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10 Ways to Increase the Energy Efficiency of your Water Pumps

Posted: 25/07/2017
Category: Pumps

Whatever be the nature of your job, if you need to move water, then you need to install water pumps. However, with a weight of approximately 30 kilograms for every cubic foot, it’s not easy to move water and requires lots of energy. The Department of Energy states that pumping systems account for 16% of the electricity bill in a commercial establishment. Also, the Bijli Bachao Foundation specifies that drinking water pumps account for 50% of the Energy bills in a household. If you want to reduce your electricity bills, then it’s essential to focus your attention on water pumps. Here are ten ways in which you can make the water pumps in your premises energy efficient.

  1. Select the right pump based on the usage
A recent Finnish study found out that pump efficiency on an average is 40% less and more than 10% of pumps operate at 10% efficiency or less. One of the major drawbacks during the design is over-sizing. This means that flow and pressure are often 25% more, than what’s actually required for the system. Ensure that your design engineer works along with the pump manufacturer to help you select the right pump while ensuring that all factors like size, power, speed, drive, and secondary equipment are ideally matched to the requirement type.
  1. Choose the right pump size
Finding the right size ensures that your pump is highly energy efficient. This is crucial since centrifugal pumps consume more than 50% of the average electricity bill and also incur high maintenance costs. Engineers often make the mistake of adding too much safety factors, making the pump oversized thereby leading to higher energy bills and maintenance costs.
  1. Cut down the impeller to the correct size
The Rule of thumb here is that the impeller should not be less than the minimum diameter specified on the pump curve. When you trim the impeller to the right size it ensures that you eliminate throttling losses of the control valves.
  1. Reduce the drop in pressure
An excellent way to prevent pressure from dropping in the system is to make use of the right pipe size. Hydraulic friction causes a loss in reduction of pressure, when water moves from one end of the pipe to another. This force is influenced by the following factors: pipe diameter, overall length of the pipe, the material, and roughness. Also, the physical properties of the transferred liquid play a crucial role in altering the friction. So, it’s essential that you choose the right pipe size to minimize pressure drop.
  1. Implement the right control valves
Control valves are used in pumps to control both flow and pressure. They are used to reduce loss of energy in non-controlled systems like irrigation systems. The main objectives of control valves are:
  • Throttling the flow
  • Bypassing the flow
While the flow of water is reduced by throttling, it causes an increase in pressure. You can reduce excess pressure by diverting the excess water flow, to a storage reservoir or any other location.
  1. Make use of variable speed drives (VSDs)
You can improve the energy efficiency by implementing a variable speed drive. The VSD adjusts the rotational speed of the pump to achieve the required flow and head. You can add a VSD to any existing pump system to reduce its speed to meet the requirements. Once you install it, the VSD can vary its speed to suit the needs of the system. This is great if you have plans to expand the system in future. This is one of the best methods to increase energy efficiency while lowering the costs.
  1. Ensure effective maintenance of your pumping system
Regular maintenance checks are essential to find out deteriorations in capacity and efficiency, long before they cause a major problem. For instance, rotor erosion and a worn ring can reduce the efficiency by ten percent or even more. Periodic maintenance is classified into two. They are:
  • Preventive – This includes checking the routing system needs like periodic adjustments, lubrication, and removing contaminants.
  • Predictive – This includes tests and assessments that aim to reveal deteriorating conditions.
 
  1. Always make use of higher efficiency pump seals
Leaks from sealing systems not only contaminate your premises but also cause losses due to increased mechanical friction. Leaks that occur between the discharges and pump suction reduce volumetric efficiency. The energy savings that occur as a result of using the right pump seals often exceed the savings got by installing variable drives, and trimming impellers.
  1. Opt for multiple pumps wherever needed
You can significantly improve the energy efficiency when several pumps are used in a parallel operating system. A multi-pump system is best when each pump runs individually and not together always.
  1. Reduce unnecessary usage
This is one method that is often overlooked. One of the easiest ways to save energy is to cut down on unnecessary use. You can improve energy efficiency by shutting down pumps when not in use and making use of pressure switches, to control the flow when the rates vary. The Bottom Line All pump systems vary in their size, type and operational requirements. Seek the help of an expert to assist you ensuring that your pump is energy efficient to improve your outputs and reduce energy consumption. We at Sintech pumps provides Energy Efficient Water Pumps in India to fulfill all your Industrial water pumps needs. We are available on www.sintech.in or you can call us on +91 120 4176000.

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