Description
The Atlas Copco GA 30 VSD is the largest rating of the compact end of the GA 18-37 VSD+ group, with 30 kW / 40 hp of installed power and a flow window that opens at 15.1 l/s and closes at 98.0 l/s on the 4 bar(e) setting. Four pressure settings from 4 to 12.5 bar(e) are available, and the platform carries a maximum working pressure of 13 bar(e).
The package stands 1590 mm high in a frame of 780 mm depth, weighs 376 kg as a standard unit and runs at 67 dB(A). The Full Feature build keeps the height and depth, adds the dryer and widens to 1273 mm.
That flow figure is the reason plants with a 30 kW duty look at this machine first. A fixed-speed unit of the same rating delivers its rated volume at one operating point and unloads when the network needs less. The GA 30 VSD keeps delivering air at the flow the plant consumes, from a fifth of its capacity up to the full 98.0 l/s, and the pressure band stays tight through the whole range.
Atlas Copco builds the rating as a single upright package with the drive, the element and the oil circuit inside one frame. The Full Feature build adds the refrigerant dryer to the same footprint and widens the package to 1273 mm, so a plant can order a complete air station as one item.
The GA 30 VSD at the Top of the Compact Cluster
The GA 18-37 VSD+ group covers 18, 22, 26, 30 and 37 kW on one platform, and the GA 30 VSD sits directly below the GA 37 VSD. Both ratings share the 376 kg standard weight and the 1590 mm height, which tells the story of the frame: the 30 kW machine already carries the structure of the rating above it.
Flow Density of the Rating
At the 4 bar(e) setting the GA 30 VSD moves 98.0 l/s, which equals 352.8 m³/h or 207.6 cfm, and the same setting still gives 15.1 l/s at the bottom of the speed range. Against the GA 22 VSD, the rating adds 8 kW and close to 29 percent more flow at that setting. The 7 bar(e) setting holds 97.4 l/s at full speed, so the machine keeps almost the whole of its capacity at the pressure most workshops use.
Standard and Full Feature
The GA 30 VSD is the standard build for networks that dry and filter the air downstream. The GA 30 VSD FF integrates the refrigerant dryer behind the same panels and delivers a pressure dew point of 3 degrees Celsius at the outlet. Both builds carry the same motor, drive and controller, and the FF package stays a single unit to place, wire and pipe.
Technical Specifications of the GA 30 VSD
Performance of the GA 30 VSD is measured to ISO 1217 edition 4, annex E, and the mean noise level follows ISO 2151 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A). All figures refer to an absolute inlet pressure of 1 bar and an intake air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. The table lists the two builds of the rating.
| Model | Motor rating | Noise | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA 30 VSD | 30 kW / 40 hp | 67 dB(A) | 376 kg |
| GA 30 VSD FF | 30 kW / 40 hp | 67 dB(A) | 500 kg |
FAD at the Four Pressure Points
The table below lists the minimum and maximum free air delivery of the GA 30 VSD at each reference pressure. The distance between the two figures is the working range of the drive, and it shows how much of the rating remains available at the highest pressure setting.
| Working pressure | FAD range (l/s) | FAD range (m³/h) | FAD range (cfm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 bar(e) / 58 psig | 15.1 – 98.0 | 54.3 – 352.8 | 31.9 – 207.6 |
| 7 bar(e) / 102 psig | 15.0 – 97.4 | 54.1 – 350.5 | 31.8 – 206.2 |
| 9.5 bar(e) / 138 psig | 17.2 – 85.6 | 61.7 – 308.2 | 36.3 – 181.3 |
| 12.5 bar(e) / 181 psig | 16.7 – 72.0 | 60.0 – 259.1 | 35.3 – 152.4 |
Dimensions and Weight
The GA 30 VSD measures 780 mm in depth, 811 mm in width and 1590 mm in height as a standard unit, and the Full Feature build widens to 1273 mm for the dryer. At 376 kg the standard package can be moved with a pallet truck, and 500 kg for the FF version stays inside the load of a normal workshop floor.
Replacing Fixed-Speed Capacity with the GA 30 VSD
Against a Fixed-Speed GA 30
The fixed-speed GA 30 delivers 68.7 l/s at its 13 bar setting and 79.8 l/s at 10 bar, runs at 68 dB(A) and weighs 540 kg in the WorkPlace build. The 12.5 bar(e) version of the GA 30 VSD reaches 72.0 l/s at full speed, and the 9.5 bar(e) version reaches 85.6 l/s. The variable speed machine also weighs 164 kg less in the standard build, which eases a replacement on an upper floor or a mezzanine.
Two Machines Merged into One
A plant that runs two 15 kW fixed-speed compressors often does so to cover a peak that lasts a few hours a day. One GA 30 VSD covers the same peak with 98.0 l/s and follows the base load at night without cycling either motor. The result is one service plan, one controller and one set of consumables instead of two, and the freed floor space stays available for production.
