Atlas Copco GA45 VSD+ P Compressor helps Bio Marine save 80% in energy costs

Bio Marine required a machine with the ability to match huge fluctuations in their demand for compressed air. After commissioning an Atlas Copco GA45 VSD+ P Compressor in February to upgrade from a second hand GA45 from another supplier, they have reduced their energy costs by 80%.

Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland (BII) is a marine bio-tech company located in County Monaghan, just one hour from Dublin Airport. BII is a joint venture between Irish fishing vessel owners and Norwegian partners who are experts in marine ingredients. BII produces the highest quality marine ingredients, utilising the vast quantities of blue whiting which are located proximate to the Irish coast.

Our air compressor must be reliable to supply air to operate our valves in this fully automated processing and drying manufacturing plant and our water treatment in DAF plant. Our old compressor was always at full load and not energy efficient compared to the Atlas Copco GA45 VSD+ P Compressor.

Brian McGovern , Operation Manager, Bio Marine

Matthew Havlin

On average, the Atlas Copco Variable Speed Drive Plus (VSD+) technology allows for 50% energy savings during fluctuations in production demand with an extensive turndown range. Matthew Havlin, one of the many passionate Sales Engineers at Atlas Copco, carried out the initial site visit and data logging.

From our initial visit it was clear that BII’s compressed air demand had large and very frequent fluctuations due to their process. The fixed speed compressor on site was suitable sized to cope with these peaks but was not of the turn down required to meet the average flow between them. This caused the fixed speed compressor to run in an unloaded state for over 80% of the week. The new Atlas Copco GA45VSD+ with its IPM motor and Neos inverter was capable of removing these unloaded hours and reducing BII’s energy usage by 233MWh per year.

Matthew Havlin , Sales Engineer, Atlas Copco Ireland

Atlas Copco Elektronikon Graphic Controller

Other benefits of the VSD technology includes minimisation of system leakage due to lower system pressure and no wasted idling times or blow-off losses in normal operation. The integrated Elektronikon Graphic controller allows for control over the motor speed and high efficiency frequency inverter.

VSD Variable Speed Drive