When unforeseen downtime can run into tens of thousands of dollars per hour for machine operators, being able to identify and solve issues quickly and get the equipment back into service is paramount.

Unicla Australia technicians Daniel Brown and Jon Mitchell assisted Adam Reynolds from Don’t Lose Your Cool, a leading locomotive MVAC service contractor, in installing the first UD150-72 VDC eDrive. This VL Class locomotive is a pivotal example of how choosing a reliable and efficient compressor with precise monitoring capabilities can heavily reduce downtime.

The Challenge

Don’t Lose Your Cool is a leading locomotive MVAC service business in Central NSW, headed up by skilled technician Adam Reynolds. In late 2022, Adam contacted the Unicla team to find a more efficient and cost-effective compressor solution for a major rail client.

“Working with this rail client long-term has made us aware of their LCC (Life Cycle Cost) sensitivities, so when a replacement opportunity became available for one of their dated UP200 72 VDC open drive compressors, we wanted to bring a solution to the table that would make a considerable difference to their ongoing maintenance costs and really improve their uptime.”

The Solution

Daniel Brown and Jon Mitchell from Unicla assisted Adam with selecting a replacement for the Unicla UP200 10-cylinder swashplate compressor that had been in service for many years

Whilst the existing unit was sound, efficiency modelling comparing the current compressor with a new electric drive model revealed that the client could drastically reduce their lifecycle costs in this locomotive application.

The UD150-72V eDrive electric compressor was chosen to replace the dated Unicla UP200/72 VDC electric motor coupled assembly. This offered a substantial reduction in costly external control and power components.

The Results

The eDrive has provided immediate results and increased power to the locomotive and promises a strong return on investment. Thanks to connectivity and monitoring with eConnect, Adam and his client can get a complete view of the compressor’s operating conditions, performance and power at any time – even if they are off site.

Overall system reliability has significantly increased thanks to the eDrive smart logic and eConnect multi-platform interface: this provides complete and flexible safety control, with system protection and real-time communication and monitoring for both the client and service contractor.

“We have shown this specific customer that we can double (or even triple) reduce the LCC ratios of what they are normally accustomed to”, said Adam.

“The Unicla eDrive is a very credible value proposition which now creates a whole new direction for the cost of running industrial machinery on wheels”.

About the eDrive

The bespoke electric drive motor has been designed and built from the ground up specifically for the eDrive compressor. By keeping the brushless motor and windings separate from the refrigerant circuit, the unit’s performance, reliability and efficiency are substantially increased.

The patented motor cooling jacket surrounds the smooth, low-noise, vibration-free swashplate compressor which features a single-piece leak-free crankcase. With a cooling capacity of 3 to 14kW and a range of voltages available, the Unicla eDrive is compatible with R134a, R404a, R513a, R452a, R1234yf and R1234yz.

Bringing all these features to life is the purpose-built eConnect software, enabling technicians to communicate with the machine. Access every eDrive in your fleet, either remotely or on-site, and see graphical data for all key parameters so you can diagnose and fix issues fast.