Emerson Launches Copeland™ Variable Frequency Drives

*On June 1, 2023 Emerson’s Climate Technologies business became a new standalone company – Copeland. Though our name has changed, we are building on more than a century of HVACR innovation and industry leadership, and Copeland continues to offer the same products, industry stewardship, and learning opportunities you’ve grown to trust. Information found on this webpage posted before June 1, 2023 may contain our old name or branding, but you can be at ease knowing it was created with the knowledge and expertise of Copeland. 

Improving energy efficiencies in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems is a goal shared by operators in many food retail, commercial building and industrial applications. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) can be applied to various fixed-speed system motors to control their speed and capacity, and in doing so, significantly reduce energy consumption and associated operating costs. Emerson is pleased to announce the launch of its Copeland VFD product lines, which are designed for maximum compatibility with Copeland compression products to reduce the costs and complexities of VFD implementation. You can read our latest E360 Product Spotlight to take a closer look at the improved system efficiencies that can be achieved in certain HVACR applications.

According to research from the Department of Energy (DOE), the commercial building sector accounts for 40 percent of the total energy consumption within the U.S. Among the greatest electricity consumers and energy cost contributors are the motor loads from mission-critical HVACR equipment.

From refrigeration compressors to the evaporator and condenser fans used in parallel rack and/or chiller applications, Copeland VFDs can be added to existing fixed-speed HVACR motors to help operators to quickly retrofit their facilities and achieve:

• • Significant improvements in system performance and reliability
  • Substantial reductions in energy consumption
  • Fast return on investment (ROI)

Available in two platforms and multiple connection options

The Copeland EVM VFD series is intended for chillers, medical refrigeration, display cases, walk-ins, reach-ins and other applications where less control functionality is needed.

• • Covers ½ to 30 HP range
  • Available in single- and three-phase input options
  • Equipped with onboard Bluetooth^® capabilities for ease of use

The Copeland EVH VFD series is designed for large centralized racks, including CO₂, advanced chillers, and industrial refrigeration applications that require more demanding motor control functionality.

• • Covers 1 to 250 HP
  • Available in three-phase, including 575-volt options
  • Delivers advanced motor control

These product lines offer a variety of connection options, including an onboard web server (available on EVM series only) and a multitude of available onboard communication options:

• • Modbus RTU or TCP
  • BACnet™ MS/TP or IP
  • Ethernet IP/TCP
  • Optional cards such as: CANopen, Dual Ethernet Port and Profibus

Benefits of variable-capacity modulation

Copeland VFDs allow facility operators to reap the benefits of variable-capacity modulation without swapping out their current HVACR equipment. Adding a VFD to a fixed-speed fan or pump motor can result in a 30 to 50 percent reduction in energy costs while allowing capacity to fluctuate from 10 to 100 percent. When added to a semi-hermetic compressor, a Copeland VFD provides a 15 to 30 percent reduction in energy costs while enabling capacity modulation from 40 to 100 percent.

These efficiencies are achieved via improved load matching, less on and off cycling, softer start-ups and faster temperature pull-downs — which also deliver the following system performance improvements:

• • Precise temperature and humidity control
  • Adaptable capacity for changing loads and weather conditions
  • Controllable noise levels

In addition, Copeland VFDs enhance equipment reliability through proactive motor failure prevention, advanced diagnostics, decreased susceptibility to power issues, and by greatly reducing the number of start/stop events.

Maximum compatibility with Copeland compressors and ease of use

Native software that supports the Copeland VFD platforms is designed to deliver optimal performance when paired with Copeland compressors, including: scroll, semi-hermetic and screw compression technologies. This software also provides the same optimization of the control algorithms found in VFDs designed for competitive compression technologies and general, multi-purpose motors, such as fans and pumps.

The Copeland VFD series provides maximum ease of use for contractors and end users during installation, servicing and operation. An intuitive startup wizard, quick-start menus and simple connections make set-up fast and uncomplicated, while offering seamless integration with Emerson’s Lumity™ supervisory control platform including the E3 and site supervisor controllers.

Selecting the right model for your applications

To simplify the selection process, each Copeland VFD model is designed to accommodate dozens of general motors and compressor SKUs. In addition, Emerson’s online product information (OPI) tool can help you to determine which VFD is appropriate for your application. Simply locate the motor’s nameplate and then begin selecting and sourcing the best-fit Copeland VFD model for your application. Product catalogs and manuals are also available on the our website for easy reference.

It’s also important to remember that sustainability initiatives are driving many U.S. states to offer energy-efficiency incentives to operators who implement variable frequency drives. Where available, we encourage you to leverage these incentives to reduce and/or offset your upfront costs.