Atlas Copco GA 250 VSD (FF VSD⁺) Oil-Injected Rotary Screw Air Compressor

Description

The Atlas Copco GA 250 VSD carries the variable speed drive concept of the GA 180-315 oil-injected platform into the 264 kW class, between the GA 200 VSD at the base and the GA 315 VSD at the top. It pairs a SmartInjection compression element with an oil-cooled motor rated at 264 kW, and the Full Feature branch adds an integrated refrigerant dryer to the same package.

The versions cover the 8.5 bar and 10 bar bands in 50 Hz and the 125 psi and 150 psi bands in 60 Hz, with free air delivery between 193 and 865 l/s depending on the setting.

Where the GA 250 VSD Sits in the Oil-Injected Range

The GA 180-315 platform takes over where the GA 90-160 range ends, and the GA 250 VSD holds the middle of this upper class. Plants that have outgrown the GA 200 VSD step up to this rating without changing the control concept, the service logic or the monitoring tools. The installations concentrate where compressed air works around the clock: mining, power plants, metal plants and cement works, with general industry close behind.

Two cooling layouts share the same platform. The air-cooled package releases the compression heat into the ambient air through its cooler section, while the water-cooled package connects to a cooling-water loop on site. The rated figures of the GA 250 VSD apply across both layouts, so the choice comes down to the infrastructure the plant already has.

What the VSD and FF Names Cover

Two names describe the branches of the GA 250 VSD, and each adds one fact:

• VSD+ — variable speed drive: the drive adjusts the motor speed to the air demand, which holds the pressure band steady and brings energy savings of up to 35 percent at part load.
• FF — Full Feature: the package integrates a refrigerant dryer, so drying happens inside the compressor rather than beside it, with no additional installation work for wires and pipes.

The GA 250 VSD is built as the GA 250 VSD+ – 8.5 bar and GA 250 VSD+ – 10 bar versions at 50 Hz, and as the GA 250 VSD+ – 125 psi and GA 250 VSD+ – 150 psi versions at 60 Hz. Every version combines with both the Pack and the Full Feature scope, so a plant picks the pressure band first and the depth of air treatment second.

Technical Specifications of the GA 250 VSD

The table below condenses the GA 250 VSD into its headline figures:

Rated Data at 50 Hz

Each 50 Hz version lists one flow window that covers the full VSD speed range at its pressure band. The FAD of the Standard build is measured at the full working pressure, and the Full Feature build carries the integrated dryer with its small pressure drop:

The installed motor power stays at 264 kW across both versions. The 8.5 bar version peaks at 865 l/s (1,833 cfm), the largest flow any VSD machine of the platform delivers below the GA 315 VSD. In the Full Feature build the maximum working pressure reads 8.3 bar(e) / 120 psig on the 8.5 bar version and 9.8 bar(e) / 142 psig on the 10 bar version, which reflects the pressure drop of the integrated dryer.

Rated Data at 60 Hz

The 60 Hz versions keep the same structure, with the pressure bands written in psi and the motor rated at 355 hp:

The 125 psi version peaks at 840 l/s (1,780 cfm), and the 150 psi version peaks at 755 l/s (1,600 cfm). FAD is measured according to ISO 1217, Annex C, edition 4 (2009), at an absolute inlet pressure of 1 bar and an intake temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.

Dimensions and Weight

The footprint of the GA 250 VSD depends on the branch, and the integrated dryer of the Full Feature adds length to the package:

The water-cooled packages share the width and height with 3,130 mm length for the Pack and 3,760 mm for the Full Feature, because the dryer module replaces part of the cooler section. The Full Feature package is 630 mm longer and 600 kg heavier than the air-cooled Pack, so floor planning comes down to the length difference between the two branches.

SmartInjection and the Oil-Cooled Drive Train

SmartInjection is the technology at the heart of the element. It provides the exact amount of oil the compression element requires, so the element works at peak efficiency across changing conditions instead of at a fixed compromise. Oil flows separately to the bearings for longer life and greater uptime, and the motor itself is oil-cooled, which removes the service interventions a conventional air-cooled motor needs. The drive train pairs the element with an IE5 motor on the VSD build, one class above the IE4 machines of the fixed-speed range.

IP66 Protection and Ambient Capability

The drive train of the GA 250 VSD is IP66 rated, which seals it completely against environmental dust and moisture. That rating is what lets the compressor run reliably in the toughest conditions: cement dust, mine particulates and humid intake air stay outside the drive train. The VSD pack operates reliably at ambient temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius, and the high ambient variant is available for hotter climates.

VSD+ Technology and Energy Efficiency

Energy dominates the operating bill of a compressor: over 80 percent of its lifecycle cost is the energy it consumes, and compressed air generation can account for more than 40 percent of a plant’s electricity bill. The GA 250 VSD attacks that share with variable speed drive. The motor speed follows the air demand automatically, energy savings reach up to 35 percent, and the average lifecycle cost of the compressor drops by 22 percent.

Pressure Stability and Turndown

The integrated design holds the net pressure band tight, and the compressor carries no speed windows that would jeopardize the savings or the stable net pressure. Turndown is maximized, so the GA 250 VSD keeps regulating deep into low demand instead of unloading early.

At the 8.5 bar setting the flow window reaches from 195 l/s at the bottom to 865 l/s at the top, more than a factor of four between idle demand and full production. The highly efficient frequency converter sits in its own cubicle, and the whole drive train is EMC tested and certified so compressor operation does not influence external sources and vice versa.

