Atlas Copco GA 15 (FF TM 15⁺) Oil-Injected Rotary Screw Air Compressor

Description

The Atlas Copco GA 15 is the 15 kW / 20 hp screw compressor of the oil-injected range, the rating where many plants take their first step from single-workshop supply to a dedicated production network. The model exists in two branches: the GA 15 of the compact GA 11-26 series with five pressure versions from 7.5 to 16 bar(e), and the GA 15+ of the upgraded GA 11+-30 series with up to 47.3 l/s on the same motor rating.

The compact GA 15 weighs 421 kg as a Standard build and posts 69 dB(A), a figure shared by both branches across every pressure version. Both branches carry a 5-year factory warranty or 24,000 hours of operation, whichever comes first, after registration.

The two branches hold the motor rating in common and split on frame, flow and control generation, and the sections below keep them side by side. A plant that needs the widest pressure ladder up to 16 bar picks the compact branch; a plant that wants more flow per kilowatt, the touchscreen generation and the 3 degrees Celsius dryer picks the plus branch.

Where the GA 15 Fits in the Oil-Injected Range

The GA 15 sits one step above the GA 11 in the compact GA 11-26 series, and the GA 15+ holds the matching position in the upgraded GA 11+-30 series below the GA 18+. Plants choose it when the demand has outgrown an 11 kW machine but does not yet justify the 18.5 kW class, or when a high-pressure line up to 16 bar needs its own dedicated supply at mid-range cost.

The compact branch maximizes economy on the 1225 x 695 x 1475 mm frame, while the plus branch adds flow, the touchscreen controller and the 3 degrees Celsius dryer of the upgraded series. The fixed-speed GA 15 is also joined in the range by the GA VSDs variable-speed models, which Seadweer presents on their own pages.

What Standard and FF Mean

The GA 15 comes as a Standard build with the element, gear drive, cooling system and controller inside the sound-proofed canopy, and as an FF build that adds the refrigerant dryer and the loss-free condensate drain inside the same enclosure. The FF build delivers dry air at a pressure dew point of 5 degrees Celsius and leaves the factory as a plug-and-play station that removes the installation work of an external treatment chain.

The GA 15+ FF holds a pressure dew point of 3 degrees Celsius, and both FF builds accept built-in filter stages that polish the residual oil content down to 0.01 ppm.

Technical Specifications of the GA 15

The table below condenses the two branches into their headline figures:

Flow and Pressure Data

Unit performance is specified per pressure version, with the maximum working pressure of the Standard build quoted next to the reduced value of the FF build, whose dryer takes a small share of the pressure. The reference conditions are an absolute inlet pressure of 1 bar and an intake air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.

GA 15 50 Hz Pressure Versions

GA 15+ 50 Hz Pressure Versions

The plus branch runs the upgraded flow path of the GA 11+-30 series and delivers its FAD across four pressure versions:

Read side by side, the two tables are the clearest argument of this model: on one unchanged 15 kW motor rating, the upgraded flow path returns 47.3 l/s instead of 45.0 l/s at 7.5 bar, and it keeps the margin at every pressure step, with 44.7 l/s against 40.8 l/s at 8.5 bar and 32.7 l/s against 31.7 l/s at 13 bar.

Noise, Dimensions and Weight

The sound pressure level at the work station is 69 dB(A) for every pressure version of both branches, determined according to ISO 2151. The compact branch measures 1225 mm deep, 695 mm wide and 1475 mm high and weighs 421 kg as a Standard build, with the FF build between 470 and 474 kg depending on the pressure version.

The GA 15+ measures 1267 mm deep, 790 mm wide and 1590 mm high and weighs 478 kg as a Standard build and 534 kg as an FF build. Both branches leave the factory on a G1″ outlet connection, and the 695 mm width of the compact branch fits through standard doors and onto mezzanine floors that exclude conventional industrial compressors.

Drive System and Rotors

New Rotors and IE2/IE3 Motors

The GA 15 works with new compression rotors paired with IE2 and IE3 high-efficiency motors, a combination built for robust continuous duty. The drive is gear-driven, which transfers the motor power to the element with higher efficiency and easier serviceability than a belt-driven design, and the gear-driven system gives the machine its high reliability across the service life. The whole drive train sits totally enclosed inside the canopy, protected against dirt and dust.

The GA 15+ Motor and Cabinet

The GA 15+ carries the upgraded drive chain of the GA 11+-30 series with IE3 and IE4 efficiency motors, and its motor bearings are grease-lubricated for life, which removes them from the maintenance schedule entirely. The upgraded flow path of this series lifted the free air delivery noticeably against the previous generation, and the machine meets Grade 1 of the GB19153-2019 energy efficiency standard. The electrical cabinet is force-cooled to hold the component temperature down and extend the lifetime of the electronics, and within this series an IE4 motor is available as an option for the GA 11+ to GA 18+ segment, which includes this model.

Control and Monitoring

Elektronikon Swipe Screen Controller

The compact branch is operated from the Elektronikon Swipe Screen controller, which pairs a graphical, text-based high-resolution navigation system with four LED service indicators. The built-in intelligent algorithms optimize the system pressure and reduce the overall energy consumption of the installation, remote start and stop, fault alarms and maintenance reminders are included, and the built-in SMARTLINK remote monitoring keeps the machine status visible in real time. The controller holds the header pressure inside a narrow band, which stabilizes the network and trims the energy bill at the same time.

