CHICAGO - Valves, motors, and drives are intricate components necessary to the proper and efficient functioning of HVACR units across the industry. The category is vast and there were many manufacturers at the 2009 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) ready to show their improvements, innovations, and new technologies in this class of industry equipment.

Apollo Valves (www.apollovalves.com) featured four new valves, concentrating many of its efforts on meeting the permissible lead leaching requirements of ANSI/NSF 61-8 (2007). New valves that qualified as being made from low lead bronze include the 70L Series Standard Port NPT Low-Lead Bronze Ball valve; the 77CL series Low-Lead Bronze Full Port Ball valve; and the 34A Series Model MVA Master Mixing Valve. The company also introduced the 34B Series Model MVB Dual Purpose Master Mixing Valve. The 34A Series is ASSE 1017 certified and 34B series is ASSE 1070 certified.

Asco Valve Inc. (www.ascovalve.com) displayed new features on its line of valves. The 8214 Series gas valves were released with new phalanges. The 8220 Series hot water/steam valves are heavy-duty and prime for high temperature fluids. They newly feature a screw top with a Teflon diaphragm instead of a piston.

Danfoss Inc. (www.danfossdrives.com) highlighted its new VLT® Low Harmonic HVAC drives that continuously regulate the network and load conditions without affecting the connected motor. The drives do not increase winding stress or reduce motor bearing lifetime. They have the same modular build-up as the company’s standard high power drives and share similar features, including high energy efficiency, back channel cooling, and user-friendly operation. Ranging from 250-1,000 HP - matching drive frames D, E, and F - the voltage range on the drives extends from 380-480 V AC at 50-60 Hz.

Eaton Corp. (www.eaton.com) expanded its motor and load protection solutions with Motor Insight™, the first offering from its Intelligent Power Control Solutions family. An overload and monitoring relay, the unit features solid-state line, load, and motor protection with ground fault detection, power voltage and current monitoring, and flexible communications. It allows adjustments to be made to overload settings without disconnecting the power. In addition, it provides an enhanced capacity to withstand surges. Motor Insight has an IP20 rated terminal block, a user interface with an LED display, and three operating voltage options - 240, 480, and 600 V.

Emerson Climate Technologies (www.emersonclimate.com) showcased its new Rescue EcoTech™ high efficiency direct-drive blower motor. According to the company, it provides contractors with new opportunities to provide home- owners the energy savings and improved comfort desired while saving time with installation as simple as a conventional PSC. It installs into existing furnace and air-handling applications without complex wiring modifications or changes to the system controls. Featuring wide application coverage, active airflow management, and Emerson’s motor control technology, the EcoTech offers contractors an energy-saving solution by upgrading the motor in a customer’s current furnace or air handler.

Fuji Electric Corp. of America (www.fujielectric.com) displayed its Frenic-EcoPAK drive. Most commonly used for variable torque fan and pump applications, the unit offers flexibility with two contactor or three contactor bypass; two contactor bypass with drive isolation switch; and non-bypass. It features an LCD screen, an LED keypad, a built-in PID control with sleep function, a quick-start programming menu, damper control, and PC software for drive set up and monitoring.

Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. (www.meau.com) introduced the Power Gate 18 pulse bypass system as well as its standard Power Gate bypass system. Both offer a three contactor bypass configuration as standard, along with a built-in PID control and a disconnect. Average set up is less than eight parameters and each has a multifunction programmer and display unit. The 18 pulse unit meets IEEE519-1992 at input terminals and meets the utility demands for improved total power factor, reduced harmonics, and overall improved efficiency.

NovaTorque (www.novatorque.com) released the PurePower™ 1000D motor control drive module and the PurePower™ 250 ultra-efficient electric motor. The 1000D control drive provides control for the company’s PurePower Series motors with up to 100 watts of continuous output power. It features power factor correction; constant airflow, torque, and speed operating modes; sensor-less algorithm with sinusoidal commutation and selectable PWM rate; and advanced blower features. The patented 250 electric motors measure 115 mm OD with 240 V nominal voltage and 1,200-rpm nominal speed. According to the company, it is suited to save power in variable-speed, high-duty cycle applications.

Packard Inc. (www.packardonline.com) launched its Universal Motor Run Capacitor. Manufactured to OEM performance and reliability requirements, it is protected to 10,000 AFC and has safety features including full interrupted protection and thermal fuse. According to the company, internal modular construction ensures cooler running and more efficient heat dissipation. Single post failure does not render the unit unusable, unlike single wound, multi-tapped capacitors.

Spartan Peripheral Devices (www.spartan-pd.com) highlighted its 100 psi high pressure cartridge. This new valve has the control of a globe valve and the features of a ball valve. Its benefits include compact installation, lower cost, CV change without valve body removal from pipeline, serviceable replaceable packing, and union solder, flare, and thread connections. The company also showcased new three way female threaded zone valve bodies. The low cost bodies are cast in high quality bronze to prevent dezincification.

Techtop Industries Inc. (www.techtopind.com) Green Series motors were the center of the company’s display. Classed as a NEMA Premium® motor, the three phase-TEFC unit ranges from 1-200 hp. It is aluminum up to 215T and cast iron to 200 hp. The green motor has one way brass T-Drains installed; removable feet up to 326T frame; a split conduit box that is 90 degrees rotatable; and IP 55 compliant seals and gaskets.

Yaskawa Electric America Inc. (www.yaskawa.com) showcased its low voltage AC7 Matrix Converter, an alternate power converter for induction motor drives, which is capable of producing a direct ac/ac conversion without the need for a dc link circuit. This technology has enabled the AC7 to turn ac input voltage into variable ac output voltage and offers efficient operation in all four motor operation quadrants. It uses an array of semiconductors known as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) to connect the three phases of supply directly to the motor. By correctly sequencing the operation of these switches, the voltage and frequency of the output to the motor can be precisely controlled.

Publication date: 04/06/2009