Description
The Atlas Copco GA 22 VSD is the most requested rating of the GA 18-37 VSD+ group and pairs 22 kW of installed motor power with the widest pressure choice of the group. An oil-cooled interior permanent magnet motor drives the compression element through direct drive, and the inverter inside the VSD+ cubicle adjusts its speed continuously so the delivered air follows the demand of the plant. Four pressure settings from 4 to 12.5 bar(e) are available, and the flow window reaches 15.2 to 76.1 l/s across the speed range.
Where a fixed-speed GA 22 loads and unloads in steps and wastes the unloaded minutes, the GA 22 VSD slows down with the demand and keeps the line pressure inside a tight band. Savings of up to 50 percent against fixed-speed running come from the hours that used to be wasted between load phases, and a cut of 37 percent in the lifecycle cost of the compressor follows from the lower energy use.
The upright package stands 1590 mm high, weighs 363 kg as a standard unit and posts 67 dB(A), so the machine takes the place and the foundation of the fixed-speed unit it replaces without any change to the room.
Where the GA 22 VSD Fits in the Oil-Injected Range
Atlas Copco builds the GA 18-37 VSD+ group as one platform: the GA 18 VSD at its base, the GA 22 VSD in the middle, and the larger GA 26 VSD, GA 30 VSD and GA 37 VSD above it. All six ratings share the upright layout, the iPM motor concept and the Elektronikon control, so a plant can standardize on one machine family as its demand grows. Workshops that outgrow the GA 15 VSD of the compact group step up to this platform without changing the control logic.
What the VSD and FF Names Cover
The GA 22 VSD is the standard build. It delivers compressed air for networks with external treatment and carries the full drive train of the platform. The GA 22 VSD FF adds the refrigerant dryer to the same frame, so dry air leaves the machine directly and no separate dryer has to be purchased, installed or piped. Both builds share the drive technology and the sound level of the group, and the FF version remains a single upright package that reaches 1590 mm high.
The Four Pressure Settings
The GA 22 VSD is offered in 4, 7, 9.5 and 12.5 bar(e) versions, the widest pressure choice inside the GA 18-37 VSD+ group. The 12.5 bar(e) version serves high-pressure networks such as injection molding and pressure testing, while the 4 bar(e) version covers low-pressure duties with an economical flow window. Each version keeps the full speed range of the drive, so the machine follows the demand at every pressure.
Technical Specifications of the GA 22 VSD
Unit performance of the GA 22 VSD is measured according to ISO 1217 edition 4, annex E, and the mean noise level follows ISO 2151 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A). The FAD figures of the group are referenced at an effective working pressure of 4 bar(e), and the maximum working pressure of the platform is 13 bar(e). The table lists the standard build and the Full Feature build side by side.
| Model | Motor rating | Noise | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA 22 VSD | 22 kW / 30 hp | 67 dB(A) | 363 kg |
| GA 22 VSD FF | 22 kW / 30 hp | 67 dB(A) | 485 kg |
FAD Across the Four Pressure Settings
The flow window of the GA 22 VSD opens between the lowest and the highest speed at every reference pressure. The figures below are the minimum and maximum free air delivery at each setting, and they show why the machine covers both a light night program and a full production peak without unloading.
| Working pressure | FAD range (l/s) | FAD range (m³/h) | FAD range (cfm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 bar(e) / 58 psig | 15.2 – 76.1 | 54.6 – 274.0 | 32.1 – 161.2 |
| 7 bar(e) / 102 psig | 14.8 – 74.3 | 53.3 – 267.6 | 31.3 – 157.4 |
| 9.5 bar(e) / 138 psig | 17.1 – 64.5 | 61.5 – 232.1 | 36.2 – 136.6 |
| 12.5 bar(e) / 181 psig | 16.9 – 53.5 | 60.7 – 192.5 | 35.7 – 113.2 |
Dimensions and Weight
The GA 22 VSD shares the frame of the GA 18-37 VSD+ group. The standard build measures 780 mm in depth, 811 mm in width and 1590 mm in height, while the Full Feature build widens to 1273 mm to house the integrated dryer. At 363 kg the standard unit moves on a pallet truck, and the 485 kg FF package still fits the floor plan of the machine it replaces.
How the Drive Matches Air Demand
Pressure Stability Without Unloaded Running
A fixed-speed compressor reacts to falling line pressure by loading and unloading in steps, and every unloaded minute wastes power. The GA 22 VSD instead narrows the band to a tight window: the inverter raises or lowers the motor speed so the delivered flow equals the consumption at every moment. Plants that previously sized a receiver to buffer the load cycles of a fixed-speed machine can keep the vessel smaller, because the supply side itself becomes continuous.
Soft Starting Under System Pressure
The drive brings the motor up from zero speed with a controlled current, so the GA 22 VSD starts against a pressurized network without inrush peaks. This removes the need for unload start timers and lets the machine follow a production schedule that switches several times a day. The absence of peak starting currents also relieves the electrical installation of the workshop.
