New control technology for drive

The drive introduces a new control technology, developed by ABB, that brings high performance motor control to demanding processes used in industries such as mining, metals and marine. ABB says the drive also enables plants to operate more efficiently and produce higher quality output.

Traditionally, achieving high dynamic performance and excellent power quality required hardware with multiple devices. However, this increase in components could decrease reliability of the operation. The ACS6080 drive maintains the same highly reliable hardware as its predecessor, the ACS6000, and includes advanced control capability known as Model Predictive Pulse Pattern Control (MP3C).

ABB’s MP3C technology combines model predictive control with optimised pulse pattern to modulate semiconductors. This means that at every point in time this control can anticipate the best motor operation point by finding a suitable compromise between dynamics, efficiency and harmonic distortion.

The new control enables system integrators and plant operators to maintain stability, while reducing investment and operational costs by using a smaller drive or a smaller motor. The increased power capability of the ACS6080’s single power module reduces the footprint of the drive by up to 20%. ABB believes the new control is more energy efficient than other control solutions, and says maintenance costs are reduced as there is less mechanical and thermal stress on equipment leading to longer component lifetime.

The ACS6080 provides extensive input/output connectivity and supports all major fieldbus protocols, making it easy to integrate into existing systems and processes. It is compatible with ABB Ability condition monitoring services, allowing customers to obtain real-time data about the status and performance of the monitored equipment from any location.

“The ACS6080 MV drive provides benefits which help deliver exceptional value to industrial processes in terms of product quality, uptime, safety and energy efficiency,” says Mark Land, manager – MV Drives, ABB Limited.

The new drive delivers a high level of safety for people and equipment via an arc-resistant design and certified functional safety features. The ACS6080 is built on ABB’s common drive architecture, enabling a faster and harmonised startup, commissioning and monitoring. Once a user has learned how to use one all-compatible drive, they can then operate any other drive in ABB’s all-compatible offering.  

The modular design of the ACS6080 enables it to be configured for single or multi-motor applications. It controls all types of AC motors including induction, synchronous and permanent magnet, without the need for different software. The ACS6080 can be tailored to any heavy industrial application, and has a power range from 5 to 36MW.