AC Motor Controllers and Drives
ABB Drives for HVAC Earn International Building Code Certification
(All ACH550 base drives, new E-Clipse Bypass units, and ACH PxR drives meet code requirements)
NEW BERLIN, WI, July 14, 2008 . . . All ABB ACH550 base drives, new E-Clipse Bypass units, and ACH PxR drives (those with input disconnects) now are International Building Code (IBC) certified. ABB received official notification of the certification in late June.
"This confirmation from IBC certifies that these drives can withstand specific seismic forces and remain in use (online) and functional after an emergency has occurred," according to Peter Walter, the product marketing manager for ABB's line of drives sold to the commercial (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) market. "For buildings and process industries in markets that may experience earthquakes, hurricanes and other disasters, this ability to have motors remain under precise control helps ensure critical operation of fans, pumps and a host of applications that ensure comfort and safety for users, managers and operators."
Continuous Operation through Emergencies
The IBC code, in various editions (IBC-2000, 2003 and 2006), currently is used at the state or local level in 47 states, plus Washington, D.C. It addresses both the design and installation of building systems, with an emphasis on performance in emergency situations.
Walter noted that the IBC certificate of compliance qualifies ABB's ACH550 drives (as detailed above) for use in applications and buildings where the IBC code requires seismically rated equipment be considered. While principal applications for IBC-certified drives include disaster-prone areas of North America, design parameters recommended by IBC could affect a significant number of facilities in both public and private sectors, he said. Such facilities could include commercial office buildings, hospitals and healthcare facilities, schools and education buildings, manufacturing facilities, water/wastewater operations - plus many others too numerous to mention.
ABB, Automation Products, Low Voltage Drives, is the world's largest manufacturer of electric motors and drives. In the USA, an integrated channel of sales representatives, distributors, and system integrators allow ABB, New Berlin, Wisconsin, to supply a complete line of energy-efficient electric drives, motors and engineered drive systems to a wide range of industrial and commercial customers. Products manufactured include AC and DC variable speed drives for electric motors from 1/8th through 135,000 HP, and application-specific drive system solutions to meet diverse customer needs (http://www.abb.us/drives).
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs more than 110,000 people.
Ken Graber,
ABB LV Products
ken.j.graber@us.abb.com
