Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is the largest single
sector for ac drives, currently accounting for 12% of the total global
market for these products. ABB has achieved remarkable penetration of
this market in a relatively short time, and recently launched a range of
'standard' drives, the first of which is targeted at HVAC installers. Les
Hunt reports
Around two years ago, we reported in these pages that ABB had decided to
target a growing sector for ac drives - the HVAC market - taking on
sector specialists such as Mike Carman to help grow the business. Today,
Mr Carman and his colleagues, not to mention ABB Drives Alliance partners
up and down the country, can take credit for growing the company's UK
HVAC market share from 5 to 20% in this relatively short period. Indeed,
Mr Carman is confident that ABB is on target to take 35% of the market by
2005, placing it at the number one position in the UK.
Effective marketing and the appointment of nine regional HVAC partners
have contributed to this achievement, but in order to reach the number
one position, ABB realised it was going to have to look more closely at
the specific needs of the market in terms of information and product. One
of the first moves has been to address what ABB feels is a shortcoming of
many sector suppliers - including itself - and that is keeping the
sector's consultants up to date with developments. A dedicated customer
Internet portal has been set up to provide this service, including a
specification checklist for HVAC professionals, which ensures that any
drive chosen for an application meets HVAC requirements. Essentially, the
specification falls into four key categories: voltage, power rating, IP
rating and control method.
Underpinning ABB's HVAC initiative, however, is a new range of standard
drives (0.75-355kW, 200 and 400V) for standard applications such as
pumps, fans and conveyors, the first of which is tailor-made for the HVAC
installer. According to ABB's senior vice president for drives, James
Haigh, the aim of developing this new product line was to bring drive
technology to new user groups who only want the basics of reduced energy
consumption and improved process control.
The new drive is just as easy to use as a mobile phone, claims Mr
Haigh. It is designed to bring down technology barriers, its small size
making it unobtrusive and the reduced number of features making it easily
accessible for users. Mr Haigh said that by designing a product for a
specific application area, ABB was taking simplification one step
further. He promises a series of bespoke drives for other industry areas
in the near future.
The new HVAC drive features 14 macros that cover the most common
configurations, plus a real time clock (a first for an ABB drive)
facilitating integration with building management systems. All three of
the most popular building management fieldbuses are catered for within
the drive, external modules being offered for the others. Importantly,
the drive is 'future-proofed' as far as G5/4 recommendations are
concerned, thanks to a novel 'swinging' choke filter system that ABB has
patented for this range. Using this arrangement, the drive is claimed to
produce 25% less harmonics than it would fitted with a conventional
choke. This means that installers can add more drives to their system
before reaching the G5/4 imposed limit.
ABB's new 'standard' drive in detail
The drive has a range of innovative user support features making it very
easy to install, commission and use. Included is a start-up assistant
that guides users through all essential settings without the need to
access complex parameter lists. If a fault occurs, simply pressing the
'help' button suggests ways to fix it.
A number of predefined settings is offered, covering the majority of
industrial applications. If a parameter needs to be altered, how