Delta AC Motor Drive VFD-EL Application

in Pumps for Constant Pressure Water Supply

Delta Electronics Inc. FAE Alan Chou

Application System
AC motor drive is more and more widely applied in water supply system for
living, building and industry. Using AC motor drive, water pressure can be
adjusted conveniently in various applications. On the occasion of the changing
water flow, like living water supply, AC motor drive can be used to change the
pump rotation speed, thus the water flow will be adjusted, meanwhile, energy
is saved. Apart from energy-saving, AC motor drive also has other advantages
as follows:
1. Avoid inrush current during power up and maintain the stability of power
supply system, because starting current can be controlled within rated
current when using AC motor drive.
2. Lengthen the life of pumps and valves due to that average rotation speed
of the pump is smaller.
3. Avoid water hammer effect during starting and stopping.
The basic method of constant pressure water supply system is that water
supply controller (commonly known as PID controller) outputs analog signal to
control AC motor drive. Delta VFD-EL series AC motor drive (multiple
functions/micro type, power range: 200W~3.7KW) is built-in with constant
pressure water supply controller, which enables constant pressure water
supply more convenient and more economical. This example is for Delta
VFD-EL series AC motor drive application in single pump used for constant
pressure water supply, which is widely used in households, motels, SPAs and
so on. Apart from energy-saving on constant pressure water supply as
common inverters, Delta VFD-EL series AC motor drive also has other
advantages as follows:
1. VFD-EL is built-in with advanced and intelligent PID controller, so it is
needless to connect a special PID meter externally for constant pressure
control and cost will be down.
2. VFD-EL is built-in with the functions of automatic detection of water supply
suspension and automatic restart, so it will save the cost of PLC and
Relay, which are used for realizing the same function.

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3. VFD-EL has a full range of voltage, including 115V, 230V and 460V
models. For 115V models, it is 1-phase models; for 230V models, there
are 1-phase/3-phase models; for 460V models, it is 3-phase models. So
Delta VFD-EL series AC motor drive can meet various requirements of
different pumps and countries.

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Wiring for System Structure and Pressure Sensor
Principle for Constant pressure water supply control:
1. Pressure sensor feedbacks 4~20mA signal to AC motor drive.
2. AC motor drive outputs a frequency calculated by PID to control the pump’s
rotation speed and then the set point of pressure will be reached.

VFD-EL
R U
Power S
T
V
W
P
PUMP
Switch
┼
10V

AVI ─ S
Pressure Sensor

RS-485

system structure
Note:
1. Pressure sensor is usually 2-wire control and outputs 4~20mA signal.
2. The sensor’s + terminal should be connected to VFD-EL’s 10V terminal.
3. The sensor’s – terminal should be connected to VFD-EL’S AVI terminal,
and AVI/ACI switch should be for ACI (factory setting: AVI).

Parameters Settings
Set pressure range
Parameter Explanation Settings Factory Setting

00.13 User-defined Value 1 0~9999 0

(correspond to
max.frequency)
00.14 Position of Decimal Point of 0~3 0
User-defined Value 1

Generally, customers will expect the pressure can be set and displayed directly

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by AC motor drive. Delta＇s VFD-EL series AC motor drive can do it. The
pressure can be set via Pr.00.13 (User-defined Value 1). Common pressure
sensor outputs 4~20mA signal, which responds to 0~10KG pressure. So just
set Pr.00.13 to 100 and Pr.00.14 to 1, the set point of constant pressure control
of a pump will be controlled within 0~10KG.

Set Display Content

Parameter Explanation Settings Factory Setting

10.18 PID Control Detection 1.0~99.9 99.9

Signal Reference

Usually, customers will expect the target and current pressure can be
displayed directly by AC motor drive. Delta＇s VFD-EL series AC motor drive
can do it. Just set max. pressure in Pr.10.18, then set Pr.00.03 to 3 and
Pr.00.04 to 8, the target and current pressure will be displayed directly by AC
motor drive.

Set Point Feedback Value

(The maxim um value
you would like to convert)

Set Deviation Range

Parameter Explanation Setttings Factory Settings

a 10.22 Set Point Deviation Level 0~100% 0

10.23 Detection Time of Set Point 1~9999 sec 10
Deviation Level

When the deviation is less than Pr.10.22 (in the range of PID set
point~Pr.10.22×PID set point) for a time exceeding the setting of Pr.10.23, the
AC motor drive will decelerate to stop to be constant pressure status (This
deceleration time is the setting of Pr.01.12). The system will be ready when the

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deviation is within the range of PID set point~Pr.10.22×PID set point during
deceleration.

