Fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg has developed ZAplus – a fan system using a special plastic for capacitor cooling in roof air conditioning units. It is lighter and more efficient, and meets the fire safety standard DIN EN 45545. Its life cycle cost is significantly lower than conventional fans. Axial fans fitted to train roofs, as well as their mounting, have always been made from metal for fire safety reasons. ZAplus uses a thermoplastic, fibre composite material. Called ZAmid, it as been in operational use in several client applications since 2011. The material has now been incorporated into railway technology. As a result, the weight of the fan gets reduced by up to 40%.

Since both the fan blades and the  nozzle with integrated motor mounting are made from this high-performancecomposite material, it allows for a more efficient aerodynamic design. Given that air conditioning is one of the biggest users of energy on trains, the saving is substantial.In addition, the commutator nozzles are corrosion-resistant. Made in a one-shot injection mould, the mounting contains no screws or bolts that can work loose. Ziehl-Abegg offers the new ZAplus
system for railway application with both AC  motors and energy-saving EC motors with infinitely adjustable speed, which resultsin a perceptible reduction in noise level. The EC motors are network-compatible for future applications.

For more details, visit www.ziehlabegg.in