Inside the GA 30 VSD
The iPM Rotor and Its Oil Circuit
The interior permanent magnet motor of the GA 30 VSD exceeds the IE3 efficiency class, and the oil that lubricates the element also cools the rotor. No cooling air reaches the windings, the housing carries the IP66 rating, and the bearings run in oil rather than grease. The arrangement keeps efficiency high at low speed, which is where a variable speed machine spends much of its life.
VSD+ Cubicle, Direct Drive and Sentinel Valve
The VSD+ cubicle of the GA 30 VSD houses the inverter that is matched to the iPM motor, with a 5 percent DC choke as standard and the heat of the drive routed through a separate compartment. A direct coupling connects motor and element without gears, belts or a shaft seal, and the vertical layout keeps the parts count low. The Sentinel inlet valve works without an inlet arrestor and produces no blow-off losses.
Air Treatment in the Full Feature Build
The Integrated Dryer
The FF version of the GA 30 VSD carries a refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point, which covers the air quality class of general manufacturing. The Saver Cycle monitors the ambient conditions and stops the dryer once a normal dew point is reached, recovering two thirds of its power in the hours that follow. The refrigerant is R134a, and the global warming potential of the dryer is 44 percent lower than that of the previous design.
Condensate and Filtration
One electronic no-loss drain collects the condensate of the dryer and the separator of the GA 30 VSD, and it expels water without venting compressed air. A manual bypass keeps the drain working during a power failure. The FF build accepts an integrated Class 1 or Class 2 filter, and a UD+ filter is available for plants with a strict limit on oil carry-over.
Controller and Network
The Elektronikon graphic controller of the GA 30 VSD regulates the motor and the fan, presents the operating data on a 3.5 inch colour display and plans the next service from the loaded hours. The dual pressure set point lets the plant run a lower band at night, and four weekly schedules can be set for a period of ten consecutive weeks. Remote monitoring and connectivity are part of the controller, and a licence extends central control to four machines through ES4i or six through ES6i.
Where the GA 30 VSD Earns Its Place
The rating fits textile mills, packaging plants, plastics processors, workshops with several shifts and any site where demand swings by half during the working day. The 4 bar(e) setting serves low pressure networks such as weaving, conveying and general plant air. The 12.5 bar(e) setting covers blow moulding, pressure testing and high pressure tools without a second compressor.
Plants that need more than 98.0 l/s step up to the GA 37 VSD on the same platform, and they keep the controller, the spare parts and the service routine.
Service and Support Around the GA 30 VSD
The GA 30 VSD groups its service points around the element and the oil circuit: one oil filter and separator unit with an integrated bypass, one air filter and the oil charge cover the routine intervals. Oil-lubricated motor bearings and the direct drive remove grease and belts from the schedule, and the controller announces each intervention before it falls due. Seadweer supplies the original service parts for the GA 30 VSD, supports commissioning and keeps consumables available for plants in continuous production.
FAQ
What flow does the GA 30 VSD deliver at 12.5 bar?
At the 12.5 bar(e) setting the flow window spans 16.7 to 72.0 l/s, which equals 60.0 to 259.1 m³/h or 35.3 to 152.4 cfm across the speed range.
Which pressure versions are available?
The GA 30 VSD comes 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.
Is the GA 30 VSD lighter than the fixed-speed GA 30?
Yes. The standard build weighs 376 kg against 540 kg for the fixed-speed GA 30 WorkPlace unit, and the Full Feature build weighs 500 kg against 610 kg.
What does the FF build add?
The FF build integrates a refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point in the same package, plus the electronic drain that handles the condensate of the dryer and the separator.
How loud is the GA 30 VSD?
The mean sound pressure level is 67 dB(A), measured at one metre according to ISO 2151 with a tolerance of 3 dB(A), for both the standard and the Full Feature build.
Can the GA 30 VSD run with other compressors on one network?
Yes. A licence upgrade adds central control for four machines through ES4i or six machines through ES6i, and the controller keeps its own pressure band in the meantime.
- Atlas Copco GA 30 VSD: 30 kW / 40 hp variable speed machine at the top of the compact GA 18-37 VSD+ cluster
- Flow window 15.1 to 98.0 l/s at 4 bar(e) and 16.7 to 72.0 l/s at 12.5 bar(e), maximum working pressure 13 bar(e)
- Up to 50 percent energy saving and a 37 percent lower lifecycle cost than fixed-speed operation
- 67 dB(A), 376 kg standard and 500 kg as FF, in a frame of 780 by 811 by 1590 mm
- Full Feature build integrates a refrigerant dryer with a 3 degrees Celsius pressure dew point
- iPM motor above IE3 in an IP66 housing, direct drive, Sentinel valve, 5 percent DC choke and Elektronikon graphic control
Bilal Chaudhry –
Our weaving hall runs three shifts and the air demand drops by half at every shift change, which the old fixed-speed machine answered with long unloaded runs. The GA 30 VSD follows the looms instead, and the pressure gauge now sits still through the whole shift. We took the 9.5 bar version with the integrated dryer because our jet looms are sensitive to moisture, and the 3 degree dew point removed the drips we used to find in the filter bowls. The 376 kg package went into the same corner as the old unit without a new foundation.