Drives for compressors in food and beverage

Danfoss drives optimize the control of compressors to reduce energy consumption and provide constant pressure regulation. Speed control is advantageous when an air compressor is running for long periods at part-load. And fewer starts and stops reduce mechanical wear.

For instance, compressor-driven chillers are reliant on the energy-saving features of drives to efficiently dissipate as much heat as possible. Hygiene requirements demand drives with robust enclosures that resist daily high-pressure washdowns. Danfoss has a number of VLT® drives of varying sizes with IP66/UL Type 4X protection that will fulfill this need.

Cascade configuration enables optimal interaction between compressor and drive under partial load. The base load is handled by a single compressor controlled by a VLT® Refrigeration Drive. When consumption rises, the drive starts up additional compressors one at a time. As a result, the compressors work largely at their optimum efficiency point, and the drive constantly maintains maximum energy efficiency throughout the system. The same principle also applies to drive-controlled fans and pumps.