Atlas Copco ZR 160 VSD (iMD VSD⁺) Oil-free Air Compressor

The Atlas Copco ZR 160 VSD is the water-cooled, two-stage oil-free screw compressor that closes the top of the ZR 110-160 (VSD) range at 160 kW (215 hp). Where the surrounding plant already operates a cooling water circuit, this platform turns that infrastructure into an advantage: recirculated water carries the intercooler and aftercooler duty, the package stays compact, and the variable speed drive converts a swinging demand profile into a narrow, stable pressure band. Atlas Copco has worked on oil-free compression for more than sixty years and was the first manufacturer awarded ISO 8573-1 Class 0 certification, and the ZR 160 VSD applies that standard to mid-size chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and electronics production.

The published envelope is unusual for this power class. On the 8.6 bar(e) variant the delivered flow spans 124 to 412 l/s, a turn-down band that lets one machine follow a plant from night idle to full production, and the 10.4 bar(e) variant repeats the pattern at higher pressure with a 6 bar(e) minimum setting. Both variants draw 160 kW (215 hp) of installed motor power, so the choice between them follows the network pressure alone.

Performance Envelope of the ZR 160 VSD

Figures are quoted exactly as printed by the manufacturer; the 10.4 bar(e) effective setting carries an imperial-only flow entry in the source table, marked with a dash where the metric column is silent. Sound pressure is a group figure for the ZR 110-160 (VSD) series, measured at the work station as an A-weighted emission level with the stated uncertainty band.

A Compact Water-Cooled Package

The frame is where the water-cooled design pays off visibly. The ZR 160 VSD Pack build measures 2431 mm in length, 1660 mm in width, and 2000 mm in height, and weighs 2920 kg — a footprint small enough to replace an older fixed speed unit without touching the compressor room layout.

The FF iMD build stretches the frame to 3400 mm and 3720 kg to house the integrated rotary drum adsorption dryer. On that drum, three quarters of the surface dries the air while the hot remaining quarter regenerates, holding the pressure dew point without external desiccant vessels and without the purge losses of a tower installation. For plants that prefer to source drying separately, the Pack form leaves the air treatment to plant-side equipment and keeps the 2431 mm footprint.

The ZR 160 VSD+ Branch in 10.4 and 13 bar

The VSD+ generation of this model runs on dual NEOS drives and widens the turn-down to its 4 bar(e) floor. It is also the branch that unlocks 13 bar(e), with gear sets selected for the higher outlet pressure, an optimized interstage pressure through high pressure stage speed control, and special coatings and seals for the hotter circuit.

Weights follow the three-build structure of the VSD+ platform: 2500 kg as a Pack unit, 3400 kg in the Full Feature (iMD) form with the integrated dryer, and 3700 kg in the Full Feature (iMDG) form, each with the frame starting at 2030 mm long, 1660 mm wide, and 2000 mm high, while the integrated-dryer builds measure 3430 mm in length. Buyers comparing the branches should note the contrast: the VSD+ branch turns down to 78 l/s and offers the 13 bar route, while the current ZR 160 VSD carries the group-certified 74 dB(A) reading and the two-variant pressure choice.

Water-Cooled Operation and Control

Cooling water changes the character of the compressor room. Because the recirculated circuit absorbs the heat of compression, the package does not depend on room airflow, ducting, or outdoor placement, and the machine can stand in a confined basement bay beside other water-cooled equipment. The permanent magnet motor is water cooled and oil lubricated, built to IP66, so dust and moisture stay out of the windings while the closed cooling circuit handles the thermal load. Coolers are designed for low approach temperatures, which keeps the two-stage element working over a stable temperature window year round.

The Elektronikon Touch controller supervises the package from its touch screen, with enhanced connectivity for remote reading, maintenance scheduling, and warning management. Inside the cubicle, the NEOS inverter is kept cool by design to extend its service life, and the control keeps the two stages balanced as speed changes, holding the interstage pressure where the element design intends it to sit.

The two-stage layout shows its value in the flow path. Intake air passes the filtration stage into the first compression element, crosses the intercooler where the recirculated water strips away the heat of the first stage, and continues into the second element for the final pressure lift. Moisture that condenses between the stages is separated and drained before the second element sees it, which protects the rotors and hands drier air to whatever treatment sits downstream.

Where the ZR 160 VSD Belongs

Sites with an existing water circuit and a demand profile that moves through the day gain the most from this model. A single ZR 160 VSD can trim a room of base-load machines, following the residual demand between 124 and 412 l/s while the fixed speed units hold their efficient full-load point; the central controller takes care of sequencing, and the water circuit absorbs the heat without adding to the room ventilation budget. Food and beverage, pharmaceutical, textile, and chemical plants specify the platform for its Class 0 air and its documented 74 dB(A) work station level.

When capacity planning points higher, the same water-cooled architecture continues into the Atlas Copco ZR 200 VSD Oil-free Air Compressor, the adjacent 200 kW (268 hp) class with its own Pack and FF (iMD) builds.

ZR 160 VSD FAQ

How small is the installed footprint?

The Pack build fits in 2431 by 1660 mm and stands 2000 mm tall at 2920 kg, which is why the model frequently replaces older two-stage units without room modifications.

What does 13 bar(e) on the VSD+ branch involve?

The 13 bar(e) variant runs gear sets selected for the higher outlet pressure, controls interstage pressure through high pressure stage speed regulation, and uses coatings and seals rated for the hotter oil circuit.

Why does the 10.4 bar(e) table show a dash on the effective setting?

The source table publishes that row only in imperial units, so the cfm figure stands alone; the metric columns carry no printed value and the dash marks exactly that.

Which industries put the ZR 160 VSD into production?

Food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, textile, and electronics plants take the Class 0 oil-free air for direct product contact, instrumentation, and pneumatic transport.

How quiet is the water-cooled package?

The ZR 110-160 (VSD) group reads 74 dB(A) at the work station, low enough that a compressor room door can stay open into an adjacent corridor during production.

Can the machine integrate with existing fixed speed units?

Yes. The controller groups the ZR 160 VSD with base-load machines, letting the variable speed package carry the trim duty while the fixed speed units run at their efficient point.