Description
The Atlas Copco GA 22 VSDs opens the 22-37 kW band of the third-generation GA VSDS range and applies its re-invented drive concept to the 22 kW class. A FASR synchronous reluctance motor rated at 22 kW works together with the Neos Next variable speed drive, and the oil-injected screw element follows the air demand of the plant continuously instead of switching between load and idle.
Four working pressures from 4 to 13 bar(e) are covered, and the flow window at full speed reaches 84.5 l/s on the 4 bar(e) hardware.
Up to 60 percent of the energy of a comparable fixed-speed installation can be saved with the GA 22 VSDs, and the drive records the proof in its energy report. The package posts 63 dB(A), which allows placement directly on the production floor, and the Full Feature build carries the refrigerant dryer inside the same frame.
Where the GA 22 VSDs Fits in the VSDS Range
Atlas Copco builds the GA VSDS range in two bands: the GA 5-18 VSDS group for the smaller ratings and the GA 22-37 VSDS group covered here. The GA 22 VSDs is the entry machine of the larger band, with the GA 26 VSDs, GA 30 VSDs and GA 37 VSDs above it on the same platform. Workshops that outgrow the GA 18 VSDs move up to this rating without changing the control concept, and plants that need more flow step further up inside the band.
Pack and Full Feature Builds
The GA 22 VSDs is available as a Pack version and as a Full Feature version. The Pack build delivers untreated compressed air for networks with external treatment, while the Full Feature build integrates the refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point inside the same frame. Both builds share the platform, the drive technology and the sound level, so the choice only depends on whether the drying step belongs inside the compressor room or downstream.
Technical Specifications of the GA 22 VSDs
Unit performance of the GA 22 VSDs is measured according to ISO 1217 edition 4, 2009, annex E, and the mean noise level follows ISO 2151: 2004 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A). The maximum working pressure is 10 bar(e) or 13 bar(e) depending on the version, and the figures below list the flow window between the lowest and the highest speed at each reference pressure.
| Working pressure | FAD range (l/s) | FAD range (m³/h) | FAD range (cfm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 bar(e) / 58 psig | 15.9 – 84.5 | 57.2 – 304.2 | 33.7 – 179 |
| 7 bar(e) / 102 psig | 16.2 – 83.3 | 58.3 – 299.9 | 34.3 – 176.5 |
| 10 bar(e) / 147 psig | 16.2 – 65.9 | 58.3 – 237.2 | 34.3 – 139.6 |
| 13 bar(e) / 191 psig | 14.2 – 55.4 | 51.1 – 199.4 | 30.1 – 117.4 |
Motor, Sound and Weight Data
The motor of the GA 22 VSDs is rated at 22 kW or 30 hp, and the mean sound pressure level is 63 dB(A) for every working pressure of the range. The Pack version weighs 458 kg and the Full Feature version 587 kg. The Full Feature dimensions measure 870 mm in width, 1330 mm in depth and 1725 mm in height, which keeps the machine inside the footprint of the fixed-speed unit it replaces.
The FASR Motor and the Neos Next Drive
IE5 Efficiency Without Rare-Earth Magnets
The FASR motor of the GA 22 VSDs is a Ferrite-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance machine that reaches the IE5 efficiency class without rare-earth materials. This construction keeps the rotor simple, reduces the dependency on magnet materials and holds the efficiency across the whole speed range. The new drive train is designed according to IP66, works without gears or belts and therefore loses nothing to transmission.
IES2 Drive System Rating
The Neos Next inverter combines the functionality of an entire electrical cubicle in one compact unit and carries the IP54 protection against dust and dirt. Together with the FASR motor it exceeds the IES2 requirements of EN 50598 for power drive efficiency, which places the complete drive system of the GA 22 VSDs at the highest rating of the standard.
VSD Fan and Inlet Filter
The VSD fan of the GA 22 VSDs runs at variable speed, which cuts its cooling power to what the machine needs at the moment and keeps vibration and noise low. The fan meets the ERP2020 requirements and reduces the cooling load of the enclosure. The inlet filter was developed for the VSDS platform with enhanced filtration efficiency and a lower pressure drop, so the element draws clean air without paying back the gain in flow.
Smart Temperature Control and Boost Flow Mode
Full Injection Control
The Smart Temperature Control System makes the GA 22 VSDs the first compressor with full injection control. An advanced algorithm in the controller combines several operational parameters to calculate the optimal oil temperature, and the drive implements it through the VSD fan and the maintenance-free STC valve. This eliminates the risk of condensation in the oil and maximizes the efficiency of the compression process at every load point.
Temporary Extra Flow
Boost Flow Mode allows the GA 22 VSDs to temporarily exceed its maximum capacity when the consumption peaks. With conventional compressors, exceeding the maximum capacity means falling pressure and interruptions in production. The machine bridges such peaks with the installed unit and defers the investment in a second compressor until the peak becomes permanent.