Energy Recovery as Hot Water

The optional energy recovery system consists of a built-in stainless steel heat exchanger with a thermostatic controlled circuit. It recovers up to 78 percent of the energy from the integrated motor and element oil circuit in the form of warm water or hot water, without any adverse influence on compressor performance. At 264 kW of installed power, the recoverable share is large enough to feed boiler preheating, washing processes or space heating across a whole plant section.

Full Feature: The Integrated Refrigerant Dryer

In the GA 250 VSD Full Feature, the refrigeration dryer is fully integrated in the compressor unit. The all-in-one layout reduces the floor space needed for the compressor room and removes the piping installation work a standalone dryer requires. The pressure dew point of the refrigerant dryer is 3 degrees Celsius at dryer reference conditions, and the dew point is continuously monitored while the machine runs.

Oil Separation and Air Quality

On the oil side, the new separator vessel uses multiple smaller cartridges instead of one large drum, which simplifies and shortens the service work and minimizes oil carry over into the air stream. Multiple smaller cartridges also reduce the pressure drop across the separator, so the package keeps more of its flow at the outlet.

Monitoring and Control

The Elektronikon Touch controller runs the GA 250 VSD from one touch display. The controller monitors the running conditions and the maintenance status, and the built-in remote control and notification functions come with a simple integrated webpage as standard. With the Elektronikon unit controller, a plant switches between two setpoints manually or automatically, and the sophisticated algorithm runs the drive motor only when needed while the desired setpoint is maintained.

SMARTLINK and Optimizer 4.0

SMARTLINK monitors the compressed air installation over the ethernet: customized reports track the energy efficiency of the compressor room, components are replaced on time to keep uptime high, and early warnings avoid breakdowns and production loss.

Installations with several machines add Optimizer 4.0. It starts and stops compressors to minimize excess pressure, regulates the VSD so the output stays proportional to the demand, and adjusts the system pressure automatically to compensate for pressure drops caused by filters, piping and dryers. Reducing the operating pressure by 1 bar lowers energy usage by 7 percent and air leakages by 13 percent, so the central controller pays for itself across the whole room.

Options That Extend the Package

• Shock Pulse Measurement — continuous SPM monitoring of the compressor element and motor bearings, with alarm and shutdown levels programmed during commissioning, so overhaul happens when the bearing condition calls for it.
• Motor thermal protection — five PT-1000 temperature sensors in the main motor, two on the bearings and three in the windings, displayed on the Elektronikon with alarms and shutdowns programmed to protect the motor.
• Food grade oil — the Roto-Foodgrade oil option for packaging, pharmaceutical and food and beverage plants where occasional contact is allowed in and around food processing areas.
• Witness and performance test — factory visit and witnessing of the standard performance test in accordance with ISO 1217: 2009, annex C and E (4th edition).
• High ambient variant — reliable continuous operation in hot and humid climates for installations beyond the standard temperature envelope.

Applications of the GA 250 VSD

Mining operations run the GA 250 VSD for dust bag filtration, service air, ventilation air and pneumatic tools, where reliability and robustness decide the shift plan. Power plants keep a continuous supply of compressed air for soot blowing and fly ash handling, and metal plants use it for instrumentation, plant air and the pneumatic conveying of raw materials or ash.

Cement works are among the biggest consumers of compressed air, with most of the air spent on transporting raw materials inside the factory. Where a plant runs the GA 160 VSD below this class, the GA 250 VSD repeats the same control logic with 104 kW more installed power, so fleets can standardize across both platforms. General industry completes the picture with packing, palletizing and the daily pneumatic workload of a production hall.

Service and Support Around the GA 250 VSD

Service parts are grouped together for ease of access, all components are designed for serviceability, and the patented portal design opens full access to every component when greater access is required. Each component is engineered to halve the service time compared to traditional designs, and the oil-cooled motor requires no service interventions. Optional service plans cover repairs, preventative maintenance and spare parts, and Atlas Copco fluids and lubricants are tailored to the equipment with anti-oxidation and anti-foaming additives.

Seadweer supplies genuine Atlas Copco spare parts and service kits for the installed base of the GA 250 VSD and its Full Feature branches. Send us the compressor model together with the parts you need, and the correct items are confirmed with the quotation in one pass.

FAQ

What does VSD+ mean on the GA 250 VSD?

It marks the variable speed drive: the motor speed follows the air demand, which brings energy savings of up to 35 percent and holds the pressure band steady. Turndown is maximized without speed windows.

Is the GA 250 VSD an oil-injected machine?

Yes. It is an oil-injected rotary screw compressor, and the oil seals and cools the compression element before the separator removes it from the air stream. Oil-free duty belongs to the separate ZR and ZT platforms.

How much flow does the GA 250 VSD deliver at 8.5 bar?

The 8.5 bar version regulates between 195 and 865 l/s across its speed range, which equals 12 to 51.9 m³/min or 413 to 1,833 cfm. The Full Feature build reads the same window with a maximum working pressure of 8.3 bar(e) behind the integrated dryer.

What does FF add to the GA 250 VSD?

FF stands for Full Feature: the package integrates a refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point and continuous dew point monitoring. The branch adds 630 mm of package length and 600 kg of weight to the air-cooled build.

How loud is the GA 250 VSD?

The sound pressure level at the work station is 71 dB(A) on the 8.5 bar version and 75 dB(A) on the 10 bar version at 50 Hz. At 60 Hz the figures read 70 dB(A) and 73 dB(A) by version.

Which industries run the GA 250 VSD?

Mining, power plants, metal plants and cement works are the heavy users, and general industry completes the base. All of them value the IP66 drive train, the deep turndown and the optional heat recovery in continuous duty.