes with the built-in EQ2i multiple compressor control as standard, which allows the machine to manage a second compressor in the same network. For a plant that runs a small backup unit or a second machine during peak hours, the EQ2i keeps both compressors inside a narrow pressure band and balances their running hours automatically. That control layer turns the GA 45+ into the center of a two-machine room without an external sequencer.

Condensate and Protection Options

The electronic no-loss water drain is standard on the GA 45+ and removes condensate automatically without wasting compressed air, while the base GA 45 offers it as an option. Freeze protection and a tropical thermostat are available for installations in cold or hot climates, and the UD+ filter can be combined with the integrated dryer to reach air quality Class 1.4.2 according to ISO 8573-1:2010 with a single filter stage.

Energy Recovery Built Into the GA 45

All the electrical energy a compressed air system uses finally leaves the machine as heat, and the GA 45 can be delivered with a built-in energy recovery system that recovers up to 75 percent of that power input. In the ducted version the recovered hot air heats warehouses and workshops directly; in the hot water version the heat feeds radiators, laundries, industrial cleaning lines, canteens and sanitary facilities.

For plants with a steady base load the recovery yield is particularly stable, because the GA 45 spends most of its running time at full load where the heat output is constant. The energy cost savings shorten the payback of the compressed air investment without compromising the performance of the machine.

Full Feature: Dryer and Filters Inside the Package

The Full Feature branch turns the GA 45 into a complete air quality station. The refrigerant dryer is sized for the compressor and holds the pressure dew point between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius under all circumstances, preventing freezing at low load. Downstream, the filtration stage polishes the air to the quality class the application needs, and the no-loss condensate drain removes water without wasting compressed air. Controlled and monitored by the Elektronikon, the dryer reports its status on the same panel that runs the compressor.

Dew Point and Condensate

Condensate from the dryer and the oil separator contains oil traces and must be handled correctly. The electronic no-loss drain discharges it to the condensate management point without releasing air, and the controller supervises the drain so a fault is flagged on the panel instead of going unnoticed. Plants that feed the condensate to an oil-water separator get a clean, compliant discharge path.

Control and Connectivity

The control principle of the fixed speed platform is built around the load band. The GA 45 loads when the header pressure approaches the lower limit and unloads when it reaches the setpoint, and the Elektronikon keeps the number of these transitions low through intelligent band planning. Between load phases the machine idles rather than stops, which keeps the oil separation stable and avoids the wear that frequent restarts would bring to the motor and the element.

Elektronikon Touch

The Elektronikon Touch controller is available as an option for the GA 45. It features a 4.3-inch multilingual display with clear pictograms and a service indicator, and its operating system offers control and monitoring options with smart algorithms that optimize compressor performance.

Customized timers and efficiency controls are part of the package, which gives smaller plants the same panel comfort that the larger GA machines carry as standard. SMARTLINK remote monitoring and OPC UA connectivity integrate the compressor into the production monitoring system, so the GA 45 appears on the factory dashboard alongside the rest of the line.

Applications of the GA 45

The GA 45 covers the classic industrial load spectrum in a compact format: metal fabrication shops, plastics processing, food and beverage packaging, and general manufacturing with a steady base load. The 13 bar version serves high-pressure networks such as die cutting and laboratory supplies, while the 7.5 bar version maximizes the flow for plants that run a single standard header.

Workshops with a heating demand pair the compressor with the energy recovery system and use the same machine twice: once for air and once for heat. Plants that outgrow the GA 45 step into the GA 55, which opens the large frame of the platform with the same control logic.

Service and Support Around the GA 45

The service points of the GA 45 are grouped for access, and the spin-on filters make the routine services a short planned stop instead of a project. Atlas Copco fluids and lubricants are tailored to the platform with anti-oxidation additives that hold their protective qualities across the service interval, and the Elektronikon tracks the remaining lifetime of every consumable. Keeping the intake air clean, pairing the machine with adequate receiver volume and holding a steady load profile are the three habits that decide its lifetime.

For a replacement element on the oil-injected platform, see the OIS O-06 Oil-Injected Screw Element. Seadweer supports the GA 45 and its Full Feature branch with original spare parts, service kits and technical documentation for every pressure version.

FAQ

Which pressure versions does the GA 45 offer?

At 50 Hz the GA 45 is available in 7.5, 8.5, 10 and 13 bar(e) versions, and at 60 Hz in 100, 125, 150 and 175 psig versions. Each version delivers between 105 and 151 l/s depending on the setting and the branch.

How much air does the GA 45 deliver?

The 7.5 bar version delivers 138 l/s (293 cfm), and the 13 bar version delivers 105 l/s (223 cfm). The plus branch delivers up to 151 l/s (320 cfm) at 7.5 bar, and the 60 Hz versions reach up to 139 l/s at 100 psig.

What is the difference between the GA 45 and the GA 45+?

Both branches share the same frame, motor rating and pressure ladder. The GA 45+ adds the built-in EQ2i control that manages a second compressor and carries the electronic no-loss water drain as standard, while the base GA 45 offers these features as options.

What is the difference between Pack and FF?

Pack is the complete compressor without integrated air treatment, while FF, the Full Feature branch, integrates the refrigerant dryer and filtration inside the same canopy. The FF branch is 500 mm deeper and 208 kg heavier than the Pack.

How loud is the GA 45?

The sound pressure level at the work station is 68 dB(A) for both branches, determined according to ISO 2151 and ISO 9614 with an uncertainty of 3 dB.

Can the GA 45 recover heat?

Yes. A built-in energy recovery system is available and recovers up to 75 percent of the power input as hot air or hot water, which can heat workshops or feed laundries, cleaning lines and sanitary facilities.