Full Feature: Dry Air at Class 1.4.2
The Full Feature build of the GA 22 VSDs integrates the refrigerant dryer behind the same panels and delivers a pressure dew point of 3 degrees Celsius at 100 percent relative humidity and 20 degrees Celsius intake. Combined with the UD+ filter, the station meets the ISO 8573-1 air quality class 1.4.2 for particles, water and oil. The heat exchanger works with cross-flow technology and a low pressure drop, the refrigerant charge is reduced by an average of 50 percent, and the ozone depletion potential is zero.
Intelligent Condensate Removal
The intelligent no-loss drain of the GA 22 VSDs removes the condensate automatically without wasting compressed air. It tracks the drain cycles and the maintenance schedule, detects potential issues and transmits warnings to the controller before the condensate treatment is disturbed. Up to 80 percent of the heat the machine produces can also be recovered as hot water through the energy recovery system of the platform.
Control and Connectivity
The Elektronikon Touch controller of the GA 22 VSDs works with a 4.3-inch multilingual display and schedules the maintenance of the machine. SMARTLINK remote monitoring is included as standard and reports the operational parameters in real time. The built-in EQ2i control coordinates a second compressor as standard, the EQ4i and EQ6i options extend the control to larger networks, and the OPC UA gateway integrates the machine into the production system of the plant.
Equalizer 4.0 manages up to six compressors on one air network, either integrated in the machine or as a standalone unit. It creates a narrow pressure band across the fleet, programs equal running hours for every unit and reports the performance data of the complete room. A plant that starts with one GA 22 VSDs therefore keeps a growth path that does not require a new control layer.
Applications of the GA 22 VSDs
The GA 22 VSDs serves plants in the 22 kW class whose demand changes with the production rhythm: plastics and injection molding, packaging, food processing and general manufacturing with mixed shifts. Because the platform keeps the pressure band tight and records its own energy data, the machine also fits operations that report or audit their energy consumption.
Plants that already run the GA 18 VSDs find the same control logic here with a wider flow window, and networks that grow beyond the 22 kW class add the next GA VSDS machine under the same EQ2i coordination.
Options for the Plant
The options list of the GA 22 VSDs covers the site-specific needs of the installation. Energy recovery, the dryer bypass, freeze protection, the heavy duty inlet filter, the pre-filter, the DD filter, FoodGrade oil and the Roto Synthetic Xtend lubricant adapt the machine to the process. The power duct fan serves installations with ducted cooling air, and the high ambient version keeps the full performance in hot climates.
Service and Support Around the GA 22 VSDs
The service intervals of the GA 22 VSDs follow the platform plan: the oil filter, the air filter and the lubricant change cover the routine work, and the controller announces the next service in advance. The absence of gears and belts reduces the wear parts to the filters and the oil system, and the oil-cooled FASR motor carries no brushes and no transmission components to watch over the years.
Seadweer supplies the original service parts for the GA 22 VSDs, assists with the commissioning and keeps the consumables available for plants that run the machine in continuous production.
FAQ
What does the GA 22 VSDs deliver at 7 bar?
At the 7 bar(e) setting the flow window spans 16.2 to 83.3 l/s, which equals 58.3 to 299.9 m³/h or 34.3 to 176.5 cfm between the lowest and the highest speed.
What does VSDS mean on the GA 22 VSDs?
VSDS marks the third generation of the Atlas Copco variable speed drive platform, with the IE5 FASR reluctance motor, the Neos Next drive, Boost Flow Mode and the Smart Temperature Control System.
How loud is the GA 22 VSDs?
The mean sound pressure level is 63 dB(A), measured at 1 m according to ISO 2151: 2004 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A).
Which controller does the GA 22 VSDs use?
The machine comes with the Elektronikon Touch controller and the built-in EQ2i multiple compressor control as standard. The EQ4i and EQ6i options extend the control to larger networks, and SMARTLINK monitoring is included.
Which air quality does the Full Feature build reach?
The Full Feature build integrates the refrigerant dryer at a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point, and the station meets ISO 8573-1 class 1.4.2 when combined with the UD+ filter.
- Atlas Copco GA 22 VSDs: the 22 kW / 30 hp entry machine of the GA 22-37 VSDS band with IE5 drive technology
- Flow window at full speed 84.5 l/s on the 4 bar(e) hardware, working pressures from 4 to 13 bar(e)
- Up to 60 percent energy savings with the FASR reluctance motor and the Neos Next drive, IES2 rated drive system
- 63 dB(A) mean sound level, Full Feature package 587 kg on an 870 x 1330 mm footprint, 1725 mm high
- Full Feature dryer at 3 degrees Celsius dew point, ISO 8573-1 class 1.4.2 with the UD+ filter
- Elektronikon Touch and EQ2i control as standard, SMARTLINK monitoring, Boost Flow Mode and STC valve
Wouter Bakker –
Our machine hall had no separate compressor room left, so the new unit had to stand between the presses. The GA 22 VSDs runs at a level where we talk next to it without raising our voices, and the Elektronikon Touch report shows the energy drop every week. Demand swings between the presses and the blow station, and the machine simply follows without unloading. Seadweer configured the Full Feature build and the integrated dryer holds the dew point for our packaging line.