ABB India Introduces ACH180 Compact Drive for HVACR

ABB India launches its next generation compact drive, ACH180, for HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) equipment. As the newest addition to ABB’s HVACR drive portfolio, the ACH180 enables expert control of high-efficiency motors, while utilizing a compact design for space savings, lower capital expenditure and easier commissioning.

With the current climate impact, there is a rising need for effective heating and cooling systems in India.  While it is crucial that these systems have a sharp focus on boosting comfort and safety, they must also ensure energy savings, in line with the country’s ambitious plans to reduce emissions.

“The launch of this new drive is a great addition to our portfolio of all-compatible drives. This also reflects our efforts to really focus on offering energy-efficient solutions to highly energy intensive industries while ensuring that the solution meets the industry-specific needs,” said A.R. Madhusudan, President, Drive Products, ABB India.

ABB’s new drive is designed for commercial buildings such as data centers, hotels, and shopping malls. The ACH180 drive’s design will allow operators to run motors based on the HVACR process demands, rather than running them at full speed and reducing output using mechanical controls like throttles or dampers. This greatly decreases energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. With a built-in filter to lower high-frequency emissions, it allows the drive to be used in industrial or domestic environments without the need to buy and install additional external filters.

It supports the control of various motor types, including permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motors like IE5 EC Titanium™ by ABB, permanent magnet motors, and conventional induction motors. Further, onboard communication protocols, including BACnet MS/TP and Modbus RTU, offer compatibility with a wide range of building automation systems (BAS) or OEM controllers.

The ACH180 is suitable for a wide range of HVACR applications, including air handlers, fan arrays, heat pumps, compressors, and pumps, minimizing the cost and complexity of using a drive. These drives are designed for harsh conditions such as 60°C ambient temperature with derating, making the ACH180 a better choice for customers expecting high reliability. With features like the fireman's override which allows the fire service to take control of the installed drives controlling fans to help maintain escape routes, the new range of drives ensure high standards of safety for personnel and people.

The drive is available on February 15, 2024, and has been launched at ACREX 2024 in India – South Asia’s largest exhibition on air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and intelligent buildings. The exhibition is taking place from February 15 to February 17, 2024. Learn more about the new product here.

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on over 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com 

ABB Motion keeps the world turning – while saving energy every day. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to enable the low-carbon future for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services our customers and partners achieve better performance, safety and reliability. We offer a combination of domain expertise and technology to deliver the optimum drive and motor solution for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Through our global presence we are always close to serve our customers. Building on more than 140 years of cumulative experience in electric powertrains, we learn and improve every day. Go.abb/motion