Energy Efficiency in Pumps

Abstract

As the demand for energy increases with each passing year, energy efficiency is among the most important agenda items in the world. As with many devices, a significant amount of energy can be saved by increasing the efficiency of the pumps. Pumps have a 20% share in terms of energy consumption, especially among devices operating with electric motors (conveyors, compressors, fans, pumps, ventilators, etc.). Therefore, an increase in efficiency of pumps has the potential to make a significant amount of energy saving.One of the most important developments towards increasing the efficiency of pumps has been in motor efficiency. The innovations made in engine technology in recent years have brought significant efficiency increases. To increase motor efficiency, some innovations such as increasing the windings in the stator, using stronger magnets in the rotor, increasing the cooling channels, resizing the motor fan come to the fore.The use of frequency converters in pumps also contributes significantly to energy efficiency. Because pumps are selected according to the required maximum load requirement, but they spend most of their life at partial loads, that is, meeting much lower needs. Circulation pumps with frequency converters reduce the frequency in partial load requirements, allowing the pump to operate at a much closer to the value that is actually needed. Thus, significant energy savings can be achieved.Another issue affecting energy efficiency is related to the selection of pumps. The right selection of pumps guarantees convenient and efficient performance, reliable operation, and maximum service life. In pump selection, it is important to determine the type of the fluid, the flow rate, the viscosity of the fluid, the temperature of the fluid, the pressure conditions on the inlet and outlet of the pump. In order to ensure efficiency and reliability in pump selection, a correctly selected and controlled pump for normal operating points operates near its best efficiency point (BEP) flow, in general. In this range of operations, optimum reliability can be achieved with low forces on mechanical parts and low vibration.