The iPM Motor and the VSD+ Cubicle
Oil-Cooling and Protection
The interior permanent magnet motor of the GA 22 VSD reaches the IE4 efficiency class and is cooled by the same oil that lubricates the element. This removes a separate cooling circuit, keeps the rotor at a stable temperature across the whole speed range and carries the IP66 rating, so dust in the machine room cannot reach the windings. The VSD+ cubicle integrates the inverter and the electricals in the enclosure, and its heat dissipation stays in a separate compartment, so no wall-mounted cabinet has to be planned.
Sentinel Valve and Direct Drive
The Sentinel valve protects the element against back-flow at standstill and is fully maintenance free. The direct coupling between motor and element removes transmission losses, belts and a shaft seal from the service plan. Together with the oil-cooled motor this is why the GA 22 VSD keeps its output constant while the machine ages.
Full Feature: The Integrated Refrigerant Dryer
The Full Feature build of the GA 22 VSD integrates the refrigerant dryer behind the same panels. The dryer delivers a pressure dew point of 3 degrees Celsius, which covers the air quality requirements of general manufacturing and stops moisture from reaching the tools and the piping. Because the dryer is wired and plumbed at the factory, the FF package arrives as one unit: connect the intake, the outlet and the power supply, and the station is ready.
Condensate Management
The condensate that the dryer and the separator produce is led to one drain point through the electronic no-loss drain included as standard. The drain removes the condensate without wasting compressed air, and its manual bypass keeps the condensate moving even during a power failure. Plants that must treat the condensate before discharge connect an oil-water separator downstream of this single point.
Monitoring and Control
The Elektronikon graphic controller regulates the main drive motor and the fan of the GA 22 VSD, shows the operating status on a clear display and logs the service data. It supports two separate pressure bands, a week timer for any shift pattern and saver cycles that switch the fan and the dryer off in light load periods. The SMARTLINK data monitoring program is available for remote insight into the compressed air network, and the ES4i and ES6i options extend the control to several machines on one network.
Applications of the GA 22 VSD
The GA 22 VSD serves plants whose demand profile changes during the day: injection molding and plastics, packaging lines, automotive service centers and general manufacturing with mixed shifts. The 12.5 bar(e) version extends the reach to high-pressure networks that a 22 kW fixed-speed unit serves today at full load. Workshops that move up from the GA 18 VSD gain a wider flow window on the same control concept, while plants replacing a fixed-speed GA 22 cut the unloaded hours out of their energy bill from the first month.
Service and Support Around the GA 22 VSD
The service plan of the GA 22 VSD follows the platform concept: one oil filter, one air filter and the oil change cover the routine intervals, and the direct drive removes belts and couplings from the schedule. The Elektronikon counts the loaded hours and indicates the next service in advance, so the maintenance can be planned instead of enforced by a sudden shutdown of the production line.
Seadweer supplies the original service parts for the GA 22 VSD, supports the commissioning and keeps the consumables available for plants that run the machine in continuous production.
FAQ
What does the GA 22 VSD deliver at 7 bar?
At the 7 bar(e) setting the flow window spans 14.8 to 74.3 l/s, which equals 53.3 to 267.6 m³/h or 31.3 to 157.4 cfm between the lowest and the highest speed.
Is the GA 22 VSD an oil-injected machine?
Yes. The oil film lubricates and seals the screw element, and the separator removes the oil from the delivered air. This design suits the industrial duties of the 22 kW class.
What does FF add to the GA 22 VSD?
The FF build integrates the refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point inside the same upright frame, so dry air leaves the machine directly and no separate dryer has to be installed.
How loud is the GA 22 VSD?
The mean sound pressure level is 67 dB(A), measured at 1 m according to ISO 2151 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A).
Which pressure versions does the GA 22 VSD offer?
The machine is offered in 4, 7, 9.5 and 12.5 bar(e) versions, and the platform reaches a maximum working pressure of 13 bar(e). Each version keeps the full speed range of the drive.
- Atlas Copco GA 22 VSD: the 22 kW / 30 hp machine of the GA 18-37 VSD+ group with variable speed drive
- Flow window 15.2 to 76.1 l/s across the 4 to 12.5 bar(e) settings, maximum working pressure 13 bar(e)
- Up to 50 percent energy savings and a 37 percent lower lifecycle cost compared with fixed-speed operation
- 67 dB(A) mean sound pressure level, upright package 1590 mm high, 363 kg standard and 485 kg as FF
- Full Feature build integrates the refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point
- Elektronikon graphic control, direct drive, Sentinel valve and IE4 iPM motor efficiency as standard
Petr Dvorak –
We moved from an old fixed-speed GA 22 to this VSD version and kept the same floor spot in the hall. The machine follows the demand of the injection molding machines without unloading, and the pressure stays flat even when the blow molding station starts up. Our electricity bill fell noticeably within the first quarter. Seadweer configured the 12.5 bar hardware for our high-pressure line and the Full Feature dryer supplies the dew point our air actuators need.