Drives & Controls September 2022

T: 0800 8766 441 SKF SOLUTIONS FOR THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY E: enquiries@acorn-ind.co.uk www.acorn-ind.co.uk SKF Food Line Bearing Units SKF Stainless Steel Deep Groove Ball Bearings SKF Automatic Lubricators with Food Grade Grease SKF Solid Oil Bearings Drives & Controls & BACK TO BASICS n SPONSORED BY The heatwaves over the summer were a sober reminder of the risks of fires in buildings. In the event of a fire, modern VSDs can be configured to help clear smoke, keep fire exits clear and preserve life, as Oliver Woolley, ABB’s key account manager for HVAC, explains. V ariable-speed drives (VSDs) typically feature an override mode. This mode, also known as “fireman’s override”, is a flexible way to configure a critical response. It is typically used in fan applications that require a special operating mode to assist with fire and smoke control. The override mode can also be used in a variety of other applications, in addition to fire safety control. The override mode can allow the drive to run a motor at an adjustable, predefined or PID-controlled speed in any direction, to assist a building smoke control system during evacuation, and to help with firefighting. It increases the safety of a building’s occupants and reduces fire damage and the costs of restoration after a fire. Drives can be programmed to ignore or reset faults to ensure a “run at all costs” operation. The override mode cannot be triggered by any other signal: once this mode is activated, the drive cannot exit it until the fire condition signal is reset by opening the contact closure or removing power from the drive. Before using a fireman’s override system, please check local regulations and requirements. n A step-by-step guide to configuring the fireman’s override input on an ABB ACH580 drive can be seen in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1IZvj0Opjs How a fireman’s override can help to save lives The fireman’s override mode allows a VSD to run a motor at an adjustable, predefined or PID-controlled speed in any direction, to help a control smoke during a fire evacuation