The case for pump monitoring

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January 2011 Other technologies

A technical paper on energy efficiency.

At a technical seminar hosted by Mining and Industrial Energy Optimisation (MIEO), a chapter of the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE), together with Eskom’s Energy Efficient Demand Side Management (EEDSM) department, experts in energy saving strategies in the industrial and mining sectors shared their ideas. They presented practical options for engineering professionals to implement cost-effective and sustainable energy saving measures in industrial and mining operations.

Delegates learnt about energy saving solutions in pumps and pumping systems; variable speed drives; materials handling systems; compressed air; mining and industrial fans; energy measurement and monitoring; steam systems; and electric motors.

A technical paper by John Schulkins, TAS Online, makes the case for pump monitoring.

Energy issues

Electricity tariffs around the world are rising fast and threaten the profits and competitive edge of energy intensive businesses. Besides escalating prices, generating capacity and environmental concerns are driving legislation designed to force industry to reduce current and projected energy use. Exacerbating the situation, the global shortage of qualified engineers means there are fewer people available to implement essential energy reducing measures.

Why monitor?

Energy savings increase profitability. Energy waste in pumping systems is not inevitable and is highly avoidable. Saving electricity and reducing maintenance in energy intensive pumping systems greatly improves overall profitability.

However, the only way to uncover the source of inefficiency and provide engineers with the platform to eliminate the problems is regular and consistent performance monitoring.

Using pump performance curves

The paper includes a graph describing the relationship between head, flow, power and efficiency over a pump’s capacity range. This is an accurate measure of the pump’s characteristics throughout its operational life. On either side of the Best Efficiency Zone lie performance inhibitors such as increased energy consumption, reduced component life and product recirculation. Reasons why a pump may operate outside the efficiency sweet spot are given.

How to make savings

Also covered are pump monitoring options and ways to make savings. This can be through through reduced energy consumption, reduced maintenance costs, Improved process safety, reduced manhours and skills requirements and reduced capital costs. Pump monitoring can also improve company policies relating to pumping systems,

Three case studies are given.

To read Schulkin’s full paper please visit http://motioncontrol.co.za/+pumpmonitoring

For more information contact Ruth Momberg, Magna Carta Public Relations, +27 (0)11 784 2598, [email protected], www.magna-carta.co.za

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