Double no trouble with the QAC 1450 TwinPower+

The QAC 1450 TwinPower+, one of our most recent innovations consists of a pair of containerized generators that offer versatility, optimized performance, and excellent fuel economy in demanding applications on land and at sea.

The QAC 1450 TwinPower+ operating principle is based around the concept of two generators, with two independent engines, with innovative remote variable speed cooling, inside one container. Therefore, you get two generators in one platform, giving you the flexibility to run at 100% power load or even low power loads in the most efficient way. 

June 23, 2020

What’s in the box?

The QAC 1450 TwinPower+ is a 20ft DNV 2.7-1 certified container, which houses two compact 725 kVA generators. This configuration, with its fast-paralleling system, allows the two generators to work independently or in parallel with each other. Furthermore, the system is fully EU compliant. It the ideal solution for power applications requiring a 100% back-up generator. The QAC 1450 can be set at different frequencies (50 or 60hz) and voltages (380V up to 690V).

It is also equipped with centralized control and monitoring systems that are both easy-to-use and configure. Two Qc4003 digital controllers that feature intuitive touchscreens and a choice of island or PMS (Power Management System) modes facilitate this. For enhanced flexibility, and so it can tackle larger jobs if required, the QAC 1450 TwinPower+ can either run as a standalone unit, in parallel with other generators, or in parallel with mains power.

High and low

It is capable of operating continuously in challenging conditions, including high altitude environments; the containerized TwinPower generator system features an intelligent cooling system that ensures optimized performance at temperature up to 50 °C.

From full load to low load, the TwinPower concept provides the same output, performance, and efficiency as a single generator package, thereby achieving up to 8% fuel savings on continuous use in an independent power plant application. This corresponds to approximately 6 500 metric tons of CO² being avoided in a year per power plant in comparison to the use of a single generator package. Again, this is per unit. Can you imagine the impact this has when it is used worldwide?

Power in the field

In theory, it all sounds great, but how does it perform in the field? 

When the engineers at Engineered Pressure Systems International (EPSI), specialist in high-pressure, isostatic equipment, were in need of a great amount of power for the testing of their installations, they immediately contacted Atlas Copco Rental Europe. As we had recently added the QAC 1450 TwinPower+ to our fleet, we didn’t think twice: we delivered them twice!

At EPSI, high-pressure installations are used for the densification of various materials such as metal, ceramics, composites and plastics in almost all industries. For example, the base material for prostheses is porous, which isn’t ideal for such an important support system. The EPSI units compress this ceramic to the point of being almost indestructible.

The company is also involved in many Research & Development projects for various international technology giants. For instance, ocean pressures can be simulated, which is crucial in the testing of deep-sea components for offshore use.

To keep up with peak performances, this equipment needs testing as well. That takes power – about 3200 A to be exact, which is not available at the EPSI site. The units need to heat up before the densification can start: the material inside is much easier to manage when heated, sometimes even up to 2000°C! After heating, the pressing begins, which requires a lower current. Usually, their installations are powered on the premises of their customers. During testing phases on their own construction yard, they call upon Atlas Copco Rental to provide them with temporary power on-site. The QAC 1450 TwinPower+ was the perfect match as two TwinPowers could easily supply 4000 A.

The EPSI outdoor site isn’t very large, which makes it a challenge to absolutely maximize the clever use of space. TwinPower allows us to do just that. Putting just two QAC 1450 TwinPower+ power modules on the spot instead of multiple machines not only decreases the use of valuable space – it also decreases transportation costs, as well as the amount of fuel needed by 5%.

The QAC 1450 TwinPower+ makes for a sustainable way of working. You get the power you need when you need it. In the first phase of testing, not an awful amount of power is needed just yet. In which case, only one half of one Twinpower is used. When the ovens for heating are turned on however, the full power of both Twinpowers is necessary. After making an efficiency assessment together with our Sales Engineer and the engineers at EPSI, our project managers designed a tailor-made remote solution to fully control the different power phases.

In the end, this specific use of the TwinPowers proved its worth! EPSI ran the tests smoothly, improving their installations before sale. And we saw the efficiency of our QAC 1450 TwinPower+, built on experience and thought-out design, take shape. Double win, indeed!

For more information about the QAC 1450 TwinPower+, please contact us, or click here to learn more about our different power modules.

Double no trouble with the QAC 1450 TwinPower+

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