Case study: Brisbane Airport Upgrade

IPD Group is the Master Distributor of ABB HVAC Drives within Australia. The ABB ACH580 HVAC drive sets new standards in both simplicity and reliability, ensuring smooth, energy-efficient operation of your HVAC systems in normal and mission-critical situations.

ACH580 drives offer a complete HVAC functionality for controlling fans, pumps and compressors as well as complex equipment like air-handling units and chillers. All this comes with great scalability in terms of power range, ingress protection, construction and harmonics performance.

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is currently undertaking a $40 million redevelopment of the Domestic Terminal Building. The work on both levels 1 and 2 will create a world-class airport environment for traveller's reflecting a unique sense of Brisbane and Queensland.

BAC sought assistance to upgrade its existing systems which control the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling of the indoor and vehicular environmental comfort. The customer aimed to maintain acceptable indoor air quality through adequate ventilation with filtration and provide thermal comfort. Additionally, it needed to be implemented in the most energy-efficient and cost-effective way, whilst maintaining its strict safety regulations, in both normal and mission-critical situations.

Mechanical Electrical Services provider, Ralcrest, in partnership with Control Logic (now an IPD business) recommended and utilised the ABB ACH580 IP55 Variable Speed Drive rated from 0.75kW - 250kW. Majority of the ACH580 units were commissioned to control the chilled water pumps.

"The ACH580’s built-in features reduced on-site commissioning time and bring added value to existing control products" - Jay Currie, Construction Manager, Ralcrest.

The ACH580’s built-in features reduced on-site commissioning, saving time and money on the project deliverables. This created added value to the existing control products and provided accessible diagnostics and troubleshooting guidance. The ACH580 benefits from its inbuilt monitoring diagnostics which can identify its own maintenance requirements. This not only effectively cuts out routine inspections, but it will also enable BAC to achieve optimal efficiency by controlling the fans & pumps using this feedback from the drive. IPD is committed to providing continuous support and service to assist BAC and all of our valued customers with maintaining and improving the comfort control and operations of their HVAC systems.