Media Releases

08/19/2016

Voith Air Compressors to Become Even More Efficient With ‘TwinSave’ Technology and Coupling

  • TwinSave reduces energy consumption by up to 25 percent thanks to an additional control valve
  • Integrated Coupling allows energy savings of up to 45 percent in applications without a through shaft
  • Gear-integrated coupling requires no additional installation space
The new Voith air compressor LP 560 with TwinSave technology
Zschopau, Germany: More power, less energy consumption: The two-stage air compressors with inter-cooling from Voith have been impressing commercial vehicle operators with their excellent features for years. With the ‘TwinSave’ technology, which Voith will be exhibiting at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016, the company has reached another milestone in terms of energy efficiency. The compressors are fitted with an extra control valve and this results in an energy savings of up to 25 percent compared to Voith’s self-actuating idle system (SLS). Higher savings of up to 45 percent are possible, if the air compressor is equipped with an integrated coupling that requires no additional installation space. Voith will also be presenting this innovation at IAA 2016 in Hanover, Germany (hall 17, booth A14).

Air compressors are essential components of the compressed air system of commercial vehicles. Not only do they supply the brake system with the necessary operating pressure, but they also supply compressed air to multiple other units such as the door systems. As the world's first manufacturer, Voith uses crank cases made of die-cast aluminum. This results in a weight saving, a higher load capacity and thus reduced relative fuel consumption.

With the technologies on display at the IAA, Voith particularly focuses on increasing efficiency in idling mode. For applications with a through shaft, Voith will be showcasing a model of the new compressor type LP 560. With its expanded cubic capacity of 560 ccm and a maximum operating pressure of 15 bar, it is essentially an upgraded version of the established LP 490. As a special feature the air compressor is equipped with the TwinSave technology. TwinSave comes with an additional control valve in the second compressor stage and external actuation. These features enable the compressor to operate with a closed pressure line. In delivery operation, both control valves are closed (normally closed) in order for the compressor to compress and deliver the air in both stages. In idling mode, the control valves are open, which means that neither of the two compressor stages compresses the air and it is circulating inside the unit. Compared to the self-actuating idle system (SLS), with which Voith is already setting the reference standard in the industry today, Twin Save enables further energy savings of up to 25 percent. In addition, the technology contributes to the reduction of the mechanical strain on the pressurized components and thus helps to extend their lifetime. The TwinSave technology can be applied with a variety of Voith compressors.

For applications without a through shaft on the air compressor, Voith will be offering several air compressor types with an integrated coupling in the future. The component is installed directly in the gear of the compressor. Consequently, no additional installation space is needed. Activation and deactivation of the coupling takes place via a compressed air signal (normally closed). Since the compressor is completely disconnected from the engine in non-delivery mode, energy savings of up 45 percent can be achieved when compared to the SLS.

Voith Turbo, a Group Division of Voith GmbH, is a specialist for intelligent drive solutions. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on advanced technologies from Voith Turbo.

Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials, transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 20,000 people, generates €4.3 billion in sales, operates in over 60 countries around the world and is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.*

* Excluding the discontinued Group Division Voith Industrial Services.