Description
The Atlas Copco GA 15 VSD is the largest machine of the compact GA 7-15 VSD+ group and brings variable speed drive to the 15 kW class of the oil-injected screw range. An oil-cooled interior permanent magnet motor rated at 15 kW 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 5.5 to 12.5 bar(e) cover the common industrial networks, with a maximum working pressure of 13 bar(e), and the flow window reaches from 7.2 to 42.3 l/s between idle and full speed. With a standard package of 199 kg and a sound level of 64 dB(A), the GA 15 VSD installs where a fixed-speed unit of the same rating would stand, without any change to the room.
For plants that run one shift in the morning and a lighter load in the afternoon, the value of the machine shows on the electricity meter. When production pauses, the drive slows the GA 15 VSD to an idle of about 7 l/s instead of running unloaded at full speed, and the savings of up to 50 percent come from the hours that used to be wasted between load phases. The upright package stands 1420 mm high on a footprint of less than one square meter, so the machine replaces the old unit one to one and no extra floor space has to be reserved for a dryer room.
Where the GA 15 VSD Fits in the Oil-Injected Range
Atlas Copco positions the GA 15 VSD at the top of the compact GA 7-15 VSD+ group, above the GA 7 VSD and the GA 11 VSD. Workshops that outgrow the 11 kW class move up to this rating without leaving the platform: the motor, the cubicle and the control concept stay the same, and only the element and the motor rating change. The oil-injected design keeps the element lubricated and sealed by the oil film itself, which suits the general industrial duties of the 15 kW class, and the 5.5 bar(e) setting extends the reach to networks that run at moderate pressure.
What the VSD and FF Names Cover
The GA 15 VSD is the standard build. It delivers untreated but oil-free-air-quality compressed air for networks with external treatment, and it carries the full drive train of the platform. The GA 15 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 dimensions of the group, and the FF version remains a single vertical package that stands 1420 mm high.
The Upright Package
The vertical layout of the GA 7-15 VSD+ group keeps the separator vessel, the element and the motor stacked in one column. A workshop that only needs dry air from a plug-and-play station picks the Full Feature unit; a plant with its own treatment room picks the standard build and pipes the wet air to it. Either way the machine reaches the same 64 dB(A), which keeps a conversation possible next to the enclosure.
Technical Specifications of the GA 15 VSD
Unit performance of the GA 15 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 table lists the standard build and the Full Feature build side by side.
| Model | Motor rating | Noise | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA 15 VSD | 15 kW / 20 hp | 64 dB(A) | 199 kg |
| GA 15 VSD FF | 15 kW / 20 hp | 64 dB(A) | 288 kg |
FAD Across the Four Pressure Settings
The flow window of the GA 15 VSD opens between idle and full speed at every reference pressure. The figures below are the minimum and maximum free air delivery at each setting.
| Working pressure | FAD range (l/s) | FAD range (m³/h) | FAD range (cfm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 bar(e) / 80 psig | 7.2 – 42.3 | 25.9 – 152.3 | 15.2 – 89.6 |
| 7 bar(e) / 102 psig | 7.1 – 41.8 | 25.6 – 150.5 | 15.0 – 88.6 |
| 9.5 bar(e) / 138 psig | 6.8 – 35.5 | 24.5 – 127.8 | 14.4 – 75.2 |
| 12.5 bar(e) / 181 psig | 7.3 – 27.9 | 26.3 – 100.4 | 15.5 – 59.1 |
Dimensions and Weight
The GA 15 VSD shares the compact frame of its group. The standard build measures 630 mm deep, 610 mm wide and 1420 mm high; the Full Feature build widens to 985 mm to house the dryer and stands equally tall. At 199 kg the standard unit moves on a pallet truck, and the 288 kg FF package still fits through a standard double door.
