HVAC drive tells you it`s time for a service

Users of ABB`s HVAC drives can now be warned when bearings, drive belts and filters in attached air-handling units (AHUs) need to be replaced, or lubricated. A "maintenance assistant" being built into the drives will help user to schedule maintenance, both of the drive and of the associated equipment, even if the drive is not part of a BMS (building management system).

The assistant can prompt users to perform maintenance tasks at fixed time intervals, after a set number of running hours, or when the equipment fails to meet certain performance criteria.

For example, as dust builds up inside an AHU, it draws more current. If it normally draws 35A with a clean filter, the assistant will tell the user to replace the filter when the current drawn reaches 42A.

"Filter replacement in AHUs is sometimes overlooked, reducing the quality of the indoor air over time," says Nick Thorne, ABB`s sales manager for HVAC drives. "The replacement intervals can now be monitored by the drive whereas, previously, a BMS would have been required to do the same thing."

The assistant can also prompt the user to remove dust from inside the drive. If allowed to build up, this dust can obstruct airflows and lead to overheating.