Elektronikon Touch and Multi-Unit Control

The GA 15+ runs the Elektronikon touchscreen generation with a 4.3-inch full-color display, smart algorithms, remote start and stop, alarm output, maintenance scheduling and network diagnostics, and SMARTLINK remote monitoring on board. Its timer accepts up to four different schedules with up to ten consecutive weekly schedules, and the Delayed Second Stop function keeps the motor off until the pressure really calls for it, which removes unnecessary unloaded running from low-load hours.

An optional integrated compressor controller coordinates installations of two, four or six machines, so a GA 15+ can anchor a small compressor room without an external sequencer.

Air Quality and the Integrated Dryer

The vertical oil-air separator of the compact branch reduces the oil carryover and keeps the compressed air clean, and its optimized size minimizes the air loss during load and unload cycles. The FF builds integrate the refrigerant dryer with a loss-free electronic drain valve, and the dryer of the upgraded series adds a counterflow heat exchanger with an integrated water separator that regulates itself according to the compressor load. The dryer uses the environmentally friendly R134a refrigerant, and its saver cycle stops the unit whenever the external sensors confirm that the dew point requirement has been reached, which saves up to two-thirds of the dryer energy consumption.

The delivered air quality follows the ISO quality classes: a Pack build holds class 3.-.4, an FF build holds 3.4.4 with its pressure dew point, an FF build with the built-in Class 2 internal filter reaches 0.1 ppm residual oil, and the Level 1 filter version arrives at class 1.4.1 with 0.01 ppm and 0.01 micron particles.

Energy Recovery Around the GA 15

During compression up to 90 percent of the electrical input turns into heat, and the integrated energy recovery system returns up to 75 percent of that input power as hot water without any impact on the compressor operation. The recovered heat feeds auxiliary heating, workshop and hall heating, industrial process heat, laundry and cleaning lines, canteens and showers, and the food, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, which shortens the payback of the installation at the 15 kW rating as well.

Applications of the GA 15

The GA 15 covers the daily duties of production plants that run compressed air across one or more shifts: automotive service centers, plastics and injection auxiliaries, food packaging lines and general manufacturing cells. The 10.5 and 13 bar versions serve high-pressure users such as pressure testing benches and die cutting, and the 16 bar version of the compact branch covers dedicated high-pressure networks at the mid-range power level.

Plants that currently run two small piston compressors consolidate onto this machine for the rotary screw efficiency, the 69 dB(A) noise level and the sealed gear drive. Plants that outgrow the flow of the GA 15 stay in the same series logic and step into the GA 18, which lifts the FAD to 52.3 l/s on the compact frame.

Service and Support Around the GA 15

The gear-driven transmission of the GA 15 makes the routine services a short planned stop, and the controller reports the maintenance reminders before a consumable reaches its limit, with SMARTLINK keeping the service organization informed remotely.

Options such as the high-temperature model with 55 degrees Celsius pack and 50 degrees Celsius FF limits, a high-temperature tropical thermostatic valve, food-grade oil, synthetic oil, a dryer bypass, a condensate separator with automatic drain, wooden crate packaging and on-site witness testing with a test report adapt the machine to special environments and quality demands. Seadweer supports the GA 15 and both of its branches with original spare parts, service kits and technical documentation for every pressure version.

FAQ

Which pressure versions does the GA 15 offer?

The compact branch is available in 7.5, 8.5, 10.5, 13 and 16 bar(e) versions, and the GA 15+ in 7.5, 8.5, 10.5 and 13 bar(e) versions. The FF builds trade a small amount of maximum working pressure for the integrated dryer.

How much air does the GA 15 deliver?

The GA 15 delivers up to 45.0 l/s (95.3 cfm) at 7.5 bar and 27.8 l/s at 16 bar. The GA 15+ delivers up to 47.3 l/s (100.3 cfm) at 7.5 bar on the same 15 kW motor rating.

What is the difference between the GA 15 and the GA 15+?

Both branches share the 15 kW / 20 hp motor rating and the 69 dB(A) noise level. The GA 15 offers the five-version pressure ladder up to 16 bar(e) on the compact 421 kg frame, while the GA 15+ adds the upgraded flow path with up to 47.3 l/s, the Elektronikon touchscreen generation and the 3 degrees Celsius dryer.

What is the difference between Standard and FF?

Standard is the complete compressor without integrated air treatment, while FF integrates the refrigerant dryer and the loss-free condensate drain inside the same canopy. The FF build delivers a pressure dew point of 5 degrees Celsius on the GA 15 and 3 degrees Celsius on the GA 15+.

How loud is the GA 15?

The sound pressure level at the work station is 69 dB(A) for every pressure version of both branches, determined according to ISO 2151. That level allows the machine to sit inside the workshop close to production and inspection areas without a separate compressor room.

How heavy is the GA 15?

The GA 15 weighs 421 kg as a Standard build and between 470 and 474 kg as an FF build. The GA 15+ weighs 478 kg as a Standard build and 534 kg as an FF build.