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 15 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 15 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 iPM Motor and the VSD+ Cubicle
Oil-Cooling and Protection
The interior permanent magnet motor of the GA 15 VSD is cooled by the same oil that lubricates the element, which removes a separate cooling circuit and keeps the rotor at a stable temperature across the whole speed range. The motor reaches the IE4 class and stays efficient even at part speed, where conventional induction motors lose most of their advantage. The VSD+ cubicle integrates the inverter and the electricals in the enclosure, 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 the direct coupling between motor and element removes transmission losses and belts from the service plan. Together with the oil-cooled motor this is why the GA 15 VSD keeps its output constant while the machine ages.
Full Feature: The Integrated Refrigerant Dryer
The Full Feature build of the GA 15 VSD integrates the refrigerant dryer behind the same panels. The dryer works with the R410A refrigerant and delivers a pressure dew point of 6 degrees Celsius, which covers the general industrial air quality classes 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 collected and led to one drain point. Plants that must treat the condensate before discharge connect an oil-water separator downstream, and the FF build keeps this step as simple as for a standalone dryer installation.
Monitoring and Control
The Elektronikon graphic controller regulates the main drive motor and the fan of the GA 15 VSD, shows the operating status on a clear display and logs the service data. It monitors the compressor and service indicators, and it communicates over the network options of the platform so the machine can join a central control room. The controller also protects the investment: it warns before a service limit is reached and it prevents operation outside the designed envelope.
Applications of the GA 15 VSD
The GA 15 VSD serves plants whose demand profile changes during the day: general manufacturing with batch production, packaging lines, workshops with several shift patterns, and installations where a 15 kW fixed-speed unit runs unloaded for long stretches today. Because the machine keeps the pressure band tight, it also suits processes that react to pressure fluctuations. Workshops that move up from the GA 11 VSD gain a wider flow window on the same platform, while smaller plants that grow into 15 kW can start here directly and add further machines of the same family later.
Service and Support Around the GA 15 VSD
The service plan of the GA 15 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 15 VSD, supports the commissioning and supplies the consumables to the plants that run the machine in continuous production.
FAQ
What does the GA 15 VSD deliver at 7 bar?
At the 7 bar(e) setting the flow window spans 7.1 to 41.8 l/s, which equals 25.6 to 150.5 m³/h or 15.0 to 88.6 cfm between idle and full speed.
Is the GA 15 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 general industrial duties of the 15 kW class.
What does FF add to the GA 15 VSD?
The FF build integrates the refrigerant dryer with a 6 degrees Celsius pressure dew point inside the same frame, so dry air leaves the machine directly and no separate dryer has to be installed.
How loud is the GA 15 VSD?
The mean sound pressure level is 64 dB(A), measured at 1 m according to ISO 2151 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A).
Can the GA 15 VSD replace a fixed-speed compressor of the same rating?
Yes, one to one. The upright package stands 1420 mm high and weighs 199 kg as standard, so it takes the place and the foundation of the old unit, and the inverter removes the unloaded running that consumed power before.
- Atlas Copco GA 15 VSD: the 15 kW / 20 hp machine of the compact GA 7-15 VSD+ group with variable speed drive
- Flow window 7.2 to 42.3 l/s across the 5.5 to 12.5 bar(e) settings, maximum working pressure 13 bar(e)
- Up to 50 percent energy savings compared with fixed-speed operation thanks to the iPM motor and the VSD+ cubicle
- 64 dB(A) mean sound pressure level, upright package 1420 mm high, 199 kg standard and 288 kg as FF
- Full Feature build integrates the refrigerant dryer with a 6 degrees Celsius pressure dew point
- Elektronikon graphic control, direct drive, Sentinel valve and IE4 motor efficiency as standard
Stefan Lindqvist –
Our plant runs two shifts and the air demand swings constantly between the packaging line and the workshop. Since the GA 15 VSD went in, the motor simply follows the chart and the power bill fell by roughly a third. It replaced a fixed-speed unit of the same rating, takes no more floor space than the old one, and the Full Feature dryer keeps the dew point stable for our paint shop. Seadweer handled the changeover without a single lost production hour.