Atlas Copco ZR 132 VSD (VSD⁺ FF) Oil-free Air Compressor

The Atlas Copco ZR 132 VSD is the water-cooled member of the 132 kW (175 hp) oil-free class, built for sites that already carry a cooling water circuit and want the heat moved off the machine room floor. Water cooling keeps the acoustic package tight and places the rejected heat wherever the site sends its water: a cooling tower, a closed circuit, or a heat recovery loop. As with the rest of the ZR line, the air path never meets oil, so the output holds Class 0 purity from the first stage to the point of use.

ZR 132 VSD Technical Data

The ZR 132 VSD is published at two working pressures, each described by a Minimum, an Effective, and a Maximum row that mark the band the drive sweeps. The installed motor is 132 kW (175 hp) across the range.

The noise level at the work station is 74 dB(A) for the ZR 110–160 (VSD) group, measured with the cooling-air ducting on the outlet grating included. Water cooling keeps the cabinet quiet, which suits dense machine rooms where several packages stand side by side.

ZR 132 VSD⁺ Technical Data (10.4 bar(e))

The ZR 132 VSD⁺ carries the same 132 kW (175 hp) class onto the dual NEOS drive platform and is offered as a Pack unit and as Full Feature builds (iMD and iMDG) with the rotary drum dryer integrated. All three share the 10.4 bar(e) envelope below.

The Pack unit weighs 2500 kg and measures 2030 mm long, 1660 mm wide, and 2000 mm high. The Full Feature (iMD) build extends the frame to 3430 mm and brings the weight to 3400 kg; the Full Feature (iMDG) build holds the same 3430 mm length at 3700 kg. The ZR 132 VSD⁺ reads 69 dB(A) at the work station.

ZR 132 VSD⁺ Technical Data (13 bar(e))

Where the application genuinely needs high pressure, the ZR 132 VSD⁺ is also published at 13 bar(e), a second table with its own envelope rather than a derated copy of the first. This variant is offered as a Pack unit only.

The 13 bar(e) variant keeps the same 69 dB(A) at the work station, so adding a high-pressure duty does not raise the noise floor of the room.

Inside the ZR 132 VSD Package

In each Full Feature form the ZR 132 VSD uses a desiccant drum that divides its surface between drying and regenerating, so treated air leaves the canopy continuously and the site buys one machine instead of a compressor row plus a separate dryer tower set. Because the connections between the compression and dryer sections are completed in the factory, site installation reduces to the water circuit, the electrical supply, and the air main. The iMDG build carries the dryer in a slightly heavier frame at 3700 kg for sites that need that configuration, while the iMD build covers the same duty at 3400 kg.

The ZR 132 VSD rejects its compression heat through a cooling water circuit instead of plant air, which keeps the acoustic package tight and moves the heat to where the site wants it. Inside the package the air follows a two-stage route: after the inlet filter cleans the stream, the first stage compresses to an intermediate pressure, an intercooler and moisture separation system strip out the water of condensation, and the second stage brings the air to its final pressure. The water-cooled coolers sit inside the 2030 mm Pack frame, which is why the base build holds the shortest length of the family and suits dense machine rooms.

Supervision runs on the Elektronikon Touch controller, the advanced touch screen monitoring system with enhanced connectivity that schedules maintenance, raises warnings before they become trips, and visualizes the condition of the ZR 132 VSD online. Inside the cubicle the NEOS inverter is arranged to keep the drive cool and extend its service life, and the control keeps the two stages balanced as the speed changes, holding the interstage pressure where the element design places it.

Where the ZR 132 VSD Fits

Sites with an existing water infrastructure get the most from the ZR 132 VSD: breweries, chemical plants, and large manufacturing floors where a cooling loop already runs past the machine room. The 2030 mm Pack frame of the ZR 132 VSD slots into dense rooms where every metre of wall matters, and the 2500 kg base weight avoids foundation work on standard industrial slabs. The 13 bar(e) variant lets a single ZR 132 VSD serve a mixed site: one machine feeding the general 7 bar(e) header through its effective band while carrying a dedicated high-pressure consumer such as a bottle blowing or mold pressing section.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much air does the ZR 132 VSD deliver?

On the 8.6 bar(e) variant the ZR 132 VSD spans 108–357 l/s at the Minimum point and 107–336 l/s at the Maximum point, with the 132 kW (175 hp) motor behind it. The ZR 132 VSD⁺ reaches 78.2–399.3 l/s on the Pack and 79–400 l/s on the Full Feature builds.

Why does the ZR 132 VSD use water cooling?

Water cooling moves the compression heat off the machine room floor to the site’s water circuit, which keeps the acoustic package tight and lets the package sit close to other equipment. The 74 dB(A) group figure reflects that quiet operation.

What does the 13 bar(e) variant add?

The 13 bar(e) ZR 132 VSD⁺ is a second published envelope, not a derated copy of the 10.4 bar(e) table, reaching 78.5–329 l/s at the Minimum point and 75.6–284.7 l/s at the Maximum. It lets one machine carry both a general header and a high-pressure island.

How loud is the machine?

The ZR 132 VSD reads 74 dB(A) at the work station on the VSD, and the ZR 132 VSD⁺ reads 69 dB(A) on every variant including the 13 bar(e), measured with the cooling-air ducting included.

What is the difference between iMD and iMDG?

Both are Full Feature builds with the integrated rotary drum dryer. The iMD build weighs 3400 kg on a 3430 mm frame, while the iMDG build holds the same length at 3700 kg for the configuration that needs it.

Is the ZR 132 VSD a short package?

Yes. The water-cooled coolers sit inside the 2030 mm Pack frame, which is the shortest length of the family and suits dense machine rooms where floor space is tight.

Stepping Up to the ZR 145 VSD

When the demand profile outgrows the 400 l/s ceiling of the ZR 132 VSD⁺ at the top pressure, the adjacent step in the same water-cooled family is the Atlas Copco ZR 145 VSD (VSD⁺ FF) Oil-free Air Compressor, which extends the envelope in the 145 kW (200 hp) class.