Over 800 AC drives in Heathrow Terminal 5

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March 2010 Motion Control & Drives

More than 800 Vacon AC drives are being used to control pumps and fans for the heating, ventilation and airconditioning system (HVAC) via Ethernet, connected directly to the building management system (BMS) at London’s Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 (T5).

Terminal 5, the most modern air terminal in Europe that opened in March 2008, will serve 30 million passengers a year – around the clock and in all weather conditions. Effective, adjustable and reliable airconditioning is a must; T5 is designed to give maximum passenger comfort and to provide a pleasant working environment for the staff. The Vacon AC drives are essential for maintaining acceptable air quality and environmental conditions throughout the site.

Vacon AC drives are equipped with an Ethernet communication board that is integrated into the drive and does not require any additional power supply. This inbuilt option card makes available full information for control, monitoring and fault diagnostics with reset

Energy saving benefits enable short payback time

Vacon AC drives in the power range of 0,75–400 kW control the pumps and fans for the heating, ventilation and airconditioning plant that forms the core of the environmental management system for T5. The Vacon AC drives have been installed throughout the terminal complex. They adjust the speed of the pumps and fans that control conditions within the building, creating and maintaining a comfortable environment for all Terminal 5 customers and staff. By matching output to demand, the Vacon AC drives are highly energy efficient, resulting in a short payback time, in some cases less than a year.

Easily integrated via Ethernet

All the drives are in an IP54 enclosure and are compact, enabling a cost-efficient installation. Integration with other systems is also easy. At T5, control of the Vacon AC drives is via a direct Ethernet connection to the BMS, so they can be precisely controlled and monitored. Vacon AC drives are modular in design and, for the T5, one of the key factors in the choice of Vacon’s equipment was the commonality in the product range. The control platform is the same for all the drives across the entire power range.

Complying with EMC requirements

Issues of prime importance at T5 are emissions and immunity to radio frequency disturbance: electrical equipment must not interfere with other equipment. The Vacon AC drives comply with the latest electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements. Thanks to their integrated EMC/RFI filters and harmonic chokes, the Vacon drives can be installed in the vicinity of sensitive equipment.

Environmental concern a priority from the start

From the earliest days, the environment was a key issue in designing day-to-day operations at Terminal 5, working to reduce exhaust emissions, noise and the impact on the environment.

The use of AC drives helps meet these goals in many ways. In addition to energy savings, benefits include easy communication via Ethernet, reduced cabling and installation costs, greater flexibility and higher efficiency. Speed control also reduces the level of noise in the electrical room which is caused especially by the fans. The lower noise level improves comfort and makes T5 a more pleasant environment for passengers and staff.

For more information contact Rob Hare, CHI Control Components, +27 (0)11 824 7400, [email protected], www.chicontrol.co.za

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Motion Control & Drives

Over 800 AC drives in Heathrow Terminal 5

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