Set Liquid Leakage Detection Function

Parameter Explanation Settings Factory Setting

a 10.24 Offset Level of Liquid 0~50% 0

Leakage
a 10.25 Liquid Leakage Change 0: disable 0
Detection 0~100%
a 10.26 Time Setting for Liquid 0: disable 0.5
Leakage Change 0.1~10.0 sec

In the constant pressure status, when the liquid leakage is higher than
Pr.10.24×PID set point, the AC motor drive will start to run. It is used to prevent
frequent start/stop operation due to liquid leakage.
When the change of feedback value is less than the settings of Pr.10.25 and
Pr.10.26, it means that the liquid is leaking. When the system is in constant
pressure status, the AC motor drive will start to run if the feedback value is
higher than these two settings.

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Set Water Supply Suspension Detection Function
Parameter Explanation Settings Factory Setting

10.20 Treatment of the 0: Keep operating 0

Erroneous PID Feedback 1: Coast to stop
Level 2: Ramp to stop
3: Ramp to stop and
restart after time
set in Pr.10.21
10.21 Restart Delay Time after 1~9999 sec 60
Erroneous PID Deviation
Level

VFD-EL＇s Pr.10.12 and Pr.10.13 are used to set the abnormality range of
pressure sensor. When the pressure sensor feedbacks abnormal signal, the
AC motor drive will act according to Pr.10.20 and Pr.10.21. This function
avoids damage from the pump＇s idle running and prevents AC motor drive
from stopping due to water supply suspension. It continuously auto detects
until water supply continues.

NOTE
For more parameters information, please download VFD-EL technical
document at
http://www.delta.com.tw/ch/product/em/download/download_main.asp?act=3&
pid=1&cid=1&tpid=1

Parameter Setting Example

In constant pressure water supply system, when Delta VFD-EL series AC
motor drive is used to keep water pressure at 3kg , its parameters are set as
below:
Parameter Setting Value Explanation
00.03 3 Start-up display is the content of user-defined unit.
00.04 8 Display PID setting and feedback signal.
00.13 100 It is used to set the position of decimal point of
00.14 1 Pr.00.13 (user-defined value 1 which corresponds to
max. frequency). Set Pr.00.13 to 100 and Pr.00.14
to 1, 10.0 will be displayed.

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Parameter Setting Value Explanation
01.00 60 Set according to the pump specifications.
01.01 60
01.02 220
01.09 0.5 Acceleration Time 1, adjust according to customers’
needs.
01.10 5.0 Deceleration Time 1, adjust according to customers’
needs.
01.12 3.0 Deceleration Time 2, when the pressure reaches the
set point, the AC motor drive will decelerate to stop
and this deceleration time is the setting of Pr.01.12.
02.01 0 Operation command is from the digital keypad on
AC motor drive.
10.00 1 PID set point is set by the digital keypad.
10.01 3 Input terminal for PID feedback is negative PID
feedback from external terminal ACI (4~20mA).
10.02 1.2 Adjust PID gain according to customers’ needs.
10.03 0.7
10.04 0
10.12 25.0 When the pressure feedback value is less than
10.13 15.0 0.5kg for a time exceeding 15 seconds, the AC
motor drive will act according to Pr.10.20.
10.18 10.0 PID control detection signal reference is set to 10kg.
10.19 1 Parallel PID calculation mode is suitable for
constant pressure water supply control.
10.20 3 Due to water supply suspension or abnormal
10.21 1800 feedback value, the pump will ramp to stop and
restart after 30 minutes. This action repeats until the
feedback value is normal.
10.22 5 It is 0.15kg that the deviation between feedback
10.23 10 value and the set point of constant pressure control
of the pump (3kg×5%=0.15kg), i.e. when feedback
value is 2.85kg or higher for a time exceeding 10
seconds, the AC motor drive will decelerate to stop
(This deceleration time will act according to
Pr.01.12). When the feedback value is less than
2.85kg, the AC motor drive will start to run.

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Parameter Setting Value Explanation
10.24 33 Liquid Leakage Status:
10.25 4 Suppose that the AC motor drive is in the constant
10.26 2 pressure status and the feedback change value is
less than 0.12kg within 2 seconds
(3kg×4%=0.12kg), the AC motor drive won’t run
until the feedback value is decreased by this
proportion to the value less than 2.01kg.
Restart after Liquid Leakage:
Suppose that the AC motor drive is in the constant
pressure status and the feedback change value is
higher than 0.12kg within 2 seconds, the AC motor
drive will start to run.